Wednesday, September 30, 2015

Rachael Ray Nutrish Zero Grain Beef with Bison Dry Dog Food #NutrishZeroGrain #sponsored

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I still remember the first day I saw his sweet little face.  He was just a little ball of white fur looking up at me asking me to take him home. So, that's just what I did.  It's been three an half years and he has become such a huge part of our family dynamic that we all literally get jealous when he is snuggling with another member of the family.

 Scout was only a few months old when we brought him home so I really wanted to make sure that we had a safe home for him.  We puppy proofed the house, bought him a size appropriate crate to potty train him, took him to the veterinarian for his puppy shots, and bought him loads of toys to keep him entertained and happy. 

 

I also thought a lot about dog food.  I love to cook and feed my family so what they eat on a daily basis (including the four legged ones) is very important to me.  I must have researched dog foods for weeks before I got Scout.  I even went to a fancy dog boutique and talked to their experts.  Unfortunately, at the end of the day none of that mattered because my little guy is a very picky eater.  


I was desperate to find him a good quality, nutritious dog food that he would actually eat every day.  We tried several brands over the course of six months and nothing really made him run to the bowl and eat. I was so desperate that I was literally holding the food in my hand and feeding him one piece of kibble at a time trying to get him to eat something.  I know that was simply crazy on my part, but as a parent (even a pet parent) you sometimes do desperate things to make sure your baby is getting nutrition. 

 

 Then one day I was watching Rachael Ray on her daytime talk show and she mentioned her Nutrish Dog food line.  I loved that her dog food was made with simple and natural ingredients.   I trust Rachael Ray's products because I already cook and feed my family her olive oil, chicken broth and seasonings so why not get Scout eating Rachael Ray's products too.

I was so happy to see my local grocery store carried Nutrish.  Now, it is so convenient because I no longer have to make a special trip to the pet food store just to purchase a bag of dog food.  I simply buy Scout's food when I go grocery shopping for the family.   

The first time I bought a bag of Nutrish, I brought home a small bag to try out and slowly transition Scout over to Rachael Ray Nutrish. It is important to remember to always take your time when transitioning your dog over to any new dog food because it is easier on their digestive system.  It took me about 7-10 days to get Scout fully transitioned over to Nutrish.

I was so excited when Scout didn't push the Nutrish dog food away after a couple of days like he did the other brands of dog food .  He was actually coming back and I could feed it to him without trying to coax him into eating it.  He liked it!  I am happy to say that Scout has been eating Rachael Ray Nutrish chicken flavor for the past three years and we have never looked back.


So when I was asked to try Rachael Ray Zero Grain Beef and Bison dry dog food, I didn't have to think twice.  It makes me happy because Rachael Ray™ Nutrish® Zero Grain™ Beef with Bison Recipe is made with:  
      • Real beef, raised on U.S. farms is always the #1 ingredient
      • With real bison raised on U.S. farms
      • Zero grains, glutens or fillers
      • Zero poultry by-product meal
      • Zero artificial preservatives, colors, or flavors


 I knew Scout would love the meaty beef and bison dog food and I was right because he enjoyed it from first bite.  After a bowl of Nutrish he always licks his mouth happily every time.
 



Buying Nutrish also makes me feel good about my purchase because I know I'm helping Rachael's Rescue.  Here is more information about Rachael's Rescue and Nutrish pet food:
  •  Rachael’s personal proceeds go to Rachael’s Rescue, a charity created to help shelter pets in need. To date we have donated over $9MM. This money has gone toward food, medical supplies and treatments for these unfortunate animals. Unlike our competitors, we pride ourselves on bringing pet specialty quality food to the masses. We are the first premium brand that is only available in grocery/mass retailers like Target, Walmart and Amazon. In a hyper- competitive category, we are very happy to say that we are the fastest growing dry dog food brand in the grocery/mass space. Contributing to the brand’s success is the approachability, accessibility and connection to Rachael Ray, who brings on-trend humanization of pet food and represents the charitable Rachael’s Rescue component.
Would like to try Nutrish Zero Grain Dog food for your beloved canine at home?  If so you can click HERE to get a $3 coupon off a bag of Zero Grain pet food.

For more news on Rachael Ray's Nutrish follow them on:


Scout could not wait for me to hurry and finish taking my photos so he could get back to his lunch.   He is a big Rachael Ray Nutrish Dog food fan and so am I!



Disclosure:  This was a sponsored post on behave of Rachael Ray Nutrish Zero Grain Beef with Bison Dry Dog Food.  I was compensated for my time, but all opinions, photos and family stories are my own.

Copyright: All recipes, content, and images (unless otherwise stated) are the sole property of Curry and Comfort. Please do not use without prior written consent. Unauthorized reproduction is strictly prohibited.

