Chicken Tikka Masala

International Kitchen

This week, I traveled way outside of my comfort zone in the kitchen, traveling to India for dinner. Okay, so we didn’t jump on a plane and fly across the world to Mumbai - however, our kitchen, pots and pans took us on a delicious exploration of this colorful culinary destination.  The dish... Chicken Tikka Masala. Oh my goodness, we enjoyed the fragrant spices and colorful aromas of a fabulous dish. Of course, my inspiration for this redolent dinner was found on Pinterest. Seriously, who needs cookbooks clogging your counter space, when you have this worldwide collection of expressive people sharing their recipes in cyberspace for all who crave and seek?   (Just in case you don’t know what Pinterest is, explanation below.) I was so pleased with the results of making this dish! I want to thank the Jackie for posting this great recipe; her posting inspired me to make it for dinner.

I love Indian food. The intense flavors tickle and tease my palate. I’ve only enjoyed this international fare in restaurants, never attempting it at home. For no reason other than I was a little intimidated. But this recipe seemed too easy not to try it ourselves, and the coolest part, my husband and I could prepare the entire dinner together. I had most of the ingredients, with the exception of two- fenugreek leaves and cardamom pods. There’s a great Italian specialty market here in town that also has a lovely Indian section. I ran over picked up the items, along with some yummy Naan and authentic Basmati rice. While I was there, the owners suggested a delish yogurt and cucumber side dish to serve with the Chicken Tikka Masala. It was awesome! Fresh, creamy and just the hint of heat from toasted Cumin seeds.   Overall, I am kicking myself for not making this type of cuisine before now. Easy, aromatic and yes, yummy!

There are a couple of changes I will do the next time. For example, the paste for the sauce was a bit thick, and we thought it should be looser. Also, I would try broiling the chicken for more of a charred flavor, rather than baking it. However, the flavors of the chicken from start to finish were exceptional!  Also, even though I got the authentic basmati, I am used to the gourmet style, I had to rinse this type and even though I rinsed several times, it was still a smidge sticky. All in all, this recipe is something I will add to my list of must-make dishes. My husband and I enjoyed making it together. Quality time in the kitchen makes for a delicious marriage.  

Cucumber-Yogurt Salad

1 sm.     Cucumber shredded

1 C.        Greek Yogurt

½ T.        Toasted Cumin Seeds – ground

Shred cucumber; mix with yogurt, and cumin. Let flavors meld together in refrigerator for at least one hour.

See recipe below for Chicken Tikka Masala.

By the way, recently, it was brought to my attention that not everyone knows what Pinterest is... I am a little shocked because of the popularity and international attention this photographic social media site has received. So, for all of those out there that are not aware of this site, please let me introduce you... Pinterest these are my readers, readers, this is Pinterest!

Okay, Pinterest is a swell site full of images with a smidgeon of text. It’s different from Facebook, Google Plus and Twitter – it’s a pin board style social media site. Members post pictures of things like food, fashion, photos, home décor, make-up, drinks, and pets - really anything.  They are arranged by boards, sort of like a corkboards of things they have done, places they’ve been, or want to go, or just things that inspire them. It’s really quite addicting. Every day, you see new postings. Some, like my most of my postings, are directed to this blog, or the image might be linked to a website.  It’s so much fun to find images of ways to decorate your bedroom, make something for dinner, or buy something on the internet.  Where it differs from Facebook and the other interactive social sites is that the only interaction is by “following” someone, where you elect to receive their postings on your page, or... if you leave a comment, or “repin” their image to one of your boards.  Some members are anonymous and others share a little about themselves. The cool part is there are pinners from all over the world. Personally, I have found some really scrumptious recipes to make for us, and some fantastic decorating ideas. It sparks my creativity. Hopefully, it will do the same for you! 

The other bright side to Pinterest, most of my page views on this blog has come from fellow members of Pinterest. To date: It’s Just That Good has received over 2,800 page views with readers from England, India, Russia, Germany, Canada, and of course, the U.S. I’m grateful that through Pinterest, I have connected with like-minded people all over the world. It’s quite flattering honestly, and quite good for my confidence.

Well, I think that’s it for now... If you’re interested in what inspires me, here is my Pinterest page link: SRQ Foodie

Until next time...

