Chicken Laksa

So fragrant! So flavorful in every bite! So easy!

1 1/2 T. peanut or sesame oil
3 or 4 chicken breasts sliced into thin strips.
2 tsp. red chili paste
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 inch piece of fresh ginger, finely grated
1 tsp. ground coriander
1/2 tsp. ground turmeric
1 tsp. brown sugar
grated zest of one lemon
1/4 cup lemon juice (about 1 1/2 lemons)
1 T. fish sauce (optional. Yuck!)
4 to 6 cups chicken stock. (For dinner for 2-3 people, use 4 cups. For more, use 6).
2 cups coconut milk (16 oz. or close - some cans are only 13.5 oz and that's fine enough. )
Spoon over Top Ramen noodles (don't use flavor packets, of course) or my favorite, Jasmine rice.

Garnish:
Must have cilantro!
bean sprouts and sliced green onions (optional)

Preparation:
Get all the zesting and grating, and mincing done and have ready.

In large skillet or very large sauce pan, heat oil on medium high heat.
Cook chicken, turning frequently.
Add chili paste, garlic, ginger, coriander, turmeric, sugar, and zest. Cook stirring 3-4 minutes.

Add lemon juice, fish sauce, stock and coco milk. Increase heat to steady simmer and then reduce to med-low and simmer for 15 minutes.

Cook rice or ramen noodles separately and drain.

Ladle soup over noodles in individual bowls. Top with cilantro and other garnishes. Enjoy!

Eat with chopsticks or fork in one hand and a spoon in the other!

So good!!

Ethel's Sugar Cookies

These are old-school. Straight out of my mom's out-of-print Betty Crocker cookbook! I used to make these when I was little.

Note: A doubled recipe yields about 55 cookie-cutter cookies. I like to add lemon juice to the dough for a cool treat!

3/4 cup soft shortening part butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. vanilla and lemon
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt

1.) Beat sugar, eggs, and vanilla

2.) In small bowl, mix baking powder, salt, and flour together with spoon.

3.) Gradually beat flour into egg mixture until dough forms. You may have to use your hands.

Chill dough at least one hour

Roll out 1/8 inch thick and cut with cookie cutters. Sprinkle with sugar before baking.

400 degrees
6-8 minutes.

Greggor's Carrot Apple Curry Soup

This is one of those "eye-ball it" recipes so have fun with it! Tastes delicious! Pair with grilled cheese sandwiches with tomato and bacon.

1.) Sautee diced yellow onions in lots of butter at the bottom of a big pot. Just until soft.

2.) Add about 5 thinly sliced carrots. Cook covered until soft.

OPTIONAL: Add minced fresh ginger (from 2-3 inch piece)

3.) Add 1 cup apple juice or cider.

4.) Add 2 roughly chopped golden apples

5.)Season with lots of yellow curry powder

6.) Bring veggie or chicken broth to a boil in separate sauce pan. Then add to pot.

7.) Let simmer for 15 minutes.

8.)Puree the mixture. Add creme/milk to taste.

9.) Brown off 2 additional roughly chopped golden apples in butter. Then add to soup mixture.

Enjoy!

Stromboli Sandwiches

We love these! They're like sloppy Joes with Italian seasonings, only way better! Great for missionaries or game day!

Prep time: 30 min. Bake 25 min.

2 lbs. ground turkey or beef
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 cup ketchup
1 cup tomato sauce
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tsp. garlic powder, divided
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. fennel seed
1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 loaves (1 pound each) Italian bread (or French bread), halved lengthwise
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

In big pot or deep skillet, cook meat and onion over medium heat, drain.

Stir in ketchup, tomato sauce, parmesan cheese, 1/2 tsp. garlic powder, oregano, fennel, and Italian seasoning. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, UNcovered for 15 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the butter and remaining garlic powder, spread over the inside of the top halves of bread. Sprinkle 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese over each bottom bread half. Spoon the meat mixture onto the bread halves and sprinkle with remaining mozzarella. Replace the bread tops like a sandwich.

Wrap each sandwich loaf in foil. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Yields 2 large sandwich loaves - 8 servings each.

Source: Taste Of Home Cookbook 2009

Rosemary's Carbonara

Melt margerine in a frying pan--about 1/2 stick.
Saute 1-2 onions sliced on med till soft.
Add cubes of ham and heat.
Sprinkle flour over--about 3 tablespoons.
Pour in milk--I have never measured, just cover what you have in the pan with milk.
Heat till it boils.
If the sauce is too think, add a little more milk.
Add a jar of alfredo sauce.

Moroccan Chicken with Fruit and Olive Topping

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• 1/2 cup prechopped onion
• 2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic
• 3/4 cup dried mixed fruit ( I used dried figs and apricots. Other reviews used prunes and apricots with apple).
  
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 1/4 cup chopped pitted green olives
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Preparation

Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and thyme evenly over chicken. Add chicken to pan; cook 4 minutes on each side or until done. Remove from pan; cover and keep warm.

Heat remaining 1 teaspoon oil in pan. Add onion to pan; sauté 2 minutes until tender. Add garlic to pan; sauté 30 seconds. Add fruit and remaining ingredients to pan; cook 5 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates.

Serve with couscous.

Greek Lamb Chops

One word. Sensational.

I've never cooked or purchased lamb of any kind in my life! I'm not even sure I liked eating lamb until this recipe. It's tough choosing healthy foods that Paul will eat. He likes cheese and meat and salt. I have a tough time making him eat his vegetables. So this week I planned out all our recipes to be either Greek or Moroccan.

This lamb chop recipe is SO EASY and so quick I can't believe it. It's so easy it should be a sin. I couldn't believe how beautiful it turned out and at the dinner table all you could hear was Paul and I making noises of ecstasy as we bit into these flavorful morsels. Pair it with couscous!
I wrote the recipe exactly as I prepared it. Totally worthy of a special occasion!

Enjoy!


Ingredients

* 1 tablespoon dried oregano
* 2 tablespoons lemon juice
* 3 tablespoons bottled minced garlic (bottled garlic isn't as strong as fresh)
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
* 5-6 lamb loin chops. I kept the fat on (SO GOOD!) My package said "Australian" and I don't know why.

NOTE: 5-6 chops will feed two people. If you prepare more chops, double the recipe of the first 5 ingredients. You can't have too much!


Preparation

Preheat broiler.

Combine first 5 ingredients; rub over both sides of chops. (I dipped my whole chop in the bowl and drenched it!) Place chops on broiler pan (I used a foil-covered cookie sheet). broil 4 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. (Mine were still rare so I broiled them 8 minutes total on each side.)

RACHEL'S NOTE: Whenever I broil I move the wire oven rack about 5-6 inches from the top heat. It didn't occur to me NOT to do this with the chops. But it worked out. The outside was done well before the inside and the juices that ran off started to burn (I set off the smoke alarm) so halfway through I changed to a fresh pan with clean foil. This may have been the reason the chops were SO juicy like I had browned them before hand...? I don't know, but they were AMAZING.
SIDE DISH: Make some plain couscous (5 minutes is all it takes!) and chop up half a cucumber and chop a tomato and add it to the couscous and add feta cheese! Pour 2-3 Tablespoons of Greek salad dressing over them. OOOO!