Undercover – The Greatest Food Deception of all Time – Chicken Pad Thai with Spaghetti Squash

Do you ever have to go “under cover” when cooking dinner for your family?

I have had to go under cover often times.  My husband says he doesn’t like certain vegetables or ingredients and as long as he doesn’t see or know the ingredients 99% of the time he loves it!  This undercover recipe incorporates two foods that he claims to dislike:  spaghetti squash and cabbage!  I make Pad Thai quite often, usually with shrimp, rice noodles and lettuce.  He liked this dish and I had to stop myself from laughing when he tasted it and said rice noodles and lettuce.  And he actually thought I was trying to pass off the chicken as pork which I have done before with success!  Too funny!!

This recipe is a winner and iI can’t wait to make it again; this time with shrimp.

Go under cover and make this … you’ll love it!  ENJOY!

Spaghetti Squash Pad Thai

INGREDIENTS:

1 small spaghetti squash, halved and seeded Sauce: 1 1/2 cups chicken broth 3 tablespoons peanut butter 1 tablespoon chile-garlic sauce 1 tablespoon fish sauce 1 tablespoon soy sauce 1 tablespoon rice vinegar 1 tablespoon oyster sauce 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger 1 teaspoon sesame oil

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 3 tablespoons cold water 1 tablespoon cornstarch Vegetables: 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 (12 ounce) package broccoli coleslaw mix 1 zucchini, diced 1 red bell pepper, diced 1/2 cup sliced green onions 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro 2 cubed cooked chicken breasts

DIRECTIONS:

1.	Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Place spaghetti squash, cut-side up, on a baking sheet.
2.	Bake in the preheated oven until squash is tender, 30 to 45 minutes. Shred squash meat using a fork and discard the peel.
3.	Combine chicken broth, peanut butter, chile-garlic sauce, fish sauce, soy sauce, rice vinegar, oyster sauce, ginger, sesame oil, and black pepper together in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Whisk water and cornstarch together in a bowl until smooth; add to broth mixture and continue boiling until sauce thickens, 5 to 10 minutes. Reduce heat to low and simmer sauce.
4.	Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat; saute broccoli slaw, zucchini, red bell pepper, green onion, cilantro, and shredded spaghetti squash until tender, about 10 minutes. Add chicken and sauce to squash mixture; cook and stir until heated through, 3 to 5 minutes.

Source:  Allrecipes.com

Advertisement

Thai Chicken Salad

 

I love love love this salad and it couldn’t come at a better time as my garden is starting to grow and flourish.  I’m keeping this recipe on the counter as I will be making it again soon!  My lettuce is almost ready to be picked and my snap and sugar peas are climbing to the sky!  If you are a fan of Thai cuisine I’m sure you’ll love this salad.  ENJOY!

Thai Chicken Salad

serves 8

Chicken marinade
1/2 C vegetable oil
2 Tb rice vinegar
1/4 C sugar or 2 Tb Truvia
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
1 lime, juiced
dash of salt and pepper
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts – about 2 1/2 pounds total

Salad
2 hearts of romaine, chopped
1/2 large head of napa cabbage, chopped
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped
2 carrots, shredded
1 red bell pepper, chopped
5 green onions, chopped
1/2 bunch of cilantro, chopped
1 C salted peanuts

Dressing
1/4 C rice vinegar
1/4 C Thai sweet red chili sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp sugar or Truvia
pinch of salt and pepper

Peanut Sauce
1/4 C natural peanut butter
2 Tb soy sauce
1 Tb rice vinegar
1 Tb Thai sweet red chili sauce
2 Tb water

1.  In a ziplock bag, combine all the ingredients for the chicken marinade.  Mush it all around, then place it in the fridge for at least 4 hours to marinade.  Cook the chicken either on a hot grill, 6-8 minutes a side or in a 350 degree oven for 40 minutes.  Allow it to cool a bit, then chop up all the chicken into bite sized pieces.
2.  Combine all the salad ingredients in a large bowl, except for the peanuts, then add the chicken.  Combine all the dressing ingredients then pour over the salad.  Toss until the salad is evenly coated with the dressing.  Dish out the individual servings of the salad.
3.  Stir together the ingredients for the peanut sauce in a small bowl.  If the sauce is too thick to drizzle, add a bit more water.  Generously drizzle the peanut sauce over each serving of salad then top with the peanuts.

