Sunday 5 July 2009

Tuna and Pasta Bake and high on Sangria



Thanks to easy peacy cooking recipes like this, we are still surviving. I think UK has spoilt me in a lot of ways. If its not Indian cooking you are into, then i think being in a place like UK or US helps. The sachets of easy mix powders and gravy's and cut veggies and mixes, add to this luxury.
I am a big fan of the Coleman's brand and they have a various powders in sachets which you can just mix with milk or water and pour over anything from mashed potatoes to beef to chicken to vegetables to pasta. I bought a Tuna and Pasta bake sachet with the intention of using it for a simple bake, but instead decided to try out the recipe at the back of the cover. This is how it goes:

Pasta- 225 gms
Tuna- 200 gms (tinned)
Milk- 425 ml
Carrots- 1/4 cup cut into small bite size pieces
Green peas- 1/4 cup (frozen)
Onions- 1/4 cup (thinly sliced)
Pepper- 1 tsp
Salt- to taste
Cheese- to layer on top (I used Cheddar)
Regular bag of chips
1 sachet Coleman's Tuna and Pasta Bake
Oil- a wee bit

The onions, peas, carrots, pepper is my addition since i did not have sweet corn which the recipe asked for.

Cook the pasta as per instructions (with salt and enough water. Strain and keep aside)
In a heavy bottomed pan heat some oil, saute the onions till transparent and add the carrots, pepper and salt and cook till done. Toss in the tuna along with the green peas and pasta and mix well. If there isn't enough salt or spice you can add as per your requirement at this stage. Keep aside
In a saucepan, tip the contents of the sachet, add a little bit of milk and stir well so no lumps are remaining. Tip in the rest of the milk and bring to a boil, stirring continuously. Reduce heat and simmer for a minute. the sauce will be somewhat thick and creamy.
Pour this mixture on to the pasta/ veggie mix and make sure the cheesy sauce is blended well with the pasta mix. Take it off the stove and pour into a baking dish.
Crush some chips and layer it on top of the pasta, and then layer the cheddar. Bake for 20 minutes in a pre-heated oven at about 175C or heat on high in a microwave oven for 5 minutes or till cheese melts.

Note: The crisps added that zing to the dish and i loved the idea. I think children would love this dish

Its been really hot the last couple of days here in London and so i decided to make Sangria, the perfect summery drink and also because i had some leftover fruits i needed to finish.

Red wine- 1 cup
Rose wine- 2 cups
Orange juice- 1/2 cup
Gin/rum- 60ml or less according to your taste
Apple- 1 sliced into small cubes
Apricot- 3 sliced into small cubes
(Pears, oranges etc. can be added if you want)
Sugar- 3 tbs
Lime juice- 1/2 cup (lemonade if you need a fizzy drink)

Mix all these together in a bowl, pour into tall glasses and drink your heart away:)

Notes: The gin was a bit too strong and it kinda made us a wee bit tipsy after the first glass.
If you keep it overnight, the fruits will be infused with the flavour and will taste better i guess. We didn't have the patience though :)
Sangria is usually a red wine and rum drink, but i didn't have enough of red wine so i mixed it with the rose and it tasted just as good.

4 comments:

Miriam Korula said...

predictably...robin fell in love with your 'sangria' recipe...all that wine n' gin is something he couldn't resist...;)...btwn...what did you mean my 'Rose- 2 cups'? Rose essence or just colour?

My Kitchen Antics said...

no its Rose wine actually..i shall change that :)I added that cos i didnt have enough red wine which is actually used for Sangria and gives that bright red colour.
It turned out to be a really strong drink and i am yet to be a perfectionist on the exact amounts of each.

Jane said...

Sho! Lovely stuff di. I am beginning to get bored with my pressure cooker dishes even though I throw in different stuff each time. And every time I see an awesome "baked" recipe I go mad thinking of my brand new microwave collecting dust. We should move out of this awful apartment.

My Kitchen Antics said...

Didnt you get it fixed as yet? I thought your land lady is doing something about the electrical work!! Eat her head about it..microwave cooking is so so easy