butter chicken

You guys! This stuff is like a miracle in a packet! I stumbled across it in the grocery store the other day (international isle) and thought I'd give it a try. And boy, am I glad I did! It's spectacular!! So easy and so, so delicious. The whole family gobbled it up, and it makes a ton! It's a bit on the spicy side (I'd call it "medium" heat; nothing extreme, but I didn't feed it to my one-year-old), but you can up the cream a bit to knock down the spice. Anyway, it's fantastic. You can be sure we'll be making this again!

RECIPE: Butter Chicken

Yield: 8 generous servings 

Calories: 224 each (w/o rice)

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp oil

1 lb chicken breast, diced

2 Tbsp butter

1 med onion, finely diced 

1 (15oz) can tomato sauce

1 packet Butter Chicken Seasoning Mix

1 c cream (more if needed to de-spice)

Basmati rice

(Opt) fresh cilantro 

Directions: 

Cook according to packet directions. 

** Serve over basmati rice (with cilantro mixed in if you have it). Add a side of naan if you think to snag some. And enjoy!!

chicken tikka masala

Possibly my favorite food in the whole wide world is Lamb Tikka Masala, especially from the little hole-in-the-wall place here in town. Swoon. Seriously, so good. Unfortunately, lamb is crazy-expensive, so I'm probably never going to make that at home. 

Luckily, Chicken Tikka Masala is a very close second. And Pinterest (or Mattawa Mum,  rather) came to the rescue with an amazingly delicious recipe. 

This is the recipe I ended up using, mostly Mattawa Mum's, with a few great tips and tweaks from my bro-in-law Jon... and a dash of my own two cents. It's spectacular and was a major hit with the whole family. We will definitely be making this again!!

Notes:  Don't skip on the heavy cream.  Less fattening stuff won't work as well.  Also, the fresh cilantro is critical.  Don't skip that either.  And finally, if you don't have cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes also work in the marinade.  Random, but FYI.

RECIPE: Chicken Tikka Masala

Yield: 6
Calories: 476

Ingredients:
[For Chicken + Marinade]
1 or 1 1/2 lbs chicken thighs, chopped into bite-size pieces
1 (6oz) tub plain greek yogurt
2 Tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground ginger


[For Sauce]
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeño (seeds removed), minced
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp salt
2 small cans (8 oz) tomato sauce {or one regular}
1-2 cups heavy whipping cream
Cilantro, fresh, for topping

Directions:
Chop up your chicken thighs and make up the marinade.  Mix together well in a dish (8x8 worked great), cover, and refrigerate at least 2 hrs.  When you're ready to make up the sauce, skewer the chicken pieces and grill them until cooked-through (no longer pink).

For the sauce, melt the butter in a (large) heavy skillet over medium-heat.  Add garlic and jalapeño and let cook for 1 minute.  Add all of the spices + salt and mix until incorporated. Add the tomato sauce.  Stir well, and let simmer until thickened (10-15 minutes maybe). Add the cream {1 c for spicy, 2 c for mild with just a teensy kick} and mix well to incorporate. Let simmer for a while longer, developing both the color and the flavor of the sauce.  Add the chicken (removed from skewers, of course).  Simmer.  Top with fresh cilantro and serve!

Serve warm over basmati rice, with a side of naan!  Mmmm.... So good.

chicken & barley soup

Original recipe from 365 Days of Slow Cooking.  I made it my own mostly because I was lazy and/or don't do well with directions. :)  I really liked how it turned out, though.  Even the kids loved it!  This will definitely be made again!


RECIPE: Chicken & Barley Soup

Serves: 10
Calories: 177 

Ingredients:
1 lb chicken breast
4 stalks celery, chopped
2 c carrots, chopped
2 tsp minced onion
1/2 c onion, diced (opt)
1 can diced tomatoes
1 (small) can tomato sauce
10 c chicken broth (or bullion+water)
{I went waay overboard with the bullion...oops.}
1 bay leaf
1 tsp dried basil
1/4 tap ground pepper
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp garlic powder
(Add later) 1 c quick-cooking barley

Directions:
Chop/measure/prepare ingredients. Add all but barley to the slow cooker. Cool on high until boiling (about an hour), then reduce to low to finish (2-3 hrs). Add the barley for the last 30 minutes of cooking time. Remove the bay leaf before serving.

Serve warm with artisan bread on the side. Enjoy.

grilled pizza

I'd heard a bit about grilled pizza recently, but it wasn't until I saw this post on a blog I stalk called All Buttoned Up that I got "ballsy" enough to try it. We were absolutely unprepared and had to throw it all together in a minute {literally- since we had thrown the dough down on the grill before the toppings were even chopped}. But it turned out beautifully! The crust was deliciously crisp on the outside and chewy on the inside. The veggies were cooked but not too soft. The entire thing was heavenly... and oh-so-quick-and-easy. We will definitely be trying this again! Here's our general recipe in case you'd like to as well.

RECIPE: Grilled Pizza

Ingredients:

frozen pizza dough, thawed

pizza sauce (homemade or store-bought)

pepperoni

bell pepper

mushrooms

mozzerella cheese

freshly ground pepper

oregano

Directions:

Before you start, remove the upper warming rack thing from your grill. You just want to work with the main rack and not have something above to and in your way. {If you forget this step, have your hubby whip out some pliers to do it while it's piping hot. I hear this works, too...} Now fire up your grill and brush it clean.

Roll out pizza dough. Prepare your toppings how you'd like (grate cheese, chop/julienne vegetables, etc.). Brush {or spread with your fingers... } olive oil on both sides of the dough. Place the dough on the grill, reducing the heat to low. Let this side cook for just about a minute, then flip it. Add your toppings and close the lid. Grill for about 5 minutes or until your toppings are done and the crust is nicely charred. {Easy, right?} Remove from the grill and eat up! :)

pizza pasta

I love the idea of pizza almost as much as the reality of it. It's easy. It's healthy {well, it can be}. And it feels like a party. I wanted to make something along these lines for dinner tonight, but I didn't have time to defrost the pizza dough (yes, we buy it in a frozen ball) nor the desire to make something so festive when Derek wouldn't be home with us to enjoy it. Instead, then, I made pizza pasta. It's easy, versatile and delicious! Just cook some pasta, drain it, then throw in some sauce and toppings of your choice. {Pizza toppings on a salad is also pretty yummy... but I'd skip the sauce and add some Ranch.} No need to follow my recipe to the T. It really is a super flexible dish. So roll up your sleeves, improvise and enjoy!



RECIPE: Pizza Pasta

Ingredients:

2 c. pasta {I used mostaccioli.}
1/2 c. pepperoni slices, quartered
1/2 c. green bell pepper, diced
1 c. mushrooms, diced
1/4 c. olives (black, pitted & sliced)
1/4 c. diced tomatoes
1 Tbsp. garlic powder (or to taste)
1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper (or to taste)
2 tsp. pizza seasoning (or to taste)
1/2 tsp. oregano (or to taste)
parmesan/mozzarella cheese, shredded (optional)

Directions:
Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and return to pot. Add all other ingredients, mix well. Warm on the stove (med-high heat) until all are heated through. Top with cheese if desired. Serve warm.