Roasted Chicken Lettuce Wraps with Spicy Coconut Curry Peanut Sauce

Coconut Curry Sauce

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1/2 cup Lite coconut milk
• 1/3 cup orange juice
• Juice of 1 lime
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1-2 tbsp red curry paste
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp fresh minced ginger
• 1/2 tsp garlic

Method:

In a medium sized bowl whisk together peanut butter, coconut milk, orange juice, lime juice, and honey. Add curry, soy sauce, ginger, and garlic.

Mix until smooth and even and set aside.

Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients:

• 1 Rotisserie chicken, shredded or sliced
• 1 pint red, orange, and yellow mini bell peppers, thinly sliced
• 2-3 cups matchstick carrots
• 1 oz can water chestnuts, drained and chopped
• 3-4 green onions, sliced
• 2 oranges; skins removed and thinly sliced
• Zest from 2 oranges
• 1 head of lettuce leaves rinsed and patted dry
• Chopped peanuts
• Snipped cilantro
• Wonton strips (optional)
• Lime wedges

Method:

In a sauté pan over medium heat, pour desired amount of curry sauce over sliced chicken. Heat for 1-2 minutes, or until sauce starts to bubble. Remove from heat.In a sauté pan over medium heat, pour desired amount of curry sauce over sliced chicken. Heat for 1-2 minutes, or until sauce starts to bubble. Remove from heat.

To assemble wraps:

Place curry chicken inside lettuce leaf, top with carrots, chestnuts, peppers, cilantro, green onions, peanuts and wonton strips. Squeeze lime juice over top, if desired.

Makes 4-6 servings

Amy Richardson Studio 5

Royal Icing

3 egg whites
4 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
1/2 tsp. almond extract or white vanilla extract

Place all ingredients in bowl and beat on medium high for a full 10 minutes. Icing will become thick and glossy but will not increase in volume. Keep covered with damp cloth while using, removing small portions to bowl as needed. Tint if desired. To thin, add a few drops of water. Royal icing hardens with a nice sheen.

Gingerbread

4 cups of flour
1 cup of sugar
2 TB baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp clove
1 1/2 tsp ginger
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup shortening
2/3 cup molasses
2 eggs

Mix together. Grease and flour pan; use either a large sheet cake pan, or divide dough and make thinner gingerbread in two cookie sheets. Press/roll into pan. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. If using the smaller cookie sheets, reduce baking time to 18 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes. While gingerbread is still warm and soft, cut out shapes for the gingerbread house. Cool on rack. Assemble with royal icing when cool.

Turkey Tetrazzini

From Connie Zierke, a favorite of Justin's using leftover Thanksgiving turkey.

3 cups of wide egg noodles
2 cups (or however much you have) of diced turkey leftovers
1 yellow onion, diced small
1/2-1 cube butter
2 small cans of mushrooms
1 can of turkey/chicken broth, at least
At least 1 can of evaporated milk
Ground sage
Salt
Pepper
Flour for thickening


Boil egg noodles. Put in a 9 x 13 casserole dish sprayed with cooking spray. Stir in turkey.

In a large sauce pan, sautee onions in at least 1/2 cube of butter (add more butter for desired taste/calories). When they are almost finished, add drained mushrooms and sautee. Slowly stir in evaporated milk. Add broth. If you desire more sauce, add more milk and broth, keeping the ratio about 1 to 1. Make a thickening paste with flour and water. Thicken until a gravy-like consistency. Add salt, pepper, and sage to taste. Pour over noodles in casserole dish.

Bake at 350 until sauce bubbles, about 30 minutes.

Praline Cheesecake

Crust
1 1/2 cups of Nilla Wafers, crushed (about 50)
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted

Praline
1 cup chopped pecans
1 1/2 cups of butter
1 cup of brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Cheesecake filling
3 pkgs (8 oz. each) cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup sour cream
3 eggs lightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla

In a small bowl, combine wafer crumbs, sugar, and butter. Press into the bottom of a greased 9-inch spring form pan. Sprinkle pecans evenly over crust.

To make praline: In a saucepan bring butter and brown sugar to a boil over medium heat stirring constantly. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla. Pour over pecans and crust. Refrigerate while making the filling.

To make filling: In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, sour cream, and vanilla until smooth. Add eggs. Beat on low speed just until combined. Pour on top of crust.

Place pan on a cookie sheet with an edge/lip (some butter from the praline will melt out while baking). Bake at 325 for 50 minutes. Turn off oven. Leave cheesecake in oven for 30 more minutes. Do NOT open oven at all during baking or the cooling off period. This helps prevent cracking. Remove and let cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Loosen edge of crust with a knife. Cool 1 hour. Refrigerate overnight.

