Chicken Basil Coconut Curry Sauce | Healthy Basil Chicken Coconut Curry Recipes

Basil Chicken in Coconut Curry Sauce Recipe 

Ingredients: 
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1 lb skinless, boneless chicken thighs (you can use breasts, but the thighs are more flavorful)
1 large red onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and minced
2 Tbsp olive oil or grapeseed oil
1 14-oz can coconut milk
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
3 Tbsp fresh basil leaves, chopped
1 Tbsp finely chopped fresh ginger

Procedures: 

• In a small bowl, mix the salt, coriander, cumin, cloves, cinnamon, ground cardamom powder, black pepper, chili and turmeric. Set aside.
• Rinse the chicken dry. Cut into 1-inch pieces. Put in a bowl and sprinkle the spice mixture on all parts. Coat well and let stand for 30 minutes at room temperature or in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours.
• In a skillet 3 tablespoons oil 1 large heat over medium-high. Add the onion and jalapenos and cook for 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more. Remove the onions, peppers and garlic from the pan and place in a medium bowl. Set aside. Using the same pan for the next step.
• Add 1 tablespoon oil to skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Add half of the chicken pieces, spread out on the plate so that is not filled. Brown for a few minutes on each side. When the chicken pieces are cooked through and no pink remains, remove from pan, add to bowl with onions. Cook the second batch of chicken parts in the same way. Remove from pan, add to bowl with onions.
• Add the coconut milk, a couple tablespoons less, to the pan. In a small bowl, mix cornstarch with remaining coconut dissolve cornstarch. Add corn mixture startch back to the pan with the coconut milk. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Mix the Worcestershire sauce. Add chicken mixture, basil and ginger. Cook for 2 minutes to cook through.

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Laura Bush's Texas Cowboy Cookies

This Presidential election has found my family more involve and interested in what's going on and the issues each candidate proposes.  The foodie in my finds The Presidential Cookie Contest interesting and delicious!!  The Family Circle Magazine has hosted it and since 1992, when Hillary Clinton and Barbara Bush bumped spatulas, The First Lady cookie contest has been a terrific tradition and political pacesetter. All but one winner went on to live in the White House. 
 I'm excited to try out the two cookies from the latest contest: Michelle Obama's Mama Kaye's White and Dark Chocolate Chip Cookie and Ann Romney's M&M Cookies.  It was a tight race with Michelle Obama's cookies getting 51.4% of the votes and Ann Romney's getting 48.5 %.  I believe it was the closest contest ever which makes me want to try both cookies and have my family pick the winner.  For today, I went back in time to the 2000 Presidential Cookie Contest winner Laura Bush!!  They are soft. chewy and delicious! 
While we are on the subject of cookies Become a Nanny has an awesome post dedicated to throwing a Kid's Cookie Decorating Party.  It is very organized. She gives tons of great ideas to help take the stress out of planning the party, so you can relax and enjoy it and the kids will LOVE it!!

Laura Bush's Texas Cowboy Cookies
From my friend Sharon
3 cups flour

• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1 tbsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 sticks butter at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 tbsp vanilla
• 3 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 2 cups sweetened flake coconut (I only used 1 cup)
• 2 cups chopped pecans (8 ounces) (I omited due to allergies)

Preheat oven to 350°. Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in bowl

In 8-quart bowl, beat butter on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Gradually beat in sugars and continue beating to combine, about 2 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each. Beat in vanilla. Stir in flour mixture until just combined. Add chocolate chips, oats, coconut and pecans.

For each cookie, *drop 1/4 cup of dough onto greased cookie sheet, spacing 3 inches apart. Bake 17 to 20 minutes, until edges are lightly browned. Remove to rack to cool.
*I used my big cookie scoop and baked them 10 minutes.

These were a yummy change from my normal oatmeal chocolate chip cookies.

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Sausage and Potatoes

Lately, I have been looking for ways to make dinner time way less stressful.  This is something I tried and it was awesome and the whole family liked it.  It was simple to put together, clean up was minimal and best of all no stressing over dinner.  I will be making it again.

Sausage and Potatoes
adapted from about.com
1 pound smoked sausage, such as andouille or kielbasa, dice in to chunks.
1 1/2 pounds potatoes, peeled and cut in 1- to 2-inch chunks
3 to 4 carrots, cut in 1-inch pieces (I used baby carrots and didn't cut them.)
1 cup onions, chopped
1/4 teaspoon  ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon  salt
1/2 teaspoon seasoning salt
1 large clove garlic, crushed and finely minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 - 2 cups shredded cheese
*Optional 1/2 cup lemon lime soda

Combine the sausage pieces, potatoes, carrots and onions in a large food storage bag or a bowl.  Toss with the pepper, salt, seasoning, garlic,olive oil and soda.

