Gorgeous Greek Salad

Level of difficulty-----easy
Everything about this salad shouts FRESH, HEALTHY and BEAUTIFUL! It's so good for you and the caloric count is low low low. Perfect for those hot summer nights when one's appetite is not so demanding. It's great as a partner with grilled fish or chicken or just on it's own. A real winner! Go on! TRY IT!

Ingredients

• 2 red bell peppers
• 2 green bell peppers
• 1 large cucumber
• 2 med. vine ripe tomatoes
• 1 large bermuda onion
• 100 grams greek feta cheese
• 150 grams of kalamata olives (pitted are better but non pitted are fine,look out for the stones!
• 3 sprigs fresh oregano
• 3 sprigs fresh parsley
• 2 fresh mint leaves
• 1/4 cup virgin olive oil
• juice of 1 lemon
• salt and pepper to taste

Cut vegetables up nice and chunky. Combine together in a salad bowl. Cut cheese in chunky squares and add to vegetables,drain olives and add.

Chop herbs up fine and incorporate, toss salad lightly until ingredients are evenly mixed.
Squeeze juice of lemon and mix with oil, salt and pepper. pour over salad and toss and serve.

Absolutely fabulous, this dish and so easy to make!

ENJOY !

Love, Taka

Sweet Potato Pie

Now people, I know how ya'll roll in america. If you need pie crust, you go to the store and buy the puppy ready made and in the pie dish already. Shame on you... the magic of any pie is the CRUST, and it's so easy to make and taste so much better. The holla days are quickly upon us, and you know how we love our sweet potato pies. I'll share with you my pastry which is so easy and can be used with any kind of pie, fruit, meat whatever.


Level of difficulty - Easy as pie

Pastry (shortcrust)

• 8 oz plain flour
• 1/2 teas salt
• 50 grams butter ( cold to room temp.)
• 50 grams lard (cold to room temp.)
• 1 egg
• flour for rolling out
  

PASTRY

• chilled large bowl
• sift flour (use strainer if you've not a sifter)
• add salt, slice butter into pats, slice lard as well
• now with clean fingers and nails rub, butter and lard into flour mash with fingers until it resembles bread crumbs. Add ice cold water a little at a time whilst mixing with a fork, it will start to form a dough ball. don't add too much water, you should be able to gather it together into a ball. the less you handle it the better. it needs to stay as chilled as possible place ball of dough in fridge.
• pre-heat oven 350

SWEET POTATO FILLING

• 6 med red sweet potatoes
• 1 tablespoon vanilla essence
• 1/2 stick butter
• 1 cup( or more if desired) light brown sugar
• grate fresh nutmeg 1/2 teasp
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 2 shakes allspice
• 4 eggs
• 1 tsp salt
• boil potatoes with skin on easier to peel when done cooking. Peel, put into mixing bowl add butter and let cool for 20 min.

Add remainder of ingredients. and beat with electric beaters or mash forever until smooth no lumps. Taste, add more of sugar, salt or spices according to how you like it. Always taste your creations as you go, so you know what you got going on. Clear surface for rolling out pastry (marble surface is best) Sprinkle liberally with flour, dust surface well. Retrieve dough from fridge, divide in two and put half back in fridge to stay chilled. Have pie dish ready (pyrex or non-stick) if neither lightly grease dish lay half ball dough onto floured surface. Rub flour over rolling pin and begin rolling out dough. Do not flip dough over and roll it, just turn it as you roll to get it round as possible and not to thin or too thick ya'll know what I mean. The best way to pick dough up to place in dish is to wind it onto rolling pin and unwind it onto pie dish. Make sure your dough is bigger than dish and hanging over the sides. Gently press dough into dish
snuggly. Beat egg and brush over pastry (this keeps it from becoming soggy). Pour in potato mixture and curl overhanging pastry around the rim of dish. with fork mash pastry around edges so that it's fluted.
. brush edges with egg and put in oven. to bake until crust is golden brown, 30 to 45 mins.

As for the other half of pastry waiting in fridge, pop into freezer, for next pie (and there will be a next one). When done, let it rest for 30 min and a dollop of fresh whipped cream will seal the deal.

DO NOT CONFUSE WITH PUMPKIN PIE. THAT'S ANOTHER TALK SHOW!

Any ?'s
Hit me up

Oh the joys!
Love Taka
Good luck

Cheesy Mac 'n' Cheese

It's classic time! Want to fill up a room quickly? Spread the word there's mac and cheese in the oven. This recipe is a true crowd pleaser in the circles I travel in. There are many ready made brands available on the grocery store shelves, but with a little kitchen commitment, a few ingredients and undying passion for this classic, you can unveil the REAL deal in 45 minutes!

Level of difficulty - easy

Preheat oven to 350 or 175 (convection fan)

Ingredients

• 1 bag macaroni 500 grams


• mild white cheddar approx 250 grams


• sharp yellow cheddar approx 250 grams


• salted butter 25 grams


• 4 large eggs


• milk 1 &1 /2 pints


• salt 1tsp


• cayenne pepper 1/2 tsp


• olive oil 1tsp

In large sauce pan, fill and boil water with oil and salt, add pasta boil for 12 minutes or until tender. Drain pasta, empty into large bowl and splash a bit of olive oil and toss to keep pasta from sticking together. Set aside. (for gluten free pasta I highly recommend Quinoa pasta (pronounced keen-wa) as a wonderful alternative, which you can find at your local health food store)

In separate large bowl whisk eggs and add milk. Whisk together and you can include 1 more tsp
of salt and add cayenne pepper.