 Source: mykitchenescapades.com

Chicken a la Boscaiola

 

The recipe called for fettuccine, but I think penne pasta works nicely, catching the sauce in the middle.  This is right up there with my favorite pasta recipes.  ENJOY!

Ingredients

• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into bite sized pieces
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• ½ pound bacon chopped (about 8 slices)
• 1 ½ cups sliced mushrooms (Baby Bella)
• 1 cup diced onions
• 4 cloves chopped garlic
• 1/8 cup sherry
• 1 ¼ cups half and half
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1 pound penne pasta

 

Instructions

1. In a large sauté pan over medium high heat, combine 1 tablespoon each of olive oil and butter until melted and frothy.
2. Working in two batches, add in chicken and brown on all sides, about 5 minutes per batch. Do not over cook. Remove chicken to a flat plate to cool and stop the cooking process.
3. Place the bacon in the same pan and cook until it is crispy. Remove bacon to paper towels, chop and reserve.
4. Drain off all bacon fat but reserve two tablespoons,half of which gets used in next step.
5. Put one tablespoon of bacon fat in the same pan and sauté mushrooms for 2-3 minutes or until they just start to give up their liquid. Remove from pan and set aside along with all of the pan drippings.
6. Add the second tablespoon of bacon fat back into the pan and sauté onions and garlic until the onions are translucent, about 3-4 minutes.
7. Add mushrooms and their liquid back into the pan with the onions, add the sherry and cook for one minute scraping any bits from the bottom.
8. Add in half and half, sour cream, salt, pepper, oregano, basil, and parmesan cheese. As mixture starts to bubble, reduce heat to medium and simmer 2 more minutes. The mixture will begin to thicken.
9. Cook penne pasta according to package directions. When draining reserve one cup of pasta water.
10. Add cooked chicken and bacon back to sauce and stir.
11. Add cooked penne and cook over low to medium heat for 1-2 minutes to blend flavors. If the dish is too thick, add a little pasta water until desired consistency is achieved.

Slightly adapted from:  http://www.afamilyfeast.com

When Life Gives You Lemons Make Pasta – Lemon Chicken Piccata Pasta

I found some beautiful lemons and with ingredients I had on hand I was able to make this awesome Lemon Chicken Piccata Pasta.  If you like Chicken Piccata, I’m almost positive you’ll love this!  I made very few adjustments to the original recipe.  ENJOY!

Lemon Chicken Piccata Pasta

Chicken
Juice of 1 lemon (3Tbsp)
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp basil or oregano
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Pasta
2 cups dried penne pasta
2 Tbsp butter
Juice of 2 lemons (6 Tbsp)
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1/2 cup half and half (or heavy cream)
1 small bunch fresh basil, chopped
2 Tbps capers
1 cup grated parmesan cheese

Chicken
Combine first 6 ingredients and mix well.  Place chicken in a ziplock bag and pour marinade over chicken.  Marinate overnight in the refrigerator.  When ready, grill until done.  Allow chicken to rest for a few minutes and then slice into strips to serve over pasta.

Pasta
While chicken is grilling.  Cook pasta according to directions (10-12 minutes).  Reserve 1 cup of pasta water and drain.  In same sauce pan, melt butter over medium heat.  Whisk in garlic and lemon juice.  Pour in half and half and whisk until hot.  Add some salt and pepper to taste.  Add the parmesan cheese, and capers, and heat until cheese is melted.  Check the consistency of the sauce and add some of the reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce if necessary.  Toss in pasta and fresh basil.

Serve in pasta bowls with grilled chicken on top.  Sprinkle with more parmesan if desired.

Recipe Source: plainchicken.com

Caprese Grilled Chicken with Balsamic Reduction

 

Food, like music, can conjure up feelings, emotions and memories.  This chicken recipe makes me think of summer with tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and basil when I make my favorite Caprese salad fresh from the garden.  Summer is not here yet, but you can bring back the memories and tastes of summer with Caprese Grilled Chicken.  Enjoy!

