Chicken Tikka Masala

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Chicken Tikka MasalaI first had chicken tikka masala a couple of years ago at a nice little Indian restaurant near college with some friends. It looked fairly typical. Chicken. Rice. Reddish, orange sauce. Little did I know I was going to have a flavor EXPLOSION in my mouth. Wow, I was in for a delicious surprise.

Chicken Tikka MasalaIn very general terms, tikka masala is a tomato and cream based sauce with a slew of spices added. It’s very hard to describe to someone who has never had it but it’s a flavor that you will for sure remember once you have had it. It’s kind of spicy and earthy and warm. Yeah…that was a horrible description. I don’t even know what that means. Needless to say, I am seriously drooling right now and wondering how I can come up with a last minute version of this with what is in my house because we are out of leftovers.

Chicken Tikka MasalaBefore I had this dish at that Indian restaurant, I never really even knew what tikka masala was let alone attempt to make it! Now I LOVE to make it and crave it often. As in I crave it every time I am coming up with the weekly menu.

Now, this is for sure not a recipe based off of traditional Indian cooking techniques. If that’s what you’re looking for, you’re probably better off somewhere else. I grew up Slovak in a house where pierogi and stuffed cabbage were the menu items, not Indian cuisine. However, I find this dish delicious and packed with flavors similar to what I remember from my first tikka masala experience. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Chicken Tikka Masala

Chicken Tikka Masala
Serves 6
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Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
45 min
Total Time
1 hr
Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
45 min
Total Time
1 hr
Ingredients
  1. 2 pounds boneless chicken breasts, cubed
  2. 1 tablespoon olive oil
  3. 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
  4. 2 tablespoons butter
  5. 1/2 onion, finely chopped
  6. 4 cloves garlic, minced
  7. 1 tablespoon dried cumin
  8. 1 teaspoon salt
  9. 1/2 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
  10. 1/2-1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, to taste
  11. 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  12. 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
  13. 1 can no salt added tomato sauce (14 ounce)
  14. 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  15. 2 teaspoons paprika
  16. 1 tablespoon white sugar
Instructions
  1. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and curry powder. Sear chicken until just cooked through. Remove chicken from the skillet and set aside.
  2. Reduce heat to medium. Add butter to the skillet. When the butter is melted, add the onion and sauté until the onion starts to become translucent. Add the garlic and sauté 1 additional minute. Add the cumin, salt, ginger, cayenne pepper, cinnamon, and turmeric. Sauté 2 minutes.
  3. Reduce heat to low and stir in tomato sauce. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in whipping cream, paprika, and sugar. Simmer another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  4. Return chicken to the skillet with the sauce and let simmer for about 5 minutes. Serve over rice.
Notes
  1. This can get pretty spicy depending on how much cayenne pepper you add. If you do not like it spicy, try using the 1/2 teaspoon (or less) of cayenne pepper. This is definitely best over rice because the rice gets coated in the delicious sauce as well.
Adapted from All Recipes | Curry Stand Chicken Tikka Masala
Adapted from All Recipes | Curry Stand Chicken Tikka Masala
Flavor From Scratch https://www.flavorfromscratch.com/

Orange Pomegranate Coleslaw

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I have no clue why pomegranate popped into my head the other day but it did. When something pops into my head I tend make it a personal challenge to use that ingredient. Well, I happened to have about half a head of red cabbage left after making veggie packed peanut butter pasta for the 1,000th time. Hence, the orange pomegranate coleslaw was born.

If you are afraid of pomegranate, please don’t be! It’s really simple to work with. I just cut mine in half and put both halves in a bowl of water. I broke it apart easily with my hands, pulling the seeds out as I went. The theory is that the white pulp/shell will float and the seeds will sink. It works simply enough with a little time. Once you have the seeds pulled out, skim the pulp off the top of the water and drain the seeds.

Pomegranate seeds are like little explosions in your mouth. It’s seriously a strange sensation at first. It’s like a little pocket of sweet juice with every bite. The seeds are also a bit crunchy so it adds nice flavor and crunch to the coleslaw!

I am not a huge fan of coleslaw. I’m not opposed, but it is for sure not my go-to side dish. I think it’s the mayonnaise and the bland looking mix of cabbage. It’s so…well, blah. It’s time to take your coleslaw to the next level! The red cabbage definitely adds some visual appeal to the mix and the bright pomegranate seeds are a beautiful addition.

