Thai Peanut Chicken with Noodles

I love Thai food and so does my husband. He's actually travelled to Taiwan and knows authentic when he eats it. I always wanted to try to cook Thai food but haven't yet until this past week. I made two dishes, Shrimp Curry and Thai Peanut Chicken. This post is about the chicken. 


Thai can be very intimidating since some recipes call for so many ingredients and/or steps to follow, but that didn't deter me. Here are the ingredients for this yummy dish. It's a recipe I found in a Thai book and I gave it the "Lori Twist"


1 13.5-13-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/3 cup chicken broth
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 Tbsp packed brown sugar
1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
2 tsp red curry paste
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
2 clove garlic, minced
1/8-1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (depends on how spicy you want it)
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1- 1/2 lb dark meat chicken 
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 Tbsp fresh cilantro
2-4 Tbsp chopped peanuts
Thai noodles or hot cooked rice

1 - In a medium saucepan, whisk together coconut milk and peanut butter until nearly smooth. Whisk in broth, soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, sesame oil, curry paste, ginger, 1 minced garlic clove and cayenne pepper. Bring just to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered for about 15 minutes stirring occasionally.

2 - Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Combine flour, salt and black pepper into a shallow dish or plate. Coat the chicken with this mix (you may remove skin if desired). 

3 - In a large skillet, heat the oil and remaining garlic and cook the chicken until brown turning occasionally.Transfer the chicken to an ungreased casserole dish or baking dish. 

4 - Pour the peanut butter mix over the chicken and cover loosely with foil. Bake for one hour occasionally spooning the sauce over chicken. Bake uncovered for another 20-30 minutes or until very tender. Always make sure it's fully cooked. I use a digital thermometer. 

4 - Transfer chicken to a serving platter and skim any fat off the sauce. Pour the sauce over the chicken, sprinkle with the cilantro and chopped nuts. Serve with rice or Thai noodles.

I served it with Thai noodles. This meal is one that needs time so if it's one of those nights where you're rushed, I don't advise this one. However, this is perfect for a Sunday night dinner. 

How I love my timer, let me count the ways......

I was watching America's Test Kitchen a couple of weeks ago and they were reviewing gadgets. I love this segment because it shows many new items and gives honest opinions of each. Well, this time they reviewed a 5-in-1 Kitchen timer by DoneRight.

I was immediately in love.

This is awesome! It's shaped like a little stove and has a timer for the oven and all 4 burners. Where was this at Thanksgiving when I was cooking up a storm? I went on the site and their inventory was sold out but they directed me to another site and I snatched one right up. I ordered from Vat19 and it was delivered in 2 business days.

I got the red one and I just love it. I don't have to worry about setting the timer on the oven or microwave and not hearing when it goes off. This little guy is portable and I just bring it into the living room if I'm watching TV or the office if I'm working. I don't know how I lived without it!

Knorr Homestyle Chicken Stock Review

I have been a member of Smiley360 for a few months now. They are a social community with the opportunity to try new products and have our voices heard. I have just received a product sample of Knorr Homestyle Chicken Stock. I'm a big fan of Knorr Products for years. Their spinach dip recipe is a staple of my parties. So I was very pleased to receive a full sized Knorr chicken stock pack, a ladle and a recipe booklet.

 I chose to make the Lemon Chicken Primavera. You can't go wrong with chicken and I love lemon flavors. Of course I made some changes/adjustments to suit my own taste. My husband calls it "Lorifying" a recipe. 

Lemon Chicken Primavera

1/3 cup all-purpose flour 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded thin 2 eggs, lightly beaten 3 Tbsp. Country Crock® Spreadable Butter, divided 1 green onion, finely chopped 1 cup water 2 Tbsp. lemon juice 1 tub Knorr® Homestyle Stock - Chicken 6 ounces asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch-thick diagonal slices (about 1 cup) 1/2 lb mushrooms, sliced 2 tbsp capers 1 clove garlic, sliced Combine flour with pepper in shallow dish. Dip chicken in eggs, then flour mixture; set aside.

Melt 2 tablespoons Country Crock in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and brown the chicken, turning once, about 5 minutes. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.

Melt remaining 1 tablespoon Country Crock in same skillet over medium heat and cook green onion, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 2 minutes. Stir in water and Knorr® Homestyle Stock - Chicken until Stock is melted. 

I had not used this before, so don't be surprised that it comes out in a lump. It blends very easy. 

Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring frequently. Add asparagus, mushrooms and capers and return chicken to skillet.

Reduce heat to low and simmer until chicken is thoroughly cooked and veggies are tender, about 3-4 minutes minutes. Stir in lemon juice and serve, if desired, with hot cooked rice. I also added a bit of flour to the broth to make it thicker and more like a sauce.

