Thai Coconut Chicken Soup

Back when we lived in Boise, one of my favorite restaurants was this Thai place called (appropriately) "Thai Cuisine" lol. They have this coconut soup that I absolutely love, but I have never even considered trying it because it has ingredients like lemon grass, kaffir lime leaves, and galangal. Not only would I not know where to find these ingredients here, I never would even try because I'd only use them for this one soup. So I've just been going without. Until last night. I saw someone using regular similarly-flavored ingredients in another Asian soup and I was like, "Hey, I could do that!" So I came up with the following, which was surprisingly CLOSE. It wasn't exactly the same, but the whole family loved it nonetheless and I will just keep working on the flavor balance to make it perfect.

Coconut Chicken Soup:

2 chicken breasts, cooked and cut-up into 1-inch pieces
2 cups chicken stock (I used homemade)
2 cups coconut milk
1 onion, cut in half and sliced into strips
3 cups button mushrooms, quartered
8 slices fresh ginger, peeled
1 tablespoon chili paste
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
juice of 1 lemon
olive oil

1) Drizzle a little olive oil in the bottom of a soup pot, heat over medium heat. Add the onions and cook about 2-3 minutes.
2) Add the stock, coconut milk, mushrooms, ginger, chili paste, basil and pepper and simmer for 10 minutes.
3) Add the chicken and simmer another 5 minutes.
4) Add the lemon juice and serve hot.

Enjoy!

Crock Pot Taco Soup

I adapted this recipe because I couldn't find some of the ingredients here. It turned out wonderful. I especially liked it with Ritz crackers dipped into it. Super easy to make.

Crock Pot Taco Soup:

1 lb. shredded chicken (I used the leftover chicken from the double batch I made for the enchiladas)
1 can pinto beans
1 can white beans
1 can corn
1 can tomato and chilies
2 can diced tomatoes (or one large can)
1 TBSP green chili paste
1 envelope of taco seasoning
1/2 bottle of your favorite Ranch dressing (I used Delightfully Light)

1) Add all ingredients to Crock Pot (for the cans of beans and corn I drained the liquid and then filled them back up with water, but you can just dump them in). Stir to combine well.
2) Cook on low for 4 hours.

Garnish with sour cream and cheddar cheese if desired. Serve with tortilla chips, crackers, or drain some of the liquid off and eat it inside of a tortilla.

Enjoy!

Chicken Enchiladas with Chili Cream Sauce

I invented these the other night because I really really wanted enchiladas, but finding enchilada sauce here is pretty difficult. These were a big hit with the whole family (even the 1-year-old!) and we will definitely have them again soon. Sorry I didn't get a picture. They wen't too fast for me to even think about it!

Chicken Enchiladas with Chili Cream Sauce:

3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 cups chicken broth, divided
salt and pepper
1 TBSP Olive Oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 TBSP green chili paste
1/2 tsp. chili powder (optional, don't use if you want a more mild flavor)
1/2 cup salsa (whatever your favorite happens to be)
16 small tortillas (corn or flour, whichever you prefer) <---I used flour
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Sauce:
2 TBSP butter
2 TBSP flour
1 cup of whole milk
1 cup chicken broth
2 TBSP chili paste

1) I learned this nifty trick: Place the chicken breasts in a slow-cooker with 2 cups of chicken broth and a little salt and pepper on each breast. Cook on low for 5-6 hours, then remove and shred with two forks. You can use this methods for any recipe that calls for shredded chicken. I love it (the chicken is so tender and flavorful) and I usually make a double batch so I have enough for a whole other meal.
2) Heat the oil in a saute pan over medium heat and cook the onions for about 5 minutes (until translucent, but not brown), add the garlic and chili paste and cook additional 2 minutes. Let cool.
3) In a large bowl, combine the shredded chicken, 1 cup of the cheese, the onion mixture, and salsa and combine.
4) In a shallow dish, heat the remaining chicken broth in the microwave until warm (not too hot).
5) Dip one tortilla in the broth on both sides and then place a line of the chicken mixture down the center. Roll and place seam-side down in a casserole dish sprayed with cooking spray.

