My son has a small aquarium with some guppies. So far, he’s managed to hatch some fingerling. It’s quite a sight feeding them as they gobble up the fish food which floats on the water. Watching them is very relaxing. It calms you down whenever you feel stressed. No wonder some experts say that having an aquarium at home is like having a therapy session. We all try to find time to sit and watch the fishes even for just a few minutes a day. You should try it too.

My kids love chicken nuggets so I thought I’d try making them on my own. I found this recipe from Videojug and I like that the nuggets are crispy on the outside and real tasty inside.

Ingredients:

• 2 chicken breasts
• 150 g ready-made breadcrumbs OR
• 6 slices of cut bread (brown or white)
• 2 eggs
• 100 ml vegetable oil
• 1 tsp basil, parsley or both
• salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 50 g plain flour
• 1 blender
• 1 deep fat fryer or frying pan
• 1 sharp knife
• 4 small bowls or a tray
• 1 cutting board
• some kitchen paper
• 1 slotted spoon

Procedure:

1)  Take the chicken breast and cut off all excess skin, fat and bones.

2)  Cut the chicken into small chunks so they will fit into the blender. Option: Leave the chicken in chunks or slices if you prefer chicken tenders; in that case do not blend the chicken in step 5.

3)  To make your own breadcrumbs the bread you use needs to be dry. This means stale bread. If you only have fresh bread, then place the slices in the oven at 100 C for one hour until they are dried – not toasted.

4)  Once the bread is dried, break it up into pieces and place it in your blender. Put the lid on and switch it on to the appropriate setting to make your breadcrumbs. Add any seasoning. Once the seasoning is nicely mixed pour the breadcrumbs into one of the bowls. (You can add any flavoring at this stage. From spices to herbs, garlic, salt to parmesan cheese. This recipe uses just some salt and pepper.)

5)  Wipe out the blender with some kitchen paper and add the chicken breasts. Pulse the chicken until roughly chopped. Now add the herbs and switch on the blender again, making sure the herbs are blended well with the chicken. Once that is done, pour the mixture into one of the bowls.

6)  Take the 2 eggs, crack them into a bowl and beat them together.

7)  Line up the chicken mix, the flour, the eggs and the breadcrumbs in the four bowls.

8)  Rub your hands with some flour to avoid them becoming too sticky! Then take some chicken mixture and roll it in the palm of your hands to create a smooth ball shape about the size of a ping pong ball.

9)  Now take the nugget and roll it in the flour. When totally covered, roll it in the egg. Next, roll the nugget in the breadcrumbs and place it on a plate. Gently press down on it with the flat side of a knife to form the perfect nugget shape.

10)  Take your frying pan and put the vegetable oil into it. Heat the pan to medium so that the oil is hot but not smoking. Place the nuggets into the pan and cook gently on a low heat for about 5 minutes turning them every few minutes so they don’t burn.

11)  Once cooked place the nuggets on kitchen paper to drain any excess oil. Then serve with salad, chips or a dip.

Moving to a new place can both be a thrilling and daunting experience.  Thrilling because you will be in a new home and a different environment.  Daunting because of the hassles of packing and unpacking especially if it’s long distance moving.  But hiring the right moving company can make your life a lot easier.  This will relieve you of all the burden and you are sure all your belongings are well taken care of.  So why let yourself worry when somebody else can do all these daunting tasks for you?  With the right moving company, you can sit back, relax and enjoy your new home.

Ingredients:

• 4 medium onions, chopped
• 1 stick butter
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
• 4 tablespoons flour
• 1 quart milk
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tablespoon parsley, minced
• 1/2 cups croutons
• grated cheese
• salt and pepper to taste

Procedure:

1)  Sautè onion in butter until soft and golden, don’t brown.  Sprinkle with nutmeg and stir gently.  Add flour and cook until slightly thickened for about 10 minutes. Add broth and simmer 5 more minutes.

2)  Blend some of the soup with the egg yolk, then add back to pot of soup.  Season with salt and pepper.  Stir 1 minute.   Serve with parsley, croutons and cheese then garnish with minced parsley.

My brother who works for a senior living community is looking for restaurant equipment for their banquet hall.   I didn’t have much to do so I offered him a hand.  As a manager, he is not only in charge of the residents but the dining room as well.  He wanted to prepare for spring and needed new restaurant supply.

He was just right on time, wasserstrom restaurant supplies are currently up on sale.  The stuff he needed are included in the clearance sale items –  kitchen appliances, dining collections, cookware, bakeware, glassware, and  many more.  The prices are unbelievable!  I was drooling over the items as I checked them.  I wanted to get my own sets too, and I prayed that this amazing bargain is still here when I have the budget for it.  

If you are also on a hunt for dining collections, professional equipment, or restaurant supplies, I’d say head over the website and get hot deals on these cool wares.

To view my other entry, click here.

The onions and celery made the chops real tasty. Yum!

Ingredients:

• 5 to 6 pieces lamb chops
• 1 cup white onion, chopped
• 1 cup celery stalks, chopped
• salt and pepper
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• olive oil

Procedure:

1) Using paper towels, pat the chops dry. Sprinkle with salt and pepper on both sides. Don’t be shy, it’s alright to be a little generous with the salt.
2) On a non-stick pan, melt butter then add olive oil. Saute chopped onion and celery, about a minute. Then quickly fry the lamb chops one or two at a time.
3) Serve hot with mint sauce or jelly.

When cooking corn, add a pinch of sugar and a splash of milk to the cooking water.  The milk’s lactose will help tenderize the kernels, while the sugar enhances the corn’s natural sugars.  Don’t put salt on the water because it will only toughen the kernels.