Crock Pot Chicken Tikka Masala

I'm kicking myself for not finding this recipe sooner in life.  If you only need one reason to own a slow cooker, this is it. 

Ingredients:

3-4 pounds boneless chicken cut into pieces

1 onion chopped

5 cloves garlic minced

5 fresh tomatoes, chopped and smashed with your hands 

2 Tablespoons garam masala

1 Tablespoon curry powder

1 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

cayenne to taste

2 cups plain yogurt

1cup heavy cream - 1/2 cup for now, 1/2 cup for when it's finished cooking

3 Taespoons arrowroot

Fresh lemon & cilantro

Coat the chicken pieces with the spice mixture, then stir in yogurt to coat.  Cover and refrigerate for a few hours to overnight.

Put into the crock pot with 1/2 cup of the heavy cream.  Stir well and set the temp:

HIGH - 8 hours

LOW - 4 hours

Just before serving, stir the arrowroot into the remaining 1/2 cup of cream, and add to the crock pot stirring to combine.  

Serve over hot basmati rice, top with cilantro and a fresh squeeze of lemon.

Just as good as a fine curry take-out, even better because it's made at home. 

Chicken Curry Puffs

I had these as take out once, and was so disappointed that I decided to make my own!  Super yummy.

Chicken Curry Puffs
Boil one package of boneless skinless chicken breasts.  Drain and cool, then dice into small pieces.
Chop one onion.
Saute the chopped onion and chcooked chopped chicken in olive oil until onion is limp.
Add about 2 Tbs. curry powder, 1/4 tsp. salt and 1/4 cup water.
Cook and stir until heated through.
Set aside.

Pastry
Use a food processor if you have one!
Mix together until the mixture resembles crumbs:
2 cups flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup cold butter (or vegetable oil)
slowly add:
1/2 cup cold water
mix for a minute, then using your hands, form the dough into a ball. 
Roll out on a well floured surface until fairly thin.
Cut out into circles (I use a mason jar)
Place about 1-2 tsp. filling on each round
dip your fingers in water and moisten the edge of the circle all the way around.  Fold over to make a half moon, and pinch seal with your fingers.
Cook in hot vegetable oil until crispy and brown

Dipping Sauce
Mix together about 2 tablespoons of apricot jam + 1 Tablespoon pepper jelly or chili sauce.  Add red pepper flakes for heat, add a littl water to stir to a dipping sauce consistency that you like.

Shish Kebob

Hands down, this is my favorite meal: my family's shish kebob.  Even though my dad would make this year round, it reminds me of summer.  It is my quintessential, most favorite, summertime meal.  Originally, the recipe used lamb, marinated in a garlic and lemon juice/olive oil/red wine concoction.  We had it that way for years, but the meat has to marinate overnight, and one time my mom used chicken because we didn't want to wait.  That's how I make it.  This is one of the easiest meals to make, even if you don't have a grill, this can be prepared in a 400 degree oven, and finished off under the broiler.

Shish Kebobs

Make the bbq sauce:
Mix together about 1 1/2 cups ketchup or chili sauce + 1-2 Tbs. yellow mustard + 2-3 Tbs. brown sugar, maple syrup or honey.  Add about 1 tsp. each garlic and onion powder.  Stir to blend.

Get all the stuff ready:
1 pkg. chicken breast tenders, cut into bite size pieces big enough to fit on the skewer
1 large zucchinni, cut into chunks
1 red onion, cut into wedges, seperate the layers
1 green pepper, cut into wedges like the onions
1 pkg. mushrooms, washed, stems removed
1 pkg. cherry tomatoes
1 pkg bacon, cut in half

Get everything ready to assemble, and fire up the grill about half way through the assembly of the kebobs.

Wrap a piece of chicken with a piece of bacon and put on the skewer.  Start adding the veggies, making sure each kebob gets at least one of everything.  The cherry tomatoes fit nicely with the mushroom caps, and the peppers and onions do well securing the chicken.  For some reason, I always put zucchinni on the ends.  And there are always a few random leftover kebobs at the end.  I usually make one or two of just chicken or just veggies.

Grill or bake the kebobs until the meat is done, then brush with sauce.  Cook until sauce is hot and starting to carmelize.

Eat & be happy!

- After the food is done, you've eaten every last bit of chicken, and the dishes are all put away; the grill is still warm enough for smores! Put grahm crackers on the grill and top with a chocolate bar, or in this case, a peanut butter cup, top with a marshmallow, and shut the grill.   Leave it be for a bit, and when you remember to go get it, the chocolate will be gooey and the marshmallow will be warm and squishy.  Top with another graham cracker and indulge!

Eat & be happy.