FATTIE's Chicken Curry

Thank you to Presidents Washington and Lincoln for inspiring the USA to create a holiday in the middle of February!  I'm enjoying my day off while I take a trip down memory lane.

This is very similar to a delicious dish I was served at the wedding rehearsal dinner of someone an ex-boyfriend could not get over.  While the company at the dinner sucked ass, the curry was remarkably creamy, satisfying and comforting.

While this picture and the rehearsal dinner featured chicken in the curry, this can also be made with shrimp.  In fact, I do prefer curry made with shrimp, however, out of respect and compassion for D1s possible shellfish allergy, I'm trying to minimize the cooking/serving of questionable food while we await our appointment with Dr. Kuo.

Enjoy the holiday!

click on recipe title for printable recipe

FATTIE's Chicken (or Shrimp) Curry

     1/2 c butter
     2 cloves garlic, crushed
     4 tsp curry powder
     1 lb shrimp or chicken
     1 can chicken broth
     2 thin slices lemon
     1 bay leaf
     1/2 c flour
     1 c sour cream
     condiments:  chutney, chopped egg, bacon bits, chopped celery, chopped peanuts or mac nuts

Cut chicken into strips (If using shrimp, shell and devein).  Set aside.  In a medium saucepan, melt butter.  Stir in garlic and curry powder.  Add chicken/shrimp and saute until cooked.  Remove and set aside.  Add chicken broth, lemon slices, and bay leaf to saucepan.  Simmer 20 minutes.  Remove and discard lemon slices, and bay leaf.  Remove 1/2 c of liquid from saucepan and add to flour.  Stir until smooth then add to saucepan.  Stir until thickened.  Add sour cream.  Stir until fully incorporated.  Return chicken/shrimp to sauce mixture.  Simmer for 5 minutes.  Serve with assorted condiments.

My original angle was to post a scathing account of the indignities I endured, but The Help suggested I tone it down, after all, the food should be the focus. . .not details of my sordid past relationships.  If you are like me and love a good story, email me and I can give you all the details!

We celebrated Valentine's Day!

Free picture collage customized with Smilebox

The Help bought us girls a Dream Cake from Zippy's.  D2 had been talking about the cake for weeks, saying it was her favorite cake. I used to see this cake in the dessert cases at Robert's Bakery and Lanky's Bakery, but it was not something my parents ever bought even if I asked for it many times.  Something about those chocolate curls. . .

D2 gave me a rubber band ring.  It fits me perfectly.  In addition to me, her dentist also received a gift.  He got a rubber band bracelet.  Thank you again, 3M, for the rubber band loom and supplies.  It came in handy this past weekend when KN and KB spent the night with D2.  Glad there is something which provides a break from the electronics these kids seem to love so much.  

The Help got me gold...liquid gold.  Not sure where he found this bottle of Kirk and Sweeney Dominican rum.  I will not be making a rum cake with this.  I will be using it as an antiseptic...to wash away the ills of a bad day.  It should be gone in a fortnight!

Curry Chicken Salad

Summer is now well underway.  D2 is in a summer program at her school, and D1 is doing an internship at the US Department of Agriculture (thank you, Aunty 3M).  D1 hasn't gone to her worksite yet, so I'm not sure what her hours will be and for how long.  D2's summer program ends before June ends, so I'm going to need to find something for her to do.  Maybe she can work on a guest blog post.

Yesterday, I plotted our schedule for the summer (D1, D2 & mine), and every weekday of the summer is encumbered with an activity/obligation for at least one of us.  I need to plan a trip to Honolulu for back-to-school shopping, and I'm fearful that we will run out of summer before we can go.  In spite of being so busy here, none of us are too distressed by the flurry of activity (but we all see the need to get to Honolulu).

I've gone to my new school site three times so far.  My room isn't ready yet, but I've been meeting with coworkers in developing pacing guides for our courses.  This is a totally new thing for me, so if you know anyone out there who is willing to share 9th and 12th grade English/Language Arts pacing guides aligned to the Common Core State Standards, then send them my way.  I will share a special recipe with them for their kindness.

A year ago (I went back and reread my post), I was lamenting/bitching about having to go in to work and feeling like all of it was a waste.  What a difference a year makes!  What a difference a job makes!  The High Commander is a fantastic person, and she could be even more effective.  I will miss her dearly, and I will never forget how well she treated me.

My new job site is NOT unfamiliar.  In fact, close to 2 decades ago, when I moved to Hilo from Honolulu, that was my place of employment!  I left to take a resource position with the state, and to escape a witch of an administrator (not a kama`aina and sooo detached from the faculty, students and staff. . .bless her heart).  Now that I'm going back, I feel like there is wind in my sails once again.  I'm excited, and that's likely the reason why I've been willingly giving up time during my break.

Like my new job. . ."if its a good thing, its worth repeating". . .this chicken salad recipe is also worth repeating.  The pictures here show it stuffed in a hollowed out tomato, but its equally great when used as a sandwich filling.

And speaking of tomato. . .last Thursday was gardening day at Summer Academy.  D2 said she pulled weeds and harvested vegetables.  At the end of the work session, she and her classmates shared the fruits of their labor with their families.  D2 brought home a cute beet and a cute tomato.  I added the beet (root and greens) into a pot of ribollita.  The tomato made a Lilliputian* vessel for curry chicken salad.

click on recipe title for printable recipe

Curry Chicken Salad

     3 c diced, cooked chicken breast (1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless breasts)

     1 tsp salt

     1/2 c chopped celery

     1 c chopped apple (fuji or honeycrisp)

     1 tsp grated onion

     1/4 tsp pepper
     1/4 c whipping cream

     1 c mayonnaise

     1/2 tsp curry powder

Place chicken, salt, celery, apple, onion and pepper in a mixing bowl.  Whisk together whipping cream, mayonnaise, and curry powder.  Pour over other ingredients and toss gently until well blended.  Chill for at least 2 hours.  Serve with mango chutney.

I'd like to congratulate D1 for making the cheerleading squad for the coming school year.  She got the great news on Friday.  Thirteen other girls and a boy will be joining her.  Congratulations go out to all of them!  I'm sure their parents are proud (and $300+ poorer).

Tryouts were a grueling 2 weeks, and D1 maintained perfect attendance.  She was marked down during her cheer audition in the cafeteria  for voice projection.  We are still trying to comprehend how she didn't get a perfect score for voice projection.  Could she have been TOO loud?




*My teaching line for the coming school year consists of 4 periods of 12th Grade Language Arts.  The literature focus for 12th graders is British Literature, so I'm trying to get into it.  I think Mrs. Tanabe (my senior English teacher) will freak when she finds out what I'm teaching!