Butter Chicken

Butter Chicken
Originally uploaded by wayfarer.

Here's the recipe...it's from a book called Greatest Ever Indian: easy and delicious step-by-step recipes


I varied it a little when i made it but i it's a pretty good recipe as it is... I do recommend marinating the meat a little while in the sauce...an hour or so and also cooking it much longer than they say...cook it until the chicken is tender and falling off the bone.

scant (whatever that is lol) 2/3 cup unsalted butter
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 onions finely chopped
1 tsp finely chopped or crushed fresh gingerroot
2 tsp garam masala
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp black cumin seeds
1 garlic clove crushed
1 tsp salt
3 green cardamoma
3 black peppercorns
2/3 cup plain yoghurt
2 tbsp tomato paste
8 chicken pieces skinned
2/3 cup water
2 bay leaves
2/3 cup light cream

garnish: chopped cilantro, green chili's

1. Heat the butter and oil in a large skillet. Add the onions and cook until golden brown, stirring. Reduce the heat.
2. Place the ginger in a bowl. Add the garam masala, ground coriander, chili powder, cumin seeds, garlic, salt, cardamoms, and peppercorns and blend. Add the yogurt and tomato paste and stir well.
3. Add the chicken pieces to the yogurt and spice mixture and mix to coat well.
4. Add the chicken to the onions in the skillet and stir-fry vigorously, making semicircular movements, for 5-7 minutes.
5. Add the water and bay leaves and let simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. Add the cream and cook for an additional 10-15 minutes. Garnish with cilantro and chilis.

Seviyan

Seviyan
Originally uploaded by wayfarer.

Red Lobster Biscuits

Red Lobster Biscuits
Originally uploaded by wayfarer.

I found a recipe for these and they taste just like the restaurants. Yummmmmmmm!

Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuits #1
"makes 12 servings"

2 c. Bisquick
2/3 c. milk
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 c. butter
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp Old Bay Seasoning
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp parsley flakes

1. Heat oven to 450
2. Mix Bisquick, garlic powder, milk and cheese until well blended.
3. Drop dough by spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet.
4. Bake 8-10 minutes.
5. Combine butter, garlic powder, old bay, parsley and salt.
6. Melt in microwave for 20 seconds +/-
7. Brush top of biscuits with butter mix.

How easy is that?

Homemade Apple Pie

Homemade Apple Pie
Originally uploaded by wayfarer.

Recipe coming soon.

Yummy Leila Dates

dates
Originally uploaded by wayfarer.

Leila of Sister Scorpion mentioned doing dates this way and oh my............they are delish!

Take the pitted dates, fill with a pecan, roll in caramel and then in unsweetened coconut.

You won't be sorry.

*** Thanks Leila for this wonderful treat!

Lasagna

lasagna
Originally uploaded by wayfarer.

Okay, i'm going off the top of my head here because i make it a little different each time, but in general, this is how i make it:

Grocery list:
lasagna noodles (i use both wheat and white)
pound of ground beef
several leaves of basil
a bunch of parsley
spaghetti sauce (either homemade or 1 1/3 jars)
1-2 eggs
ricotta cheese
cottage cheese
mozarella cheese
Parmesan if wanted (i don't use it)
garlic cloves
salt and pepper

Fry a pound of ground beef. To it add salt, pepper, garlic and any other spice you want. When it's almost done, add a handful of chopped basil leaves and parsley leaves. You can use dry but it just doesn't have the same effect (you'd use about a teaspoon of each i suppose). Add your spaghetti sauce. You can make your own or just use jarred. I do it both ways but tend to do the jarred more often because it's just easier. When i want to show off i do homemade. I can post that recipe if you want it.

Okay, now boil the water and add your lasagna noodles. I do half wheat and half white to be half healthy.

Mix the cheese mixture now. Take half a tub of ricotta (bigger size) and half the tub of cottage cheese (also bigger size) and 1-2 eggs and about 3/4 cup to a cup of mozarella cheese (shredded). Go ahead and shred the entire ball because you'll need it for the top and then some more if you are like us. To this cheese mixture add some more chopped basil and parsley. I also give it a sprinkle of italian pizza seasoning but it's not really needed.

Now take a couple cloves of garlic and slice them thinly. Take your lasagna pan and put a spoonful of sauce and spread over the bottom in a thin layer. Take your sliced garlic and spread them out over the bottom, take your lasagna noodles and put three lengthwise (it's okay if they overlap a little) and then one at the end if needed. Cover with meat sauce and then cheese and repeat for two more layers. With the top layer, you just want meat sauce, no cheese mixture. If you run out of meat sauce, i usually take the jar and put a little water in it and shake it and run it over the top (i usually do this in any case). Make sure sauce covers the entire top though...so if you need to use more do. I always use about a jar and then a quarter of another. On the very top, cover with the mozarella cheese...some people like parmesan in their lasagna but i don't. I don't like parmesan cheese except on top of spaghetti...not even on chicken parmesan...but you can add it if you like it.

Cover with tin foil. Here's where you have to make a decision. I like my lasagna twice baked because it always tastes better the second day.

So, what i do is bake it at 375-400 for 40 minutes or so the day before (or in the morning if you can't do that) and then rebake it at dinnertime for another 30 or so minutes.

For the last few minutes of baking, i turn the oven to broil so the top of the cheese gets those bubbles. It only takes a few minutes so if you do this, be very careful because it will burn quick if you leave it - you just want to do it for a few minutes.

Serve with garlic bread...take the loaf of french bread or italian bread, spread butter on it, put slices of garlic, and put under the broiler until toasted - about five minutes depending on your oven. Sprinkle with chopped parsley leaves.

A nice italian salad is the perfect begginner. Enjoy!clear="all">

Chicken Pot Pie

Chicken Pot Pie
Originally uploaded by wayfarer.

Fresh out of the oven... This was a recipe i got from a friend but it was a little bland to me. Next go around i'd add a bay leave, some thyme, more salt and pepper or some celery salt...i've noted those at the bottom. It was delicious though! I had no problem eating the entire thing myself over a few days.

Pot Pie

2 pie crusts (can use frozen deep-dish if you want)
6 Tbsp oil
1 med. onion diced
1 potato diced
6 Tbsp flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
2.5 cups chicken stock
2 cups cooked diced chicken
1 cup frozen peas and carrots

(I recommend adding: Bay leaf, celery salt, thyme, additional salt and pepper)

Heat oil; add onion and potato until tender
Add flour, salt, and pepper (and spices i recommend) - mix quickly and well
Over med. heat gradually add chicken stock, stirring to make a thick sauce.
Add chicken, peas, carrots.
Add mixture into crust.
Flip other crust on top and pinch edges.
Bake at 400 deg. 30 min or until browned

pie crust with filling

pie crust with filling
Originally uploaded by wayfarer.

Pie crust with chicken pot pie filling... recipe coming soon.