Friday, December 3, 2010

Sweet and Sour

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup vinegar
5-6 T. catsup
1/2 cup water
2 T. corn starch

Mix corn starch and water. Set aside. Heat rest of ingredients to boiling. Blend in water and corn starch. Cook till clear.

Slow Cooked Baked Potato Soup

This hearty soup will warm you up on a cold day!

1/2 C. frozen chopped onion
32 oz. chicken broth
1 C. water
30 oz bag frozen cubed hash browns

Mix first 4 ingredients in a large zipper bag. Zip to seal.

Mix 1 C. milk with 3 T flour in a small container with lid.

Store in refrigerator until ready to cook.
To cook. Place bag ingredients in slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Turn slow cooker to High, add milk/flour and mix well. Cover and cook additional 30 minutes or until soup thickens.

Serve with shredded cheese, real bacon bits and green onions.

Slow Cooker Chicken Lasagna

5 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
2 C. cooked cubed chicken
1 can cream mushroom soup
1 can cream onion soup
8 oz sour cream
1 C. milk
salt & pepper

Add all ingredients to large zipper bag. Zip to seal. Squish around to mix.

Additional ingredients needed when ready to cook:
9 dry lasagna noodles
2 C. shredded Colby jack cheese
1 C. shredded Parmesan cheese

Layer 1/3 chicken mixture in bottom of slow cooker.



Cover with 3 noodles, breaking to fit.


Sprinkle with 1/2 Colby/jack cheese.




Repeat layers ending with chicken mixture.

Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Cook on low for 4 hours. Serve with a green salad.

I do not have a picture of the cooked dish we were all starving and forgot to snap a picture. :)

This is a great one to have this weekend. What a great meal to come home to after a busy day of shopping!


Shrimp Tart

Cajun spices, shrimp & cheese!

1 lb small cooked shelled shrimp
2 t Cajun seasoning
2 C. shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
2 eggs
2 T butter, melted
2 refrigerated Pie crusts

Mix first 4 ingredients in large container with lid.



Lay pie crusts on baking sheet lined with foil.
Pour shrimp mixture into crust leaving 1 inch of crust to fold over.



Bake in 375 degree oven for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown.



Let sit for 5 minutes before cutting.

We had ours with grilled asparagus.
I tossed the asparagus with olive oil, salt & pepper and grilled on George.





This would be great for brunch!


"These look professional"

"These look professional" is a quote from my 14 year old son last night as I served him Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas. This a really easy enchilada recipe.

The enchiladas
2 C. cooked cubed or shredded chicken
2 C. Monterrey jack cheese
10 flour tortillas

Add chicken and cheese to tortillas and roll up. I lined my pan with foil. I am so glad I did. I did not have to spend the evening scraping melted cheese.






Sauce
7.75 oz can green salsa
1 1/2 C. sour cream
2 T cream cheese
handful of cilantro
Pour first 3 ingredients into a blender and blend well. Add cilantro and pulse for a course chop. Pour into a zipper bag if making this recipe ahead.

To cook
Cut corner off zipper bag and pipe sauce over enchiladas. Reserve extra sauce for serving at the table.
Bake covered in a 350 degree oven for 35-40 minutes or until hot and bubbly.



I am not sure "professional" is the right word but they sure were good! I have 1 left over for lunch today. :)

Easy Spinach Quiche

This is the "make ahead" version. Makes 2.
Get out your blender for this one...

1/2 C. frozen chopped onion
6 eggs
1 C. milk
1/2 C. biscuit/pancake mix
salt & pepper

1 C. frozen chopped spinach, squeezed dry (add more if you like)
1 package real bacon bits
1 C. shredded Swiss cheese
2 frozen pie crusts (regular not deep dish)

Blend first 4 ingredients in blender until well blended and add salt & pepper to taste. I used a hand blender like this one. Remember my blender exploded last week on the milk shakes :/ It worked great.




Add spinach and pulse to mix. Place blender pitcher in refrigerator until ready to use. Use within 2 days.

Pour equal amounts (eye ball it) of bacon bits and cheese into pie crusts. I would normally have alot more bacon bits but I forgot them at the store and I had a small package leftover from another recipe. Cover with plastic wrap and store in refrigerator.