For the Sauce:
1) Heat the butter over medium heat and add the flour, wisk together. Allow flour to cook for about 1 minute and then slowly add the milk and chicken broth a little at a tine, wisking constantly. Allow to thicken then add chili paste.
2) Pour over enchiladas in dish and sprinkle with remaining cheese.
3) Bake at 375 for about 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and enchiladas are heated through.

Enjoy!

White Chicken Chili

Ok, so I am not normally a chili fan, but my husband is, so I feel bad if I don't cater meals to him sometimes. Luckily, I found (and changed, of course) this recipe so that it is now a family favorite. It is a Crock Pot recipe (so I love it), it has shredded chicken (so Kaden loves it) and it is spicy and beany enough that Stu loves it too. We all ate the leftovers for lunches and cleaned our bowls every time. Give it a try!

White Chicken Chili:

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 cans of Great Northern Beans (white beans)

2 cups of chicken broth (low sodium works)

1 cup chopped white onion

2 cans chopped green chilies (I couldn't find any here so I just used a few teaspoons of the paste)

red pepper flakes to taste

salt and pepper to taste

Toppings:

Sour cream

Shredded Cheddar cheese

1) Place the chicken and chicken broth in the Crock Pot and cook for 5 hours on low.

2) Shred the chicken with two forks in the Crock Pot. Add the remaining ingredients and cook for 2 more hours or until the onions are softened.

3)Serve with a dollop of sour cream and shredded cheddar cheese. We also got out the tortilla chips the next day for lunches and they were awesome too!

Enjoy!

Soy Balsamic Chicken

The best thing about this recipe is how easy it is to make! We had this last night and it was a HUGE hit! It is super low in calories and fat and was sooo tasty. We ate it with baked potatoes and fresh green beans from the market. YUM!

Soy Balsamic Chicken:

1/4 cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Directions:

1) Mix together the soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, sugar, garlic, salt and pepper until the sugar is dissolved.
2) Put cleaned and dry chicken in a large sealable plastic bag, add the soy mixture, force out excess air and leave to marinate for up to 24 hours.
3) Preheat oven to 425F. Transfer chicken and marinade to a large shallow baking pan (do not crowd chicken) then roast in middle of oven until chicken is cooked through for about 15-20 minutes, depending on the thickness of the chicken breasts.
4) Skim the pan juices and reduce on the stove until about 1/4 cup is left (about 4 minutes). Spoon over the chicken and serve.

Barbeque Chicken Burritos

These are just yummy! Stu and I came up with them last night when we wanted something easy for dinner!

Barbeque Chicken Burritos:

1 lb. poached and cubed chicken breast pieces
½ cup chopped onion
1 Tablespoon olive oil
¼ cup Barbeque sauce
½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
6 flour tortillas
1 cup shredded iceberg lettuce
1 cup chopped tomato
1 avocado pitted, peeled and sliced
Salt and pepper

1) Sauté the onion in olive oil over medium heat until tender.
2) In a large bowl, combine the chicken, sautéed onion, barbeque sauce, cheese, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir well.
3) Assemble the burritos with the chicken mixture topped with lettuce, tomato, and avocado.

Enjoy!

Almond-Apple Chicken Salad

Here is another one of my adapted recipes. I have never really found a perfect recipe for chicken salad as my tastes prefer, so here is my invented one!

Almond-Apple Chicken Salad:

1 large chicken breast, poached and cut into small chunks
1 medium sized apple of your choice, cored and cut into small pieces
½ cup seedless green grapes cut in half
½ cup thinly sliced celery
½ cup sliced green onions
½ cup slivered almonds
1 Teaspoon olive oil
1 Tablespoon mayonnaise
Salt and pepper

1) Toast the almonds in the olive oil over medium-high heat for a few minutes.
2) In a large bowl combine all ingredients and stir well. Add salt and pepper a little at a time until it tastes perfect according to your own preference.

