Ricardo's Chicken Curry with Red Peppers and Coconut Milk

With thousands upon thousands of recipes from all different cultures from all over the world right at our fingertips at all times, it's become pretty easy these days to find a great recipe. We all have our favourite sources that we feel confident we can turn to when looking for a knock-your-socks-off recipe, but whether that recipe will be easy, time efficient, and will be something that I feel motivated to cook up on a busy weeknight, well, that's another story. 

I can tell you first hand that it can often be a chore in itself just finding a trustworthy recipe that you can whip up in the midst of all of your responsibilities, commitments, and stresses that wull have your tastebuds dancing, and leave you feeling satisfied. I have a few recipes in my weeknight rotation that I can turn to in a hurry, but I'm always looking for new ones to add to my repertoire to keep things interesting and different. 

Recently I was approached by Ricardo Cuisine asking if I would be interested in partnering with them on a blog post to test out and review one of Ricardo's most popular recipes. Being someone who is always on the lookout for new and delicious weeknight meal ideas, I jumped at the opportunity to be apart of the campaign. I was provided with a list of Ricardo's most popular recipes and could choose whichever one I wanted to recreate. With Asian flavours grabbing my attention as of late, Ricardo's recipe for Chicken Curry with Red Peppers and Coconut Milk was the first one to grab my attention. 

Asian cooking is still very much unfamiliar territory for me, as I continue to learn the vast array of spices, herbs, vegetables, and techniques that go into the flavourful cuisine. In the past I've stayed away from a lot of Asian recipes, intimidated by them and the amount of exotic ingredients that are often required. What I loved about Ricardo's Chicken Curry was that I already had almost every ingredient on the list in my kitchen! The only ingredients that I had to go out and buy were fresh chicken breasts and turmeric (a spice that I had previously never cooked with). 

You know me, I always give you my honest opinion, so I have to be straight with you once again and say that when I first started cooking up this recipe I was a little skeptical that I would like the final results. It all seemed too easy! I didn't believe that a curry recipe so simple and with so few ingredients could actually have that hit of flavour that I yearn for when diving into a dish of curry. I was completely shocked to find that after I allowed the coconut milk to simmer and blend with the spices, chicken, and vegetables I was left with the type of wonderfully flavourful curry that I had hoped for! Though the curry was already delicious on its own, especially when topping fluffy basmati rice, I wanted to round out the flavours just a touch. In order to do so, I added a few drops of fish sauce and about 1 tsp of tomato paste, which I happened to have on hand in my fridge. That little bit of umami and acidity took the dish up a level, helping to balance out the flavours and contribute to the overall mouth-feel of the dish. 

Though I may have been skeptical at first based on how easy the recipe was, I was so pleasantly surprised at how successful this dish turned out! I was able to get everything prepped, cooked, and on the table in just over a half hour and still had leftovers for lunch the next day! I would highly recommend this recipe to any curry lover looking for a quick and simple weeknight dinner idea! Thanks to the big flavours in this dish and the ease of preparation, this is a fantastic option for serving to guests to both wow them and allow you time to enjoy yourself as well!

Find the recipe here!

This post is sponsored by Ricardo Cuisine. Opinions are my own. 

Egg Nog Punch for Fredi Magazine

How is Christmas already next week?!?!?! Insanity! Get yourself into the Christmas spirit quickly and easily by making this fantastic egg nog alternative! Though this was one of the craziest recipes I have ever heard of, the results were delicious and perfect for your next holiday party! I love the wild mix of ingredients that go into this festive cocktail, which somehow end up tasting like an expertly made egg nog, minus all of those raw egg yolks! Check out the recipe in the latest issue of Fredi magazine and on their website! 

Pro Tip:
Make a festive cocktail stirrer by stringing fresh cranberries through rosemary sprigs! The rosemary looks just like Christmas tree trimmings and will add an aromatic note to your bevvie. The stunning contrast of colour between the vibrant green from the rosemary and the deep ruby red from the cranberries add a striking detail set against the off-white drink.  

Listening To:

Vince Guaraldi Trio - Linus & Lucy

Lemon Cranberry Crumb Cake

There are two types of people in this world, sweet and salty. Me, I've always been more of a salty kinda gal, choosing eggs and bacon over french toast and pancakes and french fries over...well, let's be honest french fries trump everything! My attraction towards all things salty runs strong from Spring through to Fall, but as soon as that first evening of frost sets in at the end of Fall or the beginning of Winter, my sweet tooth starts to emerge! 

