Pad Thai Fried Rice & Cilantro Thai Chicken

I think I’ve made this meal 3 times in the last month, because it’s beyond good!  I have a weakness for Thai food, especially Thai food infused with citrus…and then you add some salty peanuts and cilantro on top and I’m sold!

This dish is extremely flavorful with crisp, clean flavors. It’s one of those dishes that are so good you need to stop yourself from hunching over your plate while shoveling it in!

Cook’s Note: This recipe calls for Ponzu (pictured below), which is basically soy sauce infused with citrus juices. I have personally fallen in love with the product and now prefer it over soy sauce. If you don’t have Ponzu on hand or can’t find it at your local grocer (I found mine at Food Lion, and also noticed that my local Target carries it), then you can substitute it for soy sauce. 

If you want to add some veggies to this dish, add some bean sprouts atop the rice after you take the rice off of the heat to steam.

Pad Thai Fried Rice & Cilantro Thai Chicken

 

Ingredients:

2 C Jasmine rice, uncooked
2 T brown sugar
2 T fresh lime juice, plus wedges for serving
3 T Ponzu (*see Cook’s Note above)
1-2 t Sriracha Chili Sauce
2 t vegetable oil
3 green onions, white and green parts, separated and thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
2 large eggs, light beaten
1/2 C fresh cilantro, chopped
1/4 C chopped roasted, salted peanuts

Directions:

Cook the Jasmine rice according to the package, fluff and set aside.

While the rice is cooking make the sauce, whisk together brown sugar, lime juice, Ponzu, and Sriracha Chili Sauce in a small bowl. Set aside.

In a Wok or deep, large skillet (like this one), heat oil over medium-high heat. Add the whites of the green onions and garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant (about 30 seconds).

Add the eggs and cook, scramble until the eggs are almost set (they should still be a little wet), about 30-60 seconds. Transfer egg, onion and garlic mixture to a small bowl.

Next add the fluffed rice, the green parts of the onions, and sauce to the skillet. Cook, tossing/stirring constantly until the rice is well coated with the sauce (about 1-2 minutes). Add the egg mixture and toss to coat, breaking up the eggs gently as you go.

Serve the rice with lime wedges, and topped off with chopped cilantro and peanuts.

Serves 4

Source: A Food, Folks and Fun Original

Cilantro Thai Chicken

Ingredients:

2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1/2 C cilantro
2 T soy sauce or Ponzu (*see Cook’s Note above)
1 T toasted sesame oil

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, or 8-10 boneless skinless chicken tenders

Directions:

To make the marinade place the garlic, cilantro, soy sauce or Ponzu, and sesame oil in a food processor and process until smooth.

Pour marinade over chicken breast and let flavors sink in for 30-60 minutes in the refrigerator.

Prepare your grill or broiler. Cook until temperature registers 165F on the meat thermometer. Let the chicken breasts rest for 5 minutes before serving, this prevents the meat from drying up.

Serves 4

Source: adapted from Artsy-Foodie

Thanksgiving Dishes Round-Up

I cannot believe Thanksgiving  is a week away; it just finally started feeling like fall her in Arizona and now Thanksgiving is fast approaching and Christmas is right around the corner…where did this year go?!?
In any event, I’ve compiled a few of my favorite recipes from last Thanksgiving that were super yummy! Enjoy, and Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving Dishes Round-Up

Honey Yeast Rolls: What would Thanksgiving be without some yummy rolls?

Butternut Squash & Apple Soup: A great 1^st course dish.

Sweet Potato Soufflé: A classic at my family’s dinner table. 

Cauliflower – Leek Purée: A great low-carb alternative to mashed potatoes.

Cranberry-Orange Sauce: SO delicious and awesome spread on bread for leftover turkey sandwiches.

Skillet Green Beans w/ Spiced Walnuts: A great dish that’s low on calories, but high in flavor.

Pumpkin-Chocolate Cheesecake Bars: A great alternative to the classic pumpkin pie.

