Asian Dishes · Poultry

Ginger Peanut Chicken with Coconut Rice

cathysmahaLeave a comment

What a delicious dish! Daughter, Megan, recommended this recipe since I love Thai dishes. I doubled the chicken part of the recipe and made a single of the coconut rice and still had a lot of leftover rice. In the future, I would make double the chicken and halve the rice recipe. Since I doubled the recipe, I used 1 cup of fresh sprinach and one cup of chopped bok choy. The leftovers were equally delicious. For the leftover meal, I served with balsamic roasted brussel sprouts and it paired well.

The coconut rice was a great idea. I never thought of adding coconut milk to the rice cooker but it adds another level of delicious to this dish.

Ginger Peanut Chicken with Coconut Rice

INGREDIENTS:
  • Ginger Peanut Chicken
    • 1 1/4 pounds chicken thighs, fat trimmed, cut into small bite-sized pieces
    • 1-inch piece of ginger, grated
    • 3 green onions, thinly sliced (white parts and green parts separated)
    • zest and juice of 1-2 limes
    • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
    • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil or avocado oil
    • 2–3 cloves garlic, minced
    • 1/2 cup chopped roasted peanuts
    • 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
    • 1 cup spinach, bok choy, etc.
  • Coconut Rice
    • 2 cups white or jasmine rice
    • 1 1/2 cups water
    • 1 can coconut milk
    • a pinch of salt
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Marinate Chicken: In a stainless steel bowl, mix the chicken with the ginger, green onions (white parts), lime zest, brown sugar, salt, and oil. Marinate for 20 minutes-2 hours.
  2. Rice: Add the rice ingredients to an Instant Pot. Cook on high pressure for 3 minutes, followed by a natural pressure release for 10-15 minutes (it won’t be quite done yet after 3 minutes – it needs the rest time to finish cooking). Release the steam, fluff with a fork, and attempt not to eat the whole thing! (Don’t have an Instant Pot...use these instructions:
    • To cook the coconut rice on the stove or in a rice cooker: Cooking the rice in a rice cooker or just on the stove top should work well. To make it on the stove, you can add 2 cups of rice, 1.5 cups of water, and a 14-ounce can of coconut milk to a large pot and bring it to a boil. Once it’s boiling, you can reduce the heat to a simmer, cover the pot, and cook the rice for about 15-20 minutes. (Fork-Lore: I live at high altitude and had to add more water during the process so the rice didn’t stick or burn).
  3. Cook Chicken: Heat a large skillet (nonstick or cast iron work well) to medium-high heat. Add the marinated chicken to the pan, working in 1-2 batches depending on the size of your pan. Leave the chicken sitting undisturbed for several minutes to get a nice caramelization on the chicken.
  4. Adding Extras: When all the chicken is cooked, turn the heat down slightly and add the peanuts and garlic to the pan. Sauté for 3-5 minutes to get the peanuts roasty and the garlic nice and fragrant.
  5. Finish by adding in the cilantro, green onion, and spinach. Squeeze lime juice into the pan and season with more salt and pepper as needed.
  6. Serve over coconut rice! SO simple but so good.

Recipe from PinchofYum

Appetizers · Asian Dishes

Thai Peanut Sauce

cathysmahaLeave a comment

My first visit to a Thai restaurant includied Thai Peanut Sauce with fresh carrots, similar to chips and salsa at a Mexican restaurant. I loved it! It’s easy to make and keeps well in a refrigerator for a few days. I used chunky peanut butter, because I was out of smooth, and blended it. It was delicious. Perhaps this is a healthy snack that kids/grandkids would enjoy.

Thai Peanut Sauce

INGREDIENTS:
  • 1/3 cup natural peanut butter, if your peanut butter is thick, microwave is for about 15 seconds first
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger, or 1/2 teaspoon freshly minced ginger
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
  • 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon sesame seeds
  • 2 tablespoons to 1/4 cup hot water
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Whisk all the ingredients (minus 2 tablespoons of the hot water) together in a bowl, a jar with a lid (shake vigorously) or a small blender or food processor until smooth.
  2. Add the extra water a little at a time depending on whether you need this for a sauce, dip or a dressing to your desired consistency.
  3.  This can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge, or used immediately!

