Calling all Daring Cooks: Chicken Tikka Masala w/Aloo Gobi & Vegetable Biryani

I absolutely do not know what possessed me to try such a feat on a Sunday night. For some reason I devised an ambitious plan to cook an entire Indian meal at 7PM. Now don't get me wrong, the meal was absolutely delicious, just not something I would ever do at that hour again. Dinner wasn't served until 10:30PM.

I didn't realize just how involved this whole undertaking would be, however it made me enjoy it all the more! This is a great menu for entertaining guests, and could quite possibly be an impressive meal for a dinner date. You just have to promise me that you really like him [you have to really like him to slave in the kitchen that long, but if food is the way to a man's heart, this is definitely the meal to cook] because I would hate to see you go through the trouble for any old Joe.

I would like to point out that I adapted this recipe to my liking from various sources. You can omit veggies, etc, but I would recommend using the spices listed in the recipe, as it lends to the authentic flavor of Indian cooking. I suppose after cooking this a few more times I could get the time down to an an hour-and-a-half [which is still long in my book]. - If you are going to attempt this meal, I would suggest getting all of your herbs/spices from an Indian or Asian market, as they are much cheaper.

RICE TIP: Because Basmati rice is super starchy, I would recommend soaking the rice for at least 30 minutes prior to cooking. [Overnight is ideal] - Also, make sure you "wash" the rice well after soaking. Use cold water to wash the rice over a sieve, you want to do this until the water is clear.

Chicken Tikka Masala {Adapted from a plethora of recipe's}
Part A:
2 lbs. boneless chicken breast
1/4 cup yogurt
3 tsp minced ginger
3 tsp crushed garlic
1/4 tsp white pepper
1/4 tsp cumin powder
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp green cardamom powder
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp turmeric
3 tbsp lemon juice
4 tbsp vegetable oil
Melted margarine (for basting)
Part B:
5 oz. tomato paste
10 oz. tomato puree
2 lbs. tomatoes, chopped
2 tsp ginger paste
2 tsp garlic paste
2 tsp green chilies
1 tbsp red chili powder
2 tsp cloves
8 green cardamoms
Salt To Taste
3 tbsp butter
2/3 cup cream
1 tsp fenugreek
2 tsp ginger, julienned
honey to taste

Whisk all of the ingredients in Part A together in a large bowl. Add the chicken breast, cut into 2 inch cubes.

Marinate overnight in the refrigerator. Preheat oven to 350º F. Bake the chicken for 8 minutes, basting with margarine twice. Drain excess marinade and bake for another 2 minutes.

While doing this, make the sauce in Part B. Deseed and chop green chilies. Put tomatoes, tomato paste and tomato puree in a pot and add approximately 4-1/4 cups of water.

Add ginger and garlic paste, green chilies, red chili powder, cloves, cardamoms, and salt. Cook over low heat until reduced to a thick sauce. Strain through a strainer and bring to a boil. Add butter and cream. Stir.

If the sauce tastes sour, add honey to taste. Add fenugreek and ginger juliennes, stir, and serve with the chicken tikka masala

Vegetable Biryiani {Adapted from numerous Indian rice recipe's}

2 cups Basmati Rice
1 cup Mixed Vegetable (cauliflower, potato, carrot, french beans)
3 Finely Sliced Onion
2 Finely Sliced Green Chillies
Salt to taste
1 tsp Red Chili Powder
1 small piece of  Cinnamon (split in half),
2 tsp Caraway Seeds
2 tsp Mustard Seeds
4 Cloves
1/2 tsp Black Pepper Powder
4 Tomato
1/2 cup Yogurt
4 tbsp Vegetable Oil
1/2 tsp Mustard Seeds 
Wash the basmati rice well before cooking.Then take rice with 3-3/4 cup water and a little salt added to it.Cook it in pressure cooker, pan, or microwave.  
Cut all the vegetables into small thin pieces and fry in oil until browned [Once brown, set aside]  
Take 1 tbsp oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, green chili, cinnamon, caraway seeds, cloves, black pepper powder and stir for about half minute. Then add onions and saute them for a minute or until golden  
Add salt and red chili powder and stir.  
Add fine chopped tomatoes and fry until they are soft.  
Add yogurt, and cook for about 2 minutes.  
Add all the fried vegetables and cook for about 5 minutes  
Add cooked rice and mix well  
Serve and garnish w/coriander leaves