Orange Pomegranate Coleslaw
Serves 8
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Prep Time
10 min
Prep Time
10 min
Ingredients
  1. 1/2 large head of red cabbage, shredded (about 8 cups)
  2. 1 pomegranate, seeds removed
  3. 1 1/2 cups roughly chopped walnuts
  4. 1 cup raisins
  5. 1/4 cup orange juice
  6. 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
  7. 1/4 cup honey
  8. 1 tablespoon mustard
  9. 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
  1. Toss together red cabbage, pomegranate seeds, walnuts, and raisins in a a large bowl.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk together orange juice, apple cider vinegar, honey, mustard, and salt. Pour over coleslaw mixture and toss until combined.
Notes
  1. This recipe lasts in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. To remove the seeds from the pomegranate, I cut the pomegranate in half and placed it in a bowl of water. The white pulp should float as you break the halves apart with your hands and the seeds will sink. Skim off the pulp and drain the water to get the seeds.
Flavor From Scratch https://www.flavorfromscratch.com/
 

Pumpkin Roll

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A couple of weeks ago Travis’ parents came up to Michigan to enjoy some time together. We ended up at a corn maze, which was so much fun! Travis basically has a map in his brain at all times so despite the many turns we took, we (as a group) did not end up lost. I was lost pretty much the moment we got into the maze…I wish that was a lie but it’s not. I will be the first to admit that I am directionally challenged. Good thing I married someone with a map in their brain. Makes life less stressful on my end.

Anyways, my mother-in-law brought me a pie pumpkin that had to made into something! First step…pumpkin purée. Easy peasy. When I asked what I should do with the pumpkin purée, my husband practically shouted “PUMPKIN ROLL.” That may be a slight exaggeration but it was a very quick response. He must have already been prepared for that question.

The most wonderful thing about pumpkin roll like this one is that it actually gets better the longer it sits. So you can make it a few days in advance and it will be better than right after you make it! *AWESOME*. I like to think the time the cake and frosting/filling sit together in the fridge gives them time to become friends. That’s probably weird.

Whether you eat this an hour after you make it or 3 days after you make it, be prepared for some yumminess. It’s like fall encompassed in a perfect little package. Just make it. Seriously.

Pumpkin Roll
Serves 8
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Prep Time
45 min
Cook Time
15 min
Total Time
1 hr
Prep Time
45 min
Cook Time
15 min
Total Time
1 hr
For the cake
  1. 3 eggs
  2. 1 cup sugar
  3. 2/3 cup pumpkin purée
  4. 3/4 cup flour
  5. 1 teaspoon baking soda
  6. 1 teaspoons cinnamon
  7. 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  8. 1/4 teaspoon cloves
  9. 1/4 teaspoon ginger powder
  10. 1/4 teaspoon salt
  11. 1/4 cup powdered sugar (to roll the cake in, see directions)
For the frosting
  1. 1 package cream cheese (8 ounces), softened
  2. 5 tablespoons butter, softened
  3. 1 cup powdered sugar
  4. 1 teaspoon vanilla
For the cake
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease an 11x17 jelly roll pan and line with parchment paper. Grease and lightly flour the parchment paper.
  2. Beat together the eggs and sugar. Mix in the pumpkin purée.
  3. In a separate bowl, blend the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, and salt. Add to wet ingredients and mix until just combined.
  4. Pour into prepared jelly roll pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes, or until the center springs back when pressed.
  5. Sprinkle powdered sugar liberally over kitchen towel. When the cake comes out of the oven, immediately turn onto the towel, remove the parchment paper, and roll up with the towel inside. Let cool for 30 minutes.
For the frosting
  1. Beat together all the frosting ingredients.
To prepare
  1. Unroll the cake, spread the frosting in an even layer, and roll back into a log.
  2. Wrap with parchment paper then foil. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.
Notes
  1. If you use a smaller pan to bake the cake in, you may have to bake slightly longer until the edges start to stiffen and the middle of the cake feels done. You can easily freeze this once it is rolled into a log and wrapped up. Before serving, place in the fridge for at least 1-2 hours to defrost.
Adapted from Libby's
Adapted from Libby's
Flavor From Scratch https://www.flavorfromscratch.com/

 

 

Pumpkin Purée

Pumpkin PureeFall is officially in full swing. Apples. Pumpkin patches. Corn mazes. Warm beverages. Cider and donuts. EVERYTHING pumpkin flavored. Literally everything. I’m a pumpkin fan so I really can’t complain. In fact, I’m going to celebrate the pumpkin craze by sharing this pumpkin purée “recipe” that is really just instructions on something ridiculously basic.

Pumpkin PureeFunny story. One time my husband and I were young and silly and decided to make pumpkin purée at his college apartment. We went to the store to find a nice pumpkin to roast and purée. We got back and cut it apart, like I do in this recipe. We roasted it for what seems like forever…much longer than the recipe we were looking at. We very slowly and with much effort scooped the flesh out of the skin and attempted to purée it. We eventually made it work only to realize later that you don’t just use any old pumpkin to make purée. You use pie pumpkins.

