Our Old Favorite Stir Fry

Recently I talked about how my sister made the comment that I was fairly critical of stir fry recipes and I admitted that she is right (see this post). I mention that there is a recipe that there is an older Cooking Light stir fry recipe that we love that we used to make frequently and then for some reason have not made since I started blogging. Well, tonight I decided to revisit it to see if we still love it like we remember and in hopes of blogging about a chicken stir fry recipe that we really love. The recipe is for Kung Pao Chicken.

To make the Kung Pao chicken you start by adding a little bit of oil a non-stick skillet or a wok if you happen to have one. Then add the broccoli florets and some of the ginger and saute for a couple of minutes. Then add just a little bit of water and cover the pan and let the broccoli stem until it is done like you like it. For stir fries I like to have my vegatables slightly on the crunchy side. Then remove the broccoli from the pan and set aside. Add the rest of the oil to the pan along with the remaining ginger, crushed red pepper and chicken. Saute for a couple of minutes. While the chicken is cooking add the chicken broth, hoisen sauce, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, cornstarch, and minced garlic to a bowl and wisk it all together. Then add the sauce to the pan and let it cook for about a minute until it thickens. Then add the broccoli and toss it to mix everything together and coat it with the sauce. Serve over hot rice and top with peanuts. I did make two additions to the recipe by adding bamboo shoots and onions to it. I love both bamboo shoots and onions and think they work well with the broccoli and add a little complexity and more texture to the dish. Also, the pictures are of Russ' plate without peanuts since he doesn't care for them in his food; I on the other hand love the crunch and saltiness that they add.

I absolutely love this simple stir fry. It takes little preparation, cooks quickly and is an entire meal in and of itself. Now, if you don't happen to keep ingredients like hoisen sauce, rice wine vinegar and ginger around I don't want this to turn you off from this recipe. When I first started cooking I wanted to try different Asian recipes, but was concerned that I would end up with a fridge and pantry full of bottles of sauces that I would never use again. Well, I finally bit the bullet and bought hoisen sauce and made this recipe. I now have a pantry and fridge full of Asian ingredients that all get used frequently. Back to my review... I really enjoy the slightly sweet, yet spicy sauce in this dish. The sauce really makes this for me and is part of why I am often critical of sauces in other stir fries. I think this sauce is incredibly well balanced with a hint of sweet from the hoisen sauce and a punch of flavor from the garlic and rounded out with a kick from the crushed red pepper. We usually serve this over brown rice, but tonight we used white as we were out of brown. Both work well, but we prefer the brown as white tends to be fairly bland. Russ rates this a 9.

Since Cash has not made an appearance on the blog in far too long here are a few new ones of him including one in his Halloween costume!

Tough on Stir Fry

The September Cooking Light had a section on stir fry recipes and despite loathing stir fry night as a child I now am drawn to stir fry recipes and had to give the Curried Chicken and Cashews recipe a try. To make the dish you start by combining the chicken broth, water, fish sauce, sugar and rice vinegar and setting it aside. You then cut the chicken into strips. Once cut heat the oil in the pan and then sauté the chicken in batches until cooked. When the chicken is cooked set it aside and add more oil to the pan. Then sauté the onion, ginger and garlic for one minute or until lightly brown. I added red bell pepper to the dish, so I added it right before the onions and then let it continue to sauté with the onions etc. Then add the curry powder and chiles to the pan and sauté for a few minutes. Next add the chicken back into the pan and the sauce and let it cook for a couple of minutes. Serve it over rice and top it with cilantro and cashews.

