Coconut Chicken Curry

recipe from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch chunks or strips

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 1/2 Tbsp canola oil

2 Tbsp curry powder

1 1/2 tsp paprika (substitute cayenne pepper if you like the heat)

1/2 onion, thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, crushed

4 medium red potatoes, cut into chunks

1 (14 oz) can coconut milk, light or regular

1 (14.5 oz) can stewed tomatoes, Italian style

1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce

3 Tbsp sugar

Hot cooked Jasmine or brown rice

Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper.  Heat oil, curry powder, and paprika in a large skillet or saucepan over medium-low heat for 2 minutes, until fragrant (but don't let it burn).  Turn the heat up to medium and stir in onions and garlic and cook 7-9 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink and is cooked through or nearly cooked through. (It will continue to simmer in the next step).  Add potatoes, coconut milk, tomatoes (Mel said she lightly crushed the stewed tomatoes with her fingers before adding), tomato sauce, and sugar into the pan and stir to combine.  Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 30-40 minutes.  The sauces thickens slightly upon standing, but is great served piping hot (and a bit thinner), too.  Serve with Jasmine rice (or your favorite rice) and garnish with cilantro, if desired.  

**Mel also added that often she will make the dish right up to the step where you are supposed to let it simmer for 40 minutes.  At that point, she pours it all into a crockpot and lets it sit at low heat for 4-5 hours to finish cooking.  She said she just likes to do it that way sometimes to be able to fix it earlier in the day and avoid all the chaos that inevitably accompanies trying to get dinner ready with kids clamoring for your attention at dinnertime.  

Zucchini Bread or Cake

recipe from my Mom

There are so many wonderful recipes for zucchini bread and cake out there.  I'm not claiming this one to be superior to any... it's just the one my Mom gave me and I like it.  It is more of the spice cake zucchini bread variety than the chocolate zucchini bread recipe that is also out there.   If my husband could, he would have me add chocolate chips every time I make this bread, but I do like just the bread in all its delicious spicy glory sometimes.  This recipe can be used to make bread, or it is also delicious as a cake frosted with cream cheese frosting as well.  

**Makes 2 loaves or a 9x13 cake

1 c granulated sugar

1 c brown sugar (packed)

1 c canola oil

3 eggs

2 c grated zucchini

3 tsp vanilla

3 c flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

3 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 c nuts (if desired)

In a mixer, beat sugars, oil, and eggs until fluffy.  Stir in zucchini and vanilla.  Add dry ingredients and combine.  Pour batter into 2 bread pans or a 9x13 baking dish  and bake at 325 degrees for 45-60 minutes. Check center of loaf with a toothpick at about 45 minutes.  If toothpick comes out clean, bread is done.  I have found that loaves take closer to the hour time and a 9x13 cake takes closer to 45 minutes to finish baking.  

*I have also played around with this recipe to try to make it a little more friendly on the hips and here is a variation I have had success with.

3/4 c granulated sugar

3/4 c brown sugar

1 c applesauce

3 eggs

2 c grated zucchini

2 tsp vanilla

2 c white flour

1 c whole wheat flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp allspice

2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp baking powder

Same process as above.  

No-Bake Cookies

recipe from my Mom

I know probably everyone out there has their own favorite no-bake cookie recipe.  But, for the sake of organizing my own recipes and posting some of my family favorites, I could not pass this one up - especially when the craving came for these cookies the other day.  They are quick, easy, and perfect for when you just need a little chocolate to make the world a better place... tell me you've had days like that too.

2 c sugar

1 stick butter (do not substitute margarine here or your cookies will not set up well!)

4 Tbsp cocoa powder

1/2 c milk

2 1/2 c rolled oats

1/2 c peanut butter

2 tsp vanilla

In a saucepan, combine sugar, butter, cocoa and milk.  Stir frequently and heat to boiling.  As soon as mixture is boiling with bubbles rolling across the entire surface, set timer and continue to boil for one minute. Don't allow them to boil any less or more than a minute or your cookies will either not set up or will be too dry, respectively.  Immediately remove from heat and stir in peanut butter, oats and vanilla.  

Spoon into small circles on a cookie sheet lined with waxed paper and set aside to set up.  

Creamy Tarragon Chicken

recipe adapted from Deals to Meals

6 boneless skinless chicken breasts

2 Tbsp butter

Salt and Pepper

1 small onion, chopped 

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tbsp tarragon

1/4 c flour

1 1/2 c cold water

1 c sliced mushrooms

1 c cream

Melt butter in skillet.  Add chicken breasts.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook on medium heat about 5 minutes on each side.  Sprinkle onion, garlic and tarragon over chicken and cook for another 5 minutes.  Whisk together flour and water until smooth.  Pour over chicken.  Add mushrooms and cook for about 10 minutes until mixture thickens.  Stir in cream, salt and pepper to taste, and cook until mixture just starts to bubble.  Serve with mashed potatoes or rice.