I then put mine in the fridge so that dinner was all but ready when I got home from work.

(The soda just helps the potatoes from browning and gives it a little extra flavor.)

When you are ready to cook:

Heat oven to 400°. Grease a  9 x 13 casserole dish  with nonstick cooking spray.

Pour mixture into your dish.

Roast for 45 to 60 minutes, until vegetables are fork-tender, stirring every 15 to 20 minutes. If desired add cheese to the top and cook until it is melted.

* You can replace the seasoning salt with  Cajun or Creole seasoning.

Made for a quick and delicious dinner!

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Quinoa Pilaf with Kale & Corn ♥ Recipe

Today's new favorite kale recipe: Quinoa and kale cooked in one pot, then tossed with a bright lemon vinaigrette and a few kernels of corn. You might serve it on the side, you might choose it for Meatless Monday.

So. Confession time. You know that household chore you put off and put off and put off some more and then when you finally buck up and just do it, well, it takes all of ten minutes start to finish? (Except for the four months it took to get around to it in the first place.) Kale is like that for me, it's a bit of a chore, something I ought to buy/cook/eat more of but always put off. Then when I finally do, I'm half surprised to realize all over again, that "Hey! Kale is really good stuff!" And no chore at all!

Enter this quinoa, just quinoa and kale cooked at the same time in the same pot – yay, just one dish – then tossed with raw corn kernels and a lemon vinaigrette and topped with a few toasted walnuts and feta. That's it. Why did I put this off? You don't want to make the same mistake.
Keep Reading ->>>

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Cute Quick Mummy Decoration

I have had the desire to be a little creative lately, but time has been an issue.  So when I saw a picture of this I knew I could handle it!! So cute simple and cheap!!

You need a jar,
gauze or cheese cloth (I bought some bloody gauze in the Halloween section at the dollar store.)
googly eyes
hot glue gun
battery operated candle (also 2 for a dollar at the dollar store.)
optional: extra Halloween decorations

Glue the edge of the gauze to the jar.

Wrap the jar with the gauze. Glue on the googly eyes and wrap a little over top of them.

Glue your end to the rest.  I then spread open the threads of the gauze just a bit over top of the eyes.

I added some plastic spiders I had lying around.

Turned the candles on and set them in the bottom of the jars.

Voila!! So cute.  The picture does not do them justice!

Cheap, simple and a fun decoration!

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Cheerio Treats

For some reason we have alot of boxes of Cheerios at our house.  I'm the only one who eats them.  I was so excited to find this recipe so that hopefully I could get everyone else to eat them too.  They were a hit!! I thought they tasted even better the next day. 

Cheerio Treats
from Kathie Cooks
1 cup white sugar
1 cup corn syrup
1 cup  peanut butter
1 cup chocolate chips
1 teaspoon vanilla
5 cups  Cheerios

In a large sauce pan, combine sugar and corn syrup. Bring to boil over medium heat.
Allow mixture to boil for one minute and remove from heat. Add peanut butter, vanilla and chocolate chips to mixture and mix until smooth. Add Cheerios and mix until all coated.
 Drop mixture by spoonful onto waxed paper and allow to cool.

*The chocolate chips are optional. I just love the peanut butter/chocolate combination!

 

Quick, simple and delicious!!



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Fried Zucchini Sticks vs Baked Zucchini Sticks ♥ Recipe

<< Today's vegetable recipe: My friend Helen's recipe for Fried Zucchini Sticks (what she calls just "Fried Zucchini") plus my test of the same recipe, but baked, so Baked Zucchini Sticks. It's a face-off, Fried vs Baked in taste, calories and Weight Watchers points. Which recipe wins out, the Fried Zucchini Sticks or the Baked Zucchini Sticks? You might just be surprised. >>

Are fried vegetables the "gateway" technique for vegetable haters? I admit a weakness for fried plants: fried onions, fried green beans, fried pickles, fried okra, fried eggplant. Fried eggplant? Yes, it's been known to turn self-proclaimed "we are not eggplant people" into fried-eggplant fiends.

So why no fried vegetables on A Veggie Venture? Well, it's a healthy-eating thing. Because we all know that fried food is bad, right? Right?

