Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Tasty served warm or room temp, this is a great alternative to sandwiches for a picnic.  I made these for the summer concert in the park series.  The main flavors come from the garlic and oyster sauce.  The water chestnuts and pine nuts add a crunch.  This can be an appetizer if served without the rice.

Chicken Filling

• 3-4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, minced
• 4 cloves minced garlic
• 1 can whole water chestnuts, drained and coarsely chopped
• 1 small zucchini, chopped
• 3 green onions, chopped
• oyster sauce to taste
• fish sauce to taste
• 3 tablespoons pine nuts
• cilantro, chopped

1. Heat pan and add a few swirls of oil.  Add garlic and cook till fragrant, but not browned.
2. Add chicken, oyster sauce and fish sauce until chicken is no longer pink on outside
3. Add zucchini and continue to cook till zucchini is tender
4. Add pine nuts, water chestnuts till warmed through
5. Take off heat and add green onions and cilantro

Serve with steamed white rice rolled in butter lettuce leaves

Mahi Mahi Salad with Ginger Soy Dressing

Made this for me and my dad

Mahi Mahi Basting Sauce:

• Sesame Oil
• Agave Syrup
• Rice Vinegar
• Garlic Powder
• Soy Sauce

Combine ingredients in a small bowl.  Baste first side of the fish, then place fish basted side down in a skillet over med-high heat.  Baste the top side. Turn after 5 minutes and once first side is browned.  Continue cooking and basting till completely cooked (about 10 minutes)

Dressing:

• Sesame Oil
• Grated Ginger
• Lime Juice
• Mustard
• Agave Syrup
• Soy Sauce
• Pepper

Spanish Rice

Made fish tacos with fixings for a pre-party dinner this July 4th.  Don’t have the exact measurements for the liquids used because I used a rice cooker

• 1/2 white onion, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups white Jasmine rice
• Chicken broth
• Tomato sauce (El Pato, preferred)
• 1/2 cup frozen corn (no need to thaw)

1. In a medium skillet, sauce the onions over medium heat until soft and translucent
2. Add the rice and fry until the kernels are less opaque
3. Add rice to the rice cooker
4. Add chicken broth until the liquid line hits the “1”
5. Add tomato sauce until the liquid hits “1 1/2”
6. Stir, then start the rice cooker.  Once the cook cycle has completed, stir the rice.  You may need to press the cook button again to help the rice absorb any leftover liquid.
7. Stir in the frozen corn and add salt to you preference

 

Pizza Topping Ideas

We have been making pizzas at home for about 4 years.  Recently, it has become more of a stable, ever since we realized that our preschooler loves it (no surprise!)  Our go to method:

1. Use  a store bought whole wheat dough.  It’s sweeter and has a nice texture compared to regular dough.
2. Drizzle a metal baking pan with oil and press the dough into the pan.
3. Often less is more-not too much sauce or topping otherwise you end up with a raw crust.  But most would argue that you could pile on the cheese!
4. Using light shredded cheese takes some of the guilt away since we eat this pretty often.
5. Bake at 425 degrees on the middle rack for 10-12 minutes, depending on the amount of toppings works our quite well.

The product is a pizza with a chewy, fluffy, ready crust!   Here are a few of my favorite combinations

the Chicago-Sausage, mushroom, provolone, pecorino and caramelized onion, pizza sauce – our favorite thus far. Can’t go wrong with pork!

the Naked Pizza-Bacon, mashed potato, roasted garlic, roasted cauliflower, sautéed spinach, ricotta, pecorino (no sauce)

BBQ Chicken-Store bought BBQ pulled chicken, red onion, sliced black olives, frozen roasted corn, mozzarella, BBQ sauce

Meatball Sub-Meatball, marinara, mozzarella, basil, pecorino

I would love to play around with figs and more roasted vegetables. Next pizza will be sausage, roasted bell pepper, basil for tomorrow night.

