Getting fancy for dinner- Food and Wine

When the holidays neared in 2008, the last thing on my mind was presents. I am not a gifts person, giving or receiving. Though sometimes a little surprise here and there is great! I have this one, special, friend that always gets me a gift for big holidays. So I had to keep my eyes and ears open for creative items. And instead I found myself buying a framed picture by Michelle Gatmaitan, a photographer friend of mine, for Liz. A gift for Liz? And I wasn't even looking for a gift for her. (sorry!) When I saw it, it reminded me of her because the picture is vibrant of colors and fits her personality perfectly. After buying it I told her I bought her a gift- I am not good with keeping surprises. But I beg to keep surprises for me a secret! So she told me she was planning to give me something too- she's not good either! When did this turn into a gift exchanging friendship? Not that I am complaining, now. Actually she got me a fantastic present, 1 year’s subscription to Food and Wine (F&W) magazine. I have been subscribing to Cooking Light for almost 2 years and I am glad to have something else to browse on food.

In addition to getting my own she said she was also getting F&W. After the first installment, I organized a dinner at our place around the first issue. The idea of the dinner was to cook couple dishes each. This would allow us to try new dishes and see if we like F&W’s recipes. After that dinner I can happily say, we do! We loved everything we made.

From February edition I cooked Chicken Sofrito for the main dish and Crisp Escarole Salad with Garlicky Anchovy Dressing while Liz made the Basic, and really tasty, Risotto and Stewed Okra and tomatoes.

Escarole Salad with Garlicky Anchovy Dressing from February 2009 F&W

Two 3/4-inch-thick slices of sourdough bread, cut into 3/4-inch dice (3 cups)
1 large head of escarole, light green and white leaves only, cut crosswise into 1-inch strips
6 radishes, thinly sliced
4 celery ribs with leaves, thinly sliced
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 seedless cucumber, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
8 oil-packed anchovy fillets, drained and coarsely chopped
6 large garlic cloves, minced
2 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Preheat the oven to 350°. On a baking sheet, toast the bread for 15 minutes, tossing once, until lightly golden; let cool. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, toss the escarole strips with the radishes, celery, tomatoes and cucumber. In a small saucepan, combine the olive oil, chopped anchovies and minced garlic and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is lightly golden, about 7 minutes. Add the lemon juice and season generously with pepper. Add the croutons to the salad and toss. Pour the dressing over the salad, season lightly with salt and toss again. Serve at once.

The only change I would make is to use lettuce, tomatoes and onions. Celery, radishes and cucumber certainly make this a fancy salad but it doesn’t make it exceptional. As a matter of fact, any salad vegetables can be used to prepare this salad. It’s the garlicky, anchovy dressing that makes this an exceptional first or side course.

Chicken Sofrito, adapted from February 2009 of F&W

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
4 whole chicken legs, separated into drumsticks and thighs
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon chili powder, plus more for dusting*
1 medium onion, cut into 1/2-inch dice
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeño, seeded and minced
2 large thyme sprigs
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch-thick strips
Rounded 1/4 teaspoon anise seeds**
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1 cup chopped canned tomatoes
3 cups chicken stock or low-sodium broth, homemade is perfect
1 cup short-grain white rice***

Preheat the oven to 375°. In a large ovenproof skillet, heat the vegetable oil. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and dust lightly with chili powder. Add the chicken to the skillet and cook over moderate heat until well browned, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.

*I am not sure what F&W cooks were intending for us to use so I used the Indian chili powder. Chili powder from India is dried chilies in the ground form and much stronger in taste and spice than the ones found at the local supermarket. I highly recommend it for this sofrito because of its kick.

Add the onion, garlic, jalapeño and thyme sprigs to the skillet and cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened, about 8 minutes. Add the bell pepper, fennel seeds, cayenne and the 1/2 teaspoon of chili powder and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the chopped tomatoes, raise the heat to high and cook until bubbling. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Stir in the rice and 1/2 teaspoon of salt and bring to a simmer. Arrange the chicken pieces on the rice, skin side up. Bake in the upper third of the oven for about 25 minutes, until the chicken is just cooked through and the rice is tender and has absorbed the stock. Discard the thyme sprigs. Spoon the rice onto plates, add the chicken and serve.

