Out with the old, In with the new !! Year End Recap 2013

We are a day shy from the New Year! I cannot believe how fast this year flew by. I know, I know we all say that every single year BUT somehow 2013 went by really fast! and what a year it was!!Before we ring in the New Year, I wanted to take a minute and recap the wonderful year Freaky Curry has had. I wanted to thank you all for the overwhelming support and love for me and my passion. I also want to acknowledge all my friends and family for humoring me while I “grew” and “matured” in my art. 🙂 Without you all, this wouldn’t have been possible. So…..

Thank you!! 

Before we go “Out with the old, In with the new..” Let’s do a quick recap of 2013!! 

(Trust me when I say that I couldn’t find a way to post the thousands and thousands of pics taken)
January: Freaky Curry travelled to India and found teeny tiny coconuts!!
And made a MEAN MEEN Curry 😉
February: We celebrated Valentine’s day and the flirty weather Carolinas is famous for!
March: A lot of finger foods!!
 AND participated in a mini culinary challenge:
April: We were all about healthy eating !
May: Destination eating and welcoming the grilling season!
June: All about summer entertaining
July:  Birthday celebrations and A lil bit of everything
Happy Happy to me!!
August: Come cook with me!!
Yumm!!
September: Getting ready for Fall!
October: Vineyard picnics and more!!
Picnic recipes!!
November: Thanksgiving!
December: Holidays and introding Luca’s friends cooking corner for charity!
Cooking with kids!!
Quoting from my favorite poem really apt for beginning a New Year,And there’s a hand, my trusty fiere,
And gie’s a hand o’ thine,
And we’ll tak a right guid willie-waught 

For auld lang syne!

For auld lang syne, my dear
For auld lang syne,
We’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet
For auld lang syne!
Translation:
And there is a hand, my trusty friend,
And give us a hand of yours,
And we will take a goodwill drink (of ale)
For times gone by!For times gone by, my dear
For times gone by,
We will take a cup of kindness yet
For times gone by.And whatever your tradition is to ring in the New Year, Whether it is black eyed peas, cooked collards, tangerines or a shot of whiskey….
Always remember; Food is a great leveler; Respect it, Cherish it, Share it. 

I wish you and yours health, hope and a presence of mind because everything else will follow. 

Happy New Year! 
Please “like” Freaky Curry on Facebook to get updates on 2014 Cooking classes and recipes.

Christmas 2013!!

Christmas to me is a time to just relax, unwind and get reconnected with family and friends. It’s a perfect time to reminisce about the years gone by and make plans for the New Year around the corner. The last thing I want to do is spend 12 hrs in the kitchen and cook and lose any precious time. Even “I”, take a break on Christmas. Here are some easy recipes that can be prepared before hand and all you need to do is pop them in the oven or the slow cooker and you are all set.

Please take this time to relax and enjoy each other. Life’s too short J

Brunch: Holiday “crunch” baked eggs;

12-18 eggs whisked (depending on how many you want to feed; think 1.5 eggs per person as this is a big and filling dish)
½ cup whole milk (optional but adds extra creaminess to the dish)
Salt, pepper, cayenne pepper to taste
Filling:
1 small onion chopped
2 medium tomatoes seeded and chopped
1 Jalapeno’ chopped
½ cup of multi color bell peppers chopped
½ cup of mushrooms cleaned with a wet towel and sliced thin
¼ cup scallions chopped fine
2-3 Tbsp of fresh cilantro chopped
2 Cloves of garlic minced fine
1/2 cup of grated Colby jack cheese
1 cup of crushed corn tortilla chips
1 cup cooked chorizo or breakfast sausage/ham (optional)
Salt, pepper, cayenne pepper to taste

Topping:
½ cup of grated Colby jack cheese (divided into ½ cup each)
1 cups of crushed corn tortilla chips for crunch
Prep a buttered baking dish. Layer the filling in the dish. Slowly add the eggs and milk mixture. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Add the topping (cheese and the corn chips) and bake for another 12-15 minutes till eggs are set and the cheese is bubbly on top. Let rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. Can be served warm or at room temperature. Can be prepared up to 2 days before.