Thanksgiving Leftovers – Turkey Noodle Soup w/ Homemade Noodles: You know you’re going to have left over turkey; this is nice, light recipe that uses up some of that leftover turkey!

I hope you all have a wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving.

Peach Salsa

This was my very first canning endeavor and it was easier than I thought it would be. I do suggest though at least quadrupling the recipe when canning to make your efforts worth while.

Cook’s Note: If you don't have peaches, substitute any yellow-orange fruit, including mangoes, pineapples, or papaya.

Peeling Peaches Tip: Using a knife, score the bottoms of the peaches with an X pattern. Bring a pot of water to a roiling boil, add the peaches and parboil for 60 – 90 seconds. Plunge the peaches into an ice water bath and the skins should peel right off. Use the X you made on the bottom of the peaches to peel them.

Peach Salsa

Ingredients:

2 ripe but firm peaches, peeled, pitted and chopped coarse

1 small red bell pepper, cored, seeded and sliced thin

1 small red onion, diced

¼ C chopped fresh parsley leaves

1medium clove garlic, minced

¼ C pineapple juice

6 T lime juice

1 medium jalapeño chile or other medium hot pepper, minced

Salt and ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

Mix all ingredients, including salt and pepper to taste, in medium bowl. Cover and refrigerate to blend flavors, at least 1 hour or up to 4 days.

For Canning:

If you plan on preserving the salsa, skip the refrigerator and immediately place into hot, sterile pint jars with 1/2 inch head space. Don’t forget to gently shake the jar to remove air bubbles. Wipe the rims clean, center the lid, and tighten the band finger tight before placing the jar into the boiling water. The pints should be processed with at least one inch of water above the lids.

Process in a water bath canner for:

20 minutes < 1000 feet above sea level
25 minutes 1001 – 5999
30 minutes for another over 6000 ft

Makes about 3 cups

Source: Adapted from Cook’s Illustrated, July 1996 & Home Ec 101

I’m linking this post up at:

Metamorphosis Monday

Menu Plan Monday

Skip to My Lou

Tip Me Tuesday

Today’s Creative Blog

Cheddar Dill Scones

De-li-cious! These scones are my new favorite dinner-time accompaniments. There are SO many different possibilities and variations with these scones like parmesan & sun-dried tomato, cilantro, pepper jack, & jalapeño, etc. I can’t wait to try variations of this recipe and share them here with you, so stay tuned!

P.S. These would be great for brunch!

Cheddar Dill Scones

Ingredients:

4 C plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, divided

2 T baking powder

2 t salt

3/4 pound (3 sticks) cold unsalted butter, diced

4 extra-large eggs, beaten lightly

1 C cold heavy cream

1/2 pound extra-sharp yellow Cheddar, small-diced

1 C minced fresh dill

1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water or milk, for egg wash

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Combine 4 cups of flour, the baking powder, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.

Add the butter and mix on low speed until the butter is in pea-sized pieces.

Mix the eggs and heavy cream and quickly add them to the flour-and-butter mixture. Combine until just blended.

Toss together the Cheddar, dill, and 1 tablespoon of flour and add them to the dough. Mix until they are almost incorporated.

Dump the dough onto a well-floured surface and knead it for 1 minute, until the Cheddar and dill are well distributed.

Roll the dough 3/4-inch thick. Cut into 4-inch squares and then in half diagonally to make triangles.

***If you don’t have a 4-inch square cookie cutter, then: divide the dough into 2 equal pieces using a bench scraper. Pat each half of the dough into an 8-inch round cake pan, evenly distributing the dough. Invert the pans onto the counter so the dough releases from the pans. At this point, your dough should be in a perfect circle. Cut each circle into 8 pieces.

Brush the tops with egg wash. Bake on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper for 20 to 25 minutes, until the outside is crusty and the inside is fully baked.

