Orange Chicken

Talk about a quick dish! KK usually sets out the ingredients for me before I get started cooking (usually it’s the night before :)).  Of course, I'm always appreciative of his planning, but this is one of the moments when it really makes a difference! There isn’t much time between each step, so it helps to have everything ready otherwise you'll be frantically running around the kitchen, trying to find the ingredients.  We served this dish with some Minute Rice, which I just after I put the chicken in the skillet.  The goal of the first step is only to brown and crisp the outside of the chicken; it will not be cooked through.  Don’t worry though, there’s more cook time in step #3! Both KK and I found ourselves adding excessive amounts of Sriracha sauce to this dish because it was a little bland, so I’ve updated the ingredient list below to add a little extra kick to the dish before serving it.

Orange Chicken

Adapted from Recipe Girl

Time: 20 minutes

Serves: 2-4

Ingredients

2 tsp sesame oil

1 lb boneless chicken breasts

Salt and pepper, to taste

15-oz. can mandarin oranges in light syrup

½ cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

1 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce

2 tsp cornstarch

2 tsp Sriracha sauce

Directions

1. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Season chicken with salt and pepper; place chicken in skillet and cook until golden on both sides, about 3 minutes per side.

2. Drain oranges, reserving ¼ cup of the light syrup.  Add oranges and reserved syrup to the skillet; let simmer for 2 minutes.

3. In a small bowl, whisk together chicken broth, soy sauce, corn starch, and Sriracha sauce.  Add mixture to skillet and simmer until sauce thickens and chicken is cooked through, about 3 minutes.  Serve immediately.

Sesame Orange Tofu

Adapted from Cook It Fresh
Serves: 2

Ingredients
14-ounce package extra firm tofu
2 large eggs
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/4 cup canola oil
1 cup orange juice
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 cup baby carrots, diced
1 cup frozen edamame
1 8-ounce can sliced water chestnuts
2 cups cooked white rice

Directions
1.  Drain tofu.

2.  In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, corn starch, salt and sesame seeds until frothy. Add the tofu cubes to the bowl and toss until well-coated.

3. Cook tofu in skillet using canola oil and plate.

4.  Cook the instant rice.

5.  In the same skillet as the tofu, cook the vegetables until crisped.

6.  Pour in sauce ingredients into skillet with cooked vegetables - orange juice, soy sauce, brown sugar and sesame oil.  Bring sauce to a boil and cook until thickened, about 2-3 minutes. Mix together with the tofu and cooked rice and serve.

Masala Macaroni

Happy Friday! This week certainly got away from me! Last Saturday, our friends hosted a Wildcard Playoff party at their house in north Jersey.  Their house is perfect for watching sports and, although we aren’t quite ready to move out of Apt. 3D, KK’s already set on having a similar “man cave” in our house one day.  Above their garage, our friends’ entertainment room has a 70” wall-mounted flat screen TV, and two 30”’ TVs mounted next to it.  I wish I had a picture of it, but you’ll have to take my word for it when I say it’s incredible.  The entertainment room also has a 3-side wraparound couch, built-in surround sound, and even darts! Needless to say, KK was in heaven! After the first game, we headed to south Jersey for a belated holiday party with KK’s cousins.  We had a white elephant gift exchange, an Indo-Chinese potluck dinner (the cousins requested I make Red Velvet Butter Cookies for dessert, but they were gone before dinner was even served!), and stayed up way too late! All in all, it was a fantastic weekend! Of course, I’m also looking forward to this weekend, which is just a few hours away :)

Since I didn't contribute anything Indo-Chinese to the family potluck last weekend, I thought I'd share an Indo-Italian dish with you instead.  Yes you read that correctly - Indian spices with Italian pasta! I was skeptical at first, but it was surprisingly a good combination!  Cooking the macaroni, or other small pasta, is the longest step of this meal.  But, let’s be real – cooking pasta doesn’t take THAT long! Unless I’m working from home or have a light day in the office, I can’t afford/don’t want to spend a long time in the kitchen, so the whole thing takes just over 30 minutes.  While your pasta cooks, everything else (chicken, veggies, and sauce) comes together.  One word of caution: make sure to continuously stir the onions and spices to prevent them from sticking to the pan or burning.  Once the pasta is done, the rest of the steps should be done, and all you need to do is toss to combine and serve.  Enjoy!

