Korean-Style Hot Pepper Meat Bundles

We really liked this recipe. I cooked it with the ground turkey breast. I served it on rice for the kids since they don't like "salad" very much.

½ cup rice wine or dry sherry
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon Sriracha Chili Sauce( I used 1 tsp)
½ tablespoon toasted sesame oil
½ tablespoon macadamia nut oil or other neutral oil
½ cup thinly sliced scallions, divided
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 pound ground turkey breast or ground beef sirloin
Leaves from 2 heads of Boston lettuce, washed and dried

1. In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine the rice wine, hoisin sauce, ketchup, sugar, and chili sauce. Whisk to blend
2. Place a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. When it is hot, add the oils in the center of the skillet to form a little pool; do not spread it around. When hot, add ¼ cup of the scallions along with the ginger and garlic. Cook about 1 minute, stirring gently without dispersing the pool. When the mixture becomes fragrant, spread it over the entire skillet.
3. Add the ground meat in handfuls. Cook about 5 minutes until no longer pink, stirring and chopping down with spatulas to break up the lumps. Add the rice wine mixture and stir to blend. Lower the heat to medium and cook until almost all of the liquid has evaporated, 8 to 10 minutes. Divide among 4 bowls and sprinkle with the remaining ¼ cup scallions. Serve immediately with lettuce leaves for wrapping.

Makes 4 servings

Per serving: Calories 227, 8 g total fat, 4 g saturated fat, 63 mg cholesterol, 10 g total carbohydrate, 1 g dietary fiber, 24 g protein, 506 mg sodium.

Coconut Cream Cake

Can you tell I am on a healthy kick lately? So healthy over at the Rasmussen's house! ;) I made this one up. I liked it, it was fun. I am not sure I will make it again, not because it wasn't good. Its just that I only can have coconut in moderation and to be honest I really l like trying new things and would probably go for a different recipe over this one just for the adventure of trying something new. If I do it again I think I would have fun with it and change things around to see if I like it better the other way. I would serve it with sliced mangoes and do whipped cream instead of the frosting....I originally wanted whipped cream but I had none in the house and it was a Sunday so you know, improvise! My inspiration was Tres Lech Cake and Thai coconut sticky rice (Mexican and Thai foods are my favorite foods - why not mix the two?). So here you have it Emily's Coconut Cream Cake.

As a note my kids threw in a handful of chocolate chips into my coconut syrup and thus the ugly color. We couldn't taste it and at all all it did was make for some ugly coloring! So if you made this cake just know it would be much prettier then mine, I promise! The kids like to help out and like their mother have an inventive spirit when it comes to food! :)

Ingredients

Cake:
1 white cake mix ( I used Pillsbury)
1 small box non-instant vanilla pudding mix - divided
3 eggs
1/3 cup oil
1 cup water

Syrup:
1 can coconut milk
1/2 cup scant sugar
1/4 tsp salt

Frosting:
5 TB vanilla pudding
6 TB soften butter
5-6 TB coconut CREAM
2 cups confectioners sugar

Directions

1.) In a small mixing bowl measure out 5 TB of the vanilla pudding and set aside for frosting. Then in a large mixing bowl mix the remaining pudding mix withe the cake mix, eggs, oil, and water. Pour into a greased 9 x 13 pan and bake at 350 degrees for time listed on box.

2.) While the cake is baking start to make the syrup. In a med sauce pan over medium heat stir coconut milk, sugar, and salt together. Stirring very often cook syrup until it is thick. Then set aside until cake is done.

3.) Remove cake form oven and using a fork punch holes all over the top surface of the cake- all over and close together. Then pour your syrup all over the cake as evenly as possible. Spread around as needed. Cover tightly and let sit on counter until it has mostly cooled. At this point I took off cover making sure not to let he condensation drip back onto the cake. I recovered it with fresh plastic wrap and then put it in the fridge to sit over night. At this point place your unopened can of coconut milk in the fridge to cool.