Makes 16 large scones

Source: Adapted from Ina Garten for the Food Network

I’m linking this post up at:
Metamorphosis Monday
Menu Plan Monday
Skip to My Lou
Tip Me Tuesday
Today’s Creative Blog

Honey Dijon Chicken Tenders with Zucchini Rice

This was such an amazingly delicious and easy dinner. From start to finish it took all of 30 minutes! The honey mustard mixture you dip the chicken into before breading is so tasty…I think the next time I make it I’ll use a vegetable puree instead of the mustard just to add some extra vitamins and nutrients. The zucchini rice is SO delicious, so be sure to make more than you think you’ll need—trust me on this one!

Honey Dijon Chicken Tenders with Zucchini Rice

I didn’t alter the recipe at all, so head on over to The Comfort of Cooking for the recipe!

I’m linking this post up at:
Metamorphosis Monday
Menu Plan Monday
Skip to My Lou
Tip Me Tuesday
Today’s Creative Blog

Hawaiian Grilled Chicken & Coconut Rice

Recently we celebrated my mom’s 60^th birthday by having a luau-themed murder mystery dinner. I picked up a murder mystery kit at a local games store and it included everything that was needed for the game: the premise, character descriptions with costume ideas, scripts, evidence cards, etc. It was SO much fun!

So, to match the theme of the party I decided to make Hawaiian grilled chicken with coconut rice. Both dishes were amazing, especially the coconut rice…it was so easy to make and so yummy!

My fam all dressed up as their characters for the murder mystery dinner.

Hawaiian Grilled Chicken & Coconut Rice

For the Chicken

Ingredients:

3 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs (I didn’t have thighs on hand

   so I used breasts)

2 C soy sauce (I used Kikkoman’s low sodium, if you use the original, then

   do 1 ½ C soy sauce and 2 ½ C water) )

2 C water

1 1/2 C brown sugar
1 bunch of green onions, chopped (reserve some for garnish)
1/4 C of a white onion, chopped
1/2 t minced garlic
1 t of sesame oil
1 (13.5 oz) can coconut milk

Directions:

Trim chicken thighs of any visible fat. Mix soy sauce, water, brown sugar, onions, garlic, sesame oil, and coconut milk in a large bowl. Add the chicken and marinade for at least 4 hours or overnight to make sure the flavor gets infused.

Grill chicken at a low heat so that the marinade does not burn for 5-7 minutes per side or until done. If you do not have a grill you can use a indoor grill pan.

Garnish with sliced green onions and serve.

For the Rice

Ingredients:

Your favorite rice (Basmati, Jasmine, long-grain, etc)

Coconut milk

Water

Toasted Coconut (optional)

Directions:

Basically you follow the direction on your rice package, but replace ½ the water with coconut milk. Garnish the toasted coconut.

Source: adapted from The Girl who Ate Everything

I’m linking this post up at:
Metamorphosis Monday
Menu Plan Monday
Skip to My Lou
Tip Me Tuesday
Today’s Creative Blog

Easy Cheesy Zucchini Bake

This was such an easy (just like the name suggests) and tasty summer-time recipe. I’m sure just about now many of you are bogged-down with zucchini and summer squash from your garden; this is such a great way to use up some of those! Enjoy!

Easy Cheesy Zucchini Bake

I didn’t make any substitutions/changes in this recipe, so please visit Kalyn’s Kitchen for the recipe!

I’m linking this post up at:
Metamorphosis Monday
Menu Plan Monday
Skip to My Lou
Tip Me Tuesday
Today’s Creative Blog

Calabacitas - New Mexico Style

I lived in New Mexico for almost 5 years while I attended the University of New Mexico and then taught middle school. While there I fell deeply and madly in love with New Mexican cuisine…and yes, people, New Mexican food is different from Mexican food. I had calabacitas for the first time at my favorite New Mexican restaurant in Albuquerque called El Pinto. Ever since then I’ve been trying to recreate the dish, and I think I have it. This is great served as a side with any of your favorite Mexican main dishes. I’ve even used this mixture for nachos and burritos. Enjoy!

My mom and I outside El Pinto the weekend I graduated from UNM.