Well maybe it is, maybe it isn't. These Fried Zucchini Sticks were fried in a skillet that started with 8 tablespoons (1/2 cup) of vegetable oil. When they were done, 5-1/3 tablespoons (1/3c) of vegetable oil was still in the pan. That means that exactly 2-2/3 tablespoons of oil were used to fry the zucchini sticks.

Now granted, 2-2/3 tablespoons of oil is considerably more than the 1 tablespoon of oil I typically allow for a pound of vegetables. But it's also considerably less than the 1/4 cup of oil I often see used in vegetable recipes in magazines and cookbooks.

That said, I really did want to see how Fried Zucchini Sticks and Baked Zucchini Sticks compared, taste-wise, goodness-wise. The verdict?
Keep Reading ->>>

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Marinated Grilled Shrimp | Sea Food Healthy Marinated Grilled Shrimp Recipe

Marinated Grilled Shrimp

Ingredients:
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup tomato sauce
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 pounds fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined skewers


Procedures:
In a large bowl, combine the garlic, olive oil, tomato sauce and red wine vinegar. Season with basil, salt and cayenne pepper. Add shrimp to the bowl, and stir until well coated. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour, stirring once or twice. Preheat grill for medium heat. Thread shrimp onto skewers, piercing once near the tail and once near the head. Discard the marinade. Lightly oil the grill grill. Cook shrimp on preheated grill for 2-3 minutes per side or until opaque.

Marinated Grilled Shrimp

Marinated Grilled Shrimp

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New Progesso Recipe Starters: Crispy Garlic Parmesan Chicken and a Giveaway!!

Back to school means back to busy weeknight schedules.  Between homework, activities, practices, work and class, preparing a delicious home-cooked meal can be quite a challenge, and getting started is often the hardest part. Let new Progresso™ Recipe Starters™ cooking sauces give you a head start to a home cooked meal, and you’ll ace the dinner time routine this year!

 Progresso Recipe Starters sauces are available in five flavorful varieties that can each be used as a starter to create numerous home-cooked meals. For added inspiration, Progresso created 80 recipes utilizing this new line of cooking sauces that can be found on Progresso.com/RecipeStarters. Many of these recipes are classic family favorites, such as Bacon Mac n’ Cheese, Chicken Pot Pie and Chicken Parmesan, and utilize ingredients your family may already have on-hand. In addition, all of the recipes on the site include a Rate and Review feature, so we encourage you to leave a rating and review of your own, in which you can even include a link back to your blog post about that recipe! Look for Progresso Recipe Starters in the soup aisles!

Inspired by the five “Mother” Sauces that form the basis of classical French cooking, including Béchamel, Velouté, Tomato, Espagnole and Hollandaise, Recipe Starters use a variety of ingredients and the best techniques to make sure you have delicious options to take on the school days dinner dilemma. The five varieties are:

•  Creamy Parmesan Basil: This creamy, full-bodied and indulgent sauce that was inspired by alfredo and creamy pesto sauces can be used to make dishes such as Crispy Garlic-Parmesan Chicken, Creamy Chicken Alfredo, Basil Chicken Ravioli Carbonara and Basil Chicken Thai Noodle
• Creamy Roasted Garlic with Chicken Stock: With caramelized, roasted chicken broth, garlic and a touch of cream, this stock is perfect for dishes such as Creamy Lemon Chicken, Chicken Pot Pie and Chicken Enchiladas
• Fire Roasted Tomato: A medium-thick tomato sauce, accompanied by flavors of roasted, caramelized tomatoes, oregano and bell peppers, which can be used as a great way to begin creating  Pulled Chicken Sandwiches, Easy Weeknight Chicken Parmesan, Cheese-stuffed Mini Meat Loaves and Mole Tacos
• Creamy Portabella Mushroom: Creamy and highly indulgent, this smooth sauce is rich with sautéed Portabella mushrooms,  giving you any easy way to start delicious dishes like Easy Weeknight Beef Stroganoff, Steak and Mushroom Sandwich and Tetrazzini
• Creamy Three Cheese: Rich and creamy with a blend of yellow and white cheeses, and a savory background of chicken stock, onion, garlic and cracked pepper, this is a great way to satisfy cheese lovers with Easy Weeknight Bacon Mac & Cheese, Twice-Baked Potato Pizza and Cheesy Egg Breakfast Tacos.

