15. Baked Pasta with Herby Crust

While you can have your pasta n number of ways, I like mine in creamy bechamel. Here's my take on a indulgent one pan dinner.
 

What You're Gonna Need:

Butter                  2    tablespoons
Plain flour           1.5 tablespoons
Milk                    1 coffee mug
Parmesan cheese 1/2 cup
White pepper    
Nutmeg (optional)

Pasta of your choice
Cheese slices      
Bread crumbs
Garlic, chopped 3/4 cloves
Oregano
Olive Oil

Salt to taste

What You're Gonna Do:

Heat a teaspoon of oil in a non-stick skillet. Add the garlic slices, and bread crumbs. Saute until golden n crispy. Sprinkle crushed oregano n salt to taste. toss well, set aside.

Heat butter in the same pan until it is all melted, and bubbly. Add the flour. Saute until golden, and raw smell evaporates. Add warm milk ladle by ladle, whisking continuously. The sauce will thicken immediately. Grate in about a pinch of nutmeg. Add the grated parmesan, white pepper, and salt to taste. Set aside.

In a large pot, add water, with a little bit of oil n salt. Boil your pasta for around 10 mins. Drain, but retain a little bit of the starchy pasta water.

Now, preheat your oven to 180 degree C.

Mix the pasta along with the pasta water with the bechamel sauce. Layer into a baking dish. Top with the breadcrumbs. Spread evenly. Add mozarella cheese slices on top.

Bake this for another 8-10 mins, or until the cheese is golden. serve hot.

Trust me, this is going to blow your mind away! Just be careful of the salt, since cheese is quite salty, and most of the butter you, and I get to use is also salted. Dig into the cheesy, ooey-gooey madness.

-Love,
La

14. Honey Glazed Chicken

Hi, after a long hiatus courtesy semester exams and all that, I returned to the comforting space of the kitchen. This time round, I wanted to treat my best friends for throwing me the most amazing birthday party ever. The dish was a hit, so I decided to share the recipe. This is my take on honey-soy glazed chicken. 

Honey-soy glazed chicken

What You're Gonna Need:

Chicken                250 g

Dark Soy Sauce   2 tablespoons

Light Soy Sauce  2 tablespoons

White vinegar      1 tablespoon

Honey                  2 tablespoons

Garlic, minced     4/5 cloves

Onion, diced        1 medium

Red Chili Flakes

White Pepper

Black Pepper

Plain flour

Salt to taste

Sesame Oil/ White oil

Sesame seeds (optional) 

What You're Gonna Do:

You can either use diced chicken pieces, or chicken wings for this recipe. Mix plain flour, salt, and white pepper. Lightly coat chicken pieces in the flour mixture. Deep fry, and set aside. 

Mix the two soy sauces, vinegar, and honey in a bowl. Set aside. 

Heat oil in a non-stick skillet/pan. 

Add the minced garlic, saute until golden. Add the chili flakes. Now, add your sauce mixture, and let is bubble away until the rawness of the soy sauce cannot be smelled. 

Add the fried chicken pieces. Toss to coat. 

Season with black pepper, and salt. (Soy sauce contains salt, as do the fried chicken. So, please be careful with the salt.)

Top with roasted sesame seeds (which I couldn't, because I didn't have any on hand), and serve hot. This recipe is quick, and easy, but oh so delicious. 

Until next time, love and hugs. 

-La.