**In my house, fennel is used more often than Anise so I used it to replace anise. Anise is one of those spices that rarely gets attention in anyone’s kitchen and therefore no one buys it. Or at least I don’t.

***I was out of the short grain rice and added long grain basmati rice instead. I believe it worked fine as a replacement.

My last change to the dish was to omit the lemon juice and almonds from the original recipe. And even with that this was fine. The fennel flavor stood out more than we wanted but the overall taste was great; I would definitely make it again, maybe without fennel.

And although I didn’t believe in gift giving and receiving, after a year’s worth of food magazine browsing of sorts, I might be a convert by the next holiday. Plus if I can’t find a gift for the special friend, there’s always a year’s subscription of F&W. Thanks again for this present.

(both pictures are courtesy of Liz)

Homemade Mayonnaise- the best thing since sliced bread

I’d never even thought about making mayonnaise, it was intimidating just thinking about the process. Raw eggs? Whisking oil in a cold bowl with raw eggs until my hands fell off? Emulsification? No thank you.

Because I didn’t grow up with a jar of the white, processed stuff in my parents’ house, it wasn't essential for my own home. Growing up, every once in a while we used packets to slather it on a sandwich here and there but that was when we were feeling devilish. Potato salad laden with mayonnaise- what do you mean? Better yet, the husband doesn’t like it, at all. I can assure you, you won’t ever find him in a corner of our kitchen in the middle of the night with a jar of mayonnaise, licking his spoon.

Just knowing that it’ll sit in the fridge door for months, maybe even years before I throw the jar away makes me cringe. Even our brown bag sandwiches are made with yellow or spicy mustard, sometimes even cilantro chutney (that he loves) with a smoked turkey but definitely no mayo. So you get it, no mayo for us.

But the other day I was wondering what to do with farm fresh eggs (besides make breakfast), bleu cheese, bacon and iceberg lettuce. And in a fleeting second, I thought homemade mayonnaise, iceberg salad with bleu cheese dressing and chicken salad! And that began my pursuit to make the best homemade mayonnaise. After some research, I created my own recipe.

Homemade Mayonnaise

Juice from a whole lemon
1/2 teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 large eggs, or 3 medium (farm fresh are the best for this)
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil

In a food processor or blender, combine everything except for the oil. Blend until everything is combined. Then with the motor running, slowly stream in oil. This is an important step to watch closely. I learned in culinary school if the oil is added too quickly the emulsification breaks and the mayonnaise never forms into its creamy texture. The slow streaming method prevents separation of oil from acid, lemon juice. If desired, add few drops of oil at a time while the food processor is on.

Halfway into adding my oil the mixture looked like it was falling apart with acid and the oils separating. And I thought what’s the worst that could happen? A complete disaster. If so, that would be my short lived attempt at homemade mayonnaise. Thankfully I kept the motor running and continued to add oil and eventually it all came together. On the other hand, if after adding 1 cup of oil the mayonnaise has reached its creamy and smooth consistency, don’t add anymore oil.

What is Emulsification? To make into or form an emulsion. Emulsion- 1. Physical Chemistry. any colloidal suspension of a liquid in another liquid. Says dictionary.com. I define it as mixing or combining two unmixable liquids to form one. Vinaigrette is a prime example of emulsion.

I’ve made hollandaise and mayonnaise in culinary class with a cold bowl and a whisk but after making it in my food processor with success I am never making it by hand, only to watch my hands fall off.

That same night, I made bleu cheese dressing for the iceberg salad I was craving. In the last few weeks my body’s requested more salads than I’ve ever eaten in my entire life.

Bleu Cheese Dressing

1/2 cup well-shaken buttermilk
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 small garlic clove, minced
Pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup bleu cheese, use the good kind from the specialty cheese section

In a food processor, blend everything together, except the bleu cheese, until it’s smooth. Add blue cheese and pulse until cheese is incorporated but dressing is still slightly chunky.

After making the dressing, chop bacon in small dice. In a small pan (non stick is good for easy clean up) on medium heat, add bacon and brown for 3- 4 minutes. Remove bacon from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside. Cut the iceberg lettuce in wedges on a cutting board, serve on a plate, drizzle bleu cheese dressing and sprinkle bacon on top.