I talked to Jess on the phone shortly after making this dish and told her that it was just okay. She commented that I am a tough critic on stir fry dishes on the blog. I think she is right; I am tough on stir fry dishes. To me there are two keys to an excellent stir fry 1. not overcooking or undercooking the ingredients and 2. a tasty sauce. The first just takes practice to make sure you get the vegetables cooked, but not limp or that you don’t leave them to crispy. This is somewhat personal preference too. I tend to like them cooked through, but with some texture left and definitely not limp and overcooked. The sauce is where I think I tend to become critical on a new recipe. To me it does not take an inordinate number of ingredients to make a tasty sauce, but I want it to have some complexity, some heat, and a fairly substantial flavor. To me the sauce in this dish was not complex or substantial. It did have some heat from the chiles and I did like the curry powder in it, however, the rest of the sauce just fell short and left the dish somewhat bland. All in all there are better recipes out there including one that was a staple in our house in the pre-blog days and has yet to make an appearance on the blog (not to self, add it into the rotation in the next few months) and a few that have made an appearance such as . This was quick and easy and I did enjoy the curry and cashew combination and the addition of red bell peppers, but I don’t think I’ll make it again. Russ was in agreement rating it a 7.

Curried Chicken and Cashews, Cooking Light September 2008

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 cup chicken mixture and 3/4 cup rice)

1/3 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
3 tablespoons water
1 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
3/4 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
1 1/2 cups vertically sliced onion
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon Madras curry powder
3 small dried hot red chiles, broken in half
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup dry-roasted salted cashews, chopped
3 cups hot cooked short-grain rice

To prepare sauce, combine the first 5 ingredients; set aside. Cut chicken across grain into 1/4-inch slices; cut slices into 1/2-inch-wide strips. Cut strips into 3-inch-long pieces. Heat a 14-inch wok over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil to wok, swirling to coat. Add half of chicken to wok; stir-fry 2 minutes. Spoon cooked chicken into a bowl. Repeat procedure with 2 teaspoons oil and remaining chicken. Add remaining 1 teaspoon oil to wok, swirling to coat. Add onion, ginger, and garlic to wok; stir-fry 1 minute or until lightly browned. Add curry powder and chiles; stir-fry 30 seconds. Add sauce and chicken to wok; stir-fry 1 minute. Spoon into a serving dish. Sprinkle with cilantro and cashews. Serve over rice.

What became a PB and J Night...

Over the past few years I have had some real flops in the kitchen where Papa John’s has ended up with a late night delivery to our house. There was the infamous night where the beer cheese soup never thickened, tasted terrible, and then I severely burned microwave popcorn… and there was the night where I very unsuccessfully attempted to make crepes… or the eggplant pasta sauce that was inedible (ended up at Surin that night)… well you get the picture. Tonight will get added to the list as a dinner that just didn’t turn out. Now this one is a little different from the others in that in hindsight I should have know from reading the recipe that it just wasn’t going to be very tasty. I made Cooking Light’s Sesame Shrimp Salad and as everyone (except my Mother who eats salad dry – no dressing) the salad dressing plays a fairly key role in the overall taste. Well, the main ingredient in the salad dressing for this salad is fish sauce. Now, I do eat and like fish sauce when it is a minor ingredient in a larger more complex sauce that is hot, but cold fish sauce as the main ingredient… just not my thing. Just the pungent smell is really enough to turn me off from the entire salad. Now, some people may think the salad is great and it did have redeeming qualities like the use of mint in the greens. As a whole though this just didn’t do it for us and I blame the dressing. We had PB and Js and they were tasty and didn’t smell like fish. Russ rates the salad a 5.

Stir Fry Night

As I mentioned in my last post I was just in a rut trying to decide what to make for dinner this week. I think I was also fairly tired because not counting last night’s very involved dinner I only selected fairly quick and easy meals for the menu. Tonight I went back to my New Year’s Resolution of using my underused and never used cookbooks. This is actually (Jess, sit down so you don’t faint)… the second time this year I have used one of my previously underused cookbooks, Southern Living’s Light and Easy Comfort Food. Tonight I made the Beef, Pepper, and Shiitake Mushroom Stir Fry from its Cooking for Two Section.

To make the stir fry you start by slicing the peppers, mushrooms, steak, shallot, and garlic (mince the garlic). Then heat the oil and cook the beef. Then remove the beef and wipe out the skillet. Then add all the vegetables except the mushrooms and stir fry for a couple minutes (I actually used more peppers than the recipe called for, so I did mine longer than the 1 minute the recipe says). Then add the mushrooms and stir fry for a couple minutes. Then stir in the wine and let it cook for a minute or so. Then add the broth and bring to a simmer for at least 3 minutes. Then add the beef back in and finally add the basil, salt, and pepper.