Thursday, September 24, 2015

Sri Lankan Pittu (Rice Flour and Coconut Dish)

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Sri Lankan Pittu

Traditional Sri Lankan food always makes me very happy, hungry and ready to eat.  Most of it involves very simple ingredients like rice and coconut.  

One dish that is made from coconut and rice flour is called Pittu.  My mother says that Pittu is her favorite dish to eat and will gladly eat it every day.... I am totally ready to do that as well. 

Pittu comes to Sri Lanka from the Kerala region of India and is known as Puttu or Putu there.  The recipes I have read about the Kerala version is made with slightly different ingredients, but this recipe is how Sri Lankans make and eat Pittu.

Pittu is traditionally eaten for breakfast in Sri Lanka. Now a days it is also eaten for lunch or dinner since people are off and rushing to work and school in the morning and cannot eat a leisurely long breakfast. 

The process of making pittu is simply mixing coconut with the rice flour to form a "crumbled texture" mixture.  Then that mixture is placed in the cylinder tube of the Pittu steamer and steamed for about 5-6 minutes and it comes out as a solid Pittu tube.  You can use either red or white rice flour to make pittu so it is a wonderful gluten-free dish.   

The pittu is then eaten with warmed coconut milk, lunu miris and any spicy meat, fish or vegetable curry.    I love that such simple ingredients can create beautiful and delicious food.  Now that's something to really celebrate!



Ingredients:

5 cups desiccated coconut
1 (15oz) can coconut milk
1 can hot water (use the coconut milk can to measure)
2 tsp salt
8 cups rice flour

Directions:
Step 1: Place the desiccated coconut in bowl and pour coconut milk and can of hot water over it.  Mix well and allow coconut to soak for 20-30 minutes. 
 
Step 2:  Sift together rice flour and salt.  Set aside. 

Step 3:  Set up steamer with hot water and bring pittu steamer to a boil until you see the steam coming out of the top of the steamer.   
 
Step 4:  In a new bowl, take up cup of sifted rice flour/salt mixture and mix with 2/3cup soaked coconut mixture.  Use fingers to create a "crumble texture".   

Note:  This texture is really important. It should be a dry crumble so sprinkle a little flour mixture to make sure you get the right texture.
Step 5: Take the steamer tube and place the piece that separates the tube part from the steamer part.   It's the little metal circle in the photo shown here that has holes.  These holes allow the steam to go up through the pittu mixture and steam it all together into a tube.   

Note: We recommend that you wash this round metal piece between each steaming because it will get pittu residue on it and that will prevent the steam from going through the holes.  I simply placed a small bowl of cold water to dip it into and clean off quickly before resetting it in the pittu steamer.   

 Step 6: Then fill the tube with the dry crumble mixture of the rice flour and coconut until you get to the top.  Place the  lid on the steamer tube and back on the base that is full of boiling water. 
Step 7: Steam pittu for 5 minutes until you see steam coming out of the top of the pittu steamer.  Then allow it to steam for about 1-2 more minutes.  That means the steam has worked it's way through all the pittu ingredients and steamed everything together.  Take the pittu tube off  the base and use a wooden dowel/pole to push the pittu out of the steamer. 

Step 8:  Repeat until all the mixture is used and you have cooked your pittu.  
Note:  My mother says that once you are steaming the pittu, work on making the crumble for the next tube of pittu.  It's best to work in batches otherwise if you mix all the flour/salt with the soaked coconut at one time the crumbles mixture becomes too tough or soggy.

This amount of pittu will serve 6-8 people or more.  Eat it with, coconut milk gravy,  lunu miris and any spicy meat, fish or vegetable curry.

Note:  To make the coconut gravy just mix 1 can (15oz) with 1 tsp of salt. Stir well and this is poured over the pittu and eaten with the other condiments and curries. 







Copyright: All recipes, content, and images (unless otherwise stated) are the sole property of Curry and Comfort. Please do not use without prior written consent. Unauthorized reproduction is strictly prohibited.

Monday, September 21, 2015

Thai Basil Tomato and Cucumber Salad with Cod

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The kids have been back in school for a few weeks now and that leaves me at home alone for lunch.  I don't usually make a "fancy" lunch just for myself, but today I thought this Thai Basil and Cucumber Salad with Pan-Fried Cod was pretty special.    Last week I made a Thai Basil Tomato Bruschetta and I have not been able to stop thinking about it. 

I ate some of the leftover bruschetta with some rice and I loved how it tasted together.  I thought all I need is some protein and it would make a great light lunch or dinner.   So, I paired it with some simple pan fried cod and brown rice and it was a completely light and delicious meal. 

The trick is to make the salad about 20 minutes before you eat so you allow some of the natural juices from the tomatoes to come out and make a "gravy" to help flavor the cod and rice.  

