Dangerspouse is always promoting home cooking. Well, he promotes gourmet cooking. I proudly do the hack-job version thereof.
A couple of days ago I bought salad and a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store, because I was in too much pain to even think of cooking that day. If I’d put something into the crock pot that morning I’d have managed – but I forgot.
So yesterday I picked the remaining meat from the carcass and used it to make curried chicken and rice. It was the Campbell’s soup version (literally so) but still tasted yummy and was just this side of not cooking at all.
- Leftover boneless chicken, chopped
- 1 package of frozen chopped veggies – I used mirepoix
- 1 can of cream of mushroom soup (also good with cream of asparagus)
- 1-1/2 cans water
- Curry powder to taste
- Cooked rice
Combine the chicken and veggies in a large skillet. (Stir-fry with a tablespoon of oil, if desired.) Add soup and water, stir in curry powder, and simmer while rice is cooking. I don’t usually add salt or pepper except the normal amount of salt to the rice, because Campbells cans are salt-bombs already.
When the rice is cooked, pour the curry mix over the rice and enjoy.
Gourmet it ain’t;. but it’s simple, yummy, and filling. It’s good without the spice, too, if you’re feeding picky children or adults who don’t like curry. You can substitute to your heart’s content: I usually chop in fresh bell pepper, mushroom, and onion in lieu of the frozen veggies, but honestly – whatever kind of veggies you like will probably work fine. Add raisins or other fruit if you’re into that kind of thing. You could also use pork or lamb instead of chicken. I’ve never tried beef in this specific recipe. Don’t know how well beef works with curry.
You can definitely do beef sans curry using this baseline recipe, and add garlic, Worcestershire sauce, and sour cream for a faux stroganoff. Just pour over cooked noodles instead of rice.
Of course, if you’re really ambitious you can create the curry sauce with a roux and… well, more effort than I usually want to go to when I create this one-bowl meal. To be honest, this recipe has so little prep time when you use precooked meat or poultry, it’s almost as easy as a TV dinner (which, ironically, we almost never eat.) It’s absolutely faster than drive-through fast food or delivery. It’s the perfect quick-fix meal on on a chilly night.
……………………
In every industry there’s that one person who thinks he or she is God’s gift. Over the past couple of days, we’ve had no less than three that ones barrel through in the book-cover-design groups, to explain why we peasants were getting in the way of the “professionals” and should crawl back into the ooze from which we sprang.
One of them issued a decree, a list of MUST DOs which sounded all official and was wrong on a few dozen levels, including one bullet point which insisted a designer flat-out break copyright law.
My favorite was one who spit out his credentials – an art degree – and challenged, “If you’re so wonderful, how about you show me the covers YOU designed?”
Well, we did. Among the responses, one artist posted the covers he’d done for a little-known author whose last name is King. Author first name is Stephen. Yup, THAT Stephen King. (Note: I also realized the jerk-guy is one I personally kicked from one of our groups, ha!)
And that’s just on the cover design side. You haven’t lived until you’ve seen wordsmiths rip an idiot to shreds.
What you may not know about indie publishing:
- Indie books frequently outsell trade-published books on Amazon, sometimes by a wide margin. This is individual books, not cumulative numbers.
- I personally know at least half a dozen indie authors who were solicited by trade publishers – and declined.
- Big trade publishing houses are now following trends in indie books, rather than vice versa.
Yes, the Twilight abomination started out as indie published, and so did the 50 Shades dreck. But don’t hold that against us.
Your indie company is sounding better and better. At least you know what you are talking about and that is huge. Would I be able to reprint some of my previous books through your indie company? Asking for my friend. LOL
Possibly – you can always send ’em over and I’ll share with my review team 🙂
The fact that you cooked AT ALL whilst in pain immediately exempts you from criticism. Well done – your dish sounds delicious for a quick throw together, and best of all…you liked it! That’s the ultimate praise one could heap on any dish.
But to the larger point: yes, what I cook may be considered “gourmet”, if only through years of training and hands touched by God. But what I *promote* is what you stated in the first sentence: home cooking. NOT gourmet cooking. I mean, you bozos aren’t capable of it, so why should I pound my head against a stove trying to convine you to try?
Er…what I meant to say was: one of the first things my mom taught me when she first handed me a spatula was, “Don’t ever criticize anyone’s home cooking. If they went to the effort to make it for you it means they like you. No matter how it tastes, eat it gratefully and praise it fully.” (Maybe not verbetim, but god’s honest truth that was the verbetim sentiment.) Especially these days when it is absolutely possible to do no cooking at all for oneself, I applaude anyone who even opens a can of soup and adds something other than water and a spoon.