For our brown bag lunch I prepared a Chicken Salad sandwich with Bacon. (I had more time than I knew what to do with on this particular day.)

Chicken Salad

1 cup cooked chicken, shredded or cubed
1/4 cup cranberries, orange flavored ones are my favorite
1/4 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped
3 tablespoons of homemade mayonnaise, or more if you’re feeling devilish
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Combine all the ingredients together and let it sit for 10 minutes for the flavors to meld. Celery can be added for crunch but I am happy with the crunch of walnuts in this salad.


Chicken Salad Sandwich

1/2 cup Chicken Salad
2 slices bacon
2 slices of good wheat bread
4 large pieces of lettuce, iceberg is fine because mayo’s the star in this
Pinch of salt and freshly ground pepper

In a toaster oven or in a large pan, heat the bacon on medium high heat until it renders fat and becomes crispy. Spread mayonnaise on one side of each slice. (Bread can be toasted if serving immediately). After the bacon cools, break it in half for even coverage on the sandwich. Spread half of chicken salad evenly on both slices of bread. Next lay the halved bacon on the chicken salad, finish with lettuce. Close the sandwich and enjoy.

And the husband didn’t complain one bit of the white creamy spread on his bread or in the chicken salad. He actually raved about how good the salad tasted and the fresh taste of mayo in the sandwich. I’ve got couple tablespoons patiently waiting for the next use, but I think one of these nights when he can’t sleep he’ll go straight to the condiment drawer in the fridge with a big spoon.

So good it’s the best thing with sliced bread.

For cooking club we went to Spain

not really but it almost felt like it with our spread of the Spanish food. Our club has been cooking together, monthly, for 3.5 years and although there are many cuisines we haven’t tried, there are some that are highly favored and repeated. Spanish is one of them. In the first few months after the birth of the club, I hosted a Tapas night and everyone brought all sorts of little bites. Some of the things we gorged that night were cheeses (Manchego, Idiazabal, Mahon), tortilla de patatas, coffee flan and sangria.

This month someone else hosted and picked Spanish cuisine as the theme (they are going to Spain in couple months, lucky them!)

The Spread (olives on the bottom left corner, aioli in the middle, turkey and mushroom croquetas on the bottom right and croquetas with piquillos on top right corner, Spanish style crostini with Fig preserves and Manchego cheese in the middle, Spanish beer, Romesco sauce (next to the beer))

a closer look at the Spanish style crostini with Fig preserves and Manchego cheese, made by MD

Crostini with mushrooms and serrano ham, meat filled croquettas and romesco sauce all made by EB

Olives on the ends from Jungle Jim's and Seasoned Marcona Almonds by MD

After researching and browsing the internets, I finalized my menu: Gambas al ajillo (garlic shrimp), Pollo en Pepitoria (chicken with egg yolk and nut sauce; I don’t know the precise translation of Pepitoria but from creating the dish I am translating it as egg yolk and nut sauce), Espinacas con Garbanzos (spinach with garbanzos, or chickpeas), and a classic Sangria.

Those that know Spanish food know that Gambas al Ajillo is a feature dish that’s offered in many coastal cities of Spain. I made this the first time for cooking club and I made it again. The key to a successful dish is the garlic and flavorful Spanish olive oil.

Gambas al Ajillo

50- 60 medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
6 garlic cloves, minced
1/4- 1/2 cup Spanish olive oil
1 teaspoon Spanish Paprika
Salt
3 dried red chilies, broken in half
Freshly squeezed Lemon Juice
1 tablespoon Parsley, chopped

Marinate 50- 60 medium shrimp with garlic, olive oil, paprika, salt, and dried red chilies. On a grill pan or non stick pan, heat some of the olive oil from the shrimp on medium heat. Cook as many shrimps (with garlic and seasonings) as the pan can fit in one layer. Before serving, drizzle with chopped parsley. Serve hot with cooked garlic, olive oil and red chilies. (red chilies are for garnish, do not attempt to eat them). Serve with a soft bread to mop up the extra olive oil and garlic.

