Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken

Recipe taken from Gimme Some Oven

I grew lemongrass in the back, and haven't used it all season, so wanted to use.  

I served with (Vietnamese) jasmine rice and broccoli.

Ingredients:

-1/4 cup lime juice (used 2 limes)

-3 Tbsp fish sauce (felt was a bit too much/salty)

-2 Tbsp maple syrup (or brown sugar)

-2 Tbsp avocado oil

-1 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce

-4 small garlic cloves

-2 stalks lemongrass, tender white parts only, roughly chopped

-1 medium shallot, peeled and halved (or half of a small red onion)

-2 lbs chicken breasts cut into pieces

-pepper (wasn't listed in ingredients, but then listed in instructions?)

Instructions:

1. Combine lime juice, fish sauce, maple syrup, oil, soy sauce, black pepper, garlic, lemongrass, and shallot in a blender or food processor.  Puree until smooth.

2. Set aside a little bit of marinade for Vietnamese rice (if doing).

3. Marinate with chicken for at least 30 min

4. Dump in pan and cook.

Vietnamese rice:

I had an extra shallot!

Cooked shallot + serrano + extra marinade --> add to cooked rice

Notes:

Recipe calls for grilling, but I just dumped the whole thing in the pan and chicken basically boiled.  I wanted to cook the chicken with the marinade, though.

Could consider leaving chicken as tenders and bake in oven without the marinade.

Served with broccoli.

North African Stew

Originally "North African Lamb Stew" by Fitmencook.com, but I subbed chicken.

I used the non-stick pan, but try the silver one next time cuz harder to "sear" chicken on the nonstick.

Ingredients:

-chicken tenders (used 2 lb)

-garlic, minced

-jalapenos, 1 minced

-1/2 cup onion (used a whole yellow onion)

-1/2 cup dried apricots (used golden raisins) - could use MORE

-1 can tomato paste (6 oz)

-1 can chickpeas

-1.8 cups (est) low sodium chicken stock (used broth)

-2-3 cinnamon sticks

-1 large head cauliflower

-salt and pepper

Spices (weird amounts because changed serving size from 5 to 6)

-2.4 tsp ground cumin

-2.4 tsp smoked paprika

-2.4 tsp turmeric (would use less maybe 2 tsp)

-0.6 tsp ground coriander

-1.2 tsp allspice

-0.6 tsp cayenne

Directions:

1. Bake cauliflower in oven 400 deg for about 15-20 min.  Seasoned with salt, pepper, smoked paprika.

2. Cook olive oil, garlic, onions, and jalapenos for 3 min on medium heat until onions turn brown and translucent.  Sprinkle salt to bring out sweetness

3. Increase heat to medium high and add chicken pieces.  Cooke 1-2 min to sear.

4. Sprinkle seasoning

5. Reduce heat to low-medium and add raisins, tomato paste, and chickpeas.  Stir for about 1 min.

6. Add in chicken stock to deglaze pan

7. Add cinnamon sticks

8. Cover and cook for 15 min on light simmer

9. Combine with cauliflower

Notes:

-Also served with avocado slices and cilantro

-Raisin bites were surprising - not enough - would add more, but don't want to overpower - try 3/4 cup next time

-Also use the silver pan to try and cook next time

-Use less turmeric - thought it was a bit overpowering

-Eric liked it

*African

Rabanadas*

*WARNING HAVE NOT MADE YET

Another delish.com recipe that I have to "save"

Ingredients

-3.5 cups milk

-1/4 cup granulated sugar

-2 tbsp. honey

-1 cinnamon stick

-lemon peel from half a lemon

-5 large eggs, beaten

-1  baguette, preferably day old, cut into 1" thick slices

-vegetable oil, for frying

-1 cup cinnamon sugar

Directions

1. In a medium saucepan over medium heat - milk, sugar, honey, cinnamon stick, and lemon peel together. 

2. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat and let simmer for 5 min or until sugar is dissolved.  Remove from heat and let cool slightly

3. Place beaten eggs into a shallow dish.  Working one at a time, dip sliced bread into milk, then into eggs, turning to coat well in each.

4. In a large skillet over medium heat, add enough oil to come 1/2" up the sides of the pan.

5. Working in batches, fry soaked bread until golden, 2-3 min per side

6.  Remove from pan and place n a paper towel lined cooling rack

7.  Toss in cinnamon sugar immediately

8.  Serve warm with extra honey, if desired

*breakfast

*dessert

Hummus without Tahini

Taken from wholesomedish.com

I thought was pretty good, but Eric didn't like the texture.  I think it is a fine snack in a pinch.

