Thai Pineapple Red Curry

I absolutely LOVE eating at Spicy Thai in Provo. It is amazing. I think this recipe comes pretty darn close to my favorite dish, Pineapple Yellow Curry. It is remarkably easy and comes together quickly, AND (this is my biggest hang-up when it comes to oriental food) you don't need a lot of crazy ingredients to make it. Also, don't mix up Thai curry with Indian curry - the two are totally different. Thai curry is bright and beautiful, and Indian curry ... well... it looks gross. THIS is Thai curry:

Gorgeous! I love eating with my eyes. I absolutely adore bright colors in my food and I think this dish fits that well. :) I made this vegetarian because I'm instituting Meatless Mondays, but you could easily add some rotisserie or leftover chicken to this dish, or even add extra water and poach thinly sliced raw chicken breast as you cook the veggies.  To serve with the curry I just made a simple jasmine rice. So yummy!

Thai Pineapple Red Curry (adapted from Fine Cooking)

1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
3 Tbsp. red Thai curry paste (on the Asian foods aisle in a small glass jar, near sauces)
2 c. snap peas, trimmed and cut in half on the diagonal
1 large shallot, thinly sliced
2 red bell peppers, thinly sliced
1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced

1 c. pineapple chunks, drained
14-oz. can coconut milk, well stirred
2 Tbsp. light brown sugar
Kosher salt
1 c. loosely packed Thai basil (or regular basil, torn into small pieces), optional
1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. fresh lime juice

Heat the oil in a 3-quart saucepan over medium-high heat until shimmering hot. Add the curry paste and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, 20 seconds. Take the pan off of the heat and stir in the snap peas, shallots, peppers, onion, pineapple, coconut milk, sugar, 1 c. water, and 1 Tbsp. salt. Stir to combine. Cover and cook until the vegetables are tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the basil and lime juice. Let rest off the heat for 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt.

Note: If available, add 6 wild lime leaves with vegetables. To make a meat dish, add 2-3 c. shredded rotisserie chicken.

Cantonese Orange Stir Fry

Beautiful. Simple. Comes together quickly, and presents pretty well! You can serve this with rice - since it was just me eating and it's hard to cook for one, I just left the rice out and ate the whole thing by myself. :) This would also be delicious with broccoli.

Cantonese Orange Stir Fry

For the Sauce:
1-1/2 tsp. cornstarch
2 tsp. soy sauce
1/4 c. homemade or lower-salt canned chicken broth
2 Tbsp. thawed frozen orange juice concentrate
1-1/2 tsp. oyster sauce
1 tsp. granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. minced fresh ginger

For the Stir-Fry:
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of any fat or sinew
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
Ground white pepper
1 c. sliced carrots (I used pre-cut matchsticks)
1 c. green bell pepper strips (2x1/3-inch strips)
1 c. sliced shiitake mushroom caps (I used cremini)
1 c. sliced red onions (1/2-inch slices)
2 Tbsp. very thinly sliced scallions
2 tsp. minced fresh ginger
2 tsp. minced garlic

For the Sauce:
In a measuring cup, combine the cornstarch with the soy sauce, whisking to blend. Then whisk in the chicken broth, orange juice concentrate, oyster sauce, sugar, and minced ginger.

For the Stir-Fry:
Cut the chicken across the grain into 1/4-inch slices, then into pieces 2 inches long and 1 inch wide. Season the chicken with kosher salt and a dash of white pepper; toss to combine. Fill a small bowl with water and keep it near the stove. Heat a 12-inch skillet or a stir-fry pan over high heat for 2 minutes. Add 1 Tbs. of the vegetable oil, swirl to coat the pan evenly, and heat until the oil just barely begins to smoke, about 30 seconds (only a light haze is necessary). Add the seasoned chicken. Let it sear for about 15 seconds and then begin to stir occasionally (every 10 seconds or so) until its raw appearance is gone but the center is slightly undercooked — 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.