This was a good shrimp dish but not the best. I preferred the taste from the first time over this one because of salt and paprika. The flavors of garlic and Spanish olive oil were well rounded and made this dish; but unfortunately I oversalted the shrimp. It didn’t taste salty but the salt definitely stood out as did the paprika. When I made this the first time 3 years ago, I didn’t add paprika and I now know to skip paprika altogether in Gambas al Ajillo.


Pollo en Papitoria (adapted from a few recipes)

1/2 cup Spanish olive oil
1/2 cup all purpose flour, seasoned with salt and black pepper
3 chicken thighs, bone in and skin on
4 split chicken breasts, bone in and skin on
2 slices bacon, cubed (Spanish Serrano ham is preferred but I didn’t find it in the local shops)
2 medium or 1 large onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves
3 bay leaves
2 cups Spanish Sherry, I used Amontillado
4 cups chicken stock, homemade preferred
Pinch of saffron threads
Pinch of nutmeg, freshly grated
Salt and Freshly ground black pepper

Sauce
4 ounce Almonds, blanched
3 cage free eggs, boiled (yolks separated from whites)
Pinch of salt
2- 5 tablespoons of water

Dredge both sides of the chicken in seasoned flour and shake off the excess. Heat a 7 quart Dutch oven (d-o) on medium high heat. When the d-o is hot add the olive oil. Add the chicken to the hot oiled d-o; it should sizzle when it first touches the d-o. Brown and cook for 4-6 minutes per side. Once it’s placed do not try to move it, when it’s ready to turn it’ll come off easily. After it’s browned on both sides, remove the chicken. Repeat the process if all of the chicken doesn’t fit in one layer. There will be browned/burned pieces of skin and/or meat in the d-o, that’s good stuff do not wash the d-o.

Add cubed bacon and brown for 1 minute, then add onions, garlic and bay leaves. Cook the mixture until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the sherry and scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon; be sure to get all the browned bits. When the alcohol has evaporated, after about 3 minutes, add chicken stock, pinch of saffron, freshly grated nutmeg, salt and pepper and bring the mixture to a rolling bubble on high heat. Then stir in the chicken pieces and all its juices. When the liquid bubbles, turn heat down to low, cover and cook for 40 minutes.

Meanwhile, blend blanched almonds, egg yolks, salt and water together. Once blended, it should be a wet sand consistency. After cooking the chicken for 30 minutes, add the sauce to the chicken and cook on low for 20 minutes more, uncovered.

The meat and skin will fall off the bones. For presentation, remove the bay leaves and serve the white and dark meat with sauce. You can leave the skin and bones in the pot for the flavor. (I am usually the one that gnaws on the bones for the meat in the comforts of my own home when no one’s watching).

I was skeptical about the egg yolk and almond sauce but ultimately it turned out to perfection. The chicken was moist from stewing in the liquids for 60+ minutes and flavorful while the sauce was creamy and rich. It was a hit with everyone; I would make it again any day.

Espinacas con Garbanzos(adapted from here, here and there)

1/4 cup Spanish olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups dried chickpeas (soaked overnight and slow-or-pressure cooked)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Pinch of saffron
1/2 can of tomatoes, stewed or diced
3 cups vegetable stock or water
2 cups fresh spinach, washed and drained
Pinch of nutmeg
Juice of half of lemon
Salt and Pepper

In a large saucepot on medium heat, add olive oil, onions and garlic. Cook until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the cooked chickpeas and cook for 6 minutes. Add ground cumin, salt, black pepper and saffron. After few minutes, stir in the tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes. Add stock or water, turn the heat up to high and bring to a bubble. When boiling, lower the heat and cook for 20 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated. Add spinach, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Cook for 5- 8 minutes, until the spinach has wilted. In the last couple minutes of the cooking, add lemon juice. Serve hot or warm.

With all its bold flavors from the cumin and saffron this was good. However I was disappointed in the beans. Actually I need to complain to the Indian grocer where I get my dried chickpeas. After soaking the little suckers overnight, cooking them in the crockpot for 5 hours and on the stove with onions, garlic and other seasonings for 2.5, they were still a little underdone. Hopefully with better luck on the beans, this will be just as good if not better next time. Overall it’s a great dish for entertaining guests or a quick weeknight meal (with precooked or canned beans).

