Chicken Curry

Blog #17

I learned how to make this type of chicken curry from my mom's sister, my Aunty Nive.  We never used measurements so when I made it for dinner on Sunday night, I decided to do it so I could put it on my blog.  I hope I've done Aunty Nive proud with my memory of how to make this curry. It has been 11 years since we've last made it together.

I usually make more than what's needed so I can have leftovers the next day.  I love when I can just pull something out of the fridge and reheat it in the microwave. Who doesn't love to do that? It's a great meal to take to a potluck; more for your buck!  It's also a great meal to take to a friend or family member who is sick or recovering from surgery, birth, etc. 

INGREDIENTS

5-6 boneless, skinless, chicken thighs, cubed (2-3 chicken breasts if you prefer it)
5 potatoes, peeled and cubed
3 carrots, peeled and cut into circles
1-2 cans of cream of mushroom soup
1/2 medium size sweet onion, diced
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon minced ginger
2 tablespoons cooking oil
3 teaspoons curry powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1-2 cups of water

DIRECTIONS

1.  In a large pot, heat oil over med-high heat.  Add garlic, ginger, onion, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and pepper, and 1 teaspoon of curry powder.  Saute for about 5 minutes.
2. Add chicken, 2 teaspoons of curry powder, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and pepper.  Stir.  Let chicken cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3.  Add potatoes and carrots.  Stir.  Add 1-2 cups of water; only enough to cover meat and vegetables.  Let simmer for 15 minutes or until vegetables are cooked through.
4.  Add 1 can of cream of mushroom soup and stir.  Let cook  for 5 minutes or until soup has thickened.  If you prefer to have the sauce thicker, then follow step 4 again by adding another can of cream of mushroom soup (It adds a little bit of flavor then your usual thickening method of cornstarch and water or flour and water).

Banana Nut Bread

This recipe I got from http://www.allrecipes.com/ too.  And yes, I added a few extra ingredients.  LOL!  I usually do.  My kids gobbled it up.  I now need to go to the commissary tomorrow to get more bananas and walnuts to make more BNB to freeze and Tasanee asked if she could take some to school for her teachers on Tuesday.  Come Tuesday, this BNB and the pumpkin bread will be on it's way to Mississippi for Gary, to LA for Papa, and to school for Tasanee's teachers.

INGREDIENTS

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 cup of butter
2 cups of sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups of bananas (about 4), ripe and mashed
4 eggs, beaten
1 cup chopped walnuts

DIRECTIONS

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease and flour 2 loaf pans.
2.  Combine flour, salt and baking soda in a large bowl.  In a separate bowl, mix butter and sugar until smooth.  Stir in bananas, eggs, vanilla, and walnuts until well blended.  Pour wet ingredients into dry mix and stir just until blended. Divide batter evenly into loaf pans.
3.  Bake 50-60 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.  Let cool in pan for 5 minutes.  Then remove from pan and let cool on cooling rack.  Wrap in foil and refrigerate until you are ready to serve.

Pumpkin Bread

Blog #15

So over Christmas break, I drove up to LA for the day to go see Papa (my Grandpa).  Along with me, I brought some treats.  In the treat tub, there were cookies, candies, and of course bread.  I had made pumpkin bread and apple cake.  The pumpkin bread was made from a box.  It came out good but I felt like it was missing something.  Anyhow.  Papa ate up the pumpkin bread saying that it was one of his favorite things to eat. So I told him that I'd make some soon and send it to him with some banana bread.  After almost two months, I'm finally doing it. 

I got this recipe off of http://www.allrecipes.com/ and changed the recipe a little bit because I didn't have one of the ingredients and wasn't going to the store again. I absolutely loved it.  I think I've had almost a loaf to myself. 


INGREDIENTS

1 15 oz. can (or 2 cups) of easy pumpkin pie mix (recipe called for pumpkin puree)
4 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil (I used canola....it's all I had)
2/3 cup water
3 cups white sugar
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

DIRECTIONS

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease and flour 3 loaf pans.
2.  In a large bowl, mix pumpkin pie mix, eggs, oil, water, and sugar.  In a separate bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, and ground ginger.  Stir dry ingredients into wet ingredients. Separate and pour into loaf pans.
3.  Bake 50 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Roasted Potatoes

Blog #14

This recipe Gary and myself got from our friends, Jason and Melissa Weaver, who we met while living in Great Lakes.  I love these potatoes because they go perfect with anything.  And I mean anything!  We've had them with pork chops, steaks, grilled chicken, and so many other things.  I even eat just the potatoes by themselves.  It's another easy recipe that you just throw together and let it cook.  And who doesn't love a recipe like that?  When you make these potatoes, you want to make one potato per person.  So the recipe that follows is for one person.  Make sure to make a little extra because you will definitely want more after you taste these delicious roasted potatoes.

INGREDIENTS

1 potato, peeled and cubed
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 teaspoon of Italian Seasoning (if you don't have any, just use Oregano)
1/2 teaspoon of minced garlic
Season with salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS
1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2.  Get foil and tear off a 8 x 8 size piece.  Put all ingredient in foil and wrap tight with opening on top so no butter drips out. There is a picture below.
3.  Place in a glass casserole dish and cook in oven for 1 hour. 
4.  When ready, pull out of the oven.  Open up your foil and stir gently with spoon. 
5. Serve with your favorite dish or eat alone.

Pot Roast (Crockpot Recipe)

Blog #13

I got this recipe from my BFF - Cheryl James.  Then of course, I added some ingredients to it.  I don't know anyone in my family that can follow a recipe as it is.  Something always needs to be added - butter, another egg, cinnamon, vanilla, some kind of spice or vegetables....ALWAYS SOMETHING!  In fact, some of my family members and myself were just talking about this last weekend.  And yes, we admit it and own up to it.

It's such an easy crock pot recipe.  And it's so full of flavor and so tender.  My kids gobble it up like it's the best thing since the invention of candy.  We never have any leftovers even though it would be great to have some for a sandwich the next day.  I really don't know if that will ever happen, but one can be hopeful!

So here it is.

INGREDIENTS

2 lbs. beef round roast
1/2 cup of red wine (any kind will work)
2 can of cream of mushroom soup
1 packet of Lipton Onion Soup mix (any variation of it; the onion & mushroom one works too)
2 teaspoons of minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 half of a medium sweet onion, sliced
1 6-8 oz. pack of sliced mushrooms


DIRECTIONS

1.  Get all ingredients except the roast and place inside crock pot.  Stir.
2.  Place beef inside crock pot.  Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours.
3.  When ready, slice.  Top with mushrooms and onions and some gravy.
4.  Goes great with roasted potatoes (recipe is on my blog as well).