Pad Thai

I love me a good date night, and there's nowhere my husband and I love more than our favorite Thai restaurant. Well...lets just say that we don't get there very often anymore now that we have two kids and he's a busy medical student. Hence, on Friday nights, I bring date night to us by cooking one of our favorites - Pad Thai! I even went all out and made potstickers to go with!

Pad Thai

1 16oz package Rice Noodles
2 Chicken Breasts (cut into thin slices)
3 cloves Garlic (minced)
1 shallot (chopped)
4 Tablespoons Oil
4 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
3 Tablespoons Fish Sauce
3 Tablespoons White Vinegar
2 tablespoons Soy Sauce
4-5 Green Onions
1 cup Bean Sprouts ( I like bean sprouts, so I add extra)
1/2 cup Peanuts (chopped)
1 package Pad Thai Sauce

Thinly slice chicken

Cook chicken in a skillet with garlic until done. Add bean sprouts and green onions and cook until bean sprouts are softened. Cook rice noodles according to directions on the package. Meanwhile, combine pad Thai sauce, brown sugar, fish sauce, soy sauce, and vinegar to make the sauce.

When noodles are done, drain and toss them in with the chicken and vegetables. Pour sauce over noodles and top with freshly chopped peanuts.

*NOTE: Here's a picture of the Pad Thai Sauce, and fish sauce if you are unfamiliar with the ingredients

Happy Date Night :)

Fresh Peach Cobbler

The other day when I went grocery shopping, I eyed these beauties and just had to load up on them.

Oh ya, and don't mind the mess on my counter. I do that so that you don't feel bad if your kitchen isn't clean! Haha!

Anyway, I LOVE LOVE LOVE peach cobbler! I love the way it smells while it is baking! To me, it just screams SUMMER! This recipe is from the Saltlick restaraunt in Austin TX. I haven't personally been there, but apparently its a pretty awesome steakhouse. This is the BEST cobbler recipe ever!

Disclaimer: Yes, this recipe does have more sugar than most peach cobblers. Sure you COULD use less. But you know, my Dad works with sugar beet farmers for a living, and it's always been our family motto "Support the Industry". I have ALWAYS been a very supportive daughter.

Fresh Peach Cobbler - Salt Lick Restaurant

Batter
1/2 cup melted butter
1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup room temperature milk
1 room temperature egg


Filling
5-6 fresh peacher or 1 (28 ounce) can sliced peaches, drained
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg


Ok so first, peel your peaches and combine with sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Like so

Set aside and melt your butter in a 9x13 pan while your oven heat up to 350 degrees

While your butter is melting, combine all ingredients for the batter and beat until smooth.

Pour batter evenly over melted butter.

Next, spoon your peaches on top of the batter. DO NOT STIR


Don't stir! Don't do it!!

Bake at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes, until golden brown

you see, I didn't even get a picture of it before people started digging in!

Serve warm with ice cream on top

Focaccia Chicken Sandwiches with Lemon Scented Ricotta

Hello! Wow it has been quite a while! Have you heard about the heat wave in Texas? Its been over 100 degrees for 20 days strait, with no sign of letting up. So what happens around our house when its hot outside?

Something nasty like this!

A non-cooking disease has plagued my house, it hasn't been pretty. But I am on the mend. Today I made these yummy grilled chicken sandwiches.
I was a huge fan of the lemon scented ricotta.

Focaccia Chicken Sandwiches with Lemon Scented Ricotta
1 loaf focaccia bread
15 oz ricotta cheese (I used low-fat and it worked great)
2 zucchini's (grated)
2 teaspoons salt
1 large slicing tomatoe
Zest of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon garlic (minced)
salt and pepper to taste
3 chicken breasts (grilled)

First, grate your zucchinis and combine with 2 teaspoons salt. Let sit for several minutes.

Meanwhile, combine your ricotta cheese, lemon zest, garlic and salt and pepper to taste.

Drain your zucchinis. You don't want any extra water in them, so squeeze hard! Combine with ricotta mixture.

Next get your loaf of focaccia. If you aren't familiar with it, this is what it looks like

Cut your loaf in half horizontally, then cut into three slices so that you have six pieces. Drizzle them with olive oil, and put under the broiler until the brown up a little bit.

Next spread your ricotta mixture on your bread and put under the broiler for just a minute until the ricotta gets warm and bubbles a little. Add your piece of grilled chicken and top with sliced tomatoes.

Spaghetti Factory Mizithra Spaghetti with Browned Butter

So today was one of THOSE days. I had a hundred things to do, and still had 3 hungry boys to feed. Well, luckily for me, this is one of THOSE recipes. If you haven't ever been to The Old Spaghetti Factory, you are seriously missing out. I'm pretty sure my brother Dane asked to go there every year on his birthday. And I'm also pretty sure that my Dad always ordered the Mizithra Spaghetti. It wasn't until recently I realized, it was the simplest thing in the world to make. So today is your lucky day, because you are going to become a restaurant chef....and you will be out of the kitchen in 20 minutes!

