Peanut Butter Chicken

This had been a family favorite for years.

1 c. Mayonnaise
1/4 c. Honey
2 T. Peanut butter
2 T. Dijon mustard
Mix together. Dip 4 chicken breasts cut into strips into sauce and then coat strips in 5 cups (about 1 bag) finely crushes potato chips. Place on cookie sheet.
Bake at 425 until cooked through, about 10 min.

*I x the recipe by 1 1/2 and set some sauce aside for dipping.

Long time no see!
Today I went all out and made curry... From scratch. I usually don't like to spend the time. But, it's always so good!
Vegetable curry
5 cloves garlic
1 (3-inch) chunk peeled, fresh ginger
1 tablespoon water, plus more as needed
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds
1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
6 green cardamom pods
4 whole allspice
3 whole cloves
1 (3-inch) long cinnamon stick, broken in 1/2
1 bay leaf, preferably fresh
1 medium yellow onion, sliced
2 teaspoons Madras-style curry powder
1/2 jalapeno, or more to taste
1/2 cup whole, peeled, canned tomatoes (with puree), roughly chopped
8 cups mixed 1-inch-cut vegetables, such as cauliflower, potatoes, green beans, or eggplant
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 (14-ounce) can unsweetened coconut milk
About 2 cups (1-inch cubed) cooked chicken, preferably thigh or leg (optional)
Cilantro leaves, for garnish
Serving suggestion: Basmati rice and chutney
Directions
In a small food processor (mini-chopper), combine the garlic, ginger, and 1 tablespoon water and puree to a paste.
Heat the oil in a stew pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the coriander, cumin, cardamom, allspice, cloves, cinnamon stick, and bay leaf and cook, stirring constantly, until toasted and fragrant and the cinnamon stick unfurls, about 30 seconds. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic-ginger paste, curry powder, and jalapeno and cook, stirring, until lightly browned and fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add the tomato and cook, stirring, until the oil begin to separate and there is a distinctive crackling sound as the ingredients "re-fry" in the oil, about 6 minutes.
Add the vegetables, season with salt and pepper and stir to combine.
Add the coconut milk and enough water to just cover the vegetables. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer, covered, until tender, about 15 to 20 minutes.
Using a slotted spoon transfer the vegetables to a bowl. Bring the broth to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced to a sauce-like consistency. If using the chicken, add and reheat. Return the vegetables to the sauce and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a platter and garnish with the cilantro.

Brownie waffles with homemade vanilla custard ice cream.

I placed the brownie batter in the waffle iron to try to make dessert quickly. This might work if you only needed 1 or 2, but I think 6 took just as long as baking them.

Vanilla custard ice cream

Ingredients
1 cup half-and-half cream
2/3 cup sugar
3 eggs, beaten
1 cup whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
Directions
In a heavy saucepan, combine first three ingredients. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened. Cool. Pour into chilled ice cube trays without dividers or a shallow pan. Freeze to a mush (do not freeze hard). Whip cream; add vanilla and salt. Fold into partially frozen mixture. Return to trays or pan and freeze.

*I skipped the whole ice cube try part and just added the whipped cream to the custard mixture after it had cooled. Then I used my ice cream maker.

I've been on my low iodine diet for 2 weeks now and I'm really ready to be done.
Tonight I made pesto chicken flatbread. Yum!

I have started my low iodine diet again. This is a staple anytime I need to do this diet. I love these!




Orange Spiced Nuts
recipe found here
2 cups whole blanched almonds
1 ½ cups pecan halves
1 ½ cups filberts (hazelnut)
1 cup sugar
¼ tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. nutmeg
Pinch salt
2 egg whites
1 Tbsp. grated orange peel
½ cup butter or margarine
Heat oven to 325 degrees. Spread nuts in jelly roll pan. Bake, stirring occasionally, for 20 to 25 minutes or until lightly toasted.
In small bowl stir together sugar and spices.
Using a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat egg whites at high speed, scraping bowl often, until soft peaks form, about 1 to 2 minutes. Continue beating, gradually adding sugar mixture, until stiff peaks form, another 1 to 2 minutes. By hand, fold in orange zest and nuts. In same jelly roll pan, melt butter in oven—about 4 to 6 minutes. Spread nut mixture over butter. Bake, stirring every 5-10 minutes for about 25 to 30 minutes, or until nuts are brown and no butter remains. Cool completely and transfer to an airtight container.

Creamsicle Cookies

2 1/2 c. all purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 c (2 sticks) butter, softened
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c. firmly packed brown sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 T. orange zest
2 c. guitard choc-au-lait vanilla chips (or white chips)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and creamy. Beat in egg and vanilla until smooth. Gradually add flour mixture until combined. Stir in orange zest and chips.

Drop rounded teaspoonfuls I to u greased cookie sheets. Do not flatten cookies. Bake 8-10 min or until golden Brian around edged. Do not overlook! Cookies will be plump. Cool for several minutes on cookie sheets before transferring to rack to cool completely.

Cookie time!

Cassia is selling girl scout cookies again this year. Her goal is 800 boxes. If you want to buy some and are in Utah, let us know!

What are your favorite kind of Girl Scout cookies?
Mine are Samoas! Yum!

Italian Sausage Soup and rolls

This was a new one. Very yummy!

1 pound Italian sausage
1 clove garlic, minced
2 (14 ounce) cans beef broth
1 (14.5 ounce) can Italian-style stewed tomatoes
1 cup sliced carrots
1 (14.5 ounce) can great Northern beans, undrained
2 small zucchini, cubed
2 cups spinach - packed, rinsed and torn
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
Directions
In a stockpot or Dutch oven, brown sausage with garlic. Stir in broth, tomatoes and carrots, and season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 15 minutes.
Stir in beans with liquid and zucchini. Cover, and simmer another 15 minutes, or until zucchini is tender.
Remove from heat, and add spinach. Replace lid allowing the heat from the soup to cook the spinach leaves. Soup is ready to serve after 5 minutes.

Fritos With Chili

Squash Ravioli with Olive Oil and Basil

Another attempt to get Kirk to eat squash. This one worked. This was super yummy.
I just sautéd the cubed squash with onion and garlic and filled wonton skins.

Lettuce wraps with a tortilla, gotta get the kids to eat them somehow!

Tortino di Cioccolato at Sea Salt
Chocolate and Hazelnut Tart, Chocolate Budino, Sea Salt, Olive Oil.
Yummy!

Murgh makhani (butter chicken), basmati rice, and oven roasted brussels sprouts

The brussels sprouts left something to be desired but anytime I can get Kirk to eat a vegetable he hates, it's a victory.

"marlboro man" sandwich and fried green beans.

Very yummy! We'll have this again!

I can't decide if it's me or the recipes that I've been trying, but I'm about ready to give up! These looked SO yummy. Did not work out as promised. And I'm a little mad about it.

Birthday dinner at Wingers

Tikka masala curry

Pizza

'cuz I was beat.

Crisp chicken taco w/ salsa verde, chili beans, and salad.

Thanks for hanging with me even though I seem to have abandon this blog. This summer has been crazy! I hope to be back for good.

I saw this recipe on Paula Dean and I just had to try it! I it was delish! I wasn't paying that much attention when I watch and I went shopping without the recipe so I had to change a few things like using a flour tortilla. You should definitely try it!

Today I made these cupcakes for Kirk's (and Brian's) birthday. They were so yummy but so rich!