Dinner and Dessert

I met some friends for coffee yesterday and after I left them I strolled around Cost Plus World Market for awhile. I had planned on making Chicken Chop Suey for dinner but picked up a jar of Curry Paste...

Shelly's Curry Chicken

7-8 Chicken Tenders (Boneless, Breast Portions), cubed
1 Yellow Onion, diced
3 Green Onions, diced
4-5 Mushrooms, sliced
2 cups Yellow Squash, sliced
1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt
a few twists of Black Pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons Mild Curry Paste (this goes along way)
1/2 can (14 oz.) or 1 cup Chopped Tomatoes, drained
2 cups Grilled Eggplant, chopped

Grill eggplant: slice and brush with olive oil. Grill 4-5 minutes on each side. Chop. Set aside. Saute chicken till golden. Set aside. Saute onions and mushrooms till golden. Add squash and steam saute with the lid on for 5 minutes. Turning often. Add chicken back to pan. Add curry paste, tomatoes, chopped grilled eggplant, salt and pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes with the lid on till warmed through.

Leftovers would be great on a tortilla pizza or in a wrap.

Cut corners and get the grilled eggplant from a deli department olive bar or canned in Middle Eastern markets or grill eggplant on the weekend in preparation for this recipe later in the week. If it isn't BBQ weather cube eggplant, drizzle with olive oil and roast in oven at 425 degrees for 50 minutes.

Curry (even mild) has a little bit of heat. So I needed a cooling dessert after...

Peanut Butter & Jelly Protein Ice Cream Pancakes
PB&J Protein Ice Cream on top of silver dollar size Ricottage Cheese Pancakes with a drizzle of Sugar Free Smucker's Strawberry Topping.


Highlights of the day:

* The huge overgrown pine tree in my front yard has been tamed and at a cut rate price too. Thank goodness for cool guys in the neighborhood.

Of course now I have a huge pile (taller than me) of pine tree crap to get rid of... like 20 green waste barrels worth. Soooo sometime in December I will be free of them.

Shhhh.... the house next door that has been empty and for rent forever (owner lives in Hawaii) is taking part in my pine disposal project this week. Hey, I figure it was his darn overzealous sprinkler system that watered the tree and made it grow so darn big... it's the least he can do.

* I have cramps from hell. How is this a highlight of the day you ask? Well I suppose it could be worse. Though I'm not quite sure how and it would involve nails and vice grips for sure.

* Right now. Coffee. Tunes. Pill I took is kicking in...

Listening to: Depeche Mode "Stripped"