Pumpkin PureeTake this story as a lesson. Please, please, don’t use a regular pumpkin. You will be tired and sad and covered in pumpkin guts. It’s not a pretty sight. So when I actually tried this again with a pie pumpkin, I realized that there is a reason that the “pie” in “pie pumpkin” isn’t optional if you want to maintain your sanity. Or at least what’s left of your sanity. You don’t even have to scoop the flesh out because the skin actually peels off easily (see below)!

Pumpkin PureeOnce you try making your own pumpkin purée, you will realize the many cans of pumpkin purée you bought could have been made easily at home. Also, this freezes wonderfully to use after pumpkins are replaced with snow and Christmas trees so no excuses!!

Pumpkin Puree

Pumpkin Purée
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Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
45 min
Total Time
1 hr
Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
45 min
Total Time
1 hr
Ingredients
  1. 1 pie pumpkin
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Cut of the top of the pumpkin then cut in half. Scoop out the seeds and pulp (save the seeds to bake and snack on!). Cut pumpkin into large chunks. I cut mine into about 8 pieces total.
  3. Bake for 45 minutes on ungreased baking sheet.
  4. Peel off the skin and puree a few pieces at a time in a food processor. You can also use a blender if you add a splash of water.
Notes
  1. You can use this immediately or freeze for later. I split mine into about 1 cup portions and froze it. If it's too thick add a splash of water.
Flavor From Scratch https://www.flavorfromscratch.com/

Creamy Tomato Basil Soup

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Tomato SoupTomato soup is the perfect pair for grilled cheese. It’s like peanut butter and jelly. They just go together. Or like ice cream and chocolate syrup. Bread and butter. Turkey and stuffing. Pancakes and syrup. Wow…apparently the only pairs I can come up with are food related. Such is life.

Note how since this is fancy tomato soup I cut my grilled cheese into fancy strips. Yeah, I felt cool about that. Don’t judge. Another favorite is the diagonal cut. If you want to be boring you can cut it straight down the middle. I’m *pretty* sure it tastes the same any way you cut it. And by pretty sure I mean 107% sure. So just cut it fancy for fun.

Tomato SoupI had a boatload of tomatoes piling up from our backyard so I decided to make tomato soup! This recipe certainly does the trick. It’s a little sweet from the tomatoes, a little smoky from roasting the tomatoes, a little spicy from the red pepper flakes, a little creamy from the half and half, and a burst of freshness from the basil. YUM. YUM. YUM.

Tomato SoupI tried a couple of ways of roasting the tomatoes. I found online that you can grill them after cutting them in half and tossing in olive oil. Everything you find online is a perfect solution, obviously. It was a beautiful thing…until I tried to flip them and they mostly ended up between the grates or stuck to the grates. I might have missed something there. Anyways, the oven roasted method worked MUCH better and was MUCH easier. Plus you don’t  have to haul your grill out of hiding to complete this!

Tomato Soup

Creamy Tomato Basil Soup
Serves 4
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Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
45 min
Total Time
55 min
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
45 min
Total Time
55 min
Ingredients
  1. approximately 30 small tomatoes (or two 14.5-ounce cans of roasted tomatoes)
  2. 4 tablespoons olive oil
  3. 1/2 large yellow onion, chopped
  4. 6 cloves garlic, minced
  5. 2 cups chicken stock (or other stock)
  6. 1/2 cup half and half
  7. 20 fresh basil leaves, chopped
  8. 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  9. salt & pepper, to taste
Instructions
  1. Turn oven to broil. Cover baking sheet in foil. Toss tomatoes in 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and place on baking sheet. Broil in oven for 5 minutes. Turn the tomatoes over and broil another 2-3 minutes. Place in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap until cooled. Remove the peel from the tomatoes (they should basically fall off) and cut tomatoes into large chunks. Set aside.
  2. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add onion and saute until translucent. Add 5 of the cloves of garlic and saute 1 more minute. Add the tomatoes, cover, and reduce heat to simmer for 15 minutes. Stir occasionally.
  3. Add chicken stock and half and half. Simmer uncovered for another 10 minutes.
  4. Add last garlic clove, basil, red pepper flakes, and salt & pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes.
  5. Remove from heat and use immersion blender to blend until smooth. You can also transfer to a blender and blend until smooth. If not to your desired consistency, return to stove to simmer another 5 minutes, or until thickened.
Notes
  1. I used San Marzano tomatoes from our garden for this recipe. I would also recommend Roma tomatoes. If you use canned roasted tomatoes, you will only need 2 tablespoons of olive oil since the other half is for the roasting process.
Adapted from The Novice Chef
Adapted from The Novice Chef
Flavor From Scratch https://www.flavorfromscratch.com/
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