Masala Macaroni

Adapted from Hooked on Heat

Time: 35 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients

12 oz. macaroni

2 Tbsp canola oil, divided

1 lb. chicken breast, cut into 1-in cubes

1 large onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 ½ tsp cumin

1 ½ tsp dried parsley

1 ½ tsp dried oregano

1 tsp coriander

¾ tsp chili powder

Heaping ¼ tsp turmeric

1 tomato, chopped

1 cup frozen corn, thawed

1 cup frozen peas, thawed

Salt & pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Cook pasta according to package directions.  Drain and set aside.

2. Meanwhile, heat 1 Tbsp canola oil in a large nonstick skillet or wok.  Season chicken with salt and pepper, then cook until no longer pink.  Plate, cover with foil to retain heat, and set aside.

3. When pasta water is boiling, heat remaining canola oil in the same skillet/wok.  Sauté onions, garlic, and spices until onions are browned and fragrant, about 5-8 minutes.

4. Add in the chopped tomatoes, and cook for 2-3 minutes to combine well. Add in veggies, shredded chicken and pasta, and stir-fry to combine well with the spices. Season with salt and pepper.

Soy Peanut Noodles

TGIF and happy belated Halloween! KK and I opted to lay low last night, cooking up some Cajun Ranch Chicken Pasta and watching football.  Sadly, we didn't have any trick-or-treaters this year... guess the few kids in our building found loot elsewhere.  Instead of celebrating Halloween the traditional way, we're celebrating Dia de Los Muertos on Saturday at Cadallic Cantina with a few friends.  Today, KK is on a mission to find us some skeleton-faced masks so we can celebrate in style! Before the celebrations begin tomorrow evening, KK and I are running a 5K for a friend's birthday in Central Park.  It'll be my first time running in Central Park, so I am kind of looking forward to the scenery around the reservoir.  Even though getting up early and running aren't normally on my list of favorite things to do, it's just one of those things we'll happily do for our friends!

We had a menu mix-up earlier this week! KK had planned to make Cilantro Lime Chicken Tacos, but he didn’t realize cilantro couldn’t be substituted for basil pesto.  Whoops! KK had this peanut noodle dish on the menu for later in the week, so we bumped it up a few days and added the chicken that was already thawing in the refrigerator.  Crisis averted! If you don’t have thin spaghetti, you can use regular noodles, or any sort of asian noodles – rice, udon, or soba – anything works! The sauce was a strange mix of salty and sweet, but I really enjoyed it.  We also opted to double the sauce which turned out to be a good decision.  Spiced up with some Sriracha on top, KK and I both went back for seconds, and I demolished the leftovers for lunch earlier this week.  Along with Tofu Pad Thai, I think this will be one of our go-to meals when the pantry is looking bare or I don’t have a lot of time/energy to put into dinner!

Soy Peanut Noodles

Adapted from The Comfort of Cooking

Time: 25 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients

½ lb. thin spaghetti

1 lb. chicken, cut into 1-inch cubes

2 Tbsp + 2 tsp vegetable or canola oil, divided

5 Tbsp soy sauce

2 tsp rice vinegar

4 Tbsp peanut butter

2 Tbsp honey

2 tsp fresh ginger, grated

2 cloves garlic, minced

¾ cup chopped dry roasted peanuts

Directions

1. Cook spaghetti according to package directions.  Drain and set aside.

2. Meanwhile, heat 2 tsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Cook chicken pieces, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 Tbsp oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar, peanut butter, honey, ginger, and garlic.

4. Add spaghetti, sauce, and peanuts to the skillet of cooked chicken.  Toss with tongs to coat and serve immediately.

Chicken Tikka Masala

Happy Hump Day! We're having a pretty slow week here in Apt. 3D, but it's a welcome lull because we've been on the go since getting home from vacation.   Since it's such a quiet week, I'll jump right into the food portion of this post rather than bore you with mundane stories from the week - eye doctor's appointment, cleaning, laundry... boring!!!

