Thai Spicy Peanut Chicken Enchiladas

Ingredients:

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

1 red bell pepper (thinly sliced)

1 small onion (chopped)

1-2 large carrots (julienned)

1/2 cup bean sprouts

2-3 cooked shredded chicken breasts (I cooked mine in a crockpot on high for 3 hours and it practically shredded itself)

1 handful cilantro (chopped)

Spicy Thai peanut sauce (see recipe below)

10 (8 inch) tortillas

1 1/2 cups jack and cheddar cheese (grated)

3 tablespoons roasted peanuts (chopped)

3 birds eye chilies (sliced) (I couldn't find these, so I used dried red chilies from an Asian food store - Suzy used poblano)

Directions:

1. Heat the oil in a pan.

2. Add the red pepper and onions and saute until tender, about 5-7 minutes

3. Add the carrots and bean sprouts and saute until tender, about a minute.

4. Remove from heat.

5. Mix in the chicken, cilantro and 1 cup or so of the peanut sauce (see below for recipe).

6. Place some of the filling in a tortilla, wrap it up and place it in a baking dish. Repeat for the remaining tortillas.

7. Pour the remaining peanut sauce over the enchiladas and sprinkle on the cheese.

8. Bake in a preheated 350F oven until the sides are bubbling and the cheese is melted about 20-30 minutes.

9. Serve garnished with chopped peanuts, sliced chilies and cilantro (I also served with avocado).

PEANUT SAUCE:

Ingredients:


3 TBSP peanut oil

3 TBSP panang curry paste or red curry paste

1 cup coconut milk

3/4 cup chicken stock

1/2 cup fish sauce

1/3 cup lime juice

1/2 cup brown sugar

3 TBSP chili sauce (or 3 birds eye chilis, sliced)

1/3 cup peanut butter

1/3 cup sesame oil

1/3 cup peanuts (roasted and crushed)



Directions:

1. Heat the oil in a pan.

2. Add the panang curry and saute until fragrant.

2. Add everything else and simmer to thicken it a bit, about 2-3 minutes.

Italian Dinner

Lemon-Rosemary Olives
Homemade bruschetta (Mancini's bread, dredged in olive oil and lightly toasted, topped with any assortment of tapenade, tomatoes, cheese, etc.)
Remaining bread to dip in oil during meal
Butternut squash chicken feta lasagna
Vanilla gelato with sliced mango

Tomato-Zucchini Tart

1 refrigerated pie crust
1 medium zucchini, thinkly sliced
2 tsp. olive oil
3 plum or 2 heirloom tomatoes, sliced
1/2 c. fresh basil
1/3 c. fresly grated parmesan cheese
1/3 c. light or olive oil mayonnaise
1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper

1.  Preheat oven to 450.  Fit piecrust into a 9-inch tart pan; trim excess.  Prick bottom and sides or piecrust using a fork.
2.  Bake piecrust at 450 for 9 to 11 minutes or until lightly browned.  Remove from oven, and let cool.
3.  Reduce oven termperature to 425.  Saute zucchini in hot oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat 2 minutes or until tender.  Arrange zucchini in bottom of prepared piecrust.  Arrange tomatoes on top of zucchini.
4.  Stir together basil, cheese and mayonnaise.  Drop by teaspoonfuls on top of tomatoes, and spread gently.  Sprinkly with pepper.
5.  Bake at 425 for 10 to 15 minutes or until thoroughly heated and cheese mixture is slightly melted.

Peach Pie

Ingredients:


2 refrigerator pie crusts

1 egg, beaten

5 cups sliced peeled peaches

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup white sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons butter

Directions

1.Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (220 degrees C).

2.Line the bottom and sides of a 9 inch pie plate with one of the pie crusts. Brush with some of the beaten egg to keep the dough from becoming soggy later.

3.Place the sliced peaches in a large bowl, and sprinkle with lemon juice. Mix gently. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Pour over the peaches, and mix gently. Pour into the pie crust, and dot with butter. Cover with the other pie crust, and fold the edges under. Flute the edges to seal or press the edges with the tines of a fork dipped in egg. Brush the remaining egg over the top crust. Cut several slits in the top crust to vent steam.

4.Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven, then reduce the heat to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and bake for an additional 30 to 35 minutes, until the crust is brown and the juice begins to bubble through the vents. If the edges brown to fast, cover them with strips of aluminum foil about halfway through baking. Cool before serving. This tastes better warm than hot.

Sweet and Salty Honey Cheese Spread

I made this for my Secret Life of Bees bookclub (hence the honey) and it was really good!

1 (10.5 oz) goat cheese log
1/2 c. roasted, salted sunflower seeds
1 pt. fresh raspberries, blackberries or blueberries
Garnish:  fresh mint leaves
Assorted crackers

Press or roll goat cheese log in sunflower seeds, thoroughly covering cheese, including ends.  Arrange cheese on a serving platter with any remaining sunflower seeds.  Drizzle with honey.  Sprinkle with berries.  Garnish, if desired.  Serve immediately with assorted crackers.

Rosemary-Lemon Olives

This really changes the flavor of the olives and provides a great dipping oil, as well.  Delicious!

6 strips lemon peel
2 fresh rosemary sprigs
1/8 tsp. dried crushed red pepper
1 cup kalamata olives
1 cup Sicilian olives (or otheres of your choosing)
1 cup EVOO

Preheat oven to 300.  Place lemon peel, rosemary, and red pepper flakes in an 11x7 inch baking dish.  Add olives and drizzle with olive oil.  Bake, uncovered, at 300 for 40 minutes.  Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 5 days.  Warm refrigerated olives before serving.