Recipe from Jessicainthekitchen

Cakes

Healthy Whole Orange Blender Cake

cathysmahaLeave a comment

What a delicious little cake this is! I used my Vitamix and it took a while to get everything blended. I didn’t have enough maple syrup, so I used a Agave to get to 3/4 cup. You would never know! This is the first time I have used olive oil in baking and it worked beautifully. A tasty cake for family or, frankly, it would be great to have with a friend over coffee or tea.

Healthy Whole Orange Blender Cake

INGREDIENTS:
  • 1 whole Navel orange (organic)
  • 3 eggs
  • 2 cups rolled oats
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/3 cup Greek yogurt
  • 3/4 cup maple syrup
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • optional icing:
    • 3/4 cup powdered sugar
    • 1/2 orange, zested then juiced
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Preheat your oven to 350℉ Line an 8 inch round pan with parchment paper or grease it.
  2. Rinse and dry your orange. Remove any exterior stems and then quarter it. Remove any seeds. You are using the WHOLE ORANGE here – peel and all.
  3. Add the ingredients to your blender or food processor in the order listed above. Blend till smooth and then pour the batter into your pan. Bake for 50 minutes to an hour or until top of cake is golden. Remove from oven and allow to set in the pan for 15 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to fully cool.
  4. optional icing:
    • Whisk together the ingredients till smooth. Drizzle on cake when fully cooled.

Recipe from HungryHappens

Cookies and Bars · Family

Golden Carrot Cookies

cathysmahaLeave a comment

My Mother gave me the Betty Crocker Cooky Book for Christmas 1967, when I was 14 years old. I have used this book for a ‘few years’ and for the first time I noticed how Cooky was spelled. I have always spelled these delights as cookie but Merriam Webster says it can be cooky or cookie.

Golden Carrot Cookies are like a carrot cake in a cookie with a delightful orange glaze on top. While some of the children and grandchildren were hesitant to try carrot cookys, they all agreed they were good. 

If you ever see this Cooky Book at a garage sale or Goodwill, it’s worth adding to your collection!

Golden Carrot Cookies

INGREDIENTS:
  • 1 cup shortening (part butter or margarine)
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup mashed cooked carrots
  • 2 cups Gold Medal flour
  • 2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 3/4 cup shredded coconut
  • Orange Butter Icing:
    • 2 tbsp. soft butter
    • 1 1/2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
    • 1 1/2 tbsp. orange juice
    • 2 tsp. grated orange rind
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Heat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Mix shortening, sugar, eggs and carrots.
  3. Measure flour by dipping method or by sifting. Blend flour, baking powder, and salt into shortening mixture. Mix in coconut.
  4. Drop dough by teaspoonfuls about 2″ apart on lightly greased baking sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until no imprint remains when touched lightly. Frost cooled cookies with Icing. Makes 4 dozen.

Recipe from Betty Crocker’s COOKY BOOK Copyright 1963

Appetizers · Fish

Air Fryer Salmon Bites

cathysmaha1 Comment

Salmon Bites have been on my to-do list for some time. I finally did it and the results did not disappoint. The crispy morsels of salmon were delicious hot and cold for lunch the next day! Unfortunately, I did not have the makings for a sour cream/caper or dill sauce so sweet chile sauce had to do, and it was perfect. I think the grandkids would enjoy this with a simple ranch dressing.

Air Fryer Salmon Bites

INGREDIENTS:
  • 1 lb center-cut Atlantic salmon fillet skin removed and diced to 1-inch chunks
  • 0.5 tsp coarse sea salt
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder
  • ¼ tsp smoked paprika or sweet paprika
  • ⅛ tsp ground black pepper
  • 1-2 tsp honey optional
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • Olive oil spray for the air fryer basket
  • 2 tbsp chopped chive garnish
  • Creamy caper chive sauce (I used sweet chile sauce but pick or make your favorite sauce)
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Preheat the air fryer following your default setting.
  2. For oven: bake on the top rack at 400°F for 12-15 minutes.
  3. Remove the salmon skin. You can also ask a fishmonger to do this for you. Dice the fillet into 1-inch (2.54cm) cubes and add them to a large bowl.
  4. Season the salmon chunks with salt, garlic power, paprika, black pepper, honey, and olive oil. Gently toss them well to coat the salmon evenly. I wear a cooking glove to do this.
  5. Spray the air fryer basket with olive oil, add the cubed salmon with some space between them. You might need to cook them in 2 batches. Air fryer at 350°F (177°C) for 8 minutes.
  6. When air frying is done, open the basket and wait for 10 seconds before removing the salmon. The cold air will make the meat shrink a bit and therefore helps it “unstick” from the basket. Carefully and gently transfer the cubes to a serving plate so they won’t fall apart.
  7. Garnish the salmon bites with chive and serve with the dipping sauce on the side. Serve warm.