4) When time is approaching for you to serve your cake prepare the frosting. Cream butter. Add the vanilla pudding ad cream together. Then open your can of cold coconut milk. Skim off the cream on the top getting about 5 or 6 TB. and add it to your butter and vanilla pudding. Cream together until it is smooth. Then gradually add your confectioners sugar and whip until silky smooth. Spread over your cold cake and recover and place in the fridge until you are ready to serve. Serve cold. Sprinkle with coconut flakes to garnish. yum!

Tate and Variation Notes: The cake sort of steams which gives it a really fun texture. The coconut cream syrup isn't overly sweet. The frosting is rich though. If this was served with a tart fruit it would be dreamy. You could do pineapple for a pina colada taste or do mangoes to give it more of the Thai sticky rice flare. If you love coconut and want to do the whipped cream add some of the coconut cream to the whipping cream and that would be lovely.

Thai Basil Chicken

I got this recipe from Cook's Illustrated December 2009 edition. CI is American Test Chicken's Monthly Magazine. I love them. Such good food to be had!

The only problem making this dish is that you cant find Thai basil easily. My mom has a plant at her house so I will have to ask her where she bought the seeds and plant some of my own. But don't distress this recipe was written for Italian basil using Americans and is still so dang good! LOVE IT!

*American Test Kitchen Recipes are not for those who don't like cooking. They are all about getting the best taste not about one pan cooking. Lucky for me I like going dishes, I love cooking, and I love sharing my masterpieces with my family thus I appreciate them very much.

Note: This is a mild version of the Thai stir fry. It is a slow Thai stir-fry contrary to the super hot Chinese version. What makes Thai heat so delicious is the sugar they add to almost every dish. if you amp up the heat amp up the sugar too and if you cut back on heat cut back on the sugar. The ratio of heat to sugar is important in Thai food.

Ingredients

2 cups fresh basil leaves, tightly packed
3 medium garlic cloves, peeled
2 green Serrano chilies or 6 Red Thai chilies, stemmed (cut out seeds) leave in the seeds if you
want it really hot.
1 TB fish sauce
1 tsp white rice vinegar
1 TB oyster sauce * I did not have so I added 1 TB sweet soy sauce and then omitted the sugar
1 TB sugar
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast chopped super fine * I asked the butcher to chop mine for me
but you can put it into a food processor and mince it yourself at home if you want. I used 1 1/2 lbs.
3 medium Shallots, peeled and thinly sliced (about 3/4 cups)
2 TB vegetable oil

1.) Process one cup basil leaves, garlic, and chilies in food processor until finely chopped.Transfer 1 TB of the basil mixture to a small bowl and stir in 1 TB fish sauce, 1 TB oyster sauce, vinegar, and sugar; set aside. Transfer remaining basil mixture to 12 inch heavy-bottomed nonstick skillet.

2.) Add 1 TB fish sauce and 1 TB water to food processor and turn on letting the liquid clean and gather the basil mixture. Pour over the minced chicken and cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes. OR if you are mincing your chicken in the processor add the chicken cut into 2x2 inch cubes into the "dirty" processor with the basil traces and then added 1 TB fish sauce. Pulse 6 to eight times. Transfer to another bowl and refrigerate for 15 minutes.

3.) Stir shallots and oil into basil mixture on skillet. Heat over med-low heat after 1 1/2 min the mixture should start to sizzle if it dosen't in that time change heat accordingly. Stir constantly until garlic and shallots are golden brown, 5 to 8 minutes.

4.) Add chicken, increase heat to medium, and cook, stirring and breaking up chicken until only a few traces of pink remain, 2 to 4 minutes. Add reserve basil-fish sauce mixture and continue to cook stirring constantly, until all traces of pink are gone. Add the remaining cup basil leaves and cook 30 to 60 seconds until the basil leaves are wilted. Serve immediately with steamed jasmine rice.

In Thailand they serve it with fish sauce, sugar, red pepper flakes and vinegar as condiments for people to add to the dish as they like.

