Curried Chicken with Basmati Rice

This recipe is from the Southern Living Busy Mom's Weeknight Favorites cookbook. 

1 1/2 lb skinned and boned chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 tsp. curry powder
3 Tbsp. vegetable oil, divided
1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
1 tsp minced garlic
1 (13.5-oz.) can coconut milk
1/2 cup mango chutney
1 tsp soy sauce

1 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp water

Directions:
1. Sprinkle chicken with curry powder.  Heat 2 tbsp oil in large skillet over medium-high heat until hot; add chicken and saute 5 minutes or until chicken is browned.  Remove from pan.

2. Add remaining 1 tbsp oil to pan and head over medium high heat.  Add bell pepper and garlic; saute 2 to 3 minutes or until crisp-tender.  Return chicken to pan and add coconut milk, chutney and soy sauce.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 12 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Combine cornstarch and water and pour into chicken mixture.  Bring to a boil over medium heat; boil, stirring constantly, 1 minute.

Serve this chicken over basmati rice. 

I did not have mango chutney so I substituted peach jam.  Also I used rotisserie chicken and it was a great way to make this mean cook in even less time.  To make this vegan just substitute chickpeas for the chicken.

Lovely Appetizer Idea

Last night for dinner I had to come up with something yummy and different.  DH is working awfully hard lately and he had a particularly difficult day yesterday and I wanted to give him a meal that would warm his belly and heart.

Yesterday I made a Costco run.  Costco sells seafood salads by GulfCoast foods and we enjoy the Maine Lobster Spread a lot.  My boys love it so I decided it was what we would have for dinner.

I created this recipe on my own although I am sure someone out there has thought of the same idea.

Lobster Bites - serves 4

1 container GulfCoast Maine Lobster Salad Spread
3 eggroll wrappers (cut them into four pieces per wrapper)
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 green onion, chopped

* Turn oven on to broil (if you have two settings on your oven use low setting).  Spray 12 cup muffin pan with not stick spray
* Take one square of your eggroll wrappers that you cut and put it in the muffin tin and create a little bowl.  Repeat with the other 11 squares and tins (my three year old thought this was a lot of fun)
* Put one tbsp of salad in each cup and sprinkle 1/4 cup of cheese evenly over tins
* Put pan into oven and watch it closely.  I waited for the wrappers to brown, to see the cheese had melted, and to see if the salad was hot and bubbly.  (DO NOT WALK AWAY on this step)
* Take out the pan sprinkle green onions on top and enjoy.

It was absolutely divine!!!

Vegetable "Beef" Soup

It has been bitterly cold here this week.  We have had 25+ mph winds and most of that is sustained.  With temps in the high 30s/low 40s soup was what we needed to warm up.

1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup carrots, chopped
2 cups green cabbage, chopped (you can leave this out if you wish)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
6 cups tomato juice
3 cups water
2 cups frozen green beans
1 cup diced potato
1 cup frozen corn
2 tsp better than boullion no beef base

2 tbsp oil/margarine

* place oil/margarine in large stock pot and saute carrots and onions
* add tomato juice and water
* add in all other vegetables and seasonings and bring to a boil
* simmer at least 45 minutes

Please note that the boullion is easier to put in the soup when it has come to a boil. 

Serve with warm rolls or oyster crackers

Tacos during a fast???

Oh yes it can be done.

Fatastic Foods taco filling is something I have wanted to try for a while.  Last week I found the taco filling at my local grocery store and purchased it to give it a try.  I was very happy to have purchased this product.

Just follow the directions on the package and serve just like you would a regular taco with meat filling.  My children even enjoyed the filling and thought is was especially good with their cheese and sour cream (we don't deprive them of dairy at this time).  It did not disappoint and I will be happy to serve again.

Next on the agenda is their Falafel mix.

ChickPea Salad

We had this salad during coffee hour this past week at church.  Easy, yummy, and filling.

1 can chick peas (rinsed and drained)
1 cup pico de gallo (pick it up at the salad counter in your grocery store to save time/money)
1/4 diced red onion (only if it is not in your pico de gallo and if you want it)

Place chick peas in a bowl and mash with a fork.  Add pico de gallo (red onion also if you are adding) and mix together.  Serve on crackers, or bread.

NO idea what to do for lunch...

so took the boys to run some errands this morning.  As they were happily playing with some new toys I hear "mommy, I'm hungry."  Well I had NO idea what to serve them.  PB&J just didn't seem like a good choice today, it's chilly and blustery and I wanted them to eat something warm.  I check my favorite go to kids meal site and UREKA!!  Homemade Spaghetti O's were born.

I found the following recipe for Baby Bolognese and realized I had letter pasta and half a jar of crushed tomatoes frozen from the other night.  I immediately went to work.  As the sauce and the noodles were cooking I wondered is there an online recipe for homemade spaghetti o's so off I went to google.  SCORE!!!  Another post on the topic to help my endeavor.  You can find the recipe here Homemade Spaghetti O's.

So here is my version of Homemade Pspaghetti O's

1  16oz can crushed tomatoes (small can, although I used half of a large can that was frozen in my freezer)
1/4 onion chopped
6 baby carrots, diced
1 tbsp garlic powder
salt and pepper
1/4 tsp Herbs de Provence
1 cup ABC pasta (i used Manischewitz)
1/2 to 3/4 c shredded cheddar cheese
2 tbs milk

1. place crushed tomatoes, onion, and carrots in sauce pot, bring to boil
2. prepare pasta as directed
3. after sauce comes to boil add in garlic, salt, pepper, and Herbs de Provence
4. simmer sauce while pasta is cooking
5. once pasta is cooked, drain and add to sauce (reserve your pasta water)
6. add cheese, milk, and a little pasta water to sauce pot
7. serve and enjoy

Now I have to say, I've tried to have my boys eat spaghetti o's from a can before and they NEVER eat it.  Today they ate over half of what I gave them.  Oh and I had some too and it was really tasty.  I will be making this again, maybe even double the recipe so I can freeze some when I really need a quick lunch.

If you try this recipe please let me know how you liked it.

I know it's been too long

Sorry for the lack of postings.  So much going on these days.  With the Nativity season approaching I will be trying to add some recipes...and hopefully staying on top of things.