EASY Butter Chicken with Rice & Quinoa

                          Rice with Chicken Cream Sauce

For 2 Persons. Adjust Accordingly if for more.

Ingredients:

© C.Armeni

• 1 Chicken breast cut in cubes
  
• Salt
  
• Pepper
  
• Chilli Powder
  
• 1/2 Teaspoon Turmeric
  
• 6 Tablespoons Butter
  
• 1 1/2 Cups of chopped Onions
  
• 3 Teaspoons Garam Masala
  
• 1 Teaspoon Cumin
  
• 1/2 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
  
• 1 Tablespoon Grated Ginger
  
• 3 Cloves Garlic
  
• 1 1/2 Teaspoon Cinnamon or 1 Cinnamon Stick
  
• Tomato Sauce/Puree
  
• 1 Cup Water
  
  
• 1 Cup Heavy Cream

Directions:

• In a bowl mix the chicken breast cubes with Salt and Pepper
  
• Add 1/4 Teaspoon of Chilli powder and 1/2 teaspoon Turmeric and set aside
  
• In a pan, use 2 tablespoons of butter and cook chicken until brown
  
• Set chicken aside and put another 2 tablespoons of butter
  
• Add the onions, the Garam Masala, 1/4 teaspoon of chilli powder, cumin, and Cayenne Pepper
  
• Add also the grated Ginger, the 3 cloves of chopped garlic and the cinnamon.
  
• Sprinkle some Salt and pepper and Mix well
  
• Add the tomato sauce and the Water and stir again.
  
• Put the Heavy Cream (I used half cup), mix and add the chicken pieces
  
• Simmer for 10-15 mins (If not using pre-cooked rice, I suggest that you prepare the rice at this time)
  
• Finally add the last 2 tablespoons of butter (Optional) and Ready to serve
  
• Serve with Rice and some Chopped Fresh Parsley on Top (Optional)

Enjoy :)

P.s:

• For those who enjoy it a bit more spicy, you can always add some more chilli powder or cayenne pepper
  
• For the cinnamon, I used cinnamon powder but you can also use 1 Cinnamon Stick instead
  
• I used Tomato Puree, but you can use either normal tomato sauce or even ready made tomato sauce
  
• With regards to Heavy Cream I used half the Emlea Double cream (Image Below) which is approximately the size of a small cup. You can always add more for a creamier taste :)

Image from Google

Easy TUNA Salad

                                         Easy TUNA Salad


Hey Everyone, Today its only a simple recipe especially for those who work all day and want to make a fast dish without touching the stove! 

© C.Armeni

This Tuna salad is quite plain and simple, yet it preserves all its goodness in it (and I forgot to mention that its quite a healthy and Low Carb Meal!) This recipe is only for one person so if you want to make more obviously you have to adjust the ingredients. 


Ingredients:

• 1 Large Can of Tuna (Can be as you desire but in brine its healthier!)
  
• 1/2 Yellow Bell Pepper
  
• 2 Tablespoons of Chickpeas
  
• Lettuce
  
• Rucola
  
• Valeriana
  
• Olive Oil (Optional)
  
• Balsamic Glaze (Optional)

Method:

• On a plate, shred the lettuce into bite sized pieces until you fill the base of the plate
  
• Add the rucola (as desired) and arrange the valeriana on top until you have a 3 layer greenery.
  
• Drain excess oil of tuna (if using tuna in oil) and put it in the middle of the plate
  
• Slice the Bell Pepper and put the slices around the plate
  
• Distribute the Chickpeas and garnish with some Balsamic Glaze
  
• Drizzle some olive oil on Top (Optional)

Enjoy! 

© C.Armeni

Meatball Soup

                                              Meatball Soup


Hi guys, today instead of giving you a traditional dish of pasta with meatball sauce, I will be giving you an alternative dish. Today it is Meatball Soup. So below find the ingredients required and enjoy this tasty dish!