Caprese Grilled Chicken with Balsamic Reduction

Ingredients

• 6 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 6 (6 oz) boneless skinless chicken breast halves, rested at room temperature 15 minutes
• 2 Tbsp olive oil, plus more for brushing grill
• 1 clove garlic, finely minced
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 8 oz fresh mozzarella, sliced into 6 slices
• 2 large Roma tomatoes, sliced
• 1/4 cup basil, chopped

Directions

• Heat balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring vinegar just to a boil then reduce heat slightly and allow to simmer, stirring occasionally, until vinegar has reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
• Brush grill grates lightly with oil and pre-heat grill to medium-high heat. In a small bowl, stir together olive oil and garlic. Brush each side of each chicken breast lightly with olive oil mixture and season each side with salt and pepper. Transfer chicken to preheated grill, cover with lid and cook chicken 5 minutes, then rotate and cook opposite side until chicken is cooked through and registers 165 degrees on an instant read thermometer (about 5 minutes longer, time will vary though based on the thickness of the chicken breasts). Top each chicken breast with one slice of fresh mozzarella and 1 or 2 Roma tomato slices. Transfer to a platter and cover with foil, allow to rest 5 – 10 minutes. Remove foil and sprinkle tops with fresh basil and drizzle with balsamic reduction, serve immediately.

Source:  Cookingclassy.com

Mixed Greens Salad with Grilled Chicken, Snow Peas and Ginger Sesame Dressing

I did a second planting of lettuce in my garden this year and am enjoying fresh fresh fresh salads!  This is one of my favorite salad dressings … give it a try, it may become your favorite as well.  ENJOY!

Ginger-Sesame Dressing – Source:  Epicurious.com

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 tablespoons honey or brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons peeled and minced ginger
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

Combine all the ingredients in a blender. Add 2 tablespoons of water. Process until smooth.

Salad Ingredients

• Mixed greens
• grape tomatoes
• Avocado
• Yellow Pepper
• Snow Peas
• Crumbled goat cheese (optional)

P.F. Chang’s Chicken Lettuce Wraps

While I’ve never eaten at P.F. Chang’s I’m a fan of this recipe.  The sauce this chicken is in is absolutely delicious!  Yes, it does seem like a lot of ingredients … but well worth it. I think this would be even better over rice.  ENJOY!

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons oil
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 cup water chestnut
2/3 cup mushroom
3 tablespoons chopped onions
1 teaspoon minced garlic
4 -5 leaves iceberg lettuce
Special Sauce
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon hot mustard
2 teaspoons water
1 -2 teaspoon garlic and red chile paste

Stir Fry Sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon rice wine vinegar

Directions:

• Make the special sauce by dissolving the sugar in water in a small bowl.
• Add soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, ketchup, lemon juice and sesame oil.
• Mix well and refrigerate this sauce until you’re ready to serve.
• Combine the hot water with the hot mustard and set this aside as well.
• Eventually add your desired measurement of mustard and garlic chili sauce to the special sauce mixture to pour over the wraps.
• Bring oil to high heat in a wok or large frying pan.
• Saute chicken breasts for 4 to 5 minutes per side or done.
• Remove chicken from the pan and cool.
• Keep oil in the pan, keep hot.
• As chicken cools mince water chestnuts and mushrooms to about the size of small peas.
• Prepare the stir fry sauce by mixing the soy sauce, brown sugar, and rice vinegar together in a small bowl.
• When chicken is cool, mince it as the mushrooms and water chestnuts are.
• With the pan still on high heat, add another Tbsp of vegetable oil.
• Add chicken, garlic, onions, water chestnuts and mushrooms to the pan.
• Add the stir fry sauce to the pan and saute the mixture for a couple minutes then serve it in the lettuce”cups”.
• Top with”Special Sauce”.

Source:  food.com

Zucchini – Gotta Love it – With Pasta, That is!

The evening I made this I got up in the morning, took a chicken breast out of the freezer to defrost for later, and had every intention of making a great tossed salad with grilled chicken for dinner.  I went to work and there sitting on the table for anyone who wanted them was a bag of zucchini and cucumbers!  The best laid plans quickly changed when I saw the zucchini.  I took one in hand, as mine are not ready to be picked yet, and dismissed any ideas of yet another salad for dinner (I’ve been averaging 3-4 large dinner salads a week from my garden lettuce).  I was trying to decide what I was in the mood to eat now that I had changed my plans and I came up with PASTA!  Go figure?! Ha  Ha

I found a recipe that sounded good and improvised on some of the ingredients with vegetables from my garden.  The end result was spectacular … so fresh … so good … so eat your zucchini now!  ENJOY!