It was a perfect lunch to fuel me for the day. 

 
Ingredients:

Cod:
2 (6oz) pieces of cod
salt and black pepper
canola oil

Salad: 
3 large ripe but firm red tomatoes finely diced 1 medium red onion finely diced handful fresh Thai Basil leaves finely chopped 2 jalapeno pepper (seeded) and finely chopped
1 English cucumber finely diced

Dressing:
3 Tbs fish sauce
1 Tbs brown sugar
1 1/2 Tbs fresh lime juice
black pepper to taste
salt if needed  


Other ingredients:
white or brown rice



 Directions:

Lightly season cod with salt and black pepper. Heat oil in skillet and pan fry cod 3-5 minutes per side (depending on thickness of cod) until fully cooked.

Mix dressing, dress salad and allow to sit for 20 minutes to give flavors time to develop.  

To plate:  Place a base of rice and cod. Top with plenty of Thai Basil Tomato and Cucumber Salad and some of the salad dressing "juice".  Enjoy. 


 
 

Copyright: All recipes, content, and images (unless otherwise stated) are the sole property of Curry and Comfort. Please do not use without prior written consent. Unauthorized reproduction is strictly prohibited.

Thursday, September 17, 2015

Asian Chicken Satay Skewers with Spicy Thai Peanut Sauce

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 I have been a mood to make appetizers for dinner lately.  I will make a big salad and an appetizer to go with it.  The kids love anything on a stick so these Asian Chicken Satay Skewers with Spicy Thai Peanut Sauce was really fun for them.  

The trick to these skewers in marinating them overnight to get them completely flavored in my satay spices.  I also like to use buttermilk to marinate my chicken breast tenders for a really tender and moist chicken.   The buttermilk is also less thick than marinating the chicken in yogurt so the outside of the chicken is less "gloppy" when you go to skewer them and grill them. 

The kids had fun helping me put the chicken on the wooden skewers and we grilled them on the stove top until fully cooked.   You can also finish them off in the oven if you wish.   

The best part of these skewers was the Spicy Thai Peanut Sauce that I made with coconut milk and peanut butter.  Wow, I love this sauce and it's even makes a great peanut stir fry sauce.



Ingredients:
2lbs of boneless/skinless chicken breast (I used chicken breast tenders)

Marinade:
1 cup buttermilk
2 cloves of garlic grated
1 Tbs of grated ginger
1 Tbs of curry powder (I used McCormick)
1/2 Tbs of garam masala
1 tsp of paprika
Salt and Pepper to season chicken

Directions:  
Mix all ingredients together and marinate in the fridge for 4 hours up to 24 hours.
When you are ready to cook the satay, tread them on bamboo skewers.  Remember to soak the skewers in water for 30-45 minutes
before you thread the chicken on them so they don't burn. 

Get a grill pan hot with about 1 Tbs of canola oil.  Place the skewers down and cook both sides for 3-5 minutes (or until cooked through). 





Spicy Thai Peanut Sauce:
1 cup of coconut milk 1/4 cup of water
1/2 cup of creamy peanut butter (I used Jiff)
1 Tbs of brown sugar
1 Tbs of soy sauce
1/2 Tbs of fish sauce (more to taste)
1/2 tsp of red chili flakes (or to taste)
roasted crush peanuts for garnish (optional)


 Directions:  Place all ingredients into pot and warm until everything is well combined and smooth.     
 


Copyright: All recipes, content, and images (unless otherwise stated) are the sole property of Curry and Comfort. Please do not use without prior written consent. Unauthorized reproduction is strictly prohibited.

Monday, September 14, 2015

Thai Basil and Tomato Bruschetta

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My sister's garden is overflowing with tomatoes these days.  That makes me very happy because she is generous enough to share some of her bounty with me.   I have been enjoying these tomatoes immensely and I knew that a tomato style bruschetta was in my future.  

I bought a loaf of bread at the bakery to grill and decided that a Thai version of bruschetta was what I wanted to eat today.  This dish came together in minutes and I loved it.  I am lucky to have some fresh Thai Basil growing in my garden so this dish really was almost free for me to make.  Now that makes me even happier. 



Ingredients:
2 large ripe but firm red tomatoes finely diced
3-4 Tbs of red onion finely diced
3-4 Tbs fresh Thai Basil leaves finely chopped
1 jalapeno pepper (seeded) and finely chopped
2 Tbs fish sauce
1 tsp brown sugar 
1 Tbs fresh lime juice
black pepper to taste 
salt if needed. 
 
Directions:
Prepare tomatoes, onion, basil and jalapeno.  Mix the brown sugar with fish sauce and lime juice until brown sugar dissolves.    Mix the sauce with tomato mixture.  Toss well and taste for seasoning.  Adjust to taste. 