Dinner:
I call this a “Paella” pulao as it has the ingredients of traditional paella and the texture is that of a pulao (Indian Pilaf)
Slow cooker “Paella” pulao
1½ cups uncooked long-grain white rice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 Cup of chopped tomatoes
1 Tbsp tomato paste
2 cups of broth (I prefer vegetable or chicken)
½ cup chopped onion
1 cup water
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup of Andouille sausage, cut into pieces
6 boneless skinless chicken thighs
About 5-6 deveined shelled cooked medium shrimp, tail shells removed
2 Tbsp fresh chopped parsley
1 Lemon cut into wedges
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp Spanish paprika
1 tsp saffron (and/or 1 tsp turmeric)
Brown sausage and onion in skillet over medium heat. In 4- to 5-quart slow cooker, mix rice and oil. Stir in tomatoes, broth, sausage, water, salt, saffron and garlic. Arrange chicken thighs in single layer over rice mixture. Sprinkle paprika over top. Cover; cook on Low setting 5 to 6 hours. About 35 minutes before serving, sprinkle thawed peas over chicken mixture. Arrange shrimp over top.Increase heat setting to High; cover and cook 20 to 30 minutes longer or until shrimp are thoroughly heated. Add the parsley and lemon and serve warm.

Pics soon!! 

Stay safe this Christmas and

 Always remember. Food is a great leveler; Respect It, Cherish it, Share it

Homemade Holiday gifts!! Infused oil blends

Bedazzle your friends and fellow foodies with this simple yet classy homemade present this Christmas. Perfect for any occasion and oh so easy to assemble. Try my multi purpose infused oil blends today! Perfect for sautè, baking, salad dressings and marinades. They will add much needed flavor to all your cooking needs without the hassle of chopping, mincing or grinding.

You need;
Oil bottles (use green or blue glass, they should be bone dry with no moisture at all)
Enough oil to fill the bottle (I used combination of Olive and Canola oil)
Combination of herbs like below;

1. Dry rosemary & smashed garlic (1 Tbsp rosemary and 2 cloves of garlic per 10 oz. Of oil)
2. Dry basil, garlic and sun dried tomatoes
3. Dry sage and garlic
4. Garlic, ginger and dry cilantro
5. Sun dried tomatoes and thyme
6. Whole red chillies and garlic

(Please use your imagination to create your own special blend)

Add about 2 Tbsp of the herb combination in the bottle. Heat the oil for 4-5 minutes on low heat and remove from stove. Let cool for 12-15 minutes and add to the bottle. Close the bottle and store in a cool and dark place for atleast a week to enable the infusion process. Enjoy!

Creamy potato and kale soup

1/2 cup chopped white onions
1/2 cup chopped carrots
1/2 cup chopped celery stalks
2-3 cups of chopped potatoes (your choice)
2 cups of Kale roughly chopped
2-3 cloves of garlic minced
2 Bay leaves
3-4 cups of water/broth (enough to cover the ingredients)
Salt, pepper and cayenne to taste

Roux:
1/2 -1 cup of full cream
1 Tbsp All purpose flour

Warm the cream and add the flour to it. Mix well. (No lumps)

Add all the ingredients except the kale and roux in a slowcooker for 3-3.5 hrs till the potatoes are cooked well. Using the back of a spatula, mash the potatoes sparingly (not too much! You don’t want mashed potatoe puree). Add the kale and roux and cook for another 30 min. Serve hot/warm.

(Leftover) turkey enchilada soup!

2 cups cooked turkey shredded
1 cup of white/brown rice
1/2 cup of cooked/canned(rinsed) red kidney beans
1/2 cup each of onions, carrots, celery
1 cup of chopped tomatoes
2-3 cloves of garlic minced
1 jalapenõ deseeded and chopped
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp corainder powder
2-3 cups of water enough to cover the ingredients
Salt and pepper to taste

Add all the ingredients in a crockpot and cook on high for 3-4 hrs or low for 5-6. Serve with a dollop of sour cream, some shredded cheese, cilantro and a squeeze of lime!