Carrot Curry

Saying I like curry is an understatement.  I put curry spice in my eggs, curry sauce on tuna, and have now started exploring making my own different varieties of curry.  My first attempt was from a vegetarian cookbook.  It was potatoes and peas, and it was good.  Not really great, but good.

Anyway, the recipe calls for half and half, which I don't always have on hand.  So, I asked myself what could be used that I do have on hand as a base.  The answer I came up with was Cream of Mushroom soup.  So, lets get started!

Ingredients:
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup peas (frozen.  If canned, make sure it is drained.)
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1 can Cream of Mushroom soup
Milk
Olive Oil
1 T Curry Powder (or more.  Curry powder is delicious!)
Garlic (There is probably some in the curry powder, but garlic is also delicious.)
Parsley

[ A note about curry powder: curry powder is actually a western thing, based on an eastern style of food.  McCormick makes a good curry powder, but where ever you're getting your curry powder might have different varieties that could be awesome. Feel free to go off the beaten path and try something other than the McCormick brand!]

Equipment:
Stir-fry pan/Wok
Spatula
Can opener

Directions:
1. Heat the oil in the pan
2. Add the sliced carrots and onion, and cook them until soft.
3. Add the peas, cooking until unfrozen.
4. Dump the can of soup into the pan, adding milk to thin it out.
5. Add the curry powder and garlic, stirring.
6. Remove from heat, and put on bowls of rice.
7. Add parsley to the top before serving

Makes 4~6 servings, depending on how much milk you put in.

Possible Alterations:
There are lots of other things you can put in a curry, and many things you can serve it on top of.  The potato-pea curry I mentioned earlier was pretty good, and tuna in curry is very tasty as well.  I'm sure there are many other things that you could add, and if you have any suggestions I'd love to hear from you.

As always, Happy gaming!

Orange-Honey Glazed Carrots

Seeing as this month is apparently "Good Recipes from Cookbooks", I thought I'd share one of the first recipes that I ever learned.  It is from "Cooked Up by Kids" from The Virginia Children's Hospital at Fairfax Hospital.  I've had this book for a very long time, so it's certainly seen better days.  Even though it is aimed at kids, it doesn't make the recipes any less delicious!

Ingredients:
6 carrots
3 T butter or margarine
1 T  honey
1/3 cup orange juice
1/4 tsp. salt
1 T fresh parsley, minced

Equipment:
Cutting board
Vegetable peeler
A saucepan with lid
knife
measuring implements

Directions:
1. Wash and peel the carrots.  Slice them into 1/2 inch pieces.
2. Place the carrots, along with the orange juice, butter, honey, and salt.
3. Cover and cook over low heat until the carrots are tender.  Should be about 20 minutes.
4. Once carrots are tender, uncover and cook slowly until the juice is mostly gone.
5. Stir until the carrots are glazed with the butter/honey mixture.
6. Remove from heat and sprinkle parsley over carrots.

Serve as the side to a all kinds of things.  Makes enough for a family of four, although the recipe should double nicely.

Possible Alterations:
I can't think of anything that I would do to make this recipe better.  It's simple and to the point.  If you think of anything, however, I would love to hear from you!

Good eats, and happy gaming!