My favorite restaurant pizza combinations:

Spinach, garlic, ricotta, tomato sauce

Broccoli, tomato, olive, onion

Zucchini, Mushroom, Eggplant

California Summer Corn Salad

• 3 ears fresh corn, blanched
• 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/4 red onion, finely diced
• 2 small Persian cucumbers, chopped
• 1/2 red or orange bell pepper, diced
• 1/2 can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 2-3 strips of bacon (optional)
• juice from 1 juicy lime
• olive oil, or  substitute half the olive oil for bacon drippings
• salt and pepper to taste
• finely chopped jalapeno (optional)
• fresh cilantro, minced
• 2 avocados, chopped

Combine all the ingredients but the avocado in a bowl.  Adjust seasoning to taste.  Gently fold in the avocado

 

BBQ Baby Back Ribs

• 1 rack baby back ribs
• 1 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 3/4 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme

1. Combine the spices in a small bowl
2. Apply the spice rub over the meaty part of the ribs with your hands
3. Wrap the rib rack entirely in foil.  Place on a baking sheet bone side down.
4. Back at 275 degrees for 3 hours until the meat separates from the bone
5. Open the foil and brush some of the juices over the meat.  Then brush on some of your store bought BBQ sauce.  I like KC masterpiece hickory smoke sauce.
6. Place back in the oven uncovered until the BBQ sauce gets a little stickier
7. Serve with more BBQ sauce on the side

Loaded BBQ Pork Nachos and Guacamole

Served for the 4th of July party this year.  It was a hit!

• TJ’s Blue Corn Tortilla Chips
• 1 package (12oz) TJ’s Mexican Blend Shredded Cheese
• 1 container TJ’s ready-made pulled pork in BBQ sauce
• 1 onion thinly sliced and caramelized
• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can sliced olives
• Frozen roasted corn
• Guacamole using 4 avocados (see recipe below)
• 1 container pico de gallo or chopped fresh tomatoes

Using a baking sheet, spread half the chips, then sprinkle half the cheese over the chips and spoon half the BBQ pork, onion, beans, corn and olives

Add a second layer of chips, cheese, pork, onion, beans, corn and olives

Place in a 425 degree oven until cheese is melted

Remove from oven and spoon on pico de gallo and guacamole

Serve immediately

GUACAMOLE

• 4 ripe avocados
• 1/2 tomato, chopped
• 1/4 small red onion, finely diced
• jalepeno peppers, finely diced
• fresh lime juice to taste
• cumin to taste
• salt and pepper to taste
• chopped cilantro

1. Mash the avocado to desired texture.  I like having chunks for avocados left.  You could also mash 3 of the avocados, then stir in 1 diced avocado
2. Stir in the red onion, jalepenos, lime juice, cumin, salt, pepper and cilantro till well incorporated
3. Add tomatoes and gently combine
4.  Tope with cilantro for garnish

 

 

4th of July

It is once again that time of the year!  Having a home with an awesome view of the city fireworks is just asking for us to host for the festivities.  This year, we kept it more simple having a new 8-week old at home.  I did not want to prep, cook and clean all day this year.  Instead we opted to invite people for savory nibbles and dessert (ice cream sundaes=no prep time needed!).  This cut down on the prep and the guest list since less people are willing to trudge to our house for 3 hours or so and then fight traffic to go home.  I also asked for people to bring something which I hardly ever do….I think this was only the second potluck I’ve hosted.

Here’s a run-down of the menu

• BBQ Chicken Pizza:  Store-bought whole wheat dough topped with BBQ sauce, mozzarella, store-bought BBQ pulled chicken, thinly sliced red onion, sliced black olives, frozen roasted corn and cilantro to garnish
• Loaded Nachos with:  Store-bought BBQ pulled pork, BBQ sauce, Mexican blend cheese, black beans, caramelized onions, guacamole, pico de gallo
• Sundae Bar: Vanilla, Cookie Dough & Mint Chip Ice Creams.  Salted caramel sauce, hot fudge, sliced almonds, strawberries, bananas, brownies, sprinkles and whipped cream