Calabacitas – New Mexico Style

Ingredients:

1 yellow squash 8-9″ or so

1 zucchini 8-9″ or so

1 C frozen sweet corn

1/2 C sweet yellow onion, chopped

1/2 C grated cheese (queso fresco if I can – otherwise use any other mild white cheese, like mozzarella or monetary.)

1 or 2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 7 oz can chopped green chili

1 14 oz can diced tomatoes, drained

1 T olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350º

Prepare squash and zucchini by quartering lengthwise and then chopping into 1/4 to 3/8″ chunks. Set aside.

Sauté chopped onion, garlic, salt and pepper in olive oil until onions are just starting to brown, and then add squash and zucchini and cook until they are about half done. Add corn. As soon as the corn is thawed move the mixture to a 1 quart casserole dish and mix in cheese, canned tomatoes, and green chili.

Bake in the oven uncovered for 35 minutes.

Once it comes out of the oven, sprinkle with a little more cheese if desired.

Serves about 4 people.

Source: A Food, Folks, and Fun original!

Sweet Corn Cake

When I eat out at a Mexican restaurant, the sides are just as important to me as the main dish. My two favorite sides to have with pretty much any Mexican meal are calabacitas and these corn cakes. In the past I have tried to mimic the sweet corn cakes you get in restaurants but have failed miserably…that is until this recipe! These came out better than I had hoped and were a nice addition to the fajitas I made for dinner.

This is what It looks like when it come out of the oven.

Sweet Corn Cake

Ingredients:

1/2 C butter, softened

1/3 C masa harina (found right by the corn meal in the grocery store)

1/4 C water

1 1/2 C frozen whole-kernel corn, thawed

1/4 C cornmeal

1/3 C white sugar

2 T heavy whipping cream

1/4 t salt

1/2 t baking powder

Directions:

In a medium bowl beat butter until it is creamy. Add the Mexican corn flour and water and beat until well mixed.

Using a food processor, process thawed corn, but leave chunky. Stir into the butter mixture.

In a separate bowl, mix cornmeal, sugar, cream, salt, and baking powder. Add to corn flour mixture and stir to combine. Pour batter into an ungreased 8x8 inch baking pan. Smooth batter and cover with aluminum foil. Place pan into a 9x13 inch baking dish that is filled a third of the way with water.

Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven F (175 degrees C) oven for 50 to 60 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 minutes. Use an ice cream scoop for easy removal from pan.

Source: All Recipes

Skillet Green Beans with Spiced Walnuts

I love this recipe. This was made for dinner the other night and I think it out-shinned the main course…which now that I think about it, I’m not exactly sure what the main course was!

There’s just the right amount of heat and sugar in this recipe, and the toasted walnuts add a nice, deep flavor. Yummy, delicious, and healthy!

Skillet Green Beans with Spiced Walnuts

Ingredients:

¼ C walnuts, chopped coarse

1 T unsalted butter

1 t brown sugar

¼ t ground ginger

Pinch cayenne pepper

Salt & pepper

2 t olive oil

1 pound green beans, trimmed

¼ C water

Directions:

Toast the walnuts in a 12-inch skillet over medium-low heat until golden, about 5 minutes. Add the butter and cook, stirring constantly, until the butter is browned, about 2 minutes. Stir in the sugar, ginger, cayenne, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Transfer the walnut mixture to a bowl and set aside. Wipe out the skillet with paper towels.

Heat the oil in the skillet over medium heat until just smoking. Add the green beans and 1/8 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until spotty brown, 4-6 minutes.

Add the water, cover, and cook until the green beans are bright green but still crisp, 2-3 minutes. Uncover, increase the heat to high, and continue to cook until the water evaporates and the beans are crisp-tender and lightly browned, 3-5 minutes longer.

Off the heat, stir in the reserved walnut mixture. Season with salt and black pepper to taste, and serve.

Source: America's Test Kitchen Light & Healthy 2011: The Year's Best Recipes Lightened Up

Simple Fried Rice

This dish came out perfectly and I credit that to the easy step-by-step directions and the tip to use cold rice rather than freshly cooked rice. This is a great way to use up leftover rice!

