Variations on a Pad Thai Theme

Ok, so I've posted about Pad Thai before. It sounded so delicious for dinner tonight & I had just the right ingredients for what I wanted. The fun thing about Pad Thai is that it is versatile & with a few basic ingredients, it is just about fool proof.

The recipe found here has become the basis for every Pad Thai recipe I make. If tofu isn't your thing, you can use chicken, shrimp, sliced beef, or just use more veggies. I don't always use the rice noodles, but often leftover thin spaghetti. Spring onions are going crazy in my garden right now, but I don't always remember to buy bean sprouts. Tonight I used thinly sliced yellow onion, bell pepper & carrots.

Don't be afraid to play & experiment with recipes -- often they operate more like guidelines rather than strict rules. Cooking should be fun! So enjoy yourself & some fast & delicious Pad Thai this week.

Preview

New recipes & ideas are coming soon -- keep an eye out this week! A great pile of grilled goodness is coming your way just in time for the 4th of July weekend! I can only hope pineapple is on sale.

As always, let me know what you want to see, learn about, & cook. I always love to hear your feedback!

A long time coming

What a week it has been.

We spent all of last week doing basketball camp with our church, what fun! We had a great time working with all of the kids & I always enjoy taking their pictures.

Look at these wonderful kids!

Sharing the Word. Coach Dan & Matt do an excellent job! Matt's enthusiasm is so contagious.

I did get to do a little bit of cooking this week. I used the leftover steak to make a great fast stir-fry.

6-8 oz. leftover steak
1/2 yellow pepper, sliced
1/2 red pepper, sliced
1/2 yellow onion, sliced
1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
green onions, chopped
1 cup brown rice

Cook rice according to directions.

Heat 1 teaspoon vegetable oil in a cast iron skillet or wok. Saute onions until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Add peppers and soy sauce and saute another 3-4 minutes until peppers are tender. Slice steak diagonally and add to pan to heat through, 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in green onions and serve over rice.

Due to the nature of our week, we didn't eat at home much. We did, however, get some great pizza from Knolla's. They have the best meatlover's pizza!

We were also treated to a wonderful dinner Friday for our anniversary. Hooray for 3 years of marriage! Sweet Basil was our first date & we were so excited to go back. I got the Penne del Mar -- penne pasta with shrimp, scallops & great veggies with a Chardonnay sauce. It is so delicious! Hubby got the Baked Orange Roughy. Also incredibly delicious, can't go wrong with butter, right?

More to come this week!

What a weekend!

First order of business this weekend: youth party!

Totally enamored with their Rubik's cube prizes after finishing their sweet treasure hunt! 

Having a pile of fun trying to work together.
How do we get over the rope?!

Saturday's fun didn't end there. We were able to help Nickki celebrate her birthday. Hooray!
Happy Birthday Cardigan for Nickki!

And a Happy Birthday dinner at Yia Yia's!
Angel Hair Pasta with some of the best grilled chicken I've had in a while. So good!

But surely I was cooking this weekend, right?
Sunday's treat was steak!
Grilled Pepper-Lime Steaks with Steamed Veggie Packets

Marinate your steak of choice for at least 30 minutes in the juice of 3-4 limes, salt, pepper, a sprinkle or so of ground red pepper & red pepper flakes. Make your steak as spicy as you like!

Cut up some of your favorite veggies for a steam packet. Bell peppers & onions are excellent steamed on the grill. Season with a bit of salt & pepper & a spray or two canola oil & wrap in foil. Don't forget to toss in the juiced limes for extra flavor. Toss them on the grill right with your steaks.

Grill your steaks to your preference -- here is a great simple article on grilling steak. Be sure to let your steaks rest for a few minutes to let those juices do their thing before you dive right in. Empty your packets onto your plate & enjoy with your steak!

And more knitting...a sweet friend is expecting a little girl! I can't pass up the opportunity to knit for a little one. Can't wait to see Natalie Nicole in her hat!

This week: basketball camp! Dinner posts will be spare, but its all for great fun!

Kebabs!

For you, Lori!
Grilled Kebabs with the Best Corn Ever!
Serves 2

2 pieces chicken breast
1 bunch cherry tomatoes
1 green pepper
1 yellow pepper
1/2 yellow onion
2 fresh corn cobs
1 lime

Get your grill ready!

Cut the chicken, peppers & onion into about 1 inch chunks. Load the chicken, peppers, onion & tomatoes onto skewers. Season kebabs and corn with a bit of spray canola oil & salt & pepper.

Grill kebabs and corn until the chicken is cooked, about 10-12 minutes. Just before removing from the grill, squeeze lime over chicken & veggies -- make sure you get a bit on the corn, this is the best part!

Roll cobs in a bit of melted butter and serve with kebabs. Enjoy!

What's for dinner?

So after a crazy week & not buying enough chicken or shrimp or fish this week, we have a super fast vegetarian dinner.

Beans & Rice
Serves 2

2/3 cup brown rice
1 can black beans, rinsed & drained
1/2 yellow onion, roughly chopped
1 zucchini, roughly chopped
1/2 teaspoon oregano

Cook rice with a pinch of salt according to directions or in a rice cooker.

Heat 1 teaspoon EVOO in a pan over medium heat. Saute onion with a bit of salt until they begin to soften, about 3-4 minutes. Reduce heat & add beans, oregano & as much freshly ground pepper as you'd like & simmer for 10 minutes. Add zucchini & cook until some of the beans begin to break down & thicken, & the zucchini is tender, about 5 minutes more.

