Curried Chicken Salad Sandwiches

When you introduce your significant other to your family, you hope they get along. But even more than that, you hope they bond.

Luckily for me, Wesley and my brothers were able to bond quickly over a shared love. Their shared love is not of me. Yes they all love me, but I think they love Gushers fruit snacks even more.

Wesley loves Gushers so much that he actually spent some time this evening Googling them, their factory and reviews on them.

No, I am not making this up.

He stumbled across a negative review. The only negative review he could find.

What he found was so ridiculous that I had to share it. I don’t know anything about the woman that wrote it or her son. If he did indeed pass away, my heart goes out to her and I want her to know (in the off chance that she somehow reads this) that her and her son are hero’s and that I am in no way trying to mock her.

I am just really impressed at her ability to find parallels between Shrek Gushers and the war in Iraq. Very impressive.

To Whom It May Concern,

In 2004 my son died fighting an unjust war sold to the American people on lies. In 2006 I purchased a box of Shrek Fruit Gushers with "natural" Fruitomic Punch flavor. I have several issues with your Shrek Fruit Gushers and these are closely linked to the sadness I feel every Mother's Day when I realize that there will be no card or phone call from Casey. Your Fruit Gushers (Fruitomic or conventional) are waxy fruit candies full of juice that promise "an explosion of flavor", just like the IED explosion that killed my son, Casey. Very offensive.

I spoke to Hugo Chavez and he assured me that he supported my effort to bring our troops home and to receive a complete refund from your Shrek Fruit Gushers. Why do you only have two flavors in the Fruit Gusher pouch? I'm stricken with grief at the thought that even one more soldier will return home wounded from Iraq, buy a box of Shrek Fruit Gushers, and receive only two flavors.

I accuse you of false and deceptive advertising. There is a picture of Shrek on the box, yet the Fruit Gushers themselves vaguely resemble gems. What do gems have to do with Shrek? I have a t-shirt with Casey's face on it and I have a lot to do with my son. Maybe your Fruit Gushers taste like Shrek. I wouldn't know for sure, but what I do know is that they taste like lies. The same sort of lies Colin Powell told to the United Nations that got us into this tragic war. Flavor lies.

While I was visiting Cuba a few days ago I noticed that they did not sell Fruit Gushers anywhere in Cuba, yet Cuba has never launched a preemptive war based on faulty intelligence. Are the two connected? You tell me, Herr Crocker!!! I find that now when I place a Shrek Fruit Gusher in my mouth and bite down, rather than the explosion of flavor promised I find only the bittersweet burst of gooey forlorn hope. Hope for our nation's future and hope that our children and their children can live in a world of peace and refunds for unsatisfactory products.

Israel may support Shrek Fruit Gushers, but was that Zionist flavor explosion worth the life of my son?

Let me tell you, Betdolph Crockler, at a rally in New York City, Jesse Jackson spoke to over 5,000 veterans, Gold Star Mothers and friends and family of our troops and pledged to take up the fight to guarantee me a refund for these inferior Fruit Gushers. He insisted that I receive a full refund and not just coupons for more Betty Crocker products. It's what Casey would have wanted.

I want you to know right now I am crying. If I ever wore makeup it would be running down my cheeks. My tears are falling on this page so if some of the ink is running that is why. They accuse us of supporting cut and run, but I would rather support a new direction and a new refund. I cry for the loss of my son and the loss we all feel whenever we taste your terrible Shrek Fruit Gushers.

This is the only warning we are going to be giving. You know our demands and until those demands are met, myself and all Gold Stars Mothers (that star means their children died for a false war and bad Fruit Gushers) Against Shrek Fruit Gushers will be speaking to the media about your actions.

If these demands still are not met, we will begin camping outside your Fruit Gushers factory in Guadalajara, Mexico. I already have a suitcase fully packed with candles, card stock and markers as well as a whole notebook full of rhyming slogans we can yell.

Writing this letter because Casey can't,

Cindy Sheehan

On that note, I am going to leave you with something I hope is much less disappointing than Shrek Gushers. And much less controversial.

You will need…

4 small chicken breasts

¾ cup mango chutney

¾ cup Greek yogurt

1 lime, juiced

2 teaspoons mild curry powder

2 green onions, thinly sliced

½ cup cilantro leaves, roughly chopped

1 cup arugula

4 large rolls (your favorite kind)

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by bringing a large pot of salted water to a boil.

Add the chicken until it is cooked through. About 20 minutes.

When the chicken is cooked, remove from the water and allow to cool.

As soon as the chicken has cooled enough to handle. Use 2 forks to pull apart the chicken until it is shredded.

