Fab Foodie Mama

Every year at this time I start cooking more often.  September and October always feel 'new' to me.  The start of the new school year, I guess.  Even though we are still in the grasp of the Covid-19 pandemic, schools are in session.  Some in person, some virtual, some masking, others maskless; but kids are back to learning.  And Foodie Mama s back to cooking. This recipe I made up on my own and it was delicious.  So easy.  Rachel bought me an Instapot last year for Christmas and I adore how fast it cooks chicken breasts.  They always come out juicy; it is really foolproof. I was in the mood for Mexican, but not with a lot of creamy sauces.  This recipe for chicken salsa verde can be used with tacos, enchiladas (which is how I served it tonight) or even as a base for white bean chicken chlli.  Using jarred salsa verde took all the guesswork out with regard to spices and measuring.  Just add salt, pepper and lime juice to taste, after...

There are many recipes for Indian butter chicken.  Along with Tikka Masala, these two are the most popular Indian dishes in the US.  I have made several recipes and this one is a combination of several found on NYT Cooking and Allrecipes.  I used a mish mash of spices and cooking techniques that I think work the best.  This version has a kick; add less cayenne pepper of you prefer a milder sauce.  Serve with naan and basmati rice. Slow Cooker Butter Chicken  (Serves 6) Ingredients: 3 lb boneless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into bite sized pieces 4 t garam masala 4 t curry powder 2 t cumin 1 t cardamom 1 t cayenne pepper 2 t ground ginger salt and pepper to taste 5 T butter 1 yellow onion, minced 2 T lemon juice 4 cloves garlic, minced 1 small can tomato paste (6 oz) 2 C water 1 can (14 oz) unsweetened coconut milk 1 C heavy whipping cream Fresh cilantro for garnish Directions: In a small bowl, mix together the garam masala, ...

Long, cold winters require many nights of comforting, warm, delicious food.  This creamy chicken tetrazzini recipe fits the bill.  This is one I found in a Paula Deen magazine and I modified it a it to be more kid (and fussy husband) friendly, removing the peas and mushrooms, which you can certainly add as desired.  The photo below is Paula's.  I have made this 3-4 times in the last 2 months but I seem to always forget to snap a photo. Stay warm.  Only 2 1/2 weeks until Spring 2020. Chicken Tetrazzini Ingredients: 1/2 C butter 1 C chopped onion 2 t minced garlic 1/3 C flour 1 T minced fresh thyme or dried equivalent 1/2 t salt 1/4 t black pepper 3 C chicken broth 1 C heavy whipping cream 3 C cooked shredded chicken 1 (5 oz) package shredded Parmesan cheese 1/4 C panko breadcrumbs 2 t EVOO 1 (16 oz) package egg noodles, cooked according to package directions Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large pan, melt butter over med...

Happy Summer, Foodie Followers!  I hope you are enjoying the fab weather, as I am here in the U.P..  However, no such luck of any resemblance to the 'lazy days of Summer'; we have been booked almost every day, and certainly every weekend since Memorial Day. The most notable thing I did this season, was back in late June/Early July, I traveled to Chennai, India for my brother's wedding.  It was an absolutely amazing experience to meet my new sister in law's family, to be immersed in the culture of South India for a week and of course, enjoying all of the amazing food.* I will be getting some recipes for some of the chutneys I had over there which I will add soon.  These two dishes here are not necessarily representative of Chennai or South Indian cooking, but delicious nonetheless and which I have made recently.  Chicken Biryani, is a drier, rice based dish with origins mainly in North India, but it has spread to all parts of the country.  Korma is also ...

My Grandma's Italian Style Chicken (aka Chicken Cacciatore ) is a quirky one and a tough one to get right consistently.  I'm going to try it here in real time and blog about it as I go. So far I have assembled a cut up chicken, with the skin kept on, in a roasting pan with a few tablespoons of olive oil in the bottom.  I'm realizing that my pan is a bit too small.  I preheated the oven to 350 degrees and placed the chicken, seasoned with salt, pepper, onion powder and garlic powder, uncovered in the oven until the skin gets browned and a bit crispy.  I'm hoping the bottom pieces get crispy or else I may switch them around in the pan during cooking. So,  after 15 minutes, I took the chicken out.  The top pieces were getting browned, but not underneath.  What I did was transfer the chicken to a larger roasting pan, spreading the pieces out more evenly and adding more oil and spices.  I set timer for 15 more minutes.  Note to self, ge...