[recipes] 5 Fuss-Free Homemade Pizza Using Perfect Italiano Pizza Plus

Fuss-Free Homemade Pizza using Perfect Italiano Pizza Plus

Have you ever tried making pizza at home where you could add in your favourite toppings like more cheese, ham, mushroom and etc. Or you just prefer to pick up the phone and dial for a home delivery to save the hassle on preparing the necessary ingredients or time spent in the kitchen.

For our family, we prefer to make our own pizza at home because we love to work on the dough as well as the ingredients. Furthermore homemade pizza smells fantastic when they are baking in the oven and we after which we get to eat hot and fresh pizza with oozing cheese when compare to those home delivered pizza.

3 Recipes Using Avocado

Air-fried Avocado Fries

Recently I am in love with two health-giving fruits which are Avocado and Lemon because I use them to prepare my daily "must have" beverages such as Avocado Milkshake/Smoothie and Honey Lemonade. With my new found love, I also decided to venture into more recipes by including them as one of the key ingredients. Therefore I hope the 3 avocado recipes (2 recipes using Philips Airfryer) shown below would be useful to add into your existing methods of consuming this super fruit.

{GO GREEN} Basil, Chilli and Garlic Spaghetti, Pistachio Crumbed Chicken plus Avocado Milkshake

Now till end of December 2011 is our annual end year school holidays where most of the kids get to enjoy a long holiday break before the new school term starts in 2012. Since we often had late breakfast during this period of time, I would cook something rather simple, fast and in small portion just enough to fill our stomach till tea-break or dinner.

Here we have some really quick to prepare spaghetti with nutty oven baked pistachio chicken plus a cup of smooth and creamy avocado milkshake for our brunch.

{Zespri Kiwifruit Recipes} Kiwi, Lime & Mint Cooler, Avocado with Gold Kiwifruit Salsa and Pan-fry Salmon with Green Kiwifruit

Using fresh fruits in either Cooking/Baking is always something that interests me. As you can search through my recipes list, I have tired many dishes with fresh fruit like mango, apple, orange, avocado and etc. And this “Kiwifruit” feast featured here was inspired by the ZESPRI Kiwifruit tasting event held at Heart Bistro which I have missed out last week.

With the goodwill of the folks from Edelman(ZESPRI's PR), they have sent me a set of their press kit which includes fresh kiwifruit, kiwifruit recipes, cute kiwifruit 2GB thumb drive and etc. Below are 3 recipes using fresh ZESPRI Kiwifruit which I would like to share with you and hopefully it would inspired you to in-cooperate some kiwifruit in your daily dishes too.

In Singapore you can easily get a pack of these yummy ZESPRI Kiwifruit from any leading supermarkets or fruit stalls. And do you know ZESPRI Kiwifruit are the most "nutrient dense" of popular fruits that belong in the "Super Fruits" category. Each bite contains more essential nutrients than the other 27 most popular fruits.

ZESPRI Kiwifruit also contains more than 210% of the recommended daily intakes of Vitamin C which gives you 2 times more Vitamin C than an orange. Furthermore it is also a good source of folate which is essential for healthy development of the foetus in early pregnancy. You can read more details HERE with a kiwifruit skin firmer recipe too.

KIWI, LIME AND MINT COOLER

If resources is possible do use fresh Green or Gold kiwifruit in your drinks if you are preparing kiwifruit juice or puree to get the full goodness out of them. Here to start off, let's have a glass of freshly blended "Kiwi, Lime and Mint Cooler" to refresh your body after a hectic day at work. And by adding mint leaves it also act as a fresh and aromatic flavor to the drink with a cool aftertaste.

(serves: 2 | Preparation: 10 minutes

Ingredients:
2 ZESPRI Gold Kiwifruit, cut into halves
2 ZESPRI Green Kiwifruit, cut into halves
1 Teaspoon of Honey
15ml, Juice of Half Lime
1/4 Cup Mint Leaves
1/2 Cup Ice Cubes, optional
150ml Chilled Sprinkling Water/Sprite/Wine

Method:-

1. Blend kiwifruit with honey, lime juice, mint leaves and ice cubes till combined. (I prefer mine without ice so usually i will used chilled sprinkling water/sprite)

2. Divide into cups and top with chilled sparking water and serve.

AVOCADO WITH GOLD KIWIFRUIT SALSA

For starter let's have some crunch to go with the cooler. Does this "Avocado with Gold Kiwifruit Salsa serve on Corn Chips" sound good to you? It is a refreshing dish with hint of sweet, sour and spicy taste due to the adding of lime juice and chopped chilli. This definitely serves well as a party food or tapas to go with cocktail or beer.

