By George, I think I've got it! Heavenly Pancakes

Learning New Tricks...

Patience may be a virtue, but alas, I am not one of those lucky few that have that quality. Yes, I will admit, I am a child of “Instant Gratification”. I am one of the billions out in the world that have succumbed to the “I want it now” disease.  This revelation came to me this morning as I was making pancakes for my husband and me.  Yesterday, Rachael Ray was demonstrating grilling patty melts, explaining how the burner has to be lowered so that the bread doesn’t burn, and the cheese can melt properly. It dawned on me as I was about to start our pancakes, maybe the problem with my pancakes, is that I’m always in a hurry to get them done.  In the past, the bottom always cooks way too fast, gets really dark brown and stiff. Then, when I try to flip the top side the batter slides off, goes everywhere, and doesn’t stay together. I have a small stovetop griddle; allowing me to make two pancakes at a time. So when I go to flip the second pancake, it too splatters all over the small surface, and over onto the first pancake –and again, having to flip once more to cook off the raw batter – resulting in hard and tough little discs. I also realized in previous attempts, because I had the burner at a higher temperature the middles didn’t cook all the way, and again, I had to flip causing leathery pancakes.   

 

Well, maybe old dogs can learn new tricks! Because I took Rachael Ray’s advice and tried cooking with a lower heat. Yippee! For the first time, in a very long time, our pancakes were heavenly!  Light, airy, and melt-in- your-mouth are the words we were using to describe our fluffy breakfast this morning.  You know, I always thought I was a good cook but lately, have been a little self-conscious about my culinary abilities.  Now, I’ve discovered that I still have a lot to learn about myself, and the wonderful world of cooking.  Since I am an impatient person I have to slow down, and as they say, “A watched pot never boils”...  relax and take the time to do it right. 

The recipe for pancakes I use is from my mom’s Better Homes and Garden New Cookbook, circa 1962. The binding is weathered and cracked, and the pages are torn and worn. You can certainly tell which recipes she used the most frequently; the pages are splattered with dishes from my youth.  I love this cookbook so much, it reeks of my childhood, and when I open it up, I can see her in our old kitchen, cooking away, making not only meals, but also memories for our happy family.

The recipe:

Favorite Pancakes

Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook

1 ¼ C. Sifted All-purpose Flour

3 Tsp. Baking Powder

1 T. Sugar

½ Tsp.  Salt (I personally use about a ¼ tsp. to watch our sodium levels)

1 Beaten Egg

1 C. Milk

2 T. Salad Oil or melted shortening, or bacon fat (Me, this morning I used the bacon fat, since I had made bacon and it was ready to go, it gave the pancake a nice added element)

1 tsp. Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Paste (my secret ingredient)

Sift together flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Combine egg, milk, vanilla paste and salad oil; add to dry ingredients. Stirring just til flour is moistened. (Batter may be lumpy)  Bake on a hot griddle. Makes about 12-dollar size, or eight 4-inch pancakes.

As I mentioned, the pancakes were fluffy, light, and airy, and in fact, did melt-in-our-mouths.  “By George” the lesson is learned! When you cook the pancakes at a lower temperature between medium-low and medium, the bottoms are golden brown, the middle is soft and evenly cooked – rising high, and they flip beautifully! 

If you look closely at the photos, you’ll notice little black flecks throughout the pancakes; my secret ingredient for the delightfully flavorful cakes is Madagascar Vanilla Bean Paste.  Oh, my goodness, I can’t believe I haven’t discovered this treasure before now!  Just a small teaspoon into the batter and the flavor changes from ordinary to extraordinary, and a little dramatic! Almost a heady aroma, the slight hint of vanilla takes breakfast to a higher level. And, I love seeing the little vanilla seeds float in the batter. Visually, the seeds expose my secret, but it’s definitely worth it to share with those indulging in these lovely cakes.

My mom always heated our maple syrup, and I continue that tradition. I think it makes the pancakes better.. Really, I can’t explain it. I have had both room temperature and heated syrup. I personally think warming the syrup prevents the pancakes from cooling down too quickly.  Add a pat of butter between the layers and ta-da; you have a delicious start to your day! 

Well... I think the lesson I’ve learned today is that I need to slow down, take time and put in the effort, at least, when it comes to cooking.... Microwave meals aren’t from scratch, so it would go to reason that if you hurry too much, you lose more than just the flavor...  you lose the soul of the dish!  Okay, well it seems that I’ve gone a little philosophical, so I think it’s now time to get to my real job. I have to write a story for the newspaper about a really interested storyteller who came to town. It is nice to actually get paid, to what you love to do!