To bake
Place crusts on large cookie sheet to make transporting easier.
Pour egg mixture equally into pie crusts over bacon and cheese. Yes, that is cheddar cheese you see there. I forgot the Swiss cheese too.
Most of these recipes are easily adaptable to what you have on hand. Just think of the possibilities. Bacon/cheddar, ham/cheese, broccoli/feta, mushroom/bacon/blue cheese.....

Bake in 375 degree oven for 30-35 minutes or until eggs are set.



Serve with fresh fruit of choice.



I think I will make 4 or 5 batches of this. Quiche freezes so well raw or cooked. Making these ahead can really make weekend breakfast a breeze!!

Two of my kids said... ewwww is that spinach?.....They each ate 2 big pieces and loved it!

For a leaner version, cook without a crust in a pie plate sprayed with non stick spray.

Chicken Satay

Chicken Satay with Coconut Couscous & Peas



1 C. coconut milk
½ C. water
¼ t salt

Pour first 3 ingredients into a saucepan to a boil. Add 1 C. couscous. Cover, remove from heat. Let stand 5 minutes.

1 C. coconut milk (or what is left in the can)
¼ C. brown sugar
1 T soy sauce
1 t cumin
2 t minced garlic
2 lbs. chicken tenders

Mix next 5 ingredients in small bowl. Pour ½ mixture into large zipper bag.
Place chicken tenders in bag with sauce. Zip. Squish around to coat chicken.

Add ½ C. creamy peanut butter to small bowl with marinade. Mix well. This will be the dipping sauce.

Fluff couscous with fork. Add green onions. Store in medium storage container.

To cook chicken: grill on indoor grill for 5 minutes each side. This would be great with sugar snap peas.

Slow cooked Asian Beef & Broccoli


Make ahead slow cooked Asian Beef & Broccoli

3 lbs eye of round steak (or whatever is on sale)
6 T low sodium soy sauce
1/2 C. hoison sauce
6 T ketchup
6 T honey or molasses
2 t Chinese 5 spice powder
4 whole garlic cloves

1 lb fresh broccoli

Mix first 7 ingredients in large zipper bag. Zip bag and squish around with hands to mix well.
Chop broccoli and store in zipper bag.

To cook: Place beef and sauce in slow cooker and cook on low 6-7hours. Add broccoli the last 30 minutes of cook time.

Cook 2 bags of Steamers brown rice to serve with beef & broccoli.

You might want to double this one. Everyone is cleaning their plates!

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Southwest Chicken Chimi's



This recipe turned out so good. You could also make a big batch and freeze them.


2 C. cooked cubed chicken breasts
3 chopped green onions
1/2 chopped red bell pepper
1/2 block of frozen chopped spinach thawed and squeezed dry
2/3 C. frozen corn
1 t chili powder
2 pinches of cayenne pepper
1 t cumin
3/4 t salt
1 1/2 C. monterrey jack cheese shredded
5 burrito size flour tortillas
canola or peanut oil for brushing over tortillas


Mix all ingredients well in a bowl. Scoop a heaping cup full of ingredients onto a flour tortilla. Fold in sides and roll up. Store in a zipper freezer bag in the freezer or refrigerator.


To bake thawed Chimi's, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Brush each tortilla with oil. Bake on a baking sheet or baking stone for 10-15 minutes until puffed and golden brown.


Serve with salsa, sour cream or guacamole! YUM!!!

Super Easy Fajitas Thanks to the CrockPot


Day 174.


I've mentioned before how much my family loves Mexican food. My kids will eat anything with cheese and sour cream on it, and avocado was their very first food. Fajitas are fun to make (I like the name---they sound much fancier than tacos for some reason), and are very easy to prepare with the help of the crockpot. I get the meat going in the morning, and then can head out for fresh ingredients at some point during the day, or ask Adam to stop on his way home.

The Ingredients.
--2 lbs of thin cut stir fry beef (you could use chicken)
--1 or 2 packets of fajita seasoning mix (I said one or two because I've found that it's awfully spicy if I use 1 packet per pound of meat as directed on the label--use what you think is right for your family. Make sure to read labels carefully if GF. I stick to McCormick for their clear labeling.)
--1 onion

--2 bell peppers (I used 1 orange, 1 yellow)
--1/2 cup of water

The Directions.