Recipe adapted and modify from ZESPRI, Singapore website HERE.
(serves: 2-3 | Preparation: 10 minutes)

Ingredients:
2 Ripe ZESPRI Gold Kiwifruit, cubes
1 Ripe Avocado, cubes
1/2 Tablespoon Runny Honey
Juice of 1/2 Lime
1 Red Chilli, seed removed and chopped
1 Tablespoon Shredded Basil/Mint Leaves

Method:-

1. Mix honey, lime juice, chilies and herbs in a bowl.

2. Stir in kiwifruit and avocado cubes and marinate for about 15 - 30 minutes.

3. Upon serving, spoon mixture on corn chips and serve it as starter or pairing with wine and beer too.

You can also serve this salsa on it's own by the side of the main course or mix it together with some shredded chicken and salad greens and serve as a quick salad too. No matter which is your preference style I am sure this appetizing salsa will make your meal taste great.

PAN-FRY SALMON WITH GREEN KIWIFRUIT

Salmon has earned its research reputation as a health-supportive food based on it's amount of omega-3 fatty acid content. Here we are using two nutritious ingredients to form a main course which is so easy to prepare and yet so healthy for the whole family.

Recipe adapted and modify from ZESPRI, Kiwifruit Recipes booklet
(serves: 2 | Preparation: 15 minutes | Cooking: 6 - 8 minutes)

Ingredients:
2 - 3 ZESPRI Green Kiwifruit
1 Small Chilli, seeded and diced
1 Teaspoon Maple Syrup/Honey
450g Salmon Fillet, halves
1 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
2 Servings of your desire Salad Greens

Dressing:
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Teaspoon Honey
2 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
Freshly Ground Black Pepper to Taste

Method:-

1. Place salmon in a deep bowl together with chili, vinegar and honey. Marinate for at least 15 - 30 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, peel and slice the ZESPRI Green Kiwifruit in wedges.

3. Heat the oil in a non-stick pan and saute the drained salmon for 3 minutes or until just cooked (according to your own preference).

4. To assemble, pile the salad greens in individual serving plates, top with kiwifruit and salmon.

5. Combine the ingredients for the dressing and drizzle over the salad. Garnish with extra black peeper if desired.

Don't back off from this dish if you are worry about the "smell" of the salmon fish as the marinade from the chopped chilli and apple cider vinegar actually has mask it quite well to flavour this dish. And furthermore to ease your cooking chore, you can even place the salmon on a grease disposal foil tray and bake in the toaster oven for about 8 minutes(turning once) depending on your preference for cooking the salmon.

Coming Up Next

KIWIFRUIT AND LIME CUPCAKES

Lastly I hope you would enjoy the above 3 Kiwifruit Recipes which I have shared with you. And to finished up our kiwifruit feast with some yummy dessert, I have also prepared some "Kiwifruit and Lime Cupcakes" too. If you are keen to find out more about the above-mentioned recipe do stay around for the next upcoming post on Baking with Kiwifruit.

Avocado Chicken Parmigiana

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Parmigiana (a short form of Parmigiana di melanzane) is a Southern Italian dish made with a shallow-fried sliced filling, layered with cheese, tomato sauce and baked before serving. But here we are making a quick version of this "Avocado Chicken Parmigiana" where tender chicken breast schnitzel is topped with bottled tomato pasta sauce and fresh avocado together with generous amount of grated Mozzarella cheese.

[Durian or Avocado] Sago Gula Melaka

This month's Aspiring Bakers theme is based on anything "Fruity" which I have read quite a number of wonderful entries from fellow bloggers on their fruity cakes and desserts. But as for myself I have being cracking my head for the past 2 weeks on what to do for this month event until I finally have something in mind.

Since this month theme is anything that is fruity, I decided to get some fresh fruits from the market where there are a lot longan, mango, passion fruit, oranges, strawberries and etc which are in seasons. And for my 1st submission I will be using two of my favourite fruits which are Durian and Avocado.

Ingredients: (serves 4)

1.5 Litres of Water
3/4 Cup of Small Sago Pearls
A few Pandan Leaves, knotted
* Some Durian Pulp or 2 Ripe Avocado

Method:-

1. Fill a large pot with water and bring to boil. Lower the heat to medium and add in sago pearls and stir on and off to prevent it from sticking together.

2. Cook the sago pearls for about 8 minutes turn off heat, cover pot with lid and set aside for 10 minutes.

3. The sago wil become translucent when cooked.

4. Pour sago into a strainer and rinse under running water until pearls are loose and separated. Drain well.

5. Spoon sago into small moulds. Chill in fridge until sago sets.

6. To serve, turn sago out into individual serving bowl(s), place either durian pulp/avocado cubes on top of sago then spoon some coconut cream and gula melaka syrup over the sago.


This Nyonya dessert is best to be eaten with good quality of gula malaka and fresh coconut milk toppings which makes you crave for more. Here are some quick and simple steps to make the "Gula Melaka Syrup" and "Coconut Cream".

GULA MELAKA SYRUP

Ingredients:

150g Palm Sugar (Gula Melaka)
1/2 Cup (100ml) Water
A few Pandan Leaves, knotted

Method:-

1. In a small pot, combine gula Melaka with water and pandan leaves.

2. Simmer until sugar dissolved, mixture thickens and becomes syrupy.

3. Sieved away any residues, cool and pour it into sterilised glass jar and you can kept it in the fridge till further usage.