Life is like a glass of wine... always better when it’s filled with something you like!

SRQ Foodie

Original Chicken Tikka Masala on Pinterest

For the marinade:

1 lb                        Chicken, cut into cubes

1 cup                     Yogurt

1 tbsp                    Cumin powder

1/2 tbsp                 Coriander powder

1/4 tsp                  Turmeric powder

3 cloves                Garlic

1/2 inch                Ginger – made into a paste or grated

1 tsp                      Salt

1/2 tsp                  Chili powder

For the sauce:

1 medium sized                Onion, cubed

1/2 roasted                       Red Bell Pepper (about 1/2 cup when pureed)

6                                        Cashews

1 tsp                                 Cumin powder

1/2 tsp                              Coriander powder

3                                        Cloves

 1/2 inch                            Cinnamon

2                                        Cardamom pods–ground into fine powder

1 tbsp                                 Kasoori Methi (dried Fenugreek leaves, found in Indian grocery stores)

1/4 cup                              Cream

2 tbsp                                Tomato ketchup

1 tbsp                                Butter

1 tbsp                                 Oil

1/4 tsp of                            Chilli powder, or to taste

Salt to taste

Cilantro for garnish

How to make it:

Marinade the chicken with all the ingredients for about 20-30 minutes

Grill or pan roast the marinated chicken and set aside.  In the meantime, roast the onions in the pan with a few drops of oil until lightly browned.

Add the red bell peppers and cashew and toss them around for a couple of minutes. Take if off the stove and cool until ready to handle.  Blend the mixture into a fine puree. Add a few tablespoons of water if necessary.

Heat a pan (you can use the same pan used for roasting) with a tablespoon of oil and a tablespoon of butter.  When the butter just melts, add all the powders (clove, cinnamon, cardamom powder, cumin and coriander) and sauté until their aroma wafts around.  Add the red bell pepper, onion and cashew puree and gently sauté for 3-4 minutes. Add the chili powder and salt and the tomato ketchup. Mix well and add the cream. Crush kasoori methi in your hands before adding to the mix and cook for 2 minutes.

Now add the grilled chicken pieces and toss to coat well in the sauce. Check taste and adjust salt or chili powder as desired.

If you want a thinner consistency, add a few more tablespoons of water and a sparing splash of cream. Gently simmer for 5 minutes.  Garnish with cilantro and serve with Naans (Indian bread) or Basmati rice.

Super Supper Club

Bonding Over a Bite

A few months ago, my neighbor Tricia and I inadvertently started a Tuesday night supper club.  Our first Tuesday night was on Valentine’s night... both of our husbands were working, so I invited Tricia over to watch the premiere of Cougar Town and spend the evening not by ourselves. 

So the story goes – “Picture it, Valentine’s night 2012 – both Tricia’s husband and mine are working, leaving us alone on the most romantic night of the year. What to do - what to do? Sit at home alone feeling sorry for myself, or... invite my neighbor over to watch TV and have a little party.”  (Okay, so I was channeling Sofia from the Golden Girls)

I’m so glad I made the right decision! We had a blast! We ate, we laughed, and we got to know each other a little better. I worked all day making a feast for us... bruschetta, goat cheese and fig pastries, pate and lingenberry jelly and of course, I chilled some Champagne. Whether our husbands were there or not, you have to have Champagne on Valentine’s Day!  We were lucky, my friend Aimee joined us as well and she added to the flavor of the evening. 

So back to the Supper Club... as we were cleaning up, Tricia suggested “we should do this again next week!”  Well, that was all it took, and now our get-togethers are one of the highlights of my week. Our dinners have evolved from just me cooking to a collaboration between Tricia and I. Each Tuesday, we either cook together or take turns making dinner. We start the day with Tricia and I texting back and forth deciding on what to have for dinner that night.  I have to mention that one week Tricia made this amazing crock-pot beef and peppers dish that we served on fancy buns... They were fabulous – spicy and quite tasty. I had never had them before, slow-cooked chuck roast with a jar of pepperoncini peppers.  WOW!  Me, I usually make something that I want to feature in my blog (like my Amatriciana pasta), or a recipe that I want to try out, or a family recipe that I want to show off to Tricia.