Ingredients:

• 750g beef bones
  
• 500g minced steak
  
• 2 sticks celery
  
• 2 carrots
  
• 1 lightly beaten egg
  
• 1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs
  
• 1 tablespoon oil
  
• 400g can peeled tomatoes
  
• 1/2 cup small pasta
  
• Salt
  
• Pepper
  
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
  
• Herbs (optional)

Directions:

• Place beef bones,the chopped carrots, and celery in a large saucepan.
  
• Cover with cold water and bring to boil. Reduce Heat and leave to simmer covered for 1 hour stirring occasionally
  
• In a bowl, combine the minced steak, the egg, the breadcrumbs and season with salt and pepper. I usually add some herbs for more taste.
  
• Take heaped teaspoonfuls of the mixture and form into small balls
  
• Place oil in a small baking dish and add the meatballs in one layer and bake them in moderate pre-heated oven for 45 minutes turning occasionally
  
• Remove the celery and carrots from the stock and leave aside to cool
  
• Remove the bones from the stock and strain the liquid into a large bowl
  
• Return to saucepan and add the carrots, celery, the tomatoes and bring to boil
  
• When boiling, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes
  
• Place pasta in saucepan of salted boiling water, cook for 10 minutes, strain and rinse under cold water
  
• Add the pasta to the soup with the meatballs and cook for a further 10 minutes
  
• Season with salt and pepper and stir in the chopped parsley
  
• Serve while hot!
  

Marinated Mushrooms

                               Marinated Mushrooms


Ingredients:

• 250g button mushrooms
  
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
  
• 1/2 cup olive oil
  
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
  
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
  
• 1/4 teaspoon tarragon
  
• pepper

Directions:

• Wash mushrooms, remove the stalks and slice thinly
  
• In a bowl, combine the lemon juice, olive oil,  salt, pepper, the terragon and the parsley
  
• Add the mushrooms and mix well
  
• Cover with some strech 'n' seal and marinate the mixture in the fridge for about 4 hours or leave overnight

© C.Armeni

Enjoy :)!

C.Armeni

                                               

Paprika Chicken Thighs in Rucola Sauce

                   Chicken Thighs in White Sauce and Rucola

Hey guys today's recipe is VERY GOOD - actually mouth watering! Its a very easyyyy recipe! and if you would like to impress your guests, I suggest to try it out!

You don't need excessive ingredients and it doesn't take long to cook. I suggest that you either prepare a side salad or else with some baked potatoes.

So here are the ingredients:

Ingredients:

• 6 Chicken Thighs
• Salt
• 1 Tablespoon Paprika
• Pepper
• Butter (3 Tablespoons in Total)
• 1 small or medium Lemon (or as desired)
• 1/2 cup Heavy Cream
• 3 cloves garlic diced
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 cups rucola (or as desired!)

Method:

• Preheat oven to 200°C
• Put the chicken thighs in a bowl
• Sprinkle some salt, the paprika and the pepper
• Combine with the thighs and mix everything together
• Heat 2 tablespoons of butter in a frying pan and put the chicken and fry them until golden brown or cooked throughout
• Discard EXCESS Fat. In the same frying pan heat the last tablespoon of butter and fry the diced garlic
• Add the chicken stock, the heavy cream, the cheese and  the juice of 1 fresh lemon
• Add the Thyme and the Rucola and cook for another 2 minutes
• Remove from the heat and put in a baking dish and cook in the preheated Dish for 25 Minutes    

Bon apetito :)!

C.Armeni 

© C.Armeni

Fast Spaghettini Dish

                       

                                                        Fried Spaghetti

Hi guys :) this week has been a very hectic week for me and hence I've been cooking some fast dishes in order to save time and maybe have some minutes of extra sleep.

One of the weekday dishes that I made was this EASY Pasta dish with some leftover spaghetti that I had!

Its quite easy and tastes as good as if you spent enough time to cook a normal main dish! Oh and it only takes a few minutes to cook !

