Crock Pot Chicken Tikka Masala

Not quite a soup but close. 

Ingredients:

3 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 1 inch pieces

1 large yellow onion, diced

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons freshly grated ginger

1 jar of mom's canned tomatoes (or store bought, whichever); drain out water before adding
2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 1/2 cups plain yogurt

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Juice from 1 large lemon

2 tablespoons garam masala

1 tablespoon cumin

1/2 tablespoon paprika

1 teaspoon turmeric

3 teaspoons salt

3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 bay leaves

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 tablespoon cornstarch

chopped cilantro

- In crock pot: combine chopped onions, minced garlic, grated ginger, sliced jalapeno, tomatos, tomato paste, plain yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, Garam Masala, cumin, paprika, turmeric, salt, cinnamon, pepper, and cayenne pepper.

- Add diced chicken and bay leaves, stir.

- Cover crock pot with lid and cook on low heat for 8 hours.

- In a mixing bowl, whisk together heavy cream and cornstarch, pour mixture into slow cooker and stir. Allow mixture to cook 20 minutes while you prepare the rice (If desired, also prepare cucumber raita and naan at this time.)

- Remove bay leaves and serve warm over rice; sprinkle with chopped cilantro.

 

 

This was a little spicy for me, next time I'll add a touch less cayenne pepper.  The cucumber raita helped though!

 

For cucumber raita:

 Combine in a bowl:

-1 cup plain yogurt (I used lowfat!)

-1 tomato, seeded and diced

-1 large cucumber, diced

-juice from 1 lemon

-1 clove garlic, minced

-1/2 tsp Garam Masala

-1/2 tsp salt

-pinch of crushed red pepper

-1/4 cup chopped fresh cilatro

Brandy Three Apple Pie

Pie Ingredients:
2 pounds Granny Smith Apples
1 pound Braeburn Apples
1 pount Honeycrisp Apples
2 tsp vanilla extract
4 tbsp brandy
1/4 cup turbinado sugar
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp allspice
1/8 tsp ginger
lemon zest
pinch sea salt
1/4 cup pastry flour
1 large egg yolk
1 tbsp heavy cream

Roll out dough to 1/8 inch thickness; fit into 9 inch pie pan and trim dough flush with pan.  Refrigerate until firm.

Roll out rest of dough to 1/8 inch thickness and refrigerate until firm.  Once firm, cut 45-60 shapes with 2/3" cookie cutter and place in single layer.  Refrigerate again until firm.

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Toss apples with flour, brandy, vanilla, sugars, spices, and salt.  Fill pie shell with mixture immediately (don't let it sit!).  Lightly brush pie shell edge with water.  Using pastry brush, "paint" back of each dough-shape and place them in a staggered ring around edge and moving towards center until there's just a little hole in the top.  Or, use a reindeer cookie cutter like I did and just make it cute.

Mix the egg yolk and heavy creamer and brush the entire surface of the pie.  Sprinkle generously with sanding sugar and refrigerate once more until firm.

Bake at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes until the crust just starts to turn brown.  Reduce the heat to 350 degrees and bake for 40 minutes until the crust is golden and you can see the inside of the pie bubbling.  Let cool, and enjoy!!!