This week’s supper club was extra delicious. As usual, Tricia texted me in the morning inquiring about what should we do for dinner? Since she had mentioned earlier that she wanted to do a burger night, I simply replied  Burgers... (Luckily, I had a pound of ground sirloin in the fridge). That simple word “burger ” was a big hit, Tricia replied back, “you take care of the patties - I’ve got the rest!” She sure did take care of the rest, pow! T went all out, making one of the coolest things I’ve ever seen... a burger toppings bar! Fresh crisp iceberg, sweet sliced tomatoes and onions, she even hand sliced the pickles! In addition to the fresh veggie choices, we also had sautéed onions and mushrooms, cooked bacon,  two variety of cheeses and fancy buns. There wasn’t a burger that we couldn’t make with her abundantly wonderful toppings bar.  Me- I made one of my favorite burgers – Swiss cheese, sautéed mushrooms, sautéed onions and a little A-1. Only one word can describe my ethereal meal... Burger-licious! 

She also brought a zesty pasta salad that she had made the night before. It was a penne salad with herbed feta, pretty little cherry tomatoes and Italian dressing. The vividness of the Italian herbs with the tanginess of the feta was a perfect combination. If I were Italian, I might say... “Molto Bella”!

My contribution to the meal was the patties... recently I had seen an episode of the Food Network show Meat Men about mixing the ideal hamburger. The star, Pat LaFreida talked about combining different beef together for a flavorful patty.  LaFreida explained a great hamburger has to have the exact ratio of fat and muscle for good flavor and texture. I had a pound of ground sirloin and while I was at Publix, I picked up ¾ lb. ground chuck. Mixing the two together, along with a sprinkling of garlic powder, salt and pepper, and Worcestershire, I got the combination right. They were juicy and really flavorful. The perfect base for Tricia’s toppings bar.

Feeling a little bad that Tricia was making almost the entire meal after working all day long, I wanted to make a surprise dessert. Looking in the pantry for what I could make, I decided on my Mama’s Cup a – Cup a – Cup a Peach Cobbler. It’s so simple; 1 cup of flour, 1 cup of sugar, 1 cup of milk and 1 teaspoon of baking powder, along with 4 tablespoons of melted butter and one 15 oz. can of sliced peaches in heavy syrup.  Directions: preheat oven 375°, melt butter in 9 x 13 casserole dish, mix flour, sugar, milk and baking powder, and pour in dish. Add canned peaches with syrup and bake for 40 minutes or until golden and bubbling brown.  If it sounds familiar, Dolly Parton’s character Truvy in Steel Magnolias shares that same recipe with the girls in the salon. I’m sorry, there isn’t a photo of this dessert - we ate it all up before I could take the picture. It’s so good, I’ll make it again and share soon.

Our Supper Club nights aren’t exclusive girls’ night in... Normally, my husband joins us and enjoys helping with the preparations. This week, we were lucky that Niles, Tricia’s husband had the night off and could join in the fun too. We had a great night – good food, and great conversations.

I highly suggest that you start your own night of cooking and camaraderie: it’s a supremely delicious evening! 

Until then... Good Cooking! 

SRQ Foodie 

Blueberry Breakfast Bliss

So my friends my latest addiction - Pinterest - has captured my heart and stimulated my palate. Every day, I see hundreds of images pass before my eyes tempting me with fun gadgets, dazzling DIY decorating ideas, and of course, tempting foods. I have to be careful perusing the pages of pins, because if I’m hungry, I want to make everything I see. I have to say thanks to the folks who created Pinterest; I’ve discovered many like-minded people with exceptional taste, and more importantly, tons of recipes to try.

While I was on this amazing social media site the other day, I stumbled upon a photo of a Blueberry Cheese Roll that caught my eye. The photo spoke to me. The thing I love about Pinterest, when you see something that you are interested in, you can repin to your own boards. So that's exactly what I did... I repinned the Blueberry Cheese Roll in my “Gotta Make” board, and printed out the recipe with the intention of making within a few days. Which obviously I am did.

Luckily, the ingredients for this recipe are so simple that I remembered what I needed when I was at Publix (our local grocery store). There are only four ingredients, blueberries, cream cheese, sugar and crescent rolls. This morning I made a batch and let me tell you... they were everything I anticipated and more!    

