Romantic Egg on Toast

This is a perfect idea, if you want to surprise someone with a nice breakfast plate on a weekend morning. It's really egg on toast, but jazzed up with some peppers, basil and great presentation... Easy and super delicious! :-)

Serves 2

Ingredients:

- 2 pieces of toast
- 2 red bell peppers
- 2 eggs, cracked open in ramekins or coffee cups
- 4-5 basil leaves, chopped
- 2tbs olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste

Process:

- Slice the bell peppers into rings. Cut the top of the pepper off so the stalk falls off and leaves a nice hole.
- Over a medium heat pour the olive oil in a skillet and place the pepper rings in. Carefully slide the eggs into the pepper rings and cook slowly. To speed up the cooking time, cover with a lid.
- Toast the bread, place the egg on top, season with salt and pepper, and sprinkle the basil leaves.
- Cover it with the pepper lid and enjoy!

Pumpkin Spice Latte

Autumn is here!! So, what a better way to get into the spirit than a hot cup of Pumpkin Spice Latte.
Now, since I am not a big fan of getting coffee from a coffee house (at least not everyday), I decided to whip up my own recipe and enjoy a delicious homemade cup of latte... Easy, breezy and much more cost-effective :-)

To make the pumpkin pie spice batch you'll need:

- 1tbs cinnamon
- 1tsp ginger
- 1/2tsp nutmeg
- 1/2tsp cloves
- 1/4tsp allspice

Save this in an air-tight container and keep it for whenever you want to make anything with pumpkin flavour. Now, let's make some lattes :-)

Serves 2

Ingredients:

- 1 cup coffee, hot
- 1 cup milk, warm
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

 Process:

- Put the milk, sugar and pumpkin pie spice in a blender or a food processor. Blend for about a minute or until frothy. You could also do this by hand, using a whisk.
- Pour the frothy mixture in a mug, add the coffee, sprinkle a little bit of pumpkin pie spice on top and enjoy!

Eggless Vegetable Fried Rice

I decided to make fried rice without eggs. I think this way the dish is lighter :-) The secret to a perfect plate of fried rice for me is having the correct ratio of rice* to vegetables (1:2). So, I used that and it turned out just as I wanted it. I used the typical frozen vegetable mix (carrots, broccoli, peas, cauliflowers and celery), but you can use fresh vegetables, too.

Serves 2

Ingredients:

- 1 cup cooked rice

- 2 cups frozen vegetables, defrosted

- 1 medium-sized onion, finely chopped

- 3tbs olive oil

- 5tbs soy sauce

- 1tsp ground ginger
- 1tsp allspice (optional)

- salt and pepper to taste

Process:

- In a hot skillet or wok, add the oil and when it's piping hot add the veggies, onion, salt, pepper, allspice and ginger. Keep stirring.

- When the onion has softened, start adding the rice little by little, while constantly stirring.

- Add the soy sauce and stir. Give it a try to check for seasoning, adjust and enjoy!

* If you have the time, make the rice one day or a few hours in advance and keep it in the fridge. The warmer the rice is, the more sticky the dish will be.

Lemon and Thyme Roast Potatoes

Not sure whether I've made it clear that roast potatoes are pretty addictive, but to me... YES, they are!! :-)
I've tried a few different flavours so far, but this was the first time I thought of adding some lemon to my roasties. So now it's definitely a new go-to recipe.

Serves 2

Ingredients:

- 1kg potatoes, peeled and cut into bite sized chunks
- 1 lemon, squeezed
- 5tbs olive oil
- 4tbs water
- 1tsp dried thyme
- 4 bay leaves
- a pinch of sugar
- salt and pepper to taste

Process:

- Preheat the oven to 200 C degrees. Mix all the ingredients (except the potatoes) in a bowl.
- Place the potatoes on a non-stick baking dish and add the rest of the ingredients. Give them a good toss so everything is coated.
- Place in the oven and bake for about 50-60min or until the potatoes are golden brown and crispy. Baking times will vary depending on how big the potato chunks are. Make sure you toss them every 15min, so they get evenly roasted. Enjoy!

Lemon & Basil Pasta

I love using fresh herbs! Basil is probably my favourites and if I had enough on hand, I would probably use it every day :-) So since the plant I have in the kitchen was growing pretty quickly, I decided to make this pasta dish and it turned out pretty nicely.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

- 500g pasta (any shape or size you have)

- 25-30 basil leaves, finely chopped

- 1 lemon, squeezed

- 1 garlic clove, minced

- 6tbs olive oil

- salt and pepper to taste

- parmesan cheese to taste, grated

Process:

- Boil the pasta according to the package instructions. Drain, but don't rinse.