This was super fast and easy to make. The brown rice took the longest, but since I started it first it was ready by the time the stir fry was done. I love peppers and mushrooms and they really are showcased in this dish. The beef was tender and complemented the vegetables well. The sauce while very simple and fast was nothing exciting and a little bland. I love stir fry dishes and I think that this has a good base with the three colors of peppers and the shiitakes, but I think the sauce left a little to be desired. I think next time I’ll go with a stir fry similar to this one or this one both are still quick and easy, but their sauces have just a few more ingredients that give them a more exciting and tasty flavor. Next time I will use the tenderloin instead of the other cuts of beef (that the other stir fry recipes call for) and include the shiitakes. All in all it was super easy and a great week night meal. Russ rates the stir fry an 8.

Beef, Pepper, and Shiitake Mushroom Stir Fry, Southern Living Light and Easy Comfort Food
Serves 2

Cooking spray
1 teaspoon olive oil, divided
1 (6 oz) beef tenderloin steak, cut into ½ inch strips
½ cup sliced shallots
½ cup (1/4 inch thick) strips green bell pepper
½ cup (1/4 inch thick) strips red bell pepper
½ cup (1/4 inch thick) strips yellow bell pepper
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups sliced fresh shiitake mushroom caps (about 1 [3 and ½ oz] package)
¼ cup dry white wine
½ cup fat-free, less sodium beef broth (such as Swanson)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 and ½ cups hot cooked rice, cooked without salt or fat

Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray; add ½ teaspoon oil, and place over medium-high heat until hot. Add beef; stir-fry 2 minutes. Remove beef from skillet; set aside. Wipe drippings from skillet with a paper towel.

Heat remaining ½ teaspoon oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallots, bell pepper strips, and garlic; stir-fry 1 minute. Add mushrooms; stir-fry 2 minutes. Stir in wine, and cook 1 minute. Add broth; reduce heat, and simmer 3 minutes. Return beef to skillet; cook 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in basil, salt, and pepper. Serve over rice.

Maybe I don't have a sweet tooth after all...

Russ and I have lots of things in common and overall our tastes in foods are very similar. When we eat out we frequently are considering some of the same options from the menu and can predict what the other will order. I always want a bite of whatever Russ is having and he (whether he admits it or not) wants one of mine. However, tonight we found out a difference in our taste preferences that we had never known. Tonight’s dinner had a very sweet flavor to it. While you are probably thinking that I loved it Russ and didn’t care for it since I (hands down, no questions asked) have the bigger sweet tooth, you would actually be wrong. While I don’t think either of us has ever thought about it before, we discovered tonight that when it comes to meals I prefer savory while Russ enjoys both savory and sweet. Who knew!

Tonight for dinner we tried Fine Cooking’s recipe for Shrimp Stew with Coconut Milk, Tomatoes, and Cilantro. To make it you start by peeling and deveining the shrimp and tossing them with salt. Then heat the oil and add the bell pepper and cook until it is tender. Then add the scallion whites, cilantro, garlic, and red pepper flakes and cook for about a minute. Then add the tomatoes and coconut milk and bring it to a simmer. Let it simmer and reduce for about 5 minutes. Then add the shrimp in and let them cook until they are just cooked through. The recipe says to cover it partially with the lid and let cook for 5 minutes, however, Russ and I used 1 lb of shrimp and not 3 lbs and it took just about 2 minutes for them to cook through. Then add the lime juice and serve it over rice garnished with the green part of the scallions and rest of the cilantro.