Seriously, even on the busiest morning, these are so easy to make for breakfast – a total of about 30 minutes from start to finish.  The best part, my husband and I were very pleased by the results.  One bite and your day is already beginning on a blissfully happy note.

I felt the desire to write about what a find this recipe is. So, I made a second batch, photographing the process and the ingredients. The upside, now I have breakfast ready for tomorrow morning’s eats.  Once again, making was easy-breezy. This time around, I added my own little twist – lemon zest in the cream cheese mixture. One other change I made to the recipe; I upped the heat during the preheating stage and when the rolls were ready to bake, I reduced to the temperature as directed in the original recipe.

How easy was this? Let me share the details:

Step one: Pre-heat oven to 400°

Step two: mix cream cheese, sugar and lemon zest

Step three: unroll crescent roll dough, divide into four rectangles and press seams together

Step four: spread mixture onto rectangles

Step five: add blueberries

Step six: press opposite corners together

Step seven: turn heat down to 375° bake for 11 to 13 minutes

That’s it – I told you it was easy! 

The actual recipe:  Blueberry Cheese Rolls:

Ingredients:

1 pkg. (8 oz.)   Pillsbury Crescent Rolls

4 oz.                Cream Cheese softened

2 T.                  Sugar

½ C.                 Fresh Blueberries divided

                        Zest of one lemon 

Directions: Original version (with my variations)

Heat oven to 375° (I heated to 400° and turned down to 375° when I placed them in the oven). Unroll dough into four rectangles: firmly press perforations together to seal. Combine cream cheese and sugar, (I added the zest of one lemon); spread onto dough rectangles to within ½ inch of edges. Top evenly with blueberries.  Bring opposite corners of rectangles together; press together to seal. Place on ungreased baking sheet. Bake 11 to 13 min. or until golden brown. 

I was really pleased with this breakfast roll recipe. It went beyond my expectations in taste and preparation. I liked the addition of the lemon zest from the original version. The zest gave the cream cheese mixture an essence of cheesecake, and of course, lemon complements blueberries nicely. The other highlight; after baking - the blueberries are plumper and burst in your mouth. They also add an element of happiness to the pastry. 

You know, there is just something about Pillsbury Crescent Rolls. Coming from the Midwest, they are a staple in our culinary history. To be honest, I’ve never actually just baked and eaten a crescent roll. I have enjoyed them in a ton of different recipes, but never alone, as a bread component to a meal. The thing about crescent rolls; to me they add a level of comfort to a recipe.  My mom made a fabulous Veggie pizza using Pillsbury Crescent Rolls as the pie base, which also has cream cheese in it as well. Hmmm... Now that I think about it, this Blueberry Cheese roll recipe is probably appealing to me because two of the main ingredients are in many of my favorite family recipes.  By the way, that veggie pizza recipe... it’s awesome!  No photos but I’ve shared the recipe at the bottom of this entry.

There have been several recipes that I’ve made because I saw them on Pinterest. I’ve discovered a great group of people who have extraordinary taste. I think the success of this social network is because of the images, they speak in volumes! When I look at a photo of a dish it screams, “Make me!” For example, the other night I made a Roasted Vegetable Orzo salad with Ina’s Easy Lemon Chicken. It was incredible!  The photo captured my attention and the description captivated my palate. I’m so glad I made this - the salad was bright, had a lovely texture and it was great the next day.  I actually started with the orzo and found a main dish to make with it. I highly recommend if you‘re not a member of Pinterest, join today! If you are, enjoy the ride, its inspirational and helped me more than once deciding what’s for dinner.

As I promised: 

Mama’s Veggie Pizza

1 pkg.               Pillsbury Crescent Rolls

1 8 oz. pkg.       Cream   Cheese

½ C.                  Sour Cream

2 t.                    Fresh Dill – Chopped

1                       Red Bell Pepper - diced

1 C.                   Chopped Broccoli – raw

1 C.                    Chopped Cauliflower – raw

½ C.                   Matchstick Carrots

Any other favorite – crunchy vegetables

Step one: unroll crescent rolls and pinch together seams to make one sheet of pastry. Bake at 375° as directed on package. Let cool completely.  This is the only baking portion of the process.

Step two: mix together soften cream cheese, sour cream, pinch of salt and pepper, and fresh dill.  Once pizza crust is cooled, spread mixture to cover, leaving a small edge for crust.