Tips for this Recipe:
- serve in a pita, on Ritz crackers, regular loaf bread, in a Hoagie roll, or on a bed of lettuce for variety.
- Add some chopped hard-boiled eggs if you’d like.
- For a more rich flavor, poach the chicken in water with chopped onions, garlic and parsley.

Peanut Chicken Stir-Fry

I just love stir-fry, especially the styles that highlight nuts. So here is yet another one of my adaptations! This recipe, like most Asian cuisine, does not have to be exact. Whatever you have at home with work great and tasting the sauce as you go is the key to it coming out perfect.

Peanut Chicken Stir-Fry:
1 lb. chicken breasts, sliced into strips against the grain (helps to keep the chicken tender)
1 cup chicken stock or broth (I use homemade since it tends to be more flavorful)
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
2 Tablespoons heated, softened peanut butter
1 Tablespoon corn starch
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 Tablespoon grated fresh ginger
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 cup broccoli florets, fresh or frozen
1/2 cup sliced red bell pepper
1/2 cup sliced yellow bell pepper
1/2 cup sliced white or yellow onion
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 cup carrots, cut into matchsticks (optional)
you can also add cabbage too, but since I don't like it, I omit it.
1/2 cup peanuts

1) In a small bowl, wisk together the chicken stock, brown sugar, peanut butter, sesame oil, and ginger, set aside. Do not worry if it is lumpy from the peanut butter, with heat in the skillet it will combine.
2) Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat, add the chicken strips and cooking, stirring frequently for 2-3 minutes until just no longer pink inside. Remove chicken and juices to a bowl. 3) In a small bowl mix the cornstarch with a small amount of cold water until smooth. Add to sauce mixture.
4) In the same skillet, add the vegetables and stir-fry with 1/4 cup of the sauce for 4-5 minutes until vegetables are tender-crisp. Add the chicken back to the skillet with the remaining sauce. Allow flavors to combine, stirring occasionally for 2-3 minutes. Be sure to taste to make sure the sauce is perfect. If it needs more soy sauce or brown sugar to balance, add some a dash at a time. 5) Serve in a bowl over white or brown rice as a complete meal and top with peanuts for crunch. We didn't have peanuts this time so I used cashews and they were fabulous as well.

Enjoy!

Homemade Chicken Nuggets

Until about a month ago, Stu and I were being really careful about what we ate. We've both lost a lot of weight since we moved here and we''d been trying to be good. Unfortunately for the past, I don't know, two weeks or more, I've been picking out recipes that aren't the healthiest. We're going to now get back on track and last night was the beginning.

Do you love chicken nuggets, like me, but feel guilty about the deep-fried-ness? Here's my answer!

Sydney's Chicken Nuggets with Honey Mustard Dip:

For the dip:
1/4 cup mayo
3 Tablespoons mustard (I use spicy brown for a better kick)
2 Tablespoons honey

Stir them well, and tada! Dip!

For the nuggets:
1 lb. chicken breats, cut into "nugget" sized pieces, about 1-2 inches. (You can also cut them into strips if you prefer)
1/4 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper
1/2 teaspoon parsley flakes (optional, but it does make them prettier)
1 sleeve of Ritz crackers, finely crushed (I use a rolling pin)
1 egg
2 Tablespoons milk (I use fat free)

1) Preheat oven to 425 (f). Put flour, salt, pepper, and parsley in a large Ziplock bag and shake so ingredients combine. Add the chicken pieces and shake to coat them evenly.
2) Place the cracker crumbs in a bowl and wisk the egg and milk together in another bowl (start an assembly line).
3) Remove the chicken one pieces at a time and dip it into the egg mixture, then roll in the cracker crumbs and place on a baking sheet. Repeat with all of the chicken pieces.
4) Bake for 10-12 minutes until golden brown and chicken is no longer pink inside. Serve with honey mustard dip. Yum!

This is a huge favorite of Stu's. So much so that he'll ask for it so often I actually get sick of eating it. Kaden LOVES chicken this way too. Enjoy!

