Easy Coconut Shrimp Curry

I am a huge fan of both Indian food and curry in general after living in Scotland for a couple of years.  We typically have some sort of curry at least once a week.  What I think is surprising though is that my husband and I both agree that we enjoy our homemade dishes almost more than ordering take out or going out to eat.  This dish is definitely feels more Thai than Indian, but if you enjoy curry and coconut, it is super easy to make and delish.  If you aren't a big shrimp fan, you can easily substitute chicken (which we have done many times). Another plus, this is a one pan dish (with the exception of the rice) so clean up is a cinch.  This was another one of our favorite dishes from the dearly departed Scratch DC meals we loved so much.  

What You'll Need:

Salt and Pepper 

pinch of Cayenne

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 cup Basmati rice

1 tbsp butter

Canola oil

1 cup of canned, diced tomatoes

1 cup coconut milk (canned - found in International aisle)

1 cup frozen peas (you can cook from frozen)

1 cup onion, diced

1 tbsp garlic, minced

2 tsp fresh grated ginger

1 tsp coriander

1/4 tsp tumeric

1 tsp curry powder

What You'll Do:

First you need to marinade your protein for about 20 minutes prior to cooking.  Put your shrimp or chicken in a ziplock bag, season with salt and pepper and pinch of cayenne, and lemon juice.  Set aside.

Cook the rice in a medium pot according to package directions.

In a large pan, add canola oil.  Add onion and cook for 3-5 minutes.  Add ginger, garlic, coriander, tumeric, and curry powder to onion mix and season with salt and pepper.  Add more canola oil if needed to avoid spices sticking to the pan.  Add tomatoes and coconut milk and bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer.  Add shrimp or chicken and heat until cooked through (this will obviously be a much shorter cooking period for the shrimp and I strongly encourage you NOT to overcook the shrimp).  Serve over Basmati rice.

Note: if I were making this, I'd have added chopped fresh cilantro at the end as the recipe originally called for but my husband hates cilantro so I didn't buy a whole bunch of it just for me to put on my plate.  But, garnishing with some chopped fresh cilantro would be delish if you are so inclined!

Herby Saucy Chicken with Shallot Sauteed Green Beans

It has admittedly been a while since I cooked dinner.  Ever since my son was born (3.5 years ago!), my husband has taken over most of the cooking responsibilities.  He's grown to really enjoy it; it's his way of relaxing when he is at home and not travelling for work.  He has recently started a new job where he doesn't have to travel nearly as much (woohoo!).  So, I figured I better start getting back into cooking since I can't very well be a stay at home mom who can't even pull her weight in the kitchen!!

I concocted this little number and it was extremely well received by my hubs so it'll probably be added to our weeknight rotation.  The chicken and sauce are cooked in the same pan so there isn't a huge mess to be made there.  The green beans can be fresh or frozen.  For a short cut, I used Trader Joe's frozen green beans and they are one of my favorite go-to veggies to have on hand when you don't have something fresh.  And they can be doctored up in so many ways.  

First, the green beans.  

Shallot Sauteed Green Beans (serves 4)

What You'll Need:

3 cups frozen green beans*

1 large shallot, sliced thinly

2 cloves of garlic, diced finely

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

1/2 cup chicken stock (approximate - add more if needed)

salt and pepper to taste

What You Do:

Heat olive oil in the pan and sautee shallots until tender (about 4-5 minutes).  Add in garlic and sautee that for about a minute.  Remove from the pan.  Add green beans into the same pan and add chicken stock.  Once the chicken stock is absorbed and the green beans are tender, you can add back in the shallots and garlic and add the butter.  Season generously with salt and pepper.  

*If you use fresh green beans, you will probably want to boil them and then blanch them in ice cold water first so that the cooking process starts and then they will stay green.  It adds a couple of steps but isn't difficult to do.  

Here are the green beans in process.  See last pic for the final look with the shallots and garlic mixed in.  They are so yummy!

Now it is time for the chicken!

Herby Saucy Chicken (serves 4)

What You'll Need
4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 cup half and half (or use heavy cream if you really want to go for it!)
1 tablespoon of cornstarch
1 cup and 3 tablespoons of chicken stock
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1 -2 tablespoons olive oil (or other preferred oil to cook chicken)
salt and pepper to taste

What You'll Do
Dry the chicken thighs off with a paper towel and then season liberally with salt and pepper.  On a plate, mix together the fresh herbs (saving back 1 tablespoon of the parsley) and the onion powder and poultry seasoning.  Mix the ingredients together on a plate and then coat each chicken breast evenly on both sides with the herbs and spices mixture.