Dump your meat into the crockpot. It can be frozen or thawed. Cut the onion and the peppers in strips, and add to the crock. Add the seasoning and water. Cover and cook on low for 8-9 hours, or high for 6. The meat is done when it reaches desired tenderness. I like to cook on low for as long as possible, because I don't like to chew forever. Serve with your favorite fajita fixens'. We really like squeezing some fresh lime over the top of the meat before doctoring it up

CrockPot Layered Dinner--Steak, Potatoes, Corn on the Cob



Day 232.

I made a complete meal in the crockpot last night, and it wasn't a soup, stew, or casserole. I made rib eye steak, baked potato, and corn on the cob. It wasn't soggy, nor was it dried out, and I was able to leave the house for six hours.

The crockpot rocks.


I had been meaning to try a layered dinner in the crock for a few months, now, but kind of forgot. I am so glad that Julie emailed me! She made steak and sweet potatoes that way last week, with great success.

The Ingredients.


This is what I used. You can use whatever meat or vegetables you have in the house. The trick is to not use too much liquid when cooking the meat, so the potatoes and the corn (or whatever you're using) isn't floating in juice.

--1 1/1 lbs rib eye steak

--1 T of your favorite seasoning rub

--1 T dried onion flakes (a fresh onion would be fine. I wasn't in a chopping mood.)
--2 T Worcestershire sauce (Lea and Perrins is GF)
--1/4 cup tequila (or broth, apple juice, etc.)

--2-4 potatoes

--2-4 ears of fresh corn
--aluminum foil

In my 6 quart Smart Pot, I used 2 whole brown potatoes, and 4 ears of corn. I could have fit another potato in, probably.


The Directions.


Put meat in the bottom of the crockpot. Rub with seasoning and onion, and flip over to get the other side. Add tequila and Worcestershire sauce.


Wash potatoes and cover with foil. Add to the pot. Shuck the corn, and wrap each ear in foil. Add to the crockpot.

It doesn't seem to matter if the potatoes are closer to the meat, or the corn. The new crockpots heat from the sides as well as from the bottom, so everything will cook through regardless of location.


Cover and cook on high for 5-7 hours, or on low for about 8. I cooked our dinner for 6 hours on high. My crockpot was quite full.

The Verdict.

This was a great dinner. It's out-of-the-norm for us to have such a complete meal on a Monday night, which made it fun and new. I plan on doing more layered crockpot cooking---it's so nice to have everything plopped in and the kitchen clean by noon.

Shrimp & Vegetables in foil packets

This is a healthy one! We had it with steamed brown rice. It was really good. Just make sure you use all the sauce as it helps the veggies steam in the pocket. I made this on Monday during my cooking hour and we ate it last night. I used frozen shrimp and they thawed in the pockets and cooked just right. You could even add frozen snap peas or pea pods if you want more veggies.



Shrimp & Vegetables in foil pockets. Feeds 5

1 1/2 lb. broccoli florets
1 bag of shredded carrot matchsticks
1 bunch green onions
1 1/2 lbs 26/30 ct shrimp (peeled & deveined)
foil
canola oil for brushing

Sauce:
4 t sesame oil
4 T soy sauce


Tear 5 pieces of foil into 18 inch strips. Brush each with canola oil.

On each foil piece add-
1 C broccoli florets
1 C carrot matchsticks
6 shrimp
1 T chopped green onion



Mix sauce and pour 1 T over each. Fold foil in half and seal edge by folding in 2-3 times. Fold both ends in 2-3 times to make a sealed pocket.

Cook in 400 degree oven for 12-15 minutes or until shrimp is cooked through. Serve over steamed rice.

Friday night football dinner

I have looked forward to this one all week!


Buffalo chicken sandwiches with blue cheese cole slaw

1 pkg. frozen buffalo chicken tenders
1 16 oz pkg. cole slaw mix

blue cheese mayo-
1/4 C. blue cheese crumbles
1/4 C. mayo
1 T worcestershire sauce
1 T lemon juice


Mix slaw and blue cheese mayo. Cook chicken tenders according to package directions. Serve on hot dog buns topped with blue cheese slaw and potato chips on the side. Makes 8 (adults will want 2)
This is a new favorite around here. Serve with ranch for those who don't like blue cheese.

