What do you do with a few left over strawberries and a ripe banana?

Strawberry's. Banana chopped. Brown sugar. Double cream. Milk. Whizz. Vanilla ice cream.

Strawberry milkshake done!

Pan fried chicken pasta with feta

I wasn't even going to put this recipe on the blog but have just put my fork down and reconsidered!

Its really good, perfect combination and so simple. Though I reckon you could play about with it a little; I might add juicy sun-blush to this next time.

for 1-2

cooking oil

2 garlic cloves

chicken breast

butter

rosemary

rock salt

salad onion x2

red chili chopped

good hand full mange-tout (or runner beans)

hand full of salad leaves (rocket and water cress)

whole grain Mezze Maniche pasta (big penne)

extra virgin olive oil for drizzling

cubed feta cheese

olives marinated in parsley oil (optional)

Cook pasta according to pack instructions.

Heat some cooking oil in a pan on a medium-low heat and infuse the garlic in the oil for a few minutes. Season the chicken breast lightly and then fry for 5-6 minutes then turn over and cook on the other side for 5-6 minutes. You can make a slit through the breast if it is very thick to check for pinkness. Towards the end of the cooking time add a few nobs of butter to the pan, basting the meat with the oil and butter. Remove from the pan when golden in colour.

Adding a little more butter to the pan if needed fry they salad onions the chopped chili rosemary and mange-tout. Stir fry quickly on a medium high heat for 3-4 minutes, until the beans are tender.

Drain the pasta and drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil over the top and then add to the pan with the beans. Season with a little rock salt and pepper. Cut the chicken into little pieces and add them to the pan as well. Toss and combine together before carefully mixing in the salad leaves. Turning the heat right down cover the pan for about 3-4 minutes letting the salad wilt a little.

Remove the covering and toss-in the feta cheese and olives if using. Serve in warm bowls.

Nasi Goreng

What's the different between prawns and shrimps? There's apparently an international debate on this point: http://www.biology-online.org/biology-forum/about1016.html

What ever you want to call them I brought a pack of our curly pink friends, a big pack of the small variety not normally known to produce as spectacular a result as their much bigger full-bodied cousines/friends/brothers/sisters? But they were perfect for this very quick and no-fuss recipe.

This Indonesian meal is traditionally eaten at breakfast in the far east. I wont be giving up my Cheerios just yet; I love to eat this dish served with some pickled beet root and a variety of chilly sauces!
 Edit *Nasi Goreng paste of a good standard is available in most regular supermarkets now. Substitute it with the red Thai curry paste if you like and then also miss out the Oyster sauce using 2 teaspoons of fish sauce instead.* 

cooking oil

2 eggs (whisked)

2 salad onions chopped

2 cloves garlic
1 chicken breast sliced thinly 

small courgette -chopped into fingers 

pepper chopped

small pack -mange tout

half Cucumber chopped into 1 inch pieces 

red Thai curry paste 2-4 table spoons (brought or your own)

small cooked prawns 200-250g

juice from half lime + wedges to serve

2/3 table spoons fresh coriander

Left over boiled rice (I cooked my rice with peas)

2 table spoons soy sauce

1 table spoon oyster sauce 

2 teaspoons sesame oil

1) Heat some oil in a large non stick pan and add the whisked egg. swirl around the pan so you get a thin layer of the egg, cook until just set then flip over for 30 seconds. Remove from the pan roll up and chop into ribbons.

2) Add a little more oil to the pan and when hot fry the chicken until just sealed. Add the chopped spring onions and garlic, after a few minutes of frying on a medium high heat add the curry paste, frying for a few seconds before adding the courgette and pepper pieces. Stir fry on a medium high heat until the vegetables are just nearly cooked (4-5 min) then add the mange tout, the prawns and the rice to the pan; shake and stir the pan until everything in mixed.

3) Pour in the soy sauce, oyster sauce and sesame seed oil and squeeze in the lime juice. Scatter on the coriander and cucumber pieces.
Serve in big bowls with the ribbons of omelet strewn on top and a slice of lime.