Add the remaining 1 Tbsp. oil to the pan and swirl to coat evenly. Add the carrots, green bell peppers, mushrooms, and red onions and 1 Tbsp. water and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Add the scallions, ginger and garlic and continue to cook, stirring constantly, until the vegetables are crisp-tender, 1 to 4 minutes. If the bottom of the pan looks like it's starting to burn, add more water, 1 Tbsp. at a time.

Stir the chicken back into the pan and cook for another 30 seconds to reheat and blend the flavors. Whisk the sauce to recombine it. Pour the sauce into the pan, stirring well to coat evenly, and cook until it thickens, 15 to 20 seconds. Transfer the stir-fry to a bowl and serve immediately.

Easiest PB&C Ice Cream Sundae

If you like Peanut Butter and Chocolate, and you are also a fan of easy desserts / NOT really cooking, this is the best!



Peanut Butter and Chocolate Ice Cream Sundae

Vanilla Ice Cream
Chocolate syrup or ganache
Peanut Butter

Melt 1-2 Tbsp. peanut butter in microwave. Drizzle over a few scoops vanilla ice cream. Drizzle chocolate syrup or ganache over peanut butter, and serve. You could also crush up a few Reese's cups for an extra special treat, but I love it just like this!

PS: Ganache is really easy. Take chocolate chips (the higher quality, the better) and warmed heavy cream and mix together until smooth.

Classic Lasagna, Olive Garden Breadsticks, Salad: Comfort Food.

This dinner takes a bit of effort, I'll give you that. But it's more than 100% worth it.

"Almost Famous" Breadsticks

Classic Lasagna (my own original recipe):

Dried lasagna sheets (around 15)
15-oz. carton ricotta cheese (part-skim or whole)
1 egg, slightly beaten
2½ c. shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1/2 c. grated parmesan cheese
Meat sauce, recipe follows (need to prepare 2-3 hours in advance)

Preheat oven to 350° F. In a large pot of salted boiling water, boil noodles until al dente. Make sure they do not stick while cooking. When they are done, drain them, then lay them in a single layer on a plate so they do not stick.

In a large bowl, combine egg, ricotta, and parmesan. Cover the bottom of a 9x13 glass baking dish with a few ladlefuls of meat sauce. Cover the sauce with a single layer of noodles, overlapping if necessary. Spread half the ricotta mixture over the noodles, then sprinkle with 1 c. mozzarella, then cover evenly with 1/3 of meat sauce. Repeat the steps: noodles, ricotta, 1 c. mozzarella, sauce. The last layer is noodles then sauce. At this point, lasagna may be refrigerated or frozen until ready to bake.

Cover with foil and bake for about 45 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with remaining 1/2 c. mozzarella, then continue cooking an additional 15 minutes. Let lasagna sit and set up for at least 15 minutes prior to serving.

Sauce:
1 lb. ground beef
3/4 lb. mild or spicy ground Italian sausage
1 small onion, chopped
Large jar Ragu traditional spaghetti sauce
1/2 c. beef stock
1/2 c. red wine (optional)
2 Tbsp. butter
2-3 Tbsp. heavy cream

Brown ground beef, Italian sausage, and onion together. Add spaghetti sauce and beef stock. Allow to simmer for 2-3 hours. (This step is very important.) Right before assembling lasagna, stir in butter and cream.

Serving Suggestion: green salad and breadsticks, served with extra sauce for dipping

Note: Can prepare without boiling noodles – with the amount of sauce in this recipe, the lasagna does not turn out dry. Also, can prepare the night before and allow to sit in fridge overnight. Allow to come to room temperature before cooking, or put lasagna in cold oven before heating.

Mashed Potato Re-mix

I've found a GREAT new way to reduce the carbs and calories of mashed potatoes without sacrificing the cream and butter! It is minimal effort, as long as you're willing to trust me a little bit here!

The secret ingredient is CELERY ROOT. It has half the carbs and calories of potatoes, but when boiled and mashed, comes out with the exact same texture, and not a strong flavor at all! Celery root is the root ball of ... celery... and is sold right next to the celery in the produce section.