Tips for this recipe:
- Try to keep an eye on the chicken so they don't overcook or they tend to get dry.
- Serve with homemade fries for a "Happy Meal" with half the calories!

Egg Drop Soup and Pot Stickers

I am beginning to wonder if I wasn't born the wrong race. I discovered the fabulousness that is Asian food right before we moved to Abu Dhabi. I tried my hand at Pot Stickers and Sweet and Sour Pork and realized Asian food wasn't nearly as daunting as the strange and plentiful ingredients lists suggested.

I realized I don't have to fear Asian food, I can embrace it, change it, and make it better! Which is what I did with both my Egg Drop Soup and my Pot Stickers recipes. I have yet to find a perfect single recipe for either dish and it has been frustrating to me.

Well folks, this is our dinner tonight (along with some Fried Rice from last week leftover) and here are the perfected Sydney-style recipes!

Egg Drop Soup (so easy it's sinful):

3 Cups Chicken Stock (I make my own stock every so often and freeze it in portions for later use… this was one of those occasions)
½ teaspoon ground ginger (add more or less, depending on your taste)
2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
2 green onions, chopped (use both the green and white parts)
¼ teaspoon each, garlic powder and onion powder
Salt and pepper to taste
2 eggs, slightly beaten

Here are a few key tips for this recipe before we even begin:
- do not overbeat the eggs, just wisk them enough to be combined, not enough that they start to bubble, this screws up the stringy texture of the eggs in the soup.
- This one is IMPORTANT: Don’t add the eggs while the heat is still on. Again, you can make perfect soup easily, just follow the directions! :)

1) In a medium saucepan, boil the stock, onions, and soy sauce.
2) Add the remaining ingredients except the eggs and let this all simmer together for about ten minutes, covered, so the flavors can combine.
3) Turn off the heat and remove the lid. In one direction begin stirring the soup. SLOWLY drizzle the egg into the pot as you keep stirring. Stir about 30 seconds, slowly, and always only in one direction. This helps create the wonderful stringy texture we all love in egg drop soup. If you stir randomly or pour too fast, you’ll get large clumps, and who wants clumpy soup? :)

Sydney's Chicken Pot Stickers:

As I mentioned, I have adapted this recipe over about 8 months now. Other recipes just never seem to get it right.

Ingredients (Pot Stickers):

1 large chicken breast, uncooked
2 scallions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 button mushrooms, finely chopped
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon ginger powder
salt and pepper
wonton wrappers
canola oil

1) Slice chicken breast into strips, place in bottom of a pan. Season with salt and pepper and add enough water to cover. Put on lid and bring to a boil. Cook until chicken is no longer pink (only about 5-10 minutes).
2) While chicken is cooking, slice vegetables and add to a small bowl. Add the soy sauce, and ginger.
3) Let chicken rest until it is cool enough to handle. Chop very finely, add to mixture. Stir to combine and add salt and pepper to taste. This is your filling.
(I make my own wontons, but if you don't, there are plenty of good ones available at the store.)
4) Place a scant teaspoon in the center of each wrapper and wet edges to seal. Mine are never perfect looking, don't worry if they are lop-sided or weird looking, they'll still taste just as good!
5) Place prepared pot stickers on a baking sheet and cover with a damp cloth to keep from drying out while you prepare the rest.
6) Heat about 1 Tablespoon of oil in a pan over medium heat, arrange 8-10 pot stickers in the oil at a time, don't let them touch each other. Cook them for 2 minutes without touching them.
7) Add 1/4 cup of water (or a little more, depending on the size of the pan you are using... the water should come up no more than half-way on the pot stickers, but should be touching all of them.
8) Turn the heat down to low and immediately cover. Cook additional 2 minutes. Remove them to a plate placed in the oven to keep warm while you repeat with the remaining wontons.
9) Easily clean the pan between batches by adding water and letting the pan deglaze. Pour out and wipe clean. Serve with fabulous dipping sauce.