This was very good, but way too sweet for my tastes. I would cut the coconut milk back by half next time at first and taste it as I go. I also could not find my favorite brand of coconut milk and had to use my not favorite brand which I find to be sweeter and I believe it is coconut cream which may be my problem… Russ really liked the sweetness and would not change a thing, so next time I might let his cook a little longer and add more coconut milk to it for that sweet flavor he liked. Besides it being too sweet I really enjoyed the dish. It does have some complexity to the flavor with the cilantro and red pepper flakes. We both really liked the tomatoes in it as it added great flavor and texture. The entire meal came together very quickly and is great for a weeknight meal. Russ rates it a 9. I will say this is the first time I would really disagree with his rating. If the sweetness were cut in half I would then agree and give it a 9. I highly recommend this dish, but make sure you get coconut milk and start with half the can and add more if you think it needs it.

Shrimp Stew with Coconut Milk, Tomatoes, and Cilantro, Fine Cooking
Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients:

3 lb. jumbo (21 to 25 per lb.) shrimp, peeled and deveined Kosher salt2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil1 large red bell pepper, sliced into very thin 1-1/2-inch-long strips4 scallions, thinly sliced (white and green parts kept separate)1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro4 large cloves garlic, finely chopped1/2 to 1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes14.5-oz. can petite-diced tomatoes, drained13.5- or 14-oz. can coconut milk2 Tbs. fresh lime juice

In a large bowl, sprinkle the shrimp with 1 tsp. salt; toss to coat, and set aside.
Heat the oil in a 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the bell pepper and cook, stirring, until almost tender, about 4 minutes. Add the scallion whites, 1/4 cup of the cilantro, the garlic, and the pepper flakes. Continue to cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 to 60 seconds.

Add the tomatoes and coconut milk and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer to blend the flavors and thicken the sauce slightly, about 5 minutes.
Add the shrimp and continue to cook, partially covered and stirring frequently, until the shrimp are just cooked through, about 5 minutes more. Add the lime juice and season to taste with salt. Serve sprinkled with the scallion greens and remaining 1/4 cup cilantro.

My Notes: We used 1 lb. of shrimp for the two of us and it was more than enough.

Reconciliation with Orange Juice

I grew up drinking orange juice almost every day with breakfast. My Mother has never been a coffee drinker, but she has to have a glass of orange juice each morning to kick start her day. So, as a child I did the same. As I grew older I discovered coffee and loved it, so my morning juice was replaced by hot cup of coffee. I still would drink orange juice from time to time until one day…. I spent spring semester of my sophomore year studying in Granada, Spain. I loved absolutely everything about it including the food and drinks. My host mother, Gloria, was an amazing cook that made the most fantastic paella, fish soup, tortilla, and the list goes on and on. I also found a love for espresso, Cola Cao, different teas, and a renewed love of fresh squeezed orange juice. Most weekends I would travel either with my program or my two sisters, Jess and her best friend Gail, who were both working in Granada while I was studying. In general the cheapest and fastest ways to travel short distances in Spain is by bus. One of my last weekends in Granada, Gail and I decided to make a day trip to Córdoba so I could see the amazing Mosque there. We left early that morning and despite Gloria leaving breakfast sitting on the table for me I was in such a hurry that I decided to just grab something at the bus station. That morning I wasn’t too hungry, but I couldn’t pass up a large glass of fresh squeezed orange juice. Let’s just say that the combination of an empty stomach, a large glass of juice, curvy roads, and a packed bus didn’t work out very well for me. That was over five years ago and since that day I have not picked up a glass of orange juice or cooked with orange juice until the last few months. I guess I have finally gotten over my association of orange juice and the bus ride to Córdoba. Tonight’s dinner is one that even six months ago I would have passed by, but now that I am slowly learning to love orange juice again I decided to give it a try.

Tonight I made Orange Chicken with Scallions from the November issue of Fine Cooking. To start you use a vegetable peeler to peel large pieces of zest from an orange. You then juice the orange and add soy sauce, rice vinegar, crushed red pepper flakes, and light brown sugar to it. You set all of this to the side. You then use a mini food processor to combine the cornstarch, egg whites, and salt. Then you cut up the chicken into small pieces and sprinkle it with the remaining salt. The chicken is then tossed with the cornstarch mixture and sautéed in a hot non-stick pan with a little oil. You need to do the chicken in two batches in order to allow room for the chicken to not touch and be able to brown. The chicken is then removed from the skillet and placed on paper towels to drain any excess oil. You then put the large pieces of orange zest in the skillet for about 30 seconds and then add the orange juice mixture. The chicken and white scallions are then added to the skillet for a few minutes until the sauce reduces and glazes the chicken. I served the chicken over brown rice with a side of green beans.

