Mmmmm, I love salsa!

There is something about the combination of flavors, and the bite of the spice that I cannot simply get enough of. Hubby is not the biggest fan of Mexican food, so I am restricted in how frequently I am allowed to prepare it for the family. Consequently there is always a jar of salsa in my fridge for my own personal indulgence. Like with my eggs, or crackers, and even occasionally by the spoonful :)

Now of course, I am the one who sets the menu in the house. So when the jar in the fridge doesn't quite satisfy my craving, something hot and spicy is on the menu. This dish here is one of my favorites. If I serve it with guacamole (which is a must in our house) it becomes one of Hubby's favorite dishes. Oh, and did I mention that it is one of the simplest things to make ever...pushing it even further up my favorite list.


Guacamole: (Every time I make this it is different, I have tried to approximate the quantities but in reality I just do it by taste)

• 2 ripe avocados
• salt & pepper
• 1 tbsp cilantro chopped
• 1 clove garlic chopped
• juice of 1 lime

Cut avocados in half, remove pit, and spoon filling to a small bowl. Mash avocado until smooth (if your avocados are not ripe this isn't the easiest thing to do). Stir in in cilantro, garlic, and lime juice. Then add salt and pepper to taste. Finish off with final squeeze of lime juice on top (don't mix this one in, helps prevent things from going brown colour), and cover until ready to serve.

Southwest Bake:

• 2 Chicken breast, cubed
• Olive oil
• pinch of cumin
• 1 & 1/2 cups wild rice
• 650 ml jar of salsa
• 1 & 1/4 cup chicken broth
• 1 tsp crushed dried chilies
• zest of 1 lime
• Cilantro

Preheat oven to 350F.

Heat oil in skillet. Sprinkle chicken with pepper and cumin and brown in hot skillet.

In a 9x13 casserole dish, combine rice, salsa, broth, vest and dried chilies. Place chicken on top. Cover with foil and place in oven. Cook for 45 minutes. Uncover and continue to cook for 20 minutes, or until rice is dry.

Garnish with Cilantro, and serve with both guacamole and sour cream.

Enjoy!

Simplicity

Sometimes the thought of coming home to make supper for the family is overwhelming. Now, for the most part I use my time in the kitchen to de-stress after a long day at work. However, there are always those days when it is the last place I want to be! Of course then the dilemma then is what too eat. I am still hungry, Hubby is still hungry, and Lilly, well she needs something to turn her nose up at still :)

On days like these there are a few recipes that I can call upon in a pinch, including the chicken-pot pie. It involved minimal effort on my part, and the ingredients are things I normally have on hand, so I can substitute it into my menu for the week in an instant. Not to mention the fact that there is something incredibly comforting about this dish, so if I have had a rough day it is certain to help me to feel better.

Chicken Pot Pie:

• 2 Chicken breast cut into 1" cubes
• 1/4 cup Italian dressing
• 125g of light cream cheese
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 3 cups frozen mixed veggies, thawed
• 1 frozen pie crust, thawed(I know it would be so much better with a homemade one, but the point of this is quick and easy, one day I will try it though)

Preheat oven to 375 F

Cook chicken in dressing in large skillet until outside no longer pink. Add cream cheese and stir until melts. Add broth and veggies and simmer for about5 min.

Pour mixture into 8" or 9" deep pie dish. Place pie crust on top, and cut slits on top for vents.

Bake for approximately 30 minutes (or until golden)

Enjoy!

Thai Green Chicken Curry

We love our curries in this house! For Hubby it is cooking he grew up with, so it reminds him of home, and for me I just love the flavors and heat found in the dishes. It is something I was only exposed to within the last few years, but instantly fell in love with. Getting used to the heat has taken some time though :)

Through my curry adventures what I have quickly come to realize is that I would prefer a north Indian plate over a south Indian one any day. The problem with that is my Mother-in-law is from south India, and traditionally makes that style of food. She is wonderful at it, and actually known throughout her community for her cooking! She makes the best biryani hands down and I could never dare to compete against it (well at least not if I valve my life). But, that being said I have retreated to my own kitchen and done quite a bit of my own cooking and experimenting with curries now that suit my taste. My secret, I actually prefer mine to hers any day now, including this Thai one, shhhhhhh! I am going to get is so much trouble if she finds out!

