tandoori chicken for naan wraps

 

Again, my oldest daughter gave my youngest daughter a dinner idea and it sounded so good I wanted to make it right away.  When my youngest daughter made her wrap she said, "Mom this is so good.  It's my favorite dinner."

Instead of a naan wrap, I ate mine sort of deconstructed and enjoyed how the flavors came together.  Of course I enjoyed mine with fresh tomatoes and cucumbers, some homemade raita sauce, store-bought garlic hummus and some Asian slaw that I threw together.  Not exactly traditional but I love lots of sauces and lots of flavors.

tandoori chicken for naan wraps (moribyan)

1.5 pounds chicken breast or chicken thighs

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 cup plain greek yogurt

1 teaspoon ginger powder (if you have fresh, use 1 tablespoon minced)

1 tablespoon minced garlic

2 teaspoons garam masala

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons cumin

2 teaspoons chili powder

1/2 tablespoon turmeric

1 teaspoon coriander

1 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

2 tablespoons lime juice

Combine chicken, yogurt, ginger, garlic, spices and lime juice.  Mix well and let marinate at least 30 minutes.  The longer the better.

In a large skillet heat the oil and add the chicken.  Cook 10 minutes on each side until browned and cooked through.

Assemble wraps using mini naan bread, cucumbers, lettuce, tomatoes and homemade raita.

homemade raita sauce

1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt

1/4 cup shredded cucumber

pinch of cumin

1/4 teaspoon salt

Combine and enjoy!

copycat Costco stuffed peppers

 

My youngest daughter got some dinner ideas from my oldest daughter and one of them was Costco stuffed peppers but instead of buying them I found this delicious copycat recipe.  Now, I don't know if they are like Costco's recipe or not but the recipe is awesome.  The only substitution I made was ground chicken instead of ground beef to lighten it up.  They were perfect.  We enjoyed them with a dollop of light sour cream on top.

copycat Costco stuffed peppers (copy me that)

3 bell peppers, halved lengthwise and stem removed

1 pound ground beef (I used quality ground chicken)

1 cup cooked rice

1/2 cup onion, chopped (I used 2 tablespoons dried onion flakes to save time)

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 can petite diced tomatoes

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Place bell peppers in a casserole dish.  Heat the oven to 400 degrees.

In a large skillet start to brown the ground beef.  Add the chopped onion and garlic.  When the meat is just about cooked through add the rice, chili powder, paprika, salt, pepper and diced tomatoes.  Cook until everything is cooked through and nice and hot.  Turn off the heat.  Scoop the filling into the peppers.  Top with shredded cheese.

Cover the casserole dish with foil and bake for 50-55 minutes.

shirtless fudge brownies

 

My teenage son and his friend wanted something to do so I told them to bake something.  My son asked for a box of brownie mix but I handed him a cookbook instead.  The boys took off their shirts for some shirtless baking.  The brownies turned out absolutely delicious and we now refer to them as "shirtless brownies".

shirtless fudge brownies (Better Homes & Gardens New Cookbook)

1/2 cup butter

2 ounces unsweetened chocolate (the boys used 1/2 cup cocoa powder)

2 eggs

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips (6 ounces)

Grease an 8x8x2 inch baking pan; set aside.  In a medium saucepan melt butter and chocolate over low heat.  Remove from heat.  Stir in eggs, sugar and vanilla.  Using a wooden spoon, beat lightly just till combined.  Stir in flour and chocolate chips.

Spread batter in prepared baking pan.  Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.  Cool in a wire rack.  Cut into bars. 

the best banana bread

 

We like cinnamon, ginger and cloves in pumpkin bread so why not banana bread?  I went ahead and doubled the recipe and made two loaves.  They turned out perfectly and we were able to share a loaf with friends who also enjoyed it.

the best banana bread (lalalisette)

3 ripe bananas

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tablespoon honey (I omitted)

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup butter, melted

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 teaspoon cinnamon (I used 1/2 teaspoon)

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg (I used 1/2 teaspoon)

1/4 teaspoon cloves (I used a rounded 1/4 teaspoon)

dash of ginger powder (I used 1/4 teaspoon)...you've got to be able to taste the spices!

1 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup walnuts or pecans, chopped, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mash bananas

Mix the mashed bananas, melted butter, eggs and vanilla extract.  Add sugars.  Add in the salt and spices.

Add the flour, baking soda and nuts and mix until just combined.

Pour batter into a greased 9x5 bread pan.

Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until inserted toothpick comes out clean.

crockpot thai chicken curry

 

My oldest daughter made this curry and it sounded so delicious I asked her for the recipe.  It was even better than I expected.  It was SO good!! One of my new favorites.  I love easy recipes.

crockpot thai chicken curry (theendlessmeal.com)

1-2 cups chicken stock (I used vegetable stock)

2-4 tablespoons Thai red curry paste (I used 4 tablespoons)

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon coconut sugar or brown sugar (I omitted)

1 tablespoon minced ginger

1 tablespoon fish sauce

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs (I used chicken breasts)

1 medium onion, chopped (I used 3 tablespoons dried minced onion)

1-2 chili peppers (I used 2 teaspoons chili garlic sauce)

14 ounce can coconut milk

1 large bunch of kale, roughly 2 packed cups (I used 4 cups)

optional: cilantro, chili peppers and lime to serve

Place all the ingredients, except for the coconut milk and kale into your crockpot and stir together well.  Set your crockpot on high for 4 hours.

After 4 hours, stir in the coconut milk and kale and let it sit while you prepare the rice.

Top with a little cilantro, lime and if you like it extra spicy, some chopped chili peppers.

taiwanese meefun

 

I loved all the veggies in this dish.  It was especially good with kimchi...but I'm starting to enjoy kimchi with just about anything with these sorts of ingredients.

taiwanese meefun (New York Times Page-A-Day Calendar)

5 ounces dried rice vermicelli

4 dried shiitake mushrooms

5 tablespoons olive oil (I scaled WAY back)

2 eggs, lightly beaten

2 large shallots, thinly sliced (I used green onion)

kosher salt

1 large carrot, cut into thin matchsticks (about 2 1/2 cups)

1/4 small green cabbage, shredded (about 2 1/2 cups)

8 ounces baked tofu, cut into think matchsticks (about 2 cups) (I made baked tofu cubes)

3 tablespoons soy sauce

1 teaspoon ground white pepper (I used 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper)

1/4 cup fresh cilantro roughly chopped

chile oil, for serving

In a medium bowl, cover rice vermicelli in cold water and soak until softened, 5 to 10 minutes.  Drain and set aside.  Soak dried mushrooms in warm water until hydrated and softened, about 10 minutes, then drain and slice 1/4-inch thick.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large deep skillet over medium heat.  Add beaten eggs, swirl to create an even layer and cook until eggs are set and cooked through, about 1 minute.  Transfer the cooked eggs onto a cutting board.  Let cool slightly, then cut into matchsticks.  Set aside.

Return the skillet to the stove and raise heat to medium high.  Add a little oil, the shallots and shiitake mushrooms.  Season with salt.  Cook, stirring frequently, until the edges of shallots begin to brown, 3 to 4 minutes.

Add carrot, season with salt and cook, stirring frequently, until softened but still crisp.  Add cabbage and cook stirring frequently, until slightly wilted.

Add tofu, soy sauce, drained noodles and 1 cup water, and cook stirring frequently until the noodles absorb the water, 5 to 6 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper and stir in reserved eggs to combine.  Serve topped with cilantro and chile oil.

crispy baked tofu

 

I found this recipe because I needed to make baked tofu to go into a different recipe I was making (Taiwanese Meefun).  This recipe was great!  I love that I now how how to make it so I can throw it into stir fries and other dishes and the tofu won't crumble to bits.

crispy baked tofu (cookie & kate)

1 block (12-15 ounces) organic extra firm tofu

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon cornstarch

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent the tofu from sticking.

To prepare the tofu, drain the tofu and use your palms to gently squeeze out some of the water.  Slice the tofu into thirds lengthwise so you have 3 even slabs.  Stack the slabs on top of each other and slice through them lengthwise to make 3 even columns, then slice across to make 5 even rows. 

Line a cutting board with paper towels then arrange the tofu in an even layer on the towels.  Fold the towel over the cubed tofu then press gently to help the tofu drain.  Let the tofu rest for at least 10 minutes up to 30 minutes.

Transfer the pressed tofu to a medium mixing bowl and drizzle with the olive oil and soy sauce.  Toss to combine.  Sprinkle the starch over the tofu and toss the tofu until the starch is evenly coated, so there are no powdery spots remaining.

Tip the bowl of tofu over onto your prepared baking sheet and arrange the tofu in an even layer.  Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, tossing tofu halfway, until the tofu is deeply golden on the edges.  Use as desired.