(Celery root (125 g): 50 calories, 0 g fat, 11.25 g carbs (2.5 g dietary fiber), 2.5 g protein. Potato (125 g): 108 calories, .4 g fat, 25 g carbs (2.2 g dietary fiber), 2.1 g protein. See??!)

VERY VERY IMPORTANT: You MUST use a food mill (or potato ricer) for this recipe. (If you don't have one, pick up the ricer - much cheaper and easier to store.) If you don't use one, don't blame me! (The celery root has tough fibrous pieces in the middle that do not mash out, and it creates a wretched texture. If you're okay with it then hey - by all means.) The food mill does not "puree" the veggies to a liquidy baby food consistency - instead, the potatoes are beautifully light and airy. So delish!

Celery Root and Potato Puree

3 large Idaho potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes, held in water until ready for use
Kosher salt
1 large celery root, tough outer parts removed, cut into 1-inch cubes
3/4 c. heavy cream (I used way less - 3/4 c. max)
1/4 c. cold butter, cut into pats
Special Equipment: Food mill

Place the potatoes in a pot large enough to accommodate the celery root and the potatoes. Make sure to add enough water to cover vegetables by 2 inches and season generously with salt. Bring the water to a boil. When the water has been boiling for about 10 minutes, add the celery root and cook until both vegetables are "fork tender". Strain the celery root and potatoes.

Put the cream in a small saucepan and bring it to a boil. Meanwhile, pass the celery root and potatoes through a food mill into a large bowl. Add about 1/4 of the hot cream and 2 pats of the butter. Stir vigorously until the cream and butter are thoroughly combined. Repeat this process until all of the cream and butter have been incorporated. Taste for seasoning, you will probably have to add salt. Serve in a warm serving bowl immediately or keep warm until ready to use.

Holiday Fudge - Simple, Delicious.

This fudge is amazing. I am going to make it plain, with peppermint extract and crushed peppermint on top, with almonds and marshmallow, maybe even a mocha version. I am also going to give it away as gifts because it's that pretty and that delicious.

Simple Chocolate Fudge

1 lb. quality chocolate, chopped*
1/4 c. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 tsp. salt

Line bottom of an 8-inch baking pan with parchment paper or wax paper. Heat all ingredients in a metal bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water, stirring occasionally until smooth. (You can also use the microwave - 30 seconds to a minute at a time, and stir often.)  Pour into baking pan and chill, uncovered, until firm, about 3-4 hours. Run a knife around edges of pan and invert fudge onto a work surface. Remove parchment and cut fudge into bite size pieces. Serve chilled.

*Note: Quality chocolate means anything you would eat plain.  I use Ghirardelli chocolate but use whatever you choose.  Also, you don't want to use chocolate chips because they contain additives to help them hold their shape.

Taco Sundaes - Ten Minute Meal!

This really is a great, quick and easy meal. My brother likes meals like this - no fuss, little clean up, ready in a flash. I especially love the extra *something* the corn adds. Also, the ranch instead of sour cream makes it a little more fun and adds a different flavor. This is also a great way to stretch a buck, because you only need a little meat, then you add beans and lots of lettuce and tomatoes and corn, and have a nice little meal. Yum!

Taco Salad

1 lb. ground beef
1 pkg. taco seasoning
2/3 c. water
1 can dark red kidney beans, drained
Chopped romaine lettuce
Chopped tomatoes
1 can corn, heated, or 1 c. frozen corn, cooked
Blue corn tortilla chips, crushed
Shredded cheese
Taco sauce
Ranch dressing

In a medium sauté pan over medium heat, brown ground beef; drain. Add beans, taco sauce, and water; stir well. Turn down heat and allow to simmer for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, assemble salads: layer lettuce, tomatoes, corn, chips, cheese, taco sauce, and ranch dressing. Top with meat mixture.

*Note: Adam likes to serve this with rice as well.  That adds about 10 minutes to the start-to-finish of the meal, but it does make the meal more hearty and it adds an extra something.  It is delicious!