- Put the pasta back in the pot and add the rest of the ingredients except the cheese and a few basil leaves. Give it a good toss.

- Add the cheese, taste for seasoning and adjust. Sprinkle the few basil leaves on top, give it a gentle toss and enjoy!

Potato and Onion Rosti

I love potatoes! Roasted potatoes are probably my favourite... But since I wanted to switch it up a little bit, I made this for dinner tonight and it's probably one of the best comfort meals out there... Especially on a rainy and gloomy day. I served it with crispy sausages and egg, but you can serve it with anything your heart desires. So here it goes:

Serves 2

Ingredients:

- 4 large potatoes, peeled
- 1 medium-sized onion, finely chopped
- 6tbs olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste

Process:

- Cut the potatoes in half, place them in a pot of boiling water and boil them for 5min. Drain and let them cool.
- In a bowl grate the potatoes and season them generously with salt and pepper. Mix them well.
- Place a skillet over a medium high heat, pour in some olive oil, add the onion and sauté until soft. Then add the potatoes and using a fish slice flatten and let them cook. Flip every 3-4min until they have a crispy skin on the outside.
- Cut it into pieces, serve with your favourite side dish and enjoy!

Pizza Quesadilla

Ok, so you really don't need a recipe for this. It's one of those meals that came from leftovers. I made pizza last week and since I had some pizza sauce, olives and cheese left, I decided to make some pizza quesadillas. My pizza sauce contains passata, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper and of course this is all to taste. But you can use any pizza sauce you prefer.

 Serves 2

 Ingredients:

- 4 flour tortillas
- pizza sauce of your choice
- grated cheese of your choice
- sliced olives of your choice

 Process:

- In a large skillet on a medium high heat place a flour tortilla, spoon as much or as little pizza sauce on one half of the tortilla and sprinkle some cheese and olives.
- When the cheese starts to melt, flip the half without any sauce on top, grill on both sides until the tortilla is golden brown and crispy and enjoy!

No Yeast Pizza

After figuring that I have leftover tomato sauce, cheese, sausage and olives in the fridge, I thought: PIZZA! But then I realized I didn't have any yeast. So, since the idea of having pizza for dinner was stuck in my head I decided to research some no-yeast pizza recipes online. It seems like there are thousands of those, so I decided to give my own spin on it and I've gotta say it turned out amazingly delicious.

Serves 2

Ingredients:

- 1 3/4 cups self raising flour*
- 1/2 cup lukewarm water
- 3tbs olive oil
- a pinch of salt

Process:

- Place all ingredients in a bowl. Mix until the mixture becomes doughy.
- Put the dough on a generously floured surface and start kneading. If the dough is too sticky, sprinkle some more flour and keep kneading until it's no longer sticky.
- Wrap it in cling film and let it rest for 30min. This will make it more manageable.
- Preheat oven to 200 C degrees.
- Roll the dough to a desired pizza size, transfer it into an oiled baking dish and brush it with olive oil. Bake it for 5min.
- Put your toppings on, then bake it for additional 15min or until golden brown. Enjoy!

* You can use plain flour also, but make sure you add 1tsp baking powder so the dough rises.

Sausage and Spanish Rice Burritos

Having spent years in California, I had Mexican food once or twice a week. It's one of the best comfort foods and the best part is that you can put pretty much anything in a crispy tortilla and enjoy it. So here is how my burrito dinner went...

Serves 2

Ingredients:

- 6 flour tortillas
- 100g sausage, thinly sliced
- 2 bell peppers, roughly chopped
- 1 chili pepper, finely chopped (optional)
- 1 cup uncooked rice
- 1 3/4 cup water
- 1tbs butter
- 1/4 cup tomato sauce
- 1/4tsp cumin
- salt and pepper to taste

Process:

- On medium high heat melt the butter, add the cumin powder, stir and add the uncooked rice. Stir for about a minute until the rice is coated, and add the tomato sauce and water. Bring it to a boil, season with salt and pepper, then put the heat to as low as it can go, cover it and let it simmer for 20min. Fluff with a fork, set aside and keep it covered to stay warm.
- In a skillet dry fry the sausage on a high heat. When crispy set aside.
- In a food processor place the bell peppers, the chili pepper and blend until it becomes saucy. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
-  Warm up the tortillas in the microwave or in a skillet on the stove. Spoon some of the crispy sausage, rice and pepper sauce in the middle. Fold the sides and then roll it to get a burrito. Enjoy!

