Sweet and Spicy Pork Ribs

I grew up in a culture where rice is a staple food, and almost every meal (that my mum cooked) would consist of boiled white rice served with a variety of meats, soups and vegetables. Mum's a fantastic cook who takes pride in the food she prepares for us, which is why I always look forward to her cooking whenever I go back to visit. I try to learn as much as I can from her, although in the much earlier years, before my foray into the kitchen, I was merely interested in consuming the end product and not so much how it was prepared.  I have, however, picked up many kitchen tips from her since then, which are truly invaluable and have probably saved me from countless pain and heartaches in the kitchen. Thanks Mum!

Chicken Cacciatore with Pappardelle

 

Chicken Cacciatore is a simple and delicious Italian-style chicken stew made with tomatoes and white wine. "Cacciatore" means "hunter" in Italian, so this is also known as hunter's stew. I first made this a year ago when my friend Tracey shared her recipe with me. I think she visited some cooking school on her Italian holiday and kept raving to me about chicken cacciatore. Get hold of fresh pappardelle if you can (here, I've used cracked black pepper and basil pappardelle), but otherwise, any of your favourite pasta will work too. You can omit the red peppers if you like, but I find that it lends a lovely sweetness and flavour to the dish. This is ideal for those big family dinners, where you can cook up a big batch, let it simmer on the stove while you sit, relax and have a sip or two of wine. That's stress-free cooking for you. Read on to get the recipe.

Farfalle Pasta with Sausage and Mushrooms in a Rosa Sauce

The moment I did a preview of the photos on this post, I knew I had forgotten to add something to the pasta. Peas! That's what was missing! It would have added such a nice pop of vibrant green to the dish. Well, at least I didn't forget the parsley, for both flavour and colour. It's been a while since I last cooked pasta, and when I do, it's usually a spaghettini with bacon and mushrooms in a creamy lemon butter sauce. I can't help it. Those are all my favourite ingredients and it's the only way I know how to incorporate them all in one delicious  meal. Well, up until two days ago when I made this super delicious pasta (I used bowtie or farfalle) with pork and fennel sausages, mushrooms, pancetta in a creamy tomato sauce. It was an absolute hit with everyone in the family (even my picky toddler, who often scoffs at any food I place in front of him, was too happy to finish his bowl of "butterflies" -that's what I told him they were).

Scrambled Eggs with Spicy Salsa

I often find breakfast served at cafes in Sydney to be overpriced, especially when it's just toast with bacon and eggs, or even just jam and butter. I could buy a whole loaf of bread with the amount they charge and have breakfast everyday for the whole week. Having said that, we do treat ourselves to breakfast at the local cafes once in a while. The kids would have their little babycinos while G and I would sip on our lattes and watch the world go by. Okay, not exactly. Most of the time, we would take turns trying to keep our little toddler "entertained" by letting him play games on the phone or bringing him out for a walk when he starts getting restless.

Eggs Cooked in Tomato Sauce and Liebster Award

This simple combination of runny eggs in a fresh herbed tomato sauce tastes fantastic when eaten with plenty of hot crusty bread (or in my case, I used garlic bread made out of Turkish pide). I added some diced ham that was leftover from Christmas lunch, just to make it a bit more substantial as I made this for our dinner. You can also use sausage meat (just remove the meat from the casings), chorizo, bacon or just leave them out entirely for a lighter meal. I used canned diced tomatoes for this dish, but you can use fresh tomatoes too if you like (just peel them before using). This dish is so incredibly versatile and easy to prepare, it's perfect for breakfast, lunch or dinner!

Crushed Cherry Tomato Pasta

Christmas is just over, although the "feasting" continues with all the leftovers from Sunday's Christmas lunch - pineapple-glazed ham, roast leg of lamb, roasted root vegetables and crispy roasted baby potatoes, not forgetting a pot of "ham stock" that G made by boiling the leftover ham bone. Everytime I think about what my next meal would be, it's ham, lamb and more ham. I figured it would be nice to supplement our Boxing Day lunch with something light and simple.