Warm Winter Wonder & Thai Chicken-Coconut Curry

 

It's was a cool, cloudy morning.  I woke up and lit some new candles to make things cozy as I got my first cup of coffee.

 

 

 After I put my Christmas away, I decided to leave out some snowmen and winter greenery at least for the next few weeks!  While I really like for there to be less clutter and to reorganize things at the beginning of the year, I think it's fun to have out some cute cold weather decor to brighten the house on these dark days.

 

 

 I really love this picture that my hubby and I took of us 3 years ago on a very snowy day!  I keep it in this frame my parents gave us a couple of years ago and put it out every winter!

 

 

 I decorated my large shelves that I usually have trouble knowing what to fill with.  They're so tall and deep and, well, awkward!  I kept things fun and simple here, and I like how it's turned out.  I just need a little candle to bring life to my old lantern!

 

 

 This is one of my favorite pillows!  With red and cream plaid and homemade looking snowmen, it's just so country cozy!   It's like the sweet snowmen are giving a winter greeting to those in the room!

 

This pillow a Christmas gift from Mom a couple years ago. 

 

 

You know, I welcome every change of season and each new holiday as they come.  Like I've shared before, I look for and find the joy in them all!  I know that January in my part of the country isn't a time to be outside to garden, grill, or relax on the patio, so I think it's that much more important to keep inside my home a place where we love being.  Just with the help of a few simple things like having yummy candles lit, the fireplace cracklin, new books on hand to read and a well stocked pantry for new recipes or a batch of cookies on the fly, it's easy to be inside!!!

 

One of my favorite things about winter is that it's quite okay to have sparkly lights here and there to give a warm glow inside the house.  I decided to keep out this sparkly sprig that's so pretty, especially at night!

 

 

 

Another favorite photo of us with our best friends in front of the Louvre in Paris!  I think it's appropriate to keep in this Parisian frame by the Eiffel Tower.

 

Oh!  How I wish to go back some day....

 

 

 

Underneath the shelving I keep a big basket --I love this basket!--with snugly throws and blankets in year round.  We love curling up around here under soft throws, and we have them everywhere!  I have my favorite one kept on the couch.  This new grey one is Mr. Cozy's and it's incredibly soft!!  (Haha, we "claim" certain ones as our own, although I did give him this one!) As you may remember, the quilt here is a family heirloom. :)

 

 

Last night for supper I made some delicious chicken & coconut curry filled with tender chicken breasts, sweet basil, red and orange bell pepper and broccoli.  We LOVE Thai food, and this is one of our favorites.  I thought I'd surprised my husband by making it since I rarely cook Thai at home.  This recipe is extra simple because it uses ready made red curry paste that you can find any almost any grocery in the Asian food.  This mixed with succulent (light) coconut milk makes a creamy base for this recipe.

 

Last night on Facebook I mentioned that I was cooking it and posted a picture and there was quite a response for the recipe.  Because this picture was a quick one taken with my phone, it's not "styled" the way I like to present my food on the blog, but I want to share with recipe with you all anyways! This is a wonderfully easy recipe for anyone who loves Chinese or Thai food!   

( I have another Thai recipe, Thai Chicken & Mango Curry, that I posted a while back that you should check out, too!) 

 

Perfect on a winter night, we ate a bowl of this over some whole grain Jasmine rice to satisfy our body and give a little comfort to the soul. :)

 

 

 

Chicken Coconut Curry or Kai Kang Dang

Slightly adapted from Allrecipes.com

 

1 can coconut milk

1 heaping Tbsp. red curry paste

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut in 1 in. pieces

2-3 Tbsp. fish sauce

1 Tbsp. Brown Sugar

1/3 c. Red Onion, sliced thinly

1/2 Red Bell Pepper, chopped

1/2 Orange or Yellow Bell Pepper, chopped

1 1/2 c. ( or 1 medium head) Broccoli

3/4 c. Fresh Basil Leaves, torn

1/4 tsp. Cayenne Pepper

Squeeze of 1/2 Lime

 

Before I proceed with the recipe, note a few things:

  You can add more coconut milk if you want more soup to your curry.  If you do this, you'll probably want to add more curry paste.  Also, I added a few dashes of reduced sodium soy sauce and didn't put in quite as much brown sugar.   Add whatever vegetable you love in this kind of food, like carrots, snow peas or bamboo shoots.  Feel free to play around with the recipe like I do.

 

 

Bring 1/4 can of the coconut milk to a simmer and whisk in the red curry paste in a heavy bottomed pot.  Cook until fragrant, about 5 minutes. 

 

Add the chopped chicken and cook until slightly golden or at least cooked just on the outside, about 5 minutes. 

 

Stir in the rest of the coconut milk,vegetables, fish sauce, sugar, cayenne pepper and basil leaves.  Allow to simmer for about 15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. 

 

Pour lime juice over the dish and remove from heat.  Serve warm over rice.  Deliciousness!

 

 

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