Cutting tip: Run knife under hot water to heat the metal. Wipe dry and make one slice. Clean the blade, run under hot water, dry, and make second slice. This make all the slices pretty and smooth.

Sweet Potatoes

Sweet Potatoes:
3 cups mashed sweet potatoes (canned)
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 T. vanilla
1/2 cup melted butter
Mix then pour in 1 quart pan. Add topping:
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1 cup chopped nuts (pecans or almonds)
1/3 cup butter (don't melt)
Mix with fork then sprinkle crumbs on top of potatoes
Bake @ 350 for 30 minutes
Double for a 9 x 13 pan.  Enjoy!!

Taco Soup

1 lb. ground beef
1 onion
2 cans of diced tomatoes
2 cans of beans - any you like (kidney, black, chili, etc.)
1 (8 oz) can of tomato sauce
Taco seasoning mix - as much as you like (I use about 3/4 a packet)
Salt and pepper to taste

Shredded cheddar cheese
Tortilla chips
Sour cream

Brown ground beef and chopped onion in a skillet on the stove. Mix all ingredients in a crock pot. Let warm up. Dish into bowls and top with shredded cheese, crumbled tortilla chips, and a dallop of sour cream.

Copycat Olive Garden Minestrone Soup

3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 c. minced white onion
1/2 cup chopped zucchini
1/2 cup frozen cut Italian green beans
1/4 c minced celery (about 1/2 stalk)
4 tsp. minced garlic (about 4 cloves)
4 cups vegetable broth (do not use chicken broth)
2 15 oz. cans red kidney beans, drained
2 15 ounce cans small white beans or great northern beans, drained
1 14 oz can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup carrot, julienned or shredded
2 Tbsp. minced fresh parsley
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 t. dried basil
1/4 t. dried thyme
3 cups hot water
4 cups fresh baby spinach
1/2 c small shell pasta

1 Heat 3 Tbsp. olive oil over medium heat in large soup pot.
2. Saute onion, celery, garlic, green beans, and zucchini in the oil for 5 minutes or until onions begin to turn translucent.
3. Add vegetable broth to pot, plus drained tomatoes, beans, carrot, hot water, and spices.
4. Bring soup to a boil, then reduce heat and allow to simmer for 20 minutes
5. Add spinach leaves and pasta and cook for an additional 2o minutes or until desired consistency.
6. Makes about eight 1 1/2 cup servings.

Parmesan Crusted Chicken

1 c. plain bread crumbs
2 T. flour
1/4 c. Parmesan cheese
1 c. milk
8-10 chicken tenders
2 c. dry bowtie pasta
2 T. butter
3 T. olive oil
2 t. garlic crushed
1/2 c. white table wine
1/4 c. water
2 T. flour
3/4 c. half and half
1/4 c. sour cream
1/2 t. salt
1/8 t. basil leaves
3/4 c. asiago cheese

Garnish:
8 broccoli florets and 4 mushrooms that have been lightly steamed
1/4 t. crushed red pepper flakes

Prepare pasta according to package directions. Cook to al dente and drain the pasta.

Wash and drain (dry) chicken trips. Mix bread crumbs, flour and Parmesan cheese together. Place milk in a small bowl for dipping. Dip chicken first in the bread crumbs, then the milk and back in the bread crumbs.

Add the oil to a skillet and heat to medium. Add the chicken strips and fry to golden brown. Remove from pan and drain chicken.

In a sauce pan, melt butter and add olive oil. Whisk in flour and stir until blended. Add garlic and stir in wine. Immediately add half and half, water and sour cream. When mixture is smooth and blended, add the asiago cheese. Stir in the basil and remove from heat.

To serve: Place 2 cups pasta in individual dishes. Spoon 1/2 to 3/4 c. sauce over pasta. Add broccoli and mushrooms. Place Parmesan chicken on pasta and sprinkle with the red pepper.

Chicken Cheese Soup

Ingredients:
6 chicken breasts or whole chicken
2-3 celery stocks sliced
2-3 potatoes diced
2 lb. Velveeta cheese
4-5 diced carrots
salt and pepper to taste
2 cubes chicken bullion

Directions:
Cook chicken breast in 2 quarts of water with celery, salt and pepper. Remove chicken from broth, add carrots, potatoes, and chicken bullion to broth and cook until tender.
Return chicken to broth, cut Velveeta cheese into cubes and slowly add to mixture and simmer until cheese is melted. NOTE: when adding cheese into soup turn temperature down to low to prevent cheese from curdling, do not boil.

