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Thanks for visiting VJ cooks!

I hope you enjoy my website and find some inspiring recipes and ideas. I’m Vanya and I live in beautiful Taupo, New Zealand with my husband, two young sons and Golden Retriever.
I love cooking, baking, sharing recipes and of course eating.

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COUNTDOWN CORNER RECIPES

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vj_cooks

Creamy tomato & chicken pasta shells 🐚

𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝗶𝗻: 𝟮𝟱 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗲𝘀
𝗦𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲𝘀: 𝟰

𝗜𝗻𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀:
250g large pasta shells
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic 🧄
2 Tbsp sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
300g cooked chicken, sliced
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 can crushed tomatoes (400g) 🍅
200g baby spinach leaves 🍃
250ml cooking cream (or heavy cream)
50g grated cheese/mozzarella 🧀
Fresh basil to serve

𝗠𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗱:
1. Cook pasta shells according to packet instructions until al dente.
2. Add olive oil to a large frying pan then garlic and sun-dried tomatoes. Saute for a few minutes then add the chicken and tomato paste.
3. Add crushed tomatoes and baby spinach. Stir everything together and cover. Simmer for five minutes.
4. Pour in cream and stir the sauce together. Season well with salt and pepper. Add the grated cheese then add the cooked pasta.
5. Coat pasta in the sauce then serve immediately with fresh basil on top.

𝗡𝗼𝘁𝗲𝘀:
▪️Swap pasta shells for penne, bowties or spaghetti or any shape you prefer.
▪️Cooking cream can be swapped for heavy cream, cream cheese or sour cream. Or leave it out and it will still be delicious.
▪️If you want to cook chicken from scratch add diced chicken breast after the garlic and fry stirring until cooked through.
▪️Crushed chilli and parmesan would be great additions.

✨Fish taco bowls✨

𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝗶𝗻: 𝟮𝟱 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗲𝘀
𝗦𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲𝘀: 𝟰

𝗜𝗻𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀:
600g firm white fish fillets
(𝗴𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗿𝗱, 𝘀𝗻𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗿, 𝗯𝗹𝘂𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗱 𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗵𝗶)
1 Tbsp plain flour
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp paprika
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp butter
1 red capsicum, finely diced
1 corn cob, cooked and sliced off the cob
2 spring onions, finely sliced
1 can red kidney beans 400g
𝗧𝗼 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲:
2 cups cooked brown rice
100g corn chips, crushed
2 tomatoes, diced
1 tub sour cream, 125g
Lime wedges
Hot sauce (optional)

𝗠𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗱:
1. Place fish fillets on a plate and sprinkle over flour, cumin and paprika. Season well with salt and pepper and make sure the fillets are coated all over.
2. In a large frying pan add the olive oil and bring to a medium heat, add butter and once it is sizzling add the fish fillets. Cook for a few minutes on each side until golden and cooked through.
3. Remove fish fillets then add the red pepper, corn and spring onion to the pan. Cook for a few minutes until corn is starting to brown. Add the red kidney beans and cook until heated through.
4. Now it is time to assemble the salad bowls. Start off with a base of cooked brown rice, then arrange on top the hot corn and bean mixture, diced tomatoes and corn chips.
5. Cut cooked fish into bite size pieces and add to the bowl, top with sour cream and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with extra sliced spring onion, hot sauce and a couple of lime wedges on the side.

𝗡𝗼𝘁𝗲𝘀: Avocado and coriander would be great additions/swaps. 🥑 Fresh corn can be swapped for canned or frozen kernels. 🌽

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