Thai chicken Satay

This is a American Favorite of Thai food. I have made many American versions but this was my first time trying to make the real deal. Oh, it really tasted like good Thai food this way. Stewart said it tasted just like the real Thai thing. I didn't BBQ so I added some liquid Smoke to the marinade to give it a little smokey flavor and I broiled the satay in my oven flipping once. It is so nice to have this dish when you are eating a hot Thai main dish it really helps cool down your mouth.

I found this authentic recipe on the best Thai cooking resource for Americans; ImportFoods.com to see their helpful links for this recipe follow this link; Satay with Peanut sauce

Chicken Satay

Ingredients

1 teaspoon coriander seed
1 teaspoon cumin seed
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
1 pound chicken breasts, skinned, boned, and cut into bite sized pieces.
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon curry powder
pinch turmeric powder (as only a colorant, so very little!)
8 tablespoons coconut milk
3 tablespoons palm sugar

Directions

The chicken is beaten flat, using the flat of the blade of a heavy cleaver or using a meat tenderizing mallet. You can also use a rolling pin.

The coriander and cumin are toasted and then crushed in a mortar and pestle. The ingredients are then combined to form a marinade, and the chicken is marinated overnight. The pieces of chicken are then threaded on the 12" satay sticks, loosely folding them in half and piercing through the folded meat to form a loose gather.

The completed sticks are then grilled, broiled or barbequed on fairly high heat (they taste best done over charcoal, as they absorb the smoke). Turn them regularly and brush them liberally with the remaining marinade. Cooking should take between 5 and 10 minutes depending on the heat of your cooker.

Nam jim satay (Peanut Sauce).

A peanut dressing accompanies these snacks. A quick and delicious substitute to the recipe below is our Satay Seasoning Mix (Peanut Sauce Mix). Imported from Thailand and made of the finest quality ingredients.


Ingredients

4 ounces of roasted (unsalted) peanuts
3-4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 ounce chopped onion
1-2 tablespoon red or massaman curry paste
1 teaspoon fish sauce
8 tablespoons coconut milk
4-6 teaspoons lime juice (to taste).
2-3 teaspoons palm sugar.

Directions

First grind or crush the peanuts to a fairly fine powder. Then combine them with the remaining ingredients (except the lime juice), to form a smooth sauce. If the sauce is too thick, you can thin it with a little chicken stock. Now add the lime juice, tasting as you progress to check the balance of flavors is correct.

Thai Beef Salad, Nam Tok

My mother found the the ultimate Thai cooking website and we are hooked! If you like Thai food this is the go-to recipe guide. Everything we have made from here is the best we have ever had. Seriously...at least for me maybe not stew. :) It is called Import Foods You can buy almost everything on their site to make the dishes and they have video of Thai vendors cooking the dishes so you can really see how it is done. FABULOUS!

This is one of Stewart's all time favorite dishes ever. It is an intensive recipe for the novice so I made Stewart make it all by himself. He loved making it and eating it too. It is at its very best when eaten while still very warm. In Thai language, nam tok is a waterfall. This dish is usually cooked using a barbeque (the juices drip onto charcoal hence the name waterfall) but you can fry or broil the beef just as well. It should be cooked rare to start with. Click here if you're interested in our instant nam tok mix.

Nam Tok

Ingredients:

You need a 1 pound steak, cut fairly thick.

Marinade

1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 teaspoon tamarind concentrate mixed with 3 teaspoons water
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon chopped Thai chile peppers or if you cant get these use Sanaro peppers instead

Mix the marinade, coat the steak with it and marinade it for at least 3 hours.

The steak is then barbecued, broiled or grilled until on the rare side of medium rare, cut into half inch thick strips and the strips cut into bite sized pieces. The meat can be kept cool until just before you want to eat.

Remaining ingredients

1/3 cup fish sauce
1/3 cup lime juice - ours was little too sour so we will use a little less next time, we had super juicy limes
2-3 tablespoons chopped shallots
2-3 tablespoons chopped coriander/cilantro (including the roots if possible)
2-3 tablespoons chopped mint leaves
2 tablespoons khao koor (see below)
1 tablespoon freshly roasted/fried sesame seeds
1-3 teaspoons freshly ground dried red Thai chilis.

