Friday, August 19, 2011

Happy Berfday Adriane


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Happy 33 Adriane.  We love you!


Saturday, May 7, 2011

Coconut Curry Soup

This is the other Thai soup we tried:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 pounds chicken breasts, (about 3), cut into 1-inch pieces
Salt and pepper for seasoning
1/2 cup chopped yellow onion (about 1/2 medium onion)
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 can (14-ounces) unsweetened light coconut milk
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper or more to taste
1 tablespoon brown sugar
½ tablespoon curry powder
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice (about 1 medium lime)
¼ cup fresh cilantro

3-4 cups hot, cooked rice for serving

In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat until it is hot and shimmering. Pat the chicken pieces dry with a paper towel and season them lightly with salt and pepper. Add them to the hot oil. Let the chicken cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the onions and red pepper. Cook for 2-3 minutes, until the onions and peppers are slightly softened. The chicken and vegetables don’t have to be fully cooked as they will simmer and cook further in the next step.
Add the chicken broth, coconut milk, fish sauce, cayenne pepper, brown sugar and curry powder. Stir to combine. Bring the soup to a simmer and cook, gently, for 10-15 minutes. Stir in the lime juice and cilantro. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Serve a ladle or two of the soup over a scoop of rice and garnish with more cilantro, if desired.

Chicken Fajitas

Marinade:
¼ cup fresh lime juice (about 3-4 limes)
1/3 cup water
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons apple cider or red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons soy sauce
½ teaspoons chili powder
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon liquid smoke
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon onion powder

in a small bowl. Place chicken in a ziploc bag and pour the marinade ingredients over the top. Seal the bag and place in the refrigerator and let marinate for 2-3 hours.

Fajitas:
1 1/2 pounds chicken breasts (about 3 large chicken breasts)
1 yellow onion, cut into thin strips
1 green pepper, cut into thin strips
1 red (or orange) pepper, cut into thin strips
8 ounces fresh mushrooms, quartered ( I left these out)
1 teaspoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons water
½ teaspoon fresh lime juice (a quick squeeze of a cut lime)
dash of salt and pepper


Combine all marinade ingredients
After marinading, take chicken out of the bag and discard the marinade. Grill or broil the chicken 5-7 minutes per side . Remove from grill or pan and tent with foil to keep warm.
In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat and add the onion, mushrooms and peppers. Stir fry until softened but still crisp tender. Add soy sauce, water, lime juice and salt and pepper. Cook another 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently. Slice chicken thinly on the diagonal and toss with the vegetables in the skillet.

We ate these on flour tortillas, but homie don't play that game, so maybe try corn.

Ground Beef Tacos

*Serves 4
2 tablespoons canola oil
3/4 cup chopped onion
1 pound ground beef or ground turkey
1 to 3 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced fine (alternately, you can add hot pepper sauce to taste or canned jalapenos)

Taco shells
Additional taco garnishes


In a large skillet over medium heat, add the oil and chopped onion. Cook, stirring often, until the onion is softened, about 4-5 minutes. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking up the meat into smaller chunks, until it is cooked through, about 5 minutes. Off the heat, drain the grease from the meat.
Return the skillet to the heat and stir in the garlic, chili powder, cumin, coriander, salt and pepper. Cook for about 30 seconds and then add the tomato sauce and jalapeno. Turn the heat to low and simmer the meat mixture for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve in taco shells with your choice of toppings.

Lime Cilantro Rice with Pineapple

1 cup dry white rice, cooked in 2 cups water
2 T real butter
Juice from 1 large lime or two smaller ones
1 small can crushed pineapple, drained.
½ – ¾ C chopped fresh cilantro
Salt and pepper to taste
Cook rice.As soon as it’s done, toss in the butter and stir to melt.Add lime juice, pineapple, and cilantro.Stir to combine, and then add salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.
* You’ll want to serve this right away, if you don’t, the flavors tend to mellow a bit and you’ll probably need to add more lime juice because the rice kind of sucks it up.If you’re not quite ready to eat when your rice finishes cooking, just toss in the butter and keep a lid on it so it stays warm.Then right before you serve it, toss it all together.

