Ginger Lemongrass Soup with Coconut Milk

Recipe modified from CookingOnTheWeekends

I thought it was pretty good. Eric said he liked it a lot.

Able to use the lemongrass from the garden

I added a lot of jalapeno, but because it was cooked, not as spicy as I would have liked.  

Try serranos next time. And if still not spicy enough, red pepper flakes.

Used the cuisinart and added the cooked ginger/lemongrass/garlic/jalapenos to the chicken.

I also added veggies.  I think subsequent days, it was not as good on reheat.  Eric agreed.  

Maybe zucchini got soggy, so try snap peas next time? Would also consider adding cherry tomatoes

Added scallions like recipe, but don't think it was a good add esp if using cilantro

Try marinating chicken beforehand

Ingredients

-Lemongrass - 4 stalks (I used a lot more)

-Ginger - 1/2 cup roughly chopped

-Garlic cloves - 3 cloves smashed (I used a lot more)

-jalapenos - use serranos next time!

-8 cups vegetable stock (used 4 or 1 box)

-1 1/2 cups coconut milk (preferably not light) - I used 1 can 

-1 TBSP red curry paste

-VEGGIES: bell pepper, onion, zucchini....maybe use snap peas/cherry tomatoes next time?

-chicken 

-cilantro, thai basil, lime to taste

Directions:

1. Marinate chicken - didn't do before, but would use the red curry paste, lime, other seasonings

1. Prep lemongrass - cut, peel, and smash with knife

2. Infuse lemon grass, chopped ginger, garlic cloves, serranos to pot with coconut milk + stock

3. Boil, bring heat to low, cover, and simmer for 45 min.  Turn off heat and infuse for another 45 min

4. Strain liquid in separate bowl - pick out lemongrass and half the ginger - cuisinart the rest

5. Cook chicken with the cuisinarted stuff + jalapenos/serranos

6. Cook veggies with the coconut liquid

Spanish Rice in Rice Cooker

Taken from A Peachy Plate

Ingredients:

-1 cup Jasmine rice (regular, not rice, measuring cup)

-1 cup chicken broth

-1 cup canned diced tomatoes 

-1/4 cup onion, chopped

-2 cloves garlic, minced

-1 TBSP butter (would try omitting next time)

-1 tsp chili powder

-1/2 tsp cumin

-1/2 tsp oregano

-1/2 tsp salt

Directions:

-rinse rice

-Add rice to pot and all ingredients, stir

-Set rice cooker - took 65 min on mixed setting!

Notes:

Eric said he liked it a lot.

I thought it was a bit mushy.

Try without butter next time

Cookies & Cream Pie (Oreo)

 Recipe taken from Sally's Baking Recipes

Made for Eric's b-day.  He really liked it.  Not sure my favorite, but pretty good.  More Oreo crumble on top.

Ingredients:

Crust:

-22 regular Oreo cookies

-5 tablespoons (71 g) unsalted butter, melted

Filling:

-1 cup cold heavy cream/heavy whipping cream

-8 oz full-fat brick cream cheese, softened to room temperature

-3/4 cup (90 g) confectioners' sugar

-1 tsp pure vanilla extract

-12 whole Oreos, chopped (about 1.5 cups or 135 g)

Homemade whipped cream

-1 cup cold heavy cream/heavy whipping cream

-2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar

-1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat oven 350 degrees

2. Bake the crust (do 1st so that it can cool later).  

--In a food processor or blender, pulse 22 Oreos including the cream filling into a fine crumb.  

--Pour crumbs into large bowl 

--Add melted butter and stir to combine.    

--Pour into 9 inch pie dish and pat down sides and bottom to make compact.  

--Bake for 10 min.  

--Allow to cool as you prepare the filling

3. Make the filling:

--Whip cold heavy cream into stiff peaks on medium-high speed, about 4 min.  Set aside.

