Monday, June 28, 2010

Shortcut Chicken Masala with Naan


I learned this from the mother of a friend. I immediately fell in love with it, and so will you. I wasn't even a curry fan before this dish... my mom loves it too, and she isn't a fan of much ethnic cuisine.

What you'll need:
1 jar Trader Joe's Masala Simmer Sauce
1/2 a Can of Light Coconut Milk
1-2 tbs of Curry Powder (depending on the heat level you're going for)
1 bag Frozen Roll Dough Balls (I use Rhode's brand)
Olive Oil
2 Boned Chicken Breasts
Cornstarch 
1 Cup Basmati Rice



Heat olive oil in pan over medium heat. Cut chicken breasts into 1x1 cubes, and add to the heated olive oil. While chicken is cooking, put rice on (remember 1 cup rice to 1 and 1/4 cup water)



Dust chicken in pan with curry powder, and cook until chicken is cooked thoroughly.



When chicken is cooked, add the masala sauce.



When sauce is warm, add the coconut milk, and stir. Let simmer between low and medium-low while you make naan.



Place frozen dough balls on a large plate and drizzle with olive oil. Cover with plastic wrap and mircowave for 30 seconds.


Remove from microwave and take off plastic wrap. Turn balls over, coating each thoroughly with olive oil. Place plastic wrap back on, and microwave for another 30 seconds. Remove from microwave and let cool. When cooled, stretch balls into 3-4' circles, with out breaking the dough (like little pizza's).



Place the flat bread on a cookie sheet and put in the oven on broil. Be careful, anything on broil cooks through very quickly! 





While the naan is cooking, check to see if the Masala is at desired consistency (it has a tendency to be pretty thin from time to time). If the sauce needs thickening, do so with cornstarch. 

When sauce has reached desired consistency, let cool. Serve over rice with Naan on the side!



This meal is very easy and yummy, as usual! It's a perfect introduction to Indian Cuisine, and a nice change from cheeseburgers and hotdogs!


Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Splendiforous Steak Salad with Homemade Croutons






It was really hot today. Like, really hot.
This is he first conversation I had this morning:
P: It's supposed to be really warm today. Like, 70"
Me: "74"
Later that day...
Sign outside of the bank: "79".

Now, many of you may think that that isn't anything to complain about, but I live in WA, so yeah, it's hot.
And what is perfect for a hot day meal?

SALAD

Now, for me, carbs and red meat make every meal glorious, so this salad rocks my rhetorical socks.

What you'll need:
1 Bag Mixed Greens (I like bitter lettuces, but if you like something more mellow, romain is perfect)
1 Medium Avocado
1 Large Tomato
Half a Sourdough Baguette
Olive Oil
Goat Cheese
Green Onions
1 Flank Steak
Garlic


First, we'll start with the croutons. Cut the baguette into 1x1 in. cubes.



Then heat a pan that  has been GENEROUSLY coated in olive oil. Chop1 large clove of garlic.



Add the garlic and bread cubes to pan, and sauté until toasted.



When golden, transfer croutons to cookie sheet and bake at 350 dergrees for 10 minutes.



Now that those are done, go ahead and start preparing your salad. Chop tomato, avocado, and green onions and add to the lettuce mix in large bowl.



Heat olive oil in frying pan over medium high heat. Season steak with salt and pepper to taste. Add meat to frying pan and cook to your liking. (I love rare meat, so I really just put a sear on the steak, so the middle is nice and red.)



When done and cooled, slice steak in quarter inch slices, and place on top of veggies. 
Garnish with croutons and goat cheese :) I dressed this salad with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, as usual, but anything really will work with this salad. 

Toasted pine nuts is a nice little addition too.

This was really yummy ( I know, I say everything is yummy, but if it wasn't then I wouldn't log about it, right?) and totally hit the spot on this super caliente day!

Crostini!



This is really easy and helps with waste!
If you have any kind of stale bread, then you can give this a try.

What you'll need:

1 Baguette
Olive Oil
Salt to taste


Cut the baguette into 1/4 inch slices, and brush with Olive Oil.



Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes, and serve with topping of your choice. 
(I'm still trying to use up that herb and roasted garlic Chevre)



This is so quick, and super good. They're like healthier potato chips :)

Sunday, June 20, 2010

Spectacular Stroganoff with a Mixed Greens and Garlic and Herb Chevre Salad




This is the first thing, aside form a fried egg, that I learned to cook. Over time, I have made adjustments, but this is what started it all for me.

Soon I'll start creating some new things, but I thought I'd cover my basics first.