Makes 8-10 servings

Chicken Tortilla Soup with a kick

Ingredients:
1 pack Bear Creek Tortilla soup mix (dry)
2 chicken breasts (cooked & shredded or cut into small pieces)
1 Lg. can diced tomatoes
1 small package frozen corn
1 15 oz can black beans (do not drain)
1 c. chopped fresh Cilantro
1 large jar salsa
1 sm can green chili salsa
1 large fresh zucchini cut into small pieces
1/2 c pepper and onion relish
1 1/4 cups wild rice (uncooked)
Tortilla strips or crushed tortilla chips for topping
Shredded jack cheese for topping
1 sliced avocado for topping
Sour Cream for topping

Directions:
1. Make tortilla soup mix according to directions. Add all ingredients except avocado, tortilla chips, and cheese.
2. Simmer Soup until squash is soft, but not too soft.
3. When served add chips, cheese, avocado, and sour cream

White Chicken Chili

Ingredients:
One pound boneless, skinless, chicken breast cubed (Or one rotisserie chix torn into small pieces)
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2 15.5 oz cans of Great Northern Beans, drained
1 14 oz. can chicken broth
1 7 oz can green chilies chopped
1 tsp salt
1 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (omit if you don't want the heat)
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 cup whipping cream

Directions:
In a large pot saute chicken, onion and garlic powder in vegetable oil, cook until chicken is no longer pink (or if using rotisserie chicken, cook until chicken is heated all the way through). Add beans, broth, chilies and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer uncovered for approximately 30 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in sour cream and whipping cream. Serve immediately. Top with cheese, green onions, and sour cream.

Tom Kha Gai (Thai Coconut Chicken Soup)

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs
2 c. chicken broth
2-3 cups coconut milk
10 slices of fresh galangal (similar to ginger)
4 stalks lemongrass, smashed and cut into 2" lengths
6 green Thai chiles, cut in half crosswise
8 kaffir lime leaves
1/2 tsp of sugar (omit if you want to)
1/2 c. drained canned straw mushrooms
1/2 c. sliced bamboo shoot
3 T. fish sauce
1/4c. fresh lime juice, or to taste
1/4 c. cilantro
2 c. cooked jasmine rice

In a large pan, combine chicken, stock, coconut milk, sugar, galangal, lemongrass, chiles, and lime leaves. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce and simmer for 20 min. *Strain soup and place back in sauce pan. Add mushrooms and bamboo shoots, stir well. Raise heat to high and bring to boil. Add fish sauce, lime juice and then taste to adjust seasoning. Ladle into bowls filled with jasmine rice and garnish with cilantro.

*the galangal lemongrass and lime leaves are meant for flavoring and are too tough to eat, so you can just strain the soup. However, you can skip this step and just leave it in if you like.

Funeral Potatoes

Ingredients

1 can cream of chicken
1 cup shredded cheese 1/2 c. milk
1/2 c. sour cream
1/3 c. onion or 2 Tbsp minced onion
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 32 oz. package of frozen hash browns
1/2 c. crushed cornflakes

Mix all ingredients together except the cornflakes Put in a 9X13 pan and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Remove from oven, stir and add cornflakes on the top. Bake for an additional 20 minutes.

Grasshopper Cake

**Taken from Whitney's blog**

Hey Amy! Here's that cake recipe:

1 package mint sandwich cookies (Oreo or store brand)
Reserve 1/3 of the crumbs for sprinkling

1/4 cup butter, melted

1 container Mint Moose Tracks Ice Cream

1 large container of Cool Whip

1 Symphony bar with almonds and toffee pieces, chopped

1 jar of hot fudge sauce

Instructions:

Mix 2/3 of the crushed cookies with 1/4 c. melted butter. Press mixture into the bottom of a greased spring form pan or a 9X13 pan

Scoop out half of the container of ice cream and spread over crust using your scoop (your hands will melt the ice cream)

Layer the remaining 1/3 of the crumbs on top

Layer remaining ice cream on top of this, leveling out with your scoop

Layer the Cool Whip on top

At this point you may want to put the cake in the freezer for a while as it will be kind of melty at this point.

Now pour the chocolate syrup over the top. If you heat up the jar of chocolate sauce, it will cause the cake to melt a bit (it still tastes good though). A couple of other options are to use some Hershey Chocolate Syrup, or make a home made sauce that can cool and still be runny enough to pour over the top.