--Beat cream cheese on medium speed until smooth and creamy

--Add confectioners' sugar and vanilla extract and beat on medium-high speed

--Fold in whipped cream and chopped Oreos into cream cheese mixture until combined

4. Make whipped cream:

--Mix heavy cream, sugar, vanilla extract on medium-high speed until medium peaks form, about 3-4 min.

4. Spread filling into cooled crust

5. Spread whipped cream

6. Cover with plastic wrap and fridge for at least 6 hrs, up to 2 days.  Can freeze for at least 4 hrs.  I froze for first night and then took out and at and was fine.  Harder to cut crust when frozen.  Use knife to cut crust and chisel a little from the pie dish.

African Peanut Soup

Modified from modernproper.com with a few additions from Fitmencook.com

Eric didn't think was great.  He said there was "something missing." He thinks it was salt.

I didn't think it was spicy enough.  I added red pepper flakes afterwards. 

I didn't add sweet potatoes because too much work.

I didn't add kale because...Eric

I also seasoned the chicken/marinated chicken from Fitmencook's recipe.

Ingredients:

-chicken tenders

-1 medium onion, chopped

-1 Tbsp ginger, minced - I used 2 Tbsp or more and good

-1 jalapeno, diced --> use 2 serranos instead??

-4 garlic cloves, minced - used more

-1/2 tsp pepper

-2 tsp cumin

-2 Tbsp tomato paste

-1 (14 oz) can crushed tomatoes

-4 cups of chicken stock 

-1 cup of creamy natural peanut butter

-1 (14 oz) can of chickpeas, drained

-Veggies used: bell pepper trio (consider sliced jalapenos here, too)

-1 sweet potato, peeled and diced

Fitmencook's spices for sauce - I used for chicken marinade and didn't measure out just sprinkled, but he added to the sauce

-2 tsp smoked paprika (wouldn't use next time, too strong flavor, try regular paprika?)

-2 tsp ground coriander

-1/2 tsp cayenne pepper - need more for spice

-2 bay leaves

Garnish (used the cilantro, but nothing else)

-cilantro

-lemon juice

-sea salt

-pepper

-chopped peanuts

Directions:

1. Cut and marinate chicken with salt, pepper, ground coriander (vs. cumin?), paprika? (not smoked?), and cayenne (use more). 

2. Cut veggies

3. Saute a little of the garlic + serrano --> add chicken. Set aside.

4. Saute garlic + onions + serrano until softened

5. Add ginger

6. Add pepper, cumin, tomato paste --> stir until paste darkens

*. Add sweet potatoes --> cook for another 3 min

7. Add crushed tomatoes, stock, peanut butter, bay leaves

*. Add sweet potatoes if you got them --> simmer for 15 min until potatoes tender

8. If no sweet potatoes, add in veggies + chickpeas and "simmer"

9. Add salt?

10. Garnish

I may try again with the sweet potatoes. Try adding after step 6 per Fitmencook's recipe vs. modern proper after step 7.

I changed recipe to use serranos instead of jalapenos or consider adding jalapenos as part of the veggies added

Drunken Noodles (Pad Kee Mao)

Recipe taken from Kevin Curry from Fit Men Cook app.

I didn't follow it correctly when I should have, and it ended up being too acidic (add lime juice, didn't add the sugar). Also, need to add less fish sauce because Eric doesn't like a lot.  I ended up adding Hoisin to his meal and he liked it better.  I also doubled the recipe because I was adding a ton of veggies.

Also the brown rice noodles instructions were to cook for 4-5 min, and I did 3 min, but still think it could have been less.  Just looked up a different way to cook them from KitchenSkip.com

1. Boil water

2. Turn off heat

3. Add noodles

4. Soak for 6-10 min

5. Drain

6. Rinse in cold water - rinsing makes it less sticky

Ingredients:

-Garlic, minced

-Chicken, diced

-Roma tomatoes, small diced - I used 3, but would do 4 like it said

-4 Tbsp fish sauce (do 3)

-4 Tbsp soy sauce

-4 tsp coconut sugar (didn't add, but need to next time)

-3 tsp lime zest (don't add the juice!)

