Tikka Masala

Ok this didn't come from Pintrest so I decided to put it on there.  I did find the recipe from googling it and then when I wanted to make it again, I wished I pinned it because it took a half hour to find it again. 

The Website

http://iheartyum.com/main-course/lamb-tikka-masala/

The Directions

Lamb Tikka Masala
Adapted from Cook’s Illustrated Chicken Tikka Masala recipe
Serves 5
For the Lamb Tikka:
1-3/4 lb boneless lamb leg, trimmed and cut into 1 inch cubes
1 tbsp garam masala
1 tsp coriander, toasted and ground
1 tsp cumin, toasted and ground
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 cup plain whole milk yogurt
For the Masala Sauce:
3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 large onion, small dice
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp fresh ginger, grated
1 serrano chile, seeded, ribbed and finely minced.  ( I went for 1/2 a pepper for heat-sensitive guests and felt like there was zero heat.   I like a kick and would go with 2 peppers, seeded and minced next time, or plan on making a spicy condiment to up the heat on a per-plate basis)
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp garam masala
1 28oz can crushed san marzano tomatoes
2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp kosher salt
2/3 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup fresh chopped cilantro
In a large ziplock bag, combine garam masala, coriander, cumin, salt, and pepper.  Drop in the lamb and shake to combine, making sure it’s all thoroughly coated in spice mix.  Pour in the yogurt, and again, shake the bag to combine.  Tuck this into your fridge for at the very least 1 hour, but I recommend overnight.

30 minutes before grilling, pull your lamb out of the fridge and skewer them like kabobs, leaving a 1/4 inch space in between each piece.  If they were in the fridge overnight, you’ll want to let the skewers sit at room temp for about 20 minutes to take some of the chill off before grilling.    Right before these guys head to the grill, season both sides with a healthy pinch of kosher salt.

Lets get to that sauce.  Place a dutch oven over medium-high heat and pour in the vegetable oil.  Saute the onion until golden brown, about 10 minutes.  Stir in the garlic, ginger, chile, tomato paste, and garam masala, cooking until fragrant and slightly caramelized on the bottom, about 3-4 minutes.  Add the tomatoes, sugar and salt.  Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium low, pop the lid on, and let it cook for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Now’s a good time to get that lamb grilled.    On a preheated super hot gas grill, give those skewers 3-4 minutes per side to get a nice char and still retain a tiny bit of pink on the inside.

Back to that sauce. Add the cream and stir for a minute or so until warmed through.  Then add in the lamb (pulled off the skewers, please) and top with the handful of cilantro (which I neglected to do in my rush to the table.  But do it.  Seriously.)  We served it up with some steamed basmati rice, peas, a delicious cucumber raita, and some toasted naan bread from Trader Joes.  Kim’s hands celebrated the meal!  Hurraaaay!

My Thoughts

It was delicious.  I love Indian food and I have always wanted to make it instead of always having to go to a restaurant to eat it.  The only thing I regret, I forgot to make naan.

My Pictures

                  

                                  It didn't look as red as it does in the pictures!                            

 

Edible Glitter

It's that time to be making Christmas cookies and I always want different ideas on decorations.  Why not edible glitter?

The Pin Picture

The Pin Says

I THINK I JUST DIED!!!! 1/4 cup sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of food coloring, baking sheet and 10 mins in oven to make edible glitter....Christmas cookies

 

I SHOULD HAVE NEVER LISTENED TO DIRECTIONS ON A PIN!

The Website

http://www.planetpals.com/craft-non-toxic-craft-supply-recipes.html

The Website's Directions

Make Non Toxic Glitter This glitter can be used for almost any type of project and may even be mixed with glue for special crafts

Tools needed for this project

• Baking Pan
• Jar
• 1/4 cup of salt (or granulated sugar)
• 1/2 teaspoon of LIQUID food coloring
• Preheat an oven to 350 degrees
• Oven for 10 mins

Directions:

• 1/2 cup coarse salt (non iodized) or 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 -10 drops food coloring (a drop at a time), adjust for desired color
• Measure salt or sugar into a clear jar with a tight fitting lid. Add food coloring one drop at a time and screw the cap on tightly. SHAKE to combine. Repeat until desired color is reached.
• Sprinkle, dip or shake onto whatever you like. I like to put this in a clear salt shaker for easy shaking or pour some into a saucer and dip the wet rim of an empty glass in it to make the glass pretty!

