Grilled Chicken with Sesame Noodles (in Peanut Sauce)

I'm not really sure why this recipe was titled the way it was - which is to say without mentioning peanuts in the title- as I don't think the noodles are so much sesame as peanut-y. So I modified the title a bit.

I also made a couple of changes, which I will point out when they come along. The initial recipe came from Cook's Country in an unsolicited free trial issue. This is an easy recipe to toss together and doesn't even require a grill- I used the broiler. If you have more time I would recommend letting the chicken marinate for half an hour.

Ingredients

3 cloves minced garlic
2 T minced fresh ginger
1/2 c soy sauce
3 T rice vinegar
2 t hot sauce (I halved this as the girls don't like things too spicy)
3 T light brown sugar
2 T toasted sesame oil (if it's regular sesame oil, or even peanut oil, it will be ok)
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 lb)
1/4 c peanut butter
salt
1 lb fresh Asian noodles (I have no idea where to get fresh Asian noodles. I used dried Asian noodles, they looked like spaghetti. Or just use spaghetti. If you use dried noodles you want 12 oz.)
6 scallions, sliced thin (I omitted these, too. Honestly, they're only for color.)

Instructions

Bring 4 quarts water to boil over high heat. In a small bowl whisk garlic, ginger, soy sauce, vinegar, hot sauce, brown sugar and oil. Toss chicken with 3 T garlic mixture (I would marinate it for half an hour). Puree remaining garlic mixture and peanut butter (I love my Magic Bullet
for this!) until smooth.

Add 1 T salt and noodles to boiling water and cook until al dente. Drain well, rinse under cold water and drain again. Toss noodles,peanut sauce & scallions in a large bowl. Adjust seasonings.

Grill chicken breasts over high heat until cooked through, 2-3 minutes per side. (I broiled for about 6 minutes per side). Slice and serve over noodles.

Note: The next time I make this I'll probably steam some broccoli to toss in. It will add some color & nutrition. Snow peas would probably be quite good, too.

Cheddar Topped Shepherd's Pie

I made this for St. Patrick's Day this year... And was made to promise that I wouldn't wait until next St. Patrick's Day to make it again!

I did make a wee change from the recipe I found in Everyday Food magazine. The directions call for 1 cup of water to be added to the meat mixture. This left the meat bland, in my opinion. Good... OK... But bland. My fix for that? Use 1 cup of Guinness. It adds flavor to the meat. Funny bit of info for you: No one in my house drinks beer. But I keep a bottle of Guinness corked (with a wine cork) and in the fridge for cooking.

The recipe serves 8- or more. But it's really easy to half...

Ingredients
* 2 pounds baking potatoes (about 4), peeled and thinly sliced
* Coarse salt and ground pepper
* 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, such as safflower
* 6 medium carrots, halved lengthwise, quartered if large, and thinly sliced
* 6 celery stalks, thinly sliced
note: you can add practically any veggie to this: green beans, leeks, small florets of broccoli...
* 1 large onion, chopped
* 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
* 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
* 1/4 cup tomato paste
* 2 pounds ground beef chuck (you could also use ground turkey or a half/half mix of turkey & beef)
* 1 c Guinness (optional)
* 1 cup whole milk (I used skim)
* 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp white cheddar (6 ounces)

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 450. Place potatoes in a large saucepan, and cover by 1 inch with salted water. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer. Cook until potatoes are easily pierced with the tip of a paring knife, 15 to 20 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a 5-quart Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high. Add carrots, celery, onion, and thyme. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Add flour and tomato paste; cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add beef; cook, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink, 6 to 8 minutes. Add 1 cup water or Guinness; bring to a boil, and simmer 1 minute. Set beef filling aside.

3. Drain potatoes; return to pan. Cook over medium, stirring, until liquid has evaporated and a thin film covers bottom of pan, about 1 minute. Remove pan from heat; add milk and 1 cup cheese. Mash until smooth; season cheddar-potato topping with salt and pepper.