-2 Tbsp thai chili sauce 

-32 oz tofu shirataki noodles - I just used 1 box of brown rice noodles and was perfect for 6 servings

-Thai basil, chopped

-Veggies used: 1 yellow onion, 2 bell peppers, 1 large zucchini - for 6 servings

Directions:

1. Cook garlic + serrano in pan.  Add chicken. Set aside.

2. Combine tomatoes, fish sauce, soy, coconut sugar, lime zest, and chili sauce into pan.  Cook for about 5 min, until tomatoes have created their own paste and sauce

3. Add veggies and cook

4. Add uncooked noodles????

5. Combine with chicken

6. Garnish with thai basil

Party snacks

Over the years, I've thrown a lot of parties.  I know what works and what doesn't work.  Or at least what I feel does/doesn't work. I could be wrong.  We used to buy food like fajitas or pizza, but people don't really eat food.  Except a Chick-fil-a chicken platter.  People will eat that up.  Anyways, I wrote my list of recipes out on a piece of paper, but I threw it out/gave it to Jasmine, so writing it down here.  The salsa is on here already, but will just write it again. This latest set of recipes was for the last party we threw for NBA All-star Feb 2019.

Salsa

-1 can of diced tomatoes (14 oz)

-1 can of original Ro-tel (10 oz)

-1/2 small white onion

-1 jalapeno

-1 lime

-1 clove garlic

-handful of cilantro

-1 tsp honey

-1/2 tsp salt
-1/4 tsp cumin

Guacamole (x3 for onions, no onions, and for 7-layer dip)

-3 large oavocados

-1 lime

-1/2 white onion

-3 Tbsp cilantro

-2 roma tomatoes

-1 tsp garlic powder

-1 jalapeno

-1 pinch cayenne/cumin/salt

Queso

-1 package of cream cheese, cubed (8 oz)

-White American cheese, cubed (1 lb)

-1 Tbsp salted butter

-4 Tbsp milk (or more)

-1 can of diced green chiles (4 oz)

-1/2 Tbsp diced jalapenos

-2 Tbsp cilantro (optional)

Ritz cracker + candied jalapenos

-1 jar candied jalapenos

-1 box of mini Ritz crackers

-cream cheese

7 layer dip (basketball shaped)

-1 can refried beans + taco seasoning

-guacamole (no tomato/no onion)

-sour cream (16 oz) + cream cheese (8 oz)

-roma tomatoes (or salsa, but not the watery kind)

-shredded lettuce

-shredded cheese

-olives (in shape of basketball)

Ranch dip (for veggie tray)

-sour cream (16 oz)

-1 ranch packet

Veggie platter

-baby carrots

-broccoli

-cucumber

-cheese cubes

x tomatoes - nobody eats

x celery - nobody eats

Fruit tray (don't think I ever made)

-pineapples

-strawberries

-blueberries

-mandarin oranges

Punch (refrigerate everything)

-1 quart cranberry juice

-1 quart pineapple juice

-1 frozen OJ can

-1 frozen lemonade can

-1 quart ginger ale (add right before serving)

-vodka…a lot of vodka 

Mediterranean Roasted Vegetables

Haven't made yet, but looking at recipes from Little Ferraro Kitchen and a Cedar Spoon
Added balsamic vinegar to mix.

Veggies to consider:

-red onion

-bell peppers

-zucchini

-cherry tomatoes

-chickpeas

Seasonings:

-olive oil

-garlic cloves, minced or 1/2 tsp garlic powder

-1 tsp oregano

-1 tsp thyme (don't have)

-1 tsp za'atar

-1/2 tsp smoked paprika

-1/4 tsp turmeric (sprinkle)

-1/4 tsp salt

-Black pepper to taste

-balsamic vinegar

-chopped fresh parsley or basil as garnish (don't have)

-lemon juice as garnish (optional and probably won't use since using balsamic)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425

2. Toss veggies and seasonings and layer on sheet

3. Roast for 30-35 min