Russ and I really liked this dish; however, there was a slight bitter taste to it that most likely came from the zest. The pieces of zest I used did not have any pith on it, but the vegetable peeler does go deeper into the skin than a zester does. I would recommend not using the vegetable peeler and going with a zester which is not only quicker, but also should eliminate the bitterness. Overall the taste was wonderful and we liked the small pieces of chicken and the orange flavor. Russ rates the meal an 8.

Orange Chicken with Scallions, Fine Cooking November 2007
Serves two to three.

1 large navel orange
1 Tbs. soy sauce
1 Tbs. rice vinegar
2 tsp. light brown sugar
1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch cubes
¾ tsp. kosher salt
2 large egg whites
1/3 cup cornstarch
3 to 4 Tbs. canola or peanut oil
4 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced (keep whites and greens separate)

Using a vegetable peeler, shave the zest from the orange in long, wide strips. If necessary, remove any large patches of bitter white pith from the zest strips with a paring knife. Juice the orange in a small bowl and mix with the soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, and red pepper flakes.

Sprinkle the chicken with ½ tsp. of the salt. In a mini food chopper or food processor, process the egg whites, cornstarch, and the remaining ¼ tsp. salt until smooth. In a medium bowl, toss the chicken with the cornstarch batter.

Heat 2 Tbs. of the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet or large stir-fry pan over medium-high heat until shimmering hot. Using tongs, transfer about half the chicken to the pan. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, flipping every minute or so, until the chicken browns and crisps all over and is firm to the touch, 3 to 4 minutes. With clean tongs, transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate. Add the remaining 1 Tbs. oil to the skillet (or 2 Tbs. oil if the pan seems very dry) and repeat the cooking process with the remaining chicken; transfer to the plate.

Put the orange zest strips in the skillet and cook, stirring, until they darken in spots, 15 to 30 seconds. Stir the orange juice mixture and add it to the pan. Let it boil for about 10 seconds and then add the chicken and the scallion whites. Cook, stirring often, until the sauce reduces to a glaze and the chicken is just cooked through – check by cutting into a thicker piece – 1 to 2 minutes. If the chicken isn’t cooked through but the glaze is cooking away, add a couple tablespoons of water and continue cooking. Serve sprinkled with the scallion greens.

A Similar Yet Different Stir Fry

Lately I have been in the mood for a stir fry with lots of veggies and some warm brown rice. Since we have an abundance of ripe green peppers in our garden I wanted to find a stir fry recipe that would use them as a main ingredient. I did a search and ended up deciding on an older CL recipe called Three Pepper Beef.

One of the great things about making a stir fry is that it cooks very quickly. Brown rice on the other hand takes about 45 minutes. So to get things started I got the rice going first. Then I sliced the flank steak (across the grain and very thin) and mixed it in a bowl with a little cornstarch, sugar, and salt. In a separate bowl I whisked together cornstarch, sugar, soy sauce, beef broth and soy sauce. I then prepped the rest of the ingredients by slicing the green onions, cutting the peppers and onion into thin strips (green, red, and yellow ones), trimming the sugar snap peas, and mincing the garlic and ginger. Then in a non-stick skillet I heated the oil (I used dark sesame oil instead of veggie oil) and sautéed the onions, ginger, and garlic. I then added the beef mixture and let it cook for a couple minutes. You then remove the beef mixture and stir fry the remaining veggies until they are almost done. Lastly you add the beef mixture and sauce into the pan and let everything cook together for a couple minutes until the sauce has thickened. Serve it over the rice.