Simple Fried Rice

Ingredients:

3 T vegetable oil

2 large eggs, beaten lightly

2 C frozen peas and carrots, thawed (Note: I used a frozen peas, carrots, corn and string bean mixture because that’s what I had on hand)

2 garlic cloves, minced

4 C cooked white rice, chilled

2 C shredded cooked chicken (or thinly sliced cooked pork or beef)

3 T low sodium soy sauce

3 T oyster sauce

5 scallions, sliced thin

Directions:

Heat 1 ½ teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering.

Add in eggs; cook without stirring until just beginning to set, about 20 seconds.

Continue to cook eggs, stirring constantly, until eggs are cooked through but not browned, about 1 minute; transfer to a small bowl; set aside.

Add remaining 2 ½ tablespoons oil to skillet; return to high heat until just smoking.

Add in peas and garlic; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add in rice, meat, soy sauce, and oyster sauce; cook, stirring constantly, until mixture is heated through, about 3 minutes.

Stir in scallions and reserved cooked eggs; cook until heated through, about 1 minute.

Serve immediately.

*NOTE: It’s Important to use chilled rice. Hot or even warm rice will turn out mushy.

Makes4-6 servings

Source: Adapted from America’s Test Kitchen

Individual Yorkshire Puddings

This was my first time making Yorkshire Pudding and I think it was a success! These were so much easier than I thought they’d be and I will definitely be making these again in the future!

Individual Yorkshire Puddings

Ingredients:

3 large eggs
1 ½ cups milk
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
1 tsp. Kosher salt
Melted butter or beef drippings for pan (about 6 Tbsp.)

Directions:

Whisk together eggs and milk in a medium bowl; stir in flour and salt. Refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to overnight.

Fill each bottom of a 12-cup muffin pan with ¼-inch of butter; heat in a preheated 425˚ oven until hot, 3 minutes. Remove tin from oven; pour cups ¾ full with batter. Return to oven and bake 15 minutes; reduce oven temperature to 350˚ and bake 15-20 minutes more, until they’re medium-brown in color and cooked through.

Puncture cooked puddings with a skewer; turn out from pans. Serve warm.

Source: Adapted from The Wright Recipe

Corn and Black Bean Relish

The perfect side for your favorite main dish, like my carne asada tacos. I love this recipe because it can be served as a side or a dip.

Corn and Black Bean Relish

Ingredients:

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 red pepper, diced small
1 small red onion, diced small
1 jalapeno, minced
1 avocado, diced small
3 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced small
8 ounce bag of frozen corn kernels
2 limes, zested and juiced
2-4 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

Combine all ingredients and stir gently to combine. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving for flavors to meld. Great as a side dish for a Mexican meal or as a dip with tortilla chips.

Serves 8-10

Source: Adapted from Cooking with Michele

Kitchen Tip: Oven Baked Potatoes

For years I’ve been “nuking” my potatoes in the microwave and it has produced unsavory results, but hey it’s quick and easy right? Recently I decided enough is enough and I needed to learn the proper way to bake a potato and voila, fantastic results! In my opinion brushing the potatoes with a little olive oil and seasoning blend shouldn’t be optional!

After Baking

Before Baking

Kitchen Tip: Oven Baked Potatoes

The “I’ve got time” Method:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Start with organic russet potatoes of the large baking variety. Wash, scrub, and dry the potatoes.
3. Optional: brush each side of the potato with olive oil. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt or your favorite seasoning blend.
4. Poke holes on all sides with the point of a sharp knife.
5. Bake at 375 degrees F for 75-90 minutes. This can vary depending on the size of your potato and the altitude at which you live, so you will still need to test for doneness and find what cook time works best for you.