Now sprinkle the crushed Symphony Bar over the top and put the cake back in the freezer until ready to serve.

Cottage Pie

Ingredients:
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 onion, diced
3 carrots, diced
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 Tbsp. Italian seasoning
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
1 1/2 cups beef broth
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 lb. shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. To make meat filling: Place a large skillet over medium heat. Crumble in ground beef and saute 1 minute. Add onion and carrot, then continue to saute until meat is no longer pink and onion begins to brown, about five minutes. Mix in flour, cinnamon, mixed herbs, and parsley.
3. In a small bowl, combine beef broth and tomato paste. Mix together, then add to beef mixture. Add salt and pepper to taste. Lower heat and simmer mixture for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until almost all of liquid has been absorbed. Spoon mixture into a 9 inch pie plate.
4. To make potato topping: Place diced potatoes in a medium saucepan. Cover with water and place over high heat. Allow to come to a boil. Boil for 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Drain.
5. Mash potatoes until smooth, then add butter or margarine, followed by milk. Whip until fluffy. Add salt and pepper to taste. Spread potatoes over beef filling. Sprinkle with grated cheddar cheese.
6. Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes, until top is browned and cheese is bubbly.

(Alternate instant potatoes for steps 4 &5 for a quicker preparation)

Hot fudge sauce (mom's)

1 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. cocoa
1/2 c. canned milk
2 Tbsp. butter
1 tsp. vanilla

Stir sugar and cocoa together in a sauce pan on stove over low heat. Don't let it melt! Add milk and butter. Bring to rapid boil for 2 minutes. Take off heat and add vanilla.

Yield: 2 cups

See's Fudge or Powdered sugar fudge

2 eggs well beaten
3 cups powdered sugar
pinch of salt
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 c. butter (one and a half cubes)
1 1/2 c semi-sweet chocolate chips.

Melt together: butter and chocolate chips.

Mix together: eggs, powdered sugar (one at a time), vanilla, and salt.

Add chocolate and butter mixture to egg mixture.

Pour into greased 9X9 pan and regrigerate 3-5 hours.

German pancakes

6 eggs
1 cup flour
1/2-1 cube margarine
1 cup milk
1 1/2 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Put margarine in 9X13 pan. Put in oven to melt. Don't burn butter. Remove pan when buter is melted. Place eggs in mixing bowl and whip with an electric mixer. Add milk. Gradually add flour and salt. Continue to beat until oven reaches 425. Then pour quickly into pan. Put in oven for 20 minutes. Cut in squares and sprinkle with powdered sugar and syrup.

Mom's buttercream frosting

3 c. powdered sugar
1/2 cube butter
pinch salt
1 tsp vanilla or almond
4 Tbspt canned or regular milk as needed

Cafe Rio Tomatillo Dresing

1 pkg Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix
1 C Buttermilk
1 C Mayo
1 Tomatillo
1/2 Bunch of Cilantro
1 Clove of Garlic
1/2 Limes Juice
1/2 to 1 Small Jalepeno, seeds removed. For a little spicier add some of the seeds.

Blend all ingredients well in a food processor & refrigerate.

Pork Barbacoa (Cafe Rio)

If you throw all of this into your pressure cooker and cook for about 1.5 to 2 hours then it's much faster than using the crock pot the way this recipe suggests.

2 lbs. Pork
3 Cans of Coke or Dr. Pepper (not diet)
1/4 C. Brown Sugar
Dash of Garlic Salt
1/4 C. Water
1 Can Sliced Green Chilies
3/4 can Red Enchilada Sauce (I use whatever color sauce I have on hand and just use the whole can, it always is fine)
1 C. Brown Sugar

Put pork in a heavy Ziploc bag to marinate. Add a can and a half of coke and 1/4 C. of brown sugar. Marinate for a few hours or overnight.

Drain Marinade and put pork, 1/2 can of coke, water, & garlic salt in crock pot on high for 3-4 hours (until it shreds easily, but don't let it get too dry). Remove pork from crock pot and drain liquids then shred pork. In a food processor or blender, blend 1/2 can coke, chilies, enchilada sauce, & 1 cup of brown sugar. If the mixture is too thick add more coke little by little until desired consistency is reached. Place shredded pork and sauce back in crock pot and cook on low for 2 hours.

Serve however you like. I like it in a tortilla with cilantro and any other yummy goodness I have on hand like salsa, beans, rice, cheese, tomatoes, etc.