Step three: chop raw vegetables and evenly layer vegetables on top the cream cheese layer.

Step four: Set in refrigerator for 15 minutes before cutting into squares.  Serve and enjoy!

This recipe is a great appetizer for parties, and it travels really well! I have to admit, sometimes I don’t wait for an invitation to a party - I make it for John and me, and we have our own party for two. 

Until next time... happy eating!

SRQ Foodie

Picnic in the Park...

Yesterday, my husband surprised me with tickets to an outdoor production of Rocky Horror Picture Show in St. Petersburg. First, let me say it was awesome!  The performers, the participants, the audience and the music were so much fun.  Getting ready for our romantic night out, I had this image of sitting on the waterfront enjoying a romantic meal and watching one of my all-time favorite movies played out live in front of me.  Since we could take a basket, I wanted to make something that would be easy to transport, not take up a lot of room, and taste good. Also, watching countless shows of Ina Gartner and Giada De Laurentiis making gourmet picnics fueled my inspiration for our special dinner. Thank you ladies, you inspired me.

Our dinner and the entire evening were both magical! Roast beef sandwiches, tabbouleh pinwheels, chilled grapes and popcorn on the menu. The roast beef sandwiches, which I thought up in my head, were a-mazing! Slow-roasted beef with shallot and herb boursin cheese, sweet red peppers, spicy cornichons and a dollop of stone ground mustard on a poppy seed hoagie roll. The creamy boursin added a savory smooth layer to the sandwich, and the sweetness of the red pepper brightened up it up. The cornichons were a last minute addition. My husband and I both thought the sandwich that was all right, but it wasn’t quite complete, and the spicy, tartness and heat of the tiny little gourmet pickles took our sandwiches to a new level of taste.  The shallot and herb boursin was good, added that onion element without the bad breath. I think next time I’ll try the garlic and herb version. Maybe the garlic will deepen the flavors even more.

In addition to the savory sandwiches, I made some tabbouleh and cream cheese pinwheels, packed chilled grapes and popped some corn. All we needed was some wine and we were set. The theatre company asked that we not bring our own - something about a city ordinance – they told us that wine and beer were available for purchase.  We complied, although we saw lots of other attendees packing their own.  I figured we’d be buying $8 glasses of cheap no-name wine and pints of beer.  Actually, I was impressed with the selection of wines and craft beers available, and the kicker, they sold bottles of wine at really reasonable prices. We selected a bottle of Dona Paula Estate Malbec. I’ve had the Dona Paula Sauvignon Blanc before, so I knew the winemaker wouldn’t let us down and he didn’t. It complemented our menu completely.  Next time I’ll be prepared maybe even bring our special picnic wine glasses, although, we’ll have to wait until next season, the theater company shuts down their outdoor performances during the hot Florida summers.

All in all our date night was exactly as I had hoped. My husband did good! Seats were perfect, he even got us a little foldable “beach” table so that didn’t have to sit our plastic glasses on the grass, or kick them over as we jumped up to do the “Time Warp”.  

With spring here, and summer around the corner, my recommendation to you would be, pack a picnic basket, grab a bottle of wine, and catch an outdoor performance or concert. It’s an excellent and very inexpensive romantic date night under the stars.

SRQ Foodies Rocky Roast Beef Sandwiches

Per sandwich

1.                            Poppy Seed Hoagie Roll – sliced in half

1 ½ T.                     Boursin Cheese

3 Slices                  Slow Roasted Roast Beef

4 Strips                  Red Bell Pepper sliced

4                            Cornichon sliced in half

½ T.                        Stone Whole Mustard

Slice hoagie roll length-wise, spread Boursin Cheese on bottom half of roll. Top with roast beef slices, red peppers, cornichons and spread mustard on top. 

Hint: For travel, wrap sandwiches in parchment paper before storing in container.

Until next time...  SRQ Foodie  

Delightfully Chocolate

Dear fellow foodies,

I’m sorry for the delay, this past week I found myself a little uninspired in the kitchen. I know I promised to write about corn bread, and I will. I racked my brain trying to figure out something to that corn bread would complement. Alas, as I said, I was uninspired and couldn’t figure it out. My mom made corn bread with every meal, it didn’t matter what it was, there was always corn bread in a basket on the table. Honestly, it shouldn’t be that difficult, she served it every night.

