Spices: Review and Chicken Curry

Last year my mom got a house down in Delaware near the Lewes and Rehoboth beaches.  In Rehoboth there is a spice shop called The Spice and Tea Exchange (www.spiceandtea.com) which I have walked into and oogled every time I go down for the past year.  Seriously, the smell of the place makes your mouth water.  I'd been wanting to buy some spices, but never had the money when I walked in (I have mentioned to you all how poor I am, right?).  So I simply oohed and aahed and dreamed. 

This time around I made certain I reserved a little money to buy some spices to try at home.  Now I'm generally a very simple cook.  I use a few staple herbs (from my awesome pot garden this summer!) and spices that I keep on hand for most every dish I make.  So as I was browsing I decided I would aim for some more exotic flavors that I've never tried.  These are what I ended up with:

From Left: Moroccan Seasoning, Malaysian Ginger Curry, Ginger Teriyaki

I've only had a chance to use one so far, the Malaysian Ginger Curry, and I used it to make—what else?—CURRY!  Now I've never been a huge fan of spicy food, and most curries are described as spicy, so for years I was afraid to try one.  Until one night several years ago when a friend we were living with invited us to share some he had made.  I was surprised how delicious it was.  So here I am, years later, trying to make it myself.
 **Warning: this is NOT a traditional Indian curry by any means.  It is an Americanized version.**

To review the spice blend first, I'd like to say that a little goes a long way.  As you can see from the picture above (which was taken after I made the curry) you can't tell I used any.  In fact I used 2 tsps and that was more than enough to give powerful flavor to the dish.  This particular blend has more dimension to it than the grocery store kind my friend used, so it makes for a much more interesting dish.

Mine came out a little thin, but thickened in fridge the next day

Crock-Pot Curry Chicken
Serves 4 with leftovers (or 2 for several days)
Ingredients:

• 1 large chicken breast (you could also use boneless thighs) cut into 1" cubes
• 1 Tblsp vegetable oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 larger potatoes, cubed (I used red-skin potatoes)
• 3-4 large carrots, cut into 1" chunks (thicker is better here)
• 1/2 to 1 cup frozen peas
• 1/2 cup cream (or milk)
• 1 can condensed cream of chicken soup
• 2 tsp curry powder 
• Water (or homemade stock) to cover
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• Cornstarch to thicken (if desired)

Directions:

1. Heat vegetable oil in non-stick skillet over medium heat.
2. Cube chicken breast and season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of curry seasoning.
3. Brown chicken in skillet on all sides.  Remove from pan and set into bottom of crock-pot or slow-cooker.
4. Sweat onions in skillet to soften.  Add garlic after 2 minutes.  Once onions and garlic take on a soft, translucent look add them to crock-pot.
5. Add carrots and potatoes to crock-pot.
6. Add condensed soup, cream/milk, water/stock and curry seasoning.
7. Stir to combine.  Salt and Pepper to taste.  Cover and set on low for 4-6 hours.
8. 10-15 minutes before serving, add frozen peas.
9. If curry is too thin for your taste, mix 1 Tblsp cornstarch and 1-2 Tblsp water and add to curry a few minutes before serving (leave pot uncovered for best thickening results).
10. Serve over rice and enjoy!

Neglected

I'm sorry I have left you adoring fans (all 2 of you) waiting so long for a new post.  I promise to be better with my new move.  We are moving to Royersford tomorrow, so hopefully I will have more energy to make more creative dishes.  In the meantime, I will provide you with a delicious dinner recommendation.

If you live in an area where you can find a Melting Pot, I highly suggest visiting them.  I had the great fortune that my Mom took me and my family out to eat there for my birthday 2 weeks ago.  Now their food is all wonderful, and what you really go for is the experience.  For those of you wondering what experience I'm speaking of, the Melting Pot is a fondue restaurant.  If the word conjures images of cheesy 1970's movies and boxes of un-opened sets from every wedding since the 60's, you're on the right track.  Yes, we are talking that kind of fondue.  Trust me though, it is worth a try!  The melting pot offers meals for 1 or 2, as they mostly cater to couples or groups of 4.  For a set price you get 4 courses, the appetizer (aka Cheese course), salad, entree, and dessert.

The appetizer course you and your group choose a cheese fondue concoction from the listed menu choices and the server makes it for you at your table.  You are provided with skewers with which you pierce chunks of crusty bread, vegetables, and apples to dip in the ooey-gooey goodness.  Next each person receives an individual salad.  Then comes the entree, an assortment of meats and vegetables (from pork loin to filet mignon, from shrimp to lobster) cut into bite sized pieces for you to cook in your choice of cooking methods (coq au vin, traditional oil, vegetable broth, etc.).

Lastly is the dessert course, which is (of course) my favorite.  You are provided with fresh strawberries, bananas, cheesecake, Rice Krispies Treats®, marshmallows, pound cake and brownies to dip into your choice of delectable chocolate fondue.  Because we had 7 people in our party, we enjoyed having 2 chocolatey concoctions to choose from.  Our first was the weekly special, a "Dark and Dulche" fondue.  Dark chocolate, caramel cream and sea salt swirled together in perfect harmony.  The second choice was my favorite listed on the menu, partially just for it's name: "The Flaming Turtle".  Yes you read that right, the Flaming Turtle.  Remember those amazing pecan and caramel candies from your youth?  They've made a comeback.  Milk chocolate, caramel, and pecans, on flambé.   Decadent enough for you?

I can tell you, I will be coming back for my anniversary or valentines day, even if it is only for dessert!

Stay sweet,
     -Z.Q.  <3

Good Music, Good Friends, Good Food

I went with some friends to watch one of my absolute favorite bands, Ludo at the Note in West Chester, PA and found not only a decent bar, but some rather astounding bar food.  I myself went with a rather simple bacon cheese fries, but was given a masterpiece of cheese, fried potatoes, and crispy salty bacon, paired with homemade ketchup.  It was awesome, I only wish I could have eaten it faster before it coagulated into one large mass of cheese and starch.

However my fries were nothing compared to the Ultimate Heart Attack Elvis Burger my friend Mike got.  A cheeseburger with peanut butter sandwiched between 2, count em, 2 grilled cheese sandwiches instead of buns.  Now that is one scary sandwich!

Afterward we enjoyed the show and had an all round good time with very fully bellies!  If you're in the area, I definitely suggest catching a show and grabbing some grub.

Delectable Diner Desserts

A Thursday night tradition for my friends and I, we love our diner nights. No Diner night is complete without an assortment of desserts to share across the table after our dinners. If there is one thing that our local 24/7 hangout does right, it is dessert.



I ordered a Cookies and Cream cake. The filling is the best part. I suspect it is comprised mainly of cream cheese, powdered sugar and cookie crumbs.


Shawn ordered a new comer to our diner's dessert list, the Eclair cake. As you can see it has an actual eclair inside the cake! I didn't get to try it, but it looked so yummy.



Eventually I had to recruit some help from my bud Joel to finish my cake.



In the end we were triumphant and quite full.

Breakfast Goodies

To start off, in honor of St. Patrick's Day I have my St. Patrick's donut:



Next is a real breakfast treat. Down the street from my work is a little bagel shop where they make homemade bagels fresh every morning, they close up shop when they run out of bagels. If there is ever a place to have a bagel, it's here (or some where like it in your home town). I just adore finding hidden jewels like this. This particular place is on US 322 in New Jersey, just over the bridge from PA.


And here is the product of such devoted and loving Bagel makers. One simple, perfect bagel.