Chicken Tikka Masala
from Bess
(sorry Megan hope you weren't waiting too long for this)

Powder Marinade
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp salt
Combine above ingredients in a small bowl
2 lbs cut up chicken- marinate in above ingredients place in a tightly covered dish and put in refrigerator for 30-60 min.

Yogurt Sauce
1 c whole milk plain yogurt
2 Tbsp oil
2 medium crushed garlic cloves
1 tsp freshly grated ginger
Whisk these ingredients together in a bowl and set aside

Garam Masala Sauce
3 Tbsp oil
1 medium finely diced onion
2 medium crushed garlic cloves
2 tsp freshly grated ginger
1 serrano pepper-minced
1 Tbsp tomato paste
1 Tbsp Garam Masala seasoning
1-28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 c cream
1/4 c fresh cilantro leaves

Prepare the sauce:
Heat oil over medium heat
Add onion and cook 8-10 min
Add garlic, ginger, garam masala, Serrano pepper, tomato paste and cook 3 minutes
Add crushed tomatoes, sugar, salt, salt and bring to a boil
Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes
Stir in cream and return to simmer
Remove pan from heat and keep covered and warm

While sauce is simmering, place oven rack on middle level and heat broiler
Using tongs dip chicken pieces into yogurt mixture until it is coated thickly
Place on broiler pan and broil 10-18 min- turn chicken over halfway through cooking time
The best tasting chicken is well done and almost burnt on the outside
Let chicken rest 5 min after it is done cooking
Stir chicken into warm sauce-do not simmer chicken
Add cilantro
Delicious!

I don't use fresh ginger because I am lazy
I don't add sugar
I usually don't add the Serrano pepper because I forget to buy it-but I LOVE it with the extra heat it adds so I do recommend adding it!
I don't add cilantro see above-both lazy and forget to buy- nice color touch and flavor so I do recommend adding it as well
I use olive oil
I have used vanilla yogurt and it hasn't been too sweet
The part Bess dislikes most about my adaptation of this recipe is that I use canned cream-found in Hispanic foods section (Nestle) It works great and doesn't go bad so I stock up when it's on sale or when I'm feeling rich-hee hee
Oh and most importantly we recently started grilling the chicken outside which is way easier and quicker and much less messy for cleanup! Have fun!

Books I've read this year-supposed to be mowing the lawn on this freezing summer day but can't get it started so this is something I've been thinking about when I haven't been able to get to sleep lately...
The Hunger Games-Suzanne Collins ok but why the muttations-Twilight influenced I'm sure
When You Reach Me- Rebecca Stead for my book club and I loved it and didn't put it down until I finished it at 2:30 AM
A Wrinkle in Time-(again) by Madeline L'Engle
A Swiftly Tilting Planet-Madeline L'Engle- cool flying Unicorn contiuation of Wrinkle
The Glass Castle-Jeannette Walls -loved it and it reminded me of me too much-yes, the parents but not quite sure why, also reminded me of the documentary SurfWise
A Girl Named Zippy-Haven Kimmel -also for book club but I read it months after they met so I just enjoyed it all by myself-seriously a "rare memoir of a happy childhood"
Wuthering Heights-Emily Bronte -for book club-my first time reading it and boy it was not my favorite, who would even like Heathcliffe let alone LOVE him and finally I'm really glad I am alive now and not back then
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Pie Peel Society-Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows-also for book club and again I loved it, the characters mention Wuthering Heights and that's why we decided to read that for our next book club, also I still don't like the title even after reading it and fully understanding why it's named such, it's just not my style
Enchantment- Orson Scott Card- loved the Russian stories and fairytale/science fiction and character development but like many books I've read latley this ending was not my favorite and still the story was very inviting, even enchanting-liked Card's Pastwatch: the Redemption of Christopher Columbus better but that was last year's read
Ella Enchated-Gail Carson Levine-started reading it to my kids but that was too slow so read it on my own-someday I will read novels to my kids someday, someday- it was a good read
The Midwive's Apprentice- not sure who the author was but it was also a children's book and a good read
I'm not going to list all the kids books I've read this year because there are too many and I cannot remember all the titles-MaryJo read a zillion books in February for her schools book-a-thon so I read most of them too just because- she read more pages than anybody in her school and won an MP3 player and other cool prizes- that fundraiser was awesome!
Books, books, books
Reading Catching Fire now-2nd book of The Hunger Games-please don't keep extending this series into oblivion
Need to finish: My Grandfather's Blessings, The Contrary Farmer, start A Wind in the Door, keep reading scriptures under the Topical Guide for Faith,, keep reading Plain and Precious:An LDS Daybook of Renewal and Joy by Beppie Harrison-daily- it's just what it claims to be renewing and joyful, The Slippery Slope-10th book in A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket
Going to get Eating for Your Blood Type, a book about training your eyes to see without glasses and some more Newberry Award books next time we go to the library!