Rene's Thai Coconut Curry

Doug and I are both crazy about ethnic food.  I almost always order the same thing -- Spicy Thai Basil Chicken and Thai Red Curry.  We figured out how to make the Thai Basil Chicken a while ago -- with the help of the lady at the local oriental market.

Our next dish to conquer was the Red Curry.  After quite a bit of research, I decided that using Red Curry Paste from Thai Kitchen was an acceptable shortcut.  (I used it a couple times to make sure).

Then I started experimenting.  Tonight I hit upon the perfect mix of ingredients.  This is roughly based on Scrumptious Thai Coconut Red Curry from Food.com.

Ingredients:

2 T olive oil
1 T butter
2 lbs chicken, cut into small pieces
2 onions, sliced thinly
1 green pepper, sliced thinly
1 c thai basil, minced
1 can bamboo shoots
1 c sliced mushrooms
3 T minced garlic
1 can coconut milk
1 can coconut cream
3 T red curry paste
2 T fish sauce
3 T brown sugar
1 c chicken broth
Thai crushed pepper, to taste

Directions:

1.  Melt butter in saucepan.  Add 1 T olive oil and heat. 
2. Add onions, green pepper, mushrooms and garlic.  Saute until vegetables until soft.  add 1/2 of basil and heat.  Remove vegetables from pan.
3. Add remaining tablespoon of oil to pan and heat.  Add chicken.  Season with salt and pepper.  Cook until no longer pink.  Remove from pan.
4. Add coconut milk, coconut cream and red curry paste to pan.  Whisk together and heat for five minutes
5.  Add fish sauce, chicken broth, thai pepper and brown sugar.  Whisk.  Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.
6. Add chicken, vegetables and remaining basil to sauce.  Heat for five  minutes.
7. Serve over basmati rice

Classic Strawberry Shortcake

I got this recipe, including the photo, from myrecipes.com
http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/classic-strawberry-shortcake-10000001191565/

It originally came from Southern Living magazine

I made one small change, which is included in the recipe below.

Ingredients

2 (16-oz.) containers fresh strawberries, quartered
3/4 cup sugar, divided
1/4 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
1 1/4 cup whipping cream, divided
2 tablespoons sugar
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 cup cold butter, cut up
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 (8-oz.) container sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

 Preparation

1. Combine strawberries, 1/2 cup sugar, and, if desired, almond extract. Cover berry mixture, and let stand 2 hours.

2. Beat 1 c whipping cream at medium speed with an electric mixer until foamy; gradually add 2 Tbsp. sugar, beating until soft peaks form. Cover and chill up to 2 hours.

3. Combine flour, remaining 1/4 cup sugar, and baking powder in a large bowl; cut butter into flour mixture with a pastry blender or two forks until crumbly.

4. Whisk together eggs, sour cream, remaining whipping cream (1/4 c) and vanilla until blended; add to flour mixture, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Drop dough by lightly greased 1/3 cupfuls onto a lightly greased baking sheet. (Coat cup with vegetable cooking spray after each drop.)

5. Bake at 450° for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden.

6. Split shortcakes in half horizontally. Spoon about 1/2 cup berry mixture onto each shortcake bottom; top each with a rounded Tbsp. chilled whipped cream, and cover with tops. Serve with remaining whipped cream. Garnish, if desired.

Strawberry Jam Shortcakes: Prepare recipe as directed. Before topping shortcake bottoms with strawberry mixture, stir together 1/4 cup strawberry jam and 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh mint. Spread cut sides of bottom shortcake halves evenly with jam mixture. Proceed with recipe as directed.

Creamy Parmesan Garlic Orzo

I originally got this recipe from allrecipes.com (http://allrecipes.com/recipe/parmesan-garlic-orzo/)

This recipe is for a side dish but I wanted to use it for a main dish.  So, this includes my modifications.


Ingredients

3 cup orzo pasta
1/2 cup butter
1/4 c olive oil
4 tablespoons minced garlic
1 onion, chopped
4 slices of bacon, cut in pieces
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese (or any combination of Asiago, Parmesan and Romano)
1/2 c half and half
1 teaspoon salt and ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Directions


1.Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook orzo in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until cooked through but firm to the bite, about 11 minutes. Drain.

2.Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat.  Add olive oil and heat until warm. Saute bacpn, onion and garlic in melted butter/oil until lightly browned. Stir orzo into garlic mixture and mix in Parmesan cheese, half and half, salt, black pepper, and parsley.

Fresh Fruit Crumble

I found this recipe on food.com as a Peach Crumble.  But my husband doesn't like peaches.  So, after making it with peaches, I also decided to make it with apples.  It was delicious both ways.

