Coconut Crusted Chicken Fingers with Coconut rice and Pineapple Cilantro salsa

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Hey guys!

Yeah I know, two recipes within a few days. What can I tell ya...there's chilly weather, a bunch of snow, and many creative projects on the table. Combine all of these and I'm apt to do a whole bunch of cooking and baking. 

I promised some folks from Instagram and Facebook that I'd post this recipe today! Aaron and I couldn't stop talking about how delicious this meal was. We are huge cilantro fans. Whether it's infused in Mexican, Indian, or Thai...it can totally carry a recipe for us. As soon as we start chopping and the kitchen fills with it's distinctive scent we can't wait to eat! There's a brightness it brings to any meal. But we do understand that it's not for everyone...in fact there was this interesting discussion on NPR suggesting whether you go for Cilantro or not may actually be stamped on your DNA.   

And I've mentioned on many occasions that coconut is a big time favorite flavor of ours as well. From sweet to savory coconut is a friend in our kitchen.  

This meal was killer! The balance of flavors...the way the rice compliments the chicken and how the salsa compliments the rice etc...just fantastic! If you are already versed in flavoring like this then you'll love this recipe. If you have never tried a coconut rice/spicey yet fruity salsa combo I promise that your taste buds will dance! Forget boring white rice...this rice sings!  

This prep was quick, easy, and fun. Aaron and I worked side by side and were chowing down in no time! And what's great is that the chicken is baked not fried! And if you wanted you could always substitute for a lite coconut milk!

Ok...first things first...get your rice going:

Coconut Rice

2 cups jasmine rice (we used Carolina brand)
2 cups coconut milk (we used Thai kitchen brand)
1 3/4 cups water
2 heaping tablespoons of flaked sweetened coconut
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon coconut oil, or vegetable oil


Coat the bottom and sides of a deep pot with your oil.
Place your rice, coconut milk, water, coconut, and salt in the pot and set over medium-high to high heat. Stir occasionally to keep rice from sticking to the bottom of the pot and burning.
Once it has begun to gently bubble, stop stirring and reduce heat to low. Cover tightly with a lid and let simmer 15-20 minutes, or until most of the liquid has been absorbed by the rice. 
Now turn off the heat, but leave the covered pot on the burner to steam, until you are ready to plate everything!

Now let's get the chicken going!

Coconut Crusted Chicken Fingers

1 lb chicken tenders
1 cup flaked sweetened coconut 
1 cup plain panko breadcrumbs ( a crunchy Japanese breadcrumb, easy to find! )
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon garlic salt
2 eggs

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray. 
Combine your coconut, breadcrumbs, flour, brown sugar, curry powder, and cayenne pepper in a shallow bowl.
 Sprinkle the tenders with the garlic salt. 
Beat the eggs in a large bowl. Now, one at a time, dip your tenders into the eggs, coating both sides...and then right into your coconut mixture to dredge. Pressing to adhere as much of the deliciousness as possible!
Arrange the chicken in a single layer on the baking sheet. 
Spray both sides of the chicken with nonstick spray. 
Bake until lightly golden and crispy... about 20 to 25 minutes, turning once halfway through cooking time. 

while they bake...

Pineapple Salsa 

2 (15-ounce) cans pineapple chunks, drained
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
4 teaspoons lime juice
4 teaspoons packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons honey (optional)


In a large bowl, combine your pineapple, cilantro, lime juice, brown sugar, cayenne pepper and honey. Mix well.  It's that easy!
Serve over your rice and chicken.

serves 4-6

I hope you have fun making this easy and delicious meal!

xo, Jenny




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Homemade Chocolate Ice-Cream

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Now this really is a summer treat.
Rich, velvety, dark chocolate homemade ice-cream.
This is bound to be a huge success at your next summer barbeque or get together.
Serve it up in a waffle cone for extra fun!



 


This chocolate ice cream is smooth and creamy 
- a great base for a multitude of combinations.
Why not added some chopped up Bounty for a tropical feel
or some macadamia nuts for some extra crunch!




Dark Chocolate Ice Cream

Ingredients 


2 c. half and half
1 1/2 c. whole milk
1 c. heavy cream
1 c. + 2 tbsp. sugar
hefty dash of sea salt
1/2 c. unsweetened dark cocoa powder
3/4 c. dark chocolate, chopped
4 egg yolks
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract



 How to -
1. In a heavy bottomed sauce pan, combine half and half, whole milk, heavy cream, 1 cup of sugar, and salt. Whisk to combine. Give it a little taste to make sure you have enough salt.
2. In a bowl, whisk together well the egg yolks and 2 tablespoons of sugar.
3. Over medium-high heat, heat milk mixture until sugar dissolves and begins to simmer. Stir in cocoa powder and chopped chocolate until combined. Bring back to simmer.
4. Slowly pour about one cup of the simmering milk mixture into the egg mixture, whisking constantly to temper the eggs (a.k.a. cook the eggs without scrambling them). Add egg mixture to saucepan, stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes until thickened. Remove from heat. Add vanilla extract.
5. Pour mixture through a strainer into a large bowl. Cover and let cool to room temperature. Place in fridge for about 3 hours. To speed up the cooling process, place bowl in an ice bath in the fridge, or place in the freezer sans ice bath until chilled.
6. Once mixture is cold, make ice cream according to your machine’s instructions.

