Yum Yum Yellow Duck Curry

I am very well aware that it's the middle of summer but hey! If you want duck curry, you want duck curry. It is a pretty simple dish to make AND you end up with a substantial portion AND you can bring it to work the next day...and be the person who stinks up the entire office with curry while everyone else eats a very healthy salad.

I am also breaking my rule of under 30-minute dishes here, but since you don't really have to watch this one, it can be an exception. Plus, it feeds 4-5 standard people.

Estimated cook time: 45 minutes - 1 hour

Estimated cost: $20-$25

Ingredients: 
Uncooked duck (Ask the butcher to cut it into small-medium sized pieces)
1 cup of curry paste
3-4 cups of coconut milk
1/2 cup of fish sauce
Vegetables (NOTE: This depends on what type of curry you are making. If green, then use lemongrass, basil, etc...if yellow, use potatoes, basil...tomatoes can be added too, if desired)
Chili sauce/paste (If you have chili peppers, cut them up and make a paste...if not, mix some sriracha with some other type of pepper and make it paste-like)

Directions:
1.) Add approximately 2 tbsp of oil and 1/2 cup of curry paste and heat for 1 minute.
2.) Add the duck and mix. Continue to cook until the duck is a light brown.

 

3.) Add the coconut milk once the duck is browned and cook at medium heat. 

4.) Add the rest of ingredients (vegetables, fish sauce, etc.)

5.) Now just let is simmer for about 20 minutes. Taste it during this time. Add more chili if needed or even curry paste, depending on how sweet (yellow curry) you want it to be.

6.) Caveat: My friend Christine says to be careful of the duck bones while eating this since you might accidentally kill yourself.

7.) Bon Apetite!

Crepes are delicious

Make these for someone and score some points. 

Estimated cook time: 35 minutes (It only takes about 5 minutes to make them but I like to stick the fruit mixture in the fridge for approximately 30 minutes before I roll them up)

Estimated Cost: Approximately $15

Ingredients:
Ready-To-Use Crepes
1 cup of Blackberries
1 cup of Blurberries
1 cup of Raspberries
1 cup of bananas, sliced
2-3 cups of whipped cream
Syrup
Powdered sugar

Directions:
1.) Mix up the whipped cream with blackberries, raspberries, blueberries and bananas. Do not mix too hard – you don’t want to mash the fruit!
2.) Stick in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
3.) When ready, take out of fridge and place mixture into the center of crepe and roll up. The first time I made these, I put too much mixture in the center – you don’t need a lot. It's quite true that a little goes a long way.
4.) When ready to serve, sprinkle powdered sugar to the top of each crepe and drizzle with syrup.

Sweet Potato Fries = Peace, Love and Happiness

Please enjoy this sweet potato fries recipe because it makes me oh-so-ecstatic and is the essential combined southern comfort in a mouthful. Situate this side dish next to any entree and you’ve got a perfecto tasty fest!

Estimated Cook Time: 30 minutes

Estimated Cost: Less than $10

Ingredients:
2 sweet potatoes
2 quarts of H2O
2 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp salt
cooking oil for frying

Directions:
1.) Dissolve the salt and sugar in the H2O completely.

2.) Cut the potatoes into “french fry” size.

3.) Soak the potatoes in the brine for approximately 30 minutes but no more than 4 hours.

4.) Drain the potatoes, spread them on a towel and pat them until they are completely dried.

5.) Heat the oil to 280 degrees F.

6.) Fry the potatoes in batches of two for 6-8 minutes each batch. Then, remove each batch with a wire basket and allow to rest on a cookie sheet for at least 15 minutes.

7.) Increase the heat in the fryer to 375 degrees. Fry the blanched potatoes in two batches for 2 to 3 minutes until crispy and cooked through.

8.) Remove the fries to a draining rack and immediately season to taste with salt and freshly cracked black pepper.

This batch makes a substantial amount of fries, but if you are anything like me, they won’t last long. Do enjoy and pass along…