Ingredients:
-12 oz penne pasta
-1 tsp olive oil
–3 cloves garlic, diced
-1 zucchini, chopped
-garlic sea salt & freshly ground pepper, to taste
-1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
-3/4 cup chicken broth
-1 lb chicken, grilled and cut into small pieces
-1 red pepper diced
-3 cups fresh swiss chard
-3 oz light cream cheese
-1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
-1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Place pasta in the pot and cook for 8-10 minutes, until al dente. Reserve 1/4 cup pasta water. Drain and set aside.
2. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until tender. Add the zucchini , red peppers and season with the garlic sea salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook for 10 minutes, until tender (do not over-cook).
3. Stir in the chicken broth and reserved pasta water  into the skillet and cook for 5 minutes, until heated through. Add the chicken, swiss chard, and cream cheese. Stir to combine, until the swiss chard wilts and the cream cheese melts.
4. Mix the pasta with the zucchini mixture and stir to mix well. Top with fresh basil and Parmesan cheese just before serving.

Adapted From:  thesweetslife.com

It’s Hot Hot Hot so Fire Up the Grill With Japanese Grilled Yakitori Chicken Kabob with Tare Sauce

Hot hot hot and I’m luvin it!  The dog days of summer are here and what better time to get your grill on!

My Boxer “Boy” Riley – Dog Days of Summer

Kabobs are always a crowd pleaser and this recipe is fabulous.  It’s one of those recipes that after you taste the first bite and want more you know immediately it’s a “make again” recipe.  So go ahead and fire up the grill.  Enjoy!

Source:  www.thecafesucrefarine.com

Japanese Grilled Yakitori Chicken with Tare Sauce 

1 cup low sodium chicken broth
¾ cup soy sauce
½ cup mirin
¼ cup honey
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
6 thin slices fresh ginger, smashed
4 cloves garlic, smashed
1 ½ tablespoons corn starch
1 ½ tablespoons water
1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or thighs), cut into 1″ strips
2 bunches scallions, cut in 1″ pieces, discarding top 2-3 inches

1. Combine the chicken broth, soy sauce, mirin, honey, rice vinegar, lime juice, sugar, garlic, ginger slices and sesame oil in a medium size saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

2. Combine cornstarch and water; stir vigorously till there are no lumps. Add to soy mixture and continue to simmer for 4-5 minutes, until bubbly and thickened. Strain the sauce and reserve 1/2 cup for dipping. Set aside to cool.

3. Preheat grill to medium-high. Brush or spray grill grate with oil.

4. Alternately skewer chicken pieces then two scallions onto 4 sets of double skewers, about 5 pieces of chicken per set. Grill skewers, covered, about 2 minutes on each side.

5.Baste the side of meat facing up with sauce. Grill, covered, 2 minutes more and turn. Continue grilling and basting chicken until cooked, 10-14 minutes total, depending on hotness of grill. (Watch chicken carefully; don’t over-cook or chicken will be dry and tough.

Mixed Greens Salad with Grilled Chicken, Nasturtium Flowers and Ginger Soy Dressing. Are You a Flower Eater?

Are you a flower eater?  A what???  Do you just look at the lovely flowers on your plate or do you eat them?

I grew Nasturtiums this year in the garden for the sole purpose of adding beauty to my food, and also because I do eat edible flowers.  I have read that the entire Nasturtium is edible right down to the leaves and can be mixed in with a salad.  I have an overabundance of lettuce this year and  despite eating salads for dinner 3-4 times a week I cannot keep up with my lettuce.  This is one of my favorite salads.  Not only is it pretty to look at, but it tastes great!  My favorite ginger soy dressing brings it all home.  ENJOY!

Ginger-Sesame Dressing – Source:  Epicurious.com (slightly adapted)

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 tablespoons honey or brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons peeled and minced ginger
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons orange juice

Combine all the ingredients in a blender. Add 2 tablespoons of water. Process until smooth.

Salad Ingredients:

• Mixed greens
• Arugula
• Avocado
• Red Pepper
• Grape tomatoes
• Crumbled blue cheese
• Mushrooms
• Grilled Chicken
• Nasturtium