I love my slow cooker!


My slow cooker saves me so much time. I recently made this yummy slow cooked Asian pork chops with glazed carrots and snow peas. I made it ALL in the slow cooker. Since it was part of my one hour make ahead meals, I had it all ready to put into the slow cooker in the morning. It took less than 5 minutes! My 14 yr old son did ask what the green things were. I was a little surprised when he actually ate them! :)

5 thick boneless pork chops
3/4 C brown sugar
2 t ground ginger
1/4 C soy sauce
1/2 C ketchup
2 cloves garlic
3/4 C water
All goes in the slow cooker. Cover with a piece of foil.
On a large piece of foil add:
1 bag baby carrots
1 bag snow peas
3 T butter or olive oil
2 1/2 T honey
1 pinch ground ginger
1 T lemon juice
Fold foil to make a sealed packet and place on top of pork chops in slow cooker. The veggies will steam inside the packet. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Enjoy!

6 minute dinner


I made my "5 dinners" yesterday so this one only took 6 minutes to make!

Tuna Cakes

24 oz canned tuna, drained
2 eggs
4 green onions, finely chopped
1/2 C. mayonnaise
1 C. panko bread crumbs
1 t lemon juice

Mix all ingredients well.
Pour 1/4 C. panko crumbs on paper plate.
Scoop tuna mixture with ice cream scooper for equal portions and flatten on panko crumbs. Turn to coat other side.

Store in container with lid using wax paper between layers.

To cook:
Heat 2 T canola oil in skillet on med/high heat. Cook 3 minutes then flip and cook 2-3 more minutes.

Lemon dill sauce: 1/4 C. chicken broth, juice of 1 small lemon & 1/2 t dill. Warm in microwave 1 minute.
Microwave your favorite steamers vegetables while tuna cakes are cooking. We picked boring corn and peas because I know for sure the kids will eat them. :) There is dinner in 6 minutes. That is faster than most drive thru dinners!

Slow cooked Asian Beef & Broccoli


Make ahead slow cooked Asian Beef & Broccoli

3 lbs eye of round steak (or whatever is on sale)
6 T low sodium soy sauce
1/2 C. hoison sauce
6 T ketchup
6 T honey or molasses
2 t Chinese 5 spice powder
4 whole garlic cloves

1 lb fresh broccoli

Mix first 7 ingredients in large zipper bag. Zip bag and squish around with hands to mix well.
Chop broccoli and store in zipper bag.

To cook: Place beef and sauce in slow cooker and cook on low 6-7hours. Add broccoli the last 30 minutes of cook time.

Cook 2 bags of Steamers brown rice to serve with beef & broccoli.

You might want to double this one. Everyone is cleaning their plates!

Coconut Chicken Strips

.....and they are baked not fried!!


These are so easy and just as good as the kind you get in a restaurant but without the extra grease and calories!

1 1/2 lbs chicken tenders (or more depending on how many you are feeding)
1 C. panko bread crumbs
1 C. coconut flakes
1 egg beaten

Mix the panko and coconut in a shallow bowl.
Beat the egg in another shallow bowl



Pour more panko and coconut into a large storage container. This will help absorb any moisture. Do the same on the wax paper between the layers.




Dip each chicken strip in egg then panko/coconut mixture.



Use tongs so your hands stay clean.

Store in container with lid until ready to cook.
Always use wax paper between layers.




Bake in 400 degree oven (I used my new baking rack) for 25 minutes or until golden brown.

Make a sweet dipping sauce of 1 C. orange marmalade and 1/4 C honey. Warm in microwave.

If you do not like coconut, try these anyway. My neighbors do not like coconut but they loved these!!

Monday, September 20, 2010

Pizza


from Kenny Gleed
  • 1 pkg. Yeast
  • 1/4 c. Warm Water
  • 1 Tbs. Sugar
Mix and set aside. It should get bubbly.
  • 2-3 Tbs. Sugar
  • 2 Tbs. Powdered Milk-Dry (Optional)
  • 1 1/2 tsp. Salt
  • 1 1/4 c. Warm Water
  • 1 Tbs. Oil
  • 4-6 c. Flour
Mix sugar, milk, salt, water and oil. Add bubbly yeast mixture. Add 4 cups of flour, mixing until blended well. Add flour as needed to form dough ball. Divide dough into balls. Let rise for at least 15-20 minutes. This recipe makes on large, and one medium pizza, or one large, thick-crust pizza.