I was excited to not only use the green peppers from our garden, but also to try cooking sugar snap peas for the first time. Unfortunately the green peppers from our garden had a distinct bitter taste to them. I am not sure if they were not ripe enough or if we they are simply not allowed to grow to their full potential in both size and flavor due to being in pots... I am still working on a green thumb. As far as the stir fry we both really liked it, however, Russ thought I had served it before... It was a new recipe for us, but I believe he was confusing it with the Ginger, Beef, and Green Bean Stir Fry I made not too long ago. While the two are similar I actually prefer the flavor of the sauce from the ginger stir fry over tonight's. Tonight's was good, but the sauce was a little too plain for me. I did however love the flavor and color of the red and yellow peppers and sugar snap peas in it. Maybe next time I'm in the mood for stir fry I'll combine the two recipes. Russ rates tonight's stir fry a 8.

A Colorful, Tasty Stir Fry

The August CL is the first issue in the past few months that has really gotten me excited to try lots of new recipes. This issue has lots of recipes that caught my eye and had me dog ear the page. I decided to not waste any time and go ahead and give one a try tonight. One of the recipes stood out to me as it looks very similar to one of our favorite dishes from Surin. So, I decided to give the Ginger, Beef, and Green Bean Stir Fry a try.

To make the dish you sauté chopped garlic, ginger, and green onions in a little dark sesame oil. You then add the sliced beef and sauté it for a few minutes. You then remove the beef mixture and sauté the green beans and red peppers for a few minutes. Then you add the beef mixture back into the pan and add the sauce to it. The sauce has chicken broth, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, chili garlic sauce, and cornstarch. You bring the sauce to a boil and then cook it for another minute. The beef, veggie, sauce mixture is then plated over white rice.

Russ and I really liked this dish. I followed the recipe exactly and used the sirloin that it called for, however, next time I think I will use flank steak instead. We didn’t like the texture of the sirloin compared to that of flank steak. We also thought that brown rice would have worked well with this dish. The only other changes I would make is to maybe add sliced onion to the stir fry and try adding some fresh basil at the very end (like the dish we like from Surin has). This stir fry had great flavor and I really liked the green beans and red pepper in it. They add great flavor, texture, and color to the dish! This one will definitely be repeated in our house. Russ rates the stir fry a 9.

A Tasty Take on Grilled Chicken

Russ and I went to the beach this past weekend for a long weekend to celebrate our first anniversary. We had a wonderful, relaxing time and the only thing we cooked were eggs two mornings and Russ cooked them. I can’t believe how little I have cooked this month. I have actually really missed it and am anxious to get back in the kitchen. I did take my two latest issues of Fine Cooking with me to the beach. I have cooked some out of each, but wanted to spend some more time checking out the other recipes. Tonight I picked one recipe out of each for dinner, Grilled Thai Chicken Breasts with Herb-Lemongrass Crust and Roasted Asparagus with Lemon and Olive Oil.

The Grilled Thai Chicken marinates in a fragrant coconut milk, spice blend for at least two hours. To make the marinade you combine the coconut milk, lemongrass, cilantro, basil, garlic, jalapeno, salt, pepper, ground coriander, and brown sugar. This is all supposed to pureed in a blender or food processor, however, I forgot this step and did not puree the mixture. I halved the marinade since we only used three chicken breasts instead of twelve. Also, I marinated my chicken in a ziploc bag instead of a shallow pan. I tend to always marinate in a ziploc bag, so that I can just toss it when I am done and have one less dish to clean. It needs to marinate at least two hours, so I did the marinade at lunch and let it marinate for about five hours until we were ready to grill it for dinner. Russ did an excellent job grilling it on the Egg.

The chicken had a wonderful flavor to it. We didn't think it screamed Thai, but maybe more Caribbean in flavor. No matter the nationality it was nice sweet, fresh, and a little bit spicy. Next time I think I'll try to start it marinating in the morning to capture a little more of all the flavors. We also thought it could have used a little more kick from the jalapeno. My jalapeno was a little small, so I probably should have used two. I also think that had I pureed the marinade that it would have given more of a crust (hence the name) to the chicken. As a bonus it smelled very fragrant from the coconut juice and all the fresh spices. All in all we thought is was an excellent dish that gets a 10 from Russ!

