Thai Peanut Sauce (and meal ideas with sauce)

This is a super easy sauce that I like to make because I can pair it with so many fresh veggies...

1 small piece of lemon grass, chopped**
Freshly grated ginger-to taste
1 cup water
½ cup hoisin sauce
3 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
1½ tablespoons sugar

DIRECTIONS:

To make the peanut sauce:

In a small sauce pan, simmer lemon grass in the water for 5 minutes, strain out the lemongrass and add the remaining ingredients to the water. Whisk well and simmer an additional 5 minutes. If the sauce doesn’t thicken, whisk for one minute over medium heat. (**Sometimes I am lazy and just use a very healthy squirt of the fresh lemongrass paste you can buy in the grocery store).

https://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/whole-wheat-noodles-with-peanut-sauce-and-vegetables-recipe/

I use the wheat linguine pasta.

Often, I will slice narrowly slice chicken cook it with some lime olive oil, salt, and pepper.

Afterwards I will often pan sear small pieces of broccoli and shredded carrots until they are almost to the texture I like and then throw in some red, orange, yellow peppers, and zucchini. Be sure to flavor with a bit of salt and pepper.

When everything is ready, mix together amounts desired and garnish with ground peanuts, limes, and cilantro.

Baked Eggrolls

Happy Chinese  New Years!

I was invited to a traditional hot pot Chinese New Year in celebration of Chinese New Years yesterday, and made baked Egg rolls. Hot pots are good, and I think most of you would enjoy them... I will post a pic at the bottom so you can see what it is like :)

I took the recipe and based it off a few different recipes.... and this is what I did

• 2 cloves of garlic
• equal size pieces of ginger
• 1/8 of a purple onion

• 2 cups cooked chicken shredded and cut up into small pieces
• 2 cups cabbage shredded
• 2 cup carrots grated 
• 2 green onions sliced
• 1 cup bean sprouts

• 3 Tablespoons vegetable oil for sautéing
• Cooking spray
• 16 egg roll wrappers
• 4 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 Tablespoon water
• 1 Tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 Tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 egg white beaten

(other things that can be added: 

• 1 small can canned water chestnuts
• 2 green onions sliced instead of the purple onion
• fresh sweet red pepers

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400˚ and lightly coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.
   
   
2. In a large pan, heat the 3 T. vegetable oil, garlic, ginger, and onion over medium heat. 
   
   
   Add cooked chicken and vegetables and saute for about 5 minutes or until vegetables start to soften. Depending on salt levels of soy sauce used, add a little to mixture, I also added some cracked black pepper.
   
   
   In the meantime, in a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch, water, soy sauce, vegetable oil, and rice vinegar. Add sauce mixture to pot. Cook 2-3 minutes longer. Remove from heat and let slightly cool.
   
   
3. Open egg roll wrappers and keep covered with a damp paper towel while working with them, they tend to dry out quickly. Place wrapper at a diamond shape on your workspace (1 corner pointing toward you). Add 1/3 cup of veggie mixture in the middle of wrapper. Fold side corners in to meet in the middle. Pull bottom corner up over the side corners. 
   
   
   (*** I did not use the egg, just water, like we did as kids :)Moisten top corner with beaten egg white and continue to roll up wrapper (try to keep the roll tight). Repeat will all remaining egg roll wrappers.
   
   
4. Place egg rolls seam side down on prepared baking sheet. When finished, lightly spray the tops of the egg rolls with cooking spray. Bake for 6 minutes, turn egg rolls over and continue baking an additional 6 minutes or until browned.
   
   
   ** Mine took at least ten minutes longer to bake**
   Adapted from following recipe: https://happymoneysaver.com/baked-egg-roll-recipe/
   
   
   Hot pots: (see egg rolls behind hot pots :)
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Chicken Pot Pie

The original recipe I got from: http://www.blendtec.com/recipes/rosemary_veggie_pot_pie?utm_source=Blendtec+Recipe+Emails&utm_campaign=2182259ab5-Rosemary_Veggie_Pot_Pie_1_21_2014&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_8c09bd62ec-2182259ab5-216083825

I ended up flavoring it a little more and adding more veggies to it... so I know you guys do not have a blender but your food processor probably works...

1 1/ 8 c whole wheat flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2tsp granulated sugar
5 tbsp cold butter, cut into pieces
4 tbsp ice-cold water

4 potato, diced
1 1/4 c carrots, diced
1 tsp olive oil

1 tbsp butter
1/4 c whole wheat flour
2 c vegetable broth
1 stalk celery, diced
3/4 c frozen peas

1/2 onion, halved
1 clove garlic
2 tbsp fresh rosemary
1/4 tsp ground black pepper

For the whole wheat pie crust: add first 4 ingredients to Twister jar and place Twister lid on jar. Hold Twister lid and with other hand, press "Pulse" 10-12 times until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add water and replace Twister lid. Hold Twister lid and with other hand, press "Pulse" 8-10 times until dough is formed; do not over blend. Remember to turn Twister lid counter-clockwise during blending. Remove dough and pat into a smoothi disc, wrap disc in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours before rolling out dough. Makes one 9-inch pie crust or 8 tops for individual ramekins.

For the pot pie filling: Preheat over to 425°F. Spread out diced potatoes and carrots and drizzle with olive oil. Roast in oven for 10 minutes. 

Add onion, garlic, and fresh rosemary to Twister jar and secure gripper lid. Press "Pulse" 4-6 times until all ingredients are well chopped. 