NOTE:

• Some recipes suggest that you bake in the oven for 10 minutes.
• Paste food coloring can result in smoking
• You may also store it in an air tight container for several months.
• This stays drier and stores wonderfully as is but even better if you spread colored salt/sugar in a thin layer to air dry for about an hour or microwave in 30 second intervals, stir and repeat for about 1-2 minutes or until moisture is evaporated. You can also add a few grains of rice to absorb any moisture. Allow your homemade glitter to cool before using it.
• Temperature extremes (weather) may cause different results

Be aware that colors like silver are hard to obtain.

 

Problems

1. It didn't look anything like glitter.

2. It was very clumpy, even stored in an air tight container.

My Picture

Nothing Like the Original Picture!!!  Don't waste your time.

Yummy Baked Potatoes

I'm always a sucker for a baked potato, so having one with a little bit of a twist, I'm on board.

Website

http://pagesfoodblog.blogspot.com/2012/01/your-new-favorite-way-to-cook-potatoes.html

Directions

Slice whole potatoes aaalmost all the way through, so that the slices are all 

still attached at the bottom of the potato.

 Drizzle with olive oil and your favorites potato seasonings...

..bake for about 40 minutes at 425 F..

 

My Thoughts

I love them.  My husband isn't really a fan of baked potatoes but he was excited to eat them.  He told me how good they look.  This is definitely a keeper recipe.  I start them off by putting them in the microwave for 5 minutes to speed the process since baked potatoes take awhile to cook.

 

My Picture

Yup that's parm cheese as a topping.  I waited until the potatoes were done cooking before I added the cheese.  YUM!

 

Brussel Sprouts

I'm not a huge fan of brussel sprouts but sometimes I want a different side dish.  I feel like I'm always cooking the same side dishes.

Website

http://whatsgabycooking.com/lemon-garlic-brussel-sprouts/

Directions

Ingredients

• 2 lb Brussel Sprouts
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 lemon, juiced and zested
• 3 tbsp gruyere, grated
• sea salt
• pepper
• 
  

Instructions

1. Clean the brussel sprouts by trimming off the ends and peeling the outer layer of the sprout off. Cut each one in half.
2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.
3. Once heated, add the halved brussel sprouts to the pan and saute for about 7-8 minutes on each side until the outer part is a caramelized brown and the inside is soft and fully cooked.
4. Add the garlic half way through the cooking.
5. Reduce the heat to low and add the lemon zest, juice, salt and pepper.
6. Stir to combine and taste. Adjust seasoning if needed. Add the cheese on top and serve.

Their Picture

My Thoughts

These were good brussel sprouts.  My husband doesn't eat brussel sprouts and he said they are the best he has ever had.  That being said, he will only eat a couple and hope that I don't make them often.  I will use this recipe again, despite no one else in the family wanting to eat them.

My Picture

 

Greek Pasta Salad

I love pasta and Feta Cheese.  What a great combo.  I had to try this one!

Website

http://www.mybakingaddiction.com/greek-pasta-salad-recipe/

Picture

Man that's a great picture.  Looks like it's from a restaurant.

