Kristen's Recipes

4 boneless , skinless chicken breast halves cut in thin slices.

1 medium onion, chopped

3/4 C. roasted, unsalted peanuts, divided

2 cloves garlic

1 piece (about 1-inch) ginger, peeled

2 tsp. vegetable oil

2 T. curry powder

1 C. coconut milk

1 1/2 C. chicken broth

2 tsp. lemon zest

1 cinnamon stick

1/2 pound fettuccini pasta

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 C. chopped scallions

1/4 C. grated coconut, toasted

In bowl of food processor, place onion, 1/4 C. of the peanuts, garlic and ginger; pulse until paste is formed. In a large nonstick frypan over medium heat, place vegetable oil. Add onion paste and cook 1 minute. stirring. Stir in curry powder; cook 1 minute. Whisk in coconut milk, chicken broth, lemon zest and cinnamon stick. Simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes. Remove cinnamon and stir in sliced chicken; simmer 7 minutes. While chicken is cooking, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium high heat. Add fettuccini and cook for about 4 minutes; drain. Place pasta in serving bowl; add chicken, sauce and salt; toss. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 C. chopped peanuts and coconut. Makes 4 servings.

1 can (16 oz.) coconut milk

1 heaping teaspoon curry paste

1 can (10 oz.) bamboo shoots, drained

1 medium zucchini, sliced into half moons

2 cups broccoli florets

1/2 cup shredded carrot

1/2 cup pineapple

1 cup cooked chicken, diced

1 T fish sauce or soy sauce

1 t brown sugar

In a large saute pan, pour the coconut milk. Heat to boiling and mix in the curry paste. Stir to dissolve the curry paste. Add the bamboo shoots and bring to a boil, let boil for about 5 minutes to thicken the coconut milk. Add the vegetables, starting with the one that takes the longest to cook. When vegetables are getting tender, but still firm about 8-10 minutes, add the cooked chicken and pineapple. Stir in the fish sauce and brown sugar (both to taste), and mix to incorporate all of the ingredients. Serve with steamed rice.

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into bite-size chunks

1 large green bell pepper, thinly sliced

3 cloves garlic, minced

3/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon crushed red-pepper flakes

Salt

Ground black pepper

1 box (10 ounces) baby portobello mushrooms, quartered

2 tablespoons dry white wine or chicken broth

1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes

1/2 pound whole wheat pasta

In a large, deep nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, warm the oil. Add the chicken and bell pepper, and sprinkle with the garlic, oregano, and crushed red pepper. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes, or until the chicken is lightly browned. Add the mushrooms and wine or broth. Cook, stirring often, for 8 minutes, or until the mushrooms are tender. Stir in the tomatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes, or until the sauce is lightly thickened. Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and transfer to the skillet. Toss to mix well.

Note: to make with precooked chicken, follow the recipe, but omit the chicken in the first step. Once you add the tomatoes and reduce heat, add the chicken. This will warm it through without shredding it into itty bitty pieces, which will happen if you add it already cooked from the beginning.

Kosher salt

1 pound spaghetti or Chinese egg noodles

2 T. toasted sesame oil

1 garlic clove, peeled

1 (1-inch) piece peeled fresh ginger

1/2 C. smooth peanut butter

1/4 C. soy sauce

2 T. dark brown sugar

1 T. rice vinegar

3/4 tsp. crushed red pepper

1/4 C. hot water

1 Kirby cucumber, halved and sliced

1 C. shredded cooked chicken

6 scallions (white and green parts), sliced

1/4 C. dry-roasted peanuts, chopped

Bring a large pot of cold water to a boil over high heat. When the pasta water boils, salt it generously, add the spaghetti or noodles, and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold running water. Put the spaghetti in a large bowl and toss with the sesame oil. To make the Peanut Sauce: In a blender drop in the garlic and ginger while the motor is running. When the chopping is complete, stop the machine and add the peanut butter, soy sauce, brown sugar, vinegar, and red pepper. Process until smooth, then–with the blender running–slowly pour in the water. To serve, toss the spaghetti with the Peanut Sauce, then top with the cucumber, chicken, scallions, and peanuts.

4 all-purpose potatoes, such as russets, peeled and cut into quarters

4 carrots, peeled and cut into large pieces on a diagonal

3 ribs celery, cut into large pieces on an angle

1 large onion, cut into large chunks

1 C. dry white wine

2 tsp. sugar

1 tsp. salt

1 T. extra-virgin olive oil, eyeball it

2 C. chicken broth

3/4 pound chorizo, cut into 1 1/2 inch slices on an angle

4 pieces poached cooked chicken, leftover from potage, sliced on an angle into 1-inch strips

1 C. tomato sauce

1/4 C. chopped flat-leaf parsley

Crusty Portuguese bread or other chewy, farm bread, for passing at the table

Place potatoes, carrots, celery and onion in a pot. Pour in wine, add sugar, salt, and oil. Add 2 C. of chicken broth. Cover pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes. While vegetables cook, brown chorizo in a small nonstick skillet over medium high heat. If your leftover chicken was frozen, defrost in microwave. If the leftovers were refrigerated, continue with recipe method as below. Remove the cover from the vegetables and add chorizo to the vegetables. Stir in tomato sauce. Set cooked chicken into the pot and heat through, 5 minutes. Adjust seasoning. Ladle Portuguese Chicken into shallow bowls and garnish with parsley. Serve with crusty bread for dipping.