Ingredients:

• Leftover Spaghettini or spaghetti

• 2 Eggs (depends on the quantity of spaghetti)

• Grated Cheese

• Bacon / Ham (or both)

• Sliced Mushrooms (Optional)

• Basil

• Mixed Herbs (Italian)   

• Salt

• Pepper

• Oil for frying

Method:

© C.Armeni

• In a bowl put the left over spaghetti and combine with the eggs. Make sure that the whole spaghetti is covered and not too dry

• Put the rest of the ingredients and stir until well combined

• In a frying pan, heat up some oil and when hot put the spaghetti mixture

• After a few minutes when you see the bottom is getting golden, just flip over so as the other side gets fried too

• When both sides are well fried, switch off the stove and serve

Easy right? :)

C.Armeni

© C.Armeni

Spaghetti with Rabbit Stew - a MALTESE Dish!

                                                       
                                     Spaghetti with Rabbit Stew

Hey Everyone :)! Today I will give you another Maltese Delicacy Recipe. 

Its a very tasty one too..and if you ever come to  Malta or you are a resident here, this dish will be a too familiar dish added to your cooking recipes! 

In this recipe, tomato pulp is used. YOU Can make your OWN here.

© C.Armeni

Its not that complicated and if you master the art of cooking it, you will realise that everytime you cook it, it will become better and better! Obviously everyone cooks it in his/her own way so if there are any suggestions, I suggest you leave your comments below!

I usually leave the unwanted pieces for the stew like the head for example, some small pieces, and even the liver / kidneys since the good parts I use them for frying in wine and garlic! (Will Post Recipe too!) So Lets Start! :)

Ingredients:

© C.Armeni

• Rabbit Pieces (Can be fresh leftovers)
• Peas
• Diced Carrots (Optional)
• Diced Onions (Good Quantity)
• 1 bottle of Tomato Pulp
• Tomato Paste (Optional)
• Beef Cube
• Red Wine
• 2 Bay Leaves
•  1/2 teaspoon mixed spice
• 1/2 teaspoon curry
• 1 tablespoon HP Brown Sauce (Can use other brands of brown sauce)
• Olive Oil
• 4 Small Potatoes cut in cubes

Ingredients:

• Cook the potatoes in some water until they begin to soften (DO NOT OVERCOOK)
• In a pan, heat up some olive oil and when hot enough, add the diced onions and the diced carrots
• Add the mixed spice, the curry and the brown sauce and fry until they turn brown (NOT BURNT!) and until the carrots will turn a little soft
• Add the tomato pulp, some tomato paste (for added flavour), beef cube, and the bay leaves
• Add the red wine and put the rabbit pieces
• Add the potato cubes

  

  © C.Armeni

• When the sauce starts to boil, lower down the heat and leave it simmering for about 1 hour 30 minutes. (Some people like to leave it simmering for about 2 hours)
• Do NOT cover completely.
• Cook the pasta in salted water and when 'al dente', drain and leave aside
• Just a few minutes before the time is over, add the peas and leave it to simmer a little bit more
• Serve the pasta with the rabbit stew and garnish with some grated parmesan cheese.

© C.Armeni

Bon Apetito! :)

C.Armeni

EASY Thai Curry Wok Dish

                                                       Thai Easy Dish

 Today i am going to give you an easy Thai Dish which is  perfect for weekday dishes. You can use preboiled rice  from the day before or you can boil rice while cooking this  dish :)

© C.Armeni

 Ingredients:

© C.Armeni

•  Sliced red peppers strips (Approx: 100g)
•  Sliced yellow peppers strips (Approx: 100g)
•  Slices green peppers strips (Approx: 70g)
•  Green beans (Optional) (Approx: 30g)
•  Sliced carrots strips (Approx: 90g)
•  Sliced onion strips (Approx: 30-40g)
•  Sliced Mushrooms (Optional) (Approx: 50g)
•  Bamboo shoots (Optional) (Approx: 30g)
•  300g diced chicken (I usually use more)

 For the sauce:

•  400ml (1can) of coconut milk
•  1/2 tablespoon red curry paste (i use hot curry)
•  2 tablespoons fish sauce

 Method:

•  Mix all the sauce ingredients and set aside
•  Dice and fry the chicken in 2 tablespoons of oil and add  all the other ingredients except the sauce ingredients
• Stir fry for about 7 minutes until the carrots start to become soft
• Add the prepared sauce mixture and bring to boil
• Lower Down the Heat and simmer for around 2-4 minutes
• Serve with boiled jasmine rice

Tips: Personally before I fry the chicken I usually toss in some herbs for some added flavour! 

