#40: Mostly Green Curry Chicken Over Coconut Jasmine Rice

This recipe had to be one of the easiest in the book, or at least with the shortest directions. Chop everything. Put in pan. Cook. I actually made this for company so I got distracted and forgot to take a picture or accurately time how long this took me to make. Although the flavors were there, it lacked some color. I would suggest adding red instead of green peppers but I don't think the flavors of the red would go quite as well. Maybe yellow? Or perhaps add corn instead of peas, even though the peas were a nice touch. All of the vegetables that were added were green or white and it just needed something for contrast.

That being said, this is a winner. As I said, extremely easy, tasty and I love the coconut rice, I think I'll have to make that on a regular basis.

Time: 34 minutes, with less efficient than normal chopping time and a break to answer the door.

Things to remeber: Find something not green for garnish?

226: Chicken and Sweet Potato Curry-in-a-Hurry

I was getting bored with safe recipes. Needed something a little spicier. I didn't think that I would be able to find curry powder/paste around here, but then a friend said it's available at the supermarket. Duh. And now I realize there's an Indian grocer down the street.

2 lbs of chicken seemed reasonable when I was buying it, but while chopping I realized just how much that was. This recipe definitely makes more than the promised 4 servings. Most of her meals that call for 1 or 1.5 lbs of meat last me for 4-5 meals. This one will probably last me for at least 6 or 7 plus a lunch. I'm sure that this meal will freeze nicely though so I can break it back out in a week or two.

Next time I would cut the peppers into smaller strips (I kept them the full length of the pepper) and be more careful about cutting the sweet potatoes into thin pieces, no more than 1/2 an inch. I bought a sweet potato that more closely resembled a nerf football, and I cut it into wedges that were closer to 3/4 or 1 inch thick. The problem with this was that they needed more than the prescribed 3-4 minutes at the beginning of the recipe to cook and because they were still slightly raw, I needed to simmer the mixture longer.

Figuring that half-and-half would be comparable to light cream, since the supermarket only had a small thing of light cream and I hate wasting things, I went ahead and used the light cream. I should have referenced my What Einstein Told His Cook by Robert Wolke, because the light cream did not give the dish the same texture as regular cream or half and half would have.

After completion, my apartment smelled delicious, and my sweatshirt absorbed in the curry scent. I spent the next day sniffing my clothes :D The meal was equally delicious although it was missing some slight flavoring. I think a dash of cinnamon might help.

Total time: 37 min. (the extra simmering added time, but it still would have taken me longer than 30 minutes)

For next time: cut peppers and sweet potatoes smaller, use the biggest pan possible, use heavy cream or half and half and add cinnamon.

My gourmet dinner:

A Concept

After much pondering, I've decided on a blog theme. Something that will catapult me to the same level as veganlunchbox and pinkisthenewblog. Reviewing my Rachael Ray dinners. Honestly, as an ISTJ I document time and improvements to recipes I try so I figured I might as well document my cooking.

What got the wheels in my head turning was an article in the NY Times (I'm pretty sure) where a reporter followed some of her recipes. However, she was not such a big fan and had trouble finishing the recipes in under 30 minutes. I believed this was a travesty as one recipe (salmon with honey-lime glaze) took me about 20 to complete and plate.

For your reference, I own 365: No Repeats. And yes, I really am another Rachel R.