Note: When using dried chickpeas (or any beans), do not add salt or acid until the beans are completed cooked. I don’t know the truth behind this but I’ve read that salt and acid keep the beans from cooking thoroughly.

And finally the best part, the alcohol, Sangria. I used this with one change, instead of peaches I used nectarines.

With a homemade flan or a quick dessert, this is a perfect meal for entertaining close friends and family. If there’s one thing I’ve learned from all the Spanish cooking and eating it’s that they really treasure their relationships and time with each other. Try some of these recipes or any Spanish dishes, invite some friends and drink sangria. And on that note, I’ll stop writing sappy stuff so I don’t get booed off the blogosphere.

Spring is in the air

We took advantage of the nice weather last week by grilling outside for the first time this season. I marinated chicken breasts in Jerk seasoning from Herbs & Spice and Everything Nice at Findlay Market. I love their staff; they’re always helpful in explaining tastes and flavors of herbs and spices new-to-me. On my last visit, a young gentleman introduced me to the jerk seasoning. I’ve had Jerk Chicken at restaurants but I’ve never cooked with it in my own kitchen. After he finished listing the ingredients in the seasoning, the husband bought some for grilling. Ingredients that I remember are allspice, garlic and cayenne- the important ones.

We even had pineapple so it made for a perfect Jamaican themed dinner.

As you can see, I doused the chicken with the seasoning. Although the chicken was tender and aromatic, the flavors didn’t shine through really well. I think the missing component was salt. I didn’t add it for marinating because I couldn’t remember if it was one of the ingredients in the mix. Next time I’ll definitely include it to marinate chicken or vegetables.
I am ecstatic flowers are blooming, the temperatures are in the 60s and 70s and the days are longer. Welcome Spring- I hope you're here to stay. (please don't remind me about Sunday night's freezing temperatures)

Have you grilled yet? If so, what have you made?

Plating the food cooked in the Smoky Pit

If there is a barbeque joint that surpasses all others in the area, it’s Pit to Plate. The husband and I didn’t make plans for Valentine’s Day because we assumed the other person would reservations at a fabulous restaurant like Barresi, Golden Lamb or Primavista. Clearly that wasn’t the case. We called couple restaurants the night before to try to get reservations and by the 3rd call I knew it wasn’t worth the effort. We were in mood for barbeque and knew it after the 1st call. We agreed on Pit to Plate. It was a place where we would eat with our hands, have sauce dripping down to our elbows while watching TV on the big screens. And I kind of liked the thought of that... sometimes it's good to go casual, even if it's on the most romantic day of the year.

When we first walked in, I noticed it was nearly empty; probably because everyone was busy fancying their loved ones at a romantic restaurant. Some of the food was set up near the front (or the back, depending on how you look at it) in closed glass counters that held many ready-to-serve sides. Baked beans, corn on the cob, macaroni and cheese, cornbread; it all looked good. A good look at the place and it’s obvious the owners have done a hell of a job to make this little space feel like a relaxed Texas-style barbeque joint. Along the walls, there are framed pictures of cowboys, cowboy boots or rodeos. Furthermore, there are blinking lights all around the restaurant. If you weren't distracted enough by the pictures and the big screens.... The only thing missing is a mechanical bull. Something else I noticed when we sat down was the aroma of hickory smoked meats. They have a huge outdoor pit and with the doors opening and shutting so often the smell is embeded in the restaurant.

Our server promptly brought our water and asked about appetizers. Since we both showed signs of hunger pangs, she recommended half chicken “because it was slow cooked to perfection in the pit”. Instead of appetizer, I quickly ordered a half a chicken with corn on the cobb, macaroni & cheese, and Cajun rice as main dish. (Side note: the restaurant offers two sides with the main dish but I really wanted to try their Cajun rice.) He ordered a Chicken a la Cowboy, their version of Chicken a la King. When my food arrived 25 minutes after ordering, his main takes longer time to prepare, I scarfed down the corn in minutes. The smoked chicken was moist, smoky and tender; it was perfect. On each table, they have variety of barbeque sauces to accompany the meat of your choice. The sauces vary in tastes: North Carolina, Wrangler, Mild Bbq, Hot Bbq to name a few. Though the chicken tastes great by itself, I enjoyed dipping my chicken in couple of the sauces just as much.

