Thai Chicken

This is adapted from a Pioneer Woman recipe. I love the sharpness of the limes and the crunch of the peanut butter. Almost heaven on a plate!

2 whole boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips/bite-sized pieces
Marinade: 
1 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
1/4 C soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp hot chili oil
juice of 2 limes
1 Tbsp fresh ginger, grated
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp flour
2 T honey
Peanut oil (for frying)

Peanut Sauce:
1/2 C crunchy peanut butter
3 Tbsp soy sauce
3 Tbsp honey
1/2 tsp hot chili oil
1 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
juice of 2 Limes
water, as needed for to get the right consistency

Salad fixings:
Romaine lettuce leaves, roughly chopped
2 carrots, julienned
1/2 cucumber, peeled and sliced
1 red pepper, sliced
1 green pepper, sliced
baby spinach leaves
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
4 scallions, chopped
bamboo shoots
cilantro, roughly chopped
peanuts
salt and pepper to taste
Basmati rice or Asian noodles

In a bowl, mix together the rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, hot chili oil, lime juice, ginger, and brown sugar (Bowl 1). 
Pour off half of the marinade into a separate bowl (Bowl 2).
Add the chicken pieces and put them into Bowl 1. Add the squeezed limes and allow to marinade for several hours or overnight.
In Bowl 2, stir the flour and honey, and set aside.

Add a few tablespoons of  peanut oil to a heavy skillet, and when it’s hot, add the chicken strips in a single layer (Bowl 1).
Allow to cook for or few minutes, until the chicken is cooked through for about 4 minutes.
Lower the heat, then add the marinade from Bowl 2. 
Stir until the sauce begins to thicken. Cook over low heat for a few mintes, and then allow to cool.

Peanut Sauce: Mix all the peanut sauce ingredients, adding a little water to get a semi-runny consistency. Check for seasoning.

To serve:
Carefully divide the salad fixings between two plates. Add the chicken pieces and top with the cilantro.
Pour on some peanut sauce, and scatter some peanuts over the top. 
Serve with Asian noodles or a portion of Basmati rice.

Tofu and Peanut Stir Fry

14 oz  package of extra firm tofu, rinsed, patted dry and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
2 x 9 oz packages Japanese style noodles
4 Tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1/3 C crunchy peanut butter
3 Tbsp maple syrup
2 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 Tbsp water
1 Tbsp sesame seeds
2 garlic cloves, chopped finely
1/2- 1 tsp chili paste
1/3-1/2 C cilantro, chopped finely
4 spring onions, sliced finely

Preheat the broiler. 

In a medium sized bowl stir together 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce and ginger, and gently coat the tofu cubes.
Lightly grease a baking sheet and spread the tofu cubes in a single layer and broil for about 5 minutes. Gently turn and broil for another 5 minutes until the tofu is light brown and crispy.
Meanwhile, sauté the red pepper in the olive oil for a few minutes until softened.
In a medium bowl, mix the the remaining soy sauce, peanut butter, maple syrup, rice vinegar, water, sesame seeds, garlic and chili paste and set aside.

Cook the noodles, rinse and drain and place in a large bowl. Stir in the peanut sauce, cilantro, and red pepper. Serve the noodles and top with tofu and spring onions.
This is super scrumptious and really hits the spot!

Red Lentil Soup

This is an exquisite soup with wonderful warm spicy flavors. This is adapted from a Whole Foods Market recipe, and makes about 4 to 6 portions.

3 Tsp olive oil
1 red onion, chopped finely
1 garlic clove, chopped finely
1 carrot, diced
2 red peppers, halved, deseeded, and chopped finely
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp sweet paprika
2 tsp harissa paste
8 oz red lentils
5 cups vegetable stock
1 Tsp fresh thyme, plus extra for garnish
Freshly ground black pepper

1. Heat 2 Tsp of the olive oil in a large saucepan, and then sauté the onion, garlic, carrot, and cook for a few minutes over a medium heat until the vegetables begin to soften and turn golden brown.

2. Add the remaining ingredients. Bring to a simmer stir, and then reduce the heat. Cover and simmer gently for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables and lentils are tender.

3. Purée the soup with a stick blender, and then taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Reheat gently and serve in warm bowls. Garnish with a tiny drizzle of remaining olive oil and a sprinkle of fresh thyme.

This is definitely a keeper, and is especially comforting on a cold, snowy night, just like the ones we’re having right now in Massachusetts! Let me know what you think...

Mediterranean Orzo Salad

I love this recipe in the summertime! Although it takes a little while to prepare, it's super tasty and great to have in the fridge when you want something quick for supper.  I really don't care for watery canned black olives so I always use Kalamata, and definitely don't skip the muffaletta. I believe that the olive salad might be the secret ingredient in this dish! I've adapted it from John Folse's recipe.

1½ cups uncooked orzo pasta

12 oz jar marinated artichoke hearts, chopped (and the liquid)

1 1/2-2 (or more) cups cherry tomatoes, halved

1 cucumber

1/2 yellow or red bell pepper, diced

1 red onion, finely chopped

1 cup feta cheese, crumbled

1/3 cup pitted Kalamata olives, chopped

1 cup Italian olive salad--muffaletta (and the liquid)

1 Tbsp chopped fresh oregano

1 Tbsp chopped thyme

salt and pepper to taste

Cook the orzo as directeduntil al dente. Peel the cucumber and then slice in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds with a spoon and then slice each half. Drain the cooked orzo in a colander and run under cold water until it's completely cooled. Then spoon the orzo into a large bowl, and add the artichoke hearts with liquid, chopped tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, onion, feta, olives, olive salad, fresh herbs, and salt and pepper to taste. The feta and olives add saltiness, so definitely go light on the salt. 

Chill before serving. It's delicious with grilled fish or chicken.

South Beach Spinach Quiche

My sister-in-law Lori made this for us on a recent visit to Fort Lauderdale, Florida. It's a delicious and jam-packed quiche-every spoonful is delightful!

1 lb cottage cheese

1 cup mozzarella

1/3 cup parmesan

10 oz frozen spinach

small jar of roasted red peppers, drained and chopped

1 tsp oregano

4 eggs

salt and pepper to taste

Mix everything together, and put into a greased Pyrex pie dish. Bake at 375 degrees for about 40 to 45 minutes, until it looks like it's set. This quiche is delicious served warm or at room temperature.