© C.Armeni

Enjoy :)!

C.Armeni

Tasty Salmon for all FISH LOVERS!

                                                  Easy Salmon for Lunch!

Hi all :] Today I am going to give you one of my favourite recipes which is really easy to cook and it doesn't take long either!

Today my recipe is solely for fish lovers as it deals with salmon. Salmon is a very oily fish and it is recommended to eat it around once or twice per week. In fact, salmon is one of the healthiest food in the world. Eating salmon has many benefits which you can find here.

This recipe was for 2 persons but you can easily adjust the portions as required. I did end up having 3 small leftover pieces as a matter of fact but we used them later on that evening

Ingredients:

• 3 salmon fillets (I further cut these in 2 - to have more pieces)
  
• Butter
  
• Baking paper
  
• Dried Herbs - Basil, Dill, Mixed Herbs
  
• Dried Mint
  
• Lemon Pepper (Optional)
  
• Pepper (Optional)
  



© C.Armeni

• Lemon

Directions:

• As I explained in the ingredients part, the first thing that I did was cut the fillets in 2 and put everything in a bowl
  
• Toss all herbs, a small sprinkle of mint and add the pepper and Lemon pepper if using
  
• Line a frying pan with a baking paper so as the salmon wont stick and put 1 teaspoon of butter in the middle of the baking paper

  

  © C.Armeni

  
  
• Switch on the stove and wait till the butter is melted and distribute over the baking paper. Add some more if you desire but do not forget that salmon is very OILY!
  
• Put the fillets on the baking paper and sprinkle some lemon juice
  
• Leave for 45seconds till the salmon skin becomes crunchy and then turn on the other sides
  
• Lower heat and keep cooking on all sides until salmon is thoroughly cooked usually approx in less than 12 minutes if using medium heat
  
• Serve! 

© C.Armeni

© C.Armeni

I served mine with some freshly prepared salad, some oven baked fries and a fried egg. You can serve it even with rice, salads and couscous!

© C.Armeni

Yumm Yumm!

C.Armeni

Pineapple Cake - ONLY 3 INGREDIENTS!!

                                  EASY Pineapple Cake!


Hi Guys ! :) Today I am going to give you a REALLY SIMPLE recipe which You can do in LESS than an HOUR!

Its a Pineapple Cake! - A Very tasty one too :)!

© C.Armeni

I've done it myself more than once - obviously I do not have a proper loaf tin yet so my cake will obviously be very low but if you have a small loaf tin or a small cake tin, you will have a satisfactory result :)..

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup caster sugar
  
• 1 can (440g) of crushed pinapple in its own syrup and juice. LEAVE UNDRAINED.
  
• 2 cups sifted self-raising flour
  
  

Method:

• Preheat your oven to 180°C and put a baking paper in the loaf tin so the cake will not get stuck
  
• In a bowl, mix all ingredients until well combined
  
• Put the mixture in the loaf tin and bake for around 50-60 minutes (Depending on your oven) until a cake skewer comes out clean

Enjoy :)!

© C.Armeni

Small Tip: From my experience in doing this cake, I found out that it is best eaten on the day that it is made. Also I sometimes cover it with melted chocolate for that added yummy taste!!

Any questions please write in comments below.

C.Armeni

Coconut Milk PIE

                    Coconut Milk Pie

Hallo Bloggers and Viewers :) Hope you are all fine! 
I got a question for you all!! Do you like coconut milk? Do you ever use it with your dishes? It seems that I am craving coconut milk in my foods lately so I guess my recipes will be including it for sure! 

It makes dishes taste even better and you wouldn't know that one of the ingredients is the coconut milk if you didn't cook it yourself! But lets skip the talking and get to work :)

Today's recipe is this EASY Coconut Milk pie dessert which is perfect for Coconut Lovers. And you know what is the best part of it all?
Its the SECRET layer of chocolate which is hidden just above the pie crust!!

