Thai Chicken Curry

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 white onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, chopped
1 - 2 tablespoons green curry paste (I used 1-1/2 tablespoons)
1 (14 oz) can unsweetened coconut milk (I used the lite version)
1/3 cup chicken stock
1 - 3 tablespoons fish sauce (to taste)
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 cup bamboo shoots
Salt & pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the onion and garlic and cook until tender. Mix in the chicken and cook 10 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.

Pour in the coconut milk and chicken stock. Add the curry paste, fish sauce, brown sugar, and bamboo shoots. Season with salt and pepper.

Reduce heat to low and continue cooking for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Servings: 4

Notes: I was surprised at how much this recipe tastes like a Thai curry dish you might order in a Thai restaurant. It was a little two spicy for me with the 1-1/2 tablespoons of curry paste, so next time I'll cut back a little bit, or use yellow curry instead. But overall, it was a great recipe.

Andes Mint Brownies

1 box brownie mix
1 box Andes mint candies, unwrapped

Prepare brownies according to package directions. When the brownies are done, remove from the oven and cover the surface with mints. Let stand for a minute or until mints are thoroughly melted. With a knife or small spatula, spread the melted mints over the top of the brownies. Allow to cool completely before cutting.

Alternative 1: Mix chopped Andes mints into the brownie batter.
Alternative 2: Layer half the brownie batter into the baking dish. Add a layer of chopped Andes mints, then pour the remaining batter on top.

Notes: A few weeks ago a friend made these brownies using the layering method. I loved them, so I thought I'd give them a shot last weekend. I used fat-free brownie mix (so I wouldn't feel so guilty eating them), but the batter was too thick and sticky to create layers, so I just melted the mints to the top after the brownies were done baking. So tasty!

CB2

I have a new love, CB2. Have you heard of it? It's a "new destination from Crate & Barrel" as the website says. They have everything from furniture to dishes to accessories, and a lot of the items are at incredibly low prices, like the ones pictured below!





short cocktails - $2.95 each












whirly hanging candleholder - $3.95









olive dish - 3-part - $4.95












tear drop hanging vase - $3.95

Baked Ziti II

1 (16 oz) package ziti
24 oz ricotta cheese (I used low-fat instead of part-skim)
1 pound shredded mozzarella cheese
1 egg, beaten
1 (32 oz) jar pasta sauce
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add ziti and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain and rinse.

In a medium bowl, mix ziti, ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, egg and 1-1/2 cups pasta sauce.

Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish and spoon in ziti mixture. Top with remaining pasta sauce, followed by Parmesan cheese.

Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes; let stand for 15 minutes before serving.

Serving: 7
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Ready In: 1 hour
Recipe from Allrecipes

Notes: I made this for dinner tonight, and I was a bit disappointed with the result. Maybe using the low-fat ricotta cheese was a mistake. It just didn't have the flavor that I was expecting. The recipe isn't bad, it's just not anything special either. Both Kevin and I agreed that we like this Baked Ziti recipe much better. Our dinner guests didn't complain, so it wasn't a complete disaster. And the reviews on Allrecipes scored it very well, so apparently a lot of people like it, just not us.

Easy Tuna Noodle Casserole

1 (16 oz) package egg noodles, cooked
1 (7 oz) can tuna, drained (I used 2 cans of tuna.)
2 (10 oz) cans cream of mushroom soup (I used reduced fat.)
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup onion, chopped (Not in original recipe.)
2 teaspoons garlic, minced (Not in original recipe.)
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (Not in original recipe.)
Salt & pepper to taste (Not in original recipe.)
Chow mien noodles (I used bread crumbs.)

Combine all ingredients in a baking dish and top with chow mien noodles. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

(After cooking the noodles, I returned them to the pot, added the remaining ingredients, and heated them on the stovetop before cooking it in the oven. I baked the casserole covered for 20 minutes, and then uncovered for the remaining 10 minutes.)