4. Pour beef filling into a 13-by-9-inch baking dish. Drop dollops of topping over filling; spread to edges with a spatula. Using a fork, make decorative peaks; sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Bake until topping is browned and filling is bubbling rapidly, about 20 minutes (if topping and filling were chilled, increase to 35 minutes). Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Make Ahead Tip: Both filling and topping can be made up to a day ahead and refrigerated separately.

Homemade Cheeseburger Pizza (including Quick Pizza Dough)

Before the title scares you off I want to let you know that this is a very easy recipe! I was pleasantly surprised by just how easily this pizza came together. And how good it is! I may never order out again. Between this recipe and the calzones recipe from last year (try the quick pizza dough recipe below for these) I have your pizza needs covered.

If you've never used the dough hook that came with your mixer this is the perfect time to try it! And don't worry if you don't have a dough hook. I actually kneaded it by hand.

The recipe comes from Cuisine at Home magazine. It begins with a Quick Pizza Dough. It takes about 1 ½ hours. This recipe will make 4 - 7" pizzas (or two 12").

You Need:

1 c warm water (100-110º F)
1 pkg active dry yeast (2 ¼ t.)
1 t honey
2 ½ c all purpose flour
½ c bread flour
1 T kosher salt
2 T olive oil

Directions:

Combine water, yeast & honey in a small bowl and let stand until foamy, 5 minutes. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

Whisk both flours and salt together in the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large bowl); add yeast mixture and oil. Mix on low speed using a dough hook until well blended, smooth & dough springs back when pressed, about 7-10 minutes. (Or mix thoroughly with your hands; dough won't spring back or look smooth but it will still work.) Transfer to an oiled bowl, place in cool oven with the pot of boiling water on the rack next to it. Allow dough to rise about an hour.

Divide dough into quarters, shape into balls and wrap in plastic. Use right away or chill up to 1 hour. (You may freeze it now. Thaw overnight in refrigerator before using.) For baking instructions see following recipe.

On to the Cheeseburger Pizza.

You Need:

Quick Pizza Dough (recipe above)
¾ lb ground beef (or ground turkey)
Salt & pepper to taste
½ c ketchup
¼ c prepared yellow mustard
2 c shredded lettuce
½ c red onion, thinly sliced (I omitted this)
½ c grape tomatoes, halved (I just sliced some regular tomato)
½ c dill pickle chips, chopped
½ c mayonnaise
¼ c dill picle juice
1 c Velveeta, shredded, divided (I used shredded pizza/Italian blend cheese)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 500ºF with a baking stone on the lowest rack. (No baking stone? No worries! I used regular baking sheets in the center rack and set the oven at 425ºF.)

Keep dough covered until ready to use.

Brown ground beef in a skillet (coat skillet with cooking spray is using very lean beef or turkey) over medium-high heat. Saute until cooked through, season with salt & pepper; drain on a paper towel lined plate.

Whisk ketchup and mustard in a small bowl; set aside.

Combine lettuce, onion, tomatoes & pickles in a bowl; whisk mayonnaise and pickle juice together in a separate bowl.

Roll one dough ball on a lightly floured surface into a 7" circle; place on pizza peel or back of a baking sheet coated with cornmeal. Spread 3T ketchup mixture onto dough, leaving a ½" border.

Brush edge of crust with oil and sprinkle with 1 t. sesame seeds. Top sauce with 1/3 c beef and ¼ c cheese. Slide pizza from the peel onto the stone and bake until cheese melts 8-10 minutes (if using a baking sheet bake for 10-12 minutes); remove from ovens. Top pizza with ¼ salad mixture and drizzle with mayonnaise sauce.

Assemble & bake remaining pizzas the same way.

Note: Don't think you have to use all the dressing on top of the pizzas! Keep some for dipping the crust! Yummy!

