NEW BLOG

Hi... Just dropping by to tell you that i have opened up a new iscrap blog, it's HERE. Update your bookmark to that new link (http://iscrapbying.blogspot.com). I will have my latest update there together with my digital scrapbooking blog. i will delete this blog in days to come until I am able to print/save a backup of my old posts. =D

Do visit me there and I have a surprise for you, too.

Thanks for dropping by.
ing
♥

CHICKEN CURRY

I've been wanting to cook chicken curry but the curry powder or curry paste here in UAE is soooo strong. I like our curry powder in the Philippines, just right for my palate. So, when my mother-in-law came here last December to visit us, I asked her to bring me some curry powder. I cooked chicken curry a few weeks ago but it wasn't good. The sauce was so thick because I used coconut cream instead of coconut milk. This time around, it was a success and I never thought it was so easy to prepare... really. *wink*

CHICKEN CURRY

Ingredients:
2 chicken breast, cut into serving portions
1 large potato, cubed
2 medium carrots, sliced into rings
1/2 bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 thumb-sized ginger, sliced
1 small tomato, chopped
2 tbsp. curry powder
1/2 tsp. dried oregano (optional)
1 tsp. ginger powder (optional)
1 cup coconut milk
1 tsp. cornstarch dissolved in
1/2 cup chicken broth
salt and pepper
olive oil
1 tbsp. butter

Procedure:
In a bowl, mix the chicken breast with 1 tbsp. curry powder, ginger powder, dried oregano, salt and pepper. Leave for a few minutes.

In a wok, heat some cooking oil and pan fry the potatoes until brown. Drain on paper towel and set aside.

In the same wok, heat olive oil and butter. Saute garlic, onion, ginger and tomato until aromatic. Add the chicken and cook until the chicken are a little bit browned and the oil from the chicken come out, about 5-10 minutes. Add the remaining 1 tbsp. curry powder and mix until fully combined, about 2-3 minutes..

Add the coconut milk, fried potato and carrots. Do not stir and cover just yet to let the oil from the coconut milk to come out, just for a couple of minutes or so. Then cover and continue to simmer until the vegetables are a bit tender. Add the bell pepper and season with salt and pepper according to your preference.

Pour the chicken broth with cornstarch and mix slowly until a little thickenned in consistency. Taste and season again if desired.

Serve over steamed rice.

TOMATO - LETTUCE SALAD WITH SALTED EGG

I prepared this along with my Oven Roasted Chicken Breast. I usually prepare tomato-lettuce salad and this time I added salted egg and it turned out quite okay. It's just that the salted egg turned mushy after quite awhile maybe because I didn't drained the lettuce too well. Here's the recipe if you like.

TOMATO - LETTUCE SALAD WITH SALTED EGG

Ingredients:
1 salted egg, chopped
1 large tomato, seeded and chopped
1 small onion, chopped
7 lettuce leaves, chopped
1/2 lime juice*
olive oil
salt and pepper

Procedure:
In a large mixing bowl, combine the lime juice, a little amount of olive oil, salt and pepper. Mix together. Add the vegetables then mix again. Then add the salted egg and mix carefully.
Serve immediately.

• • • • • • •

* We use Indian lime since it's the closest to our calamansi with what's available here in UAE but you can use calamansi, lemon or the regular lime.

OVEN ROASTED CHICKEN BREAST

I was looking for a recipe for the chicken breast since it's the only meat left in the refrigerator. Then I stumbled upon this classic baked chicken recipe from Simply Recipes. I just twisted it a bit by adding some more spices. I though that it would make the chicken breast more tastier... and it did. If you want the Simply Recipe for this dish, click here.

OVEN ROASTED CHICKEN BREAST

Ingredients:
1 chicken breast, halved
1 tomato, halved
7 cloves garlic, crushed
1 onion, quartered
2 spring onion, quartered
1 lemon grass, quartered
1/4 bell pepper, sliced
salt
freshly ground black pepper
olive oil
1 tbsp. butter
1/2 tsp. cornstarch, dissolved in
1/4 cup chicken broth

Procedure:
Pre-heat oven to 400ºF. Rinse chicken and pat dry with paper towel. Coat the bottom of roasting pan with olive oil. Rub some olive oil all over the chicken breast in the roasting pan. Sprinkle both sides of the chicken breast with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Arrange the chicken breast skin side up on the roasting pan. Arrange them with a little space in between and around them that they are neither touching each other not touching the roasting pan. Arrange the garlic, onion, spring onion, lemongrass and bell pepper into the sides and between the chicken breast. Place the half of the tomato at the top of the roasting pan and the other half at the bottom of the roasting pan.

Bake for 30 minutes at 400ºF. Then lower the heat to 350ºF for about 20 minutes more (10 minutes per side). You will know it's cooked when the juices comes out clear (not pink) when poked with a knife or toothpick. If your chicken aren't browning to your satisfaction, you can put them under the broiler for about 5 minutes until it turned brown as per your desire.