I served mine with garlic bread. 

I had not used any of the concentrated broths that are on the market these days and I wasn't sure if it would be full of sodium and lacking in flavor or have too much flavor. I was happy with what Knorr has come out with. The tub is easy to open, you just pull off the top. It is in a gel form and I was pleased with the way it melted into the hot water. No lumps, just easy to melt. I am very happy with the flavor. The herbs included add just enough and are not overbearing. They also have a beef flavor which I plan to try at some point. 

If you're looking for more information on the Smiley360 Knorr mission, click here. To find Knorr on facebook, click here. 

 I have not been compensated for this post. I was sent a sample of Knorr for free to try and then provide my readers with an honest opinion of the product. Thank you Smiley360.

Sausage, Spinach and Cheese Manicotti

I love Italian food. It is so versatile and can be made any number of ways. This is especially true for pasta. And, they make great leftovers. I had not made a manicotti in a long time. Manicotti is great when you have leftovers because you can fill them up with just about anything. I've done it with seafood, ground beef and even a spinach & mushroom vegetarian version. This recipe takes care of leftover Italian sausage and spinach. It's very easy to make and the end result was very tasty. 

Here are the ingredients to get you started:



1 tray (7) of American Beauty Manicotti tubes
1/2 of a 15 oz container of low fat ricotta cheese
2 oz shredded park skim mozzarella cheese
1 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup frozen spinach, thawed
1/2 jar of Prego light pasta sauce
1 cup sliced mushrooms
2 diced Italian sausage
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper

1/2 tsp basil

butter
olive oil


First, boil the pasta on a low boil with a pinch of salt and a bit of olive oil until done. I add the olive oil while boiling to prevent the pasta from sticking. Rinse and set aside. 

Saute 1/4 of the sausage and sliced mushrooms in a bit of butter and olive oil. I use both since the butter adds flavor and the olive oil keeps it from sticking to the pan. Add the saute mix with the pasta sauce and crushed red pepper in a small saucepan and turn it to medium.

In a mixing bowl, add the remaining sausage, chopped garlic, Parmesan, spinach, 3/4 of the mozzarella, basil and the ricotta. Mix until it's all combined. Then fill the manicotti tubes with the mix. 

Lay them out into an ungreased casserole dish and cover with the sauce. Add the remaining shredded cheese on top and bake at 350 for 25 minutes.

I served it with a Caesar salad and garlic bread. YUM!

PBS Cooking Shows Rock!!!

I don't have cable. Or Dish. Or DirecTV. We just get the ole rabbit ears with the local channels and the PBS and other independent stations. Saturday mornings, I grab a cup of coffee, sit down and watch the shows on KBYU and Create TV. Food Network is awesome, however I think a moment needs to be taken to pay tribute to these lesser known shows and chefs. Here are my favorites in no particular order:


Ciao Italia with Mary Ann Esposito. She takes Italian cooking to a new level. I love how she tells us the origin of types of pasta and how she puts her personality in every dish. I've tried her squash gnocchi and I will say it was everything I expected it to be when I saw her make it on the show.


BBQ University and Primal Grill both with Steven Reichlen. Talk about the grill master!!!  Although my husband has that title at home, Steven Reichlen is the master of the coals. He rocks! BBQ U gives many step by step instructions to make even the most "grill challenged" into a pro in no time. Primal Grill will have each episode focus on a particular food group or event, such as tailgating.


America's Test Kitchen is another gem on my Saturday mornings. The host Christopher Kimball is adorable in his bow tie and he keeps me engaged explaining recipes and food origins. They even have a segment dedicated to the latest gadgets which to me is like opening the Toys R Us holiday catalog. I do love my kitchen toys.


Nick Stellino Cooking with Friends is another gem. Nick has personality to go around! And his recipes are unique and so yummy. I've tried one or two and was delighted in the flavor and aroma. Check out his Cheese Stuffed Eggplant recipe and you will not be disappointed. 


Simply Ming with Ming Tsai will re-energize your taste buds. Asian cooking is not my speciality, but after watching a few of his shows, I'm ready to dive in with my chop sticks. I've picked up a few tricks such as weaving bacon in and around shrimp and veggies on a kabob and I'm also not so afraid of using ginger like I used to be. 


So, tune into your local PBS station and Create TV channel. You will be delighted and your taste buds will thank you.

"Cooper and Me and the Military" Children's Book Review & Giveaway

With all the service members deployed overseas, they leave behind many family members that love them and miss them. This can be especially hard on children. My step-daughter is married to a Marine currently stationed in Okinawa, Japan. She is due to deliver a baby this month and also has a 7 yr old and a 2 yr old at home. They all certainly miss Daddy while he is away. It's very difficult for the younger child to understand why Daddy is away and what he is doing. So I was very pleased to be offered this opportunity to review the latest book in the Cooper and Me Series of children's books. These books are authored by Monique Peters and her daughter Alexa, who is just 11 years old!