Recipe from Iheartumami

Pastas

Creamy Lemon Feta Zucchini Orzo

cathysmahaLeave a comment

One bite of Creamy Lemon Feta Zucchini Orzo is like a taste of spring. I added diced cooked chicken for protein to complete the meal but this would also be a great side dish. Next time I will add asparagus to the dish, completing the springtime theme. This is a new favorite and so quick to make!

Creamy Lemon Feta Zucchini Orzo

INGREDIENTS:
  • 3 tbps olive oil
  • 1/2 sweet onion, diced (large shallot)
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 lb orzo pasta uncooked
  • 2 medium zucchini, grated
  • 1 large lemon, zested + juiced
  • 1 tsp Italian herb seasoning
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 3½ cups low sodium chicken broth (or veggie broth)
  • 1 cup milk
  • 5 oz feta cheese, crumbled
  • 2 tbs fresh dill, chopped
  • Optional: olive oil, lemon juice, chili flakes, cooked, shredded chicken
DIRECTIONS:
  1. In a large skillet, heat your olive oil on medium. Add in the onion and saute for 2 minutes. Add in the garlic and stir for 30 seconds. Add in the orzo and stir for one minute to coat. Toss in the zucchini shreds and stir for 2 minutes. Mix in the lemon juice, lemon zest, Italian herb seasoning, salt and pepper to taste, chicken broth and milk. Bring to a boil then lower the heat to a simmer and cook for 10-12 minutes or until the pasta is tender. If it needs more liquid, add some broth in to keep the texture creamy, not dry.
  2. When the pan is off the heat, stir in your crumbled feta and dill.
  3. To serve, top with a nice drizzle of olive oil, chili flakes and enjoy!

Recipe from hungryhappens

Candy · Holidays

Bunny Munch

cathysmahaLeave a comment

What fun it is to plan holiday treats for the grandkids. The kids get the usual chocolate bunnies, Peeps, etc. from their parents so Bunny Munch was just the ticket for Grandma Cathy to make. We all love popcorn and with the additional of the sweet treats, it is decandent and addictive. It’s good thing I’ll only make this once a year!

Bunny Munch

INGREDIENTS:
  • 12 cups popped popcorn (~1/3 cup kernels)
  • 2 cups gluten free pretzel sticks (I like Snyder’s GF)
  • 1-1/2 cups peanuts
  • 12oz bag gluten free white chocolate chips
  • 1 Tablespoon vegetable or coconut oil
  • 11oz bag M&Ms (Fork-Lore: I found Rice Krispie M&Ms for Easter and loved using those)
  • gluten free sprinkles, optional
  • coarse sea salt, optional
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Spread a couple sheets of parchment paper, wax paper, or two silpats onto the countertop then set aside.
  2. Add popcorn, pretzel sticks, and peanuts to a very large bowl — if you don’t have an XL bowl, use two large bowls — then set aside.
  3. Add chocolate chips and coconut oil to a medium-sized, microwave-safe bowl then microwave for 40 seconds and stir. Microwave for 30 seconds then stir. If chocolate chips aren’t completely smooth, continue microwaving in 10 seconds increments, stirring between increments, until completely melted.
  4. Drizzle chocolate over popcorn mixture then gently fold with a spatula until everything is evenly coated. Spread mixture out onto prepared surface then immediately sprinkle with M&Ms (may not use whole bag) and press gently so they adhere to the warm chocolate. Add sprinkles and a big pinch of coarse sea salt, if using, then let Bunny Munch cool completely. Transfer to treat bags or an airtight container.
  5. (Fork-Lore: I bagged the Bunny Munch in individual bags to give the grandkids in their Easter basket).

Recipe from IowaGirlEats

Cookies and Bars · Family Favorites

Clementine Butter Cookies

cathysmahaLeave a comment

Clementine Butter cookies are amazing, or as one family member said, ‘these are addictive’. I didn’t even use the orange liquer! I decided to roll the rough into balls then flatten them (vs. rolling them out and using a cookie cutter). Either way, these cookies are worth making. They were gone in a couple of days with kids, grandkids, etc.