Thai Green Chicken Curry:

• 2 chicken breasts cubbed
• 1 shallot minced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 3/4 cups coconut milk
• 2 tbsp Thai fish sauce
• 2 tbsp green curry paste
• 1 eggplant chopped
• 2 green chilies, seeded and minced
• 4 tbsp cilantro, minced

In large pan bring coconut milk to a boil. Add garlic, shallot, and chicken. Return to a boil. Lower heat and simmer until chicken no longer pink. Remove chicken with slotted spoon and place in bowl off to side (keep warm).

Stir in curry paste into pan. Add eggplant, and chilies. Simmer for 5 minutes.

Return chicken to pan and return to boil. Adjust seasoning to taste by adding salt and pepper. You may need to add a small amount of water of broth if sauce is to thick (I added about 1/2 cup). Stir in cilantro. Serve with rice.

Enjoy!

Chicken Curry Pasta

Okay, I should be reading Harry at the moment, but I needed to take a little break. Shhh don't tell anyone.

In our house we have all have a special love for pasta. Really though who doesn't love it?
There is a versatility about it like none other. Not only that but it can be as simple and straight forwards as you want or you can easily spice things up.

We of course all have our favorite way of indulging in it too. Lilly for example will only eat pasta with nothing but Parmesan cheese all over it. Hubby and I love a bowl of spaghetti and meat sauce, and it is a staple in our home. But, every now and again you need to change things up, and pasta is one of those things I feel confident enough to create new recipes on my own...very slap and dash as my mother would say. So I created this recipe last night and my wonderful Hubby and I both severely over ate due to it being so incredibly good! He is already requesting that I make it again, and we just finished the left overs today! Super quick and easy too if you are looking for a weeknight meal.


Chicken in a curry cream sauce pasta:

• Whole wheat pasta
• 2 chicken breasts cut into strips
• 1 onion finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half
• 1 cup white wine
• 1 tbsp curry powder
• 1 cup heavy cream
• Olive oil

Cook pasta according to package directions

In skillet heat oil and cook chicken strips until no longer pink. Remove from skillet and place off to the side keeping warm.

Adding more oil to pan fry garlic and onion until translucent. Add tomato and cook until tomato starts to soften. Pour in wine and saute until wine is almost gone.

Add curry powder to onion and tomato mixture, fry until fragrant. Add cream, and gently mix together. Simmer until sauce coats the back of the spoon. Return chicken to sauce, and stir until well coated and warmed through.

Serve over pasta and enjoy!

Chicken Chasseur

Tonight felt the like first time I had really cooked in ages...it was wonderful!

I had decided to try something completely new tonight, something French, Chicken Chasseur! It was amazing, and will definitely be served to dinner guests in our new house one day. Tonight we had it with baby roasted potatoes, yummy!


Chicken Chasseur:
Serves 4

• 4 large chicken breasts
• 1 shallot chopped
• 8 oz mushrooms, very thinly sliced
• 4 cloves of garlic minced
• 1 large tomato, skin removed, seeded and chopped
• 1 cup white wine divided
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley
• 2 tbsp fresh marjoram
  
• Flour for dredging chicken
• salt and pepper
• Olive oil

In fry pan heat olive oil, and season chicken with salt and pepper, and cover with flour. Brown chicken, transfer to oven and bake at 350F until no longer pink (approximately 10-15 minutes)

In the same fry pan add shallot, and cook until soft. Next add mushrooms, again cooking until soft. Add garlic and tomatoes, seasoning with salt as pepper if needed.

Add 1/4 cup of wine to deglaze the pan, and cook until pan is almost dry. Add remaining 3/4 cup of wine and simmer untiled just reduced.

Add fresh herbs to sauce, and reduce to desired consistency. Serve over chicken, and enjoy!



Now from the original recipe called for tarragon, unfortunately this is something I do not own and could not find. From my research it is a pretty unique herb with an aromatic, anise-like flavor, and nothing can really substitute it. I used the marjoram in the end, but imagine it would be quite a different dish with the proper herb. I will definitely have to keep my eye out for it in the future.