Coconut Curry Chicken {2 Ways}

I just got back from a cooking class at the Good Food Store and all I have to say is Wow!
The theme of tonight's class was "Dumplings of the Far East" and it was taught by one of our local Asian restaurant owners/head chef of IZA. I think I might have to go buy a bamboo steaming basket now so I can make these dumplings all the time!

Within the next couple of weeks I will be making and posting about the Apple Potstickers with the Creme Anglaise sauce. You are going to love it! I was so tempted to lick the bowl and steal some of the extras that were hanging around after class...but then I might not be able to come back for future classes, and I definitely want to do more classes!

But this post isn't about dumplings, it's about Coconut Curry Chicken!

I've been exploring lately with different flavors and ethnic dishes that I'm usually intimidated by and I found 2 different recipes for Coconut Curry Chicken that you are going to love! One is more "American" and the other is more "Traditional."

Recipe 1: American Coconut Curry Chicken

Recipe 2: Traditional Coconut Curry Chicken

Both recipes are absolutely delicious and I enjoyed both of them very much. The "American" Coconut Curry is super easy, few ingredients, good for a busy work/school night and really hearty. I call it "American" because it is not what you expect from a Thai dish. You get the slight hint of flavor from the red curry paste and coconut milk but it's not quite what you would think a Thai dish would taste like. It's a dinner the whole family would enjoy, even the picky eaters!

The "Traditional" Coconut Curry is what you expect when you are making a Thai dish with lots of unique flavor, heat and spice. Warning! This dish is time consuming. This is something you would want to make on the weekends when you have the time because it took about 2 hours. The other recipe took a total of 30 minutes to make, but the traditional one is definitely worth the time!

So let's get started! Shall we???

Recipe 1: American Coconut Curry Chicken

(6 servings)

-1-1/2 tsp Red Curry Paste (divided)

-1/2 tsp Salt

-1/4 tsp Ground Black Pepper

-6 boneless Chicken Breast halves (2 lbs total)

-1 tbsp Olive Oil

-1/2 cup unsweetened Coconut Milk

-1 (10.75 oz) can of condensed Cream of Potato Soup

-2 cups of packaged Frozen Mixed Vegetables

-1/4 cup toasted Coconut (optional)

In a small bowl, combine 1/2 tsp of curry paste with the salt and pepper to make a seasoning mixture for the chicken breasts. Using your hands, rub the curry mixture onto both sides of your chicken breasts.

In a large pan, heat the Olive oil over medium heat. Once the olive oil is nice and hot, add your chicken breasts and cook for 4-6 minutes until the skin is brown. Remove chicken from the pan and keep warm. The chicken doesn't have to be cooked all the way through. It will get cooked thoroughly later. Trust me!

Get yourself another bowl and place the rest of the curry paste (1 tsp) in the bowl with 1 to 2 tbsp of coconut milk at first. Using a whisk, stir the mixture until the lumps are gone and then whisk in the remaining coconut milk. Remember....lumps are bad!!!

In the pan, combine the curry/coconut mixture with the condensed potato soup and vegetables.

Bring the mixture to a boil while stirring occasionally. Add the chicken breasts back to the pan. Cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until chicken is tender and cooked all the way through. Serve and sprinkle with toasted coconut on top if you like...it's totally optional!

Sorry about the lighting. I cook dinner at night (if there was any other time to cook dinner!?!?) and this was before Daylight Savings.

Print Recipe for American Coconut Curry Chicken Here!

Alrighty then! Now it's time for....

Recipe 2: Traditional Coconut Curry Chicken

(6 servings)

-3 boneless skinless Chicken Breasts

-2 tbsp Olive Oil
-Salt and Pepper
-3 cloves of minced Garlic
-6 tbsp Red Curry Paste
-2 cups of Coconut Milk
-2 cups Hot Water
-2 tbsp + 2 tsp Soy Sauce
-1 tbsp + 1 tsp Lime Juice
*** Or 4 tbsp Fish Sauce (the soy sauce and lime juice is an easy substitute!)
-3 tbsp minced fresh Ginger
-2 tbsp of additional Olive Oil
-1/2 of a whole Red Onion-sliced
-1 whole Green Bell Pepper-sliced
-1 cup of diced Tomatoes (seeds removed)
-1 cup of Pineapple Chunks
-Lots of chopped fresh Basil
-Cooked Rice

Actually, before we start cooking this recipe...can we take a second and appreciate Daylight Savings and how great my pictures look from the daylight?

I highly suggest prepping ingredients before starting any recipe!

Plus having them in these glass bowls makes me feel like a Food Network Star.