Unfortunately I was slightly disappointed in the macaroni and cheese and Cajun rice. Though edible, the macaroni and cheese was not the southern, homemade, laden-with-butter I was craving. It was run of the mill macaroni and cheese made with elbow pasta and cheese sauce. The Cajun rice fell short of my expectations as well; it wasn’t as flavorful as it could have been. Our server warned me of its spiciness, which it was, but other spices were missing. I understand not everyone can make a good pot of Cajun rice so I don't hold Pit to Plate responsible for their failed attempt at making this dish. The husband was served a big plate of creamy chicken and veggies over jalapeño cornbread, with a topping of onion rings and cheese. I am happy to announce, he thoroughly enjoyed his dinner, so much so that he didn’t leave anything to throw away or wash off. The back end washers probably thought he licked his plate clean.

One of the most important things I consider when reviewing a restaurant is their service; Pit to Plate passed with flying colors. Our server was very sweet, and helpful in finding foods we could eat. Soon after finding out about our beef and pork restriction, she quickly listed some of the dishes that didn’t have either. After serving our meal, she was attentive and inquired about the food multiple times.

Overall we had a great experience at Pit to Plate on a day like Valentine’s. We were both very happy with our main entree choices. Though mac & cheese and cajun rice weren't up to par, I plan to go back when I have my next craving for barbeque.

There’s a reason this little joint’s been in the local papers and reviewed multiple times; it’s worth the hike out to Mt. Healthy for a taste of Texas-style smoked barbeque. I hear their pulled chicken sandwiches are very good so be sure to try that if you end up at Pit to Plate.

chicken satay with noodles

When I started browsing cookbooks and blogs for recipes I had one thing in mind, I must use my chicken thighs and left over pasta. I got the idea from more bread and cheese, please blog. Thanks Charise! I love it when I come across simple recipes that are scrumptious. It was sort of like a chicken satay but with noodles. It's one of those dishes that I'll use in future for last minute go to meals.

And because we love pasta, I can never have too many pasta recipes. Thanks to Ruth for starting and hosting Presto Pasta Nights, as I am always looking for variety of pasta recipes.

I've expressed my opinion on measured cooking, I don't do it! Therefore this recipe is an approximation. Because I like my satay to have a strong peanutty flavor I add extra peanut butter and that may not be the case for you; so start with little and add more if necessary.

For the marinade:
1/4 c. Peanut butter
3 tablespoons Soy sauce
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 teaspoons Fish sauce
2 teaspoons Sesame Oil
1 tablespoon Chili Oil
1 tablespoon Rice wine vinegar
1/8 teaspoon Red pepper flakes
Pinch of Salt (I omitted salt for mine because of the soy sauce and vinegar. You could too, if you’re watching your salt intake)
2 garlic cloves
Water, as a thinning agent
4 chicken thighs or breasts
Cooked long pasta, Rice works too

Use a large bowl to mix the first 9 (peanut butter through salt) ingredients. Drizzle 1/2 of the marinade over the pasta. Then add minced garlic to the marinade and combine it with the chicken. Let it sit for 15 minutes. As I say with marinades, the longer it sits the better the flavor.

On medium heat, add oil to the pan and cook the chicken on one side for 4-5 minutes, turn and let it cook for additional 4 minutes. For a crispier crust, cook the chicken on medium-high. Cover, lower heat to medium and allow the chicken to cook through for 20-25 minutes. Remove the lid, let the watery juices cook off about 5 minutes and add the pasta in the last few minutes of the cooking.

Serve warm. With a slice of lemon and chopped peanuts. Because we didn't have peanuts for the grand finale, we did without. And it worked fine. A quick and delicious recipe.

On a side note, blogspot is going through emotional issues and won't allow comments for this post. If you want, you can write them here.

Happy Happy Happy Birth....