Aloo Gobi Recipe

2 lbs Potatoes 

2lbs Cauliflower florets

2 tbsp Oil
1 tsp Cumin seeds
1 tsp. Chopped green chillies
1 tsp Coriander Powder

1 tsp Cumin Powder

1/4 tsp Chili Powder
1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
1 tsp Chopped coriander leaves
Salt To Taste

Par boil the potatoes in a large saucepan of boiling water for 10 minutes. Drain well and set aside.

Heat the oil in a large frying pan and fry the cumin seeds for about 2 minutes, until they begin to splutter. Add the green chilli and fry for a further 1 minute.

Add the cauliflower florets and fry, stirring, for 5 minutes. Add the potatoes, the ground spices and salt and cook for 7-10 minutes, until the vegetable are tender.

Garnish the aloo gobi with coriander and serve with tomato and onion salad and pickle.

Granola Bars!

I have never really been a fan of granola bars. Matter of fact, I remember sneering at them whenever I would open my lunch pail and find that sawdust-like bar patiently waiting for me. Needles to say, I tossed them. Years later, I tasted a real homemade granola bar, and my affinity towards them grew.

I found a really simple recipe online, and I decided to give it a shot. I like my Granola a little on the sweet side, so I used a bit more sugar. The recipe is very flexible, as long as you keep the proper proportions, the recipe should be totally fool-proof. I went ahead and added a few extras like sweet Coconut Flakes, and a dash of Lemon Extract to my batch to give it a bit of a kick.

You can also add things like Wheat Germ, Kosher Salt, [for that sweet & salty taste]Walnuts, and even chocolate chips! Make them as healthy or as un-healthy as you like..lol

I used a bag of dried fruit I picked up from the Farmer's Market, and I used the Orange Honey as well. I love the subtle "orange-y" flavor peeking through the bars, maybe next time I will use a bit more.

These were definitely a hit! I will make them again, and maybe even play around with the recipe by putting them in a smaller pan to make them super thick, and reducing the cook time to make them really chewy.

These Granola Bars freeze really well which is also a plus [so you can have tons @ the ready]. You can make some for the kids to grab on the way to school [I promise these won't get tossed in the garbage], or for an after school snack.


Easy Granola Bars! from Nikole Crowe on Vimeo.

 Granola Bars - Adapted from King Arthur's Flour
 ** This recipe calls for "Sticky Bun Sugar" which I did not use. You can use Sugar instead of the Sticky Bun Sugar.

1 2/3 cups quick rolled oats

1 cup + 2 tablespoons Sticky Bun Sugar 

1/3 cup granulated sugar, optional <--- I used this instead of Sticky Bun Sugar 

1/3 cup oat flour (or 1/3 cup quick oats, processed till finely ground in a food processor or blender) 

1/2 teaspoon salt 

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, optional <--- I omitted this from the recipe 

2 to 3 cups dried fruits and nuts <---- I added all fruit 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract - <--- I omitted this from the recipe  

1/4 cup melted butter  

1/4 cup honey, maple syrup or corn syrup <----I used Orange Honey 

2 Tablespoons of Light Corn Syrup  

1 Tablespoon of water

Preheat oven to 350, and line a 9x13 pan with parchment paper, lightly grease parchment paper, and the portion of the pan that is exposed. [Note: If you want thicker bars, use a smaller pan]

Mix all of your dry ingredients together, set aside.

Mix all of your wet ingredients, and add them to the dry ingredients.

Mix until evenly crumbly, then pour into baking pan.

Use a piece of Saran Wrap to gently press down your mixture, as it should be even.

Place Granola in oven for about 30-40 minutes. Set out to cool on a baking rack for about 30 minutes, then cut into squares with a sharp serrated knife.

