Sunday, June 21, 2009

A Couple of Ways With Curry

Someone asked me what I do with curry powder. I'm not sure how she knew I'm a fan of curry but I thought I'd post a couple of my favorite easy curry recipes. I have a more involved one for Green Curry too that we love and it's posted on Recipezaar if anyone wants to try it out. These are easy, family friendly, not too spicy but oh so yummy chicken dishes that we love as a family. Only one has curry powder but I hope I'll be forgiven.

Grilled Chicken with Curry Glaze
1/2 c. honey
1/4 c. prepared mustard
1/4 c. butter or margarine
2 T. finely chopped onion
2 T. water or fruit juice (I use apple)
1 clove garlic, minced
3 tsp. curry powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp ginger
chicken - I use thighs but can use breasts, or whole cut up chicken
salt and pepper

Combine the first 10 ingredients in a small sauce pan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly to a boil. Stir and cook 2 minutes more; remove from heat and set aside. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Grill meat until nearly done. Brush curry sauce on the meat during the last part of the cooking time. Turn and coat the other side. Keep turning and adding sauce until the sauce is used up, allowing 1 or 2 minutes between turns to allow the sauce to cook onto the meat.

Chicken in Peanut Curry
2 (15 oz) cans coconut milk
2 T red curry paste
1/4 c. creamy peanut butter
4 tsp sugar
4 tsp fish sauce
4 chicken breasts, diced
1 T minced garlic
1 onion, cut into wedges


In a medium saucepan heat coconut milk, curry paste, peanut butter, sugar, and fish sauce until they come to a very small boil. Set aside. Stir fry onion and garlic. Add chicken and cook until chicken is cooked through. Add sauce and cook until slightly thickened. Season with salt if needed. Serve over rice. May also add fresh basil and/or cilantro if desired. This would also be good with any of the following: red pepper, mushrooms, bamboo shoots, chopped peanuts. Whatever sounds good to you.

Friday, June 5, 2009

CLOSED FOR BUSINESS: Keolani's Courier Service

Since the dawn of time the secretary's at my kid's schools have known who I am. For the obvious reasons, but also for another one. I have raised the most forgetful kids on the planet. In elementary school it was glasses and lunches. Now it's SSR books, homework, paper lunch sacks (for what? twice? in two days? give me a break) and orchestra dresses. Every time a kids calls, I drop what I'm doing, rearrange my life, go into the school and let the secretary give me the look. You know the look. The one that says "You're an idiot and so are your kids." My sister, who has finished raising her kids, told me that she had a very strict rule about bringing things to the school once a year for each kid. I thought that was crazy. Once? What if they are hungry? What if they can't see? What if they get a bad grade? In third grade. Because it matters then? Well, at this point I'm saying ENOUGH!!!! I have NOT raised responsible, independent people. And the oldest is the worst one! She has called me 3, I repeat 3 times this week. The first time I said "no way." Then she had the nerve to say "that's ok, I can't bring it tomorrow." Let me get this right. You were going to make me drop everything, rearrange my life, go into the school and let the secretary give me the look, but you don't really need it? The next day she called again for the same item. So, of course, I say "no way." "That's ok," she said. "We have enough without mine." ARE YOU FREAKIN KIDDING ME????? Does she not realize that my going to her school could make the difference in whether I get breakfast or not? I work till 2:30 with no lunch. Breakfast is not optional. So today she calls again. Obviously fearful. She doesn't need to be fearful, just very, very, very, very sorry. She forgot her orchestra dress to turn in. Now, this is something I can get on board with. She doesn't turn it in and it costs me money. I think Kathy had it right - I hate when that happens. Next year I'm thinking they each have one (maybe two, maybe three - you see my problem here) chance. Maybe being hungry once will teach them.