Marsala Cream Sauce (Macaroni Grill)

I recommend doubling this recipe. I found it barely made enough sauce for two generous servings. I ended up back in the kitchen trying to whip up another batch real quickly as we had dinner guests.

Ingredients
1 Shallot -- minced
1 tb butter
1 c Dry marsala wine
1 t Fresh thyme
1 c Heavy cream
2 tb butter -- cubed
Salt and white pepper -- to taste
1/2 c Grated parmesan (use the expensive stuff, you won't be sorry)

Instructions
Saute shallot in the butter, covered, for 5 min.
Add wine and thyme and reduce until only about 2 tbsp of liquid remain.
Add cream and simmer until reduced by half.
Add butter and stir continuously until fully emulsified.
Season with salt and pepper.
Stir in parmesan.
Keep warm until ready to serve. Serve over whatever kind of pasta you like.

I added sundried tomatoes and some sauteed orange and yellow peppers. So good!

Pasta Milano (Macaroni Grill copycat)

Ingredients:

12oz. bowtie pasta
1 Tbs unsalted butter
8oz. sliced mushrooms
1 1/2 cups fat free half & half* (regular half and half will make for a creamier sauce)
1 pkt. (1.6oz) Knorr garlic herb sauce mix
6oz. grilled chicken breast strips
1/3 cup sliced sundried tomatoes
1 Tbs grated parmesan
2 Tbs chopped parsley

Directions:

- Cook pasta
- Melt butter in large skillet. Add mushrooms, saute 5 minutes. Remove when tender.
- Add half & half and sauce mix to skillet. Bring to boil stirring often. Reduce heat and simmer 3 minutes until thickened.
- Stir in remaining butter, chicken, mushrooms, parmesan, tomatoes; heat through.
- Add pasta to sauce, top with parsley and serve.

Cheese Soup

In one pot:
4 Cups cubed potato
2 Cups celery
2 cups carrots
1 1/2 cup onion (chopped)
3-4 cups water
Simmer 20 min.
Boil then put on med-low

In a separate pot:
3 c cold milk
1 sq. maragarine/butter
6 chix bouillon cubes
1 Tbsp. dry mustard
1/3 c. flour
salt and pepper
2lbs. Velveeta cheese
Cook on Medium heat until cheese melts and sauce thickens

Add sauce and vegetables together (Do not drain veggies)
Add a package of frozen broccoli
Cook until hot and vegetables are tender.

Apple Puffed Pancake

Apple Puffed Pancake

This is my a recipe I got from my sister's cooking blog. Jordan and Afton loves it. I try to make it a lot for Sunday breakfast, it is kind of easy. I find that a blender does work the best.

Yummy...I usually tweak the butter & sugar in this recipe. Here's the original.

6 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup flour
1 TBSP sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
pinch grated nutmeg
1/2 cup butter
4 apples peeled & thinly sliced
1 TBSP brown sugar

Preheat to 425 degrees
Combine eggs, milk & vanilla in a blender
Add flour, granulated sugar, salt, cinnamon & nutmeg
blend
Place butter in 9x13 pan put in oven until melted
Place apples in baking dish & cook for 4 mins
Pour batter over apples & sprinkle brown sugar
cook for 20 mins

Irish Soda Muffins

I made this for St Patty's dinner last week, and Lara requested that I post it. This a really good every day muffin too, I love the flavor that the sour cream gives. Remember this recipe only yield 6, so you might have to double or triple it. Enjoy!

I got this from Taste of Home magazine Fed/Mar 2007 issue

Irish Soda Muffins

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1/4 cup plus 1 teaspoon sugar divided
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons beaten egg
1/3 cup raisins

In a small bowl, combine the flour, 1/4 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In another bowl, whisk the sour cream, oil and egg; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in raisins.

Fill six greased or paper-lined muffin cups half full. Sprinkle with remaining sugar. Bake at 400 degrees for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack. Serve Warm. Yield: 6 Muffins.

Mushion Pork

Ingredients:

4 pork chops
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 onion, chopped
2/3 cup water

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Season and sear pork on stove (optional)
3. Place pork chops in a 9x13 inch baking dish. In a medium bowl combine the soup, onion and water. Mix well and pour mixture over pork chops. Cover dish with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes. Remove cover and bake for another 15 minutes.

Amount Per Serving Calories: 197
Total Fat: 8.3g
Cholesterol: 65mg

*************************************************
Seriously easy and quite tasty. Nothing too spectacular, but a definite addition to the easy dinner repertoire. There will be some gravy left, so cook up a serving of rice or mashed potatoes.

- Lara