Ginger Chicken Satay with Grilled Mango

This is truly delicious and bursting with flavor!
Serve as an appetizer or add rice for a fuller meal!

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

2 tsp. peeled and grated fresh gingerroot
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. crushed red pepper
2 tsp. ground coriander
2 T. white or red wine vinegar
2 tsp. olive oil
6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (about 2 lbs.)
4 ripe mangos

In a large dish, mix together the first 6 ingredients. Slice each chicken breast half lengthwise into 3-4 long strips. Add the chicken to the marinade mixture and toss to coat. Let marinate at room temperature for 20 minutes or in the fridge overnight.

Lightly coat a clean grill with cooking oil spray and preheat the grill to medium high. I don't own an outdoor grill so I use my stove top burner grill! But if using an outdoor grill, thread the chicken onto skewers and arrange on grill. If using a stove top grill, skewers are not necessary. Cook chicken at about 3 minutes per side, turning only once, until it is seared and just cooked through.

Remove to a clean platter and place slices of mangos on grill and cook on both sides, just until seared and warmed through. About 2 minutes per side.

Serve with Satay Sauce.

SATAY SAUCE:

Ingredients:

1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk, well stirred or can well shaken.
1/2 cup smooth natural-style peanut butter
1 T. peeled and minced fresh gingerroot
3 T. low sodium soy sauce
1 1/2 T. brown sugar
1 T. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper

Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. The sauce will keep in the fridge up to 5 days.

YUM!

Serve with lime wedges and fresh sprigs of cilantro!




Source: Quick Simple Food, by Susie Quick

Dressed-Up Cornish Hens

Holy moly this is SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO goood. These little squabs make my mouth water just thinking about it!

In my house, we each get our own squab. So in that case, double this recipe but measure it evenly into two bags, one for each hen. If you want to share one, then just cut it in half when done.

1 Cornish game hen
1/4 cup olive oil
2 T. lemon juice
2 tsp. ground cumin
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. hot pepper sauce

Place hen in a large resealable plastic bag.

In a small bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Pour half of the marinade over hen, seal the bag, and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight, turning several times. Refrigerate the remaining marinade for basting.

Drain and discard marinade. Place hen, skin side up, in a greased 9 inch baking dish. Bake uncovered at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. Baste with reserved marinade. Bake 20-30 minutes longer or until meat thermometer reads 180. Cut in half to serve.

Serve with instant mashed potatoes and steamed vegetables! Drizzle remaining jus over everything! YUM!

Orange Cinnamon Pound Cake French Toast

Ingredients:

1 egg, beaten
1 tsp. orange extract
1/4 cup whole or skim milk
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
2 (1 inch) slices plain pound cake

In a mixing bowl, mix together ingredients (except for pound cake). Dip the pound cake slices into batter, coating both sides.

Place the slices on an oiled griddle or pan over medium heat. Cook the cake for 2-3 minutes (flipping carefully) on each side, or until golden brown. Serve immediately with your favorite syrup and fresh fruit.

SUPER EASY, SUPER GOOD! Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies

Ingredients:
1 cup peanut butter, preferably natural peanut butter as it has no hydrogenated oil
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 white sugar
1 egg

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Combine ingredients and drop by spoonfuls on cookie sheet.
3. Dip wet fork into sugar and press fork on top of each cookie for classic peanut butter cookie shape and markings.

Bake for 8-12 minutes. Let cool. Makes one dozen.

You can also use Splenda in this recipe as sugar substitute. Probably only a half a cup.

Ribbon Pasta with Pork Ragu and Fresh Sage

Follow the Braised Pork Recipe and use this new dish as a creative and tasty way to use leftovers!

 Above picture is without mushrooms, bottom picture with mushrooms. Your choice!

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook 1 lb. ribbon pasta according to package until al dente. Drain.

Toss pasta with 2 cups heated reduced reserved jus from braised pork recipe, 2 cups reserved shredded pork, and 2 T. thinly sliced fresh sage.

If you like mushrooms, saute in separate pan some sliced mushrooms in butter. 

Divide among 4 bowls. Top with mushrooms. Garnish with freshly grated Romano or Parmesan cheese.





Source: Martha Stewart Living, but the mushrooms were MY idea!

Braised Pork Shoulder

 This Martha Stewart recipe was a hoot to make and had me feeling like Julia Childs in the kitchen. There are two leftover companion dishes that are reaaaally tasty and make this one meal a 4 mealer for the week!

Active time: 50 min.
Total time: 4 hours. 50 min.

Ingredients:

6 ounces pancetta, finely chopped
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
1 bone-in pork shoulder (recipe calls for 6-7 lbs. but that is A TON of meat. I purchased about 5 lbs.)
2 T. olive oil
1 head of garlic (we're talking the whole entire bulb here!) , minced
2 tsp. fennel seeds, toasted and ground (whatever! Like I'm going to do that! I just used regular fennel seeds)
1 tsp. crushed coriander
2 cups Belgian style ale - the lighter the better
1 cup chicken stock

1.)  Preheat oven 300 degrees. Crisp pancetta in a large Dutch oven over meadium-low heat until fat is rendered, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate using a slotted spoon.

2.) Add onions to Dutch oven. Cook in the fat over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until caramelized, about 25 minutes. Transfer to a plate using slotted spoon.

3.) Season pork with salt and pepper. Add oil to Dutch oven and sear pork, fat side down, until golden, about 5 minutes. Flip and repeat. HAHA! I don't own a Dutch oven so my little skillet had to work!

4.) Add garlic and spices to pot. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.  Add ale, stock, pancetta, and onions; bring to a simmer. Transfer to oven, and braise pork, covered, basting every hour, until meat is falling off the bone, about 4 hours. Shred meat (just what you're using) using 2 forks, and drizzle with warm skimmed jus.

Note: If you don't own a Dutch oven either, place a large glass casserole dish or cake pan in the pre-heating oven to warm. Transfer the roast and jus and spices to the glass dish and cover with foil. This worked but try not to let steam out! Lots of foil!

To store leftovers, store jus in separate container than the pork.

Serving idea: Pile shredded pork on creamy polenta. Drizzle with jus.


For Leftover Ideas, click below:


Ribbon Pasta with Pork Ragu and Fresh Sage- TASTY

Open-Faced Porchetta Sandwich with Caramelized Apples - SOOOOOOOOOO GOOOOOOD.

Open Faced Porchetta Sandwich with Caramelized Apples

This is simply delicious. Like, "Oh my goodness". Perfect for Fall weather.

Follow the Braised Pork Recipe and then use leftovers for this new dish!

Ingredients:

2 T. unsalted butter
2 apples cored and sliced into 1/2 inch wedges (I love Honey Crisp apples)
3 T. sugar
1 T. water
Rustic bread (meaning, specialty loaves that are usually $5 and have a rougher texture. I like to use just a good ole Country Loaf.) When I took this picture I didn't have any bread. Still delish!

So easy:

Melt butter in skillet over medium-low heat. Cook the apple slices, sugar, and water. Stirring occasionally until apples are soft and sauce has caramelized, about 20 minutes.

Top 4 slices of toasted bread with some heated reserved pork, reserved onions from juice, and the apples. Drizzle with caramelized sauce from apples and the heated reserved juice. Then if you want to get REALLY fancy, sprinkle with some watercress.




Source: Martha Stewart Living