Spicy Honey Chicken Salad

Salad: 
One recipe Spicy Honey Chicken, sliced
1-2 heads Romaine or Red Leaf Lettuce
2 ripe but firm mangoes, chilled
2-3 ripe but firm avocados
optional:  thinly sliced red onions, I think I opted out

Honey Citrus Vinaigrette:
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 T grated onion
1/3 C fresh orange juice3T fresh lime juice
2T honey
3/4 t cumin

1/2 t salt
1/4 t ground black pepper
1/2 C vegetable oil


Place all ingredients in a tightly sealed jar and shake your bootie (and the jar) vigorously. Store in the fridge, and shake before dressing salad.

Spicy Honey Chicken

Recipe by Our Best Bites

8 boneless skinless chicken thighs, about 2lbs
 2 t vegetable oil

Rub:
2 t granulated garlic
2 t chili powder
1/2 t onion powder
1/2 t coriander
1 t kosher salt
1 t cumin
1/2 t chipotle chili powder

Glaze:1/2 C Honey
1T Cider Vinegar
 
Combine the rub spices in bowl and mix well.

 
Use kitchen shears (or a pair of clean scissors) to trim off any excess fat from the chicken pieces.Pat dry. Drizzle oil over chicken and rub in with your hands to lightly coat all the pieces. Then toss chicken with the spice rub to coat all sides well. Use your hands and get in there! Grill chicken for 3-5 minutes on each side, until cooked through.
While chicken is cooking, warm honey in the microwave so it’s not so thick. Add the vinegar and combine well. Reserve 2T honey glaze for later. Take the rest and brush on chicken (both sides) in the final moments of grilling.
Drizzle remaining glaze over chicken before serving, if desired.

Asian Lettuce Wraps

Recipe by Our Best Bites

2 tsp canola oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 lb ground chicken* ( I just diced up cooked chicken)
3 ounces mushrooms, finely chopped (about 8 small mushrooms)
1/2 tsp kosher salt
4 C bagged coleslaw mix or thinly shredded cabbage
1 8oz can sliced water chestnuts, drained, rinsed, and finely minced
1/2 C thinly sliced green onions
4 Tbs soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1 lemon, zested and juiced (about 3-4 Tbs juice)
1/2-1 tsp sriracha or other hot sauce

1/3 C roughly chopped cilantro
1-2 heads iceberg lettuce


*To prepare your own ground chicken, cut boneless skinless chicken breasts into large chunks and pulse in a food processor until ground.

Dipping/Drizzling Sauce
4 Tbs soy sauce
4 Tbs rice vinegar
3 Tbs water
2 tsp honey
1-2 tsp finely minced fresh ginger


Heat a very large skillet to medium-high heat on the stove top. When hot, add vegetable oil and then garlic and ginger. Saute for about 30 seconds, until fragrant, and then add ground chicken, chopped mushrooms, and kosher salt. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until chicken is cooked through. (*At this point, sometimes I have some extra liquid in the pan from the chicken. If it’s quite a bit, I tilt the pan and spoon it out so the chicken can cook and not boil.) Add cabbage/coleslaw, water chestnuts, and green onions. Cook for about 2 minutes, until cabbage starts to wilt. Add soy sauce, sesame oil, the zest from the lemon and the lemon juice, and hot sauce to taste. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro.
To prepare dipping sauce, combine all ingredients and whisk to combine.
To serve, carefully remove the individual leaves from the head of lettuce. (The closer you get to the center, the easier it becomes!) Place chicken mixture in the leaves and serve with sauce.
Yield: about 5 C chicken mixture. Makes 14-16 lettuce wraps.

Thai Chicken and Coconut Soup

If they are available, simmer kaffir lime leaves or lemon grass in the coconut milk first for a delicate citrus flavor.

Bring to boil in a soup pot:

3 cups Chicken Stock
2 and 2/3 cup unsweetened coconut milk

Reduce the heat and stir in:
2 small Thai peppers or 3 fresh jalepeno peppers, seeded and sliced
3 Tbls Thai fish sauce or soy sauce
1 tsp. minced peeled fresh ginger
1/8 tsp. salt

Simmer for 10 minutes, then stir in:

1  pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced
2 Tbls. fresh lime juice

Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked, about 5 minutes. Serve over rice, if desired.  Garnish with cilantro.