Directions

For the Dressing

1 cup olive oil
3/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons basil dried basil
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons Za'atar*
1-1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons granulated sugar

For the Salad

1 pound rotini pasta cooked according to package directions
1 pint cherry tomatoes, cut in half (you can also sub in grape tomatoes)
1 large cucumber, seeded and chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
4 green onions, thinly sliced
3/4 cup Kalamata olives
1-1/2 cups crumbled feta cheese
1 7-ounce pepperoni stick, sliced

Directions:

1. In a a large Mason jar or other sealable container, combine olive oil, vinegar, garlic powder, basil, oregano, Za'atar black pepper, and sugar. Shake well to combine.
2. In a large bowl, combine cooked pasta, tomatoes, cucumber, bell peppers, green onions, olives, feta cheese and pepperoni.
3. Separate and reserve ½ cup of dressing in the refrigerator.
4. Toss the pasta salad with the rest of the dressing until evenly coated. Cover, and chill overnight.
5. Right before serving, freshen the salad with the reserved dressing, tossing to coat.



My thoughts

 Great recipe and great dressing.  I couldn't find Za-atar so I worked without it.  I also don't like peppers or olives, so I skipped those too.  I added chicken to it to make it a meal instead of a side dish.

This is a pasta that I will make many more times!


My Picture

Crock Pot Applesauce

I've mentioned before that I want to go fresh.  Instead of buying applesauce, which is so easy, why not make it?  Might as well complicate things for myself, but at least it's fresh.

Website

http://mommymakesitbetter.blogspot.com/2012/04/crock-pot-applesauce.html

Their Picture

Directions

Ingredients:

8 medium apples (Use a combination of Golden Delicious, Honey Crisp, Fuji, Gala, etc.) (I filled the crockpot, using about 20 small apples)

1 strips of lemon peel - use a vegetable peeler

1 tsp fresh lemon juice

3 inch cinnamon stick

5 tsp light brown sugar (unpacked) - or agave


1.  Peel, core and chop the apples.

2.  Add the sugar, lemon peel, lemon juice and cinnamon stick.

3.  Set crock pot to low and cook for 6 hours. Stir apples occasionally, apples will slowly become a delicious applesauce. Remove cinnamon stick and use an immersion blender to blend until smooth or if you prefer a chunky sauce, leave sauce intact. (I used a whisk, which gave the sauce a nice chunky consistency.)

4.  Can and process as you would other recipes or keep refrigerated up to 3 weeks.

My Thoughts

I cut the recipe in half to see if I would like it and it didn't make a lot of sauce.  It's amazing how many apples put in to it and what comes out.  

It needed some sugar, so I will add some.  Other than that, I like the recipe.  It's nice to just put it and and forget about it for awhile.

My Picture

(I use a liner in my pot so I don't have to wash it)

It's a little hard to see.  Sorry about that.  Try it out!

 

Italian Chicken

I love an easy recipe.  Just throw it in the stove and forget about it for awhile, sign me up.

Website

http://tristanfamily.blogspot.com/2012/07/whats-for-dinner.html

Picture

Directions

 4-6 raw chicken breasts, new potatoes, green beans (fresh or canned-really any green veggie would work. Broccoli is good, too). Arrange in 9x13 dish. Sprinkle with a packet of Italian dressing mix and then top with a melted stick of butter. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. 

 

 

My Thoughts

 

My butcher splits my chicken and pounds it for me, so it's thin.  I knew that the chicken would cook faster than the vegetables, so I put them in first and then added the chicken. 

This was a great dinner!  It was so easy and tasted great!  I used different veggies though.

My Picture

Yum!  Give it a try!

Pickle Dip

I have always loved pickles.  My cousin and I would eat a whole jar of those really huge pickles that they sell at delis - but in one sitting.  I also like the juice.  I know some of you think I'm disgusting now and I'm ok with that.

I've been craving chips so this was a great time to make the dip.

Website

http://bunsinmyoven.com/2012/01/18/pickle-dip/

Directions

Ingredients

• 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/2 to 1 cup dill pickles, depending on how pickly you like things
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• dill, for garnish, if desired
• pickle juice

Instructions

1. Chop the pickles into very small pieces.
2. Combine with the cream cheese and Worcestershire sauce until well mixed. Splash in a bit of pickle juice to thin the dip out a bit (around 1 tablespoon, but more is fine, dependent on your taste).
3. Serve cold or at room temperature with potato chips. 

