Creamy Butter Chicken

 

Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons oil
• 1 1/2-2 pounds chicken breasts cut into pieces
• 6 Tablespoon butter
• 1 small onion finely diced
• 2 Tablespoons minced garlic
• 2 Tablespoons grated fresh ginger
• 1 Tablespoon garam masala
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 15 ounce can diced tomatoes undrained
• 6 ounce tomato paste
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 cup heavy cream
• ¼ cup chopped cilantro optional

Instructions

• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add chicken and stir to cook until done, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from skillet and set aside.
• Melt butter in the same skillet, then add the onion, garlic and ginger. Cook until onions are translucent, about 3 to 5 minutes.
• Add the garam masala, turmeric, smoked paprika, chili powder and salt and mix well, cooking about a minute to let the flavors meld together.
• Add the diced tomatoes, tomato paste and chicken broth and return the cooked chicken to the skillet. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer uncovered 10 to 15 minutes, until sauce has thickened.
• Remove from heat and stir in the heavy cream and cilantro.
• Serve over rice, if desired.
  Evan and I love this recipe! Smells amazing too. 

Chocolate cake for a crowd

 4 sticks butter, (room temperature)

8 Tablespoons cocoa powder

4 cups flour

4 cups sugar

1/2 t salt

2 cups boiling water

1 cup buttermilk

2 tsp baking soda 

2 tsp vanilla 

4 beaten eggs

Oven at 350 degrees

Grease and add parchment to the bottom only of 2 - 9 inch round cake pans and prepare for 22 cupcakes by lining muffin tins cupcake paper.

Combine flour, sugar, and salt in a very large mixing bowl 

Melt butter in heavy sauce pan, add sifted cocoa and stir together. Then add 2 cups boiling water . Allow this to boil for :30 minutes. Turn off heat.

Pour butter/ cocoa/ water mixture over dry ingredients- stir lightly.

Combine buttermilk, baking soda, vanilla, and beaten eggs in a separate bowl bowl.

Stir buttermilk mixture into the butter/ chocolate mixture.

Fill muffin cupcake tins and round cake pans. 

Bake cupcakes 18-20 minutes and cakes :30 minutes or so.

Let cool and I refrigerated them overnight.

Frosting- this was challenging!!

3 cups heavy cream ( I would use 2 cups next time)

24 oz semisweet chocolate chips 

2 tsp. Vanilla

Pour chocolate chips in a mixing bowl.

Heat cream in a heavy sauce pan until hot. 

Pour the hot cream over the chocolate chips and let them sit awhile until the chocolate melts. Stir.

Refrigerate frosting until it gets to the consistency of thick pudding. 

When completely cooled add vanilla and beat. Maybe 1 or 2 minutes (don’t beat too long or it will curdle) 

Use frosting for filling and to frost the top and sides of the cake. Frost the cupcakes. 

Homemade dog food with chicken

 4 pounds ground chicken

1 1/2 cups rice

1 large sweet potato or yam

2 cups green beans ( fresh or frozen )

1 apple cored and sliced

1 Tablespoon olive oil

Cook rice according to directions. Add additional water and add sweet potato, beans, and apple. 

Let cool and set in the refrigerator over night.

In the morning, use an ice cream scoop to place size you choose on parchment covered cookie / jelly roll pan and freeze. 

Remove frozen parcels and place them in a zip lock bag to freeze until ready to serve. 

Zucchini Chocolate Bread

Stir together;

1/2 cup butter- melted and slightly cooled 

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

Add to the above;

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine the following dry ingredients 

1 2/3 cup flour

1/3 cup cocoa

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Sift dry ingredients and mix with butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla.

Fold in 

2 cups zucchini

1 cup chocolate chips

Spoon in loaf pan

Bake 350 degrees for :60-70 minutes ( depending on your oven temp )

Several versions of this zucchini bread recipe can be found in most older cook books, zucchini usually is readily available late summer.

Zucchini Chocolate Cake

Beat together the following.

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup oil

1 3/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. Vanilla

1/2 cup milk- soured with 1tsp. Vinegar 

Add to the above and beat until think

2 1/2 cups flour (sift- I use a screen colander to sift the flour) 

4. Tablespoons cocoa

1/2 teaspoon baking powder 

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon cloves

1 teaspoon soda

Fold in;

2 cups grated zucchini

Pour in cake pan and add topping

Topping

1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup chocolate chips, 1/4 cup chopped nuts

Bake 325, 40 minutes ( depending on your oven temp )

Story- this is Grandma Cay’s recipe. We had lots of extra zucchini!

Farm House Baked Beans

1 pound navy beans (about 2 cups)

1 medium onion diced

6 Tablespoons yellow mustard

3/4 cup ketchup

3/4 cup molasses

3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon salt

12 oz bacon cooked and chopped

2 cups reserved cooking liquid (see directions)

1. Rinse and Soak dry beans 8 hours or over night in 1 quart water

2. Drain beans, cook beans using 2 quarts fresh water and 1 teaspoon salt in a large stock pot. Bring to a boil and simmer for an hour. 

3. Drain - but reserve cooking liquid

4. Preheat oven to 375 degrees

5. To the beans add all of the above ingredients. Including the 2 cups reserved cooking liquid. Combine and pour into a 9X13 greased baking pan, cover with foil.

6. Bake 30 minutes covered - remove the foil and bake an additional :30 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit :15 minutes. 

7. When cool, refrigerate over night.

8. In the morning bake - covered in the oven 300 degrees for 3 hours.

Grandma Iszler made baked beans similar to this - that were a very good addition to any meal. 

Hot Fudge Cheesecake Brownies

 

Ingredients

 

FOR THE BROWNIES:

• ▢ 1 cup unsalted butter
• ▢ 1 1/4 cups semisweet chocolate chips or milk chocolate
• ▢ 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• ▢ 2 cups granulated sugar
• ▢ 1/4 cup brown sugar packed
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon salt
• ▢ 4 large eggs
• ▢ 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• ▢ 1 1/2 cups mini chocolate chips or additional chocolate chips or chopped peanut butter cups, for topping

FOR THE CHEESECAKE:

• ▢ 8 ounces cream cheese softened
• ▢ 1 jar about 12-16 ounces hot fudge topping

• 
  
  Instructions: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x13" pan with foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
• Make the brownies: Place the butter and 1 1/4 cups chocolate chips in a large microwave safe mixing bowl and heat on high power in 30-second increments, stirring between each, until melted and smooth. Stir in cocoa powder until completely incorporated. Add both sugars, vanilla, and salt, stirring to combine. Stir in eggs, one at a time, until completely mixed through. Gently stir in flour until incorporated and no more flour is visible. The batter will be thick.Spread 2/3 of the brownie batter in the prepared pan and set the rest aside. 
  
  
  Make the hot fudge cheesecake: beat together the cream cheese and hot fudge until smooth and no lumps remain. It's best to do this with a hand mixer. Gently spread over the bottom brownie layer. (It's best to drop spoon the batter evenly over the top and then spread to avoid mixing the layers together.) Carefully layer the rest of the brownie batter on top of the cheesecake layer. (It's best to drop spoon the batter evenly over the top and then spread to avoid mixing the layers together.) Sprinkle with mini chocolate chips, regular sized chocolate chips, or chopped peanut butter cups. 
  
  
  Bake for 30-38 minutes until the brownies are set with just a little wiggle in the center and they are starting to pull away slightly from the edges of the pan. Cool completely then chill at least 2 hours before cutting. Store in refrigerator in sealed container.
  
  
  Story: My manager made these for nurses week and they are AMAZING.