Week 40: Chicken Orientale

The Recipe
~300g chicken breast cut into ~16 pieces
4 pineapple chunks
1/3 bell pepper cut into 4 chunks
4 cherry tomatoes
1 orange, cut into quarters
4 small onions
4 skewers
pepper

Marinade
1tbsp soy sauce
1tbsp vinegar
a dash of ginger
1dl (~1/2cup) apple juice
1dl white wine
2tbsp olive oil

Sprinkle chicken breasts with pepper.

Divide the chicken and vegetables evenly onto 4 skewers. Make sure to separate the chicken pieces with the rest. Place the skewers in a shallow pan or a ziplock bag. Mix the ingredients for the marinade and pour over. Marinate in refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

Drain, reserving the marinade. Broil for about 20 minutes or until chicken is done, brushing with marinade every 5 minutes. Discard leftover marinade.


The Verdict
I wasn't too impressed. First of all, the marinade didn't really seem to do much, which meant the entire thing was very bland. Also, I didn't much care for the warm pieces of orange and ended up just discarding those. Not worth a repeat unfortunately.

Week 38: Mac and Cheeseburger

The Recipe
500g minced beef
1 package taco seasoning (~20g)
1 can (14oz) tomatoes with chilies
1/2l beef broth
1/2l elbow macaroni
1/2tsp salt
1/2tsp pebber

2tbsp butter
2tbsp flour
3/4 cup milk
2.5dl shredded cheddar cheese (shred your own to make it even better)

In a pot, brown the beef. Stir in taco seasoning, tomatoes, broth and macaroni. Bring to a boil, season with salt and pepper, reduce heat and cover pan. leave to simmer for 12-14 minutes or until the macaroni is tender.

Meanwhile make the cheese sauce: Melt the butter in a saucepan. Reduce heat to low, whisk in the flour and cook, while constantly whisking for 5 minutes. Whisk in the milk a bit at a time and bring to a boil. Whisk until smooth and thickened. Stir in the shredded cheddar cheese until melted. Pour the cheese sauce over the hamburger mixture. Stir gently to combine.

The Verdict
Not an instant favourite - I thought it lacked some vegetables of some sort - but really easy to make and a nice comfort meal. Definitely something I could see myself making again. Next time I think I'll add more cheese though - 2.5dl wasn't quite enough.