Grate cheese and mix with pasta (i usually use the end of a wooden spoon to stir pasta and cheese (it makes it easier to manage the cheese sticking to utensil) slowly add milk and egg mixture and mix well.

Empty into large oven proof casserole dish. Slice pats of butter and arrange on top and lightly sprinkle with cayenne pepper or black pepper if you choose. For a twist if you like, chop a couple of sprigs of fresh parsley, combine with breadcrumbs and sprinkle on top, melt butter sparingly pour on top and bake! Yummy!

Bake for 45 min to an hour, checking from time to time, as oven temperatures may vary.
Check for doneness by sticking knife through middle, if milk and egg are solid, it is done.

I must warn you: this dish is high in fat and calories, but oh my GOD there's nothing like it!
Allow 50-75 grams of pasta per person for a starter.
75-100 grams of pasta for a main course.

Get back with me if you've any ??s
I wish you LOVE!

Wicket Double Fried Chicken

I absolutely adore chicken, especially mine! Fried! Twice! This recipe came about through trial and error, don't get me wrong i've been frying chicken forever but this method ensures tender, moist chicken extra crispy on the outside. Any part(s) of the chicken will do just fine,(my all time favorite is wings). listen ya'll, i'm trying to be healthy here, but i gotta tell you, this is FRIED! fattening at best, but you only live once, right? so prepare yourselves for a truly orgasmic delight!

Ingredients:

• chicken (your favorite cuts)
• 1 to 2 cups flour
• garlic salt or powder
• cayenne pepper
• seasoning salt (lawry's or aromat or your favorite)
• paprika
• 1/2 to 3/4 liter of oil for frying (sunflower or canola)
  

Pre-heat oil on moderate setting, season chicken with garlic,cayenne, seasoning salt and paprika liberally on both sides.In a large plastic or paper bag, add flour, make sure oil is hot (not smoking!) and add 4 or 5 pieces of chicken at a time and shake until chicken is well coated. Gently place chicken in oil and cover. Cook for 3 minutes on BOTH sides. Remove chicken and set aside to REST. (this is what makes the difference, the chicken is still cooking while it is resting!) add the next batch and so on until all chicken is par-fried. pour yourself a glass of wine or iced tea and turn the fire way down. wait about 5 minutes, turn the fire back up to medium and re-fry chicken until golden brown. check for doneness by piercing with a fork, if juices run clear, it is done. You may need to leave some pieces to cook a bit longer, depending on the piece .i.e. thighs need a bit longer than wings. this method works for me the chicken comes out crunchy on the outside and moist on the inside! p.s. for extra spicy,use extra cayenne!

Yum! Yum!
GETTING HUNGRY?
GO FOR IT!

Any queries???
you know what to do....
good cooking!

Salmon Croquettes

Level of difficulty: Easy

• One large can or 2 fillets of salmon (pink or red) fresh is best, canned is acceptable as well


• 1/2 onion diced


• 1 stalk celery diced


• 2 cloves garlic minced


• 1/2 handful fresh cilantro or coriander cut finely


• 1/4 handful fresh parsley cut finely


• 1/4 handful fresh basil cut finely


• 2 eggs


• 1/4 cup flour


• 1/4 cup yellow corn meal


• tsp salt


• 1/2 tsp pepper (cayenne is best, can be hot if you like a kick. use it. black pepper will work as well


• lemon or lime zest small amount (finely grated lemon or lime peel)


• 1 mild red chille diced finely (de-seeded)


• if using fresh salmon lightly fry on both sides in 2 tsp olive oil with dab butter until slightly underdone.


• incorporate into mixture.

Mix ingredients in bowl, and form into patties. Carefully coat both sides of patty in corn meal and fry (not DEEP FRY) till golden brown. Serve with lemon and lime and sprinkle lightly with dill. I suggest fresh dill if available but dried will do. Should be crispy on outside moist on inside.
Hit me back, and let me know how things went. Any ?'s I'll be honoured to assist you.


This recipe is off da chain..
Good luck

Taka

Easy Peasy Creamed Broccoli with Salmon

This is a big hit among fussy little eaters... Tried, tested and true!!

• 1 large fresh filet of salmon
• 1 container fresh cheese sauce (4 cheese is best) 500 grams
• 1 pot brown rice (2 cups rice to 4 cups of water)
• fresh broccoli (1 med bunch)

Make pot of brown rice. Cook fish in 3 tsp butter, 1/2 cup water, salt and pepper to taste in skillet. Don't overcook! 2 minutes on both sides, done when flesh is easily flaked with a fork. Boil broccoli until tender, drain and mash it up. Heat cheese sauce in sauce pan (not microwave.. it kills all the vitamins, if you can find any in cheese sauce). Crumble fish and mix with sauce and broccoli till nice and creamy. Spoon over rice and serve with warm bread. Kids will love it! Good way to get 3 food groups inside of them!

Tell me what you think! Eash fresh and live long!

Peace out.. Taka