Ingredients:

-1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

-2 tbsp. water

-2 tbsp. extra virgin oil

-1 tbsp. lemon juice

-1 garlic clove, cuisinarted

-3/4 tsp ground cumin

-1/4 tsp salt

-cayenne to taste

Directions:

1. Cuisinart garlic

2. Add garbanzo beans, water, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, cumin, salt

3. Process until smooth and creamy - can add more water/salt

*snack

Oreogasm Poke Cake*

*WARNING HAVE NOT MADE YET*

This is the problem with delish.com recipes is that you can't easily get to the recipe whenever you want. 

Ingredients:

-1 box chocolate cake mix, plus ingredients called for on box

-1.5 cup marshmallow crème

-1 tbsp water

1/2 cup finely ground Oreos

2 cups heavy cream

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1 cup crushed Oreos, divided

-6 Oreos, halved

-chocolate fudge sauce for garnish

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 and grease a 9 x 13 pan.  Prepare chocolate cake mix according to package directions and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 25 min

2. Poke cake all over with the bottom of a wooden spoon.

3. In a small bowl, microwave marshmallow crème and water, then stir until smooth

4. Stir in ground Oreos, then pour all over cake, making sure to fill the poked holes

5. Make frosting

--In a large bowl using a hand mixer, beat heavy cream, powdered sugar, and salt until medium peaks form

--Fold in 1/2 cup crushed Oreos

--Frost cake with the whipped cream

--Sprinkle with the rest of the crushed Oreos

--Top with halved Oreos and drizzle with chocolate sauce

*dessert

Thai Basil Gimlet

Taken from nerdswithknives.com
It was ok.  I really like using the St. Germain.

Ingredients (doubled for x2 drinks)

-Thai basil leaves

-1 ounce simple syrup (used a little more using 1/8 cup monk fruit recipe)

-1.5 oz fresh lime juice

-3 oz gin

-2 oz St. Germain

Directions:

1. Muddle basil leaves with simple syrup and lime juice

2. Add gin and St. Germain - fill with ice and shake

3. Strain and garnish with Thai basil leaves

*drinks

Limoncello Gin Thyme

 From Spec's website.  Didn't taste thyme at all.  Too strong tasting, better with topo chico. Would consider making thyme simple syrup instead.

Ingredients:
-Thyme sprigs

-2 oz gin

-1 oz limoncello

-1/2 oz lime juice

-splash of bubble water (topo chico)

Directions:

1. Juice limes

2. Muddle thyme

3. Add gin + limoncello

4. Shake with ice

5. Pour and garnish with fresh thyme

*Drinks

Pineapple Sage Mojito

New plant this year is pineapple sage.  Took me a while to even find pineapple sage, but found at Lowe's.

Cocktail modified from campbrighton.com

Didn't really like it - not sure what the problem was, but have some tips for next time. 

*I used the monkfruit simple syrup instead.  I should always make it in the morning so that it has time to cool and also marinate in with the herb.  The recipe with 1/4 cup of monkfruit + 1/2 cup of distilled water makes 4.5 oz of liquid or 3 large side jiggers of liquid.

*Also, it was too strong.  Made it 1:1 simple syrup and rum.  Use less next time.

Ingredients:

-2 key limes (can adjust)

-pineapple sage leaves

-1 part pineapple sage monkfruit simple syrup - make in morning and let cool in fridge

-1 part rum (would use less?)

-consider a splash of topo chico instead of less rum?

Directions:

1. Squeeze limes into shaker

2. Muddle pineapple sage leaves

3. Add simple syrup + rum

4. Shake

5. Pour into cups with ice

6. Add splash of topo chico

7. Top with pineapple sage for garnish

*Drinks

Magic Cookie Bar*

*WARNING - I HAVE NOT MADE YET

but I want to.  I screen-capped the recipe and I want to delete it off my phone haha.

Recipe taken from delish.com

Ingredients:

-18 (2 sleeves) graham crackers, crushed

-6 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted

-1/4 cups sugar

-1 (14 oz) can of condensed milk

-1 1/2 cups chocolate chips, divided

-1 1/2 cups chopped nuts (pecans or walnuts), divided

-2 cups unsweetened coconut flakes

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Grease 9x9 baking dish with cooking spray, then line with parchment paper up and over the sides with slight overhang.  Grease parchment again.