Until next time,

May your life be as delicious as your dishes!

SRQ Foodie

Quick & Easy Super Chicken Supper!

Quick and Easy Super Supper - Chicken, Artichoke and Olive Pasta 

This one is for all the working cooks in the universe... I’m gonna say what you’re not supposed to say, “I’m too tired to make dinner tonight!”

Let me ask you, have you ever had no idea what to make for dinner?  You get home from work, and your mind goes blank when you walk into the kitchen? Do you stand in front of the refrigerator with the door open or at the stovetop, and nothing comes to mind?  Well, I have!  I’ve been so tired, spending the day extending my brain function beyond the acceptable capacity levels, that thought of going into the kitchen, and creating some spectacular dinner that’s going to dazzle the family, is simply too exhausting.

Well friends, I’ve got a recipe that will make your life a lot easier, and is a super supper. It’s Chicken, Artichoke, and Black Olive Pasta, a mouthwatering dinner that will grab hold of your salivary glands and put a smile on your lips. Toss a salad with a light vinaigrette, and a freshly baked baguette... dinner is served!

So what makes this so effortless? It’s simple – open a jar of red pasta sauce, grill a couple of chicken breasts, pour in a can of artichoke hearts, and finally, sliced black olives... Oh, and cook a package of linguini. Recipe below.

There are a couple of reasons why I love this dish, besides the easy part. First, it’s a dish from one of my favorite restaurants here in Sarasota – Crab & Fin, on St. Armand’s Circle. My husband and I go there for an occasional splurge. It also reminds me of some great times I’ve had sitting on the sidewalk veranda with my mom, friends and my husband, people watching and making fun memories. This entrée has been a standard on their menu for quite some time... in fact, since they were Charley's Crab many moons ago.

The other reason, well it’s a really tasty dish! All the elements together blend beautifully; the artichoke hearts add a creaminess with a hint of tanginess, the char of the chicken is warming, the deep ruby red sauce adds a level of comfort, and the black olives lend a little sweetness. One twirl of the fork, and you’ll taste for yourself!

I mentioned easy... I prefer to use a pre-made pasta sauce, but you could make your own (if you have the energy). My personal go-to-ready-made sauce is the Publix grocery store signature brand, either Tomato & Basil or the Garden Vegetable - both do quite nicely as a base. Besides, what you add to the sauce is what makes it your own! Now, if you want to make it more special, gourmet pasta sauces from a specialty market, like Casa Italia in Sarasota, add a layer of elegance to the dish. I’m sure the staff will have some appetizing suggestions for you!

SRQ Foodies Take on Crab & Fin’s Chicken, Artichoke Pasta

Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 24 oz.  jar      Tomato Sauce
2                         Boneless/Skinless Chicken Breasts
1  14 oz.  can    Quartered Artichoke Hearts
½ c.                    Large Black Olives sliced
12 oz.                 Linguini cooked al dente (enough for four people)
Salt and Pepper to taste
Parmesan

Directions:

Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper, grill until thoroughly cooked. While chicken is cooking, heat sauce in pan over medium heat; add artichoke hearts and black olives.  Once chicken is cooked, let it rest 5 minutes and cut into bite size cubes, add to sauce.  While chicken is resting, bring water to a boil and cook linguini al dente. When pasta is ready, pour sauce over noodles, toss lightly, and top with a sprinkling of shaved parmesan. Godere! (Italian for enjoy according to Google Translate)

Seriously, you’re talking less than 30 minutes total for a fresh semi-homemade dinner – and it’s so much better than ordering a pizza or reheating a frozen dinner of some sort. Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with frozen dinners, sometimes it’s nice to just heat something up. But... if you can make it yourself, the pride that comes from cooking dinner for the ones you love will boost your self-confidence and energize you!

Until next time....

May life be as delicious as your dishes!
♥
SRQ Foodie

Girl Time – Refreshing Fun!

Watermelon, Feta and Basil Skewers and Sparkling Wine - An afternoon of friendship!

Seriously, he knows he's too cute!

One of my besties, Richelle, recently came for a short visit. It had been a while since we’d gotten together, so some serious catch up time was needed for both of us. I’d been a bit off for a few weeks, so a visit with her was just the right medicine to perk up my mood.   Even though her beautiful baby Kade took much of our attentions (he’s 7 month’s old and too cute for words) we got some real girl time in, catching up on what’s been happening with each other and a little venting. Thank goodness for girlfriends, who else but a true friend can you vent and confess to without judgment!  

