Thai Red Curry Chicken with Basil

i've been thinking about making this for a while. this dish would have been not spicy enough so i added in chili oil even with the serrano pepper.  future recipes i will add 2 serrano peppers.

• 2 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 1 ¹⁄₂ tbsp. red curry paste
• 13 ¹⁄₂ ounces coconut milk, shaken well
• 1 ¹⁄₂ lbs chicken breasts, raw, sliced into bite size pieces
• 1 serrano pepper, sliced
• 1 onion sliced
• 2 tbsp. garlic, chopped
• 2 tsp. sugar
• 2 tsp. fish sauce
• 2 red bell pepper, sliced thin
• 10 - 15 large basil leaves
• salt and pepper
• 1 tsp red chili oil 
• basil for garish

Directions:

1.    Heat the oil in the frying pan over medium heat. saute onions, serrano pepper, and garlic.  5 min.

2.    Add the curry paste and simmer for 2 minutes, so that it is dissolved, fragrant and foaming.

3.    Stir in the can of the coconut milk. Cook over medium heat for 5 - 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4.    Add the sliced chicken. Simmer for 4 minutes.

5.    Stir in the sugar, fish sauce, basil, and bell pepper. Simmer until the chicken is cooked, about 10 minutes

6.    plate and add more basil leaves.

No Knead Bread with Sesame Seeds

The day before easter I made bead to bring over Mom and Dad's house.  This is not a baguette bread.  It's a recipe that my friends friend made.  I adjusted the recipe.

Ingredients

   2 cups all-purpose or bread flour, more for dusting
   1 cup whole wheat flour
   1 teaspoon instant yeast
   2 teaspoons salt
   1 ¾ cups of warm water
   1 tbsp honey
   Cornmeal or wheat bran as needed

Preparation

    In a large bowl combine flour, yeast and salt. Add 1 ¾ cups water, and stir until blended; dough will be shaggy and sticky. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rest at least 12 hours, preferably about 18, at warm room temperature, about 70 degrees.

    Dough is ready when its surface is dotted with bubbles. Lightly flour a work surface and place dough on it; sprinkle it with a little more flour and fold it over on itself once or twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest about 15 minutes.

    Using just enough flour to keep dough from sticking to work surface or to your fingers, gently and quickly shape dough into a ball. Generously coat a cotton towel (not terry cloth) with flour, wheat bran or cornmeal; put dough seam side down on towel and dust with more flour, bran or cornmeal. Cover with another cotton towel and let rise for about 2 hours. When it is ready, dough will be more than double in size and will not readily spring back when poked with a finger.

    At least a half-hour before dough is ready, heat oven to 450 degrees. Put a 6- to 8-quart heavy covered pot (cast iron, enamel, Pyrex or ceramic) in oven as it heats. When dough is ready, carefully remove pot from oven. Slide your hand under towel and turn dough over into pot, seam side up; it may look like a mess, but that is O.K. Shake pan once or twice if dough is unevenly distributed; it will straighten out as it bakes. Cover with lid and bake 30 minutes, then remove lid and bake another 15 to 30 minutes, until loaf is beautifully browned. 

the dimensions are 9in. x 9in. x 5in if anyone is interested..

Cool on a rack.

http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/11376-no-knead-bread

Neapolitan Spaghetti Pie

   this recipe was inspired by my cousin Rebecca to make for Easter.  i remember when Mom would make
   this regularly.  i have fond memories <3  it will be a delight and pleasure for me to bring this dish tomorrow.

    1lb spaghetti, cooked and drained
    1 teaspoon olive oil
    1/4 - 1/2 lb. uncooked bacon slab, diced
    1-1/2 cups chopped onion
    1 tablespoon minced garlic
    6 large eggs
    1 cup Whole Milk Ricotta Cheese
    1/2 cup light cream
    3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
    1/2 cup provolone cheese
    6 oz. Genoa salami, diced
    2 tablespoons chopped basil
    2 tablespoons chopped parsley
    1 teaspoon salt
    1 teaspoon teaspoon freshly ground pepper
    sprinkle of red pepper

Directions

Cook spaghetti in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender but firm. Drain and refresh with cold
water.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add bacon and cook until browned. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Add garlic and red pepper and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Transfer mixture to a small bowl and let cool slightly.    

Whisk together eggs, ricotta cheese, salami, basil, parsley, provolone, Parmesan, cream, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Stir in the onion mixture. Add spaghetti and mix all ingredients together.

Add a thin layer of olive oil at bake at 375F for about 45 min.

Cook until bottom is golden.