2 Sauces

I'm sad I missed our "sauce" recipe group. If I had been there, I would have brought one of these super yummy sauce recipes.

Pork Satay with Peanut Sauce
1/3 cup soy sauce
2 green onions, sliced
3 Tbsp. brown sugar
3 Tbsp minced fresh cilantro
3 Tbsp. Thai chili sauce
2 Tbsp. sesame oil
2 tsp. minced garlic
1 lb. pork tenderloin, cut into 1/4 inch slices (I always use the teriyaki flavored ones)
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
3 Tbsp. hot water
2 tsp. lime juice

In a small bowl, combine the first seven ingredients. Set aside 1/4 cup for dipping sauce. Pour remaining sauce into a large resealable bag or container; add the pork. Seal and turn/shake to coat; refrigerate for 30 minutes. Drain and discard marinade. Thread pork slices onto metal or soaked wooden skewers. Place skewers on a greased baking pan. Broil 3-4 inches from the heat for 3-4 minutes on each side or until meat juices run clear. Meanwhile for sauce, combine peanut butter and water in a small bowl until smooth. Stir in lime juice and reserved soy sauce mixture. Serve with meat skewers. (We always make sticky rice with this dish and love to dip the rice in the sauce as well.)

Sweet and Sour Sauce ala Betsy
*I grew up with this sauce. It was one of those Sunday dinners that always tasted good. It is heavy on the sweet and light on the sour so we often call it Betsy's sweet sauce at our house.

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup vinegar
1 cup chicken broth
4 Tbsp Ketchup
1 Tbsp soy sauce
dash of salt and pepper

Mix all the ingredients and heat to dissolve.
*How I use this recipe: Defrost 4-6 chicken breasts. Crush saltine or ritz crackers to make a crumb coat on chicken. First, dip chicken in beaten egg. Then, dip chicken in cracker crumbs. Brown chicken in oil. Add sauce mixture to chicken and cook over medium high heat until chicken juices run clear and the sauce thickens. If the sauce is not thickening, you can always add some corn starch to help it along. Serve over rice.

Chicken with French/Cranberry Sauce

So here is a recipe I would have for our "Sauces" day if I'd been thinking ahead. You wouldn't think these flavors would go together but they are really yummy. Serve it over rice for a delicious meal.

Boneless, skinless chicken breasts (4-6)
Bottle of French salad dressing
Packet of dry onion soup mix (most boxes are 2 in a packet for something like $2 but they have them at the dollar store - 3 packets for $1)
Can of cranberry sauce - the kind with whole cranberries not the kind that is the jelly you use at Thanksgiving.

Grease the bottom of a 9x13 pan and lay the chicken breasts in the pan.
In a separate bowl mix together dressing, soup mix, and cranberry sauce.
Pour over chicken.

Cover with tin foil and bake at 350 until chicken is cooked through (45min -1 hour)
Serve over rice and enjoy!!

Jamaican Lasagna

Sweet Potato - Lentil Stew

Hi everyone! I miss you guys. I was looking at the blog and thought about what we've been eating and thought I would share an amazing meal we've had twice now due to the leftovers (which have been equally as yummy, if not better). It's a little different but so so so good! We ate it with bread the first night and on top of brown rice for the leftovers. It's from a book called The Kind Diet. It's a very interesting read and all the recipes I've tried so far have been really good!

Sweet Potato - Lentil Stew

Ingredients:

1/4 cup safflower oil (I used olive oil)

1 medium onion, diced

2 small tomatoes, diced

1 tsp. minced fresh ginger (I always keep a stick of this in the freezer; it keeps in there forever)

1 1/2 tsp turmeric

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp. ground coriander

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/8 tsp. cayenne (I used about half of this since the girls would be eating it)

Fine sea salt

2-3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4" cubes

7 cups veggie broth (I'm sure you could use chicken broth and it would be just fine)

1 cup brown lentils

Directions:

Heat the oil over medium heat in a large, deep pot. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, or 2 minutes or until the onion starts to soften. Stir in the tomatoes and ginger and cook for 3 minutes. Stir in the turmeric, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, cayenne and a small pinch of salt. Cook and stir for 2 minutes, then taste for seasonings; try to use only enough salt to heighten the flavors.

Add the sweet potatoes, broth and lentils. Stir well, and bring to a boil over high heat. When the mixture come to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 40 minutes or until the lentils and sweet potatoes are soft.

Turkey Pozole Soup with green chilies

Prep and cook time: 2 hours
Yields: 3-4 quarts

Ingredients:
2 pounds turkey meat (or pork) cut into 1 inch cubes
1/4 cup olive oil
2 large onions, peeled and chopped
2 red peppers, seeded and chopped
1 small jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
2 tablespoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons ancho chili powder
2 tablespoons peeled, chopped garlic
1 15oz can chopped green chilies
1 cup crushed tomatoes
2 quarts chicken broth
1 28oz can golden or white hominy
1/4 cup roughly chopped cilantro leaves
1/2 cup chopped scallions
sour cream
sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Serving:
Pour the oil into a large, heavy-bottomed pot and heat ofver medioum heat.
Season the turkey with the salt and pepper. Add to the pot and sute until well-browned. Using a slotted spoon transfre the turkey to a bowl and set aside.
Add the onions, red pepper and jalapeno to the pot and brown until golden, which takes aproximately 7 minutes.
When the onion begins to carmelize, return to the turkey to the pot, sprinkle with the cumin and chili powder, stir in the garlic, green chilies and tomatoes.
Add the chicken broth plus 2 cups of water, stir and ring it to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat and let the chili simmer, partially covered, for one hour.
Add the hominy. Continue to cook until turkey is tender, which takes approximately 15 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Serve with cilantro, scallions, and sour cream as topping.

Tortilla Soup

Prep: 12 Minutes
Cook time: 20 Minutes
Serves 6

Ingrediants:
1 tablespoon oil
1 cup diced red onion
1 1/4 pounds ground turkey breast
4 cups chicken stock
1 teaspoon crushed garlic
1 4oz can diced green chilies
3/4 cups tomato puree
1 tablespoon enchelada sauce mix
1 avocado, chopped
1 cup shredded mexican cheese blend
3/4 cup crushed baked blue corn chips
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:
Heat a large pot of a medium high heat. Add oil, onions and ground turkey. Saute until turkey is just cooked, stirring frequently to break up clumps.

Add the chicken stock to the pot and stir in garlic, chilies, tomato puree, and enchilada sauce mix. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Put some of the chopped avocado in the bottom of each serving bowl and ladle the soup on top. Stir to combine. Top with cheese, crushed chips, and sour cream. Garnish with cilantro.

Olive Garden® Zuppa Toscana

I'm planning to make this soup for tomorrow's club! YUM!!

Olive Garden® Zuppa Toscana

Makes: 6-8 servings

Ingredients

1 lb ground Italian sausage

1 tsp red peppers flakes

1 large diced white onion

4 slices bacon (cut into smaller pieces)

2 tsp garlic (minced)

10 cups chicken stock

1 cup heavy cream

8 sliced Russet potatoes

¼ of a bunch of kale (roughly chopped)

1.   Sauté Italian sausage and crushed red pepper in a large pot. Drain excess fat, refrigerate while you prepare other ingredients.

2.   In the same pan, sauté bacon, onions and garlic over low-medium heat for approximately 15 mins. or until the onions are soft.

3.   Add chicken bouillon and water to the pot and heat until it starts to boil.

4.   Add the sliced potatoes and cook until soft, about 20 min.

5.   Add the heavy cream and just cook until thoroughly heated.

6.   Stir in the sausage and the kale, let all heat through and serve. Delicious!