So you have my praise for coming up with a quick dish that required thought and inventiveness, and hit the spot when you needed something tasty and filling while dealing with physical pain.
I mean that.
Oh, and the publishing stuff? Sorry, my head was too filled with how to respond to the food portion that I didn’t even pay attention. Maybe next time.
xoxoxox
I know. And I actually AM capable of gourmet, at least in terms of knowing how. The physical stamina for some of the dishes ain’t happening. I think that’s why I say what I do about this throw-together stuff. I used to make EVERYTHING from scratch: every sauce, soup, etc. About the only thing I didn’t grate, peel, etc., was spices. So what I do now doesn’t really feel like cooking to me. It feels like cheating.
I need to pick your brain, though, on the best way to fix a cheap cut of lamb. I bought some shoulder chops on sale for $5.99/lb over the weekend. They’re leaner than usual for the cut, but obviously still fatty. I’m thinking something Greek rather than curry-esque but open to ideas.
There are still things I make from scratch when my body permits. Sadly, those days are fewer and farther between.
Just a quick reply here, as I’m on my way out momentarily.
You’ve chosen probably my single favorite cut of lamb, which is my single favorite meat. I’ve made more lamb shoulder chops than anyone, even ewe.
😉
Ok, my all time favorite way:
S&P the chops and sear them on one side in a hot pan with the fat of your choice (I like butter cut with a little oil of some sort to keep it from scorching).
When it’s crusted on one side flip, then give it a minute to crust a bit also. Then remove the chop to a warm plate, drain the fat from the pan and return it to the heat. Flambe with whisky, brandy, whatever, then add some red wine to deglaze. Add back in the chop and dust with rosemary. When the wine is reduced a bit, add a good dollop of red raspberry jam (seedless) and swirl til mixed in. Simmer til the chops are just done and remove to a warm plate again. Reduce the pan juices, and when thick add any liquids that have escaped from the chops, and finish with a nob of butter. Adjust S&P. If it tastes at all flat, or cloying, add something sharp. Traditionally this would be a shot of red wine vinegar (NOT balsamico), but I like a scrape of nutmeg and a shot of ground red pepper also. Either way, you can’t go wrong.
Can’t stress this enough: make sure the plate is warm!
Gotta run. Hope this helps, and good luck with it! Lemme know how it came out 🙂
Definitely going to try this out. I don’t have any raspberry jam but that’s easily remedied. (Fresh raspberry and mint leaves for garnish.) Also don’t think I have any red wine at the moment, but again – easy fix. I’ve got some gemstone potatoes and thinking asparagus as a veggie with this combo. I think a Parmesan potato might work with it, no? Simpler on the asparagus, just steamed or baked.
Husband and I had just finished eating when I read off your recipe and I mentioned the sides. Husband asked how soon would be too soon to eat again, ha!
Ha! If I were your husband (sorry – didn’t mean to induce nightmares) I’d have the same reaction.
I love the sides you mentioned, although I think personally I’d go for a different potato preparation. I love Parm potatoes in any form, but as I see this dish as more French than Italian I’d probably pick something a little less assertive. Less salty than Parm anyway, as it might be a bit much for the sweet/savory rosemary/raspberry combo on the lamb. But that’s really a judgement call. You might well argue that the salt would be a good foil, a welcome contrast even. You know what I say? Give it a shot! Then get back to me with the verdict 🙂
Well done, Young Glasshoppa!
Oh yeah – I often add garlic. How could a Wop forget garlic?! Sheesh….
I’ll take your word and swap out the parm potatoes for simple parsley and butter, or maybe creamed, some simple flavoring.
Lol. That was just what *I’d* do. YOU can serve any which side you please. That’s the beauty of Home Cookin’, babe! If you like Parm ‘taters, and hubby also salivates at the thought, who am I to gainsay you? Indulge!
🙂
Oh I know I *can* serve whatever. I can serve candied sweet potatoes, if I liked them. But the whole idea with this experiment is to get your take on the meal. My husband will eat potatoes fixed any way but with liver. He LIKES parm potatoes, but he also likes mashed, scalloped, creamed, parsley, and so on. Ergo – I fix whatever and there’s unlikely to be a leftover
Well then, let me know which of my guaranteed perfect suggestions you took, and how it came out. (Spoiler: “Perfect!”)
🙂