Chicken Curry with Coconut

Original Link at: http://weelicious.com/2011/11/07/easy-chicken-curry/

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and cubed into 1 inch pieces
• 1 pound chicken breasts, boneless, skinless and cubed
• 2 teaspoons curry powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into coins
• 1 large russet potato, peeled and cubed into 1 inch pieces
• 1 14 oz can light coconut milk
• 1/2 cup frozen peas

Preparation

1. Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a medium pot over medium heat and sauté the onions for 4 minutes. Add the minced garlic and bell peppers, sauté an additional minute.
2. Add the cubed chicken, sauté for 2 minutes, stir in the curry powder, salt, tomato paste, carrots and potatoes until they are all coated.
3. Pour in the coconut milk and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to a simmer for 10 minutes.
4. Remove lid, add the frozen peas and simmer an additional 15 minutes.
5. Serve over rice.

 

Sweet Potato, Carrot, Apple, and Red Lentil Soup

Original Post from: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/186378/sweet-potato-carrot-apple-and-red-lentil-soup/
 
 
Ingredients:
 
1/4 cup butter

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped

3 large carrots, peeled and chopped

1 apple, peeled, cored and chopped

1 onion, chopped

1/2 cup red lentils

1/2 teaspoon minced fresh ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon paprika

4 cups vegetable broth

plain yogurt

 

Directions:
 

1. Melt the butter in a large, heavy bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Place the chopped sweet potatoes, carrots, apple, and onion in the pot. Stir and cook the apples and vegetables until the onions are translucent, about 10 minutes.
2. Stir the lentils, ginger, ground black pepper, salt, cumin, chili powder, paprika, and vegetable broth into the pot with the apple and vegetable mixture. Bring the soup to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the lentils and vegetables are soft, about 30 minutes.
3. Working in batches, pour the soup into a blender, filling the pitcher no more than halfway full. Hold down the lid of the blender with a folded kitchen towel, and carefully start the blender, using a few quick pulses to get the soup moving before leaving it on to puree. Puree in batches until smooth and pour into a clean pot. Alternately, you can use a stick blender and puree the soup right in the cooking pot.
4. Return the pureed soup to the cooking pot. Bring back to a simmer over medium-high heat, about 10 minutes. Add water as needed to thin the soup to your preferred consistency. Serve with yogurt for garnish.

 

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Original Recipe from: http://www.cookingclassy.com/2015/02/slow-cooker-asian-chicken-lettuce-wraps/

 

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 3 hours

Yield: About 12 wraps, about 6 servings

 

Ingredients

• 2 lbs ground chicken (not ground chicken breast)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 red bell pepper, cored and finely chopped
• 1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion
• 1/2 cup hoisin sauce
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 (8 oz) can sliced water chestnuts, drained and rinsed
• 1 1/2 cups cooked white or brown rice
• 3 green onions, sliced
• 1 Tbsp rice vinegar and 1 1/2 tsp sesame oil (optional)
• 2 heads iceberg lettuce

Directions

• Place ground chicken and garlic in a large microwave safe bowl. Microwave mixture, stirring occasionally, until chicken is no longer pink, about 5 - 6 minutes. Drain off liquid and pour mixture into a 5 - 7 quart slow cooker. Add bell pepper, onion, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper and toss mixture. Cover and cook on low heat 2 - 3 hours until chicken is tender.
• Stir in water chestnuts, cooked rice, green onions, rice vinegar, and sesame oil, cook until heated through 3 - 5 minutes. Season with additional salt as desired. Separate iceberg lettuce leaves and serve with chicken filling.

Original Recipe source: adapted from America's Test Kitchen Slow Cooker Revolution Vol. 2. Pg 115.

3.1

Hot Mama Grade: B

Hot Mama Notes: My friend made this recipe about a month ago at a party.  I liked it so much that I couldn't wait to make it myself!!!  For whatever the reason (different hoisin, or ???), I feel like my dish didn't turn out quite as awesome as hers.  I did like them, and so did my husband.  So, it wasn't a recipe fail.  I just feel like I didn't *LOVE* it like I did when my friend made it.  I used Kroger brand hoisin and canned water chestnuts.  I did add the rice vinegar and sesame oil, since I had them available.  If I make them again, I would cut down on the amount of hoisin, I think, to make them a bit less sweet.  Otherwise, they were tasty.  I did remember to use ground chicken not ground chicken breast.  I used white sticky rice (short grain).

Lasagna

Originally from: Kroger Brand Oven Ready Lasagna Box

Ingredients:

2-15oz containers Ricotta Cheese
2 c Mozarella Cheese, Shredded
1/2 c Parmesan Cheese, Grated
2  eggs
1t  Dried Basil
26 oz Jar Spaghetti Spauce
1c  Water
2 lb Ground Turkey (93/7), browned and drained
12 oz pkg Oven Ready Lasagna Noodles

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375F.
2. Ina medium bowl, combine ricotta cheese, 1 cup of Mozzarella cheese, 1/4c paremesan cheese, eggs, and basil.  Mix well.
3. In another medium bowl, combine spaghetti sauce, 1 cup water, and browned meat.  Mix well.
4. In a 9"x13"x3" pan, spread 1.5 cups of meat sauce.  Place 4 sheets of Lasagna over sauce.  DO NOT BOIL NOODLES.  Spread 1/2 of the cheese mixture over Lasagna.  Top with 1/3 of meat sauce.
5. Repeat Layering once.
6. Top with 4 sheets of Lasagna then sauce.
7. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and parmesan cheese.
8. Wrap the lasagna tightly with a double layer of foil.
9. Bake at 375F for 55 to 60 minutes or until the lasagna is fork tender.
10. Let stand for 10 minutes seals in foil before cutting and serving.
Refrigerate any leftovers.

Hot Mama Grade: A

Hot Mama Notes:  Original Recipe calls for 1 lb ground beef or sausage.  This lasagna turned out FABULOUS, and I am so glad that it has oven-ready noodles.  That saves a time-consuming step and it's associated frustrations!!!  We will definitely be making this again.  Next time, I might add some zucchini and/or spinach to increase the veggie intake.  :)  The spaghetti sauce I used (24 oz jar, I believe) was Ragu with onions  & garlic, I believe.  All the cheeses were Kroger brand, preshredded if applicable. Also, I used a pampered chef stoneware 13x9, so I had to leave it in the oven for an extra 10 minutes.  The stone has a lot of heat inertia, and it takes an extra 10-15 minutes to heat up.

25 Jan 2016