About Cooper and Me

Explore life along with Cooper, a fun-loving black Labrador Retriever, whose entertaining adventures help kids navigate the emotions and challenges of everyday living. Created by mother-daughter team Monique and Alexa Peters and inspired by their real-life family dog, Cooper and Me provides adults and children with opportunities for meaningful conversation and tools for constructive problem-solving. Kids will laugh at Cooper’s antics, and adults will appreciate the resilience nurtured in their children.

I was sent this book, "Cooper and Me and the Military" to review. Cooper is a black lab and this book tells the story of Trooper, Coopers best friend, and his military family.

Here is an overview:

Meet Trooper, Cooper’s best friend, and learn how he was adopted by Gracie and Joe and their parents, who both serve in the military. Find out how this family stays close despite being separated.


A must-read during patriotic holidays and for anyone with friends and family in the military, this book helps children know, that even when loved ones aren’t with us, they still love us and think about us. This book, along with all the other books in the Cooper and Me series, includes these interactive features:


• A Special Memory Creation
• Life Lesson
• Connections
• Learning Together


In addition to a fun adventure, each Cooper and Me story teaches an important Life Lesson and features interactive materials at the back of the book to drive the message home. Included are activities that help children name and process their own feelings about what they’ve read.

My thoughts

I enjoyed this book! I find it to be a great way for children to read about and express their feelings about missing their loved one. It's a great story with rhyming verses and colorful illustrations that enhance what is read. The illustrations are adorable, the story is fun to read and it provides a great message about military families. It shows all of us that even though our military family members are far far away, they are still with us even if not physically. 

I really love how the back pages are devoted to life lessons. This section is interactive, cover important messages and also allow the child to express their thoughts and feelings about the story shared. There is a question and answer part where you can discuss the story and see that the kids thoroughly understand the story and it also opens up discussion.

Also included is a format of a letter your child can write to a service member. How cool is that? It's outlined and the child can fill in the blanks. This is a wonderful encouragement to children to correspond with those overseas who are missing their own families too.  

How to connect?
Visit their Website
Like Cooper and me on Facebook
Follow Cooper and Me on Twitter

Buy it!
Head on over to Cooper and Me and purchase this and other "Cooper and Me" books

Win it!
One lucky reader will win their very own copy of "Cooper and Me and the Military." All you have to do is fill out the Rafflecopter form below.

Giveaway is open from February 3, 2012 to February 17, 2012 at 11:59EST and is open to US entrants 18 years of age or older. Terms and conditions noted on the Rafflecopter form. Please keep in mind that any mandatory entries must be completed before you do any of the extra entries.

My Potato Casserole

Last night, I needed a side dish and was thinking potatoes would be good with an Italian sausage and carrots. So, here is a cheesy potato dish that I threw together that is sure to please everyone.


Here are the ingredients I used:


4 medium russet potatoes, sliced
1 1/2 cup 1% milk
1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 1/2 cup fat free sour cream
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
4 strips of bacon, cooked crisp
1/2 of Costco ham steak 
1/4 cup Panko bread crumbs
2 green onions, chopped
Mrs. Dash Steak seasoning
2 cloves garlic, chopped tiny

First, I sliced my potatoes thin using a Pampered Chef Mandolin. I like my potatoes evenly sliced and on the thin side. And I like them with the skin still on. 

Then I chopped the bacon, diced the ham, chopped the onions and set it aside. In a 2 qt saucepan, I sauteed the chopped garlic in just a pat of butter till the aroma filled the air. I added the milk, sour cream and slowly added the cheddar and parmesan. I stirred it until it was all melted and slightly thick. You can add more milk if you want the sauce thinner.

Now it's time to assemble the dish. I used a round casserole dish and sprayed it with butter flavor PAM cooking spray to avoid that icky sticky mess. I layered the bottom with 1/4 of the potato slices, sprinkled 1/2 the chopped ham and 1/4 of the onion on it, then scooped 1/4 of the cheese sauce on it. I sprinkled it with a bit of the panko and Mrs. Dash. Next was another layer of potato slices, then on top of that I put 1/2 the chopped bacon and another 1/4 of the onion then covered it with 1/4 of the sauce and the seasoning and panko. The next two layers are a repeat of the previous two. When done, sprinkle some panko on top so it has that nice crispy top.

Bake at 350 for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes depending on how tender you like your potato slices. nd depending on your oven temp. This was a very good dish. I loved the hint of garlic mixed with the parmesan and cheddar. The green onion gives it flavor without being overbearing. My husband ate it up. 

And ate more right out of the dish