People are like books . . .

I just love books, and I love cookbooks most of all! (No surprise there!) Whenever I go into a charity shop, the first place I head to, is the shelf full of second hand books, and there is nothing I like to do better than to peruse the shelves of a second-hand bookshop.

The other day I discovered a new shop that I hadn't seen before and it was while I was enjoying going through the books on it's shelves that the thought came to me . . .

Books are just like people.



There are those with attention grabbing covers, which often disappoint upon closer acquaintance . . . and then there are the classics, which no longer surprise, but are always good to meet again . . .

There are those which look very modest, and tend to get lost and tucked behind the others, but when perused can reveal themselves to be real gems in disguise . . .



Then again, there are your old favourites, ones you turn to over and over again . . . comforting, pleasing and oh so very welcoming.

See what I mean???? Books are just like people.



These pictures are some more that I took in that lovely garden made up of old cars and such over in Boulogne. Aren't they sweet? Just goes to show that you can truly create something beautiful out of something that nobody wants anymore.

I called Terri yesterday and she is doing very well, although to be sure she is still in quite a lot of pain. She is on her own now , her daughter having gone back to Holland and the home help have stopped coming as she is really quite independant and likes to do things on her own. I told her that Todd and I would pop over to see her this weekend. She thanks you for your many prayers and thoughts on her behalf.

Most days I get an e-mail from a site I love to peruse, called Simply Recipes. Everything on there always looks so inviting and delicious. It's quite an attractive site. The other day I came across this delicious looking Chicken Curry and I knew immediately that I just had to try it out. I did so yesterday, with the most delicious results. This isn't a really hot curry, but it's a very tasty curry. In fact I think I have found a new favourite and Todd also really enjoyed it. I will make this again. I have adapted it somewhat to our own tastes. We'll have the leftovers today for our lunch and that will be the true test, for a really good curry only gets better with age. To be honest, I could have eaten the chicken out of hand right after it was browned, and did eat a few pieces . . . it was SOME good!! That is a mighty flavourful combination!



*Basil Chicken in Coconut Sauce*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

If you are not fond of really spicy curries, this one fits the bill. It's really flavourful, without being too over the top. We both really enjoyed this. Adapted from a recipe I found on Simply Recipes. Don't let the long list of ingredients put you off. It's well worth the effort!

1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp ground tumeric

16 ounces, boneless, skinless, chicken thighs (trimmed of as much fat as possible and cut into 1 inch chunks)

1 large red onion, peeled and chopped
5 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced (I used fresh garlic and only used 4 cloves. Fresh garlic is a lot milder)
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced (I did not have these, but used a small tin of roasted green chilies instead)
2 TBS flavourless oil
(such as safflower, or grapeseed)
1 (14 oz) tin of coconut milk
2 tsp cornflour
1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
3 TBS fresh basil leaves, chiffonade (rolled up and thinly sliced)
1 TBS finely chopped fresh ginger-root



Place the salt, ground coriander, cumin, cloves, cardamom, pepper, chili powder and tumeric in a bowl. Mix together well. Add the chicken pieces and turn them until they are well coated with the spices. Set aside for 30 minutes, or cover and place in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours.

Heat 1 TBS of the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Once hot, add the onions and chilies and cook for 3 minutes, until they begin to soften. Add the garlic and cook for one minute longer, until quite fragrant. Remove the cooked vegetables from the pan to a bowl and set aside.

Add the other TBS of the oil to the same pan and heat. Add the chicken pieces, only adding as many as it takes to cover the bottom of the pan with a space between each one. Brown well on each side and then remove to another bowl, once the chicken is cooked through. Repeat until you have browned all the chicken and no pink remains.

Add 3/4 of the tin of coconut milk to the pan. Whisk the cornflour into the remaining coconut milk in the tin, stirring to dissolve. Pour this into the coconut milk in the skillet. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it is thick and bubbly. Whisk in the worcestersauce. Add the chicken, cooked onion mixture, basil and ginger. Cook for several minutes more to heat through. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary, adding more salt and pepper if needed. Delicious served with freshly steamed white rice.



And if you are in the mood for dessert, why not hop over to The English Kitchen and see what's cooking over there!

Tune in tomorrow for my What I Did On My Summer Holiday's post!