Heat the oil in a large skillet.  Once hot, add the chicken breasts and cook through, approximately 4-5 minutes per side.  Don't move them around a lot when they are in there so they get a nice brown, crispy sear on the outside.  Once they are cooked through, remove them from the pan and set aside under tented foil.  If you tent the foil instead of covering the chicken completely, it will keep the chicken crispy and also help keep it warm.

Deglaze the pan with 1 cup of chicken stock.  Once all of the yummy bits are picked up, add in the half and half and fresh parsley.  In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and remaining three tablespoons of chicken stock.  Pour that into the sauce mixture and stir together to thicken the sauce.  After about a minute, add back in the cooked chicken and let the sauce coat the chicken.  Serve a chicken thigh generously covered in sauce over rice, mashed potatoes, or polenta.  Serve with a side of shallot sauteed green beans.

Enjoy!  xo





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Southwestern White Chicken Chili

This chicken chili is so easy and so tasty.  My husband is from New Mexico and so he is a huge fan of anything with green chiles in it.  I have really come to love the smoky, mild heat they give dishes and cook with them often now.  The weather has been in this wonky it is warm, wait - - just kidding, it's still winter phase and this dish fits the bill for even warmer weather because it is not too heavy.

What You'll Need:
1 pound of boneless, skinless chicken (I used chicken breasts)
2 cans white beans (I used Great Northern but you can use any that you prefer)
1 can corn
large handful of cilantro, chopped
1 can (4 ounces) of green chiles
1 onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 Tbsp butter
1 and 1/2 Tbsp cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne
4 cups chicken broth
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup Mozzarella cheese (plus more for topping if desired)
1 Tbsp cornstarch for thickening (optional)

What You'll Do:
Cook your chicken.  You can either dice it and cook it in a little olive oil with salt and pepper.  I actually took another short cut because my husband was grilling a steak the night before so I just threw the chicken seasoned with salt and pepper onto the grill the night before so it was already cooked.

Add olive oil and butter and cook onions and garlic with chicken until tender.  Add green chiles, corn and beans and cumin and cayenne.  Cook for about 1 minute before adding the broth.  Add the broth and let everything simmer for 15-20 minutes.  Mix in about 1 Tbsp of cornstarch or flour mixed with a little water to thicken, if desired.  Add mozzarella cheese and fresh cilantro (saving a little for garnish).  Stir and let simmer for another 5 minutes or so.  Serve and top with extra cheese and cilantro.

Pineapple Slow Cooker Chicken

Whew.  What a week.  My husband travels for work now but this month he's had to be gone even more than usual so I've been single parenting 5-6 nights a week for the past five weeks.  With my husband gone a lot, I really don't enjoy cooking for one all that much.  Don't get me wrong, it was novel at first not having to worry about fixing dinner (cereal anyone? lean cuisine?).  But, after a while, that gets really old and you want something good and home cooked, not just out of the freezer, cold cereal or popcorn.  Problem is, by the time I get the kids to bed, I'm exhausted and don't have a lot of energy left for a full blown cooking session.  I've taken to doing some slow cooker meals that I put together when the kids are napping and then it is all cooked when I am ready to eat later in the evening.

Please tell me ya'll know about Damn Delicious?  Every recipe we have tried from there has been easy to follow and tastes phenomenal.  She's got a great archive that is super easy to search.  But warning - it WILL make you hungry.  And if her recipes weren't enough to get you to check out her site, her adorable corgi sure is!  I seriously want one.

Anyway, last night I tried her slow cooker Pineapple Chicken.  As usual, it didn't disappoint.  My pictures don't look anything like hers but whatevs, it still tasted good.  And the house smelled amazing as it simmered all afternoon.

Recipe here

If you hadn't already heard of Damn Delicious, you can thank me later.

Weeknight Inspiration: Easy Potato Soup

A few days ago I made this yummy chicken wrapped in bacon.  The recipe used both bacon and scallions but I had quite a few left over.  So, in an effort not to let it go to waste, I started thinking about what I could make that would use up both of those items before they went bad.  What better to make than potato soup?!

This dish is super easy and very flavorful.  And, it is certainly an affordable dish if you already have the bacon and scallions as you don't need many other ingredients other than potatoes, stock and a few veggies.  You can use whatever kind of potato you like but I like to use Yukon Gold - I think they are creamy and delicious.

What You'll Need:
6 large or 8 medium Yukon Gold Potatoes
8 cups of chicken broth
3 large carrots, peeled and diced
3 celery stalks, chopped
1 large yellow onion, diced
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 chopped scallions
6 slices of bacon
cheddar cheese
2 Tbsp flour
1 cup milk or half and half
1 cup heavy cream (optional)

What You'll Do:
Chop bacon into small pieces and cook in a large pot. 