The “I’m short on time” Method:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
2. Start with organic russet potatoes of the large baking variety. Wash, scrub, and dry the potatoes.
3. Microwave the potatoes, up to 4 at a time, on full power for 4 minutes.
4. Turn potatoes over and microwave for 4 more minutes.
5. Optional: brush each side of the potato with olive oil. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt or your favorite seasoning blend.
6. Then, bake the microwaved potatoes in the 450 degree F preheated oven for 20 minutes.

Source: Adapted from Good Life Eats

Baked Oven Fries

These came out SO much better than I had hoped. In the past when I’ve tried oven fries they would come out mushy or stick to the pan. These however didn’t do either—they came out golden, crispy, and delicious!

Baked Oven Fries

Ingredients:

3 russet potatoes (about 24 oz. total), peeled and cut lengthwise into even sized

   wedges
5 T. vegetable, canola, peanut, or extra virgin olive oil, divided
¾ t kosher salt, plus more to taste
¼ t freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 475˚ F.  Place the potato wedges in a large mixing bowl.  Cover with hot water; soak for 10-30 minutes.  Put 4 tablespoons of the oil onto a heavy, rimmed baking sheet.  Tilt the sheet side to side to evenly coat the pan with oil (a pastry brush can also help with this).  Sprinkle the pan evenly with the salt and pepper.  Set aside.

Drain the potatoes.  Spread the wedges out on layers of paper towels or on clean kitchen towels.  Pat them dry with additional towels.  Wipe out the now empty bowl so it is dry.  Return the potatoes to the bowl and toss with the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil.  Arrange the potato wedges on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer.  Cover tightly with foil and bake for 5 minutes.  Remove the foil and continue to bake until the bottoms of the potatoes are spotty golden brown, 15-20 minutes, rotating the baking sheet after 10 minutes.  Using a metal spatula and tongs, flip each potato wedge over keeping them in a single layer.  Continue baking until the fries are golden and crisp, 5 -15 minutes.  Rotate the pan as needed to ensure even browning.

When the fries are finished baking, transfer to a paper-towel lined plate to drain some of the grease.  Finally, season with additional salt and pepper to taste.  Serve warm.

Source: The New Best Recipe by the incredible editors of Cook’s Illustrated

Latkes - Potato Pancakes

I’m serving up nostalgia! I served these potato pancakes with kielbasa and sour cream and apple sauce for dipping…needless to say they were a hit!

Latkes (Potato Pancakes)

Ingredients:

2 very large or 3 medium russet potatoes
1 small onion
2 large eggs
1 tsp salt
1/3 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp dried thyme leaf
1/2 tsp fresh black pepper
Peanut oil for frying

Directions:
Prepare a large mixing bowl by spreading a clean dish towel inside.
Peel the potatoes and onion, and cut into chunks that can fit through the feed tube of a food processor. With the processor fitted with the shredding blade, pass the potato and onion chunks through until everything is shredded. Dump the shredded potato mixture into the clean dish towel, and squeeze until you've gotten all of the liquid out that you can.
Remove the shredding disk and insert the metal blade in your processor. Add the potato mixture back into the processor, and pulse 10 times to chop slightly without pulverizing your potatoes. Remove from the processor into a large mixing bowl.
Add peanut oil to a large frying pan, to a depth of 1/4 inch. Preheat the pan over medium-low heat while you finish making the latke mixture.
Add the remaining ingredients, except the oil, to the potatoes and mix thoroughly (I use my impeccably clean hands for this). Test that the oil is hot by inserting a chopstick vertically; if you see little bubbles emanating from the tip of the chopstick, the oil is hot enough.
I always make one tiny test latke, so I can make sure the mixture has enough salt. You can skip this step if you wish.
Drop the batter in large spoonfuls into the oil, a few at a time. Cook until brown on both sides, to your desired level of crispness (I prefer medium brown, with a moist center). Remove to a plate covered with paper towels and drain thoroughly. Serve with warm applesauce and/or sour cream. 
NOTE: You can make latkes without a food processor; simply grate the potato and onion on the largest holes of a box grater. Squeeze out the liquid in a clean dish towel, and proceed with the recipe.

Source: The Perfect Pantry