Also for those wondering if Coconut Milk can be beneficial to us, go check these 14 benefits of coconut milk here.

Enjoy :)

Ingredients:

• 1 can of coconut milk
• 1/4 cup of cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon of coconut extract (Optional)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 pie crust - cooked until golden
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips melted
• 1/4 cup toasted coconut (Optional)
• Whipping cream (Optional)

Directions:

• In a large saucepan, whisk together the coconut milk, the cornstarch, coconut extract (if using) and the sugar
• Heat over Medium High heat, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens. DO NOT LET IT REACH BOILING POINT.
• Set aside and allow to cool lightly
• Use a spoon to spread the melted chocolate chips on the top of the pie crust and allow the chocolate to cool
• Spread the slightly cooled coconut mixture on the chocolate pie crust. Refrigerate until completely cooled
• Top with whipped cream and toasted coconut if using!

Bon apetito :)!

C.Armeni

SUPER SIMPLE Coffee Ice-Cream!

                                               Coffee Ice-Cream



Hi Everyone :)!

Sorry wasn't that much online as I was recovering from my sickness (Well, I am still recovering) but at least now I can sit a bit on my computer without feeling dizzy or fainting!

© C.Armeni

Today Im going to give you a coffee ice-cream recipe which you can keep at hand for this coming Summer! This coffee recipe is an AMAZING and SUPER EASY recipe for YOU to make... and its done by 3 ingredients ONLY! Isnt it perfect or?!

I am going to be posting the recipe here and some photos that I took as well. Any questions do not think twice to ask me. And OBVIOUSLY I hope that you will enjoy it...

I guarantee you that you will definitely become ADDICTIVE to it...Just wait and See :P!

Ingredients: 

© C.Armeni

• Instant Coffee
• 200g Condensed Milk around half a can
•  600ml Whipping Cream

Method:

• In a mug, put about 3 tablespoons of instant coffee. Obviously you can add more or reduce depending on how strong you want the taste to be.
• Add a couple of tablespoons of water just to dissolve the coffee and give it a good stir to make sure that it is completely dissolved
• Put the condensed milk into a measuring jar and add the coffee mixture into it and stir everything together until well combined
• In another bowl, put the whipping cream and add the combined coffee mixture and beat it up until its nice and thick
• Transfer mixture into a freezer-safe container and leave in the freezer for at least 2 to 3 hours or until set

  

  © C.Armeni

  
  

© C.Armeni

Enjoy :)!                            

C.Armeni                                                       

Yummy Fruit Cake

                                   Quick and Easy Fruit Cake

Hello again guys :)! Today just a quick recipe that everybody can do as it is quite easy with very few ingredients.

I am going to show you how to make a fruit cake which is a good choice for the afternoon tea or for a quick bite in the morning for breakfast. I have done this multiple times and what I like in this recipe is that you can put whatever you like. I usually opt for dried fruit and especially include dried cranberries and blueberries as it becomes top class! Else you can put what you prefer and some people might even decide to add chocolate chips but that's actually up to you :)!

Ingredients:

• 225g self-raising flour
  
• 110g butter
  
• 110g sugar
  
• 225g mixed fruit
  
• 1 egg
  
• 5 tablespoons milk or as required
  
• 1 teaspoon mixed spice (Optional)

Method:

© C.Armeni

• Oil or butter a round cake tin or a loaf tin and leave it aside and preheat oven to 180°C or 160°C fan
  
• Rub the butter into the flour until it becomes like fine breadcrumbs
  
• Add sugar, dried mixed fruit and the mixed spice (if using)
  
• Add egg and milk to make a soft dropping consistency (If mixture is still dry add another tablespoon milk or as required to bring to the desired consistency
  
• Put mixture in the loaf tin/cake tin and sprinkle some sugar (Optional) over the top and pat it a bit with back of a spoon as this gives a nice crunchy top
  
• Bake for around 1 to 1hour 15minutes in the preheated over or until a skewer comes out clean

P.S I usually cut down on the sugar as I prefer the natural sweet taste that is released from the dried fruit and I do not sprinkle sugar on top - instead I put some dried raisins on the top for that crunchy bit.