Khao Koor: get a medium sized wok (or skillet is you don't have a wok) fairly hot, and add a couple of tablespoons of uncooked jasmine rice. Keep in movement until the rice starts to turn golden brown. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Grind to a fairly coarse powder in a spice mill, or a mortar and pestle, or a pepper mill or a good clean coffee grinder (all of these work well but keep in mind that a coffee grinder tends to grind too fine--the powder should retain some "texture") We also offer ready-made Khao Koor in premium quality Hand Brand.

Directions

In a wok bring a little oil to medium high heat and add the strips of beef, immediately followed by all the remaining ingredients. Stir fry until heated through (about a minute).

Serve with Thai sticky rice, or as part of a meal with pad Thai and a soup such as tom yum koong (hot and sour shrimp soup).

Enjoy. This is one of our all-time favorites.

Thai sweet sticky rice with mango, "Khao Neeo Mamuang"

My mother found the the ultimate Thai cooking website and we are hooked! If you like Thai food this is the go-to recipe guide. Everything we have made from here is the best we have ever had. Seriously...at least for me maybe not stew. :) It is called Import Foods You can buy almost everything on their site to make the dishes and they have video of Thai vendors cooking the dishes so you can really see how it is done. FABULOUS!

"Khao Neeo Mamuang"
Thai sweet coconut sticky rice with mango

A very sweet treat you'll absolutely love. Be sure to start with a mango that's nice and ripe, with a slight give to the touch. We like the Mexican mango sold throughout the year in the United States. These are tasty and sweet but not as fragrant as most Thai mangoes. The mango flesh should be bright and yellow, and we have detailed photos below showing you how to properly peel and slice them using a proper Thai Mango Peeler.

Ingredients
2 cups sticky rice
2 cups coconut milk
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 ripe mangoes, cut into thick slices (see below)
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds (optional)
1 tablespoon tapioca starch (optional - to me at least)
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions
Prepare the 2 cups sticky rice as per our detailed instructions. While sticky rice is steaming, mix together 1.5 cups coconut milk, 1 cup sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt and bring to a boil. Set aside to cool (for a more fancy preparation, you can strain the coconut milk in a cheesecloth before setting to cool, but this is not necessary). Immediately after sticky rice is cooked, and still hot, put it into the coconut sauce and stir together well. Cover for 1 hour (or less is ok) and let cool.


Topping
Mix 1/2 cup coconut milk with 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon sugar and the tapioca starch. Bring to a boil.

Put the sticky rice and mangoes on a serving dish. Pour the topping sauce over the sticky rice and sprinkle with the toasted sesame seeds. Enjoy!

Easy Chicken Satay

1 envelope Onion Soup Mix
1/4 cup oil or vegetable oil
2 TB firmly packed brown sugar
2 TB peanut butter
1 pound chicken breasts cut into thin strips or thin chunks
* I added a little super hot garlic pepper sauce.

In a large glass bowl combine soup mix, oil, brown sugar, peanut butter. Then add the cut chicken breasts and toss to coat well. Marinate for 30 minutes.

You can either thread the chicken onto water soaked wooden skewers or spread out on a large cookie sheet. Then Broil or grill chicken. Cook until no longer pink. About 4 minutes each side in the broiler.

Serve with any favorite Thai dipping sauce or by its self. This is Stew's favorite these days.

Spicy Peanut Chicken

This was a easy and yummy way to cook up a little Asian heaven on a weeknight.