2 T. extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 medium carrots, cut diagonally into 1/2-inch-thick slices

2 celery ribs, halved lengthwise, and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices

4 fresh thyme sprigs

1 bay leaf

2 quarts chicken stock

8 ounces dried wide egg noodles

1 1/2 C. shredded cooked chicken

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 handful fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

Place a soup pot over medium heat and coat with the oil. Add the onion, garlic, carrots, celery, thyme and bay leaf. Cook and stir for about 6 minutes, until the vegetables are softened but not browned. Pour in the chicken stock and bring the liquid to a boil. Add the noodles and simmer for 5 minutes until tender. Fold in the chicken, and continue to simmer for another couple of minutes to heat through; season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with chopped parsley before serving.

4 C. frozen vegetable mix, peas, carrots

1 to 2 T. canola oil

3 T. butter

1 C. chopped onion

1 C. chopped celery

1 1/2 C. low sodium chicken broth

1/2 C. milk

3 T. flour

1 tsp. curry powder

2 T. dried parsley

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. fresh ground pepper

2 C. cubed cooked chicken

1 package puff pastry

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Toss frozen vegetables with canola oil and spread evenly onto a sheet pan. Place into oven and cook until golden brown. In a saute pan heat 1 T. of butter and sweat the onion and celery. In another saucepan, heat the broth and milk. Add 2 more T. of butter to the celery mix and cook out the water. Add the flour and curry and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in the hot milk mixture and cook until thickened. Add the parsley, salt and pepper. Toss the browned vegetables and the chicken. Pour into a shallow baking pan, or a large terra cotta pot base, lined with foil, and top with 6 to 8 circles of puff pastry. Place into the oven and cook until puff pastry has browned and the mixture is hot and bubbly, about 25 minutes.

Spice Blend:

1 T. garam masala seasoning

1 1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. cayenne

Sauce:

3 T. butter

1 large onion, chopped (about 1 C.)

2 tsp. jarred minced garlic

1 T. tomato paste

1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce

1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes in juice

1 skinless rotisserie chicken, boned out and pulled into 1 1/2 by 1/2-inch chunks

1 (10-ounce) box frozen peas, placed in a colander and run under hot water to thaw

1/3 C. heavy whipping cream

Hot basmati rice, for serving

Pita bread, warmed according to package directions, for serving

To make the spice blend: Stir the ingredients together in a small bowl and set aside. To make the sauce: Melt the butter in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until the pieces just begin to turn gold, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, tomato paste and spice blend, and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly to prevent burning. The spices will be fragrant. Add the tomato sauce and diced tomatoes and stir will. Add the chicken pieces, spoon the sauce over the top and bring to a simmer. Turn the heat to low and cook, uncovered, until the chicken is warmed through and the sauce is flavorful, about 10 minutes. Stir frequently. Remove the chicken to a serving dish and cover to keep warm. Shake any excess water from the peas. Add the peas and cream to the sauce in the pan, stir well and heat through. Do not boil. Spoon the sauce over the chicken. Serve with rice and warmed pita bread. Variation: If you prefer shreds of chicken to whole pieces, remove the skin from the chicken and pull the meat into large chunks by hand. Add to the pan along with the garlic, tomato paste and spice blend. Cook for 3 minutes and then add the tomato sauce and continue with the recipe. Serve over basmati rice.

2 T. vegetable oil

1 medium yellow onion, finely diced

1 can diced green chiles

1/2 jalapeno, seeded and finely diced, optional

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1 rotisserie chicken, picked and finely chopped

2 T. fresh lime juice

1/4 C. chopped fresh cilantro leaves

2 C. grated pepper jack cheese

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Prepared pie dough

1 egg mixed with 1 T. water, for egg wash

Peanut oil, for fryer

Orange Salsa Verde dipping sauce, recipe follows

Heat vegetable oil in a medium sauté pan, add onions, green chiles, jalapenos, garlic and cumin and sauté until onions are translucent. In large bowl combine chicken, lime juice and cilantro. Add the onion-chili mixture and mix. Stir in cheese and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Using a 4-inch ring mold, cut circles from prepared pie dough. Put about 1 T. of the chicken mixture in center of dough. Brush egg wash around circumference of the dough. Fold top half over to form a half circle. Seal with the tines of a fork. Heat a deep-fryer to 325 degrees F. with peanut oil. Submerge a few empanadas into oil until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Remove and drain on paper towels. Cool slightly and serve with Orange Salsa Verde dipping sauce. Cook’s Note: Make sure to flip so both sides cook evenly.

Orange Salsa Verde:

1 jar prepared salsa verde

1/4 C. fresh orange juice

1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper or 1/2 tsp. hot sauce (recommended: Tabasco)

In a large bowl combine all ingredients.