Sydney's Fabulous Dipping Sauce:

1/4 cup soy sauce
2 Tablespoons white vinegar
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger powder
1 garlic clove, minced
1 green onion, chopped
dash of sesame oil

combine all ingredients, stir well. Can be served warm or cold.

Enjoy! Let me know if you have any questions about any of my dishes. I'll be happy to answer any!

Weekly Menus

I don’t know how many families out there prepare a weekly menu and shop with it in mind, but we sure do! To a bizarre degree actually. I keep watching these people on TV talk shows come on as guests with sure-fire ways to “cut spending” and “reduce your grocery bill by half”. Bull crap. I already DO all of their tips! So what are WE supposed to do?

First we plan out what we are going to eat for the week. This includes me opening up Food Network’s site and scrolling through my list of recipes saved on the computer. Inevitably I will choose MAYBE one recipe from these lists and we’ll settle on easier meals like “grilled chicken” instead of something from a recipe.

After the meals list is made we figure out what we have and what needs to go on the grocery list (you’ll notice I am using the “we” term here… Stu’s job is to watch TV on the couch while I make these lists and occasionally say “sure that sounds good”). We’re easy eaters for breakfast… cereal. Lunch for Kaden is either leftovers or a sandwich and grapes or watermelon. Stu takes leftovers and I eat soup or whatever I can create (this usually means either garlic paste with Arabic bread or a French baguette sliced and topped with some Gruyere cheese). But for dinner I try to cook something every week night. Our grocery list contains EXACTLY what we need. But, because of the inflated prices of food here, we still spend over a hundred bucks a week for two and a half people. We buy NO pre-made meals (mostly because they don’t sell them) and most of our cart is produce and baby stuff. Since we spend almost $20 on a pack of 70 diapers, and $16 for a can of formula, usually the bulk of our spending is on baby stuff. Even wipes run pretty expensive here. But every time one of the “experts” comes on TV I get all excited, hoping for new tips, usually to no avail (and I’m not freaking making my own bread when it’s less than 50 cents here).

Anyway, so here is our menu for the week, feel free to steal ideas. We don’t pick what day it will be on, we usually decide during the day which one we feel like having that evening.

Day 1: Grilled Steak, mashed potatoes, and frozen mixed vegetables.
Day 2: Three-Cheese chicken pasta bake (recipe follows), mini garlic toasts, and frozen corn.
Day 3: Hamburgers with cheese, tomato and lettuce, French fries.
Day 4: Rice, peas, and hamburger skillet meal.
Day 5: Chinese food meal (fried rice, steamed chicken wontons, sweet-and-sour chicken)

So, this I invented last night and it was pretty good. I call it 3-Cheese Chicken Pasta bake!

3-Cheese Chicken Pasta Bake:

1 lb. uncooked chicken, cut up into bite-sized cubes
3 cups uncooked spiral pasta noodles
½ cup chopped white onion
2 cloves garlic, chopped
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Onion powder
Garlic powder
½ Jar of pasta sauce (I used traditional Ragu)
Basil seasoning
½ cup Sharp Cheddar cheese
¼ cup Mozzarella cheese
¼ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Directions:
1) Boil water for noodles, add noodles, cook until tender. Drain, set aside.
2) In a large skillet, heat 1 Tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat, add onions and garlic and cook until transparent, about 5 minutes. Add to drained pasta. In the same pan, heat another tablespoon of olive oil and add chicken. Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Cook until no longer pink, add to pasta mixture. Add a little sauce at a time to the pasta mixture until desired amount is achieved. Sprinkle with basil seasoning and mozzarella cheese, stir. Pour mixture into a glass baking dish and sprinkle with cheddar cheese and top with parmesan cheese.
3) Bake in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Pepper Chicken

This dish is so easy and actually leaves your baked chicken moist! I am one of those people who can never bake chicken breasts without them turning out dry, so this is the perfect recipe if you're like me!