COCONUT CREAM

Ingredients:

1 Cup (200ml) Coconut Milk/Cream
A few Pandan Leaves, knotted
Pinch of Salt

Method:-

1. Put Coconut milk/cream together with pandan leaves in a microwave safe bowl.

2. Cook it on 70% (Medium High) for about 90 seconds, pause 30 seconds in between and quick it a quick stir till soft boil. (You may need another extra 30 seconds depending on your microwave power voltage.)


In Asia, most of us like this dessert to be served either in it's original way of sago with coconut milk and gula melaka or sometime even with luxury toppings such as D24 Durian pulp. And look at this Durian version I am sure for those who loves Durian you won't be able to resists having a cup or two especially with some good quality of gula melaka syrup that adds bonus point to it.


But as for those who dislike Durian or cannot afford to find any Durian in countries that you stay perhaps you would like to try this Avocado version by replacing the Durian Pulp with Avocado Cubes. I personally find Avocado goes well with gula melaka which I often blend 1 Avocado with 1 cup of fresh milk till smooth before stirring in 1 – 1.5 tablespoons of Gula Melaka syrup to sweeten the taste.

I am submitting this to Aspiring Bakers #5 : Fruity March (March 2011) hosted by Jess @ Bakericious.

Avocado ~ Egg ~ Tomato

This is my combination of appetiser meal, Avocado Vs Egg Vs Tomato. I simply just love the taste of Avocado, when this is in season I'll always have it in my fruit basket. I love to eat it with plain yogurt, or blend it with some fresh milk and honey and serve it as a health afternoon snack or after meal refreshment with a few ice cubes.

There are so many ways and ideas that you can eat your avocado with. And also high avocado intake has been shown to have an effect on blood serum cholesterol levels and it is also rich in B vitamins, as well as vitamin E.

In this appetiser, I used 1 avocado, 1 hard boiled egg and 2 ripe medium size tomato to come out with 3 different taste and texture of the combination.

Mashed Avocado & Egg Salad
~ Mashed half of the hard-boiled egg with about 2 to 3 slices of avocado and serve it in a tomato cup.

Avocado Slices With Plain Yogurt
~ Arrange some avocado slices on plate and top with a dollar of plain Greek yogurt(or you can choose yogurt of your favour).

This is great to serve as a an presentable appetiser when you have guest around the house. You can top with with other fresh fruits of your choice or you can use tomato or cucumber or any combination that you prefer.

~ Cut the avocado into half, carefully scoop out the fruit and leave the shell in shape.
~ Place half of the hard-boiled egg in the middle and filled the space of the shelf with avocado & tomato cubes.
~ Drizzle with some BBQ or Thai Chilli sauce before serving.

Salad With Breaded Fish

Other than having rice, dishes and soup for dinner..... We decided to have a change for tonight's menu. We are having some vegetables and fruit salad together with breaded fish. Although it might look simple but it's a rather filling meal.

In order to make the salad more complete and filling, I added the breaded fish which I come across this idea from eating out.


Ingredients:
2 - 3 Small Butter Lettuces
8-10 Baby Potatoes
6-8 Fresh Chestnut
1 Tomato, or some cherry tomatoes
1 Avocado, cut into slices
1 Medium Japanese Cucumber, peel and cut into 1" thick
1 Apple, peel and cut into cubes
1 Lemon Juice & Rinds
1/2 Red Onion, thinly shredded
2 Tablespoon Extra Light Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Mayonnaise Sauce
Some Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Methods:
1. Cut and wash the lettuces then drain and set aside.
2. Boil the baby potatoes and chestnut in a small pot of water until tender.(around 15 minutes)
3. Drained the water, rinse the potatoes and chestnut then peel off the skin and cut them into half each.
4. In a big mixing bowl, add in cucumber, apple, avocado, onion, lemon rinds, potatoes and chestnut. Then drizzle 1 Tablespoon of lemon juice, 1 1/2 Tablespoons Olive Oil, Mayonnaise Sauce and some black pepper into the bowl and mix well.
5. Place the salad and lettuce in the fridge while preparing the breaded fish.

Breaded Fish Fillet:
8-10 Pieces Of Fish Fillet Strips
2 Tablespoons Cornflour
1 Egg, lightly beaten
1/2 Cup Dried Breadcrumbs

Methods:
1. Marinate the fish fillet strips with some salt and pepper for about 10 minutes then dust with some cornflour.
2. Dip the fish strips in beaten egg then coat with dried breadcrumbs and set aside for a few minutes before deep-frying.
3. Preheat a pot of oil and deep-fry the fish strips until golden brown, drained and set aside.

Assemble The Salad:
1. Toss the lettuce into the vegetables salad and mix well then place it on a plate and top with breaded fish and serve.

Notes: You can used with hard boiled egg or breaded chicken instead of fish for the salad.