Month: September 2018

“Fun fact about me is that I love tikka masala. I think it is the perfect meal for a cooler night. But in true Andi fashion, what do I do?

Put every vegetable in my fridge into the recipe. It certainly is a trend in my at-home cooking. This chicken curry is one of my favorite meals to make on a Friday before work. At the end of service, when I am tired and hungry, I remember that I have curry waiting for me at home and I instantly get excited.

This is a perfect meal to throw in a crockpot on low and let it cook for a few of hours. I like to serve this with jasmine rice. Should you want to skip the carbs, this is a perfect stand alone meal. This recipe serves four.” – Andi

• 1 onion – diced
• 1 garlic clove – minced
• 1 squash medium – diced
• 1/2 a head of a small cauliflower – cut into florets
• 1 green pepper – diced
• 1 lb of chicken thigh – diced
• 1 tablespoon curry powder or Moroccan spice mix
• 1 jar of tikka masala simmer sauce

Directions

1. Put a sauté pan over medium heat.
2. Add a tablespoon of olive oil.
3. Sauté the diced onion and garlic for about five minutes and season with salt and pepper.
4. Once the onions are translucent, add in the diced squash and peppers. Sweat for about eight minutes.
5. Turn the range to medium high heat.
6. Add the cauliflower florets and slightly roast them. This should take about five minutes.
7. Next add the diced chicken and season with salt and pepper. (If you are feeling feisty, now is the time to add in other spices in your spice cabinet. I love using my moroccan spice mix from McCormick. Get creative with your spice here.)
8. Cook the chicken for about ten minutes. Add the jar of tikka masala simmer sauce. Make sure you get simmer sauce and not the curry paste. (The paste is just a paste. It is useable, but requires more steps.)
9. Once the sauce is in the pan, fill the empty jar with a half cup up water. Fasten the  lid and give it a shake.
10. Pour the water mixture onto the chicken curry.
11. Cover with a lid and simmer for thirty minutes.
12. Plate and enjoy.

“Labor Day has passed, the Autumn Equinox is quickly approaching, and pumpkin spice everything is on the horizon. However, summer can still be seen (for the moment) lingering in the farmers markets in the mountains of North Carolina. Pole beans, summer squash, and heirloom tomatoes are sharing shelf space with pumpkin, gourds, and heirloom apples. The season is on the verge of transition, however Andi and I wanted to savor the vegetables that late summer had to offer. That is where our summer vegetable succotash comes into play; a succotash being sauté of sweet summer corn, beans and other seasonal veggies. A quick trip around the farmers market and we had all the ingredients we needed to make the base for dinner. We went with red snapper for our protein for our meal, but this dish can be served with just about any protein you can think of: grilled chicken, seared pork chops, or even beef would be a great pairing.

This recipe serves six as a side or four as the center of the plate. ” – Joe

• 0.5 each red onion – medium diced
• 1 each red pepper – medium diced
• 2 each ear of corn – husked and removed from the cob
• 0.25 lbs pole beans – trimmed and cut into half inch pieces
• 1 each summer squash – medium diced
• 1 each zucchini – medium diced
• 1 pint heirloom cherry tomatoes – cut in half
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme – chopped
• 1 teaspoon Slap Ya Momma (or other chili spice mix)

Directions

1. In a large sauté pan over medium high heat, add enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan.
2. Once hot, add the onion and pepper and cook until translucent.
3. Add the corn and pole beans and continue to cook for another three to four minutes.
4. Add the zucchini and summer squash and cook for another two minutes.
5. Add the cherry tomatoes, thyme, and season to taste.
6. Stir to incorporate mixture and cook for another one minute.
7. Plate and enjoy.

“Homemade hummus is great for a quick, after work snack or to use as a spread on a wrap filled with roasted vegetables and spinach. Whichever you choose, this recipe is quick, healthy, and delicious. We used to go through a twelve ounce container of hummus a week; either spreading it on a sandwich or simply dipping pita chips after a long day in the kitchen. Once we discovered this easy recipe, there was no going back to the store bought tubs. Harissa is a great chili and spice mixture but if you can’t find it at your local grocer, you can easily substitute an Asian chili paste and add a few additional spices like cumin and coriander.” – Joe

 

• 1 14 oz can Chickpeas – drained
• 1 14 oz can Pinto Beans – drained
• 3 each Garlic Clove
• 0.25 teaspoon Moroccan Seasoning
• 2 tablespoons Tahini
• 4 tablespoons Organic Olive Oil
• 1 Lemon – juiced and zested
• 1 teaspoon Harissa

Directions

1. Place the chickpeas, pinto beans, lemon juice and zest, garlic, seasoning, tahini and three tablespoons of the olive oil into the food processor and blend until smooth. Season to taste.
2. In a separate, smaller bow, mix the harissa and remaining tablespoon of the olive oil together.
3. Once the hummus is smooth pour into a serving bowl and spread the Harissa mixture over it.
4. Enjoy with raw vegetables or pita chips.