August 7, 2011: Thai Pasta Salad Recipe

Wondering what to do with leftovers from my peanut sauce recipe? This side dish is a great way to use them up and pairs perfectly with the beef and mushroom kebabs recipe I shared yesterday.

The ingredients are low volume but that’s because it’s just my husband and I eating at home now that our niece is back in New Mexico. Feel free to double this recipe or even triple it for a larger amount of diners.

BTW, I bought a container of Thai pasta salad from the Safeway deli recently (the night before my new kitchen counter tops were scheduled to arrive and my kitchen was torn apart) and it was barely edible. This version is way tastier and really simple to prepare.

Tip: For a main dish salad, just add shredded chicken.

Thai Pasta Salad

4 ounces fettuccine noodles
2 T. shredded carrots
1 green onion
1 can water chestnuts or bean sprouts, drained
1/3 cup Thai peanut sauce (find my peanut sauce recipe here)
1 T. soy sauce

Cook fettuccine according to directions on the box; drain and rinse with cold water. Slice the green onion on the diagonal. In a medium-sized serving bowl, combine the shredded carrots, onion slices, water chestnuts or bean sprouts, peanut sauce and soy sauce. Mix together then toss in fettuccine noodles. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Serves two.

April 1, 2011: Easter Chickens, Spring Eggs and Chicken Satay Recipe

What came first: the chicken or the egg? It’s the age old question… now that spring has officially sprung and we are looking forward to the Easter holiday, it seemed appropriate that this month’s posts focus on chicken and egg dishes. Plus, with the cost of food rising dramatically every day, chicken is one of the few meats that is still reasonably priced (have you checked the price of beef and pork lately?). I know some of you readers are vegetarians but those who aren’t quite so strict may indulge in chicken once in a while – maybe one of this month’s recipe will tempt you to try it!

Personally, I love chicken. And because I’ve got three hens – and aim to get three more next month – I always have an abundance of eggs. While my favorite way to eat them is soft boiled or poached, there are lots more things that can be done to eggs – and many more ways to use them with other ingredients.

I’m also going to throw in the occasional side dish and dessert that would go nicely with this month’s chicken and egg recipes. You could put together a very elegant Easter dinner menu! Stay tuned for my suggestions.

So get ready to move beyond the ordinary fried chicken and scrambled eggs – welcome to April!

To start us out, I’m sharing my recipe for chicken satay – a favorite of both me and my husband.

The photo depicts chicken satay skewers with red bell peppers and a side dish of Pad Thai Noodles.
Chicken Satay

Marinade:
½ cup coconut milk
1 T. fish sauce
2 t. Chinese red chile sauce
1 t. curry powder
1 t. brown sugar
Seeds of 2 caramom pods
Freshly ground black pepper
Sea salt
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Combine all ingredients, except for chicken, in a medium-sized bowl. Cut the chicken into long, thin strips and add to the marinade. Coat chicken with marinade, cover and refrigerate for up to 4 hours.

While the chicken is marinating, soak several bamboo skewers in water.

When ready to cook, thread the chicken strips onto the skewers. Broil or grill about 7 to 10 minutes, turning them over once. Serve with Thai Peanut Sauce (find the Thai peanut sauce recipe here).

March 24, 2011: Pad Thai with Peanut Sauce Recipe

I don’t know about you but I love Thai food. The ingredients taste so fresh (perfect for spring!) and the combination of slightly sweet, slightly hot, and always spicy is mouthwatering. Although I prefer Pad Thai noodles with chicken satay, I’ve also served this dish with roasted chicken, grilled skewers (as pictured here) and fish. For a main dish, add a protein, such as shrimp. And if you have leftover peanut sauce, it’s great as a dipping sauce for chicken nuggets or as a salad dressing.

I first had Pad Thai made from a boxed mix I bought at the grocery. As I usually do, I thought it couldn’t be too hard to make them from scratch and it would surely be cheaper (that’s an understatement – the box costs about 60 percent more than the made-from-scratch version). I think the homemade version is way more flavorful, as well. Try this recipe and decide for yourself.

Pad Thai Noodles

1 package rice noodles
1 T. Sesame oil
1 ¼ cup bean sprouts (fresh or canned) – reserve a few for garnish
2 eggs
3 – 4 scallions, sliced thinly on the diagonal – reserve a few for garnish
¼ cup chopped peanuts

Soak the noodles in hot water while you are slicing the vegetables and preparing the sauce, about 15 minutes.

Peanut Sauce:

1 cup coconut milk
1 T. red chili sauce
1 t. curry powder
1 t. Asian fish sauce
½ cup peanut butter (chunky or smooth, depending on preference)
1/3 cup chicken stock
¼ cup brown sugar
1 T. fresh lime juice (substitute lemon juice if necessary)
1 t. salt

Add all ingredients to a saucepan and simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly, for about 5 minutes or until thickened.

To Make the Noodles:

Using a wok or large skillet, heat the sesame oil to 325 degrees. Add the bean sprouts and green onions and cook for about 1 minute. Add the drained noodles and stir together. Make a well in the middle of the wok by pushing the noodle mixture to the sides. Drop in the two eggs and scramble with a spatula. Add salt and pepper to taste. Fold the eggs into the noodles and add about ½ cup of the peanut sauce. The noodles should be sticky, but not overly saucy; add more sauce if necessary.

To serve, mound the noodles on a plate and sprinkle with the reserved bean sprouts, scallions, and chopped peanuts.