Asian Lettuce Wraps

2 tsp canola oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 lb ground chicken or finely diced chicken
3 ounces mushrooms, finely chopped (about 8 small mushrooms)
1/2 tsp kosher salt
4 C bagged coleslaw mix or thinly shredded cabbage
1 8oz can sliced water chestnuts, drained, rinsed, and finely minced
1/2 C thinly sliced green onions
4 Tbs soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1 lemon, zested and juiced (about 3-4 Tbs juice)
1/3 C roughly chopped cilantro
1-2 heads iceberg lettuce

Dipping/Drizzling Sauce
4 Tbs soy sauce
4 Tbs rice vinegar
3 Tbs water
2 tsp honey
1-2 tsp finely minced fresh ginger
1/2 tsp sriracha (or put a small amount in individual portions of the sauce to adjust the spice)

Heat a very large skillet to medium-high heat on the stove top. When hot, add vegetable oil and then garlic and ginger. Saute for about 30 seconds, until fragrant, and then add ground chicken, chopped mushrooms, and kosher salt. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until chicken is cooked through. (*At this point, sometimes I have some extra liquid in the pan from the chicken. If it’s quite a bit, I tilt the pan and spoon it out so the chicken can cook and not boil.) Add cabbage/coleslaw, water chestnuts, and green onions. Cook for about 2 minutes, until cabbage starts to wilt. Add soy sauce, sesame oil, the zest from the lemon and the lemon juice, and hot sauce to taste. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro.

To prepare dipping sauce, combine all ingredients and whisk to combine.

To serve, carefully remove the individual leaves from the head of lettuce. (The closer you get to the center, the easier it becomes!) Place chicken mixture in the leaves and serve with sauce.

Yield: about 5 C chicken mixture. Makes 14-16 lettuce wraps.

Recipe from Our Best Bites
The only thing I changed was to put the hot sauce in the dipping sauce instead of the wraps so that some of us could have it spicy and some could have it mild. And I did dice the chicken because it didn't seem like it was worth the mess of grinding it. I liked the chicken diced and will probably always do it like that.

Jambalaya

2 teaspoons oil
1 chicken breast (sometimes I just leave this out)

1 cup diced ham
1.2 lb smoked sausage


1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups bell peppers (mixture of red, green, yellow, and/or orange), seeded & finely chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 cups long grain white rice

1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 can (14.5 oz) diced, undrained tomatoes,
3 cups chicken broth
2 bay leaves
Tony's creole seasoning to taste

1 pound medium shrimp, shelled (optional)
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves

Heat oil in large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking, about 2 minutes. Season chicken with sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Add chicken to pan and cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Using tongs, turn chicken and cook until golden brown on second side, about 3 minutes longer. Transfer chicken to plate and set aside. Reduce heat to medium and add diced ham and sausage; cook, stirring frequently, until browned, about 3 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer ham and sausage to paper towel–lined plate and set aside.

Reduce heat to medium-low, add vegetables and garlic, and cook, stirring occasionally and scraping bottom of pot with wooden spoon, until vegetables have softened, about 4 minutes. Add rice, salt, thyme, and chili powder; cook, stirring frequently, until rice is coated with fat, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes, chicken broth, bay leaves, and browned ham and sausage to pot; stir to combine. Place chicken on rice. Bring to boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir once, keeping chicken on top, skinned-side down. Replace cover and continue to simmer until the internal temperature of the chicken is 160 degrees, about 10 minutes more; transfer chicken to clean plate and set aside for ten minutes (this keeps the chicken from drying out). Scatter shrimp over rice, cover, and continue to cook until rice is fully tender and shrimp are opaque and cooked through, about 5 minutes more. Add Creole seasoning to taste.

Shred chicken. When shrimp are cooked, discard bay leaves; off heat, stir in parsley and shredded chicken, and serve immediately.


Adapted from Joelen

Lion House Wheat Rolls & Honey Butter

2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 1/2 cups warm water
2 tablespoons molasses
1/2 cup quick rolled oats
3 tablespoons dry milk
1/2 cup all purpose flour
3 tablespoons shortening
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 1/4 cups whole wheat flour

Dissolve yeast and molasses in warm water and let proof until foamy- about 5 minutes. Add remaining ingredients, leaving the flour as the last addition. The dough should be slightly sticky, so add the flour slowly.
Knead until dough is soft and elastic, about 5 minutes. Place in a bowl sprayed with cooking spray. Cover bowl and let sit in a warm place until dough has doubled in size (about an hour).
Punch down dough and knead lightly. Roll out until dough is about 1/2 inch thin. Cut strips using a pizza cutter. Roll strips and place seam side down on a greased cookie sheet.
Allow to rise for 30-40 minutes.
Bake at 375 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes.
Makes 2 dozen rolls.