Pepper Chicken:

4 uncooked chicken breasts
1/2 one white onion, thinly sliced
2 cups bell peppers, sliced (we use red, green, and yellow, but use what you have!)
2 tsp. black pepper
2 tsp. basil seasoning
1/4 cup olive oil

1) Preheat oven to 350 (F). Line a baking pan with foil (minimizes clean-up). Drizzle the foil with olive oil.
2) Sprinkle baking pan with some of the black pepper and basil. Lay the chicken breasts on the foil.
3) Drizzle the chicken with oil, using a spoon or brush to evenly coat.
4) Sprinkle with remaining seasoning. Spreaf the onions and peppers over the chicken.
5) Cover the pan with another layer of foil and seal the sides. Bake 30-45 minutes until the chicken is no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear.


Tips for this recipe:

- Make sure to use plenty of oil, (don't drown the chicken) it will be more juicier this way.
- We eat this with rice and a side of veggies and it is a huge hit in our family.

Sweet and Sour Chicken

Sydney's Sweet and Sour Chicken:

1 pound of chicken breasts, cut into cubes

1/4 cup flour, and a little salt and pepper

olive oil

1/2 cup sliced white or yellow onion

1/2 cup sliced green bell pepper

1/2 cup slices red bell pepper (throw in yellow pepper if you like it as well... I usually use any combination of bell peppers that I have on-hand)

one medium carrot cut into small pieces (or grated... I tried this last time and it was really good too)

2 garlic cloves, minced (or chopped, whatever)

1 cup pineapple chunks (I use fresh since it's so easy to come by here, but canned are fine too)

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 1/2 tablespoon balsamic or red wine vinegar (I use balsamic because I love it so much)

1 1/2 tablespoon brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger root (either fresh or powdered... I tried powdered last time and it was still just as good)

ketchup

1) put the cut up chicken into a large ziplock bag with the flour (can add some salt and pepper to taste, I'd say 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of each), shake it up well to coat.

2) In about 2 tablespoons of olive oil, saute the chicken until slightly brown (it will cook a little longer in the sauce so don't worry if it is still slightly pink inside.

3) remove the chicken and set it aside, rinse pan, add about one more tablespoon of olive oil and sauce the vegetables (onion, peppers, carrot, garlic)

4) add the rest of the ingredients and mix well, add the chicken back to the mixture and bring to a boil until chicken is cooked through and flavors have had a chance to blend well... about ten minutes.

5) I add about a teaspoon to a tablespoon of ketchup to give it that red color you typically see at Chinese restaurants. It is purely cosmetic, but you can also use it to balance the flavors if you are having a hard time making it taste right... be sure to test the flavor before you serve. Add a little more soy, brown sugar, or even ketchup to balance.

Tips for this recipe:

- Remember that brown sugar is your best friend here... it is perfect at making too much soy more mild tasting.

-Serve over brown rice.

Chicken Chimichangas

Sydney's Chicken Chimichangas:

1 -2 pounds of chicken breasts, cut into cubes

1/2 white onion, chopped

1 small can of chopped green chiles (or cut up the whole ones if that is what you have)

1/4 cup cooked white or brown rice

1/2 cup chredded fat free cheddar cheese, divided

salt and pepper to taste

1 package flour tortillas

oil for frying

1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2) In a large bowl, combine onion, chiles, cooled rice, 1/4 cup of the cheese, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

3) Season cubed chicken with salt and pepper and cook in small amount of olive oil until lightly browned, remove from heat and add to other ingredients in bowl. Stir well.

4) Place a heaping spoonful of the mixture into the center of each tortillas and fold corners in and roll into a pouch.

5) In a small frying pan, add about 1/4 inch of oil for frying, heat over medium heat. Test the oil with a tiny piece of a tortilla. When it lightly bubbles and floats to the top, the oil is hot enough.

6) One roll at a time, place the fold side down in the oil, turning once. Fry about 1 minute on each side or until golden brown. Remove to paper towels. Finish remaining rolls.

7) Place all fried chimichangas on a baking sheet and sprinkle with cheese. Put in oven 5-10 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Serve with rice and vegetables.