Yes, I had my team prep the food beforehand because I'm a Food Network Chef!

(I wish)

Seriously...my prep team is awesome!

Can you tell why this dish took 2 hours to make? I was taking pictures like crazy!

Okay. Okay.

This is the last one.

Let's get down to business!

Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a large pan over medium high heat. Season the chicken breast with salt and pepper and brown the chicken breasts for 4 minutes until brown and not cooked all the way through. You have to trust me again!

Does something look awkward with my chicken breasts?!?!?!

They are both freakishly uneven sizes of chicken breast!

No wonder the package had a $2 Managers Special Coupon on it at the grocery store!

Drat!

Remove the awkward chicken breasts from the pan and cut into the bit sized pieces. Set aside. Reduce heat to medium low. Add the minced garlic to the pan and add the red curry paste to the pan and stir. Cook the paste for a minute and then add in the coconut milk, hot water, fish sauce (or soy sauce/lime juice), and minced ginger. Stir and allow to cook over low heat for 10 to 15 minutes.

Oh no! I'm slowly losing sunlight!

The pictures aren't going to be as pretty!!!

In a dutch oven, heat oil over medium high heat. Add sliced onions and bell pepper and cook for several minutes. Make sure the pan is hot, then add the chicken breasts and stir. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes.

Add pineapple and diced tomatoes. Stir and cook for 2 minutes.

Pour curry sauce into the pot and stir to combine. Allow the mixture to bubble and simmer for 10 minutes. This would be a good time to start cooking your rice! Remove the dutch oven from heat and allow to sit for 5-10 minutes so that it can thicken up.

Right before serving, add in a ton of chopped basil!

The more the better!

Serve the Coconut Curry Chicken over the rice...

The sunlight is completely gone and now my pictures are dark.

(Frustration)

And then spoon the sauce on top.

Enjoy and dig in!

Print Recipe for Traditional Coconut Curry Chicken Here!

So which of these Cocount Curry Chickens are you going to make?!?!?

*Recipes adapted from Pioneer Woman's "Red Thai Duck Curry" and Anyone Can Cook's "Coconut Curry Chicken"

Baked Penne Pasta and Missoula's Best Burger

I spent the afternoon watching "Steak Paradise" and "Burger Paradise" on Travel Channel yesterday, which means I was craving both steak or burger really bad for dinner! This always happens to me and I don't know why I do it to myself. I'll watch Diners, Drive-In's and Dives right before I go to bed and I always go to bed starving because I want to eat what is on TV so bad!

Please tell me I'm not the only one who does this?!?!?

So after watching 2 hours of mouth-watering beef and whining that I need a burger, Dusty helped me with my cravings by taking me on a culinary field trip to the Missoula Club, or Mo Club if you are from Missoula, for my first Mo Club burger which is apparently "the best burger in Missoula."

This burger wasn't fancy, but it was good! It was so greasy but oh so wonderful....something you want to eat maybe once a year. Plus, you don't want to watch how they make them. It was frightening! The inner-Microbiologist in me was cringing while I was watching them make my burger on their nasty/greasy griddle. But it was so good and a fun experience! Dusty enjoyed his burger with a Green Beer (for St. Patty's Day) and I enjoyed mine with a Mike's Hard Lemonade (chick beer!). Just a good time for a Saturday night at Downtown Missoula!

But today I was feeling the need for some real good food and found the perfect recipe on Simply Scratch. Laurie always has the best recipes and this Baked Penne Pasta was definitely a winner! Very savory and tasty while being super comforting....perfect for a Sunday night dinner. I altered the ingredients to what I could find at my grocery store and I served this pasta with Garlic Bread. It was delicious!

Here is what you are going to need:
-1/2 lb Penne Pasta
-1/2 lb Mild Italian Sausage-not in casing
-3 tbsp Butter
-5 tbsp Flour
-1/8 tsp Ground Nutmeg
-2 cloves minced Garlic
-3 cups 1% Milk at room temperature
-4 oz thinly sliced Portabella Mushrooms
-1/4 cup Sun-dried Tomatoes-sliced and drained of oil
-3/4 cup Italian 6 Cheese Blend (or Sharp Provolone)
-3/4 cup grated Parmesan Cheese-divided
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and grease a 2 quart baking dish.

Cook the Penne Pasta according to directions until al dente and drain the pasta. Set aside. Brown the Mild Italian Sausage until cooked all the way through and then set it aside to cool.