I decided to first test out the Creamy Parmesan Basil Cooking Sauce:

Crispy Garlic Parmesan Chicken
from Progresso.com
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts *
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 can (18 oz) Progresso™ Recipe Starters™ creamy Parmesan Basil cooking sauce
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
2/3 cup Progresso® Italian style panko crispy bread crumbs*
2/3 cup finely shredded Parmesan or Asiago cheese
 Hot cooked pasta or mashed potatoes, if desired

Garnishes, If Desired
 Additional shredded Parmesan or Asiago cheese
 Chopped fresh basil or parsley

1. Heat oven to 400°F. Line cookie sheet with foil; spray with cooking spray. Between pieces of plastic wrap or waxed paper, place each chicken breast smooth side down; gently pound with flat side of meat mallet or rolling pin until about 1/2 inch thick. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper to taste.

2. In shallow dish, mix butter, 3 tablespoons of the cooking sauce and the garlic powder. In another shallow dish, mix bread crumbs and cheese. Dip chicken into butter mixture, then dip into bread crumb mixture to coat. Place on cookie sheet.

3. Bake 12 to 15 minutes, turning once, until juice of chicken is clear when center of thickest part is cut (at least 165°F) and coating is golden brown. Meanwhile, heat remaining sauce until hot. Serve chicken with pasta and sauce. Sprinkle with additional cheese and basil.

 * I used chicken tenders and made my own breadcrumbs out of crackers.  I also doubled the recipe to feed my family of six.

****This was so delicious!! The Parmesan Basil flavor made it amazing!! It was easy to make and it was a HUGE hit with the family!

Now for the fun part!! I have a Progresso Recipe Starter gift pack to give one lucky reader:



Two cans of Progresso Recipe Starters
$10 Gift Card to purchase your recipe ingredients
Progresso Recipe Starters recipe book, including 5 recipes to get you started
Baking dish
Measuring Cups
Sauce Scraper

 

To enter follow the directions below:

 

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28202f4/" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway

You can download a printable coupon for $.65 off the purchase of 1 can of Progresso® Recipe Starters Cooking Sauce here. 
Good Luck and Enjoy!!

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Baked Oatmeal with Pumpkin & Pears ♥ Recipe

Today's healthy breakfast recipe: Oatmeal baked with pumpkin plus fall fruit, pumpkin-pie spices and nuts. There's just enough pumpkin for color and moisture without making the oatmeal dense and heavy.

Come October 1, American-based food blogs take on a fevered orange tinge – pumpkin orange, that is – as we go cra-zee for pumpkin recipes. I have my own collection, My Favorite Pumpkin Recipes but am always happy to add another! "Never look a gift pumpkin in the face," I say, especially when it's a healthy pumpkin recipe. :-)

The last few weeks, I've been made one pan of Easy Baked Oatmeal after another, twice with blueberries and bananas, twice with apples and pears (and the all-important bananas), then twice more with pumpkin and pears (and more bananas). It took some tweaking to get the right amount of pumpkin and pumpkin-pie-type spices and the baking time right, but the last batch was just excellent.
Keep Reading ->>>

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Easy Broccoli Salad | Healthy Easy Broccoli Salad

Easy Broccoli Salad

Ingredients
2 heads fresh broccoli
1 red onion
1/2 pound bacon
3/4 cup raisins
3/4 cup sliced almonds
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

Directions

• Place bacon in a deep skillet and cook over medium-high heat until brown. Cool and crumble.
• Cut broccoli into pieces the size of a bite and cut the onion into thin slices bite size. Combine with the bacon, raisins, nuts and mix your favorites.
• To make the dressing, combine the mayonnaise, sugar and vinegar until smooth. Stir in the salad, cool and serve.

Broccoli

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Broccoli Rabe with Caramelized Onions Healthy Recipe | Healthy Vegetable Recipes Broccoli Rabe with Caramelized Onions

Broccoli Rabe with Caramelized Onions Recipe

Ingredients: 
Olive oil
1 yellow onion, sliced into slivers, lengthwise (with the grain)
1 large bunch of broccoli rabe (raab, rapini), rinsed and cut into 2-inch long pieces
2-3 garlic cloves, sliced
1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Procedures:
1. Heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in a large sauté pan on medium heat. Add the onions, spread out in a thin layer. Cook, stirring occasionally until softened and then lightly browned. (Tip: to speed up the caramelization process you can sprinkle a pinch of sugar over the onions.) If the onions start to dry out at all, lower the heat (you can add a little water to them too.) They should brown, but not get dried out.