Notes: I modified this recipe from one found in the Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church Cookbook of Greenbush Minnesota (published in 1993). The recipe looked a little too bland for my tastes, so I added a few ingredients (as mentioned above). If you're looking for an easy tuna casserole, this is the recipe for you. It's just your typical, everyday tuna casserole. Nothing fancy, but it makes a quick and easy dinner.

Tuna Lasagna

Kestrel was asking me if I had any tuna casserole recipes that I could share. I don't know if I've ever personally made a tuna casserole, but my mom used to make it all the time when I was growing up. I asked her to send me her recipe, and this is the one she sent. It was a recipe my grandma used to make, and apparently our whole family loved it; I can't remember. It's not a tuna casserole, but it's close. I think I'll try making it, but I might have to nix the Velveeta and replace it with Provolone or some other cheese. I'll let you know how it goes.

8 ounces lasagna noodles
1 (6 oz) package Mozzarella cheese slices
1/2 pound Velveeta cheese, sliced
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

SAUCE:
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 (7 oz) cans tuna, drained
1 (10 oz) can cream of celery soup
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Cook lasagna noodles according to package instructions.

In a large saucepan, saute onion and garlic in olive oil. Stir in tuna, soup, milk and seasonings. Cook until heated through.

In a 9x13 inch baking dish, layer half the noodles, mozzarella cheese, tuna sauce, Velveeta and Parmesan cheese; repeat layers.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Champagne Chicken

6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
6 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 cup butter, divided
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup shallots, diced
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup chicken stock
3/4 cup champagne
1-1/4 cups heavy cream
2 tablespoons chives, minced

Pound each chicken breast to an even thickness. Sprinkle each with 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice and black pepper.

In a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Add oil and saute chicken over medium-high heat, about 2 minutes per side, until nicely browned. Remove from pan, cover and keep warm.

In the same pan, melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Saute shallots until translucent. Add garlic and cook 2 minutes more, scraping up browned bits from the bottom of the pan.

Pour in chicken stock, champagne and remaining 3 tablespoons lemon juice. Bring to a boil and cook to reduce to a thin glaze. Add cream and boil for 6 minutes until thickened.

Return chicken to pan and heat through. Sprinkle with minced cloves and serve immediately.

Servings: 6
Recipe from Simply Classic: A Collection of Recipes to Celebrate the Northwest

Notes: This recipe turned out great. The sauce has a really interesting flavor that I liked more with each bite, but I can't really describe exactly what I liked about it. Unfortunately the shallot I purchased was moldy, so I had to use an onion, which I'm sure influenced the taste of the sauce. I'll have to try it again and see if it tastes better with a shallot. The only issue I had was that the chicken took a lot more than 2 minutes per side to cook, and that was even after pounding it. But overall, this was a winner. We'll definitely be making it again.

Sleepover Coffee Cake

CAKE:
2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup buttermilk
2/3 cup butter, softened
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons dry milk powder
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

TOPPING:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup pecans, chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 cup butter, melted

Grease and flour a 9x13 inch baking dish. In a large bowl, combine all cake ingredients and mix together on low speed until well blended (about 4 minutes). Place mixture into prepared dish.

Mix all dry topping ingredients together and sprinkle on cake mixture. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Drizzle the cake with melted butter. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until the top is brown.

Recipe from Simply Classic: A Collection of Recipes to Celebrate the Northwest

Notes: I made this last weekend, and it turned out great. It was easy to assemble, and I love that you can make it the night before and just bake it in the morning. Perfect when you have overnight guests. I did have to bake it longer than 30 minutes, so I just kept poking it with a toothpick until it came out clean.