Everyone Is Irish on St. Patrick's Day

If you're planning a St. Patrick's Day feast here are a few of my favorite recipes:

Side Dishes:
This Irish Brown Bread recipe is the closest I can get to the bread in Ireland. Mmmm...
If buying the wheat germ and wheat bran for one recipe is just more than you're willing to do, then try your hand at Boxty; it's a versatile potato pancake.
And don't just make potatoes, make Colcannon, a potato and cabbage dish.

Main Dishes:
Traditional Irish Stew is made with lamb but beef is easier (and less expensive) to obtain where I live. Either way this stew is fabulous!
Or try this Steak & Guinness Pie.
And, though corned beef isn't traditionally Irish you rarely see an American Irish celebration without it. This Whiskey Glazed Corned Beef is tender and delicious.


Desserts:
I absolutely love this Irish Tea Cake. It's sweet, great alone or with fruit and the leftovers are wonderful for breakfast!
And, though this isn't traditional Irish fare, nothing is more Irish than Guinness. So I present this Guinness Cake.


As for beverages... Keep the kettle on for tea, grab a bottle of "the Irish" (that's whiskey- with an "e"), some Guinness or Magners (Bulmers in Ireland) and you're set.

Don't forget to turn on some music! I like the Glengarry Bhoys (Juice
is a favorite in our house), Paddy Wagon (Live At the Dubliner is great fun) or anything by Loreena McKennitt or Celtic Woman for a great ambiance.

Sláinte!

Favorite Tools

When it was decided that my family would temporarily relocate to Boston for my husband's job it was difficult for me to leave my fully stocked kitchen. I have everything I need to make preparing meals easy and I was hesitant to leave them behind. Luckily we found a rental house with a nicely stocked kitchen and I only had to bring two items that have become essential to me.

The first thing I packed was my Magic Bullet.

I love this thing. I initially bought it to make baby food for my girls but I use it constantly to make bread crumbs, chop garlic, whip up smoothies... It's smaller and easier than digging out my big blender or food processor and so handy for the smaller jobs.

My second "can't live without" item is my Williams-Sonoma WS Professional Multi-Chopper. I asked for this for my birthday and then read so many bad reviews that I was worried when I received it. Most of the reviews said that it was hard to push down... Well, if you're cutting through an entire apple or potato all at once it's gonna take some force. I don't cut through in one swipe, but push down a couple of times and have no problem.

I think much of the issue is that a high counter top means you have to lift your arms higher to push the chopper down. A lower work space could solve the problem easily.


I can quickly slice an apple, cut french fries or slice potatoes. This saves me so much time since I am not a lightning fast chopper (and when I try I tend to cut myself).

The blades clean easily and everything stores inside the case. (You have to put the correct blade in the top for it all to fit, but it's easy enough to remember.) Love, love, love this.

Crispy Un-Fried Chicken and Popcorn Cauliflower

I'm actually a bit torn about this chicken recipe. Not that it isn't good- because it is- but because it seemed like kind of a hassle. And, honestly, the place I got it (an unsolicited "trial issue" of Cook's Country) was a bit pretentious for me, stating "no self-respecting fried chicken lover would dream of using anything other than bone-in chicken parts." Well, I'm sorry to disappoint the cooks but, having grown up on a farm and actually killing, plucking and taking apart entire chickens I'm well over anything having to do with chicken bones. I used boneless chicken breasts- I actually cut them into strips (gasp!)- and all was well.

But Caelan loved these, eating three strips, so this recipe will be appearing on my table again. Along with these simple and tasty popcorn cauliflowers, which both girls ate greedily. I suppose it's because they love popcorn...

Crispy Un-Fried Chicken
Serves 8

2 c buttermilk
2 T Dijon mustard
2 1/4 t salt
1 1/2 t garlic powder
1 1/2 t black pepper
1 t hot pepper sauce (I omitted this)
8 (split bone in) chicken breasts, 10 to 12 ounces each, skin removed, ribs trimmed with kitchen shears
2 1/2 c corn flakes (crushed. To do this place in a plastic bag and let the kids play steamroller over it with a rolling pin)
3/4 c fresh bread crumbs
1/2 t ground poultry seasoning (I omitted this)
1/2 t paprika
1/8 t cayenne pepper
2 T vegetable oil

Whisk buttermilk, mustard, 2 t salt, 1 t garlic powder, 1 t black pepper & hot sauce in a large bowl. Add chicken, turn to coat well, cover & refrigerate at least one hour or overnight.