Bubble, Bubble - no toil, no trouble

Girl time calls for bubbles and tasty snacks. On her way down, Richelle texted to ask if I had something chilled, and I replied, “I’ve got a bottle of sparkling wine on ice”.  Her response... “Perfect!” Trust me, it was! I had picked up a bottle of Domenico de Bertoil Prosecco from Italy at Casa Italia, a little gourmet market in Sarasota. It was creamy, with a slight crispness, and bright with tons of bubbles, or “beads” as the description read.  I don’t think the beads stopped rolling up the Champagne glasses until we finished. I love sparkling wine - it makes me happy!  

I wanted to make some appetizers that would we could enjoy without a lot of fuss, both in preparation and enjoyment. I remembered a wonderfully refreshing appetizer my husband and I had tried at a wine tasting a couple of months ago - Watermelon, Basil and Feta skewers. I thought that might go well with the bubbly, and it did! The recipe is so simple, watermelon, feta and basil on small toothpicks. It might sound like a strange combination but believe me - it’s not!

Bejewel your appetizers with these gems

Watermelon, Basil and Feta skewers are a great appetizer, and as I said, they’re super easy to assemble. Three ingredients and some toothpicks, a little prep time and voila, they’re done! The first time I tried to make these was quite humorous! The feta was a little crumbly, so when I tried to pierce the squares of cheese, they broke in half. UGH! My husband, who is very ingenious, pulled out the Dremel drill and tried to drill little holes in the center, some worked, some not. The cheese still split in two -double UGH! I even tried to squeeze the cheese together to give it a “fake” hold, but when we picked up the skewer, plop - the cheese fell off, and the watermelon square slide up and down the plastic pick.

Cheery appetizers - colorful pink and green

This time, I tried a different feta from the local Amish market, it seemed creamier, and I placed the cheese in the freezer while I cut the melon. That may have been the trick because it worked well, no splits, no crumbles, and the cheese stayed firmly on the toothpicks. These colorful appetizers are quite refreshing when you eat them. The basil adds an element of earthy greenness, the melon is sweet and rejuvenating and the feta offers a sharp tanginess. All three eaten together is really enjoyable. By the way, I found the cutest bejeweled party picks along my travels, and they add a little bling to the food.   

Recipe for Watermelon, Basil and Feta Skewer

SRQ Foodie’s Version

Ingredients:

Small Seedless Watermelon – cut into bite size cubes

Creamy Feta Cheese – Cut into bite size cubes (keep cold until ready to cut)

Fresh Basil Leaves 

Small Toothpicks or Skewers

Directions:

Cut melon and feta into bite size cubes (approx. ¾ inch each). If the basil leaves are huge, cut to no larger than a ½ inch each.  Pierce a cube of melon onto toothpick, then add basil and finish with cheese. That’s it!  I chilled for an hour before my girlfriend came over.

I wanted to do a second treat, and thought some mission figs with goat cheese would be a nice addition, and they were! I’ve seen a lot of photos of figs and goat cheese on Pinterest, and since I had some goat cheese and figs in the fridge, I decided to make up my own creation... figs sliced in half with a dollop of goat cheese placed on top. YUM!  Nothing fancy and certainly, not a lot of effort. There are some really great recipes for mission figs online, one in particular that has caught my eye, is from one of my blog idols; Sticky, Gooey, Creamy, Chewy. Here’s her recipe for Roasted Chevre, Honey, Walnut Stuffed Figs. It’s definitely on my list to try!

All in all, my afternoon with my bestie was like the hors d’oeurves, refreshing and rejuvenating.  And the girl talk was just what the doctor ordered, so to speak. My advice to you - if you’re feeling blue get together with your girlfriends, chill a bottle of sparkling wine and make these appetizers... I promise, you’ll be better in no time at all!

Until later... May life be as delicious as your dishes!

SRQ Foodie

By the way, I welcome feedback, comments, suggestions or your recipes you want to share! Message me at srqfoodie

Carnivore's Delight

Steak – Glorious Steak!

Growing up in the Midwest, beef was a constant on our family menus. My dad was the master griller. No matter what time of year, rain or shine or even in the dead of winter with snow knee deep, he would light up the grill.  As a child, I grew accustomed to savoring a juicy steak. One of my go-to recipes for steak is something I learned from my husband’s wife number one.  Get your mind out of the gutter, no “Big Love” action going on here, no “Sister Wives”, just a solid and friendly relationship between my husband’s first wife and me.  I so admire her culinary abilities - she is a true gourmand and a published food and travel writer. When I say, “She’s a true foodie” I mean, she really is! I think she has every issue of Gourmet Magazine (bound) nestled on her shelves. We’ve been the lucky recipients of her culinary talent on many occasions. She is also my connection for authentic French sea salt. When my stash gets low, I pick up the phone and call for a refill.  The one dish that stands out for me is her steaks. Oh, they are so juicy and flavorful.   On a visit to her home she made us dinner, it was arresting! So simple and yet a culinary explosion of flavor with every slice. The seasonings - that’s the key to a great steak -salt, pepper, rosemary and olive oil. (I would write EVOO, but that’s too Rachel Ray for me). Four basic seasonings, how hard is that. Well, I left out one important step: letting the meat rest with the seasonings for a while is the key.

