Chicken Vindaloo

This next post comes to you from a recipe I found on the amazingly popular food blog...Steamy Kitchen.

Jaden Hair, the author of Steamy Kitchen asked Prerna, from Indian Simmer (another spectacular food blog) to do a guest post ...lucky for us all, Chicken Vindaloo was the recipe Prerna featured!

Completely from scratch...the only change I made was using 2, 1/8 teaspoons of cardamom in place of the actual pods...

Grilled Jalapeno Peppers stuffed with Cream Cheese and wrapped in Bacon

One of the reasons I love food and cooking so much is the ability it gives you to bring, "the fun" into each and every dish!

These Grilled Jalapeno Peppers stuffed with Cream Cheese and wrapped in uncured Applewood Smoked Bacon define fun eating...make a tray of them this weekend and let the parties begin!

Read on for additional photos and method.....

Crispy Coconut Shrimp and the Noble Elephant

There used to be a Thai restaurant near by that served the B.E.S.T.  Coconut Shrimp  E.V.E.R. 

One evening when we simply had to have it...we arrived at the establishment only to find it had CLOSED.  No note, no explanation, no, "We've Moved to a Larger Location..." ...there was nothing.

Nada.  Zilch.  They just up...and vanished....

Curried Chicken Salad ~ A Delicious Idea for Leftover Chicken!

It's one of my all time favorite things to make with leftover chicken, this Curried Chicken Salad was made with grilled boneless, skinless chicken thighs that had marinated in a bit of olive oil and lots of fresh herbs...

Thigh meat works well in a curried chicken salad as the rich, dark meat of the thigh pairs well with the complexity of a curry powder.  Raisins, almonds, celery, scallion, a touch of lemon and herbs completes the dish...

Even better the next day...read on for the recipe.....

Peanut Sesame Asparagus wrapped in Phyllo Dough

Whoever coined the term, "the lazy days of summer" clearly did not have young children.  Life has been busy...but no matter how much so... I'll always find a way to fit in the food.

What follows are the basic steps/photos to an Asian fusion inspired Asparagus wrapped in Phyllo Dough...

Chili Lime Crab Cakes

So...I was away for a few days with family and kept thinking I would sneak in a post...

Angel Hair Pasta with Broccoli, Olive Oil, Garlic Chips, Toasted Pine Nuts and Cheese

There are those garlic chips again!  As far as I'm concerned ...they make everything better!

We're away for the weekend...tonight's dinner is going to be a Sauteed Flounder with Jalapeno Cream Sauce (among other seafood...stay tuned)...but for now I thought I would post yesterday's lunch.

A delicious vegetarian pasta dish with beautiful colors, flavors and textures...

Buffalo Chicken Sandwich with Smoked Gouda and Blue Cheese

A sandwich is only as good as the love that was put into making it...

Roasted Tomatoes with Fresh Herbs, Garlic and Cheese

Last night, my neighbor Jackie brought us over a version of these Roasted Tomatoes with Fresh Herbs, Garlic and Cheese.

Jackie used large tomatoes and cooked them down on a grill until soft ~ they were like mini pizzas minus the bread ...and super fresh and delicious...

Summer Turnip Bruschetta

I came across these beautiful Summer Turnips at our Farmer's Market yesterday....



After much debate over what to do with them, I settled on a Summer Turnip Bruschetta. 

Their beautiful mushroom color bulb reminded me of...

Simple Tandoori Chicken with Basmati Rice, Grilled Onions and Lemon

When I think of  Tandoori Chicken, I'm instantly brought back to my days in New York City. There was a small, authentic Indian restaurant right around the corner from our tiny walk-up apartment. My husband and I would visit the restaurant whenever we were looking for a super relaxed evening of sitar music, Kingfishers and the Chef's first rate - straight from the clay oven - screaming red - perfectly cooked -Spicy Tandoori Chicken!

Those. Were. The. Days.

I wanted to recreate that tandoori chicken experience at home...or at least the best I could being a 30 something white woman living in suburban New Jersey with no clay oven, no authentic Indian cookware ...and sadly... (and surprisingly...I know)......no sitar.

The goal was to get the Tandoori Chicken as close to red as possible...something I've struggled with in the past...

Smashed Potatoes with Fresh Herbs & Goat Cheese

I'm excited!  Our local Farmer's Market begins this week. Farmers and fine food purveyors from around the Garden State will gather in our town each Wednesday to showcase their bounty of homegrown crops and handcrafted gourmet delights!

Jersey corn, tomatoes, peppers, zucchini and squash...radishes, carrots, broccoli and potatoes will all share space amongst the booths and booths of fresh produce lining our street!

In preparation...

How to Steam a Lobster

I've steamed many a lobster in my day, yet still always feel the need to look up on-line how many minutes my lobster should cook. At the investment...an overcooked or undercooked lobster is simply a shame!

Obviously, how long a lobster should cook depends on its size.  This one photographed above is quite large at just under 4 lbs, so he should steam approximately

Chilean Sea Bass with Poblano Pepper Cream Sauce and Mango

(*Heading and design still a work in progress...)

The photo above shows the finished plate with the Poblano Pepper Cream Sauce not heated ...as the roasted peppers made the sauce