A week of 10 year anniversaries...

It's been a week of remembering events that happened 10 years ago, and my personal story is no different. While we were engulfed in the 9/11 tragedy, I was preparing to move to a different state, further away from home than I had ever lived. People that week repeatedly asked me why I would move to the Washington, DC, area from Pittsburgh, given the awful attacks. Yet I didn't feel unsafe. Unfortunately, there is no area in the world that is truly safe. I was excited to start a new phase of my life, yet, like everyone else in this country at the time, I was in a cloud of uncertainty about what would happen next.

Now, 10 years later on this very day, I've gone from driving my car packed with my belongings, my dad following behind driving the moving van, wondering where I would find work and how I would make new friends, to a day where I woke up next to my husband of 6 years in our home in Clarendon, with our 1-year-old daughter peacefully sleeping in the next room. It's such a wonderful contrast, it brings tears to my eyes as I type. God is good.

It's good to reflect on where we've been and how far we've come. We can see hope in the midst of tragedy and uncertainty. We can see love bloom where we didn't know it would grow. We can see that some dreams do come true. We can know for certain that there is redemption.

In honor of 10 years of living in Northern Virginia, I submit to you one of my new favorite recipes for a cuisine I didn't try until I moved here -- Indian food. It's not spicy, just savory and delicious. (I know many people who say they don't want to eat Indian food because it's too spicy. Not so here.)

So here's to trying new things, to future hopes and dreams, and to the next 10 years!

Chicken Tikka Masala
(Courtesy of Redbook)

Ingredients:

From the pantry -
2 T. unsalted butter
1 1/2 tsp. each garam masala, garlic puree, and minced fresh ginger
1 (14 oz) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, drained well
1 (15 oz) jar tikka masala cooking sauce
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk

Fresh ingredients -
1 1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 2-inch chunks
1 cup diced onion
1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Accompaniments -
cooked basmati rice with green peas - (follow cooking directions on the rice package, adding frozen peas while the rice boils)
Cucumber Raita  - optional - (see below for recipe)

Method:

1. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat; add chicken and cook 4 minutes, turning pieces as they brown (chicken will still be raw in middle); remove to a plate.

2. Add onion, garam masala, garlic, and ginger to skillet; saute 5 minutes, or until onion is translucent. Stir in tomatoes and saute 2 minutes longer.

3. Add tikka masala sauce and bring mixture to a boil; cover skillet and simmer 10 minutes. Add chicken to sauce and stir in coconut milk. Continue to simmer, uncovered, 5 minutes, or until chicken is just cooked through. Stir in cilantro. Serve over cooked basmati rice with green peas and Cucumber Raita.

Makes 6 servings.
Each serving: 278 cal, 15 g fat, 25 g protein, 10 g carb

Cucumber Raita: Coarsely grate 1/2 of a long seedless cucumber and squeeze out most of its water. Combine in a bowl with 1 cup thick Greek yogurt and 1/2 tsp. each salt, ground cumin, and dried mint. Makes 1 cup.

Quick Weeknight Meal: Chicken Cobb Salad

One of my good friends is always asking me what I'm making for dinner so she can find some inspiration in the kitchen. Sometimes I'm taking an adventurous route and trying a new recipe, though most nights I'm making the go-to dishes I've posted on this blog. One of the new dishes I've tried recently is this yummy and colorful Chicken Cobb Salad. It was an easy and delicious meal that didn't require cooking - just assembling. (Though I did cook the bacon and hard boiled the eggs a day ahead.) I hardly knew what to do with myself after dinner when there weren't any pots and pans to wash!

Most salads seem to be on the lighter side but this one was even filling enough to keep my hungry husband satisfied - a definite plus. You can bet I'll be making this one again. Plus, I'm always willing to hang up my dish gloves for a night!


Chicken Cobb Salad
(Recipe adapted from "Everyday Food")

Ingredients:
4 slices bacon (4 oz.)
3 T. red-wine vinegar
2 T. olive oil
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 large head romaine lettuce, shredded
8 oz. cooked chicken breast (or roasted turkey), cut into 3/4-inch dice (2 cups) - (I use pre-cooked packaged Perdue grilled chicken breast strips.)
1/2 ripe avocado, pitted, peeled, and cut into 1/2-inch dice
3 oz. feta (or blue cheese), crumbled (3/4 cup)
2 hard-cooked eggs, cut into 1/4-inch dice
1 handful of grape tomatoes
Coarse salt and fresh ground pepper

Method:
Cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp on both sides, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate to drain. Let cool, then crumble the bacon. (This step can be done ahead of time.)

In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, oil, and mustard. Place the lettuce on a serving platter, and toss with the dressing. Arrange the remaining ingredients on the lettuce as desired, and season with salt and pepper.

Leftovers Revamped with Peruvian Chicken Dish

Leftovers really have a bad reputation, though I'm not sure why. I mean, I live for leftovers. In a mere few minutes, I have ready-to-eat, no-fuss food. Maybe combining the words "left" and "over" has a negative connotation, as if the extra food isn't worthwhile. Poor leftovers. Don't worry, you're always welcome in my house.