Toss the chicken in a bowl with the chutney, lime juice, curry, scallions, cilantro and season it well with salt and pepper.

Toast the rolls and top them with arugula and ½ cup of chicken salad.

 

Serve warm or at room temperature.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela  

Curried Chicken Salad Sandwiches

4 small chicken breasts

¾ cup mango chutney

¾ cup Greek yogurt

1 lime, juiced

2 teaspoons mild curry powder

2 green onions, thinly sliced

½ cup cilantro leaves, roughly chopped

1 cup arugula

4 large rolls (your favorite kind)

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by bringing a large pot of salted water to a boil.

Add the chicken until it is cooked through. About 20 minutes.

When the chicken is cooked, remove from the water and allow to cool.

As soon as the chicken has cooled enough to handle. Use 2 forks to pull apart the chicken until it is shredded.

Toss the chicken in a bowl with the chutney, lime juice, curry, scallions, cilantro and season it well with salt and pepper.

Toast the rolls and top them with arugula and ½ cup of chicken salad.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

Roasted Eggplant Dip

Not going to lie. Until last night, I had never had eggplant. Not only had I never had eggplant, I was discriminating against eggplant. Hard.

But I was a dummy. Because last night I finally got some guts and decided to attempt something with eggplant. And it was damn tasty.

I found the raw eggplant to be mild in flavor with an enjoyable texture.

Did you see how I got all fancy and food critic like on you just then? Nice right?

Seriously though, this was great little appetizer. And, it was a great snack at work today with some dipping veggies.

You will need…

1 large eggplant, ends trimmed and cut into chunks

1 large red onion, trimmed and cut into chunks

1 large bell pepper, trimmed and cut into chunks

6 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled

¼ cup olive oil

2 tablespoons garlic powder

1 teaspoon curry powder

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

½ cup cilantro, chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by preheating your oven to 400 degrees F.

In a large bowl, combine the eggplant, red onion, bell pepper and garlic.

Toss the veggies with the garlic powder, olive oil and some salt and pepper.

When all the veggies are lightly coated, spread them out on a baking sheet.

Roast the veggies for 45 minutes.

When the veggies are browned but not soggy, remove from the heat.

Let the veggies cool slightly and then add them to the bowl of a food processor.

Add in the curry and red pepper flakes and pulse until pureed.

Then, add in the cilantro and pulse until it is completely combined.

Season with salt and pepper if necessary.

Serve warm or cold with bread, crackers or veggies.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela

Roasted Eggplant Dip

1 large eggplant, ends trimmed and cut into chunks

1 large red onion, trimmed and cut into chunks

1 large bell pepper, trimmed and cut into chunks

6 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled

¼ cup olive oil

2 tablespoons garlic powder

1 teaspoon curry powder

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

½ cup cilantro, chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by preheating your oven to 400 degrees F.

In a large bowl, combine the eggplant, red onion, bell pepper and garlic.

Toss the veggies with the garlic powder, olive oil and some salt and pepper.

When all the veggies are lightly coated, spread them out on a baking sheet.

Roast the veggies for 45 minutes.

When the veggies are browned but not soggy, remove from the heat.

Let the veggies cool slightly and then add them to the bowl of a food processor.

Add in the curry and red pepper flakes and pulse until pureed.

Then, add in the cilantro and pulse until it is completely combined.

Season with salt and pepper if necessary.

Serve warm or cold with bread, crackers or veggies. 

Pan-Fried Shrimp with Cilantro Cashew Dipping Sauce

Happy Summer Solstice Wannabe Foodies!

Welcome to my favorite part of the year.

I love summer for the beach worthy weather, the short supporting temperature and the long days.

Long days mean I get to come home and cook in the light of day.

Because I work full time, it is very rare that I get to cook when it is light out.

Well, I rarely get to cook when it’s light out even in the summer because I suck at getting up early to go into work. I’m definitely more of an up late, at work late kind of girl.

But that is besides the point.

The point is, cooking when it is light out makes me want to finish cooking when it is light out. And the best way to do that is to cook simple things.

Simple and delicious.

When I served this dish, everyone at the table kept commenting on how interesting and tasty it was. I’ll take their word for it since there were no leftovers.

You will need…

1 teaspoon ginger

¾ cup roasted salted cashews

1/3 cup Greek yogurt

¼ cup packed cilantro leaves

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 teaspoon curry powder

1 ½ pound peeled and deveined shrimp (medium to large size)

1 tablespoon olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by pulsing the ginger in the food processor until finely chopped.

Add in the cashews and process until the ginger and cashews are smooth. About 2 to 3 minutes.

When the ginger and cashews are smooth, add in the yogurt, cilantro, sugar and curry powder.