I’m not sure why I was so uninspired this week; I cooked dinner most nights, but nothing to write home, or to you, about. Maybe it’s this time of year, when all the TV commercials are blasting “Mother’s Day” in our faces. It’s a hard time for me, I miss my mom so very much, and all the Mother’s day regalia just makes it more depressing.

The week wasn’t a total loss; 

I did make one of my favorite desserts my mom used to make for us. It’s called Chocolate Delight and it is... delightful! It brought back so many memories of my mom in the kitchen. It was nice to have such delicious happy thoughts of her, instead of feeling sad.

This dessert has it all – creamy, sweet, crunchy – pure gratification. Chocolate Delight is an explosion of sensory happiness with its lovely mixture of flavors and textures. There are four beautiful layers, each adding their own element for a dessert-a-licious experience. The base has sort of a savory, pecan sandie flavor. The combination of flour, butter and pecans is a great foil for the sweet layers above. The next layer is a silky, smooth creamy mixture of cream cheese, cool whip (yes, cool whip - this recipe is from the 70’s) and powdered sugar. The sugar and cool whip add a little bit of sweetness, but doesn’t overpower the tart and tangy depth of the cream cheese. On top of the fluffy white layer is chocolate pudding. Who doesn’t love chocolate pudding? The deep and luscious pudding adds a decadent dark and creamy layer. More cool whip on the top adds a heavenly light crown with chopped pecans as it’s jewels.

Normally, this is made in a 13 x 9 Pyrex dish, but I split it between two disposable 8 x 8-foil pans. One for us, and one for our neighbors. With one bite of this luscious, creamy delight, everything was all right in the world.  We couldn’t stop eating this... a spoonful here, a forkful there. It’s just so good. It had been so long since I’ve had this dessert, and for the life of me, I can’t understand why I waited until now to make it. 

Mama’s Chocolate Delight

Base layer:

1 C.         Flour

1 Stick   Butter

½ C.        Pecan pieces

Blend ingredients in food process until thoroughly mixed. Press down in a 13 x 9 Pyrex plate and bake at 375° for 15 minutes. Cool completely. While the crust is cooling, begin next layer.

Cream Cheese Layer:

8 oz.       Cream Cheese (recipe calls for Philadelphia brand, but I bought Publix brand. For the price of the Philly Cream Cheese, I can buy three Publix brand packages.)

1 C.         Cool Whip (8 oz container brought to room temperature)

1 C.         Powdered Sugar

Mix together and spread on top the base. Chill completely before adding next layer.

Pudding Layer:

2 Sm. Pkgs.         Jell-O Chocolate Pudding

3 C.                     Cold Milk

Thoroughly mix together and spread on top cream cheese layer. Chill completely.

Remaining Cool Whip

½ C. Chopped Pecans

Top with rest of cool whip. Sprinkle broken pecan pieces on top of cool whip and chill one hour before serving.  The longer it sets in the refrigerator, the better the layers develop together for a dynamic grand finale.

The recipe says you can make it with either chocolate or lemon pudding. I haven’t had the lemon version, only the chocolate because that’s how my mom made it, and I’m not sure I want to deviate from perfection. I know that the lemon would be as satisfying, maybe cheesecake-ish. For me, the chocolate version is a tasty memory of my childhood.

It’s really kind of funny, as I was going through my mom’s recipe card box; a rush of memories ran through my mind. Sitting at the butcher-block table with my parents having dinner every night. I could tell which ones were her favorites. Little hand-written recipe cards stained with ingredients of days long gone. Faded, corners of the cards torn and crinkled from all the times she made these wonderful recipes for us. I’m smiling as I write this blog, remembering how wonderful my mom was and how she showed her love with flavorful meals.

This wasn’t supposed to be a Mother’s Day blog.  Nevertheless, realizing that Mom’s Day is this coming Sunday, I made another Chocolate Delight in honor of the woman who loved, nurtured and supported me. Mama, I love and miss you every day.  I hope that this recipe inspires you to make one of  your mom’s specialties this coming weekend, and that no matter if your mom is here or gone to the great beyond, you raise a glass of Champagne to her, and maybe make a Chocolate Delight.

Until next time... 

SRQ Foodie