Pizza Sauce:
  • 1-can Spaghetti Sauce
  • 1-small can Tomato Paste
Combine sauce and paste. This will make more than you need for above pizza recipe so freeze remaining sauce for another time.

Pizza:
  • 3-4 c. Mozzerella Cheese, grated (per large pizza)
  • Toppings as desired (Pepperoni, Candadian Bacon, Ham, Sausage, Mushrooms, Olives, Pineapple, Veggies, etc.)
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Grease pizza pan or cookie sheet. Roll out or toss pizza dough and place on greased pan. Spread with sauce. Put about 2/3 of the desired cheese on sauce. Put on toppings and then top with remaining cheese. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

Note to Self: LOVE-LOVE-LOVE this recipe. Easy to whip up, always rises nicely and very tasty. Works great for Calzones too. We've been making it our whole married life. Thanks Kenny!! Hope you don't mind that I posted it.

Hot Hoagies
from Tiffany M.

1 loaf french bread, cut lengthwise
2 cups cooked, shredded chicken (in a pinch, you can use two large cans chicken breast)
1/2 cup light mayo
1/2 cup reduced fat sour cream
2 green onions, thinly sliced (white and green parts)
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped (or 2 tablespoons dried)
2 cups shredded cheese (I used a combo of monterey jack and sharp cheddar cheese)
Olives, chopped (0ptional – I omit these due to my kids’ preferences)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place french bread on large baking sheet. Mix all topping ingredients together in a bowl. Spread topping evenly on top of both lengths of french bread. Bake for 15-20 minutes until bubbly and edges are lightly browned. Slice into pieces and serve immediately.

Sweet and Spicy Chicken Tacos

One Year Ago: Hot Hoagies

Sweet and Spicy Slow Cooker Chicken
Printable Version with Picture
Printable Version

*Note: leaving the tomatoes undrained makes for a fairly juicy chicken mixture. If you don’t want the finished shredded chicken mixture to be quite as liquidy, slightly drain the tomatoes before using them. Also, I nearly always double or triple this recipe because it freezes so well.

*Serves 4

1 pound (about 2) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 (14-ounce) can petite or regular diced tomatoes, undrained
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (add more if you like extra heat – with this amount it is mild enough for my kids to eat it up but spicy enough to help offset the sweetness)

Place the chicken in the bottom of the slow cooker. In a small bowl, combine the tomatoes, brown sugar and red pepper flakes. Pour over the chicken. Cover the slow cooker and cook on high for 4-6 hours or on low for 8-9 hours. Remove the chicken to a cutting board and shred with two forks. Return to the slow cooker and mix the chicken with the juices from the tomato/brown sugar sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve in flour tortillas with toppings of choice: lettuce, sour cream, cheese, avocados, etc.

*Freezable Meal: I freeze the leftovers in a freezer-safe container and let thaw in the refrigerator overnight before serving the next day. I reheat over medium-low heat in a saucepan on the stove.

Recipe Source: originally from Prudence Pennywise

Coconut Chicken Curry
slightly adapted from Favorite Family Recipes

2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch chunks or strips
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
2 tablespoons curry powder
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika (substitute cayenne pepper if you like the heat)
1/2 onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
4 red potatoes, cut into chunks
1 (14 ounce) can coconut milk
1 (14.5 ounce) can stewed tomatoes
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
3 tablespoons sugar
Jasmine rice (cooked)

Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Heat oil, curry powder, and paprika in a large skillet over medium-low heat for two minutes, until fragrant (but don’t let it burn). Turn the heat up to medium and stir in onions and garlic and cook ten minutes more or until onions are very clear. Add chicken, tossing lightly to coat with curry oil and cook for 7 to 10 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink and is cooked through. Add potatoes, then add coconut milk, tomatoes (I lightly crushed the stewed tomatoes with my fingers before adding), tomato sauce, and sugar into the pan, and stir to combine. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 30-40 minutes or until sauce thickens. The sauce thickens upon standing, but is great served piping hot (and a bit thinner), too. Serve with Jasmine rice (or your favorite rice) and garnish with cilantro, if desired.