I love Indian food! One of these days I’m going to eat at Karma Kafe in Hoboken, but in the meantime I’m lucky enough to be spoiled by my mother-in-law and all of KK’s aunties who are all amazing cooks.  I’ve started to dabble with cooking Indian in the kitchen, including the Masala Pizza I made in early September, so it was only appropriate for me to try a more traditional spin of Tikka Masala.  I added the marinade ingredients directly into the Ziploc bag I was using to thaw the chicken, squished the bag around to ensure everything was thoroughly coated, and then let the chicken marinate for about 4 hours in the refrigerator.  If you have difficulty draining the excess marinade, don’t fret – it will simply add to the flavor of the sauce if you leave it in.  Watch the sauce as it thickens so it doesn’t start to boil and splatter all over your stovetop.  I chose to cook up some rice and serve the Chicken Tikka Masala mixed in with the rice.  Alternatively, serve this by itself or with naan.

Chicken Tikka Masala

Adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe 

Time: 45 minutes + 1-8 hours for marinating

Serves: 2-4

Marinade Ingredients

1 c plain yogurt

1 Tbsp lemon juice

2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp cayenne pepper

1 ½ tsp paprika

2 tsp black pepper

1 Tbsp fresh ginger, minced

1 tsp salt

1 lb. chicken breast, cut into small pieces

Other Ingredients

1 Tbsp vegetable oil

1 clove garlic, minced

1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped

2 tsp ground cumin

2 tsp paprika

salt, to taste

8-oz. tomato sauce

1 c. light cream

Directions

1. Combine all marinade ingredients except chicken.  Pour sauce over chicken and refrigerate for 1-8 hours.  Grill or cook chicken in a large nonstick skillet. Discard excess marinade.

2. After the chicken is done cooking, heat vegetable oil in the same skillet over medium heat.  Sauté garlic and jalapeno for 1 minute; season with cumin, paprika, and salt.  Pour in tomato sauce and light cream.  Reduce heat to low and simmer 20 minutes, until sauce thickens.  Add cooked chicken to the sauce, and simmer for 10 additional minutes.  Serve warm.

Spicy Tofu Stir Fry

Unofficially, our Italy/Portugal trip was an early first anniversary celebration, but our actual anniversary was this Sunday so we spent the weekend with some of our nearest and dearest friends! We had dinner at A&E’s house on Friday night, complete with some competitive Wii Sports and giant Jenga.  Sadly, I didn’t take any pictures – I have to get better at that! We caught up with my high school friend Dan and his fiancée on Saturday; they were visiting from DC, so we caught up over pumpkin beers at 7B in the East Village.  After Dan headed off to the Pearl Jam concert in Brooklyn, KK and I had an anniversary date night at Paprika and Puddin’.  Everything was delicious, and we used our newly acquired Italian wine knowledge to order the perfect bottle of Chianti.  I also continued the day’s pumpkin trend with pumpkin ravioli with brown butter sage for dinner and pumpkin pudding for dessert! For our actual anniversary on Sunday, KK and I joined a group of friends for tailgating and football at the Jets-Patriots game.  We got a little sentimental as we headed to the stadium because we passed our wedding venue, the Sheraton Meadowlands! We capped the day off with the traditional first anniversary dessert of frozen wedding cake.  Lasting a year in the freezer, including a few post-Sandy days without power, our dulce de leche cake from Palermo’s was much better than anticipated.  It was actually so good, that we saved some for tonight, too.  I think the tasty year-old cake is a positive sign for the many, many years of marriage we have ahead of us! Cheers!

Here's yet another take on stir fry/fried rice.  Apparently I gravitate towards these simple Asian dishes because there are tons of different varieties in my gmail.  I like them because they're simple, quick, and pack in a lot of vegetables - pretty much any vegetable that I have in stock at that particular time.  This time around, we went vegetarian - partially because we didn't have any chicken thawed and partially because I love tofu.  I didn't realize that marination time was required, so I was a little hungry and impatient by the time the tofu was ready to be cooked.  I didn't allow it to fully crisp so, as I knew it would, the tofu started to crumble when I tossed it with the vegetables and rice.  Not the end of the world - the dish still tasted great with sliced carrots, water chestnuts, and peanuts (note - I excluded the broccoli that was called for in the original recipe).