Ingredients:

6 cups peeled sliced ripe peaches(or apples)
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest, grated
1 teaspoon cinnamon

TOPPING

1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled

Directions:

1.   Heat oven to 375*.
2. Put fruit slices in greased, shallow 11x7 baking dish.
3. Mix brown sugar, flour, lemon juice, peel, and cinnamon.
4.  Sprinkle over the fruit.
5.  Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg.
6.  Stir in egg until mixture is coarse crumbs.
7 . Sprinkle over fruit.
8. Drizzle butter evenly over topping.
9. Bake for 38 minutes.

Baklava

Last weekend, at my husband's request, I tried my hand at Baklava.  His owning wishes were "fewer walnuts, more honey".  So I set out in search of a recipe.  I found one with +1200 reviews at allrecipes.com.  It included a video, which helped me immensely.

I did, however, make a few modifications - I increased the honey from 1/2 c to a full cup.  I also buttered each layer, which took a full pound.

Also, I had really mixed results with the whole damp cloth thing.  I did better without.  Next time, I think I'll use a sheet of plastic wrap and just place it gently on top of the dough.

I turned out great.  My hubby says it was the best baklava he's ever had!

Ingredients

• 1 (16 ounce) package phyllo dough
• 1 pound chopped nuts (I used pecans, almonds and pistachios)
• 1 lb butter
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup honey

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F(175 degrees C). Butter the bottoms and sides of a 9x13 inch pan.
2. Chop nuts and toss with cinnamon. Set aside. Unroll phyllo dough. Cut whole stack in half to fit pan. Cover phyllo with a dampened cloth to keep from drying out as you work. Place two sheets of dough in pan, butter thoroughly. Repeat until you have 8 sheets layered. Sprinkle 2 - 3 tablespoons of nut mixture on top. Top with two sheets of dough, butter, nuts, layering as you go. The top layer should be about 6 - 8 sheets deep.
3. Using a sharp knife cut into diamond or square shapes all the way to the bottom of the pan. You may cut into 4 long rows the make diagonal cuts. Bake for about 50 minutes until baklava is golden and crisp.
4. Make sauce while baklava is baking. Boil sugar and water until sugar is melted. Add vanilla and honey. Simmer for about 20 minutes.
5. Remove baklava from oven and immediately spoon sauce over it. Let cool. Serve in cupcake papers. This freezes well. Leave it uncovered as it gets soggy if it is wrapped up.

René's Caprese Salad

I LOVE caprese salad.  I could live on fresh tomatoes and basil.  Adding mozzerella and balsamic just makes it that much better.

We were fixing dinner for my husband's parents and I wanted to take advantage of the current crop of tomatoes. Caprese salad doesn't really require a recipe but I want to write down what I did because it was a bit different.  I made a dressing the day before and let it chill so all of the flavors blended together.


 

Ingredients:

Dressing:

1/2 c chopped fresh basil

1/4 c olive oil

1/4 c balsamic vinegar

1 T fresh garlic

1/2 c chopped red onion

1/2 c chopped white onion

Salt

Pepper

Place all ingredients in blender and pureé.  Adjust quantities according to taste.  Chill overnight.

Salad:

4 or 5 fresh tomatoes, sliced

1/2 red onion, sliced thinly

1/4 to 1/2 fresh basil

4 to 8 oz mozzerella (whole milk kind is best)

balsamic vinegar

Salt and pepper

Spread dressing on bottom of serving plate.  Arrange tomatoe slices, onion slices and mozzerella over dressing, using one onion and cheese to every three tomatoe slices.

Spread basil on top of tomato/onion/mozzerella.  Sprinkle with balsamic vinegar.  Season with salt and pepper.

Chill at least one our before serving.

This was very tasty.  The tomatoes made the dressing a little runny by the time I served it, but it didn't really seem to matter.  This recipe can be adapted to take advantage of your favorite ingredients.

Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Jalapenos

Yikes!  I can't believe I haven't posted anything since April.  I guess that's because we spent the spring and half the summer moving.  But, I have started cooking again so it's time to write!

I got this recipe from a co-worker and have modified it by adding the bacon.  They are awesome!


1 lb Sausage  (I either use hot sausage or add red pepper flakes)
8 oz cream cheese

4 oz grated parmesan

24 jalapenos

Enough bacon to wrap all of the jalapenos  (1/2 slice per jalapeno half)



Brown sausage.  Drain grease and cool

Mix sausage with cream cheese and parmesan

Remove stem and seeds and cut jalapenos in half and fill with sausage mixture.  Wrap jalapenos tightly with 1/2 slice bacon.

Bake at 350 for 20 to 30 minutes -- until bacon is fairly crispy.





Pre heat oven to 400 degrees



Bake stuffed jalapenos for 10 – 15 minutes