Southwest Cobb Salad

Southwestern Cobb Salad
Printable Version with Picture
Printable Version

*Serves 6-8 as a main dish

Chicken Marinade:
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (2-3 limes)
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Black Bean Salsa:
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 sweet onion (I used vidalia), diced
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil

Yellow Pepper Salsa:
1 yellow pepper, seeded, and diced
1 tomato, seeded and coarsely chopped
1 can large olives, coarsely chopped
1/2 sweet onion (I used vidalia), diced

Avocado Salsa:
2 ripe avocados, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
Juice of 2 limes
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

4-5 large eggs
6-8 slices thick-cut bacon (I used turkey bacon – it was delicious)
1 medium head romaine lettuce, washed, dried and torn into 1-inch pieces

For the chicken marinade, in a small bowl, combine the 1/4 cup lime juice, olive oil, soy sauce, 1/2 teaspoon cumin and red pepper flakes. Place the chicken breasts in a ziploc bag and pour the marinade over the chicken. Close the bag and refrigerate for at least an hour or up to overnight.

Heat a grill to medium-high heat (an indoor grill pan or skillet could be used also). Grill the chicken until it is cooked through, about 5-7 minutes per side. Cool the chicken completely then cut into 1/2-inch pieces. Set aside.

Place the eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring the water to a rolling boil. Cover and remove from the heat. Let the eggs sit for 13 minutes then rinse them under cold water until they are completely cooled. Peel and coarsely chop the eggs. Set aside.

Cook the bacon over medium heat until it is crisp. Drain on paper towels. When cool, crumble and set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine the yellow pepper, tomatoe, olives, and 1/2 of the sweet onion. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

In another bowl, combine the black beans, 1/4 cup cilantro and onion. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

In another bowl (don’t worry, we are almost done with the excess of bowls), combine the avocado, 1/4 cup cilantro, juice of 2 limes, cayenne pepper and 1/2 teaspoon cumin. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

On a large platter (or large bowl), arrange the romaine lettuce. Arrange the chicken in a strip down the middle of the romaine. On either side, make piled strips of the eggs, bacon, yellow pepper mixture, black bean mixture and avocado mixture. Drizzle with dressing or serve it on the side. The easiest way to serve this on a platter is with a pair of tongs. If using a large bowl, gently toss to combine all the ingredients before serving.

Southwest Cobb Salad

Green Goddess Dressing

*This dressing is best made up a few hours or a day beforehand to let the flavors blend.

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons low-fat buttermilk
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 bunch chives, coarsely chopped (about 1/4 to 1/3 cup)
2 green onions, white and green parts, cut into thick chunks
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon coarse or Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pinch cayenne pepper (optional)

Combine all the ingredients together in a blender. Process until smooth. Thin with additional buttermilk (adding it one teaspoon at a time), if desired. Store the dressing in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Recipe Source: salad and dressing adapted slightly from Martha Stewart

Microwave Chicken Curry


courtesy of George Duran and Food Network
(Couldn't find a good picture of this dish, so you get George until I take one)
  • 2 tablespoons Indian curry paste
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
  • 1/2 bunch basil, leaves chopped
  • 1/2 bunch cilantro, leaves chopped
  • 2 (13.5-ounce) cans coconut milk
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • Steamed rice, to serve
  • Paprika, for garnish
  • 1 scallion, thinly sliced, for garnish

Directions

In a large microwave safe pot with a lid, mix together the curry paste and oil. Microwave on high for 3 minutes. Add the chicken to the pot and stir. Cover with the lid and microwave on medium for 8 minutes.
Add the basil, cilantro, coconut milk, and soy sauce and season with salt and pepper. Give it a good stir, cover it, and microwave on medium for 4 minutes. Stir it again, cover, and let it rest for 3 or 4 minutes. Serve over steamed rice, garnished with paprika and scallions.

Note to Self: This is one of my all-time favorite go-to dishes. It's fast, easy and I usually have everything on hand. I was pretty skeptical at first because I HATE microwaved chicken. But this dish is D-Lish! I've been making it for several years now and still love it everytime I make it. You can easily adjust the heat by putting in more or less red curry paste.