Enjoy!

Melissah xox


Recipe and images via The Faux Martha

Check out my other blogs Scrapbook and Country Style Chic

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Favorite Holiday Place in India

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Mussoorie- called as the Queen of Hills, a beautiful hill station, perfect for spending a pleasurable holiday trip with family and friends and having a great time in its cool breeze.

This charming destination is around 35 km from Dehradun and some major Hindu pilgrimage sites like Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri, Yamunotri, Haridwar, Rishikesh are not far from this place. Therefore, in case you want to make the trip to these religious places and seek god's blessings, they are all in close proximity.

The cool climate is perfect to relieve oneself from the routine stress, go trekking, and visit famous tourist destinations nearby as well. Some would include the Gun Hill, the Municipal Garden, and the Camel's Back Road being famous for horse riding and has a superb sunset view.

Now if you love the rains and enjoy dancing in waterfalls, there are certain picnic places as well which are perfect for bathing and to spend a good time. These include the Bhatta Fall and the Kempty Fall. The Mussoorie lakes is famous for pedal boat rides and also have an enchanting view of the Doon valley and nearby villages.

There is also the Childer's Lodge situated at the highest peak of Mussoorie near Lal Tibba and Char Dukan. It's one of the best places in Mussoorie to have an exhilarating snow view. One can visit the lodge even on horseback. Char Dukan has been named after the number '4' as it consists of 4(char in Hindi) eating outlets.

Well, if you are a site lover and just can't do without clicking pictures and sceneries, you must not forget to visit one of the best Mussoorie excursions, Dhanaulti; famous for its green Deodar forests and mountain scapes.

Main attraction of Mussoorie- the Mall Road. It consists of several hotels, restaurants, cafeterias and game shops for children and adults. The road paves the way for the Library Road followed by the Tibetan Market where people can do some cheap shopping.

Above, Mussoorie is the best hill stations to visit because of its pleasant climate around the year, greenery at its full bloom during the months of October and November which is the spring season there. The best season to visit Mussoorie is between April to June and again during September to November. When the plains of North India experience heat waves, Mussoorie provides a welcome break. During this time, Himalayas are very clearly visible looking very beautiful and picturesque. Also, accommodation can be availed at the Honeymoon Inn and other hotels in Mussoorie so you don't have to worry too much about accommodation options in this beautiful Hill station


Surendra is an expert in the Aviation Sector and generally writes about issues like Flight Booking and keeps a keen eye out on the whole Cheap Air Tickets side of the Indian Airline space. When not writing, he loves doting his pet dog Sheru and saving the planet one tree at a time

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6911352

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Fly To Your Holiday Destination

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Pune is a place which has a very rich history and culture. While Mumbai is the political and commercial capital of Maharashtra, Pune is the state's cultural capital. Less crowded than Mumbai, this place gives you a deep insight into the Maratha culture and traditions. All through history, Pune was a stronghold of the Maratha kings and has been a witness to the land's history. Like most of the cities in the world, Pune offers two distinct characters - old Pune which is characterized by narrow winding lanes and old constructions and new Pune which is replete with modern architectural high rises and spacious atmosphere. The place is well connected to the rest of the country through airways, road and rail. Pune flights are available from all major airports in the country. Also, cheap Pune flights can be availed in local airlines such as Indigo, SpiceJet and Go Air. Traveling with Pune flights is comfortable and time saving.

Located around 450km from Pune is Goa. There are two flights to Goa from Pune every day. The time taken for flights to Goa from Pune is around one hour, while road travel takes more than seven hours. Goa is a place which does not need an introduction. A tourist heaven in its own right, Goa offers a host of attractions for tourists. You have the best beaches in the country, sacred temples, mosques and churches, wildlife, fishing, awe inspiring waterfalls, swaying fields and abundance of fun and joy. There are flights to Goa from all parts of the country. You can fly in here and enjoy the unique foot tapping music of Goa along with appetizing seafood delicacies. Goa is any tourist's dream come true because this place has everything.

Delhi is the capital of India and has one of the busiest airports in Southeast Asia. The terminal here is world's eighth biggest passenger terminal in the world. Delhi flights take off to all major international destinations and the airport caters to almost 100 million passengers annually. The city of Delhi is beautifully laid out and when you fly over the city in Delhi flights, you get to see this city in all its glory - the ancient Mughal structures blending in perfectly with the modern establishments of the recent times.

There are a number of offbeat places in Delhi which you can visit. International Doll Museum is a beautiful place which has hundreds of dolls all decked up in colorful costumes. Every person who visits this place is transported back to his or her childhood. If you are travelling with kids, this museum is a must visit. Purana Qila is another enchanting place which is usually not found in tour itineraries. This old fort built by Humayun is in ruins but still presents an imposing picture. It is a nice place to spend a day exploring the old Mughal way of life. There are a lot of parks which you can visit as well. So, book into one of the many Delhi flights and take the trip to the capital city of India. The place is modern, cultural and has a rich heritage which you can be proud of.


Pune flights and Delhi flights and cheap flight to Goa can be booked through a travel agent with a lot of ease. Contact a good travel agent and make the booking. Each of these places has numerous treasures for every tourist who knocks on its doors.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7217163

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