With every forkful, the rich flavor of the steaks was beautiful, and the company was quite amusing.  We’ve had several wonderful meals prepared by wife number one, but this one always stands out as one of my favorites.  I prefer the accompaniment of the classic side, baked potato with sour cream and green onions. The two together are a symphony of culinary harmony. 

At the top of my list of steaks to savor is the Allen Brother’s filet. I discovered this gem from a former restaurateur client. The Allen Brother’s steak, (if you can afford them) is one of the best steaks out there, hands-down. OMG, I don’t think there is a better steak anywhere. Seriously, you won’t need a steak knife for any reason; the meat is so tender, as they say “Like butta!” If you’re in Sarasota, there is another (more affordable) contender for a great steak dinner, Karl Ehmer’s Alpine Steakhouse. Guy Fieri featured their house specialty “Turducken” on his Food Network show Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. The filet from Karl Ehmer’s is aged perfectly and fabulously tender.  These two filets are splurges, but for special occasions, well worth the expense. The Allen Brother’s steaks are crazy expensive – four, 8 oz. 2” thick filets are $154.95 before tax and shipping.  Ehmer’s filets runs about $28 for two of the same weight and thickness. I love the fact that I can tell the butcher at Ehmer’s that I want a three-finger steak!  If they don’t have any pre-cut, they will open a new tenderloin and hand-cut just for me!

SRQ Foodies Steak a la Number One Wife

1 strip or filet per person (if the strip steak is big enough, we split one)

Salt

Pepper

Fresh Rosemary

Olive Oil

Coat both sides of steak with olive oil, season with salt and pepper. Strip the leaves off the rosemary sprig, and sprinkle on both sides; I generally use two sprigs, one for each side. Too much and I’m sure you know you’ll be tasting soap.

Let rest for at least one hour, 

and grill. I use my Le Creuset grill pan on the stove a lot. Sear one side for 5 minutes, then turn, and sear the other side for 4 minutes. Turn again, this time laying cross the grill for those delicious sear marks, for about 2 minutes. Then once again on the other side. We prefer our steaks medium rare to medium, depending on the thickness of the meat. Let rest for 5 minutes once the steaks are done to seal in the juices. Enjoy!  

If I am cooking filets, I generally cook each side between 4 to 6 minutes, and I set the timer to make sure I don’t forget. There is nothing worse than an over done steak, it’s an atrocity! 

By the way, a really funny story about wife number one, (we’ll call her CB) and her food fetish – when we went to Chicago to visit my stepdaughter, CB was there as well. We all went for my stepdaughter’s baby shower. Before the festivities, we had a family evening at home, and wife number one brought a full Serrano ham for us to enjoy. Yes, on the table was a very large cured leg of Spanish pig. CB also brought a contraption that holds the leg in place so you can slice it easily. That’s not even the funniest part; she carried it on the plane! When she went through TSA at the airport, the agents got a peek at the body part in her luggage. I can’t stop laughing even as I write this two years later! It was so funny to hear her tell us the story. So, the story goes, as the TSA agents are scanning the luggage through the x-ray machine, here comes “CB’s” luggage. The agent stops the machine, runs it back and forth on the conveyor belt, and then calls all the other agents over.  Several agents staring at the screen looking at a body part, and CB started explaining that it is a “Serrano” ham, and she’s taking it to Chicago for a party. The agents looking in amazement tell her that since it’s been sliced into, they’ll have to test for a bomb.  I’m telling you I can’t stop giggling! She proceeds to explain that the test had better not harm the ham, because her daughter is pregnant, and she’s taking this to the shower.  CB also regaled us with stories of her driving to college alumni events with the ham in tow... I really like her – she makes me laugh! We have fun together.  

So the moral of this story is... if you’re in the position of being second wife, hope that first wife is a great cook! Oh, and don’t be surprised if the TSA agents look at you a little funny when you carry animal limbs in your suitcase.

Happy Eating!

SRQ Foodie

Red Beans and Rice, Oh, So Nice!

Red Beans and Rice, oh, are they so nice!