Mizithra Spaghetti with Browned Butter
12 oz Thin Spaghetti
1 cup Butter
1 teaspoon Garlic (minced)
3 ounces Mizithra Cheese (finely grated)

Here are you ingredients

Mizithra is Greek deliciousness! P.S. I spelled it right and HEB is in need of some correction

Finely shred your Mizithra - like this

Next get your pasta cooking. Meanwhile, start melting your butter in a skillet.

Get it simmering like so, and add your garlic.

Keep is simmering for several minutes (4-5), stirring often. Remember we want BROWNED butter, not burned butter.

This is what it should look like. And this what about the time my husband called from the other room what I was making for dinner because it smelled SO GOOD!

Now mix your cooked pasta in with your browned butter, and top with all that yummy mizithra cheese.

Bravo! Bellissimo!!

Garlic Lime Chicken with Mango Salsa

Keeping my healthy streak alive and it feels great! You can adapt the marinade for how many pieced of chicken you want to grill (I make one breast per person). You could also just make the mango salsa to serve with chips. I'm all about versatile recipes!

Garlic Lime Chicken:

2 Chicken Breasts
2 limes
1 tablespoon Garlic

Seal in a ziploc bag and marinade for at least 6 hours

Mango Salsa:

2 large ripe Mangos
2-3 Roma Tomatoes
3 Green Onions
1 small Yellow Bell Pepper (or orange)
1/2 cup Cilantro (roughly chopped)
Juice of 1 Lime
sugar (optional. If your mangos aren't very sweet you will definately want to add a little sugar. Mine were super sweet so I didn't add any)
Jalepeno pepper (optional. Add as much as you like)

Peel and chop mangos. If you don't know how to do this, follow this link.
Chop tomatoes, green onions, pepper and cilantro. Combine with lime juice and sugar (if needed)

Serve over grilled chicken and tortilla chips or rice. Delish!
Can also be served over rice for a more filling meal.

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

I told you I was in need of something healthy after a 3 week vacation! I made these lettuce wraps for dinner last night and it was just the ticket. They are filling enough for a meal, but light enough that you don't feel like you need to go run a mile after. My husband (who doesn't ever constitute a salad as a meal) even requests this meal every once in a while. Its also another one of those meals that doesn't require an oven in this horrid Texas heat- so it's a winner in my book!

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

4 chicken breasts (cut into very small pieces) or 2 lbs *ground chicken
1 1/2 cups bean sprouts
2 cups cole slaw mix
1 cup cilantro, chopped
5 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon garlic (minced)
2-3 tablespoons ginger (minced - to your taste)
4-5 green onions (chopped)
salt and pepper to taste

Dipping Sauce:
4 Tablespoons soy sauce
4 Tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
3 teaspoons honey
2 Tablespoons water
ginger to your taste

Cook chicken in a large skillet with garlic and ginger. Add all other ingredients and cook until vegetables have softened a bit - but don't let them get too soggy. Remove from heat and put filling in large sliced of lettuce. Dip in sauce, or drizzle it on top.

Tomorrow's healthy meal "Garlic Lime Chicken with Mango Salsa" YUM! See you tomorrow :)

*Ground chicken has the similar consistency to ground beef- which frankly I think tastes like rubber 90 percent of the time, so I chose to go with small diced chicken instead! Do whatever you like!

Salted Caramel Cupcakes

Wow, 2 dessert posts in a row! I think next week I will be in serious need of heathy recipes. BUT this recipe is SO good and well worth the calories! I made these for my husband's white coat ceremony party last summer and got lots of compliments on them.

There's something about a salty sweet combination that just hits the spot! I love these cupcakes because most cupcakes are so sickeningly sweet, and this one is not!

Salted Caramel Cupcakes

2 1/4 cups flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup firmly packed DARK brown sugar ( the dark brown sugar is important for a caramely taste)
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup whole milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, soda and salt. In another bowl, using an electric mixer beat together sugars and butter until light and fluffy (2-3 minutes). Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until combined. Add flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with milk. Beat on low until just combined.

Divide batter evenly in prepared cupcake pan. Fill each 2/3 of the way full (DO NOT OVER FILL - I learned this the hard way). It should fill about 18 cupcakes. Bake until toothpick comes out clean (about 20 minutes). Cool completely.

Frosting (adapted from www.ourbestbites.com)
3 Tablespoons flour
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup DARK brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Whisk together the flour and milk in a small saucepan and cook, whisking constantly, over medium heat until it starts to thicken. It should be pudding-like, you should be able to see the bottom of the pan when you stir it. Stir super hard to get rid of any lumps of flour. Cool completely in fridge

In an electric stand mixer, beat butter and sugar for a minute or so until it is fluffy. Add thickened milk mixture and flavoring. Beat for 7 minutes on the highest speed you can without spraying it all over the place. Stop mixer when frosting is light and fluffy- This may take up to 12 full minutes

Frost each cupcake, then top the cupcakes with a scant sprinkle of course sea salt.

*Note: the frosting recipe WILL frost the 18 cupcakes- but if you are piping the frosting like I did in the pictures, you will want to make a double recipes! Shoot you might want to make a double recipe and eat it strait out of the bowl :)

Happy Baking
xoxo Cait