Come, Follow Me...

AJ1 often begins statements with "I've got an idea..." and I know he gets it true.  My entire adult life I have kept file folders jam packed full of the ideas that I want to keep.  This began when the internet was in it's infancy and scanning documents was reserved for glossy paper rolls and a phone line, I had never heard of digital photography in 1994.

When we moved, I had to go through and eliminate my idea folders.  It was refreshing and hard all at the same time.  I kept my favoritist of everything and then weeded through them all over again.  

What I ended up with were two workouts (but I just got the insanity workout from my sister so it will now be added), a blank emergency telephone list (to help me to remember to fill it out), a couple of handouts from the pediatrician and cut-outs from Parents Magazine, a book mark my ma-maw gave me in 1998, several magazine pages showing my early obsession with Dorothy Draper (only amplified by our visit to the Greenbrier earlier this year) and my absolute go to recipes -- the fancies that I pull out of my hat when I want to know that dinner will not be a flop or I need cookies for an exchange, etc.

Here is what it looks like:

This is a fair sight better than the entire bookshelf that I had filled over the years.  As recently as two years ago I would have NEVER been able to rid myself of all these papers and clutter but that was before I (and everyone I know) found Pinterest.  This fantastic weapon in my organization arsenal has enabled me to save most of my ideas in a digital format and seek out the fantastic ideas of others and access it all with the click of my mouse!!  If you aren't already, you should follow my boards (button to your right :) and give me the opportunity to follow you as well.  

I will leave you with one of the recipes that I have in my folder.  I have no idea where it came from a million years ago when I began making it, but I assure you it has been tried and tested and is always fabulous...

Chicken Tikka Masala

Serves 4

Ingredients

1  C plain yogurt

1 Tbspn lemon juice

2 tspn ground cumin

1 tspn ground cinnamon

2 tspn cayenne 

2 tspn fresh ground black pepper

1 Tbspn minced fresh ginger

4 tspn salt

3 boneless skinless chicken breast cut into bit size chunks

4 long skewers

1 Tbspn butter 

1 clove garlic, minced

1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped

2 tspn ground cumin

2 tspn paprika

3 tspn salt 

1 (8oz) can tomato sauce

1 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1.  In a large bowl, combine yogurt, lemon juice, 2 tspn cumin, cinnamon, cayenne, black pepper, ginger, and 4 tspn salt.  Stir in chicken, cover, refrigerate for at least one hour (I always leave it in over night in a plastic bag that I swish around every so often).  

2.  Preheat the grill for low heat

3.  Lightly oil the grate, thread chicken onto skewers and cook as sloooowly as possible while reapplying marinade every so often.  Take off the grill when juices from chicken run clear.

4.  Melt butter in a large heavy skillet over medium heat.  saute garlic and jalapeno for 1 minute.  Season with 2 tspn cumin, paprika and 3 tspn salt.  Stir in tomato sauce and cream.  Simmer on low heat until sauce thickens, about 20 minutes.  Add grilled chicken and simmer for 10 minutes.  Transfer to a serving platter and garnish with fresh cilantro.  

I ALWAYS DOUBLE THE SAUCE AND SERVE OVER BASMATI USUALLY WITH GARLIC NAAN (TWO OTHER RECIPES IN THE FOLDER).

Enjoy.