Wrap bars individually to store; or place in a single layer on a plate, and cover with plastic; or store in layers with parchment in between. In humid weather, it's best to store bars in the refrigerator. 

Braised Beef in Red Wine w/Buttered Egg Noodles

Honestly I was two-seconds away from not posting this recipe because I wasn't pleased with the outcome of the photos. These pictures do not do this recipe justice! This is yet another winner from Epicurious, but let me warn you that this recipe is not for the faint of heart. There are many steps, much of which you shouldn't omit because it really lends to the earthy, robust taste of this authentic Italian dish.

Ingredients:

• 2 lb boneless beef chuck, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 (750-ml) bottle dry red wine (preferably Burgundy or Côtes du Rhône)
• 2 medium onions, halved lengthwise, then thinly sliced lengthwise (2 cups)
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme
• 1 Turkish bay leaf or 1/2 California
• 4 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley plus 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
• 1 carrot, thinly sliced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 large shallots, finely chopped
• 2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 6 oz thick-sliced bacon (preferably from slab bacon, rind removed if necessary; not smoked)
• 1 (10-oz) package pearl onions (2 1/2 cups)
• 1/4 cup water

To Cook:

Put beef, wine, onion, thyme, bay leaf, parsley sprigs, and carrot in a large resealable plastic bag. Seal bag, pressing out excess air, and put in a bowl. Marinate beef, chilled, 16 to 24 hours.

Drain beef in a colander set over a large bowl, reserving marinade. Wipe off any solids clinging to beef, then pat beef dry. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.

Heat oil in a 3 1/2- to 4-quart heavy ovenproof pot with lid over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then brown beef well in 2 batches, without crowding, about 8 minutes per batch, transferring as browned with a slotted spoon to a plate.

Reduce heat to moderate, then add shallot and garlic and cook, stirring, until shallot begins to soften, about 2 minutes. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, until shallot and flour are browned, 4 to 5 minutes.

Add reserved marinade liquid to flour mixture, stirring and scraping up brown bits.

Add beef along with any juices accumulated on plate and cover with a round of parchment paper and lid. Simmer mixture while you prepare bacon.

Cut bacon slices crosswise into 1/4-inch strips and cook in an 8-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until fat is rendered and bacon is beginning to crisp. Transfer bacon with slotted spoon to beef (reserve fat in skillet).

Re-cover beef with parchment and lid and braise in oven, 1 1/2 hours.

While meat is braising, blanch pearl onions in a 3- to 4-quart pot of boiling water, 1 minute. Drain onions in a colander, then peel, leaving root ends intact.

Cook onions in reserved bacon fat in skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until golden, 6 to 8 minutes.

Pour off excess fat, then add 1/4 cup water and scrape up brown bits with a wooden spoon or spatula.
After meat has braised 1 1/2 hours, add pearl onions (with liquid in skillet), remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper to beef and continue to braise, covered with parchment and lid, until onions are tender and meat is very tender, about 1/2 hour more.

Skim any fat from surface of beef and serve beef with buttered egg noodles sprinkled with chopped fresh parsley leaves.

For Egg Noodles:

• 12 ounces egg noodles, freshly cooked
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon poppy seeds

Cook noodles until al dente. Toss noodles with butter and poppy seeds. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Pesto & Cheese Filled Chicken Breast

I found yet another winner from Epicurious, and this one is definitely one of my favorites thus far! I decided to make my own pesto [you can use store-bought if you like], so it took about 30 minutes from start-to-finish. Finding great recipe's that can be prepared in a jiffy is an incentive for me to continue to cook, so hopefully I can kick this fast-food habit once and for all. I paired the chicken with a little bit of brown rice, and some asparagus!

Ingredients for Thyme Pesto:

• 1 1/2 cups loosely packed fresh parsley
• 1/2 cup loosely packed fresh thyme leaves or 1 tablespoon dried, crumbled, plus 1/2 cup fresh parsley
• 1/2 cup (about 2 ounces) grated Parmesan
• 1/2 cup toasted pine nuts or walnuts
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1/2 cup olive oil

Preparation:

Finely chop first 5 ingredients in processor. With machine running, gradually add 1/2 cup olive oil. Continue processing until pesto is almost smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Pesto can be prepared up to 1 week ahead. Cover tightly and refrigerate.)

