Recipe | Curried Chicken with Coconut Rice

I was able to go home this last weekend, my first time this semester.  It was so good to get away from the dorm for awhile and be at home.  I just wish the weekend could have been a couple days longer - the weekend just flew by.  I was quite busy in the kitchen - making some yummy, homemade foods to bring back to school with me.

It has been awhile since I have posted a recipe, so here one is.  This curry chicken and rice is one of my favorites.  It is something a little different than what my family eats most - meat & potatoes, pasta, soup, sandwiches, etc.  It makes great leftovers and freezes well.  And, I think it is almost better as leftovers!  Usually my mom will pick the chicken apart (thanks Mom!) and mix it in with all the rice - the chicken gets coated in all the flavor.  This is something that I will make to bring back to school with me, for the week to come and to stick away in my little freezer for later.

^^I usually just sprinkle the chicken with the seasoning once I have it in the pan to brown and then toss it around some.^^

^^I don't usually add the cilantro, but I thought I would since I was taking pictures.  It really does make it more pretty for pictures and it tasted quite well with it.^^

Curried Chicken with Coconut Rice
(recipe from Martha Stewart)

8 piece fryer chicken (this should consist of 2 each of breast, thigh, leg, & wings - with the skin on)
4 tsp. curry powder
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
Salt
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
5 garlic cloves, minced
3 Tbsp. minced, peeled, fresh ginger
1 medium yellow onion, diced small
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
2 cups basmati rice
1 - 13.5 oz. can unsweetened, light coconut milk
Fresh cilantro, for serving (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Toss chicken with curry powder, cayenne pepper, and 1/2 tsp. salt.

In a large Dutch oven or other heavy duty pot, heat 2 tsp. oil over medium-high heat.  Brown chicken on all sides, for a total of about 12 minutes.  Transfer to a plate.

Reduce heat and add 1 tsp. salt, remaining 1 tsp. oil (if there are enough juices from the chicken in the pan, you can omit this), garlic, ginger, and onion.  Cook, stirring and scraping up the brown bits, until onion is translucent, about 6 minutes.  Stir in tomato paste and cook 1 minute.  Add rice, coconut milk, and 2 cups water.  Stir to combine and bring to a boil.  Place chicken in pot, skin side up, cover, and place in oven.  Bake until chicken is cooked and liquid is absorbed (the original recipe says 20 minutes, but it always takes mine more like 40).  Sprinkle with cilantro if desired and enjoy!

^^I think it is really yummy with some steamed broccoli.^^

Happy Birthday John

On January 8th, my brother John celebrated his 15th birthday!  Besides the few decorations, the day was mostly a typical day (homeschooling with our sister Sarah - they did get to be done a little early).

Our celebrating happened mostly in the evening.  My mom's cousin Chris and our great aunt Anna Marie came down to help us celebrate (they were also going to go to Sarah's basketball game the next day, but that ended up getting cancelled).  For supper, we just ordered pizza.  Then Sarah had basketball practice so our celebrating was delayed for a little while, which ended up taking longer than expected.  Once we were all together again, we lit the candles, sang "happy birthday," and enjoyed the German chocolate cake John requested.   Presents were opened and we did our usual dollar hunt - where the birthday kid finds the number of $1 bills that you are turning.

The day ended up being a nice way to celebrate a birthday.  I am glad that I was able to be home to celebrate my other brother Thomas' 18th birthday on December 16th, which was right at the beginning of my break, and then John's at the end of break.

The Big Cut

                                                           

First off - Happy New Year!!

                                                                                                                                                                         

In February 2014, almost two years ago, I decided that I was going to grow my hair out to donate it.  It is something I have always wanted to do, but have never done it.  I decided that I was just going to do it!  I have always kept my hair a little past my shoulders and just a straight across cut.  So, it is not like I needed to grow it out a ton, but a few inches takes my slow growing hair awhile.  I didn't want to wait forever till I would donate my hair, but I didn't want my hair to be insanely short afterwards.

My hair has definitely been longer than ever.  It looks pretty and I like being able to put it in a braid, but sometimes my hair would get in the way and was annoying.  Occasionally I would measure how long my hair was, just for fun and to see how much more I would need to grow it out so I would have a little hair left on my head.  I decided that I was going to cut it over break!

I looked around on the internet at different places that I could donate my hair to.  I decided on Pantene Beautiful Lengths - mainly because they only required 8 inches.  I wasn't sure where I was going to get it cut.  But, my mom kept asking me when I was going to do it.

On Monday night, Mom suggested that she just cut it.  We needed something a little exciting to happen.  At first I wasn't sure about it, but I started it think about it and it sounded fun!  So, we did it!  We followed the instructions online.  If I would have gone to a hair salon, they probably would have cut it and then I would have sent my hair in.  So, really it wouldn't matter where my hair was cut.

I wasn't sure how I would like my hair being short, but I am really liking it.  I actually think the way my hair turned out right after it being cut in the ponytail, was really cute.  But, it needed to be cleaned up some... especially in the back.  And, my mom wanted to do that too.  Why not?  It will grow back.  Mom cleaned it up and then wanted to add few little bangs.  It is really cute!

Before:

During:

^^Just using fabric scissors.  Ha.^^

After:

^^My hair right after it was cut.^^

Christmas | 2015

It is hard to believe Christmas has come and gone already - it always goes so fast.  There is always so much anticipation for the big day, well even just for Christmas Eve at our house.  Though, I wasn't feeling the Christmas spirit much this year.  I am not sure what exactly it was, but something was missing - maybe the rather warm weather, or being at school and not at home during the time of getting ready.

We always spend Christmas Eve at home.  Mom makes ham and kulma for supper.  After supper is all cleaned up, we open gifts from each other.
Christmas morning, us kids open our Santa gifts in our stockings as we wake up - it is not as early now that I'm older.  Then mid-morning, we leave to go to Grandma and Grandpa's, where we gather with all our relatives - Christmas dinner, kids play, gifts are opened, the ladies do a gift exchange, and the men do a gift exchange.

Sarah made sure that our puppy Zoey had lots of her own presents to open.  Zoey was actually a really good present opener - she would carry her gifts around and was able to open them by herself.  It was so cute!!

I didn't take any pictures Christmas Day, but thanks to my mom's cousin Chris, I was able to get some.  Chris always does a great job getting pictures of everyone.  Here are just some of the pictures.

I hope everyone had a merry Christmas and has a happy new year!