When crisp, remove bacon and drain most of the fat from the pot.  Leave a little remaining to cook veggies and add flavor.  Add in the onion, carrots and celery and cook until softened slightly.  Add potatoes and season generously with salt and pepper.

Cook the potatoes with the veggies for about 4-5 minutes and then add the broth. 

Simmer on low for about 30 minutes or until potatoes and veggies are tender. 

In a separate bowl, pour in the milk or half and half and mix with the flour. 

As an aside, this was just one of the times I got to use my favorite kitchen tool the mini whisk.  Not only is it absolutely adorable but it comes in so handy especially when I make vinaigrettes.  Anyway - back to the soup...

Pour the milk/flour/thickening agent mixture into the soup and let cook for about five more minutes.  Use a blender, food process or a stick blender (that's what I use and I LOVE it for making soups) to get a creamy consistency.  Stir in cream and cook for five minutes more. 

Top with scallions, cheese and crispy bacon.

How simple and delicious is that?!

Autumn Roast Chicken and Veggies

Fall is finally in the air!  I need to get on the ball and get out my Halloween decorations but for now the front of the house is sporting this adorable little pumpkin that my sister in law's mother (did you follow that?) gave us.  She got the little pumpkin at the Farmer's Market and decorated it - such a cute idea.  I'm hoping the marker may throw the squirrels off for a little while longer...

In honor of the cooler weather, and the fact that I slept more than five minutes last night, I decided to cook dinner and make a perfect fall dish - roast chicken and veggies.  I used veggies that reminded me of the colors of fall - carrots, sweet potatoes and butternut squash.

I have been spending more time than normal in front of the tv while I've been feeding the baby and I mostly torture myself by watching the Food Network.  Ina Garten is my favorite and she constantly talks about two things that I employed when concocting this dish - keep it simplistic and chicken is always better tasting and more moist when you cook it with the skin on and on the bone.  Yes, Ina.  Yes, it is.

 So, in the spirit of Ina, everything was just seasoned with salt, pepper, and a little zesty herb mix and drizzled with olive oil.  Oh, and a few pats of butter for good measure. 

The chicken was delish and the skin was seasoned so well and got nice and crispy.  The trick to this is to make sure to pat the chicken dry before roasting it and adding the oil, butter and seasoning.

The perfect fall dish...I could eat it every day!

Garlicky White Bean Stew with Chicken Sausage and Spinach

I had to work late this week and this was a perfect make ahead dish...and it is perfect for Fall!  This is weeknight inspiration for an easy dish for sure.

What You'll Need:
4 pieces of chicken sausage (any flavor variety you like)
2 cups chicken broth
5 cloves of garlic, diced finely
1.5 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups canned Cannellini Beans (rinse well!)
1 can diced tomatoes
6 cups baby spinach leaves
salt and pepper pepper to taste

What You'll Do:
Heat olive oil in a large pot.  Brown the chicken sausage and remove from pot.  

Add garlic and a little more olive oil and brown for about 2 minutes being careful not to burn the garlic. 

Pour in chicken broth and beans with the garlic. 

Place on medium high heat and bring to a simmer. Stir in the diced tomatoes. Heat through till the beans are tender. Once beans are tender add in the spinach and cook just until the leaves are wilted. Stir in the chicken sausage and season with salt and pepper.  

Grilled Zucchini with Mozzarella, Lemon and Dill

I am loving BHG recipes lately! They are super simple but give me great ideas for just a little something different.  This dish was a perfect example - couldn't be easier.  Slice zucchini lengthwise, drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper and place directly on the grill.

Meanwhile, chop up lemon, fresh mozzarella and fresh dill.

Mix the zucchini and dill and mozzarella together and drizzle with lemon juice.  Then...demolish!

Warm Grilled Chicken Salad with Buttermilk Avocado Dressing

Our weekly salad night is turning out to be one of my favorite dinner nights each week.  The dressing inspiration came from a BHG succotash salad recipe.  I tweaked it so I could make sure my husband would eat it.  Our guest was wild about it and made it just two nights later for her family!

What You'll Need:
3-4 chicken breasts
low fat Italian dressing
salt and pepper
1 avocado
buttermilk
2 cloves of garlic
1/4 tsp dry mustard
1/4 tsp onion powder
salt and pepper to taste
2 ears corn
1-2 heads of butter lettuce
1 cup of blue cheese, crumbled
handful of slivered almonds
1/4 cup diced red onion
1 cup diced tomatoes (I used romas)

What You'll Do:

Marinate the chicken breasts seasoned with salt and pepper in a large ziplock bag with the Italian dressing.  Do this at least overnight if not for two nights.  Grill the chicken.  At the same time, grill the corn.  I pull out the silk but leave the husk on and put the corn right on the grill.  It cooked in the same time the chicken did.