As I find myself pulling out my wool and cashmere sweaters and scarves, a hankering for all things sweet has begun to follow me around all day long! From the moment I wake up and choose a bowl of brown sugar and maple oatmeal over my usual scrambled eggs and toast, to just before I go to sleep as I eat a handful of Cap'n Crunch in bed, it's clear my sweet tooth has officially bubbled to the surface for the season. 

With sweets on the brain 24/7, I wanted to make a simple and not-too-sweet cake to have around my home that could satisfy my cravings whenever they should strike. With a fridge drawer full of fresh cranberries and lemons, my brain went straight to recreating my favourite crumb cake recipe with a lemon cranberry twist. This crumb cake recipe has been a family favourite for years thanks to its ease of preparation and moist and delicious results! I love that I can throw this cake together in next to no time and sub in whatever fruit I happen to have available. This recipe is so forgiving that in the past I've even subbed in non-fat yogurt for the suggested sour cream when the latter was unavailable. 

With the holiday season in full swing, this is a fantastic recipe for serving to guests or bringing to a party! It holds up well for a few days and travels very easily, making it the perfect addition to your holiday table! Give it a try and let me know how it went on Twitter: @thisgingerrose.

Notes:

• This is one of those recipes where fresh lemon juice is essential! None of that bottled business!

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/4 cup white sugar

3/4 cup cold butter, cubed

1 tsp baking soda

1 cup sour cream (you may use full or reduced fat)

1 tsp baking powder

2 eggs

zest of 2 lemons

2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

1 1/2 - 2 cups fresh cranberries

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375ºF.
2. In the bowl of a food processor add flour, sugar, and butter and pulse until crumbs form. Remove 1-cup of the mixture and set aside.
3. Place sour cream in a small bowl and stir in baking soda until dissolved.
4. Add sour cream mixture to the processor bowl. Add baking powder, eggs, lemon zest, and lemon juice and process until just combined. Do not over-mix!
5. Gently stir in cranberries by hand.
6. Pour batter into a lightly greased and floured 9x9-inch square baking pan. Top evenly with the reserved crumb mixture.
7. Bake for 40-45-minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. (I start to check the cake around the 36/37-minute mark, and allow the toothpick to have just a little batter on it to ensure the moistest cake).

Listening To:

Do Make Say Think - It's Gonna Rain

Sugar & Spice Pumpkin Seeds

Holiday traditions have always been a big deal in my family. Every year during Christmastime we always spend a day making Christmas cookies with my Oma, we always open presents from "Santa" on Christmas morning, we still do a gift hunt each Easter, and ever since I was old enough to hold an exacto knife in my hand my family has always taken the time to carve intricate pumpkins each Halloween. 

My 2015 Halloween Pumpkin Carving

Though busy schedules and different living arrangements has meant that we don't get to carve pumpkins all together as a family anymore, my sister and I have still carried on the tradition on our own, taking great care to carve our own pumpkins inspired by the ones our dad taught us to make growing up. Though the greatest delight for my sister and I was getting to spend hours dedicated to focusing on a craft (yes, carving pumpkins is the ultimate craft!), we also found joy in utilizing the slimy pumpkin seeds scraped out of the innards of the pumpkin by making Sugar & Spice Pumpkin Seeds. 

I can't even remember when I first came across Martha Stewart's recipe for Sweet and Spicy Pumpkin Seeds, but that too has now become an annual Halloween tradition thanks to its wonderful contrast of flavours and addictive appeal. I make these every single year a few days before Halloween, and even though I use sesame oil all year round, that smell of the sesame oil hitting the pan will always remind me of Halloween thanks to these delicious seeds. While Halloween brings out the worst sweet tooth in me as I find myself craving all of my favourite Halloween chocolates and candy, my Sugar & Spice Pumpkin Seeds are, dare I say, my favourite of all the Halloween treats! 

Recipe slightly adapted from Martha Stewart. 

Ingredients:

1 cup pumpkin seeds, rinsed and dried
4 Tbsp. white sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
pinch of cayenne pepper
1 1/2 Tbsp. sesame oil

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325ºF. On a rimmed baking sheet, evenly spread pumpkin seeds. Bake for 1-hour or until seeds are golden-brown and crisp. Stir several times during baking.
2. In a medium bowl combine 2 Tbsp sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cayenne pepper.
3. In a medium non-stick skillet heat sesame oil over medium-high heat. Add pumpkin seeds and remaining 2 Tbsp. sugar. Cook while stirring until all seeds are coated in caramelized sugar. 
4. Immediately transfer seeds into bowl of spices and toss to coat. Let cool. Store in an airtight container for about 1-week.