Chunky Monkey Pancakes

recipe from Our Best Bites

These are a frequent request of my husband.  He LOVES them.  They taste a lot like banana bread pancakes and of course are a kid-pleaser with a few chocolate chips sprinkled around.  I find that these cook a lot better if you keep them pretty small.   A yummy, fun Saturday morning treat!  

1 1/2 c flour

3 Tbsp sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 1/2 c buttermilk*

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 Tbsp canola oil

1 large or extra large egg

2 small or medium ripe bananas

1/4 c mini chocolate chips (or regular chips roughly chopped) tossed with 2 tsp flour (This helps to keep the chips suspended throughout the batter instead of sinking to the bottom.)

cooking spray or butter for griddle

1 c maple syrup

1/2 c peanut butter

*As a substitute for buttermilk, place 1 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice or vinegar in a 1 1/2 c measuring cup and then fill the remainder with milk.  Let sit for 2-3 minutes to allow acid to sour the milk.

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a mixing bowl and whisk together.  In a separate bowl, combine buttermilk, eggs, oil, and vanilla and whisk well.  Add the wet ingredients into the dry and mix just until moistened and combined.  Place bananas in a bowl and roughly mash with a fork.  Fold into batter.  Add the chocolate chips that have been tossed with flour and stir.

For syrup, heat peanut butter in the microwave for 30 seconds.  Add maple syrup and gently whisk to combine.  Heat in the microwave for another 30 seconds, whisk, and then set aside.  

Heat a nonstick griddle or skillet to medium heat.  Coat pan with cooking spray or butter and pour pancake batter onto griddle.  Use 1/4 c for large pancakes (4-6")  or 2 Tbsp for kid-sized ones (2-3").  Wait until bubbles form and edges are set and then flip.  

Reheat syrup if necessary and pour over warm pancakes

Yield:

28-30 2-3" pancakes (using 1/8 c batter measure)

14-15 4-6" pancakes (using 1/4 c batter measure)

Freezer instructions:

Let cooked pancakes cool to room temperature.  Place in a single layer in the freezer until frozen and then place pancakes in a Ziplock bag or airtight container.  Reheat in a microwave or toaster until heated through.

Basic Stir-Fry Sauce

recipe adapted from Family Wok

1 1/2 tsp sesame oil

1/2 tsp minced garlic

1/2 tsp minced ginger

1/2 c chicken broth

1 Tbsp soy sauce (or Bragg's Liquid Aminos)

1 Tbsp brown sugar

1/4 tsp pepper

1 1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice

1 1/2 tsp cornstarch

1 Tbsp rice wine or sherry (I used rice vinegar)

Heat the sesame oil in a small saucepan.  Add the ginger and garlic and stir-fry for 15-30 seconds over medium heat until fragrant.  Add the chicken broth, soy sauce, brown sugar, pepper and lemon juice.  Bring just to a boil, stirring.  Dissolve the cornstarch in the wine and whisk into the sauce.  Heat until sauce thickens and reaches a full boil.  Simmer for 30 seconds. Remove from heat and set aside.  Pour over your stir-fry and mix.  Serve over rice.  *Depending on how saucy you like your stir-fry, you may want to double the recipe for more sauce.

Skillet Summer Vegetable Lasagna

recipe from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Okay, I am trying to become a good food photographer, but I just didn't know how to make this picture look exceptionally appetizing, but trust me, it is a delicious, easy meal that utilizes many of the garden vegetables you probably have coming out of your ears this time of year.  

Serves 4-6

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 yellow onion, chopped fine

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 (28 oz.) can diced tomatoes (I used a quart jar of my stewed garden tomatoes)

Salt and pepper

10 curly-edged lasagna noodles, broken into 2-inch lengths

1 small zucchini, cut into 1/2 inch chunks

1 small yellow squash, cut into 1/2 inch chunks

1/4 cup shredded fresh basil (I didn't have any fresh, so I used about 1 1/2 tsp dried)

1 cup part skim ricotta cheese (I used cottage cheese)

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

(I also added 2 cups fresh spinach)

1 tsp salt

Heat oil in a large 12-inch skillet over medium heat until shimmering.  Add onion and cook until softened, about 3 minutes.  Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Drain tomatoes into a 2-cup liquid measure.  Add water to tomato liquid to make 2 cups.  Add tomato/water mixture and 1 tsp salt to skillet.  

Scatter noodles into the skillet, layer tomatoes over the noodles and bring to a simmer.  Reduce heat to medium and cook, covered, stirring occasionally (so the noodles won't stick) for about 10 minutes.  

Stir in zucchini and squash, cook, stirring now and then, until noodles and squash are tender, about 8 minutes.  Add basil, (spinach if, using), and half of the ricotta cheese and half of the Parmesan cheese to the noodles, stirring until the sauce is creamy.  Dollop remaining ricotta cheese over the noodles, season with salt and pepper, and sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese.