Peanutty Chicken and Pasta.

Lately on my son's and my regular date to the library, I pick up a couple cookbooks to browse though. Usually I find one, maybe two recipes I'm truly interested in making, and I usually don't get around to making those. This cookbook, though, the Southern Living Kids Cookbook, has so many post-its sticking out of it now I hardly know where to begin. Jonathan even helped me choose which recipes to make, though I suspect he was just having fun sticking on the post-its to as many pages as possible. I know for a fact he wouldn't eat the chicken salad he picked out.

This recipe stood out to me, as I love ordering the chicken with peanut sauce at the asian restaurants we occasionally frequent. The lovely thing is that my husband liked it too, and he's not usually a fan of peanut sauces. The other thing I love about this recipe is that you don't cook the vegetables, and you can't tell. Until I told him, Chris had no idea I'd not cooked the vegetables, and he hates uncooked veggies.

All in all, an simple, quick recipe that works great for lunch or dinner. Now, please excuse me while I go add this cookbook to my christmas list.

Peanutty Chicken and Pasta, from Southern Living Kids Cookbook

Ingredients:

1/4 c. low-sodium soy sauce

2 T. coconut milk

2 T. creamy peanut butter

1/4 t. dark sesame oil (This adds so much to the sauce! Worth getting if its not in your pantry already.)

8 oz. uncooked corkscrew pasta (I just used the full 16 oz bag and counted on having leftovers.)

2 cups chopped cooked chicken breast

1/2 c. preshredded carrot (or, you know, you can shred it yourself...it'll just take a bit longer.)

2 green onions, sliced thinly

1/4 c. chopped red bell pepper

1/3 c. unsalted peanuts, chopped

Directions:

Whisk together first 4 ingredients in a small bowl, set aside.

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain and place in a big bowl. Add sauce, chicken, carrot, green onions, and bell pepper, toss gently to coat. Top with chopped peanuts. Enjoy!

Cornmeal Breakfast Pudding.

Soon after I got married, my mom called me and said she'd found a couple of my grandma's cookbooks, and did I want them? I, who nostalgically cherishes almost anything that has belonged to my ancestors, and would collect cookbooks until my shelves were full of them if I could, of course said Yes! As soon as they were in my possession, I scoured them for recipes I could easily create. This recipe was one I made almost as soon as I saw it. (I believe I found the recipe and had it made within that hour.)

Since then, I've learned that a full recipe is much too much for my family to enjoy. I reduce the recipe by either 1/3 or 2/3, as it's simpler than trying to divide an egg. A 1/3 recipe will adequately feed two people, or heartily feed one. A 2/3 recipe will easily feed three to five people, and a full recipe feeds six to eight, depending on portion sizes desired.

Evelyn's Breakfast Cornmeal Pudding, from Stories and Recipes of the Great Depression of the 1930's, by Rita Van Amber and revised by Janet Van Amber Paske

Ingredients:

1/4 - 1/2 c. sugar or honey (I use the honey, and go a bit shy of 1/4 c.)

1 t. salt

3 T. butter

3 c. milk

1 c. cornmeal

1 c. milk

3 eggs

Directions:

Combine sugar or honey, salt, butter, and 3 c. milk, and heat to scalding. Combine cornmeal and 1 c. milk, then add to honey mixture. (VERY IMPORTANT: Don't add the cornmeal and milk seperately to the honey mixture, thinking it will combine and save you a step, it won't. Experience talking...)

Cook till thickened, stirring. Then cover, cook five minutes, stirring occasionally.

Beat the eggs. Very slowly, add a small amount of hot cornmeal to the eggs, till they are warmed but not cooked by the cornmeal. Pour egg mixture into cornmeal, stirring constantly. Cook on low heat, covered, for five minutes. Spoon into serving bowls, serve warm with a sprinkle of nutmeg and a splash of milk or cream. (I usually go with the cream.) Enjoy!

Broccoli with Toasted Garlic.

