U is for … Udon Noodle Soup

Apr 25, 2018

U is for … Udon Noodle Soup – Candy Coated Culinista

Yield/Serving: 4
Prep Time: 20 min.
Cook Time: min.
Difficulty level is: Easy

Ingredients
• 6 cups beef broth
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 1 medium onion, diced
• Handful of Italian parsley, rough chop
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 7 cloves of garlic, finely diced
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
• One knob of ginger, minced
• ½ cup sugar snap peas, halved
• 2 tbsp, mint leaves
• 200g, 1 package of pre-cooked udon noodles
• 1 baby bok choy, halved down the length of the leaf
• 6 dashes, fish sauce
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar

Assembly
1. Cook the udon noodles according the package then drain and set aside.
2. Using a large saucepan pour in the beef broth and bring to a boil.
3. Add in celery, onion, parsley, green onions, garlic, carrots, ginger, snap peas, mint leaves and let cook for five minutes.
4. Add in the udon noodles along with fish sauce and apple cider vinegar and cook for five more minutes.
5. Turn down the temperature to simmer and add in the bok choy and let cook for 10 more minutes.
6. Serve

Tips
• Use vegetable broth to make this a vegetarian, vegan dish.

Please Enjoy

My thoughts
I usually love the soup I make; but so far the Asian inspired soups I haven’t really been a fan of. It tasted fine, but just not to my style.

Chicken Alfredo

Apr 11, 2018

Chicken Alfredo – Candy Coated Culinista

How can something that looks so simple and uncomplicated taste so divine and complex. That was my reaction to this recipe after asking the question “do you have any requests” and then I said to myself I guess it’s time to learn how to make chicken Alfredo.

Yield/Serving: 4 servings
Prep Time: 15 min.
Cook Time: 45 min.
Difficulty level is: Medium, a little time consuming

Ingredients
• 2 handfuls linguine pasta
• 4 boneless chicken breast
• Sea salt, to taste
• Black pepper, to taste
• Dried Oregano, to taste
• Dried Basil, to taste
• Dried parsley, to taste
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp margarine
• 1 head of broccoli, cut into florets and stems chopped
• 3 pieces of bacon, fried and crumbled
• 2 handfuls button mushrooms, sliced
• 2 tbsp margarine
• ¾ cup chicken broth
• ¾ cup 2% milk
• ¼ cup heavy cream
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 anchovies, finely chopped
• 1/3 cup parmesan cheese
• ½ cup cream cheese
• ¼ cup mozzarella, shredded
• Fresh basil, chiffonade
• Fresh chives, finely diced
• Parsley, to garnish

Assembly
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Boil a large saucepan with salt and canola oil.
3. Season chicken breasts with sea salt, pepper, oregano, basil and parsley.
4. Using a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and add extra virgin olive oil and margarine and sear all sides of the chicken for 2 minutes
5. Then place in oven and continue to cook for 20 minutes covered in aluminum foil and let rest.
6. Meanwhile a saucepan steam broccoli.
7. Using a medium frying pan fry mushrooms in a little extra virgin olive oil and set aside.
8. Using the same frying pan cook three slices of bacon, drain on a paper towel, crumble and put into the same large bowl.
9. Add linguine into pot and cook until aldente and drain well.
10. Using a small saucepan over medium-high heat melt the margarine and Gradually add in the chicken broth, 2% milk and whisk constantly.
11. Add in the minced garlic, anchovies, parmesan cheese and mozzarella cheese and whisk until sauce has Gently broccoli, mushrooms, bacon, chives, basil and alfredo sauce into the pot with the pasta.
12. Serve immediately and garnish with parsley if desired.

Please Enjoy

My thoughts
I’m in love with this recipe, now it’s not the traditional recipe as I just can’t help myself but it still has the flavours and it tasted divine. The addition of the mozzarella cheese, bacon and anchovies was a great idea and I think the recipe would have felt like it was missing something without out these. This is definitely a rich dish; but still so satisfying. This is one of my recipes that was talked about days after so I know I did a great. I even patted myself on the back for a job well done and I made it again the following week.