Grill bread on stove top. I used a grill pan lightly brushed with some butter.  Grill until bread becomes crispy.  

To serve, just top grilled bread with a generous helping of the tomato basil topping and enjoy. 

 




Copyright: All recipes, content, and images (unless otherwise stated) are the sole property of Curry and Comfort. Please do not use without prior written consent. Unauthorized reproduction is strictly prohibited.

Thursday, September 10, 2015

Tandoori Tacos

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My husband and kids love tacos.  So I am always playing around with new versions of tacos to let them try.  This time around I had some chicken marinating in fridge that I was planning on making some tandoori bites to eat with rice.   When I went to prepare dinner, I opened my fridge and saw a packet of corn tortillas and I quickly changed my mind.  That's how Tandoori Tacos became dinner.

I knew the kids would want a sauce to top off their tacos so I turned to the yogurt I had in the fridge and the mint growing in pots on my deck.  The sauce only took a minute to make and dinner was done in a jiffy.   The kids loved assembling their own tacos and I had a table full of happy smiles while eating dinner. 

Note:  If you want to make this a low carb option, just omit the tortillas and make a salad out of the lettuce.  The yogurt mint sauce also can serve as a dressing for your salad. 



Ingredients:
2lbs boneless/skinless chicken breast cut into large chunks

Marinade:
1 cup plain yogurt
1 Tbs garam masala powder
1 Tbs paprika powder
1 Tbs grated fresh ginger
1 Tbs grated fresh garlic
salt and black pepper to season chicken well



Yogurt Mint sauce:
1 cup plain yogurt
1 small handful of minted chopped
1/2 tsp of ground cumin
2 tsp fresh lime juice
salt to taste
Stir well and allow to chill for a few minutes before serving
Taco Assembly:
Corn or flour tortilla heated on skillet (both sides)
shredded lettuce
sliced cucumbers
sliced radishes
sliced red onions


Directions:
Cut chicken into large chunks and marinate with the yogurt, garam masala, paprika, ginger, garlic, salt and black pepper for 4 hours up to overnight.  When ready to cook, allow chicken to sit out for 30 minutes to bring to room temperature and heat skillet with 1 Tbs canola oil.  Fry each piece of chicken until browned on outside and cooked through.   

To assemble:  Make yogurt mint sauce and sliced lettuce, cucumbers, radishes etc...  
Then heat tortilla up on each side for 30 seconds on hot griddle.  Place lettuce, tandoori chicken and top with mint yogurt sauce and toppings.  Enjoy.


Copyright: All recipes, content, and images (unless otherwise stated) are the sole property of Curry and Comfort. Please do not use without prior written consent. Unauthorized reproduction is strictly prohibited.

Thursday, September 3, 2015

Buffalo Chicken Wraps

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I am still working on fun lunchbox ideas for my  kids since we are just days away from the new school year starting.  My  Curried Chicken and Mango Chutney Salad was such a hit that I decided to try another chicken recipe.  This time around I went back to my very popular Low-Carb Buffalo Chicken Bites recipe and turned that into a wrap.   

It took no time to shred the cooked buffalo chicken bites and add some celery, onion and mayo to for a buffalo chicken salad.  Then I just rolled it into a wrap and we were off to the races.  Place it in the lunchbox with a ice pack to keep everything cool until lunch and the kids will be smiling when they open it up.





Ingredients:
1/2 of the recipe for Buffalo Chicken Bites

Thinly sliced celery (about a 1/4 cup)
Thinly sliced onion (about a 1/4 cup)
Mayonnaise as desired (I added about 1/3 of a cup)
Prepared Ranch Dressing as desired (optional)
Hot Sauce (more hot sauce is optional)
lettuce
Tortilla wraps

Directions:
Make half of the Buffalo Chicken Bites recipe (using only one pound of chicken and reducing other ingredients by half).  Then allow chicken to cool and shred into large pieces.  Next add mayonnaise, sliced celery and onion.  Note:used a mandolin to make very thin slices.

Take a large flour tortilla and heat it on a skillet for about 10 seconds on each side. A warm tortilla is more pliable, but don't over heat and make the tortilla crispy.  Layer lettuce in the center of tortilla and top with the buffalo chicken mixture. Then drizzle ranch dressing and hot sauce (optional).

Next fold the sides of the tortilla to cover the filling. Your filling will be in the center and there will be to open ends of the tortilla.  Start at one end and roll tightly until you reach the other side.  I like to secure each end with a toothpick and then slice it in the center so everything stays put. 

Makes 3-4 large tortilla wraps. 





Copyright: All recipes, content, and images (unless otherwise stated) are the sole property of Curry and Comfort. Please do not use without prior written consent. Unauthorized reproduction is strictly prohibited.