Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce

3 half frozen chicken breasts

6 oz coconut milk
1 Tbsp red curry paste
2 Tbsp fish sauce
2-3 Tbsp peanut butter
3 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp tamarind paste

We recently took a Thai cooking class for date night- this was our first by-product!
Here's a few tips:
1. Go to an Asian market, things are much cheaper there and easy to find
2. Add fish sauce slowly, it's salty and some people don't like it that strong
3. You can use all natural PB or what I call "the fake stuff" either works!

For the chicken:
Soak skewers in water for at least an hour.
Make sure the breasts are trimmed and still mostly frozen, this makes cutting easier.  Cut the breasts at a 45 degree angle to get the max surface area and to ensure all pieces are about the same size.  They only need to be about 1/4" thick.
Once all piece are cut, thread onto skewers like you are sewing large stitches.
Season with salt and pepper, and grill until done.  (Yes these are that easy)

For the Peanut Sauce:

Pick up red curry paste, coconut milk, and tamarind paste at an Asian market.  We used tamarind pulp which we blended, it worked just the same!  Make sure all ingredients are pre-measured before starting because it comes together quickly.
In a cold saucepan mix the coconut milk and curry paste with a whisk.  Heat on low/medium until warm.  Add all other ingredients, and mix well with a whisk.  Let thicken for about 3 minutes on medium.  Sauce will be thin at first, but thickens quickly when removed from pan.

Serve in small bowls with chicken satay.  Enjoy amazing Thai food at home!  

Chicken Coconut Curry

• About 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
• 2-1/4 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• 1/4 onion, thinly sliced
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 1 (14 ounce) can coconut milk
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 2 tablespoons sugar

In a medium saucepan heat oil and curry powder, mix together to make a curry paste.  After a few minutes of heating add garlic and onions and saute.  The onion should be clear after about 5-8 minutes- that's when you know it's ready.  

Add the chicken to the pan and stir well to coat with curry oil.  Cook until no longer pink, about 6-8 minutes.  

Pour in the can of coconut milk, tomatoes, and tomato sauce.  Add the sugar and stir together.  

Simmer on your stove on low for about 30-45 minutes, stir about every 5-10 minutes.  

Serve over rice.  

Pizza Soup

I pretty much love all things Trader Joe's. I can't leave that place without buying way more than I planned! Whenever there is a sample I seem to automatically be hooked. When I walked in a few weeks ago and tried this "Pizza" soup I immediately purchased everything to make it that week.
It's been cold and rainy this week- a perfect soup week! Naturally we reached for this easy and delicious recipe!

1 lb. Ground Beef
1 Package Roasted Red Pepper Tomato Soup (they come in boxes)
1 Can of Diced Tomatoes
Garlic Salt to taste
Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese

Brown the ground beef in a deep pan. Drain the excess grease. Add the can of tomatoes and stir well. Add the tomato soup and heat slowly so you don't scald the milk (it changes the flavor). Sprinkle a little garlic salt on the top for some added flavor. When the soup is hot serve in bowls and add a handful of sharp cheddar cheese.

This is hearty enough to eat alone- but we love to add some grilled cheese for an adult version of the childhood classic!

Lavelle Edward's Chicken Artichoke Soup

I used to think that I wasn't a soup fan, then I met this.  My life was never the same- true story!

Lavelle Edward's Chicken Artichoke Soup

4 chicken breasts, shredded

1 onion, chopped

2 cans cream of chicken soup

2 cans cream of celery soup

1 8 oz jar of artichoke hearts, chop finely

1 can diced green chilies

1 quart half and half

1 pound pepper jack cheese, grated 

salt and pepper to taste

Cook and shred your chicken (I do mine in the crock pot well in advance, freeze, and pull out for this recipe).  In a large pot, saute onion in a little olive oil. Add chicken. Then add cream of celery, cream of chicken, half and half, and artichokes. Simmer for about 20 minutes.  Be careful not to boil the cream (it changes the taste).   Add cheese slowly, and stir until cheese is melted.  

Greek Nachos

We had these on a Wednesday night for dinner, and by Saturday we were both craving them again and made them again. We have a new favorite I believe!

You will need:
- Pita Chips
- Feta Cheese
- Diced Tomatoes
- Diced Cucumbers
- Diced Marinated Artichoke Hearts
- Sliced Olives
- Your Favorite Hummus
- Cooked, shredded chicken (I've been cooking a batch in my crock pot in chicken broth, placing in the kitchen aide, mixing for 20 seconds, and I get perfectly shredded chicken. I think freeze in small bags and pull out when needed, that made this recipe super easy!)

Place chips on a plate. Get the hummus and dilute it. We used two parts hummus to one part water. Sprinkle the hummus "sauce" over the chips. Sprinkle diced tomatoes, olives, artichokes, and cucumbers, and mix a little for variety of colors and flavors. Then add feta dn chicken and enjoy! It's that easy, and they really are to die for!

Hawaiian Haystacks

I first had this food at a church function and looked at it and thought "ew." But, my family rule was that you had to try everything my Mom made. You didn't have to like it, but you had to try it. I'm grateful they raised us to be open minded because I have fallen in love with many a food I thought "ew" when I first saw.
Did I mention these are super easy? Also they may be the world's greatest potluck food. Everyone can bring one topping, it's fantastic!

Sauce:
2 cups of chicken broth
1 Large can of cream of chicken soup
2 cups cooked, cubed chicken (I boil mine in the chicken broth)

Cook chicken in broth, remove when fully cooked (about 10-15 minutes) and dice the chicken. Throw back into pot, and add the cream of chicken soup.

You will also need:
2-4 cups cooked rice
chopped tomatoes
chopped olives
chopped celery
cheddar cheese
pineapple tidbits
coconut
chow mien noodles

Place rice on a plate, cover with sauce, add any desired toppings.

3 Ingredient Salsa Verde Crock Pot Chicken

You know after cooking for a while it's not hard to realize subbing a few spices can change the flavor of a dishl, you know like cilantro will be a more south of the border flavor and parsley a more Italian flavor. As we're Southwestern kids it's always in our best interest to modify for a little kick and Southwest flavor.
I've been all about the slow cooker with the busy work schedule lately. After looking at so many recipes and trying several it didn't seem too hard to sub an ingredient, ax a few, and come up with a southwestern style ridiculously easy, and we thought ridiculously yummy recipe!

You will need:

2 large chicken breasts
1 can of Herdez Salsa Verde (you could use any, we just like the kick of this one and the bottle is a little larger)
1 package of cream cheese

Place the chicken and salsa verde in the crock pot and cook for 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low. If you go the 8 hour route add a couple tsps of water to the salsa mix so it doesn't dry out.
When you're in the last 30 minutes before eating add the cream cheese. Stir before eating, this will shred your chicken into chunks as it will be very tender.

Serve on top of cooked rice. Garnish with cilantro. Don't tell your guests something this good is this easy.