Listening To:

Mater of None Playlist on Spotify

Coconut Curry Chicken Noodle Bowl

Without a doubt in my mind I can say that noodles are the royalty of all comfort food. Oh so you think chili's and stews are the royalty of all comfort food? Well get the heck out because you're wrong! haha I kid...kind of. What makes noodles the top of the crop in terms of comfort food for myself at least is the fact that noodles can be served in so many different ways, all of which are guaranteed to be delicious and satisfying! Whether it's spaghetti and fresh from-the-garden tomato sauce or a big ol' bowl of piping hot ramen, noodles are are like that hug from your mom at the end of a really bad day...except hugs from mom don't exactly fill a hungry belly. 

When I'm in the midst of a rough week all I seem to crave are noodles, which means either whipping up a big pot of homemade pasta, or ordering Asian takeout. More often than not I find myself making pasta over ordering in as an attempt at saving money and perhaps eating ever so slightly healthier, being able to control exactly what's going into my food. Making my own Asian noodles had never been an option for me, as I was intimidated by both the ingredients and techniques from a cuisine that I had not grown up making. It's felt easy picking up recipes from cultures such as Greece, Italy, Poland, etc. having grown up around the same types of flavours and cooking techniques, but with so many unique ingredients, cooking tools, and methods in Asian cuisine I have always chosen to leave the cooking to the pros. 

With such a love for Asian cuisine, I was itching to find a great noodle dish that I could rely on to become a mid-week staple for my boyfriend and I to nip that comfort food noodle craving right in the bud! After scouring Pinterest for more than I care to admit to even myself, I found two delicious-sounding Thai noodle recipes that seemed simple to execute and featured flavours that I was familiar with, many of which I already had on hand. With a lot of skepticism, I combined the two recipes to create something that I thought may be a good start for my intro to Asian cuisine. Though I was so sure that my first attempt at Asian noodles would end up tasting very "white" and like it missing something, I was so pleasantly surprised at how my Coconut Curry Chicken Noodle Bowls turned out! Featuring that same punch of flavour found at my favourite Thai restaurants, these noodles were incredibly addictive and satisfied my craving for comforting Asian noodles. The rich coconut-infused sauce hugged every noodle and kept its intensity even upon reheating the following day! Despite my previous apprehensions over making Asian noodles, I have a newfound confidence thanks to such a successful first attempt! I am really proud of how this dish turned out and am so excited to hear what you think of it! Give it a try in your own kitchen and let me know how it went on Twitter: @thisgingerrose. 

Notes:

• To speed up the softening of the noodles, soak them in boiling water until softened.

Recipe adapted from Pinch of Yum and Bon Appetit

Ingredients:

4 ounces rice noodles

1 Tbsp. peanut or vegetable oil

2 shallots, minced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 Tbsp. ginger, minced

1 Tbsp cilantro stems, finely chopped

2 Tbsp. red curry paste

2 tsp ground coriander

2 tsp ground turmeric 

1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk

1/2 cup chicken broth

3 Tbsp. sugar

1 Tbsp. hot chili paste (Sambal Oelek)

2 Tbsp. fish sauce

2 Tbsp. soy sauce

1 1/2 lb. boneless skinless chicken thighs, halved lengthwise

1 Tbsp. peanut or vegetable oil

1/2 onion, finely chopped

1 cup broccoli florets

1 large carrot, long slices peeled with a vegetable peeler

1 cup snow peas, trimmed

2 Tbsp. cilantro, finely chopped

3 Tbsp. lightly toasted peanuts, chopped

1 lime, cut into wedges (for serving)

Directions:

1. Soak noodles in very hot water until softened. Rinse and drain. Begin this right at the start of cooking as noodles will take some time to soften. See above note for more info. 
2. In a large saucepan, heat 1 Tbsp. oil. Add shallots, garlic, ginger, and cilantro stems and stir fry for about 3-4 minutes, or until shallot has softened and is translucent. 
3. Add curry paste, coriander, and turmeric and stir-fry for 1-minute.
4. Add coconut milk, sugar, chili paste, fish sauce, and soy sauce and stir. Add broth and chicken and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 25-minutes, until chicken is fork tender.
5. Transfer chicken to a plate and shred with 2 forks. Add back to sauce.
6. In a large skillet, heat 1 Tbso oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, broccoli, carrot, and snow peas and stir fry for 5-minutes. Add sauce, noodles, and 2 Tbso. cilantro and toss to combine. Serve in bowls topped with additional cilantro, peanuts, and a lime wedge. 

Listening To:

Kendrick Lamar - King Kunta