For the sides I decided to keep them simple, so as not to compete with the chicken. The asparagus is a quick and easy recipe that roasts the asparagus in a little olive oil and salt. Once they are roasted you season them with fresh lemon juice and salt. I also served fresh tomato slices with it. The asparagus was also a winner tonight. It was a very simple dish that produced asparagus with a great, fresh taste to them. The lemon juice was a nice complement to the roasted flavor of the asparagus. This is a great, easy way to prepare asparagus when you want a solid side that won't take center stage. Russ also rated the asparagus a 10!

Both recipes were hits tonight receiving 10s from Russ! I have only been receiving Fine Cooking since the beginning of the year, but it is quickly becoming a favorite of mine. We have had great success with all the recipes we have tried from it. Both the chicken and the asparagus will be repeaters for us.

On somewhat of a side note, I was excited to use basil and a jalapeno out of my garden in the marinade for the chicken. I have a small herb and vegetable garden in pots this summer. Russ and I will be redoing some of our backyard later on this summer, so I decided to do a smaller garden and keep it all in pots for now. I have already picked out a spot for my future garden once the backyard is complete. I hope to make it a year round garden with lots of herbs and vegetables. I’ll try and remember to take a picture of my current potted garden soon to post.

(Cash also went to the beach and had a blast! I have included a few pictures of him from this past weekend.)

Grilled Thai Chicken Breasts with Herb-Lemongrass Crust
Serves twelve.

1 ½ cups chopped fresh cilantro
¾ cup coconut milk
¼ finely chopped lemongrass (from about 2 stalks)
12 fresh basil leaves
3 Thai bird chiles, 2 jalapenos, or 2 medium serranos, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 ½ Tbs. Kosher salt
2 tsp. packed light brown sugar
1 ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
¾ tsp. ground coriander
12 boneless, skinless chicken breasts halves (5 to 5 ½ lb.), trimmed
2 limes, cut into wedges for serving

Combine 1 ¼ cups of the cilantro with the coconut milk, lemongrass, basil, chiles, garlic, salt, brown sugar, pepper, and coriander in a food processor or blender and puree until smooth. Arrange the chicken breasts in a nonreactive baking dish or other vessel large enough to accommodate them in a snug single layer. Pour the marinade over the breasts and turn to coat well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 1 day.

Heat a gas grill to medium / high or prepare a medium charcoal fire. Grill the chicken (covered on a gas grill) until it has good grill marks on the first side, 4 to 5 minutes. Flip the chicken (cover a gas grill) and continue to cook until firm to the touch and completely cooked through (check by making a cut into one of the thicker breasts) about 5 to 6 more minutes. Transfer the chicken to a platter and let rest for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining ¼ cup cilantro and serve with the lime wedges.

Roasted Asparagus with Lemon and Olive Oil
Serves six.

2 lb. Asparagus, preferably think spears (about two bunches)
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
2 to 3 tsp. fresh lemon juice; more as needed

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat oven to 450 F. Snap off the ends of the asparagus spears. Put the asparagus on a large, rimmed baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Gently toss the asparagus with the oil until it’s evenly coated. Distribute the asparagus so that it’s in an even layer. Sprinkle generously with salt and roast until tender (bite into a spear to check), 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer the asparagus to a platter, toss with lemon juice, and salt to taste, and serve.

Salmon for the Beer Bottlers

Tonight Allen came over to bottle the beer with Russ (the second step of the process), so I cooked dinner for the three of us. I have been wanting to try a recipe in one of Ina Garten's cookbooks for Eli's Asian Salmon, so I decided to try it out tonight.

