Lunchtime!

Hey there!

I just wanted to share this awesome Chinese Chicken Salad recipe with you real quick. My mom used to be in a bowling league and got this a fellow bowling buddy. I made a request for it the other day and Voila! She brought it to the office a couple days later. She's the best.

Here we go...

Chinese Chicken Salad
Recipe by: Helen

4 cups boiled chicken, cut into strips (you can use a store bought rotisserie)

8 green onions, chopped

1 cup olive oil

5 tablespoons vinegar

1/4 cup splenda

3 tablespoons soy sauce

dash of worcestershire sauce

Combine the above ingredients and refrigerate overnight.

1lb green cabbage, shredded

1 package fresh spinach, cut into strips

2 packages ramen noodles without dressing, crunched

3oz sliced almonds

Just before serving, mix above ingredients together and combine with those refrigerated overnight.

Printable Recipe!

 

 

I seriously LOVE this salad.

 

 

PS-Sorry the recipe doesn't have any spacing..blogger is NOT cooperating with me today!

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Chicken Stir-Fry...my way...or your way...you decide!

Last night I knew the husband would be stuck at the greenhouse rather late...It actually gave me a chance to get a few things done at home...like finish planting my flower pots...until I ran out of soil...vacuum, wash towels...you know, all that fun stuff. 

I also knew that since he wasn't going to be home for dinner, I wanted something quick and easy. My fridge was in need of a bit of a cleaning, so I thought to myself...How bout a stir-fry??? 

Really, you can't go wrong. Open your veggie drawer, see what ya got and there ya have it!!!!!

As most of you know, we like a lot of spice, so I used House of Tsang Spicy Szechuan Sauce and added some Sriracha too. But you can use whatever flavor floats your boat!

I'm not gonna lie...I had stir-fry on my mind when I went to the store last week....because I don't normally buy bok choy on a regular basis!

Spicy Chicken Stir Fry

1 package boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1" pieces

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon ginger paste

1 whole yellow onion, sliced

1 bunch bok choy, roughly chopped

1 bunch broccolini, stems trimmed

1 can bean sprouts, drained or 1 cup fresh

1 cup edamame, shelled

1 cup bottled szechuan stir-fry sauce, or your favorite flavor

1 tablespoon soy sauce

2 tablespoons sriracha sauce*optional*

• Heat oil in a wok or large pan over high heat, add the onions, garlic & ginger paste and cook for 5 minutes.
• Add the chicken, cover and cook for 5 more minutes. Stirring once or twice.
• Next, add the bok choy, broccolini, stir-fry sauce and soy sauce. Mix well, cover and cook for an additional 5-8 minutes(depending how soft/crunchy you like your vegetables).
• Finally, add the edamame, bean sprouts and sriracha sauce. Cover and cook for 2 minutes.
• Serve over hot rice or noodle of your choice.

This would probably serve 4 maybe 6 adults...still working on that cooking for 2 thing ;)

Printable Recipe!!!

Didn't use the bell pepper...my pot was pretty loaded already!

And there ya have it! Delish!!!

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Best.Fried.Rice.EVER...

Seriously...
I came across this recipe on Tasty Kitchen and it instantly intrigued me... Matt and I LOVE fried rice and we love Sriracha. Mix them both together...SCORE!
There is a Japanese place that we go to often called Hana Yori and I am ALWAYS asking them how to make the rice because I can never seem to get it right. The chef told me the trick is to use cold rice, which I had never done before. It had been a while since I had attempted to make it when I came across this yesterday morning, so I decided to give it another whirl. I must say, it was pretty amazing...if you like spicy, you will love this! If you don't, you can just omit it and still love it!
After I saw the recipe on TK, I checked out who submitted the recipe and saw the link to her blog, Everyday Delightful. You should really go and check it out. There are some really great recipes over there!

Best.Fried.Rice.EVER

adapted from : Everyday Delightful

1/4 cup vegetable or canola oil

4 cups cooked white rice, cold

1 tablespoons minced garlic

1/2 yellow onion, finely diced

1 carrot, finely diced

1 cup cabbage, finely diced

2 teaspoons sesame oil

4 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce

3 tablespoons sriracha sauce, more/less to taste, we like heat

salt & pepper, to taste

4 eggs

• In a wok or large pan, heat the vegetable oil over med/high heat until hot.
• Add the onions and garlic, saute for 4 minutes then add the cabbage and carrots. Cook until crisp-tender.
• Add the the soy and sriracha and saute for 2 minutes then add the rice.
• Mix well and continue to cook until all the flavors have combined, approx 15 minutes.
• Add the sesame oil, mix and remove from heat.
• Fry the eggs to your liking. 
• Serve the rice topped off with the fried eggs and ENJOY!

Printable Recipe!!!

SERIOUSLY...AMAZING!

Just looking at these pictures is making me want this all over again...RIGHT NOW! Too bad I am at the office and sent what little leftovers we had left with Matt...At least I know he is having a good lunch!

I hope you guys try this and let me know what you think...I know you will love it....I was thinking next time about throwing some shrimp or chicken in with it and maybe even some more vegetables. The options are endless!!!