In a Dutch oven or heavy pot, melt the 3 tbsp of Butter over medium heat. Once melted add Flour and minced Garlic. Cook the roux while whisking for 1 minute. While whisking, gradually add the Milk and then bring the sauce to a simmer. Add in the ground Nutmeg and whisk frequently until thickened. Add Mushrooms, Sausage and Sun-Dried Tomatoes to the Dutch oven. Cook for 1 minute stir in the 6 Cheese Italian Blend and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese. Add pasta to mixture and season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle the other 1/4 cup of Parmesan on top of the pasta dish and bake until hot and bubbly, about 20-25 minutes. Let it sit for 10 minutes before serving with some Garlic Bread.

YUM!

I'm going to dig in and enjoy now!

Happy Sunday Everyone!

Who's Counting???

Today I picked up my Cap, Gown, Tassel and Honor Cords for graduation!

Only 2 months and 4 days till I graduate!

But who's counting, right?

Anatomy 101

These past couple of weeks have been kinda crazy with tons of midterms in school. I pretty much haven't had a mental break for the past 3 weeks and have been cramming my brain full of really interesting information.

Today I had a Lab Practical in Anatomy Lab and it was insane! 100 Questions on everything we have been taught since January.
Bring It On!
Cadavers, Histology, Models...I got this!

The first semester of A&P focuses more on naming the major parts of the body: bones, muscles, skin,organs, etc. But this semester is getting into the nitty gritty of why everything is happening and how it works. I love it!

We started out the semester with the Endocrine System aka Hormones. Dusty walked past me when I was studying this image and thought I was learning about the reproductive system...

What a dirty mind! Just kidding!

I definitely made this mistake the first day of class.

tee hee!

It's just the pituitary gland and hypothalamus! It's responsible for almost everything with our hormonal system. It controls the thryoid (our metabolism), reproduction, why we pee so much when we drink, blood sugar, blood pressure...just to name a few. It's kinda impressive.

Due to intense studying, I'm now able to look at slides like this...

And tell you that this is what your thryoid gland looks like up close under a microscope. The purple stained area is where your thyroid hormone is produced and the really dark stained cluster of cells is where your blood calcium hormone (calcitonin) is formed.

Also, this hormone is responsible for your blood sugar levels. Do you know what organ this is???

It's your Pancreas!

The clearish-pale zones are where your Glucagon and Insulin are produced in your Pancreas. Depending on when your blood sugar is high or low determines which hormone gets produced and released into the blood.

One of the major organs we have been focusing on this semester is the Heart. How it flows, why it flows and where it flows to. It's so complex! It hurts your brain!

Fun stuff, right?!?!?



In this next section of the semester we will be learning about the arteries and veins of the head, neck, upper extremities, abdomen and lower extremities. It's going to be intense!

POP QUIZ!

Which is a vein and which is an artery?

If you picked the circular one as the artery and the large weird shaped one as the vein, then you are correct!



Sorry about this post being kinda nerdy. I've been totally consumed in this information for the past couple of weeks and wanted to share a little bit of my new knowledge with you. I promise I'll post some new recipes soon and save you from this geeky stuff! :)

Kale Slaw

Last Thursday when Dusty and I went to the 4-10-30 class, this Kale Slaw was one of the dishes we were taught to make. Although it's not complicated at all, this slaw packs a lot of punch! It is so healthy and good for you...plus it is super tasty!

The main ingredient in this slaw is Black Kale, also known as Dinosaur Kale because of it's scaly "dinosaur-like" texture.

Make sure when you are working with Black Kale that you clean it really well! The scales allow for a lot of dirt to get caught in the nooks and crannies. We were told to soak it in a sink full of water, then shake it off and pat dry with a paper towel. Also, remove the stems when you are using Black Kale. There is a ton of cellulose in the stems that our bodies can't digest.

This bad boy is amazing and I will be incorporating it into my menu quite often from now on. Check out the info I found on Wikipedia on Black Kale:

Black kale is considered to be a highly nutritious vegetable with powerful antioxidant properties; kale is considered to be anti-inflammatory.

Kale is very high in beta carotene, vitamin K, vitamin C, lutein, zeaxanthin, and reasonably rich in calcium.
Kale, as with broccoli and other brassicas, contains sulforaphane (particularly when chopped or minced), a chemical believed to have potent anti-cancer properties. Boiling decreases the level of the anti-cancer compounds; however, steaming, microwaving, or stir frying do not result in significant loss.Along with other brassica vegetables, kale is also a source of indole-3-carbinol, a chemical which boosts DNA repair in cells and appears to block the growth of cancer cells.Kale is also a good source of carotenoids.

So I think we can all agree that Black Kale is worth giving a try!