Adjust oven rack to upper middle position and heat to 400 degrees. Line rimmed baking sheet with foil, set wire rack on sheet and coat with baking spray. (I used the broiler pan)

Gently toss corn flakes, bread crumbs, 1/2 t garlic powder, 1/2 t black pepper, 1/4 t salt, poultry seasoning, paprika and cayenne in shallow dish until combined. Drizzle oil over crumbs and toss until well coated. Dredge chicken, one piece at a time, in crumb mixture; firmly press crumbs into all sides of chicken. Place chicken on prepared rack, leaving 1/2 inch of space between pieces. Bake 35-45 minutes until chicken is deep golden brown, juices run clear and thickest part of the chicken breast (away from the bone) reaches 160 degrees.

Spice it up: increase the hot pepper sauce to 1T, replace salt in crumb mixture with 1/2 t chili powder and increase cayenne to 1/4 t.

This chicken reheats really well. Just heat the oven to 400 degrees and bake a few minutes. Or serve it cold.

Popcorn Cauliflower

Cut a head of cauliflower into small florets (about 3 c). Toss with 2T olive oil and 1/4 t pepper (I also added some garlic salt). Roast at 450 degrees, uncovered, until lightly browned stirring once or twice; about 20 minutes. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese & serve.

It's the Great American Pie Contest!

Do you have a “special” pie? You know, the one everyone requests when the family gets together? The one that people line up for at potlucks- before they have their meal? The one that brings teenagers home early on Friday night?

Then you may have a reason to head to Branson April 24 & 25. It’s the first annual Great American Pie Contest, sponsored by Branson and Taste of Home magazine with special guest Al Roker. There are several prizes including a first prize of $2500 and a 4-day/3-night Branson vacation for two.

The event is taking place at the Branson Convention Center, adjacent to the Hilton Branson Convention Center Hotel. Which has, quite conveniently, reserved a block of rooms just for the contest from April 20th-29th at a special rate (available until March 22nd or sold out, so grab your room fast!)

In case you’ve never been to Branson let me fill you in just a bit: there is something here for everyone! Stage shows abound for all ages, outdoor activities range from golf to boating & fishing to hiking the surrounding areas. Silver Dollar City and its theme parks are just minutes away. And the food… Dining of all types. (My personal favorite down in these parts is Lambert’s Café- Home of the Throwed Roll. It’s in Ozark, which is a bit of a drive, but SOOO worth it!)

If pie isn’t your thing (I can’t believe I wrote that… Who doesn’t like pie?) there are other great packages at the Hilton in Branson. Like the Bed and Breakfast package. Or the Shopping Package. Or the Ladies Night Out package.

But, really, just go for the pie…

Celebrating Easter - Away From Home

We've been in Massachusetts just a couple of weeks and are enjoying our stay, though we miss our family back home. So when Doug told me last week that our stay had been extended by three weeks I really didn’t think much about it, other than to say that it would give us a chance to explore the area a bit more and maybe catch some nice spring weather before heading home.

And then I realized that our extended stay means that we will be in Massachusetts for Easter. Because I love to cook for my large extended family (and we all settled within the same area) I usually invite everyone over for a large dinner after church. That’s obviously not going to happen this year.

So… What to do with just my little family? I don’t want to do much that will have to be taken home with us the following week, but I don’t want to “skip” Easter, either. So now I’m searching for easter party ideas for a small family away from home. No large hams and pounds of potatoes… Not a lot of crafts that the girls will insist on bringing half way across the country with us…

I’m kind of hoping we can do our Easter egg hunt on the beach. Maybe we’ll get sand toys as baskets…