Serve with Honey Butter: Combine equal parts of real butter (at room temperature) and honey, and 1/2 to 1 teaspoon vanilla with a hand mixer.

Everything Salad

Recipe from Krystal.

1/2 cup slivered almonds
3 Tblsp. sugar
1/2 head green leaf lettuce
1/2 head romaine lettuce
1 avocado, chopped
1 diced apple
1/4 cup Craisins
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese (Parmesan is good too)

Dressing ingredients:
2 Tblsp. white wine vinegar
2 Tblsp. sugar
1 Tblsp. parsley
1/4 cup light olive oil
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

Blend all dressing ingredients, and place in refrigerator to chill for an hour (don't skip this step. It makes a difference).

In a small saucepan, stir almonds and sugar together over medium heat until sugar melts and nuts are toasted brown. Spread out on a greased cookie sheet to harden.

Toss lettuce, onions, and craisins together. Add mandarin oranges, apple, avocado, cheese, toasted nuts, and dressing right before serving.

I have never measured anything. I don't always have all the ingredients but as long as I have some of the sweet ingredients it makes a good salad.

Rigatoni with Creamy Mushroom Sauce

Recipe from foodnetwork.com

1 pound rigatoni pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 shallots, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound assorted mushrooms, (such as cremini, shiitake and button), cleaned and sliced
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup vegetable stock
1 cup (8 ounces) mascarpone cheese, at room temperature (CONFESSION: I used cream cheese)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
Directions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes.

While the pasta is cooking:

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and garlic to the pan. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until soft, about 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms to the pan and season with salt and pepper (make sure you taste it to see if they are well seasoned. It will make a big difference). Cook until mushrooms are tender, stirring occasionally, about 5 to 7 minutes. Turn the heat to high. Add the wine and cook for 3 minutes until all the liquid evaporates. Add the stock and simmer until liquid is slightly reduced. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the mascarpone cheese. Stir until creamy. Drain the pasta, reserving about 1 cup of the pasta water, and transfer to a serving bowl. Add the mushroom mixture and the Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Toss well to coat pasta, adding the reserved pasta water, if needed, to loosen the pasta. Garnish with the chopped chives. Serve immediately.

Beef Fajitas

10 Flour Tortillas
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 tablespoon oil
1/4 cup lime juice
1 teaspoon liquid smoke

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1-2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 onion, cut into thin wedges
1 green bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
1 pound beef (skirt steak, flank steak, or round steak)
1 tomato
1 ripe avocado

sour cream

Prepare marinade of all ingredients except tortillas, avocado, tomatoes and meat. Place the meat in a plastic bag and cover with the vegetables/marinade, turning once or twice, and marinade 8 to 24 hours.

Wrap the tortillas in foil and warm in 250 degree oven for 10 minutes. Cut meat across the grain in thin strips. Broil or fry the meat in a little oil for 3-4 minutes. In the meantime, quickly saute the onions and peppers in the marinade just until tender. Add the meat and chopped tomato to the vegetable mixture. Toss until covered with marinade, and serve immediately with hot tortillas. Top with sliced avocado. Serve with sour cream.

Chicken Piccata

• 2 skinless and boneless chicken breasts, butterflied and then cut in half
• Sea Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups all purpose flour, for dredging
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1/4 cup brined capers, rinsed
• 1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Directions

Season chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge chicken in flour and shake off excess.

In a large 10 or 12-inch skillet over medium high heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter with 3 tablespoons olive oil. When butter and oil start to sizzle, add 2 pieces of chicken and cook for 3 minutes. When chicken is browned, flip and cook other side for 3 minutes. Remove and transfer to plate. Melt 2 more tablespoons butter and add another 2 tablespoons olive oil. When butter and oil start to sizzle, add the other 2 pieces of chicken and brown both sides in same manner. Remove pan from heat and add chicken to the plate.

Reduce heat to medium low and add the lemon juice, stock and capers. Return to stove and bring to boil, scraping up brown bits from the pan for extra flavor. Check for seasoning. Return all the chicken to the pan and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove chicken to platter. Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter to sauce and whisk vigorously. Pour sauce over chicken and garnish with parsley.