This meal is quick, easy and SUPER tasty. It's my ultimate comfort food.

What you'll need:

1 lb Chuck Steak
5-6 Whole brown mushrooms
2 Cloves of Garlic
1 Medium Onion
Olive Oil
1 Can of Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 cup of Sour Cream
1 bag of Egg noodles


First, pour olive oil in a large frying pan, enough to coat the bottom. Warm over a medium heat.
While oil is heating, chop onion into medium pieces.



When the onion is chopped, add them to the heated pan. While onions sauté, clean and slice the mushrooms.



Add the mushrooms to the onions and chop the garlic. 

When the onions become soft and translucent, add the garlic and sauté together. While the trio is melding on the stove, cut the steak into one inch cubes. 



Add the steak to the sauté and cook 'til steak is well done.


When cooked thoroughly, add cream of mushroom soup and seasoning salt to taste.



When mixed and heated, add sour cream. Mix well and season to taste. Boil egg noodles for 5-7 minutes.



Serve over noodles. 



For salad, crumble the chevre over a salad of mixed greens. Dress the salad with olive oil and vinegar.
This is a super easy way to impress just about anyone... and no one needs to know the shortcuts you've taken :)

Enjoy, lovlies <3

Saturday, June 19, 2010

Super Awesome Potatoes of Epicness!




Ok, so these potatoes are traditionally called "Hasselback" potatoes, but I thought that was boring, so I jazzed the name up a bit.

Let me start by saying that I LOVE potatoes, so this is an awsome recipe... and I love butter... so, yeah. Again, awesome.

What you'll need:

4 medium potatoes
Salt to taste
Olive Oil
Butter


Wash the potatoes thoroughly and make thin slices ALMOST to the bottom of the potato, but avoid cutting all the way through.




Spread butter over the top of the potato, and don't neglect in between the slices! Drizzle potato with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.




Bake in a 425 degree oven for 40 minutes, or until the potato is tender!

Yummy!

Friday, June 18, 2010

Mimosa!


What better to pair with eggs for dinner than orange juice with a twist!

What you'll need:
Champagne
Orange Juice


It's really up to you to mix as you please. I prefer a 1 oz. champagne to 2 oz. orange juice, but do as you please.


Super simple cocktail. Simply mix together and serve. You can even garnish the glass with an orange slice and an umbrella! Super festive, Happy Summer! :)

Baked Eggs in a Basket


This is a brand new recipe. I found it online, and thought it looked fun.
It was yummy, but I'm not sure it was my favorite, I think I may try my hand at it again, and see how I can tweak it to my liking. 
However, I thought I'd post the initial recipe so all you beautiful people can try it for yourselves!

What you'll need:
4 sourdough rolls
4 large eggs
Grated cheese to garnish
Garlic Salt to taste 




Start with the four rolls, and cut the tops off.




After the tops have been removed, hollow out the rolls so there is room for the egg.



Crack the egg into the roll.




Sprinkle with cheese and garlic salt and place on cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 15 minutes.




Let cool and serve!

This is so fun and easy. I'd love to try this for a christmas/thanksgiving/romantic holiday!
It's really basic, so stay tuned for a different version :)

Thursday, June 17, 2010

Enchiladas de la Mama!



Family recipe! I'm still on this kick, but since my last post was a newbie, I thought I'd post this old gem!

Every time we had a family function, or potluck, this is the dish we would always bring!

What you'll need:
1 package flour tortillas
1 24 oz. can mild enchilada sauce
LOTS of shredded cheese (I love mexican mixes, they are quick and nummy!)
1 can black olives
3 green onions
1/2 beefsteak tomato
Sour Cream

In a 13X9 baking dish, pour the enchilada sauce into the pan.

In pan, coat tortilla in sauce.


When tortilla is coated on both sides, fill the tortilla with a handfull of cheese.


Continue this process until the pan is filled with stuffed tortillas.



Cover the top of the enchiladas with a layer of cheese.


Cover the dish in foil and bake at 350 degrees F. for 20 minutes, or until cheese is melted.
While dish is baking, roughly chop the onion, tomato, and olive.



Remove the dish from oven, and remove foil. Sprinkle the vegetables (and fruits) over the enchiladas and place back in oven for 10 more minutes.
  

Remove and let cool for 10 minutes. Then you are ready to enjoy. I love these with sour cream, but I also can't handle ANY kind of heat, so there you go.

This dish is so easy, and super yummy! Plus, it's totally vegetarian, so it pleases just about everyone... unless you are lactose intolerant... in which case, I cry for you.