Heat butter in medium saucepan until it starts to sizzle. Add flour to make a roux. When roux is heated and moisture is soaked into the flour, add broth, stirring constantly. Add remaining ingredients, including potatoes and carrots. Heat until filling is bubbly and thick. Pour into 9-inch pie plate or individual ramekins. Place pie crust over top of filling and press dough into dish with a fork. Make 3 slits along the top of the crust for steam to vent while baking.

Reduce heat to 400°F. If baking in pie plate, bake for 40-45 minutes. If baking in individual ramekins, place all ramekins on a cookie sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes or until crust is slightly browned.

I ended up baking it in an 8 x 10 pan for almost an hour... oh and I also sautéed some chicken w/ salt and pepper in a little olive oil at first, but then added water at the end of their cooking...

Citrus Chicken with Soy Sauce

We had an impromptu celebration for Cinco De Mayo and one of our neighbors brought this amazing chicken. Last we had the missionaries over and we decided to try to recreate it. It was good the way we baked it, but I think it would be better if we had grilled it. Either way, try it! It is so so good!

1/3 C soy sauce (I used the Shoyu sauce)

Juice of 1 lemon

Juice of 1 lime

Juice of 1 orange 

1/2 an onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 TBS cilantro

1 teas cumin

1/3 C soy sauce

1 teas paprika

1/2 teas white pepper

Chicken (3--4 lbs)

Combine all ingredients except chicken. Add chicken, cover and marinate in fridge 2-4 hours.

Bake at 375 for 45 minutes. Serve. (Could also grill.)

Chicken Florentine

Mom got this recipe from a cookbook created at her work for employee appreciation week last year. This recipe is from Susan Castanette. We had it last night and it was delicious! We served it with rice.


1/4 C butter
1 Tbs minced garlic
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 Tbs Italian seasoning
1/2 c half and half (or cream)
1/2 c grated parmesan
1 bag fresh spinach
8 oz sliced mushrooms
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (or abt 8 tenders)
1-2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Melt butter in saucepan, and stir in garlic soup, seasoning, half and half, and parmesan.
Arrange spinach in 9x13 casserole. Cover with mushrooms and half the sauce. Arrange chicken on top and cover with remaining sauce. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until chicken is done. Top with mozzarella for last 10 minutes of baking. Serve!

Chicken Fajita Chowder

Tried this for the first time today and loved it!

• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, chopped
• 1 each medium green, sweet red and yellow peppers, chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 cups water
• 2 cups frozen corn
• 1 cup uncooked brown rice
• 1 cup green enchilada sauce
• 1/4 cup canned chopped green chilies
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Mexican cheese blend
• 1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
• Tortilla chips and minced fresh chives, optional

Cook and stir chicken, peppers, and onions in oil until vegetables are crisp-tender. Add water, corn, rice, enchilada sauce, chilies and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 35-40 minutes or until rice is done. Remove from heat. Stir in sour cream and cheese until cheese is melted. Serve with tortilla chips and chives.

Chicken Wild Rice Soup

How very exciting... my first blog post EVER.... Here goes!

I made this soup for the first time a few weeks ago, and liked it so much we had it again with friends tonight. Hope you like it...

Chicken Wild Rice Soup

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 finely chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1/2 cup sliced carrots
• 1/2 pound fresh sliced mushrooms
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups cooked wild rice
• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked and cubed
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 cup slivered almonds
• 2 cups half-and-half (or 2% milk plus a little cream)

Directions

1. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the onion, celery and carrots and saute for 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and saute for 2 more minutes. Then add the flour and stir well. Gradually pour in the chicken broth, stirring constantly, until all has been added. Bring just to a boil, reduce heat to low and let simmer.
2. Next, add the rice, chicken, salt, curry powder, mustard powder, parsley, ground black pepper, almonds and sherry. Allow to heat through, then pour in the half-and-half. Let simmer for 1 to 2 hours. (Note: Do not boil or your roux will break.)

-This is a variation on a recipe I found online- if you like it, the original recipe called for regular salt instead of garlic plus ½ tsp of curry powder and 1/2 tsp mustard powder.

Lettuce Wraps

We made these for dinner while we were at home and they were pretty good, though we added a little more flavoring to them. We had them with beef & broccoli, but I think they would be a sufficient meal on their own. Plus, the chicken mixture can be done ahead of time and refrigerated making your dinner prep a whole lot easier.

(serves 6)
8 chicken tenders
sesame oil
1 cup water chestnuts
1 1/2 cups mushrooms
1 small onion

Cube chicken tenders and saute in sesame oil (or olive oil if you don't have sesame oil on hand) until cooked all the way through. While chicken is cooking mince the water chestnuts, mushrooms and onion (a food processor makes this step easier). Once the chicken is cooked mince the chicken into small pea size pieces as well. Combine the mushroom, onion, and water chestnut mixture with the minced chicken.

At this point you can cover and refrigerate the mixture until ready to put together your meal or continue on.

Stir Fry Sauce
4 tablespoons soy sauce
4 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
1 clove garlic (minced or pressed)
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce (the original recipe didn't call for this, but I added it in and it gave the sauce a great little umph!)

Combine the stir fry sauce ingredients, pour over the chicken and mushroom mixture and stir until evenly coated.

Heat mixture in a wok or large frying pan for about 5-10 minutes.

Serve in iceberg lettuce cups.