Results

I  really liked the dip.  It is really pickly (is that a word), so don't try this if you only like pickles sometimes or just a little bit.  This is major pickle taste.

Brown Sugar Garlic Chicken

Who can resist dinner in 20 minutes?  I love brown sugar and garlic so let's make it into a chicken dish!

I liked the chicken, but I'm more of a grill fan.  I think I would try to do this on the grill next time.  The flavor was great, it's just the texture of baked chicken isn't my thing.  I have weird preferences!!!

Their Picture

Website

http://www.food.com/recipe/easy-garlic-chicken-5478

Super Easy Recipe

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts 

4 garlic cloves, minced 

4 tablespoons brown sugar 

3 teaspoons olive oil 

 

Directions: 1 Preheat oven to 500°F and lightly grease a casserole dish. 

2 In small sauté pan, sauté garlic with the oil until tender. 

3 Remove from heat and stir in brown sugar. 

4 Place chicken breasts in a prepared baking dish and cover with the garlic and brown sugar mixture. 5 Add salt and pepper to taste.  

6 Bake uncovered for 15-30 minutes.

Read more at: http://www.food.com/recipe/easy-garlic-chicken-5478?oc=linkback

 

My Picture

 

It doesn't look as scrumptious!!!!

Olive Garden Dressing

I just love Olive Garden's Italian Dressing!  I know that you can buy it from them, or at least used to be able to buy it, but why not make it at home?  I would much rather make dressings than buy them in the store.

I really think that this was a great dressing.  I haven't had Olive Garden in awhile to determine how close they are in taste.  This is a dressing that I will continue to make.  

 

My Dressing

 

Website

http://www.thecountrycook.net/2012/01/olive-garden-salad-dressing.html

Directions

Ingredients:

1 packet Good Seasonings Italian Dressing

(Ingredients needed to make dressing; oil, water, vinegar)

½ tsp. dried Italian Seasoning

½ tsp. table salt

¼ tsp. black pepper

½ tsp. sugar

¼ tsp. garlic powder

½ tbsp. mayonnaise (no Miracle Whip, please)

¼ cup olive oil

2 tbs. white vinegar

1 ½ tbsp. water

If you've never seen Good Seasons Italian Dressing before, you can usually find it down the aisle in your grocery store where all the other salad dressings are.  The packets are usually near where they keep the packets of ranch dressing. Most stores carry the boxed sets that also come with the salad dressing cruet like the one I have above.

Directions:

Prepare Good Seasonings Italian Seasonings Dressing as it states on back of packet.

The packet makes just a small bit of dressing.

Once prepared, pour dressing in a medium bowl, then add additional ingredients

listed above (starting with the dried Italian Seasoning).

Using a whisk, mix all ingredients until mixed thoroughly combined and pour it into a container with a lid.
Mason jars also work well for this.

Serve with your favorite salad fixings.

Store unused dressing in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 4 weeks. 

Be sure to give the bottle a good shake before using.

Mushroom Skewers

I'm a huge fan of mushrooms, but I'm the only one in my family.  So I made a side dish for myself yesterday.

Website Picture

Website Directions

Mushroom Skewers Recipe
4 servings
1/2 tablespoon harissa
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon dried oregano
8 ounces baby portobello mushrooms, halved lengthwise
Whisk the harissa, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and oregano together in a medium bowl.
Add the halved mushrooms and toss well to coat. Marinate for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit or Preheat the grill, if grilling.
Thread the mushrooms onto presoaked bamboo skewers. Roast them in the oven for 10-12 minutes, or grill them, 5 minutes per side.

I just loved this recipe.  This will be made many more ties in our household.  If you love mushrooms, what are you waiting for?

My Picture

 

Crispy Potatoes

These potatoes looked so good on the picture, I just had to make them.