Pulse until everything is incorporated and smooth. About 1 to 2 minutes.

Season with salt if needed and transfer the dipping sauce to a small bowl.

Heat the oil over medium high heat in a large skillet until the oil is nice and hot.

Season the shrimp well with salt and pepper and add it to the hot oil.

Cook the shrimp about 1 to 2 minutes per side, until the shrimp is pink on both sides.

Remove the shrimp from the heat and serve with the dipping sauce.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela

Pan-Fried Shrimp with Cilantro Cashew Dipping Sauce

1 teaspoon ginger

¾ cup roasted salted cashews

1/3 cup Greek yogurt

¼ cup packed cilantro leaves

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 teaspoon curry powder

1 ½ pound peeled and deveined shrimp (medium to large size)

1 tablespoon olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by pulsing the ginger in the food processor until finely chopped.

Add in the cashews and process until the ginger and cashews are smooth. About 2 to 3 minutes.

When the ginger and cashews are smooth, add in the yogurt, cilantro, sugar and curry powder.

Pulse until everything is incorporated and smooth. About 1 to 2 minutes.

Season with salt if needed and transfer the dipping sauce to a small bowl.

Heat the oil over medium high heat in a large skillet until the oil is nice and hot.

Season the shrimp well with salt and pepper and add it to the hot oil.

Cook the shrimp about 1 to 2 minutes per side, until the shrimp is pink on both sides.

Remove the shrimp from the heat and serve with the dipping sauce. 

Curried Chicken Balls

Last weekend, my friend Maggie and I threw a bridal shower for Lish at my parents house in Orange County. It was a perfect day, the back yard looked beautiful and the 10 hours of prep and cook time were totally worth the look on Lish’s face when she arrived.

Maggie and I had been planning the menu and party details for nothing short of six months and it was a joy and a relief for the day to finally come and go. We went back and forth and up and down thirty something recipe options before landing on the final menu. I will admit that I forced Maggie into most of the dishes, but she was a true sport and stood right by my side as we created each one from nothing.

Except for the cupcake lollipops. For those I let her use a boxed mix.

How nice of me right?

My type A crazy, relaxed just long enough to agree to not one, but two Maggie submitted dishes. Both of them freaked me out and then made me eat my judgmental words because they were so damn good.

The first recipe was these curried chicken balls that stole the show. Multiple people have been hounding me to post the recipe so that they can use it for Easter this Sunday.

Well, wait no longer my friends (especially Julia) because here it comes!

You will need...

¼ pound cream cheese
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 cup chopped (boiled) chicken
1 tablespoon mango chutney, chopped
1 cup blanched almonds, chopped
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon curry powder
½ cup fresh grated coconut (the bakers sweetened coconut is fine)


Start by boiling (in a large pot of water) the chicken until it is cooked through.

Maggie wanted me to tell you all that you can cook the chicken other ways, but boiling your chicken will result in jucier balls. The jucier the balls, the better. Her words. Not mine.

Let the cooked chicken cool and then chop it into fine pieces.


In a mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients except the coconut.


Mix very well until everything is combined.


Use the mixture to make walnut sized balls and then dip the balls in the coconut.


Chill the balls for at least an hour (up to overnight) so that they hold their form.


Place a toothpick in each ball and serve.


Ball, eat and be merry.

Love and Beer Floats
Angela

Curried Zucchini Soup

Alright friends, I want you to take a deep breath, clear your mind, and forget the fact that the name of this dish sounds a little weird and gross.

It is a lot of things, but gross is not one of them. I promise.

It’s light, and healthy and flavorful. It has a little spice, easy to make and is great hot or cold.

You will need…

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium onion chopped

Coarse salt

2 garlic cloves minced

2 teaspoons curry powder

1 1/2 pounds zucchini (about 3 medium) sliced 1 inch thick

1 baking potato peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

1/3 cup sliced almonds toasted

4 cups of low sodium chicken broth

Start by heating the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and 1 teaspoon of salt and cook until the onions are brown and soften. This should take 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic and curry powder and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant. This should take about 1 minute.

Add the zucchini, the potato, and the chicken broth. Bring it to a boil, reduce heat and then simmer them for about 15 minutes. Make sure the vegetables are nice and tender.

In batches, puree the soup in a blender (do not fill more than halfway) until smooth. Or you can use your hand blender in the pot. Either serve it immediately, or let it chill in the fridge. Garnish it with toasted almonds and if you want to get real crazy maybe dip in some toast.

There had been a serious lack of hand emersion blending in my life, and this bad boy filled the void. What void do you need filling?

Love and Beer Floats

Angela