3. In a medium bowl, mix the graham crackers, butter, and sugar until mixture resembles wet sand.  Press graham cracker mixture into bottom of prepared baking dish

4. In even layer, drizzle condensed milk over the crust

5. Top with half the chocolate chips and half the nuts

6. Add the coconut

7. Top with remaining chips and nuts.

8.  Bake until chocolate melted and crust browned 25-30 min.  Let cool.

*dessert

Pecan Crusted Chicken

Recipe taken from wellplated.com

Eric didn't like very much, so probably won't make again. Oh well. Wish I had posted this last month because I don't remember it as well.  I think he likes the sesame encrusted chicken better because I marinate the chicken in soy sauce etc, which I obviously didn't do here, so maybe it was a bit too dry and not as flavorful.  

Oh and Eric told me to dust it with flour before dipping in egg, which I think actually messed it up more and made it so the pecans/panko didn't stick when I went to flip the chicken.  Or maybe I shouldn't have flipped the chicken at all.  Anyways, when I went to flip, basically the crust all came off.  

Plus, I ran out of eggs, pecan/panko, before I was finished with the chicken tenders, which sucked.  I think I used 1/4 cup because that's what I used for the sesame one, and need to use the full 1/2 cup.

Ingredients:

-2 large eggs

-1 cup pecan halves

-1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs

-1 tsp dried basil

-1/2 tsp kosher salt

-1/4 tsp coarse black pepper

-chicken tenders

Directions:

-Place rack in center of oven and preheat to 400 degrees.  Line baking sheet with parchment paper

-Lightly beat eggs in shallow bowl

-Pulse pecans in food processor --> mix with panko, basil, salt, pepper (also garlic)

-Dip chicken tender in eggs, then pecan mixture (did the flour beforehand per Eric, and didn't like)

-Place chicken tenders on sheet and spray with olive oil (think I forgot this step, too)

-Back for 15 to 20 min

*American

Roasted Tomatillo Salsa

Made and was a hit.  Recipe from loveandlemons.com

Ingredients

-6 medium tomatillos

-1/4 medium yellow onion, cut into large chunks - (would do 1/3 onion bc didn't use burnt pieces)

-1 serrano or jalapeno pepper

-2 garlic cloves, unpeeled, wrapped in foil

-1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil

-1 1/2 Tbsp fresh lime juice - think I used one full lime and it was a lil too limey

-1/4 cup chopped cilantro

-1/2 to 3/4 tsp sea salt to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper

2. Remove husks from tomatillos and rinse under cool water to remove stickiness

3. Place tomatillos, onion, pepper on baking sheet - sprayed with olive oil, pinch of salt and pepper

4. Place wrapped garlic on pan

5. Roast for 15 min or until tomatillos are soft

6. Add all ingredients into food processor (add water if too thick)

Didn't add onion pieces that were too burnt, so add extra onions to pan.  Will make again.  Summer is when tomatillos are in season.  Hmmm.

*Mexican

*Appetizer

Chicken Cauliflower Alfredo

Taken from Fitmencook.com 

This one didn't hit the mark.  Won't be making again.  Posting for the memories, I guess.  Good idea, but I guess if we are not into the original chicken alfredo as much, then this one didn't have much of a chance.  Ended up adding a bunch of italian seasoning, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes to make it better.

Ingredients for sauce (for 6 servings):

-olive oil

-3/4 cup of onion diced (used whole small yellow onion)

-2 1/4 Tbsp garlic (used like 6 cloves)

-18 oz cauliflower (used 2 bags of 10 oz)

-2 1/4 cups almond milk

-1 1/2 cups grated parmesan (used the whole block and took forever to grate, so don't do that again - eric said maybe use a different cheese next time)

-1 1/2 pinches sea salt

1 1/2 pinches pepper

Ingredients

-1 1/4 lb chicken breasts, cut

-1 bunch of asparagus

-pasta

Directions:

1. Steam cauliflower bags and set aside

2. Boil pasta and set aside

3. Cook asparagus in air fryer

3. Saute onions and garlic for 2-3 min in olive oil, or until onions slightly brown and translucent

4. Transfer onions and garlic to blender, along with remaining ingredients for the sauce.  Blend until smooth and fine.  Season to taste with pepper.  Add more almond milk or water for thinner sauce.

5. Cook chicken

6. Add sauce to chicken

7. Combine chicken, sauce, asparagus, and pasta together in bowl

*Italian