Monday, January 31, 2011

Chicken Stir Fry

2 chicken breasts, chopped into small pieces
1/4 cup flour
1 T. oil
A broccoli bunch or two.  don't eat the butt end, like Kevin.
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 T.-ish of sesame seeds (optional)
Peanuts

Coat chicken in flour.  Fry the chicken on up in the oil.  Meanwhile, combine soy sauce, water and brown sugar in a bowl.  Pour that mixture over the chicken and let it thicken up a minute.  Then add the broccoli, and let that cook until it's bright green.  Next, add the sesame seeds, if desired.  Serve over rice.  Add peanuts to the whole ensemble, but just keep in mind that peanuts do not fare well in leftovers, so don't go to crazy.

Mulligatawny Soup

This is the meal I made the night you bailed on us, so we found another person of half-Asian descent to come over. :) 
But, it was good, and easy and cheap to make, and someday I will make it for you, my favorite half-Asian.

1 T. olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
1 cup chopped carrots, about 3 large carrots, peeled (don't be scared)
1 cup thinly chopped celery, about 3 stalks
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 T. curry powder or 1 T. hot curry powder
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 Granny Smith or other tart apple, cored, peeled and chopped ( I have make this twice now, and I used a Gala apple the second time and like it better)
2 cups cooked rice, white or brown
2 cups cooked, diced chicken, about 2 chicken breasts
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. dried thyme
1/4 tsp. black pepper
3/4 cup whipping cream

In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat until rippling and hot.  Add the onion, carrots and celery, and cook, stirring often, until they are slightly softened, about 3-4 minutes.  Stir in the flour and curry and cook for one minute, stirring constantly.  Slowly whisk in the broth until well combined and bring the soup to a simmer.  Cook at a low simmer, stirring occasionally for 8-10 minutes.  Add the chopped apple, rice, chicken, salt, thyme, and pepper.  Simmer 8-10 minutes longer, stirring every now and then to prevent sticking, until the vegetables are tender.  Add the cream, warm the soup through, and serve.

Sticky Orange Chicken

2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 1/2 cup flour
1 egg, beaten
Oil (for frying)

Sticky Orange Sauce:
1 1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/3 cup rice vinegar
2 1/2 T. soy sauce
1 T. orange zest
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 t. ginger root (or powder)
1/2 t. garlic (or fresh garlic)
1 bunch green onions, sliced
1/4 t. red pepper flakes
3 T. cornstarch
2 T.-1/4 cup water, depending on how thick you want your sauce

Combind flour, salt and pepper.  Dip chicken pieces in egg mixture and put in flour mixture to coat.  Deep fry the chicken in 1/2 inch of oil (I fear I used way to much oil) at 375.  Or, to save on calories, saute in a large wok or pan with a couple of tablespoons of oil.  Cook until chicken is crispy and golden brown.  Cook in batches and set aside.

Meanwhile, while Adriane cooks the chicken, in a large saucepan combine lemon juice, orange juice, rice vinegar, and soy sauce.  Blend well over medium heat for a few minutes.  Stir in brown sugar, orange zest, ginger, garlic, and onion.  Bring to a boil.  Combine 3 tablespoons of cornstarch with 1/4 cup of water and mix thoroughly.  Slowly (or not) stir cornstarch mixture into sauce until it thickens.  Pour sauce over breaded chicken, and if desired add red pepper flakes and garnish with green onions.  Serve over rice.

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Raspberry Spinach Salad

Salad:
Spinach
2-3 chicken breasts, seasoned with salt and pepper, and cooked on the BBQ
Croutons ( sorry, none for you anymore, my gluten-free gal)
1 pkg. raspberries, fresh
1/2 c. candied pecans (I made these wrong, I looked up a picture today.  Ooooooooopssssssssssssssssssss)
1 pkg feta cheese (or monterey jack seems to be a good substitute)
1 medium red onion, sliced (Optional, I opted to not)

Dressing:
1/2 cup raspberries, fresh or frozen
3/4 cup raspberry jam
1/4 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen
1/2-3/4 cup sugar, depending on how sweet you like it (I did 1/2 cup)
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup vegetable oil, pour in slowly to emulsify
1 garlic clove (I ran my garlic through the zoomer before blending it with the other ingredients)
1 tsp salt

Blend the dressing up until it's smooth. Assemble your salad.