Indian Food

  I'm a huge fan of Indian food. Over the years, as I have introduced my husband, and then children to it, the ethnic flavors have become a good part of our family's diet. Chicken Makhani is a particular favorite in this household, and quite an easy dish to prepare. Please don't let the ingredient list detour you from making this dish. There are a lot of spices, but the end result is a very mild, well-balanced flavor that is, to put it simply, addicting. All of the spices in this dish can be found in the spice section of your local supermarket and even Walmart. If you're a little intimidated by making this dish for the first time, stretch it over a two day period. Cook and shred the chicken one day, and make the sauce and serve it the next (although I must warn, the smell of the chicken while it bakes may lead to a lack of it the next day-you may find yourself picking at it throughout the day.)

Chicken Makhani

Marinade:

1 c. plain whole milk yogurt                                   1 clove garlic-minced

½ t. salt                                                               1 t. ginger-minced

¼ t. chili powder                                                  ½ t. Garam Masala

½ t. turmeric                                                        ½ t. paprika

2 Tbsp. butter, melted, plus more for basting

8 chicken thighs, skinned, washed, and patted dry

  Combine ingredients in a Ziploc bag and marinate overnight.

  Bake chicken at 350 degrees 35 minutes, in a baking dish that has been sprayed with cooking spray.

Pour off any liquid, baste chicken with melted butter and Bake at 500 degrees 15-20 minutes, till lightly browned. Let chicken rest at least 10 minutes; peel off the bone.

Sauce:

4 Tbsp. butter                                                 ½ t. turmeric

½ small onion, diced fine                                 ½ t. paprika

2 cloves garlic, minced                                    salt, to taste

1 Tbsp. ginger, minced                                    1 can tomato paste

1 ½ Tbsp. Garam Masala                                   1 t. sugar

¼ t. chili powder (more if you like it hot)         2 turns of the pan of honey (about 4 Tbsp.)

¼ t. ground cumin                                           1 ¼ c. plain whole milk yogurt

1 bay leaf                                                        ½-1 c. heavy cream

¼ t. cinnamon                                                 1 c. cashews

1/8 t. cloves                                                   3-4 Tbsp. fresh cilantro, chopped

  Melt butter in a very large sauté pan (I use my cast-iron skillet). Saute onions until tender (about 2 minutes). Add garlic and ginger and sauté 1 minute. Add tomato paste and cook about 1-2 minutes to bring out a sweet smell in the paste. Add sugar, honey, and all spices; combine well. Add yogurt, ½ cup cream, and previously cooked chicken. Simmer 1 1/2-2 hours (add additional cream to thin to desired consistency). Before serving, stir in cashews and cilantro. Serve over basmati rice.

Basmati rice

3 c. water

2 Tbsp. butter, plus more for cooked rice

½ tsp. salt

2 c. Basmati rice (Can be found in the rice section of most supermarkets)

2-3 Tbsp. chopped cilantro

  Rinse rice very, very well and drain (skipping this step will result in mushy, sticky rice).

  Bring water, butter and salt to boil. Add rice, cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer 15-20 minutes, till water is just absorbed (do not overcook). Remove lid, toss rice with cilantro and a little more butter.

  I apologize for not having a final picture, we finished the meal and were cleaning up when I realized I had neglected to take one. That just goes to show how delicious it is-we wasted no time digging in!

Trying Something New

  So, fried catfish is something I have never made. Since my husband has never been a big fan of fish, I have cooked very little of it. Recently, as our kids have gotten a little older, I've decided to try introducing more seafood into our diet (since seafood is something I really enjoy). Tonight's experiment taught me two things; half my family is not particularly fond of catfish, and I'm not particularly fond of cornmeal-battered fish. I have to say that as far as recipes go, this one is a sure hit for someone who likes cornmeal batter and catfish. The flavor is there, it has a nice crunch and the batter sticks to the fish.

  I combined two recipes to create one I thought might go over well.

Fried Catfish

1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1⁄4 cup flour
1 tsp. seasoned salt
1/8 tsp. garlic salt
1⁄8 tsp. cayenne (or to taste)
Freshly ground black pepper

4 catfish fillets

1/2 cup milk

1 egg

  Pour oil into a large, deep cast-iron skillet to 3" deep and heat over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking (350 degrees) on a candy thermometer.