Mexican Seven Layer Dip

1 (16 oz) can refried beans
1 cup sour cream (I used lite sour cream)
1 (1 oz) package taco seasoning mix
1 cup guacamole (or mashed avocados with lime juice)
1 cup salsa (or 1 cup diced tomatoes)
1 cup shredded Mexican-style cheese blend (I used the low-fat version)
1 (2.25 oz) can black olives, drained
1 bunch green onions, finely chopped

In a small bowl, blend the sour cream and taco seasoning.

In a shallow serving dish (I used a 9x9 Pyrex dish), spread the refried beans. Top with sour cream mixture. Spread on guacamole. Top with tomatoes, green onions, cheese and olives. Chill.

Serve with thick-cut tortilla chips.

Notes: I've seen this in a number of variations. Other possible ingredients include green chilies, jalapenos, lettuce, and ground beef or turkey. I've also so seen different sour cream/cream cheese combinations. Check out Allrecipes for more options. Also, if you're preparing this ahead of time and you're using salsa instead of tomatoes, wait until the last minute to add it to the dip. Depending on the liquid content of the salsa, it can make the dip a little too runny.

Easy Turkey Chili

1-1/2 teaspoons olive oil
1 pound ground turkey
1 onion, chopped
2 cups water
1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
1 (16 oz) can kidney beans, drained, rinsed, and mashed
1 (16 oz) can corn (not in original recipe)
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Place turkey in the pot, and cook until evenly brown. Stir in onion, and cook until tender.

Pour water into the pot. Mix in tomatoes, kidney beans, and garlic. Season with chili powder, paprika, oregano, cayenne pepper, cumin, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for at least 30 minutes. Top with cheddar cheese and sour cream and serve.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes +
Servings: 8
Recipe adapted from Allrecipes

Notes: It wasn't until I was making this chili that I realized it is almost identical to the Taco Soup recipe that I've already posted. I even added a can of corn, which made it even more similar. And like Taco Soup, this recipe comes together very quickly and tastes great. It wasn't as thick as traditional chili, so if you like it thick, don't add as much water. It was perfect for Super Bowl Sunday.

Chicken Milano

1 tablespoon butter (or substitute with olive oil)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped (I chopped them very small.)
1 cup chicken broth, divided
1 cup heavy cream (I used half & half to cut down on fat.)
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil (I substituted with dried basil.)
8 ounces dry fettuccini pasta (I used penne)

In a large saucepan over low heat, melt butter; add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and 3/4 cup of the chicken broth; increase to medium heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for about 10 minutes or until the tomatoes are tender. Add the cream and bring to a boil; stirring. Simmer over medium heat until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper on both sides. In a large skillet over medium heat, warm oil and saute chicken. Press on chicken occasionally with a slotted spatula. Cook for about 4 minutes per side or until the meat feels springy and is no longer pink inside. Transfer to a board; cover and keep warm. Discard the fat from the skillet.

In the same skillet, over medium heat, bring 1/4 cup chicken broth to a boil; stirring the pan juices. Reduce slightly and add to the cream sauce; stir in basil and adjust seasonings to taste.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add fettuccini and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain, transfer to a bowl and toss with 3 to 4 tablespoons of the sauce.

Cut each chicken breast into 2 to 3 diagonal slices. Reheat the sauce gently if needed. Transfer the pasta to serving plates; top with chicken and coat with the cream sauce; serve.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4
Recipe adapted from Allrecipes.

Notes: If you've had the Pasta Milano at the Macaroni Grill, this dish is very similar (minus the mushrooms). Kevin and I made it for dinner on Saturday night, and we both loved it. It comes together fairly quickly, but it is somewhat labor intensive. If you follow the directions, you'll have three pots going on the stove at the same time (which also means lots of dishes to wash). But in the end, it was worth it. From reading the reviews on Allrecipes.com, the sauce is even better the next day, but we didn't have enough left over to attest to that.

Super Bowl Grub

With the Super Bowl only days away, I'm still debating what to make. The web has tons of ideas, but I'm just having a hard time narrowing down my options. (I've never been good at making decisions.) If you're in the same vote, check out these resources for game day ideas and recipes.