Serve over rice & enjoy! Remember you can always trade out black beans for any kind of bean that you'd like, and the zucchini as well for any fresh veggies that you have on hand. Make it what you like! But be sure to share!

What's for dinner?

Pizza!
I think this is our favorite meal.
Serves 2 with awesome leftovers or 3-4

The great thing about pizzas is that there is no recipe. Do what you like!

Preheat the oven to a super hot 450-500 degrees. If you don't have a pizza stone to preheat with the oven, put your baking pans in while you make your pizzas.

Start out with some flat bread wraps -- these are great, they can minimize your carbs & you can find them in whole grain & other great options. We used 4 total flat breads.

Slather on some tomato sauce. you can used a premade sauce or stir in garlic & onion powder, salt, oregano & basil into about a 1/2 can of crushed tomatoes. Top with a few spoonfuls of browned turkey, beef, chicken, or sausage of your choice. 

Add your chopped veggies, we always use peppers & onions. You can use anything you like: olives, banana peppers, mushrooms, artichokes, spinach, asparagus. 

Top with a little "glue" or mozzarella. It will get all melty & delicious & help to hold together your pizza. 

There's no way I would forget the pepperonis! We use turkey 'ronis to help cut down on the calories.

Finally, top with a good sprinkle of parmesan. 

Bake for about 10-12 minutes until nicely browned & bubbly. Let the pizza stand for a few minutes before cutting.

Enjoy your delicious pizza!

Weekend Fun!

What a weekend! The living room has been painted all one color! We've been waiting for this for quite some time. Fresh paint goes a long way for making a 70+ year old house feel new again.

A quick pic from my phone.

Dan's probably just glad to be able to sit down for a few! What great help he is!

Now..what did we eat? 

Friday night, in an effort to not clean up two separate messes, we went out to eat at Samurai at 37th St. N. & Woodlawn. So. Good!

Their yakisoba noodle plates are fantastic. Look at all those veggies! Tender chicken & steak (Dan's order) & a great sauce. Check them out!















Ok, but could I make it through a weekend without cooking? No way!
Grilled lemon-pepper chicken with fresh corn salad
Serves 3-4 (or 2 with fantastic leftovers)

1 whole chicken
4 lemons
2 ears corn
1/4 onion, finely diced
1/2 package feta cheese, crumbled
1 green pepper
1 bunch chives, finely chopped

To prep the chicken, take it out of the packaging, give it a quick rinse & pat it dry. You can grill your chicken as is whole, but it helps speed the cooking process if you cut down the back with kitchen shears & flatten out the chicken. The chicken can be grilled either in a foil packet or in a cast iron pan. Place the chicken in your vessel of choice.

Cut the lemons in half & squeeze the juice over the chicken. Sprinkle with about 1 teaspoon salt & as much freshly ground black pepper as you like. Wrap the chicken with the foil packet or if in a skillet, cover with foil. Grill over a hot fire for about an hour (or in the oven at 450 degrees for about an hour), checking with a meat thermometer. You can brown the chicken & crisp the skin by removing the top layer of foil in the last 15 minutes or so of cooking. When the chicken is about 160 degrees, remove from the grill or oven & cover to rest for about 10 minutes. The chicken will continue to cook while resting.

Meanwhile, roast the red pepper in the oven or over the grill until well charred & bubbly. Place in a paper sack to sweat until cool enough to handle. Cut the corn from cleaned ears & place in a bowl. Add onion, feta, chives, & a swirl of EVOO. Season with salt & pepper to taste. When the pepper is manageable, peel the skin from the pepper and remove the seeds. Finely dice and mix in with the salad.

Carve the chicken & serve with salad. Enjoy!

What's for dinner?

A little later tonight, but just as tasty. I fully intended these to be kebabs, Lori, but it would help to have skewers, wouldn't it? They are on my grocery list!

Sesame Chicken!
Serves 2

2 chicken breast cutlets
1/4 cup + 1 T. low sodium soy sauce
1/2 t. sesame oil
1 t. Aji-Mirin rice seasoning
1 T. sesame seeds
2 cups thin green beans
1 t. garlic, minced
1/2 cup rice

Cut each chicken piece into two long pieces. Marinate in 1/4 cup of the soy, sesame oil and rice seasoning for at least 30 minutes.

Cook the rice according to directions. Heat an oiled skillet over medium-high heat. Add green beans, the remaining soy sauce and garlic & saute to cook 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Add chicken to pan and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Cook until done, about 8-10 minutes, turning once & sprinkling other side with sesame seeds.

Serve over rice & enjoy!

What's for dinner?

Everyone managing the crazy weather out there?
Its even affected dinner, with so little natural lighting from outside thanks to the clouds rolling in, the pictures for tonight are less than perfect.

Tonight's dinner comes from Mark Bittman -- I read his blogs on runnersworld.com & this post sounded pretty good for dinner tonight. I also used his cornbread recipe, which you can find from the link above. Watch the cornbread closely, once it begins to pull away from the sides, test it with a toothpick.

I did add a little shrimp into our lentils for some extra protein & went with diced bell pepper rather than celery because its what I had on hand. Remember that recipes are only guidelines, you'll want to stick a little more closely to them when baking where the right chemistry can be more important, but don't be afraid to experiment! Cooking & playing in the kitchen should be fun, not intimidating!

Enjoy!