Lately I've been trying to incorporate more vegetables into my family's diet. I'm slowly expanding the palates of my husband and son in this area, my latest acheivement being that my husband now eats carrots. :) One standby though, if I know its not a day to press my luck in the vegetable department, is broccoli. Chris and Jonathan love their broccoli. Consequently, this recipe was an instant hit. I usually add an extra clove or two of garlic, as we love garlic here, but the recipe as is is delicious.

Broccoli with Toasted Garlic, From The Food You Crave, by Ellie Krieger

Ingredients: 

1 bunch Broccoli
1 Tbsp Water
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
3 cloves Garlic, thinly sliced
Salt And Pepper To Taste

Directions:

Cut the broccoli into spears and put into a large microwave-safe bowl with the water. Cover tightly and microwave on high for 4 minutes.

While the broccoli is cooking, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add the garlic. Cook the garlic, stirring frequently, until it is golden, about 3 minutes. Take care not to overcook the garlic or it will become bitter.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the toasted garlic to a small dish.

Remove the bowl of broccoli from the microwave, carefully uncover it, and drain it in a colander, shaking off any excess water. Transfer the broccoli to the skillet with the oil and cook over medium heat, stirring a few times, for 3 minutes. Sprinkle with the toasted garlic, season with salt and pepper. Serve, and enjoy!

Playdough.

When I was little, my mom used to keep a big bag of playdough in one of the lower cupboards so that my siblings and I could play with it in the kitchen while she cooked dinner, did dishes, etc. We sat in the booth in the breakfast nook and squashed it out across most of the table, cutting it with cookie cutters, shaping it into animals, and just generally making a mess and having fun. I still remember fondly the time that a friend and I dared each other to try a piece. Awful, salty, disgusting. The playdough was homemade, completely 'edible', but no one would actually want to eat the stuff. 

When I got married, my mom passed the recipe on to me, for when I had kids of my own. I've been saving it, and Jonathan has just begun asking to play with playdough, so, after asking what color he wanted, I got to work.

This recipe is ridiculously easy to make, and you probably have most, if not all, of the ingredients in your cupboard already. When the dry and wet ingredients are combined, the consistency will be that of thick soup, but not to worry. As it cools, it will become the perfect playdough texture.

Playdough, from Gayle Van Camp

Ingredients:

2 cups flour

1 cup salt

4 t. cream of tartar

2 cups boiling water

2 T. oil

food coloring

Directions:

Combine flour, salt, and cream of tartar.

Combine boiling water, oil, and food coloring.

Mix together with a spoon, working out most of the lumps. (The little lumps will be worked out by playful fingers later.) When cool, store in an airtight container or plastic bag. (I personally prefer the plastic bag because not only can you squish all the air out, but kids can operate them pretty easily.) Enjoy!

Cowboy Steak with Coffee and Ancho Rub.

This is yet another recipe from the lovely and talented Ellie Krieger, from the book The Food You Crave. I knew when I saw this recipe that the combination of the espresso, chile powder, brown sugar and other seasonings would be a hit with my husband. The flavor was amazing, though the texture was a bit strange to me, as the coffee grounds, though finely espresso ground, are still very present. Still, this is definitely a recipe we'll make often through grilling season.

Cowboy Steak with Coffee and Ancho Rub, from The Food You Crave, by Ellie Krieger

Ingredients:

Cooking Spray

1 1/2 t. ground ancho chile or regular chile powder

1 1/2 t. finely ground espresso coffee

1/2 t. dark brown sugar

1/4 t. dry mustard

1/4 t. ground coriander

1/4 t. salt

1/4 t. ground black pepper

1 1/4 lb. ranch steak or top sirloin, about 1 1/4 in. thick

Directions:

Coat a large non-stick skillet with cooking spray over medium high heat or preheat the grill.

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients except the steak. Rub it well into both sides of the steak.

Cook the steak five minutes per side, turning once, for medium rare, or cook to your prefered doneness.

Allow the steak to rest for five minutes before slicing thinly. Enjoy!