Allrecipes Super Bowl Ideas & Recipes
Food Network Football Party Ideas
Epicurious Game Day Grub
MSN Football Favorites
iVillage 50 Super Football Party Recipes

In other Super Bowl related news, I was watching the Today Show this morning, and they had some interesting food-related facts regarding Super Bowl Sunday. For one, Super Bowl Sunday comes in second for largest food consumption in the US. I bet you can guess what day ranks number one. Yup, Thanksgiving. Pizza is the largest food item consumed on game day, but interestingly, veggie trays ranked right up there. Apparently more carrot sticks are eaten on Super Bowl Sunday than any other day of the year, and sales of avocados on game day are even higher than on Cinco de Mayo. Interesting, huh?

Back in Action

Sorry that I haven't been posting much lately. After a long weekend in Vegas, I think I'm still in recovery mode. There's been a serious lack of cooking in my house, replaced by a large consumption of Lean Pockets. A problem I hope to remedy shortly. And after gorging myself on one too many buffets in Vegas (BTW, the buffet at Bellagio is really good) and then making the mistake of getting on the scale this morning, I'm realizing that healthy recipes may have to become a larger part of my recipe box in the future, along with actually using the gym membership that I pay for every month.

While in Vegas, we had dinner at Lawry's, where I was the odd-man out and ordered the grilled salmon instead of a steak. I was also the only non-red wine drinker at the table, and opted for a couple glasses of Kendall-Jackson 2004 Riesling instead. If you've read over My Wine List, you know that I'm a newbie to the world of wine, and I'm slowing learning to acquire a taste for any wines that aren't sugary sweet. Living in the Northwest, I've also come quite accustomed to Washington and Oregon wines and wineries. But when I venture out of the state (aka Vegas), I immediately get panicked when I search the wine list for a recognizable name. I was pleasantly surprised with my selection and relieved that I found one I liked, especially since the cost of one glass of wine was almost double what I pay for an entire bottle of my typical wine of choice.

I've also been trying to catch up on all my blog reading. Anne over at Cooking with Anne just wrote a great post titled What's for Dinner? that's all about meal planning and dinner menu suggestions that could have been written specifically for me. It's loaded with great ideas and even includes her personal list of dinner menus...with recipes! Since I've decided that my goal for February is to come up with a weekday meal plan that Kevin and I will actually stick to, Anne's post will be a great resource.

But all thoughts of meal planning are going to have to wait until after the Super Bowl. Right now my head is swimming with tasty treats and yummy munchies to make for the big day. I'm thinking of making a modified version of Sandra Dee's Chunky Chili recipe that I saw on the Food Network tonight. I also considered making Puppy Chow that I've had at previous Super Bowl parties, but I'm worried about the waist-band expansion issue that I mentioned previously, and since Kevin doesn't like peanut butter, I'd be the only one eating it! (Don't judge the Puppy Chow by it's name. If you like peanut butter and chocolate, you'll love this recipe!) I'm also going to go on a hunt to find some candied smoked salmon, as well as search the web for a few other options to make for the big day. I'll let you know if I have any success! Go Seahawks!

Kendall-Jackson 2004 Riesling

TASTING NOTES: "Stone-fruit flavors of apricot, peach and spice deliciously mingle with hints of Anjou pear and bursts of jasmine. Tease your senses by absorbing the incredible aromas of this floral, crisp, yet fruity wine."

TECHNICAL INFO:
Total Acidity: 0.79g/100ml
Residual Sugar: 1.95%
Alcohol: 12.0%
Food Pairings: sweet flavored poultry or fish, Asian dishes, pungent cheeses, sausages, ham

My Thoughts: Crisp and fruity without being too sweet. Drier than I usually drink, but it paired well with salmon. I'll definitely be purchasing this wine again. And another perk...you can find it for less than $10 at the grocery store.