Here is what you are going to need for Kale Slaw:
-2 cups shredded Cabbage
-2 cups chopped Black Kale (remove the stems-our bodies can't break down the high amounts of cellulose in the stems)
-1/4 cup thinly sliced Red Onion
-1 tbsp Rice Vinegar
-1 tbsp Soy Sauce
-1 tbsp Sesame Oil
-1 tbsp Lime Juice
-1 clove minced Garlic
-1 tsp Honey
-1/4 tsp minced Ginger
-Salt and Pepper to taste

In a serving bowl, combine the cabbage, black kale and red onions.

In a small mixing bowl, combine the rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, lime juice, ginger, honey and minced garlic. Whisk together and pour sauce over vegetables.

Toss to combine and add satlt/pepper to taste. Enjoy with Pork Lo Mein (recipe coming soon) or with any sandwich, burger, seafood dish, etc.

Enjoy!

Spinach Artichoke Dip

I don't know about you...but Dusty and I take March Madness very seriously! I'm not as serious about it as Dusty, but we like to make it an event every year since we started dating.

I pick my brackets by the team uniform color I like the best, school name and ranking (because I have no idea what is going on!). But Dusty is super serious and usually prints out 5 to 10 copies of the brackets, makes multiple versions of what could happen and then picks the best one. He also does research on teams and watches a ton of ESPN beforehand to figure out the best bracket. He has even won money doing these brackets when he lived in the dorms!

We even step March Madness up a notch by also making bets with each other. When I was living in the dorms a couple of years ago, Dusty and I bet that if he won, I had to do his laundry for a month (because he hates doing laundry with a passion) and if I won, Dusty had to take me out for a really nice dinner/date. The next couple of years, we bet over who had to do the dishes, more laundry, dates and etc.

Pretty much, it gets really intense! We hang up our brackets on the fridge and tally points after every game. It's really fun and we love being competitive with eachother! We even talk a little smack to each other...it's hysterical! Last year was the first year I won and hopefully this year I'll win again!

So when you are watching March Madness in the next couple of weeks and need a fun dip for watching way too many basketball games, try making this super simple Spinach Artichoke Dip!

Here is what you are going to need:
-1 cup thawed frozen chopped Spinach
-1-1/2 cups chopped Artichoke Hearts
-6 oz Cream Cheese
-1/4 cup Mayo
-1/4 cup Sour Cream
-1/4 cup Feta Cheese or Parmesan Cheese
-1/2 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
-1/4 tsp Salt
-1/4 tsp Garlic Powder
-Couple dashes of Tobasco (or any Hot Sauce)

First preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a oven-safe serving dish, combine the spinach and artichoke hearts. On a plate, microwave the cream cheese for 1 minute until hot and softened, add it to the dish. Add in the rest of the ingredients to the dish and stir to combine. Place the serving dish in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes until hot and bubbly. Enjoy with chips or crackers!

Dusty is going down this year with March Madness!

He has been warned.

Even if I lose, at least I have a yummy dip to enjoy!

Grasshopper Pie

I know all of us read Pioneer Woman's blog on a daily basis, but there might be some of you that don't. That is why I want to introduce you to Grasshopper Pie. She just posted this recipe the other day on her blog and I had to try it ASAP!

Many moons ago, on a planet far far away, I use to be in a sorority (Kappa Kappa Gamma) for a short amount of time. One thing I look back fondly on with my experience in the sorority is the Grasshopper pie that Cook Judy use to make for the Monday night dinners. The first time I had a slice of this pie, it was like the clouds parted and heaven appeared! You can't imagine how excited I was when Pioneer Woman posted this recipe so I could make it myself!

Here is what you are going to need for a 9" pie plate:

-16 Oreos

-2 tbsp melted Butter

-2/3 cup Half & Half

-1 large container of Marshmallow Fluff or 24 Marshmallows

-2 tbsp Godiva Chocolate Liqueur

-2 tbsp Creme de Menthe Liqueur

-1 cup Heavy Whipping Cream

This recipe is super easy and doesn't require any baking....you gotta love it!

First throw your 16 Oreos in a Food Processor....

And save one for yourself!

Do you ever eat your Oreos when they are frozen?

They are the best!

Melt 2 tbsp of Butter and pour it into the Food Processor with the Oreos.

Then pour the Oreo crumbles into your pie plate and press them into the bottom and up the sides of the pie plate with a spatula. Reserve some crumbs for sprinkling at the end. Set aside.

Now it's time for making the filling!

Heat the Half & Half and Marshmallow Fluff in a medium saucepan over low heat. Stir constantly the entire time until melted and combined.