The salmon recipe is very quick and easy since you put together a few items for a simple marinade that you pour over the salmon and then you add the panko and pour the remaining marinade over it. The salmon then bakes at a high temperature in the oven for about 18 - 20 minutes. The only issue I had with baking it is that the sauce that ran off the salmon burned. The fish itself didn't burn and was moist and flavorful, but the house smelled like the burned sauce. To go with the salmon I decided to serve sauteed spinach and to try another of Ina's recipes, Garlic and Herb Tomatoes. The tomatoes are cooked on the stove top with a few fresh herbs and minced garlic. They are also very quick and easy.

Allen loved the salmon and Russ and I both liked it a lot. The topping was a little on the salty side (despite using reduced sodium soy sauce) and it didn't crisp up as I had hoped it would. I did like the flavor and I enjoy using Asian sauces / flavors with fish. All in all I think I may repeat the salmon, but at the same time I may keep going and look for other Asian style fish recipes. The tomatoes on the other hand I absolutely loved and the boys thought they were good, but not great. I thought the fresh herbs, garlic, and olive oil really brought out the flavor of the tomatoes. I really could have eaten a bowl of the tomatoes with crusty bread and been perfectly happy. The tomatoes are definitely a repeater for us. Russ rates the salmon a 7 and the tomatoes I give a 9. All in all it was a simple and fast meal that was tasty.

Light Lettuce Wraps

Tonight we wanted a lighter meal where we could take advantage of the nice weather. We went with a recipe we have made once before and enjoyed. It is Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps from the January 2006 CL. While the recipe says to grill the chicken indoors we enjoyed the nice weather by grilling and eating outside.

This is a simple recipe that involves you putting together a marinade for the chicken and letting it sit for 1 hour. I made the marinade as soon as I got home from work and then Russ and I took Cash on a long walk while we waited on it. When we got back Russ got the grill going and grilled the chicken while I washed the lettuce and got the other toppings ready. I did double the marinade and used iceberg and romaine since the grocery store was out of Boston bib lettuce. Besides these changes and grilling outdoors we followed the recipe as is.

These have a wonderful fresh taste and all the toppings work really well together to add flavor and crunch. We both enjoyed this meal and the added bonus of how simple it is to both prepare and clean up. If the chicken didn’t have to marinate for an hour it would be a quick and easy meal. This is one that will definitely be repeated this summer at our house. In fact, it would even make a wonderful lunch at home on a Saturday or Sunday. We also look forward to using the leftover mint in Mint Juleps this weekend! While it is not the actual Derby Day weekend it is close enough! Russ rates these wraps a 9.

A different kind of taco...

Tonight was a big night here for several reasons. First, my sweet husband stopped after work and bought me the new Giada cookbook "Everyday Pasta". I have glanced at it and looks really good, so I look forward to spending more time with it this weekend. Second, Jess and Hugo stopped by and brought us a big bag of veggies from Whole Foods. Scott is running the Boston Marathon on Monday, so since they are leaving town we got their leftover veggies. Hugo and Cash had a wonderful time playing together. The picture below is after they had worn themselves out playing. Lastly, we tried our first recipe out of the April Cooking Light.

I made the Thai Beef Tacos with Lime Cilantro Slaw tonight. You prepare a marinade (that is really more like a rub) for the flank steak and let it sit for at least 20 minutes. While it marinated I made the slaw which came together pretty quickly except for the fact that the grocery store was out of match stick carrots, so I had to slice them myself. Once the meat marinated for a bit I grilled it and finished up the slaw. We served them in flour tortillas with lime wedges on the side.

Both the marinade and the sauce called for a new to us ingredient, fish sauce. I have seen it called for in other Asian recipes, but had not cooked with it before. While it doesn't exactly smell wonderful I think it did add good flavor to the dish. If you have not cooked many Asian dishes before don't get scared away by the ingredient list. Many call for the same ingredients, so if you plan to try other Asian recipes you will wind up using them again.

As far as tonight's dish, we really liked the flavor of the tacos and enjoyed the texture and freshness that the slaw brought to the dish. Another big plus was that these were quick and easy to prepare and did not dirty many dishes. Russ rates the tacos a 9. Tomorrow night we will be trying another new recipe from the April CL. It is very different in flavor and ingredients from tonight's dish, so stay tuned....