We have a dog. Wilson is his name. We rescued him from a farm (the owner gave him to us --AKC papers and all). He was malnurished, full of matted hair and sores, and in overall sad shape. He has been with us for almost a month now and is doing remarkably well. He has the most calm, sweet and gentle disposition of any dog I have known. He still occasionally has to wear his plastic cone on his head while his sores continue to heal but he is putting on some weight and seems to be acclimating quite well to his new home and family. Whether or not the boys are acclimating to a dog is another story, but they'll come around.
The Homestead will be opening at the end of May. Can you believe it?? A family dream is coming true.
And finally...this was breakfast. My new favorite curry. I have a love/hate relationship with Indian curry. This is definitely a love. I added peas to ours and seared our chicken in the pan before browning the onions. I also omitted the garlic (not a huge fan since the last pregnancy) and the red pepper (none on hand).
Mango Chicken Curry Recipe
From Simply Recipes
3 Tbsp (or more) of vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped (1 1/2 to 2 cups)
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp fresh minced ginger
2 Tbsp yellow curry powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 mangos, peeled and diced
2 Tbsp cider vinegar or white vinegar
1 1/4 cup water
1 1/4 pounds skinless boneless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/3 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup heavy cream (can substitute all or partially with coconut milk)
Salt and pepper
Cilantro for garnish
Method
1 Heat 2 Tbsp oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the red bell pepper and another tablespoon of oil, cook for a couple more minutes. Add the curry powder and cumin, cook for a few more minutes. The spices will absorb some of the oil, so if anything begins to stick too much to the bottom of the pan, add a little more oil to the pan. Add the ginger and garlic, cook for one minute more.
2 Add the vinegar, water, and a 1/2 of the chopped mango to the pan. Increase the heat and bring to a boil, then lower the heat to maintain a low simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove pan from heat. Scoop the sauce into a blender. Purée the sauce, pulsing until smooth. Return the sauce to the pan.
3 Add chicken pieces and raisins to the pan. Return to a low simmer. Cover the pan and let cook for 8-10 minutes. Chicken should be just cooked through. Use a knife to cut open the largest piece to check.
4 Add remaining mango pieces to the pan. Stir in the cream. Let cook at a very low temperature for another minute or two, uncovered. Do not let boil! Or the cream may curdle. Adjust seasonings. If a little too sweet, add a little more vinegar. If not sweet enough, you can add a dash of sugar. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Serve over rice. Garnish with cilantro. Serves 4.