1/4 cup chicken broth
1 TB. cornstarch
1 TB. sugar
2 TB. soy sauce
1 TB. white vinegar
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper *we thought it could use a little more but I would stick to the recipe if you or your family is sensitive to spice
1 TB. peanut oil
1 lb. chicken cut into small pieces
1 clove garlic
1 tsp. grated fresh ginger
1 red pepper, cut into strips
1/3 cup peanuts
2 green onions thinly sliced

mix broth, cornstarch, sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, and cayenne pepper. Set it aside. Heat frying pan with oil. Add chicken, garlic, and ginger --stir fry for about 3 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Add bell pepper and stir fry for 1 minute. Add sauce. Cook and stir until the sauce thickens. Remove form heat and sprinkle with peanuts and green onions. Serve with stir fry veggies and rice.

Fun New Creations

Philly Cheese Stake Pizza

This is fun recipe I sort of Emilyized and I think it is worth sharing.

Pizza dough
Alfredo Sauce
Half of a Green Bell pepper
quarter of a small onion
Smoked provolone cheese - as much as you want
Deli cut roast beef - I like it cut a little thicker for this recipe - as much as you want

Prepare your dough and roll it out on a cookie sheet. Then spread on your favorite jarred Alfredo sauce, don't add too much. If you add too much it's flavor will over power the other ingredients. Then sprinkle on the very thinly sliced green pepper and onion. Sprinkle on half of the cheese ( which I cut up the pre-sliced kind into long strips. After lay on cut strips of roast beef add as much as you want, am not a huge beef fan so I didn't add to much but if you are beef lovers have at it! Then add the other half of the cheese. I sprinkled on a little salt and pepper . and popped it in the oven until cooked and bubbly. I think it is really fun way to do something different when you are making pizza at home.

Thai Fajitas

If you are a little shy about Thai food this might not be your favorite dish but we loved it. It is a recipe I sort of made up and it is a simply version of Thai food with ingredients most people have on hand - no fish sauce required!

Meat filling
1 pound sliced chicken
salt and pepper to taste
1 bell pepper RED
2 TB minced bell pepper
2 garlic cloves minced
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1 sliced green onion

Sauce
3 TB peanut butter
2 1/2 TB Soy Sauce
2 1/2 TB lime juice
1 teaspoon Oriental sesame oil

Extras
tortillas
1 large tomato sliced
ice burg or butter lettuce

Add sliced chicken to pan and salt and pepper to taste. when half when cooked add bell pepper, garlic, red pepper flaks and ginger. Cook until the bell pepper is tender. Then add the cilantro.

While cooking prepare the sauce. Add all the sauce ingredients and stir until smooth. I added a little cilantro to it too, but I think it isn't necessary.

Then add the meat mixture to a tortilla, top with lettuce, tomato, and sauce and dig in. Its different and fun.

Razz-Ma-Tazz Bars

Okay, so this one I didn't make up but we really like it. It's rich and moist and balanced out with the tang of raspberries. Love it!

1/2 cup butter or margarine
2 cups white chocolate chips
2 large eggs
1/2 cup white sugar
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp almond extract
1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam
1/4 cup toasted sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 325. grease and sugar a 9 by 9 inch pan

Melt butter in microwave safe bowl on high for 1 minute. stir. then add 1 cup of white chocolate but do not stir and set aside

Beat eggs in medium bowl until foamy. add sugar beat until lemon colored, about 5 minutes. stir in the butter and chocolate mixture. add flour, slat and almond extract. mix on low until combined. Spread 2/3 of batter into prepared pan.

Bake for 15 to 17 minutes or until golden brown around edges. remove from oven

Heat jam in microwave for about 30 seconds. then spread over the hot crust. Add the remaining cup of white chocolate chips to batter and then drop spoonfuls of it over the jam. Then sprinkle with the almonds

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until edges are browned. cool completely in pan on wire rack. cut into bars. So good and pretty!

More Super Yummy Chicken

I tried these two chicken recipes this week and we loved them. So if you want some more yummy new chicken ideas I recommend these recipes.