Have a GREAT Friday!!!

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Pan Seared Tuna Tuesday!!!

Tuna is quite possibly the EASIEST/QUICKEST fish to make in my book. Maybe it's because we only eat it raw or sear it for about 60 seconds on each side but hey whatever works...right?

I often serve pan seared tuna as appetizer by just seasoning it generously with Tony Chachere's, seared and sliced...but I remember preparing it this way over the summer and it was REALLY REALLY good. We only have a small hand full of sushi place around here and good tuna is hard to come by. Luckily Martin's generally always has it fresh in their seafood department and when they dont' they have "fresh" frozen in their seafood's freezer. So I usually always buy it when I go, so it has sort of become a staple in my freezer.

Last night I made a mixed greens salad with fried wontons and a ginger dressing to go with it...I was experimenting with the dressing and think I may have actually came up with something AMAZING! It was seriously...the.best.dressing.EVER! I was trying to recreate what they serve with the salads at Japanese Steakhouses and that I did. Maybe even a little better ;) 

Pan Seared Tuna 

adapted from : Simply Recipes

2 sashimi grade tuna steaks

1 bunch green onions, roughly chopped

2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce

1 tablespoon ginger paste or fresh grated

juice from 1/2 of a lime

In a small bowl mix the soy, ginger, lime and green onions. 

Place the tuna steaks in a zip lock or plastic container with a lid. 

Pour the mixture over the tuna steaks and make sure all sides are coated.

Seal and put in the fridge for 1 hour. Flipping over half way through.

Heat a medium non stick pan over high heat and spray with cooking spray. You want to make sure the pan is nice and HOT.

Place the tuna steaks on the hot pan and cook for 60 seconds, turn over and cook for an additional 60 seconds. 

Remove from pan and serve.

NOTE: THIS RECIPE IS FOR RARE. ADJUST COOKING TIME IF YOU PREFER OTHERWISE.

Printable Recipe!

Ginger Soy Dressing

1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce

1/2 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1/2 tablespoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon ginger paste

Whisk all ingredients together and serve with you favorite salad. 

I used mixed greens, green onions and topped it off with some crispy fried wontons! DELISH!!!

Printable Recipe!!!

READY TO SERVE!!!

And in honor of National Margarita Day...

I had a Martini!!!

Cheers!

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Oh my, my...Chicken Pad Thai

WOW...that was my reaction to the pad thai I made last night...not to boast, but it was pretty darn good! I haven't really dabbled in cooking Asian cuisine that much but I LOVE it... I have been telling Matt about this local place called Noodle Alley that I had heard good things about on yelp.com. Needless to say, we still have YET to go there...so when I stopped at the Martin's by my dentist's office the other day, I found they had a great little Asian foods section...stocked up and decided to make my own.

I have absolutely no idea if anything in this dish, besides the noodles, even classifies as an authentic Pad Thai, but hey...we liked it! So, here it goes...

Chicken Pad Thai

1 package pad thai rice sticks

1 package boneless skinless chicken breast, cubed

1 can bean sprouts, drained or 1 cup fresh

1 colored pepper of your choice, sliced( I used orange)

1 med yellow onion, sliced

1 cup shredded carrots

2 tablespoons minced garlic

2 tablespoons ginger paste 

2 teaspoons hoison sauce

3 tablespoons peanut butter (crunchy or creamy, I used crunchy bc that's what I had on hand)

3 tablespoons soy sauce (I use kikkomon low sodium)

siracha hot chili sauce, to taste 

salt & pepper

2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil

1 bunch green green onions for garnish, chopped

I tend to add more of the ingredients as I am cooking, so feel free to ad lib!

• Soak the pad thai rice sticks in warm for 45 minutes. I bought a Sun Luck 13.2oz bag and ended up throwing some away. I think an 8oz package would be fine.
• For the sauce : mix the hoison, peanut butter, soy & siracha ( we like spicy, so I used roughly a tablespoon) to form a paste. Set aside.
• When the noodles are done soaking, drain water and set aside.
• Heat the oil in a wok over HIGH heat for about 2 minutes. Add the chicken and garlic, cook for 2-3 minutes then add the onion, bell peppper, carrots and ginger paste. If you are using fresh bean sprouts, put them in as well, if using canned, you will use them in the end. Stir well, add the cover and continue cooking until the chicken & vegetables are done, about 5 minutes.
• Fold in the noodles, paste & bean sprouts (if using canned). Cook for an additional 2 minutes. 
• Serve in bowls and garnish with chopped green onions and extra siracha sauce if you dare!!!

Notice the little notes??? I thought I was going to to use the chicken stock & bell pepper but didn't end u needing it!

 Soaking

 Mmm spicy peanut sauce!

 Make sure the Wok is nice and hot

Toss in the chicken & garlic

Must have forgot to take pictures in between before and now but Lookin good!

Tada!

I really hope you all enjoy this as much as we did, especially Matt...

Finishing off his second helping...

I swear, I don't know where that man puts all the food he consumes.

I wish I had his metabolism!

Now onto more important things...

What's for dinner tonight???

I'll let ya know tomorrow...

Have a great evening everyone!

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