Website Pic

Website

http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2011/11/ultra-crispy-roast-potatoes-recipe.html

Website Directions

Ingredients

• 4 1/2 pounds russet potatoes (see note), rinsed, peeled if desired, and cut into 2-inch chunks
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• Kosher salt
• 1/4 cup duck fat (see note)
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 12 sprigs thyme

Procedures

1. 1
   Adjust oven racks to lower and upper position and preheat oven to 500°F. Place potatoes in a large saucepot and cover with cold water by 1-inch. Add 2 tablespoons salt and vinegar. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce to a simmer, and cook until exteriors are tender, about 5 minutes. Potatoes should show a slight resistance when poked with a paring knife or a cake tester. Drain potatoes and transfer to a large bowl.
2. 2
   Add fat to bowl with potatoes. Season with pepper and more salt to taste then toss with a large metal spoon until exteriors are slightly bashed up and coated in a thin layer of potato/fat paste. Divide potatoes evenly between two heavy rimmed baking sheets. Spread thyme sprigs over potatoes.
3. 3
   Transfer baking sheets to the oven and roast until the bottoms of the potatoes are crisp and golden brown, about 20 minutes total, swapping top the trays top for bottom and rotating them once half way through roasting. Using a thin metal spatula, flip the potatoes and roast until the second side is golden brown, another 15 to 20 minutes. Discard thyme sprigs, and serve.
   
   
   
   

   I thought this was a good recipe.  I thought they were a little too crunchy, so I would cook them a little less, however, everyone else loved them being that crunchy.  So this is obviously a preference in the crunchiness of potatoes.  I will make this again!!  They tasted like potato chips!!

   
   

    My Picture

   

   
   

Watermelon!!!

This is a great site for info about getting and cutting the perfect watermelon.

http://fifteenspatulas.com/2011/04/25/how-to-pick-a-superstar-watermelon/

I picked and cut a watermelon (by following her directions) while I was on vacation at the beach.  What better time to have watermelon?  I have never cut a watermelon the way she instructed and it seemed like a lot of hassle.

DUE to a copyright stamp on her site, I can't copy and paste the directions to you.  At least I included the link.

Cutting the watermelon this way seemed to yield tons of watermelon.  We were in a house of 11 and we didn't even finish the watermelon.  That's just one watermelon.  We even froze it to keep it throughout the week and we still couldn't finish it.  You definitely get the most out of watermelon when you follow those steps!

Pesto Pasta with Chicken Sausage and Roasted Brussel Sprouts

I love tortellini, so when I saw this recipe, I knew it was a score.  As weird as that sounds because the recipe calls for orecchiette pasta but it does have in parenthesis any pasta.  I did however make some other changes.  I like brussel sprouts but my family doesn't, so I substituted with broccoli.  I also just notice as I typed the title that it says chicken sausage which we eat pork sausage.  I guess I kind of made a whole other dish now that I write about everything that I changed.  WHOOPS!

This was a great dish!  I've actually made it several times because we all like it so much.  So whether you switch it up or keep it the same, give it a try!

Sorry I'm not going to post the directions here because it's detailed.  But here's a picture!

Website

http://gimmesomeoven.com/pesto-pasta-with-chicken-sausage-roasted-brussels-sprouts/

The Best Steak Marinade???

I'm really picky when it comes to steak.  It has to taste a certain way and definitely be medium rare.  I don't cook steak that much because I have trouble getting the right combination of flavor that I need in order to be worth cooking.  I figured what they hey, might as well try something else.

Website

http://www.budgetsavvydiva.com/2012/03/steak-marinade-recipe/

Directions

What You Need

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 garlic clove , minced
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 Teaspoon of onion powder
• 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1/4 Teaspoon of pepper

What To Do

Mix all the ingredients together in a small bowl. I find this amount is good for 2 – 3 steaks depending on size.

Place marinade and steaks into a freezer bag and marinade ( overnight) or at least 30 minutes.

Throw away marinade after use. Cook steaks how you desire.

Enjoy  

Man that looks like a delicious marinade.  What would make me think this would taste good.  Aha!  It was so delicious.  It's the only marinade that I use now.  I eat twice as much steak in a sitting than what I used to.  I don't have a picture of my steak but I will use her's to appetize you!