Chicken Tikka Masala and Garlic Naan

This naan bread has a slightly sweet taste that is a really nice complement to the spicy Chicken Tikka Masala. I prefer to sprinkle it with parsley (for color), not cilantro, as I'm not a huge fan of that flavor. It's important to remember to cook the naan on the hottest grill/skillet you can get.

1T. Yeast
1 C. Warm Water
1/4 C. sugar
3 T. milk
1 egg beaten
3T plain yogurt
2t. salt
4C. flour
1/4t. garlic granules
Butter
Parsley
Additional Garlic

In a large bowl. Dissolve yest in warm water. Let stand about 10 minutes, until frothy. Stir in sugar, milk, egg, salt, and enough flour to make a soft dough. Knead for 6 to 8 minutes on a lightly floured surface, or until smooth. Place dough in a well oiled bowl and cover with a damp cloth, set aside and let rise till doubled.

Punch down and pinch off bunches of dough, roll till VERY thin and place on grill. Cook for about 2 minutes and then flip then remove and brush with melted garlic butter and sprinkle with parsley or chopped cilantro.




This recipe is one of my mother's own making. The full flavor and bright color are sure to please. You can control the "hotness" of the dish by using more or less cayenne. I choose to leave it out all together!

1 C. plain yogurt
1 T. lemon juice
2 t. ground cumin
1 t. garam masala
1/4 t. cayenne (you can leave it out)
1/2 t. ground ginger
1/2 t. salt
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces.

Marinate the chicken in this mixture over night in the fridge. Using a slotted spoon to life the chicken out, cook the chicken in this mixture. Set aside.

1 to 2 T. olive oil
1/2 t. garlic granules
1/2 t. cumin
2 t. curry
2t. garam masala
1 T. paprika
1t. kosher salt
2 8oz. cans tomato sauce
3/4 C. heavy cream
1 onion cut in slices
2 green peppers cut in squares
1/2 t. balsamic vinegar or a little more
1T. sugar or a little more.

Saute onions and peppers in oil and when they are soft, add spices and tomato sauce cook for about 15 minutes and add then add cream, the heat needs to be way down, add chicken and cook for about 5 minutes. Serve with Basmati rice and naan.

Pepper Pasta

This quick and easy pasta is one of my most beloved dishes. It is full of flavor and inexpensive to make, which makes it one of my favorite go-to meals for dinner parties. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese for a perfect combination.

Pepper Pasta
2-3 red, yellow, or orange bell peppers, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
1 c. heavy whipping cream
1 -8 oz. can tomato sauce
1 clove of garlic, minced
2 T. olive oil
3/4-1 lb. hot Italian sausage (pulled out of casings and fried)
salt to taste

Saute the peppers, onion, and garlic in oil. When nearly opaque, place in Cuisinart and blend until peppers and onions are in small pieces (about the size of the head of a pin). Cook sausage, add pepper/onion mixture, cream, and tomato sauce. Cook till thick. Serve with penne or bow tie pasta.

Mongolian Beef

This savory dish is quick and easy to make, making it a perfect choice for busy days. Throw in fresh broccoli and sugar snap peas to make it a meal. You can also substitute low sodium soy sauce for a healthier choice.


1 lb. thin sliced lean beef (top sirloin, flank)
1 T. rice wine vinegar
2 T. soy sauce
2 T. cornstarch
2 T. sugar

Marinate the beef with vinegar, soy sauce, sugar and cornstarch. Set aside for later use. Just before cooking, add 2 T. cooking oil to the pan. Place each piece of beef in a single layer in the hot pan. The pan should be so hot that you can only hold your hand 1" above it for about 3 seconds. Then flip it over and cook the other side. The beef should almost look black.

Sauce:

6 T. soy sauce (low sodium is best)
2 T. sugar
2 T. water
2 T. fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic
8 green onions

Toss the meat and *veggies in this sauce just before serving. Cook on high for 1-2 minutes to quickly stir fry the vegetables. Serve over rice.

*Veggies optional.

Can I Write a Random Post?

Hello there! It's been a while since I've been awake enough to even think about blogging-thanks tiny baby- but I haven't given up yet! I actually applied recently to be the guest food blogger over at Somewhat Simple. And I didn't make it. Bummer. But, I did get a nice photo-nod to my mad skills on this post. Yay for me! We've been busy with all sorts of summer fun and summer food. For some reason chips scream summer to me (weird?) and Larz tends to agree.



Aevri had a birthday and learned how to walk. Look at those thighs! Wow!



So it has been pretty darn busy around here lately. The other super-cool-and-really-fun thing I've been working on is a craft show!! A friend of mine invited me to share a booth and my hubby gave permission for me to do it on his birthday, so I'm STOKED! I've got two patterns for sweet little girl dresses, a hoard of women's shirts, and a brand spankin' new metal stamping set for some fab jewelry. :) I'm hoping to have some things to share in the not-too-distant-future. Thanks for checking back in!

Make Me Beautiful

I was browsing my reader and saw this great article on Ucreate about doing makeup. I was reasonably good at painting, and found that doing makeup is not at all unlike painting a canvas. I developed some skills and learned a ton from the ladies at the MAC counter. I think I'll follow suit and post a few articles myself. Are you excited?

Orchard in Bloom

I had seen advertisements for a garden show called "Orchard in Bloom" and was lucky enough to convince the hubby to take me. :) I'm so glad I did. Aside from B.E.A.U.T.I.F.U.L flowers (have you ever heard of Begonia's-such a cool word- or Ranunculus?) I've never seen before, they had some fun boutiques and specialty stores. One of my favorite shops was a place called Artisano's Oils and Spices. I'm am SO glad they have a store front, because they have Tangerine infused Balsamic vinegar!!! (Is your mouth watering yet?) Another awesome find there is Blood Orange infused Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Wow. This is going to take my vinaigrette's to a whole new level.

A gorgeous salmon/yellow Begonia...

A white and magenta tinged dahlia...

"Events in Bloom" tent...





A cool, vintage shop called "Uber"-I thought the gold pig was awesome. Also has a store front...


Another shop with bright, bold colors and fun accessories...



This one used feathers in all kinds of different ways, including wreaths! I loved them...

And watercolors...

And live entertainment...(this guy was kinda like Johnny Cash...weird, right?)

And so many beautiful flowers in gorgeous colors...



Have you ever seen a leaf like this? It's all twisted...

And a rune-type fountain that apparently didn't work...


It was a wonderful Saturday! What kind of cool, local things do you have going on in your town?

Not Dependable

I have to apologize for being so scatterbrained and off track as of late. We found out about 3 weeks ago that I am pregnant with baby#3, so I've been battling morning (all day, really) sickness, exhaustion, and insomnia. It may be less frequent, but I fully intend on continuing to post things as I can. :)