As soon as it is melted and combined, place the saucepan into a bowl of ice so that the mixture cools quickly.

Once the mixture has cooled down, add 2 tbsp of Godiva Chocolate Liqueur (or Creme de Cacoa).

And add 2-3 tbsp of Creme de Menthe Liqueur.

Yay for Alcohol being in Desserts!

In a large mixing bowl, beat the Heavy Whipping Cream until you get stiff peaks.

Then pour the chilled Marshmallow mixture into the Heavy Whipping Cream and fold them together to incorporate.

I love the minty green color!

It's so pretty!

Pour the filling into the Oreo crust and try with all your might not to drink the leftover filling!

Sprinkle the top of the filling with some extra cookie crumbs and freeze the pie for 2 or more hours.

Before serving, remove the pie from the freezer and let it sit for 10 minutes on the counter so you can cut into it.

For St. Patty's day you have to make this, along with my Creme de Menthe Cake!

ENJOY!



PRINT RECIPE HERE!

Greek Chicken

LOST Update: Dusty and I are almost done with the complete series of LOST! We have been watching non-stop and barely have had a social life because it is soooo good! I highly recommend it because this show is the best show I have ever watched! I will be sad it is over because I love it, but happy because then I can have a life again!

This is to explain why I haven't been blogging as much. I'm really sorry for my laziness!

Surprisingly, Dusty and I stepped out into society today (besides school) and went to another cooking class at the Good Food Store. It was a 4-10-30 class. What is 4-10-30, you ask???
Meal that can feed 4 people.
Costs less than $10 for the ingredients.
Can be made in 30 minutes or less.

Tonight's class was making Fish n' Slaw, which is a healthier take on the traditional Fish n' Chips. It was so tasty and really fun! You even get a reusable grocery bag filled with the majority of the ingredients to take home and make....all for a $10 class!

Since I have all the ingredients for the Kale Slaw, I'll be making it this weekend and sharing it with you soon! It was super tasty, healthy, fresh and would be perfect for a picnic lunch or BBQ!

Another thing I've been up to since I've been addicted to LOST these past 3 weeks is that I entered another recipe contest. I really enjoy participating in these sorts of things because it challenges me to try new recipes, tweak them and make them my own.

I posted the link on my Facebook page so others could enter too, but here it is....
Crisco's Mediterranean Inspirations Recipe & Essay Contest

The winner gets a free trip to Italy! Definitely worth the time to enter!
Challenge yourself and have fun doing it!

I love this recipe and love how I've made it my own. I took the original recipe out of my first cookbook, Anyone Can Cook, and changed it a bit so it is full of more flavor and super tasty! I could eat this dish once a week, it is so good!

Greek Chicken
Here is what you are going to need for 2 servings:
-2 Chicken Breast halves (skinless and boneless)
-Salt and Pepper to taste
-2 tbsp Crisco Extra Virgin Olive Oil
-1 small Zucchini, thinly sliced
-1/2 cup chopped Green Bell Pepper
-1/2 medium Yellow Onion sliced into rings
-1 clove of minced Garlic
-1/8 tsp ground Black Pepper
-1/2 tsp of Lemon Zest
-2 tbsp Water
-1/2 can of condensed Tomato Soup (~5 oz)
-1/8 cup crumbled Garlic Herb Feta Cheese
-1 cup of cooked Roasted Garlic and Olive Oil Couscous (or whatever type of Couscous you want)
-2 Lemon Wedges

Season chicken breasts on both sides with salt and pepper. In a large saute pan, heat 1 tbsp of Olive Oil over medium heat. Once the pan is hot, cook the chicken breast for 12-15 minutes until cooked all the way through and brown on both sides. Remove the chicken from the pan to a plate and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm.

Pour another tbsp of Olive oil to the pan and add the sliced zucchini, chopped green bell pepper, sliced onion, minced garlic, 1/8 tsp of ground black pepper and lemon zest. Add the 2 tbsp of water to the pan and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover the pan with a lid and cook for 5 minutes, stirring only once or twice.

After 5 minutes, pour in the condensed tomato soup and stir to combine. Bring the sauce to a boil and then reduce the heat. Cover the pan and simmer for 5 minutes, only stirring once.

I've never had or cooked couscous before.

It was super easy to make and so good!

Try it!

To serve this dish, place 1/2 cup of cooked couscous on each dinner plate with a chicken breast on top. Pour the tomato sauce and vegetables mixture on top of the chicken and couscous. Sprinkle each dish with crumbled feta cheese and serve with a lemon wedge to squeeze over the dish.

Enjoy!!!

Print Recipe Here!