Hope you enjoy this recipe!

C.Armeni 

Fried Seaweed

             A Taste of China: Fried Seaweed

©  C.Armeni

Hello Bloggers :) Today Im dying to cook this dish again but I have no time to go and buy so I'll Have to wait for another time. I've been cooking this easy dish for the past 2 months I guess as I was tired of having to buy such a small portion for an amount of money and in the long run its not worth it. 

So I decided to start buying seaweed and frying them myself and I can assure you that it tastes very much like the seaweed I tasted at Chinese restaurants and much better than buying prepared ones at the supermarkets.

For this recipe, you do not need much ingredients and it will only take you a couple of minutes to cook so find below the ingredients used and the method!

Please do not forget to leave your comments and feedback and anything you would like to add. Also you can even send an email on cristamysti@gmail.com if you have any questions!

Ingredients:

• Seaweed (You can buy Sushi Seaweed - I use the Blue Dragon Seaweed)
  
• Olive Oil
  
• Rock Salt (Course Salt)
  
• Ground Ginger (Optional)

Method:

• Cut the seaweed sheet in really thin strips in a bowl and put some rock salt while mixing the seaweed strips
  
• In a frying pan, heat some olive oil and when it is hot enough, put seaweed strips along with some more rock salt for taste
  
• Mix it constantly so as not to get burned for approximately 2-4 minutes maximum
  
• When you see that the seaweed  is changing colour and getting crispy-like mix the ginger (1/4 of a teaspoon) if using and switch off the heat
  
• Serve in a bowl or as a condiment with any chinese dish

Enjoy :]!

©  C.Armeni

Easy Peasy Apple Pie

                                      Easy Apple Pie

©  C.Armeni

Hi guys, I wish I can spend my day posting my all time favourites but since I work, I cannot post as much as I like to - and that is why I do not post much everyday. But bear in mind that it will be worth the wait as I try to give you recipes which are tried and tested by myself, some homemade and some really easy to do. Please do bear with me.

Today I have another Homemade Simple recipe that I do on a frequent basis - which is the perfect recipe for a Healthy Dessert and a win win every single time! Want to impress your relatives with something fast and easy? No PROBLEM!!!

Everything is natural except the base since we do require puff pastry but else who minds? Its the taste that counts ! and I think you all agree right?

So Lets Get Started:

© C.Armeni

Ingredients:

• Apples (Usually I use around 8-10 apples)
• Water
• Cinnamon
• Ground Cloves 
• Puff Pastry
• Raisins (Optional)

Method:

• Cut the apples into bite-sized pieces. (I leave it with the skin as it makes the taste better..but you can remove the skin too according to your tastes)
  
• Preheat Oven on 180°C
  
• Put the apple pieces in a pan and boil them in some water.
  
• Halfway through, if using the raisins - put them in the pan and add some cinnamon and ground cloves according to your taste
  
• Keep cooking till apples become soft and switch off the stove
  
• Prepare a pie tin by lightly oiling it or rubbing it with some butter
  
• Roll out the pastry on a floured surface and put it in the pie tin. Lightly pierce it with a fork so as to let excessive steam go out when in the oven
  
• Put some of the apple mixture on the pastry base 
• Cover the pie with the remaining pastry and again pierce with a fork
  
• Put it oven and bake for 35 minutes or till the pie turns golden brown
  

P.s. As I told you I cut the apple pieces with the skin, and when boiling them I make sure not to end up with no water as I prefer to reserve some of the liquid for the pie. As For raisins, of course it is optional but in my opinion I use golden raisins as they release a very sweet taste - that is why there is no sugar mentioned in the ingredients as there is no need to!

Also some might prefer to brush the top of the pie with a lightly beaten egg. You can do so of course but I prefer to leave it as it is. 

Enjoy and leave your feedback below! 

© C.Armeni

Thanks

©  C.Armeni