Leftovers will be happily eaten in my family if they are this Peruvian-Style Roasted Chicken dish, as pictured. I'd categorize this as a quick weeknight meal only if you have about an hour and a half to chop the ingredients and let the dish bake, but not many of us have that kind of time in the evening. So make this on the weekend when you have more time, and then come Monday morning, you'll have great leftovers for lunch or even dinner. I love this dish because of the delicious combination of flavors and the chicken ends up melting in your mouth. And it's pretty healthy as well. Bring on the leftovers!


Peruvian-Style Roasted Chicken
Courtesy of Whole Foods
(http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/2510)

Ingredients:
1 1/2 tsp. canola oil, plus more for oiling the pan
1 1/2 T. sweet paprika (regular paprika is fine)
1 T. ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp. fine sea salt
1 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 1/2 T. white wine vinegar
2 large sweet onions, peeled and thickly sliced (definitely use sweet onions, not regular onions, otherwise the dish won't taste as good)
1 chicken, cut into 10 serving pieces* (I used 2-3 chicken breasts instead.)
2 red or yellow bell peppers, cored, seeded and cut into chunks
1 lemon, sliced

Method:
Preheat oven to 425°F. Oil a large roasting pan and set aside. In a small bowl, combine paprika, cumin, salt, pepper, garlic, vinegar and oil to make a paste. Place onions in a large bowl and toss with 2 tablespoons of the paste. Rub chicken pieces with remaining paste and place in prepared pan, then cover with onions, peppers and lemon. Roast, basting occasionally with pan juices, until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are very tender, about 45 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest 5 minutes before serving. Serve over rice.

Easy Entertaining: Mexican Lasagna

I love, love, love, Mexican food.  But I haven't really ventured into making anything but tacos and quesadillas at home.  Now, I don't know whether Mexican lasagna really counts as true Mexican food, but in my Yankee mind, it must come close since the flavors are all there.  This is a great dish that I've made several times in several different ways -- a few times I added a can of refried beans to the layers (good but a little difficult to spread), and sometimes I don't add cilantro or the jalapenos.  The good thing about this recipe is that it's delicious and makes enough for company, a large family, or simply for seconds (and thirds).

Mexican Lasagna
(Adapted by Kelly Oliver from Robin Miller's "Quick Fix Meals")

Ingredients:
Cooking spray
12 ounces cooked chicken, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 3 cups)
1 cup sour cream (regular or low-fat)
1 can black beans, drained (optional)
(NOTE: I usually use a bag of the Mexican blended shredded cheese for the cheese in this recipe, rather than using these two different kinds of cheeses.)
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (regular or low-fat), divided
1 cup shredded Cheddar (regular or low-fat), divided
½ cup mild, medium or hot salsa
1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chiles
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1 teaspoon ground chili powder
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
8 (6-inch) corn tortillas, cut into 6 wedges (I usually use about 10 tortillas.)
Salt, to taste (I like to use at least 1/4 tsp.)

Method:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Coat an 11 by 7-inch baking pan with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine chicken, sour cream, black beans, 3/4 cup of the Monterey Jack cheese, 3/4 cup of the Cheddar, salsa, chiles, cilantro, chili powder, and cayenne pepper. Mix well and set aside.

Arrange half of the tortilla pieces in the bottom of prepared pan, overlapping pieces slightly to cover the surface. Top with half of the chicken mixture and smooth over with the back of a spoon to even the top. Layer remaining tortillas over top, and spoon over remaining chicken mixture. Top with remaining 1/4 cup each of Monterey Jack and cheddar cheeses. 

Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 30 more minutes, until top is golden and bubbly. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

To reheat, bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 15 minutes.

Easy Chicken BBQ

When you're in the mood for BBQ, where do you go? If you're in the DC area, I suggest Rockland's (various locations) or the Dixie Pig (Chinatown). If you're from the South, you might wince at those suggestions, but to this Yankee, those are pretty good places. I will probably have to update those BBQ suggestions because Chris and I will be feasting on BBQ from the Salt Lick near Austin, Texas, later this week. We've heard a ton of rave reviews - even from native Texans - about the Salt Lick so it should be pretty good. It's our first vacation to Texas, and I'm very excited.

Today, I was craving some BBQ but feeling like a homebody, so I made my own. Hey, it's probably not as good as the Salt Lick but it's a delicious substitute. Here's the recipe:

Easy Chicken BBQ

Ingredients:

4-6 chicken breasts

1 bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce, plus an extra cup for sandwiches

Sandwich buns

Method:

Spray inside of the slow cooker lightly with cooking spray. Put chicken breasts into the slow cooker and top with the entire bottle of the BBQ sauce. Set on low setting for approximately 4-6 hours (check your slow cooker because cooking times vary). Shred the chicken when it's finished. To serve, top each sandwich bun with a nice amount of the BBQ. Add a little extra sauce on top of each sandwich, and serve.