Pumpkin and Chicken Curry with Basmati Rice

Tonight, a small group of good friends will gather to remember a dear friend whom we lost in 2009. She was kind and funny as hell. Each year, on her birthday weekend, we head to her favorite watering hole for Guinness on tap and reminiscing. That means I need to get dinner on the table quickly and easily - no fuss and little energy. In this month's Parents magazine, there was a entire series on pumpkin recipes. I knew I had all of the ingredients already in the pantry and freezer, so I decided to give it a shot. And I'm lucky that my kids like curry. I just tweaked it a little to suit our tastes, leaving out the cayenne and replacing the spinach with swiss chard.

You need:

4 tsp. olive oil

12 oz. chicken breasts, cut into thin strips

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

1 tbsp. minced ginger

1 tbsp. minced garlic

1 c. unsweetened coconut milk

1 c. canned pureed pumpkin

2 tbsp. curry powder

1/2 tsp. salt

3 c. shredded swiss chard

2 tsp. lemon juice

2 c. steamed basmati rice

Heat 2 tsp. oil in a large skillet. Add the chicken and cook until just done, about 4 minutes. Remove and set aside. Reduce the heat to medium and add the onions, garlic, and ginger. Cook for 5 minutes or until tender. Add the coconut milk, pumpkin and spices. Add 1/2 c. water. Simmer, uncovered, for ten minutes. Add the chicken and swiss chard and cook until wilted. Stir in the lime juice. Serve with the rice.