While you have the grill going, set up the salad.  Tear the bib lettuce.  Add in the blue cheese, onion, almonds and tomatoes and set aside.

Make the dressing:
In the blender add the diced avocado, 2 garlic cloves (I diced mine before I tossed them in), buttermilk, dry mustard, onion powder and salt and pepper.  Blend until smooth.

Dress the salad and mix in.

My husband refuses to eat red onions so I had to fix a plate for him separately which is why the dressing isn't mixed in.

In a large bowl for me and my company, I topped everything off with the dressing and then mixed it in (see next pic) and served.

Deelish!

Healthier Homemade Sesame Chicken

I'm trying to eat healthier and lose some weight.  It is not easy but I'm trying.  This recipe is so EASY.  And yummy, to boot.

What You Need

• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into pieces
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
• 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tbsp white vinegar
• 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken stock
• 2 tbsps sesame seeds
• 2 cups fresh chopped broccoli

What You'll Do

1. In a small bowl, whisk the chicken stock, brown sugar, sesame oil, garlic, soy sauce, and white vinegar together. Set aside.
2. Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
3. In a large pan heat the olive oil over medium heat. Once hot, add the chicken in one layer. Cook for three minutes on one side until seared and then flip and cook for another three minutes on the other side.
4. Pour the chicken stock mixture over the chicken, stirring to combine.  Let simmer for about 5 minutes.
5. Add brocoli and let it cook with chicken and sauce mixture.
6. Remove from heat and toss the chicken with sesame seeds and serve.

Weeknight Inspiration: Chicken, Sausage and Potatoes with a Citrus Twist

Inspiration for this dish came from Life is Great.  I had some trouble finding Chorizo (I actually went to three separate grocery stores) so I finally gave up and used spicy chicken sausage.  Still loved the flavor of this dish but am making it again next time I come across some good Chorizo.  Something else super great about this meal (other than the fact it tastes good)...ONE DISH, BABY!!  That's right, we're talking minimal prep and minimal clean up.  That makes for some serious weeknight inspiration in my book.

 What You'll Need:

3 Tbsp olive oil

6 chicken thighs (I used boneless, skinless)

1 pkg chicken sausage

1 small bag of baby potatoes, cut in half if needed

1 red onion, chopped

2 teaspoons dried oregano

zest of one orange

salt and pepper to taste

What You'll Do:

Pour olive oil onto baking sheet.  Add chicken, rub in the oil, and potatoes and sausage.  Sprinkle over onions, oregano and zest of orange.  Season with salt and pepper.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 35-45 minutes, until chicken is browned and cooked through.  

I had fun taking pictures of the orange, too.  I know, I need to get out more if this is where I'm getting my kicks... :)

Weeknight Inspiration: Rosemary Chicken Quarters

All you need is chicken, rosemary, butter and a little salt and pepper.  And a hot grill.  Dinner is served and 'cause you cooked it on the grill, you have one less pan to clean up!

What You Need:
chicken quarters, skin on, 1 per person
2 tablespoons of butter per chicken quarter
1 tablespoon of fresh chopped rosemary per chicken quarter
salt and pepper to taste

What You Do:
Chop slightly softened butter into tiny squares and mix with chopped rosemary in a small bowl.

Reach under the skin of each chicken quarter to loosen the skin from the meat.  This part is kind of gross but not hard.  Stuff the butter and rosemary on both sides of the chicken quarter underneath the skin.  Season generously with salt and pepper.

Grill 'em up and eat 'em.  It's. that. simple.

Enjoy!

Weeknight Inspiration: Chicken and Spinach Pasta

Two comments from my husband tonight kind of summed this dish up.  The first was when I called to him to tell him dinner was ready, he said, "Already?".  Yep, see, weeknight inspiration - this dish is fast!  Then when he tasted his first bite his comment was "mmmm...tastes fresh!"  So, it is tasty, too!

What You Need:
4 cups pasta (I used bowtie but use your favorite!)
2 cups of Rotisserie chicken, chopped (this is your MAJOR time saver)
5 cups fresh baby spinach
1 cup of frozen peas
1 cup half and half
2 small shallots, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon butter
Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste

What You Do:
Boil water and cook pasta according to directions.  Toss in frozen peas during last minute of cook time.  Drain but retain some of the pasta water.

Meanwhile, melt butter in a large pan.  Add shallots and garlic and cook until translucent.  Add chicken, half and half and spinach.  Let chicken warm and spinach wilt and then add in pasta and peas.  Season with salt and pepper.  Add in some leftover pasta water if pasta seems dry.

Add Parmesan cheese and serve.  The whole thing took me about 15 minutes!