All posts by Nichole

Family matters

One more reason to love the library

I love to read. I’m also cheap. It shouldn’t be any surprise that the library is one of my favorite establishments!
Works for Me Wednesday
I used to spend hours at the library. I’d wander the aisles, picking up whatever books struck my fancy. I’d sit and read magazines or newspapers. It was lovely, quiet and relaxing.

That ended about two and a half years ago, when Poppy came onto the scene. I love the little goof ball to the ends of the earth, but have you ever tried to stroll through the library’s aisles with a rambunctious toddler? It isn’t easy. At least, it isn’t easy with my rambunctious toddler.

Fortunately for me, libraries seem to be built to serve. I’ve carried library cards at four different libraries in the last 2 and a half years, and each offered a hold service through its Web site. All it takes is a library card, an Internet connection and a few minutes of your time.

I keep a list of books I’d like to read. Every few weeks, I go to the library’s Web site and search for one or two of them. Then I click “hold.” A few days later, I go to the library. And there are my books, waiting for me at the circulation desk. The only thing that could make it more convenient would be a drive-through window!

Find more tips at Works for Me Wednesday!

Screen time

Scattered chatter

We had some friends over for dinner tonight. They have a 3-year-old daughter, and there was Worlds O’ Drama when they had to leave. Poppy and her pal had a blast, and as a result we got to have a full conversation with grown-ups! It was nice. But the drama meant that I missed the first 15 minutes of “Idol.” So it goes.
Continue reading Scattered chatter →

Eating, recipes

Indian Butter Chicken

My menu-planning has fallen by the wayside a little since I started working on the weekends. We were having friends over for dinner last night, and at 3pm I still didn’t know what we’d be feeding them. After a little searching, I decided to try this recipe for Indian Butter Chicken. I’ve never had Indian Butter Chicken before, but it sounded good. With 3 cups of heavy cream, it also sounded really, really bad for you. Fortunately, the recipe’s author posted a revised, healthier version, too, and that’s what I made.

It was tasty.

Indian Butter Chicken

  • 1/4 cup butter + 1 tablespoon
  • 1 onion, minced
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
  • 1 can evaporated milk
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala
  • 1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized chunks
  • 2 tablespoons tandoori masala

    Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

    Melt a tablespoon of butter in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in onion and garlic, and cook slowly until the onion caramelizes to a dark brown, about 15 minutes.

    Toss cubed chicken breast with tandoori masala and spread out onto a baking sheet. Bake chicken in preheated oven until no longer pink in the center, about 12 minutes. Once done, add the chicken to the sauce and simmer for 5 minutes before serving.

    Meanwhile melt the remaining butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat along with the tomato sauce, evaporated milk, salt, cayenne pepper, and garam masala. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low; cover, and simmer for a few minutes, stirring occasionally. Then stir in caramelized onions.