I have to tell you from personal experience, tradition can be so very delicious! For example, every Monday in most New Orleans kitchens, there’s a pot of red beans slowly cooking on the stove.  That, truly, is a tradition that should be started in every kitchen across the globe.  

Classic New Orleans Garden District Home

There’s a great story behind this dish. In my family, and throughout the south, Sunday dinner usually featured a lovely baked ham with all the trimmings. This meal was the big meal of the week.  After church, mothers, fathers, grandparents and cousins would come together, dressed in their Sunday best, for a formal sit down dinner, in the dining room. The table would be decked out with the good china and silver, covered with the cherished tablecloth and cloth napkins, crystal and a delicious home cooked meal. (In my family, my grandmother was the cook).   I digress, back to the story... On Monday, especially in New Orleans, the leftover ham and bones would be made into another meal... a bubbling big pot of red beans, served over rice.  Interesting fact: according to Wikipedia, red beans and rice is one of the few New Orleans style dishes commonly cooked in both homes and restaurants. The dish and its tradition were brought with the rich white sugar planters who fled to Louisiana after the slave rebellion of Haiti.

Red beans and ham by themselves are fairly bland; it’s what seasonings you choose to add that make it an extraordinary dish to be savored. Along with the beans and ham, you must add the holy trinity of creole cooking...  celery, onion and green peppers. In season five of Top Chef, guest judge Emeril Lagasse explained to the competing chefs these three ingredients are referred to as the “Holy Trinity.”  Also, the right combination of spices: salt, pepper, thyme, and parsley are among my favorites.

"St. Joan of Arc, Maid of Orleans"at the French Market

There are different variations to this recipe; each cook has their own secret to making a good pot of red beans.  I have several cookbooks that have multiple recipes for this southern comfort in a bowl dish. I concocted my own version of red beans and rice; I let my instincts guide me. Of course, I kept the basic “holy trinity”.  That would be sacrilege to alter it!

Red Beans and Rice, oh, they are so nice! The smell of the red beans slowly cooking on the stove emanates throughout the house. It’s such a warm and comforting aroma. And, I have to spill, the smell sends to my happy place!

New Orleans Garden District

I have to pat myself on the back... It was exactly what I had envisioned when I decided to make it.  Warm and comforting, every spoonful reminding us of our time in New Orleans. If you can’t decide what to make for dinner, red beans and rice is something I highly recommend. It does take a little time investment, but not a lot of effort.  I started with soaking my red beans in water overnight (there’s the investment).  In the morning, I rinsed the beans, filled the pot with water, submerged a ham hock and added the following spices: 1 tsp. dried thyme, 1 tsp. oregano, 1 T. ground pepper, 1 T. salt, 1 ½ tsp. garlic powder, ½ tsp. cumin, ½ c. chopped tomato, and  part of the trinity - ½ c. chopped onion and ½ c. celery. I waited to add the green pepper until later; I find the green peppers disintegrate in the long, slow process.  I brought the pot to a boil and then turned down for a long, low and slow simmer for the rest of the day. We try to watch our sodium intake, so I use salt sparingly, you may want to add more salt to your taste preference.  Two hours before I was ready to serve, I added a chopped green pepper and a ham steak.  Not counting the soaking time, our red beans cooked about 8 hours.

The "Original" Beignets at Cafe Du Monde

I know I already said this was a great dinner, but it really was! As we scooped up spoonful after spoonful of this mesmerizing dish, images of past trips to the “Big Easy” filled our minds: strolling through the Garden District admiring the beautiful old homes, smelling the magnolias and gardenias growing tall in the yards, dusting the powdered sugar off our laps as we dive into a basket of beignets at Cafe du Monde, enjoying a big yummy chilled Hurricane at Pat O’Brien’s. On Monday night, along with almost every other New Orleans citizen, we too followed tradition and relished this delicious dish.

As I mentioned, there are a variety of ways you can make your red beans and rice, some add smoked sausage, or more specifically, Andouille or toss in a little savory Tasso ham.  Some cooks add bay leaves, or other spices, it really is up to your own palate, as long as you keep the trinity!

Corn Bread in the classic cast iron skillet

With our dinner, I served Jasmine rice and baked a pan of corn bread.  Growing up, corn bread was the one dish my family ate with every dinner, and was one of our main snacks – corn bread and milk. It was the first dish I learned to cook at the ripe old age of 5 years old. My mom taught me... and I can still remember standing on the little kitchen stool stirring all the ingredients following my mom’s directions. 

But this story is for another time.... I have very strong opinions on the proper way to make corn bread.

Well, until next time...

May your kitchen be filled with good food, loving family and friends, and great wine!

SRQ Foodie

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.