Orange Chicken

Stewart loves Panda's orange chicken, and honestly who doesn't like Panda's yummy orange chicken?!?!?! Our problem is we really have zero budget for eating out so I thought I'd try to recreate it at home. I looked for a good recipe and I found a lot but they were all so much work I just really wasn't sure it'd be worth the work. But then I happened upon this recipe and it looked simple enough so we tried it and we really liked it. Its not exactly like Panda's but its close enough for us. I think it will be a family favorite that I will make to win my husband's heart time and time again. :o)

Sauce Ingredients
1 TB vegetable oil
2 TB minced garlic
4 sliced green onion
1 cup tomato sauce
1 cup chicken Broth
1/2 cup sugar
1 TB chili garlic sauce ( I used Sriracha HOT chili sauce) I am not sure this is what it really calls
for but next time I will use less because it was a bit spicy for me)
3 TB Soy Sauce
2 TB corn starch

Other Ingredients
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 chicken breasts - I used 1 pound chicken cut into smaller pieces
1 egg
1 cup milk
1 cup flour
dash of salt
peel from 1/2 orange chopped into small pieces

1.) Prepare the sauce in a medium sized sauce pan. Heat oil add minced garlic and sliced green onion. Add tomato sauce and chicken broth quickly before the garlic burns. Add sugar, chili garlic sauce, and soy sauce. Bring to a boil. then reduce heat and let it simmer for 5-6 minutes or until sauce thickens. Set aside until the chicken is done.

2.) Slice chicken into bite size pieces. combine egg and milk in a med. bowl. Pour the flour into another bowl. Coat chicken in flour a few times then into the egg mixture and then back into the flour. I did it half at a time.

3.)Heat oil in a wok - or big frying pan like me. When the oil is heated, cook the chicken until it is golden brown.

4.) When frying is almost done a runny corn starch mixture to sauce and briny to a boil stirring constantly until it reaches your desired thickness. Taste sauce and add salt as needed. set aside again. Strain off the excess oil from chicken when completed and then add orange peel and heat for 20- 30 seconds. Add the sauce and gently stir until warmed through.
Serve with rice.

*We found that after it had cooled a bit its flavor was better. Either way we really liked it!

Chicken Scala

I had no idea how this would turn out. I haven't had anything like it before that I know of but it was surprisingly good. I eat like three helpings plus the kids left overs!

4 chicken breasts, I used 1 or more pounds of chicken tenders just because that is what I had, I
think I will keep doing it that way though I like smaller pieces of chicken they seem to have
more flavor and are more tender when they are smaller not to mention it takes a lot less time
to cook it.
1/4 c butter
1/2 c sour cream I used reduced fat sour cream - Daisy brand id my favorite
1/4 tsp pepper
2 TB flour - used way more then that, I ended up really coating the chicken I am not sure if I guess I did it wrong but we liked it that way, next time I guess I'll do what th recipes says to see if it makes a difference
1 can Campbell's beef Consommé, undiluted
1 TB Parmesan (optional)

Sprinkle chicken with flour ( I coated my chicken ) . Heat butter in skillet. Saute chicken for 15 minutes (I did a lot less then that, maybe 8 minutes) until browned and mostly cooked. Add consommé, simmer covered for 45 minutes ( I did more like 5-10 minutes). Stir in sour cream and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes more ( I did more like 5). Put in a serving dish and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and run under broiler until the cheese is golden. Serve with rice.

That last part with the broiler I so didn't do. I just sprinkled it with the cheese. I had a lot of broth/sauciness left over, maybe because I didn't cook for all the time it asks for :o) But it worked out great to have on our egg noddles, my kids like noodles better then rice but I think booth would be great.

Salads I Cant Stop Eating

Oriental Chicken Salad

I served this with some fried rice and it was a hit. I added a little chicken bullion because my canned chicken wasn't very salty. I used a full bag of coleslaw mix that was larger then the recipe called for so I made a little extra sauce. It is super easy to make, healthy and yummy.

¼ cup veg oil

3 TB sugar

2 TB seasoned rice vinegar

1 TB soy sauce

¼ pound Chinese pea pod, strings removed (1 cup), cut diagonally in half

3 cups coleslaw mix

1 can (10 ounces) chunk light chicken, drained

½ cup sliced almonds, toasted

Mix oil, sugar, vinegar and soy sauce in large bowl. Add remaining ingredients; toss to coat. Serve immediately.