Beef Cannelloni

I love cannelloni and I happened to have a few begs of bechamel sauce in the fridge so I thought I should give this a try. I like using the no pre-boil pasta because it seems like it's easier to handle. Here is what I did:

Serves 2

Ingredients:

- 22 no pre-boil cannelloni tubes
- 800g minced beef
- 600g bechamel sauce
- salt and pepper to taste
- cheddar and parmesan cheese to taste

Process:

- Preheat your oven to 180 C degrees.
- Season the beef with salt and pepper and mix it around so it's seasoned all over.
- Fill the cannelloni tubes with the meat.
- Spoon a little bit of the bechamel sauce on the bottom of the baking dish, place the cannelloni tubes and cover them with the rest of the sauce.
- Sprinkle parmesan cheese, then cover with cheddar cheese.
- Cover the dish with a piece of aluminium foil and bake for 20min. Then uncover, put the heat up to 200 C degrees and bake for additional 10min.
- Let it cool for about 10min and enjoy!

Spinach Pie (Spanakopita)

Being that I am from the Mediterranean and this is something we eat on a weekly basis, I decided to share my recipe for a delicious spinach pie. I know many people love using puff pastry, but back home you mostly find this wrapped in filo pastry. Sooo, here it goes...

Serves 2

Ingredients:

- 250g fresh spinach, stocks removed and roughly chopped
- 100g feta cheese, crumbled
- 1/4 onion, finely chopped
- 6 filo (phyllo) pastry sheets, defrosted and kept under a moist towel
- 3tbs olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste

Process:

- Preheat your oven to 190 C degrees.
- In a medium size saucepan bring water to a boil, put the spinach in, cover it and let it go for 2min. This will soften the spinach and make it more enjoyable.
- Drain the spinach, rinse it under cold water and press it so you take all the moisture out.
- In a bowl mix the spinach with the cheese crumbles, onion, salt and pepper.
- Take a casserole dish, brush the bottom with olive oil and start layering the filo sheets at a different angle, brushing each one with olive oil. Make sure half of the sheet is in the dish and the other half is out.
- Spoon the spinach mixture in the dish and once it's all in, take the filo parts that hang out of the dish and fold them on top of the mixture brushing each one with olive oil, as well. When the last piece of filo pastry is in, brush the whole pie with olive oil.
- Bake the pie for 30-35min and enjoy!

Chicken Piccata

I love this recipe!! It's such a great way to use chicken breast. This is very similar to the Chicken franchise recipe but there are no eggs included.

Serves 2

Ingredients:

- 2 chicken breasts, thinly sliced
- 1tbs flour
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2tbs olive oil
- 1tbs butter
- 200g chicken broth
- 1/2 lemon
- 1tbs fresh marjoram or parsley

Process:

- Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge in flour.
- Place the olive oil in a frying pan and set over medium heat.
- Place the chicken in the pan and fry for 3-4min on each side.
- Take the chicken out on a plate and set aside.
- Turn the heat to high, pour the chicken broth, butter and herbs in, squeeze the lemon, and bring to a boil.
- Turn the heat off, place the chicken back into the pan and let it warm up for about a minute.
- Serve with your favourite side dish and enjoy!

Grilled Eggplant Parmesan

After hearing so many people that they love eggplant parm but are afraid to make it because it comes out bitter, I've decided to share my recipe so I can take the fear away from you :-) Also, I've decided to skip the frying process and grill the eggplant insted, which makes it more of a guilt-free dish :-)

Serves 2

Ingredients:

- 3 eggplants
- cheddar and parmesan cheese to taste, grated
- 2 cans of crushed tomatoes
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
- a few fresh basil leaves, finely chopped

 Process:

- In a sauce pan add 1tbs olive oil and sauté the onion and garlic until soft. Sprinkle a little bit of salt so the onion sweats and softens quicker.
- When soft add the can of tomatoes, give it a stir, season with salt and pepper, cover it and let it go on a medium heat for 15min. Then set aside.
- Peel the eggplant, cut it into thin circles or slices and salt each one of them. Let it stand for about an hour so the bitterly water comes out. After an hour pat dry the eggplant to get the extra moisture out. This is a key step!
- Preheat your oven to 180 C degrees. Place the eggplant circles on a baking sheet, sprinkle some salt and pepper and let them roast for 20min, flipping them half way through. Don't turn the oven off.
- In a casserole dish spoon a little bit of the tomato sauce.
- Lay a layer of eggplant circles, add a spoon of the tomato sauce on top and sprinkle some cheddar and parmesan cheese.
- Repeat the process until all the eggplant circles are layered. Finish with tomato sauce and cheese.
- Place the dish back in the oven, bake for about 20min, let it cool for a little bit, sprinkle the basil leaves on top and enjoy!