Remove roasting pan from the oven. Place the chicken on the serving dish with the spices and the tomato. Cover with aluminum foil for 5 - 10 minutes before serving.

To make the sauce:
Take the roasting pan where you baked the chicken with the drippings and place over the stovetop on a medium heat. Using a metal spatula, scrape off the drippings stuck on the bottom of the roasting pan. Add a chicken broth to the pan to deglaze it. Pour the deglazed drippings on a sauce pan with the butter. Continue cooking over medium heat until it reaches your desired consistency (not too thick and not too flowy).

Serve your oven roasted chicken breast with steam rice. Or even make it a filling for your flour tortilla with sliced tomato, cucumber and lettuce.

I'm still here

I'm still here. Kinda really busy with scrapbooking which I will tell you the details on some other time. Just wanna let you know, I miss being here. I've got a mountain of recipes to post. *giggles*. When everything's ironed out and I'm already settled down on the other side, I'll definitely come running back here to post my recipes.

For the meantine, I'd like you to know that I just created a new blog to showcase my photo-a-day journey called Project365. I aim to finish this year without missing a day. *crossing fingers and toes*. Come and visit me there... iscrap•project365. *biggrin*

I shall return...
{iNg}

Just wrote a wishlist :)

Wishlist... wishlist... wishlist... *huge sigh* When will I be able to get even 1 item from my wishlist. Hehehe... Just want to share to you my list (in no particular order) LOL!














1. Wii Fit
A good friend introduced me to this since she has this and she's having a real good time playing and at the same time getting physical work outs. I needed one, I believe. It's also something to share with the rest of the family, Kim can use it and even Makuy since it's like your playing a video game (onl healthier). Hehehe...














2. DSLR Camera Tripod
I've been longing to have one since I have a shaky hands. This is very useful indeed. :)















3. DSLR Camera Wireless Remote
Very useful, too. Specially when I wanted to take photos with myself included or take photos of the whole family, with Kim, or with the kids. ;D











4. Nikkor 55-200mm f/4-5.6G IF-ED AF-0S DX VR Zoom Lens
I wanted to explore more on photography... zoom lens or micro. This is nice when I'm taking photos from a distance or would like to zoom a particular subject. LOL!









6. Laptop
Handy computer to store and edit my photos and even do some scrapping. It's would be nice to bring this anywhere and surf the net anytime if on the go. I just like to have one. :))















7. Pen Tablet
This is already answered by my sister. Thanks Sis!!! *smiling*. I wanted to have pen tablet for scrapbooking since I'm starting to design and it's nice in doodling or freehand drawings. LOL!

I also have a wishlist for Kim, Makuy and Yano.















8. Kim - A shoe that he really likes and a slipper he can wear just anywhere. Because even if we would just go to the market he wears rubbershoes since his slipper's very worn out already. He doesn't say it but I know he wanted a new mobile phone... and a guitar he could play while at home or just relaxing.


9. Makuy - I would want to get him a new Crocs since his old ones getting smaller for his getting bigger feet. I like Crocs since it's very comfortable, non-slippery and light to the feet. Other than the Cros, I'd like to get him a rubber shoes since his rubber shoes doesn't feet anymore (we gave it to the relief goods already). I also would like to buy him some shirts and pants. It's embarrasing to admit we haven't bought him new clothes (his old clothes still fits well). We get hesitated to buy new ones since it's really expensive here and when you buy cheaper ones, it easily get's destroyed, worn out, stretched. And perhaps a portable DVD player where he can view his audio and video cds. This is also good for the baby music and so handy we can bring it in the car. He's saving up for his toy, so that's a relief for me. Hehehe...

10. Yano - For the baby, I just wanted to get verything I see and like at the store. Hahaha... But as of now, I's like to get him some educational toys like clothbooks/sound books, a gym mat, some developmental toys and soothing light toys. It's too early I know but I also wanted to get him a Crocs he can use while learning how to walk. Hehehe...

11. Lastly, for our househelp, Marites. I also would like to get her clothes and shoes/sandals or anything that she likes that I can afford. Hehehe... She's new with us, 2 months. We got her from Philippines to help us here at home specially with the baby since I'm trying to find work again. So far, so good... she's never failed us on our expectations (I hope so). This will be her first Christmas away from home and family so we wanted to comfort her when loneliness comes.

P.S. I also wanted to give to my parents, brother and sister. I pray that I'll be financially blessed this month so that I can send them money for their little celebration and that they could have something new this holodays. :)) *praying*

This is it... Those are my list... Hahaha... My wishlist... always a wishlist... just a wishlist... LOL!

Thanks for looking :)

Holiday Giveaway from Jbreezy...

This is not connected to any scrapbooking stuff but I got interested with Jbreezy's "surprise giveaway" at her blog for this Christmas time. Hehehe... Come and join. I think it's fun :). Just visit Jbreezy's blog and learn what it's all about.

Deadline for her Giveway is on Wednesday, DECEMBER 16, 2009 @ 11:59 pm Central Time.

I hope I get chosen. LOL!