2. After starting the onion, put a large pot of water to boil. Onions take at least 15 minutes to cook, so you'll have time to get the water boiling. Salt water (about a tablespoon of salt for 3 quarts of water). Prepare an ice bath, fill a large bowl halfway with ice water. Add the rabe to the boiling water. Boil for 1 minute. Use a slotted spoon to remove from water and place in ice bath to stop cooking. Shocking the rabe with ice water will also help keep the bright green rabe.
Note that some people bleach their rabe, some not. Rabe can be quite bitter, scalding and help take the edge off the bitterness. If your Arabic is not particularly bitter, or bitter vegetables like, is easy to skip this stage of bleaching.
Drain the rabe ice water. Use a clean cloth to gently squeeze the excess moisture from the Arabic.

3. Once the onions are lightly browned, remove from pan to a plate. Using the same pan, add another tablespoon of olive oil and heat the pan over high heat. Add the chili flakes. Once the chile flakes begins to sizzle, add the garlic. Once the garlic begins to brown at the edges only add broccoli rabe and onions. Stir well so that it gets rabe topped with olive oil. Cook over high heat until most of the moisture is gone, about 5 minutes if blanched first, a minute or more also if you skipped the blanching.

Broccoli Rabe 

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Chewy Chocolate Caramel Brownies

One Sunday afternoon my oldest daughter and I were both craving chocolate!!  I had  bought some Rollos and decided to make Chocolate Caramel Cookies, well problem was I forgot to buy the cake mix the recipe calls for so we made some adjustments to our plan and this is what we came up with. It was delicious and oh so simple!! Took a few to work the next morning and they got great reviews!

Chewy Chocolate Caramel Brownies
2 packages brownie mix
1/2 cup melted butter
1/2 cup milk
2 eggs
1 bag Rollos, unwrapped and cut in half

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Mix brownie mix, butter, milk and eggs together.  Spread on a greased cookie sheet.  Push the rollo halves in the batter with the cut side down. 

Bake for 20 minutes or until the edges just start to look a little crisp.

Cool and enjoy! Wish I would of got some individual pictures, but they didn't last very long!!

Double YUMMY!!

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Southwest Chicken Corn Chowder

It is getting to be soup season and I love it.  This is a good comfort food soup.  I was shocked that the kids LOVED it and my picky eater even went back for seconds.  The kidsate all but a little bit, so hubby did not even get to try it out.  It was delicious and very mild flavor so if you like more kick you'll need to add it, but for the kids it was perfect!

Southwest Chicken Corn Chowder
from Healthy Cooking
1 cup onions, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp. olive oil
2 cups chicken broth
1 can (10 3/4 oz.) Cream of Chicken Soup
2 cups chicken breast, cooked and cubed
1 (4 oz.) can chopped green chilies, drained
2 cans (14 3/4 oz. each) cream style corn
1 can (12 oz.) evaporated milk
1 can black beans (drained and rinsed)
3/4 teaspoon chili powder
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
shredded cheddar cheese
tortilla chips

Quick Version:
In a large pan saute the onion and garlic in the oil until tender.  Stir in the broth, soup, chicken and chilies until well blended.  Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; stir in the corn, beans, milk chili powder and cumin.  Heat through, but do not boil.

Crock Pot Version:
Put onions, garlic and oil in the bottom of the slow cooker and stir to coat.  Add the chicken (about 2-3 chicken breasts uncooked). Add the chicken broth, soup, chilies, chili powder and cumin.  Stir to mix. Cook on low for about 4 hours (or so).  About 1 hour before eating remove the chicken and dice it up put back in the crock pot and add the beans, corn and milk. Stit to mix.  Cook until heated through.  

   *Sprinkle each serving with cheese and if desired crushed tortilla chips (I used Ranch Doritos..Delicious!).

 

I will be making this one again soon!!

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Roasted Whole Red Onions Recipe ♥ with Sweet Potatoes & Rosemary

<< Today's colorful vegetable recipe: A double punch of vegetable color from small whole red onions and the cubes of sweet potatoes, roasted together in a sherry-sweetened broth with pungent rosemary. Not just vegan, "Vegan Done Real". >>

Wow. Talk about a flavor pop, both the onions and the sweet potatoes, roasted in a hot oven. Plus I love cooking two vegetables at the same time, fewer moving parts getting dinner on the table.

The trick is to find small red onions, I don't see them often, these came from the garden of our Minnesota friends the Rassmussens. But once you have small red onions, they're so pretty, it seems a shame to just cut them up. So this was a really special way to use small red onions, showing off their shape and color, really making the onions themselves stand out. If you had enough, you could do a dish with all red onions too, no sweet potatoes. Either one would add color to a buffet table, say. Plus people really like cooked onions!

FYI the photograph was taken before the dish went into the oven but the colors stayed really true out of the oven too.
Keep Reading ->>>

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