Coconut Pudding (Haupia)

I had to make a dessert for a BBQ. I was wondering what would be really light and refreshing? And then I found a can of coconut milk in my pantry :)
Sooo, what's better than a Hawaian tropical delight (Haupia)? I've read a lot of different recipes about this, so here is my spin on it.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

- 1 can (400ml) coconut milk
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 6tbs cornflour
- a pinch of salt

Process:

- Pour 1/3 of the coconut milk in a bowl, add the cornflour and whisk until smooth and creamy.
- Place a sauce pan over a medium high heat, pour in the rest of the coconut milk, along with the sugar. Stir until the sugar has completely dissolved.
- Add the cornflour mixture and salt, and whisk for about 5min or until it's thick and creamy.
- Pour into serving glasses, and let it cool for a few minutes. Then put it in the fridge overnight to set.
- Enjoy!

Roasted Potato Salad

This is a great recipe for those who love a nice plate of potato salad, but don't care much for the heavy mayo dressing.
If you have a small herb garden at home like I do, this is a perfect recipe to use some fresh herbs. I happened to have rosemary and marjoram on hand, but you can use any herbs you like :) Enjoy!

Serves 2

Ingredients:

- 3 medium-sized potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 1 can of sweet corn, drained
- about 20 pitted olives, sliced
- 1tbs fresh marjoram
- 1tbs fresh rosemary
- 3tbs olive oil
- 1 tbs white wine vinegar
- 1 garlic clove, roughly chopped
- salt and pepper to taste

Process:

- Preheat your oven to 200 C degrees.
- Add the herbs, 2tbs oil, vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper in a food processor. Blend until it's all well blended.
- Place the potatoes on a microwave-safe plate and microwave them for 10min. Put a knife through them, if it goes in and out smoothly, the potatoes are cooked. If not, let them cook for a few minutes longer.
- Drizzle about a tbs of olive oil on a baking sheet, add the potatoes in, give them a stir so they get coated with olive oil and roast them for about 20min or until golden brown and crispy.
- In a salad bowl place the corn and olives. Drizzle the herb vinaigrette on top, and give it a stir.
- Add the warm potatoes, give it a gentle stir and enjoy!

Minced Beef Wellington

After watching this being made on Hell's Kitchen and some other blogs, I decided to do my own spin on the Beef Wellington.

I used filo pastry instead of puff pastry, and in my opinion this makes the meal much lighter. A quick tip, keep the pastry in the fridge till the last minute, otherwise it starts breaking when it reaches room temperature.

Ingredients:

- 500g minced beef
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 garlic clove, finely minced
- 2 medium-sized potatos, peeled and diced
- 6 sheets of filo (phyllo) pastry, defrosted and kept in the fridge
- 2tbs fresh marjoram (any herbs would work)
- 2tbs olive oil
- 2tbs melted butter
- salt and pepper to taste

Process:

- In a skillet, pour the olive oil and throw in the onion, garlic, and potatoes and sauté until soft. Add the marjoram, salt and pepper and let it cool completely.
- When the mixture is cool add the minced beef and mix it with clean hands.
- Preheat your oven to 175 C degrees.
- Take a filo sheet, and brush the edges with melted butter. Place another sheet on top, and repeat the process until you have all 6 sheets one on top of another*.
- Put the meat mixture on the side of the filo stack and roll it like a burrito. Pinch the edges together, and brush the top and sides with the remaining of the melted butter.
- With a sharp knife cut a few slits on the top of the pastry so the heat can circulate.
- Place on a baking sheet, bake for 25-30min or until golden brown.
- Serve with salad and enjoy!

* As you see on the photo, I made two Beef Wellington rolls. Instead of using all 6 filo sheets for one, I used 3 sheets for each roll and it turned out nicely. But of course you can make one using all 6 sheets.

Perfect Crispy Baked Chicken

This is one of the best ways to cook your chicken thighs or drumsticks. They come out soooo crispy on the outside and juicy and delicious on the inside. The best part is: everything is baked, so no fatty frying and no oil is involved :)

Serves 2

Ingredients:

- 6 chicken thighs or drumsticks

- salt to taste

- 1/2tbs thyme (any other dried herbs would work)

Process:

- Preheat your oven to the highest setting it can go.

- Rub the salt and herbs all over the thighs and place them on a tray with a rack and foil below. This will help for the heat to circulate and make them crispy all over.

- Place the tray in the hot oven and bake for 5min.

- Then turn the temperature down to 180 C degrees and bake for another 35min.

- Serve with your favourite side dish and enjoy!