Clementine Butter Cookies

INGREDIENTS:
  • 2 1/3 cups all purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon table salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons grated clementine zest (about 3)
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon orange extract
  • For the glaze:
    • 1 1/4 cup powdered sugar
    • small pinch table salt
    • 1 tablespoons orange liqueur (I used more clementine juice)
    • 1 tablespoon half and half
    • 1–2 tablespoons juice from clementine
DIRECTIONS:
  1. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, salt, baking powder and cinnamon; set aside.
  2. In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat the sugar butter and zest on medium speed until well blended, about two minutes. Add the egg yolks one at a time, mixing until well blended after each addition. Add vanilla extract and orange extract and mix until well blended. Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed until little moist clumps form, about one minute.
  3. Divide dough into two equal piles and form dough into smooth balls. Using your hands, knead dough into a disk and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes or up to three days ahead.
  4. When ready to bake the cookies, preheat oven to 350F degrees. Line cookie sheet(s) with parchment paper or silicone baking sheet.
  5. Working with one disk at a time, roll the dough on a well floured surface to about 1/4-inch thick. Using cookie cutter of your choice (I used a 2-inch circle), cut out shapes. Arrange them about 1-inch apart on the cookie sheets. Re-roll and cut out dough scraps until you’ve used all the dough.
  6. Bake the cookies in preheated oven about 10 minutes until the edges are golden brown. Let the cookies cool on the sheet about 5 minutes and then transfer them to a rack to cool completely.
  7. While cookies are cooling, prepare glaze by combining powdered sugar, salt, orange liqueur, half and half and 1 tablespoon of clementine juice. Add more clementine juice, if necessary, to make a nice spreading consistency.
  8. Top each cookie with about 1 teaspoon of the glaze, using the bottom of a spoon to spread the glaze to sides of cookies. Let cookies sit at room temperature for at least an hour until glaze is set. Serve cookies immediately or store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 or 4 days.

Recipe from MountainMommaCooks

Breads · Holidays

Soda Bread by Ina Garten

cathysmahaLeave a comment

St. Patrick’s Day wouldn’t be complete without corned beef and cabbage accompanied by Irish Soda Bread. I’ve made Irish Soda Bread in years past, but decided to try Ina Garten’s recipe. The texture was wonderful and the taste was sweeter than the past versions with the addition of orange peel and raisins. It is wonderful toasted the next day for breakfast.

Soda Bread

INGREDIENTS:
  • 4 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for currants
  • 4 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch dice
  • 1 3/4 cups cold buttermilk, shaken
  • 1 extra-large egg, lightly beaten
  • 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
  • 1 cup dried currants (I used raisins)
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
  2. Combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the butter and mix on low speed until the butter is mixed into the flour.
  3. With a fork, lightly beat the buttermilk, egg, and orange zest together in a measuring cup. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture. Combine the currants with 1 tablespoon of flour and mix into the dough. It will be very wet.
  4. Dump the dough onto a well-floured board and knead it a few times into a round loaf. Place the loaf on the prepared sheet pan and lightly cut an X into the top of the bread with a serrated knife. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. When you tap the loaf, it will have a hollow sound.
  5. Cool on a baking rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.
  6. Optional: I buttered the top of the warm bread when it came out of the oven.

Recipe from FoodNetwork/Ina Garten

Breakfast · Cookies and Bars

Banana Breakfast Cookies

cathysmahaLeave a comment

There is nothing easier for breakfast that an oatmeal breakfast cake (like Maple Pumpkin Oatmeal Breakfast Bars or Breakfast Cake) or these Banana Breakfast Cookies. The recipe made 9 cookies. I froze 4, refrigerated 4 and, of course, ate one just to be sure they were delicious!

Banana Breakfast Cookies

INGREDIENTS:
  • 1 1/2 cup oats
  • 1/2 cup peanut butter
  • 2 over ripe bananas
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional +2T. for topping)
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a sheet pan with parchment paper, and set aside.
  2. In a mixing bowl combine oats, mashed bananas, peanut butter, cinnamon, and salt. Mix together with rubber spatula and add ½ cup chocolate chips. Mix again.
  3. Divide the dough into seven cookies and place them in the parchment paper pan. Press down on the cookies to make a cookie shape and about ½ inch thick. Top cookies with extra chocolate chips if desired.
  4. Bake cookies for 8-10 minutes. Allow to cool before serving. Enjoy!

Recipe from Kitchenfunwithmythreesons