Salad De Masion

This Recipe is from Stewart's Aunt Sherri Larsen. I have had this at her home twice and loved it. Over our Christmas trip I was able to get it from her. It is to die for!!! Usually I shy away from salads with bacon but this one won me over. It sure isn't healthy but when you want to wow people who wont realize how much mayo it calls for then I say just go for it!!!

Salad:
2 bags of Romain Lettuce raised and torn into bite size pieces
1 lbs. Bacon fried and cut up - I hate frying bacon so I bought ready to use stuff. The flavor
isn't quite as good but saving myself the time and mess was well worth it for me
grape/cherry tomatoes
1 cup Parmesan cheese freshly shredded - I used the high quality pre-shredded stuff
1 cup Swiss cheese - I found some pre-shredded stuff who knew they had that?!?!?!
croûtons

Dressing:
4 sliced green onions
2 cups mayo - please don't use miracle whip!!!
Juice of 1 large Lemon
Mrs. Dash lemon pepper to taste
I think I added a little slat and pepper too

Prepare the salad dressing and then ensemble the salad. Add as much dressing as you like and mix well. I like to give it a little time mixed together before serving so the croûtons can soften a little bit.

So Now I Will Get Healthy

This week we have tried two new chicken recipes that we really liked. They are different then the normal Mormon cuisine and aren't overly healthy but they are healthy enough for my standards and very yummy if you dig the non-Mormon cuisine. :o)

Lemon Dill Chicken

¼ cup margarine or salted butter

6 skinless boneless chicken breast halves (1 1/2 pound)

½ cup chicken broth

1 TB chopped fresh or ½ teaspoon dried dill weed – I recommend fresh

1 TB lemon juice

¼ teaspoon salt

1 medium green onion sliced

1.) Melt butter in 10 inch skillet over medium high heat. Lightly salt and pepper chicken and then cook chicken in butter about six minutes turning once until brown

2.) Mix broth, dill weed, lemon juice, and salt and then pour over chicken. Heat to boiling, reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer 10 to 15 minutes or until juice of chicken is no longer pink Remove chicken from skillet and keep warm

3.) meanwhile heat broth mixture adding half of the green onion and bring to a boil. Boil about 3 minutes or until reduced to about half, pour over chicken and sprinkle with other half of green onion

I served this with whole wheat pasta and the "traditional Ragu" sauce (my favorite these days) jazzed up by adding my favorite frozen vegetables to the pasta water for the last few minutes of cooking (fresh vegetables work too). I know a girl that her kids wont it vegetables at all so she purees them in the blender and then adds them to stuff. - So thats an idea to trick your kids into eating them more.

Thai Basil and Mint Chicken

4 skinless boneless chicken breast halves (1pound) salted to taste

2 TB vegetable oil

3 garlic cloves finely chopped

2 red or green jalapeño chilies seeded and finely chopped - I know it sounds like a lot but its fine

1 table spoon fish sauce - don't be too scared off by this you can't taste the fishness once cooked, I used a little less though

1 teaspoon sugar

¼ cup chopped fresh basil leaves

1 TB chopped fresh mint leaves

1.) cut each breast in half into 4 pieces and lightly salted to taste

2.) heat oil in wok/skillet over medium high heat. Cook garlic, chilies in oil stirring constantly, until garlic is golden.

3.) Add lightly salted chicken, stir-fry 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in fish sauce and sugar. Sprinkle with basil and mint.

I served this with a simple vegetable stir fry from frozen vegetables and a made up sauce (chicken broth, soy sauce, basil, green onions, a little brown sugar, and a little seasoned rice vinegar, and thickened with corn starch) and also some steamed Jasmine rice. If you go whole grain rice it'd be even more healthy!

* Both of these Recipes were from Betty Crocker's Good And Easy Cookbook and alterations were made by yours truly