The husband's midnight birthday celebration, sort of. We had some friends over and his ultimate dish is Murghi (Chicken) curry. Their was some drinking, okay a lot of drinking and some cooking. The recipe is so top secret, I still don't know the ingredients. However I do know he marinates the chicken in yogurt, garam masala, ground cumin & coriander, chili powder, lemon juice and salt for an hour or two; the longer the better. During the winter months, the chicken is broiled in the oven at 450F degrees and in the summer it's grilled. That in itself is so tasty, I usually just munch on those. Then onion and garlic are sauted with bay leaf and cinnamon stick in a large pan with vegetable oil on medium high heat. After adding tomotoes, garam masala, chili powder and other great spices; he lets it simmer for a good hour- hour and half



As soon as I have the recipe down to the tee, I'll share it with everyone.
We usually eat this with rice but naan is a great accompaniment.



This post is for my wonderful husband, that's a great cook if he wants to be. Happy Birthday Love

enjoying myself....

These past few weeks have been somewhat crazy. The ups and a sudden down haven't helped but my friends certainly have been very supportive and fun. E & I have been going to the gym regularly in the past couple weeks. I am proud us.

Recently I've been cooking food I didn't have the time or energy to make on work night. Here's my chai (Indian tea) and corncake brunch.

This is how street vendors serve chai in India. It is believed that street vendors make the best chai. And they serve it in glasses one half - three quarter full. Working people often take afternoon chai breaks. It made me think of home and India's charm. Other than chai, there is always some kind of delicious food found on the streets. A good way to tell is to look at the lines/number of people at the stands. I got the corncake recipe from Domestic Goddess. She suggests adding red pepper flakes, I think the flakes enriched the taste. Instead of hot sauce or syrup, I added the cilantro chutney for taste and dipping. I am a dipper. haha


Thereafter on Saturday, E & D came over for an Indian dinner. I'll have to get some pictures from E to post on here. We chose Indian theme because E wanted to learn a good chicken curry recipe. It was tasty. Along with chicken curry, E made the Samosa filling and the dough at home. Finally, I made Mango Lassi for dessert. (a drink made from mango, milk, yoghurt, and sugar) After dinner, we played spades. Ladies vs. Men. Unfortunately with a very close finish, the men beat us by 15 points.

Since then I've applied to few positions and have gotten couple calls for interviews. I had an interview with a company downtown so I hope that comes through. I also applied to EES and am praying for a call. That position is exactly what I want to do in my professional career.

This past Sunday, I dropped the husband off at the airport. He left to go to a conference in Charlottesville, VA for a week. It was exciting when he first told me because that's where I grew up. It's home. When my family and I were there it was a midsize college town, rated one of the best- because it is; especially in the fall. It's my first time being alone in the house. The first couple nights it was weird but I am okay now. Thankfully I've met up with E, D and plan to meet with A so the week will go by in no time.

One evening, I made chicken florentine with spaghetti and tomato cream sauce.


The filling was made from sauted shallots, garlic, spinach, dried oregano, feta, salt & pepper. After pounding out chicken, I stuffed it with the filling. As you can see; it wasn't wrapped as well as it should have but I didn't mind it. The tomato cream sauce is made from a bechamel sauce- cook butter & flour on med- low heat until the mixture starts to smell nutty. After the flour cooks, I added half & half and broth stirring constantly for a lighter sauce. You can add any one of these or combination of any two; heavy cream, broth, half & half, whole milk. Overall, it was really good however I would make a different sauce with the pasta. There were a lot of great flavors but unfortunately they were all overbearing. The cream sauce would be excellent as a stand alone and same with the stuffed chicken.

Since these are my days to treat myself, I also made a mocha frappuccino. I used instant coffee powder with hot water, milk, sugar & ice. I blended all of it together and served it with dark chocolate. The only change I'd make is add more milk for a creamier taste.


Yesterday, I thought long and hard about something; staying at home isn't feasible for me. I have to be out and about, meet people, do something with my life. From that thought I searched volunteer opportunities and came across dress for success. It's a non profit organization that helps women get back in the work force. Coaches women on dressing professionally for interviews and pushes them to secure an interview as well as a job. The woman I spoke with told me I could come in Monday to discuss different positions. If that goes well, I'll be happy to be doing something with myself. I am starting to get bored and TV isn't as entertaining anymore. I'll know for sure next week.