Ingredients for Stuffed Chicken Breasts:

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1/2 cup soft, fresh goat cheese (such as Montrachet)
• 1/3 cup thyme pesto
• 1 teaspoon minced shallot or green onion

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• All purpose flour

Preheat oven to 350°F. Pound chicken breasts between sheets of waxed paper to thickness of 1/4 inch. Combine goat cheese, pesto and shallot in small bowl; mix well. Spread boned side of chicken breast with scant 2 tablespoons cheese mixture. Starting at one long side of chicken breast, roll up tightly, jelly roll style. Repeat with remaining chicken and cheese mixture.

Heat olive oil in heavy large oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Dredge in flour and shake off excess. Fry chicken breast in olive oil until golden brown on all sides, turning occasionally, about 4 minutes. Place skillet with chicken in oven and bake until chicken is tender and cooked through, about 10 minutes.

Red Velvet Cuppies

I have been on somewhat of a cooking/baking kick lately. When the urge to cook comes over me, I can always count on Food Network, and Epicurious to deliver yummy recipe's. So it's not surprising that this recipe courtesy Food Network didn't disappoint, in fact it has secured a spot in my go-to box for pot lucks, and special occasions.  If you have ever been to Sylvia's in New York, then you will by flying by the seat of your pants to the nearest grocery store to pick up the ingredients for this recipe [hopefully]! If not, you may want to trust me on this one, this is hands down my fav!

For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 2 (9-inch) cake pans. In a medium bowl or on a piece of waxed paper, sift together flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In a large bowl, cream together sugar and butter. Beat in eggs one at a time. Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk. Beat in food coloring and vinegar, then add vanilla. Add the batter evenly in the cupcake liners. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Turn out onto a rack to cool. 

For the frosting: In a large bowl, cream the cream cheese and butter. Beat in confectioners' sugar until fluffy. Beat in vanilla. Use frosting to fill and ice cake.

 Make sure you use a sifter! It makes all the difference :-)

I use a disposable pastry bag to fill the cupcake liners

I add my Wilton cake decorating tip, fill my pastry bag up with room temp frosting, and start adding the frosting to the outside of the cupcake first

 ....Working my way towards the middle

I added little candy hearts on top!

Enjoy!

New Years Resolution #562 - Eat Healthy

[I am always one of those gals that gets Cilantro & Italian Parsley mixed up!]

I am really, really trying to get out of the habit of eating out every other night. Not only is it draining to my pocketbook, but my selections aren't always that stellar. I like recipes that call for as little steps as possible, and don't take all day to cook. Last night, I decided to hone in on my culinary skills [or lack thereof], and try out a new recipe. It was cold, dark, gloomy, and raining so I decided to make Chicken Veggie soup w/Lime & Cilantro, sans homemade chicken broth. 

Here are the ingredients you will need for this recipe:

Carrots! 

Cilantro

Green Onions

Limes

 

Russet Potatoes

Ground Coriander Seed

• 2 pounds skinless boneless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 8 cups canned low-salt chicken broth
• 1 1/2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
• 3/4 pound carrots, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch-thick rounds
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 1 15-ounce can golden hominy, drained I am not a hominy eater, so I omitted this from the recipe
• 6 green onions, chopped
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 5 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Place chicken, broth, potatoes, carrots and coriander in large pot and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until chicken and vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally, about 40 minutes. Add hominy, green onions, cilantro and lime juice and simmer 5 minutes to blend flavors. Season soup to taste with salt and pepper.

I spray my veggies with cold water, then I rinse them under cold water set at low pressure

I leave the skin on the potatoes, and cut medium size chunks

I cut medium size chunks of carrots too

I like that this recipe only really has two steps, I can throw all of the ingredients in the pot, and relax or do homework!

The final step, adding the green onions, cilantro, and lime juice. I use Kosher salt, and fresh ground pepper to taste.

All done!