  Combine cornmeal, flour, seasoned salt, garlic salt, cayenne, and black pepper to taste in a large shallow dish. In a separate dish, whisk together milk and egg. Thoroughly dredge catfish fillets in milk mixture, then flour mixture. Gently shake off excess.

  Fry catfish in the hot oil, without turning, until golden and crisp (5–6 minutes). Transfer fillets with a slotted spatula to paper towels to drain.

The Best Way I Know To Eat An Apple

  I love apples! I love eating apples, cooking with apples and baking with apples. I think one of my all-time favorite ways to eat an apple though, is dipped in caramel and drenched in chocolate! I only make caramel-dipped apples in October as a special pre-Halloween treat for family and friends. It's a good thing too, because I can polish one off faster than you can blink! Here's my "secret" to caramel apples.

  I only use gala apples for dipping. Galas are crisp, and have just the right sweet-tart-juiciness that you want in a caramel apple. Also, I try to find medium-sized apples (the perfect size for one sitting), that sit upright.

  One 14-ounce bag of caramels is enough for about 6 medium apples. Place un-wrapped caramels in a heatproof bowl over barely simmering water. Add a splash of milk to the caramels (about 1-2 tablespoons) to loosen the caramels up a bit. You don't want too much milk or the caramel will run off the apples once dipped.

  Prep your dipping area: Lay out a piece of parchment paper large enough for all your apples; lightly spray with cooking spray. Press a popsicle stick about halfway into each apple. 

  Plunge apples, one at a time, into the caramel, twisting a little to coat all sides (I leave about a half-inch space around the top of the apple free of caramel-it looks prettier.) Holding the apple over the bowl of caramel, use a spoon to scrape all the caramel off the bottom of the apple (Caramel tends to pool at the base of the apple as it sets-doing this will ensure you don't have too much pooling.) Place apples on the parchment to set.

  Place 8 ounces of milk chocolate and 1 tablespoon shortening in a heatproof bowl. Microwave in 30-45 second intervals, stirring after each, until chocolate is melted and smooth.

  Lay out a sheet of foil large enough for all your apples. Lightly spray with cooking spray. Dip the bottom third of each apple into the chocolate. Let the chocolate drip off the apple, then scrape the chocolate from the bottom of the apple, just as you did with the caramel. Place apples on the foil to set.

  Once you have dipped all 6 apples, add 1 tablespoon shortening to the remaining chocolate in the bowl. Microwave about 20 seconds, until the shortening melts; stir until smooth. Dip a fork into the bowl of chocolate then shake it over the apples to create a splatter effect on the tops of the apples (be careful not to coat the tops of your popsicle sticks). Let apples rest until chocolate has set.

  To give as gifts: Wrap each apple with a square of cellophane and tie with a festive ribbon. Encourage recipients to eat within 2 days of dipping (they are best if eaten the same day).

A Princess B-Day

  My 3 year old wanted strawberry princess cupcakes for her birthday this year. I wasn't exactly sure how to go about it, but who was I to tell a 3 year old no on her birthday? I had come across some cupcakes on a blog recently, that I was anxious to try, so I figured this would be a good opportunity. I used this recipe for Vanilla Cupcakes with Strawberry Buttercream Frosting (I omitted the filling for this occasion). I made lavender fondant crowns using the top portion of a flower cookie cutter I had, and adorned them with pearl candies. Ultra easy!

 

I've Got My Eye On You!

  So, I've mentioned my new fascination with the cake pops on Bakerella. We are attending a couples-only Halloween party tomorrow, and I decided I absolutely had to make some for the occasion. Once set, I stuck them in individual sucker bags and closed them with silver twist-ties.

Stick 'em in a ceramic pumpkin and they look quite intriguing!

Candy Corn...Sort Of

  Candy Corns have been a Halloween standard forever, so when I came across this recipe for Candy Corn Cookies, I knew they were a must-make. I had a package of Betty Crocker Peanut Butter Cookies on hand (and I'm not a fan of sugar cookies anyway), so I used it. I had to add a little flour to the dough to make it pliable, but they turned out fantastic. Have a look!

A New Page Addition

  I have been doing a bit of cake decorating over the years, and decided it was finally time to share some pictures. Have a look. I will begin working on my girlfriend's wedding cake soon (they are having a November wedding). This will be my first solo wedding cake. Wish me luck, and watch for photos come mid-November.