Mee Goreng, by Diane

 

This was the main course of an Indonesian lunch a friend and I made. My friend had lived in Indonesia as a child, and I had taken cooking classes when I visited, so we created a menu of some of our favorite meals. This came out tasting fairly authentic, and it was neat to learn how to make your own sambal sauce (I've only ever seen this in a can or at tables in a little jar). 

Ingredients: 

1 lb fresh yellow egg noodles, cooked according to package

1.5 cup sambal tumis (we used homemade but you can buy this)

2 tbsp canola oil

1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined (we subbed chicken)

1 cup cubed fried tofu

3 small bok choy, rinsed and sliced

Kosher salt

1.5 cups bean sprouts

2 tomatoes, sliced into wedges

Sweet soy sauce to taste

2 limes, wedged

Dried shallots for garnish

Directions:

1. Add sambal to wok and heat 5 min over medium heat.

2. Add noodles, bok choy, and tofu, combine well.

3. In a separate pan over medium heat, combine oil and shrimp and cook 5 minutes until opaque. Add to noodle mixture. 

4. Add tomatoes, sprouts, and soy sauce to taste. Stir one minute and season w salt.

5. Serve with limes and shallots.

Fesenjaan, by Diane

 

Part of our Winter Solstice celebration!

I made this dish with a friend to celebrate the Winter Solstice, which is a dish typically made in Iran to celebrate this night. This was a so warming and really, really good! I will definitely be making this again, but in much larger quantities! I also might add currants as well. I wound up using smaller pieces of orange rind, because I couldn't peel it all in one shot, but that worked really well because you could eat them and it made the flavor better! Recipe from here. Works best served over Persian saffron rice!

Ingredients:

2 cups walnuts

1.5 lbs chicken, cubed

1 generous pinch salt and pepper

2 tbsp EVOO

1 tbsp butter

1 large onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp turmeric

1 cinnamon stick

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp each cinnamon, nutmeg, black pepper

1.5 tsp salt

3 large 1.5 inch slices of orange zest

2 cups chicken broth

1/4 cup pomegranate molasses

2 tbsp maple syrup

Optional: 1 can chickpeas (we didn't use these)

Directions:

1. Heat the walnuts until golden over medium low heat for 10 minutes, let cool, and grind finely in a food processor. Set aside.

2. Use the same pan to heat the oil and butter. Toss the chicken in a pinch of salt and pepper, then sear on all sides. Set aside.

3. In the same pan, add the onions and cook for 6 minutes until golden, then add garlic and cook 4 more minutes. 

4. Add cumin, turmeric, cinnamon stick, cinnamon, nutmeg, and orange zest and cook, stirring often, 2 minutes.

5. Add the broth, scraping the brown bits, then add pomegranate molasses, maple syrup, 1.5 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, chicken, and walnuts to the pan. Stir well and bring to a boil.

6. Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. 

7. Uncover and cook 15 more minutes until thicker. If using chickpeas, add in at this step. 

8. Serve hot, preferably over saffron rice!

Rojak, by Diane

 

This was the side dish of our Indonesian lunch, and so so good! Rojak is one of my most favorite Indonesian and Malaysian dishes. It is a really unique combo of jicama, green mango, pineapple, and cucumber (this version had apple too) in a really flavorful sauce that is sweet and savory. The crunch of the veggies with the sweet savory sauce and peanut top is really addictive and extra refreshing in the summertime! I had no idea it was so easy to make, so this will be on repeat all summer as a light meal or fun snack! Recipe from my friend's Indonesian Street Food cookbook!

Ingredients:

1 medium jicama, peeled and cubed

1 medium green apple, peeled and cubed

1 green mango, peeled and cubed

3/4 pineapple, peeled and cubed

2 kirby cucumbers, chopped into bite size pieces

1 tbsp dried shrimp paste

3 tbsp sweet soy sauce

1.5 tbsp tamarind paste

1 fresh fresno chili

3 tbsp palm sugar (or sub dark brown)

1/2 cup skinned roasted ground peanuts

Directions:

1. Add all the fruits and veggies to a bowl and toss. Set aside. 

2. Start to make the sauce by placing the shrimp paste in a square of foil, folding inward to make a smaller square. Flatten the square with the palm of your hand. Roast this packet directly over gas flame for 1.5 minutes on each side until the paste begins to smoke and takes on a slightly burnt flavor. Open the packet and let cool.

3. Add soy sauce-sugar, plus the cooled shrimp paste, into a bowl and whisk until mixed.

4. Combine the sauce and fruits, top with peanuts and serve cold. Don't wait longer than 20 minutes to serve or else it becomes less crunchy!

Chopped Chicken Salad, by Diane

 I created this recipe from what I had on hand including some ingredients that were about to go bad in the fridge. It came out so so good, especially the next day when all the flavors had come together! I think the secret is how chopped the chicken is, because it can really absorb all the flavor and moisture from the other ingredients! (this was born out of laziness because I hate dicing things when my food processor is RIGHT. THERE. so, win-win!) I love to eat this on rosemary almond crackers, but honestly it would be great however you ate it! Yum.

Ingredients:

1.5 lbs chicken breasts

1/2 cup fresh blueberries

1/4 cup craisins (I love the low sugar kind)

1/4 chopped pecans

1/2 cup diced celery (fine pieces are best!)

1 tsp fresh thyme leaves

1/4 cup pumpkin seeds

3/4 cup mayo (I used avocado mayo to make this whole30)

2 tsp salt

Optional: I also use 1/2 tsp of Penzey's Mural's of Flavor which has yummy stuff like citrus peels and shallots in it

Directions:

1. Boil chicken breasts until just cooked through, let cool. To speed this along I usually rough chop them into 3 chunks ahead of boiling.

2. Once the chicken cools, place into a food processor until fully chopped into small pieces.

3. Add the chicken to a large bowl, add remaining ingredients and adjust for taste. Refrigerate at least 5 hours before serving, best overnight and it gets better each day!

Cilantro Lime Chicken Thighs, by Cheryl

I used this as the chicken in my enchiladas and they came out great! The thighs were flavorful and juicy! They could be eaten on their own or used as part of another recipe or put into a salad. This is a solid marinade that I'll be using again! Yum! 

Ingredients (recipe from here):

3 lbs chicken thighs, boneless, skinless

1/3 cup olive oil

6 garlic cloves, minced

1 tbsp honey

2 limes, juiced and zested

1/4 cup cilantro, finely minced

2 tbsp chili powder

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

Directions:

1) In a large bowl, mix all of the ingredients together except the chicken. 

2) Add the chicken to the marinade and stir to coat well. Marinate anywhere from 15 minutes to two hours. 

3) Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium high heat. When hot, add the chicken thighs in a single layer, not touching each other. 

4) Cook for 6 minutes on each side until they are cooked through. 

Chicken Mole Enchilades, by Cheryl

After being stuck in a major cooking rut the past few months I have found some renewed interest in cooking dishes I haven't made before. And if 3 out of 4 people in my family eat it then I'm happy. In come the chicken mole enchiladas! All I had to say to my 8 year old was that the sauce was made from chocolate and she was in heaven. Now my younger one isn't so easily swayed haha. But seriously these were delicious and we ate them all up! Yum! 

Ingredients (recipe from here):

Cilantro lime chicken thighs (recipe will be on blog), or 2 cups shredded chicken

10 corn or flour tortillas, warmed up

3 cups mozzarella cheese

Optional: queso fresco, avocado, cilantro

MOLE SAUCE:

1 19oz can enchilada sauce

1/4 cup chocolate chips, dark if possible

1 tbsp creamy peanut butter

1 tbsp chili powder

Directions:

1) In a small saucepan combine the mole sauce ingredients over medium heat. Stir until smooth. Set aside.

2) Preheat oven to 350.

3) Place shredded chicken in a bowl. Mix 1/2 cup of the mole sauce with the shredded cheese and chicken.

4) Fill each tortilla with 1/3 cup chicken and cheese mixture. Carefully roll the tortillas to enclose the filling and place in a serving dish seam side down. Fill the rest of the tortillas and place them side by side. Pour the reserved mole sauce on top. 

5) Cover with foil and bake in the oven for 20 minutes, until cheese is melted. Remove from oven and sprinkle with optional queso fresco, cilantro, and avocado. 

Marinated Tuna Steaks, by Cheryl

Every Monday I make fish or seafood. I realized I was making the same salmon or cod dishes every week so I opted to try something different. This soy/teriyaki/honey marinade was easy to make and delicious! I served the tuna with orzo and asparagus. Yum! 

Ingredients: 

2 tuna steaks

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp honey

1 tbsp teriyaki sauce

1 tbsp toasted sesame oil

salt (only use for marinade under an hour) and pepper 

1 tbsp canola oil

Directions:

1) Mix all of the ingredients together in a bowl. Pour into plastic bag. Put tuna in bag and coat thoroughly. Marinate for at least 20 minutes to overnight. 

2) Heat a skillet or cast iron on medium high to high heat until very hot. Add the canola oil to the pan. Sear the tuna on each side for 2 minutes for medium rare (1.5 for rare or 3 for medium). Rest on cutting board for 3 minutes. Slice into 1/2 inch slices and serve with green onions, sesame seeds, etc. 

Crispy Smashed Potatoes, by Cheryl

I can't believe how easy these are to make. And how delicious. And how crispy! This may be my new go to instead of roasted potatoes. We loved them, the kids loved them, we all loved them. Yum!

Ingredients:

1 bag small potatoes (golf ball size or smaller)

olive oil

salt and pepper

Directions: 

1) Bring a pot of water to a boil. Cook potatoes until soft, about 20 minutes. Drain and let cool.

2) Preheat oven to 400.

3) Place on baking tray and smash with bottom of pan or potato masher. The thinner they are the crispier they'll be. The thicker they are the fluffier inside they'll be - both good! 

4) Leave on tray to let the steam out. 

5) Drizzle with olive oil and top with salt and pepper. 

6) Bake for about 45 minutes or until golden brown.

7) Serve hot. You can sprinkle with parsley. We served them with sour cream.