This would be one of my husband Alex’s favourite pasta dishes, as we call it, Car-banana!  Who doesn’t love those gorgeous tendrils of carbohydrates, bathed in shiny, creamy eggs and piled high with crispy, salty bacon.  Did someone say bacon? OOOOH BACON. Then there’s the lashing of fresh shaved parmesan, herbs and just to add a little bit more grown up bang, a sprinkle of fresh birds eye chili!

Spaghetti Carbonara

Prep time ~15 minutes, Cook time ~ 10 minutes – Total 25 minutes. Serves 6

500g Fresh spaghetti or linguine

Rock salt

12 rashes bacon (just the streaky bit, keep the eye for breakfast!), sliced in to 1cm batons

8 large eggs or 10 medium eggs, beaten lightly

1c grated parmesan cheese

2 tbsp fresh chopped basil

4 birds eye chili, finely sliced (seeds out if you dont like it too hot, or left out if you like it tame)

Fresh ground black pepper

1. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil, season generously with rock salt, and cook pasta to direction as per packet – I find with fresh pasta, if you start the pasta just as you start cooking the bacon, it times quite nicely.  Drain the pasta, reserving approx 1/2c of the cooking water
2. Drop the bacon into a just warm pan, then turn the heat up and cook for approx 8 minutes until its nice and crispy and has produced a bit of oil.  Add the cooked spaghetti and reserved water and stir.
3. Add the beaten eggs, parmesan and a generous sprinkle of black pepper and toss to coat then continue cooking for a further 2 minutes – its REALLY important to keep the pasta moving at this point or you’ll end up with scrambled eggs and bacon.
4. Once the sauce is nice and creamy, add the basil, and chili, and serve with some extra shaved parmesan.

ENJOY!

~LC

This delicious recipe was introduced to me by mother dearest, goodness knows where she found it but it has fast become one of my favourites! It’s super quick and easy, perfect for lazy nights when you want to pretend you’ve made an effort!

Prep time 10 mins, Cooking time 10 mins, Total time 20 mins, Serves ~ 4

Spicy Chicken and Coconut

2 tbs peanut oil

6 chicken thigh fillets, chopped

2 medium onions, sliced

1 large red capsium, chopped

1 cup coconut milk

1/4 cup red curry paste

1 tbs fish sauce

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, shredded

1. Heat half the oil in a wok (frying pan works just as well if, you know, a wok is too much effort).
2. Fry the chicken in batches till golden brown. Remove from wok.
3. Add to wok remaining oil and onions and capsicum. Cook until the onions are just soft.
4. Add back in the chicken as well as the coconut milk, curry paste, fish sauce and water until the mixture is boiling then toss in the basil.

Now your done!

Time to sit on the couch, relax and eat curry.

~A

Original recipe from Taste, however I added a couple of little extras to boost the yum factor.  These went down magnificently, even the fussier family members licked their plate clean!

Moroccan Lamb Shanks

2 tbsp good quality olive oil

4 lamb shanks

3 chorizo sausages, quartered lengthways and diced, fried and then drain on paper towel

2 red onions, finely diced

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 tbsp Harissa Spice mix

425g can crushed tomatoes – I try and use Australian grown where I can

1c beef stock

400g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

400g sweet potato, peeled and diced in 1cm cubes

1c polenta

1 litre chicken stock

30g butter

1. Preheat oven to 150°C. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large frying pan over high heat. Add lamb shanks. Cook, turning, for 5 minutes or until browned. Transfer to an ovenproof dish.
2. Reduce heat to medium. Add onion, garlic, spice mix and remaining oil to frying pan. Cook, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes or until soft. Add tomatoes and beef stock. Bring to the boil. Pour over lamb. Cover dish tightly with aluminium foilPlace lamb in oven. Cook for 3 1/2 hours. Stir in chickpeas, chorizo and sweet potato. Cover and return to oven. Cook for a further 1 1/2 hours or until lamb is tender. Remove from oven. Season with salt and pepper..
3. Meanwhile, bring stock to the boil in a large saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium. Add polenta in a thin, steady stream, stirring constantly. Cook, stirring, for 10 to 15 minutes or until mixture comes to the boil. Remove from heat. Stir in butter. Spoon polenta onto plates. Top with lamb shanks. Spoon over sauce.

This is one of the first things my mum let me make, which speaks for itself.  The original recipe comes from the wonderful world of The Women’s Weekly.  Its dead easy, very tasty, loaded with healthy goodness.

Beef & Pasta Bake

4 tsp good quality olive oil

2 large onions, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic crushed (or 3 teaspoons of garlic from a jar)

4 rashes of bacon, finely diced

3 small carrots, finely diced

3 stalks celery, finely diced

500g button mushrooms, sliced

1kg beef mince

2 x 400g cans condensed tomato soup

2/3c tomato paste

2 tbsp tomato sauce

2 tsp dried oregano

500g spiral pasta (I prefer the high fibre pasta, but any is fine)

2 cups grated cheese

1/2c grated or shaved parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees celcius
2. Heat the oil in a large pan; cook the onion, garlic, bacon, carrot and celery, stirring, until the carrot is just tender.  Add mushrooms and cook a further 2 minutes.
3. Add mince, and cook, stirring until mince has browned, breaking up any lumps.
4. Add soup, tomato paste, sauce, and oregano; then simmer, covered for 15 minutes or until mix has thickened.  Season to taste.
5. Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling water until just cooked, drain then add to beef mix.
6. Place into a large retangular baking dish, then top with cheeses.  Bake in oven for 15 minutes until top is golden brown.