Spicy Tofu Stir Fry
Adapted from Fake Ginger
Time: 35 minutes
Serves: 2-4

Ingredients
1 cup uncooked rice
5 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce, divided
2 tsp cornstarch, divided
1 lb. extra-firm tofu, pressed and cubed
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
½ cup vegetable broth
Splash of rice vinegar
1 ½ Tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and minced
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp chili paste
2 cup carrots, chopped
1 can water chestnuts, drained and diced
¾ cup dry-roasted peanuts

Instructions
1. Cook rice according to package directions.

2. Meanwhile, combine 2 Tbsp soy sauce and 1 tsp cornstarch in a large bowl.  Add cubed tofu and toss coat.  Refrigerate for 15 minutes.

3. After tofu is marinated, heat vegetable oil in a wok or nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the tofu and brown on all sides.

4. While tofu cooks, combine remaining 3 Tbsp soy sauce, 1 tsp cornstarch, vegetable broth, rice vinegar, ginger, garlic, and chili paste in a small bowl.  Add sauce to wok and cook, stirring constantly, for about 1 minute until thickened. Add carrots; cover the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes, until carrots are tender.  Add water chestnuts and peanuts; stir to combine. Serve immediately over rice.

Sriracha Honey Lime Skewers

Since this is a food blog, I should probably talk about the food KK and I had while on vacation.  We indulged in wine, gelato, and tiramisu, but I really want to tell you about the dining experience we had at Drogheria della Rosa in Bologna, Italy.  It was the best meal of our vacation, and also the best dining experience I've ever had.  We strolled past the Drogheria around 7:30 and it was empty, so we checked out a few other options KK found on Tripadvisor.  After making a loop, we ended up back at the Drogheria.  Without a reservation, the owner Emanuele was able to seat us at an outside table.  Aperitifs and antipasti appeared almost as soon as we sat down! There is no printed menu or prices at the Drogheria (we read the reviews so we knew what to expect), so the owner verbally described the primi and secondi menus and we made our selections on the spot.  I chose eggplant ravioli as my primi and guinea fowl with roasted vegetables for my main course; KK opted for orecchiette with lamb ragu and steak with a balsamic reduction.  The ingredients were extremely fresh and the flavor combinations were incredible! The owner also asked if he could select the wine for us, and we were not disappointed with his pick.  With no room for dessert, Emanuele brought homemade limoncello, grappa and another ½ bottle of wine to the table instead, allowing us to pour our own servings (and left the bottles for refills).  The meal was well worth the non-itemized bill of €85.  Sadly, I didn't take any pictures of the food, so you’ll just have to take my word for it and visit Drogheria della Rosa if you’re ever in Bologna!

Something’s gotten into KK - he marinated the chicken for these skewers on Tuesday (without asking for any advice!), and volunteered to cook Parmesan Crusted Chicken last night since I was getting home a little late from work.  Maybe I’ll have him write a guest post sometime soon! Back to the skewers – we didn't make many changes to the original recipe.  KK used bottled lime juice instead of juice from an actual lime, and he didn't use cilantro because, as you know, we rarely have fresh herbs on hand.  He marinated the chicken for 6 hours, so all I had to do was thread the chicken onto the skewers and grill them up using our cast iron grill pan.  Easy-peasy! I thought it would be too spicy, with Sriracha and red pepper flakes, but we both ended up adding more Sriracha sauce at the end! Keeping it healthy (after all that food we ate in Italy/Portugal), I nuked a bag of Birds Eye Steamfresh Asian Medley as a side dish with the skewers.

Sriracha Honey Lime Skewers

Adapted from Cooking Pinterest

Time: 15 minutes + marinade time

Serves: 2-3

Ingredients

3 Tbsp soy sauce

2 Tbsp honey

2 Tbsp lime juice

1 Tbsp vegetable oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tsp Sriracha sauce

Red pepper flakes, to taste

1 lb chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes

8-10 skewers

Directions

1. Combine soy sauce, honey, lime juice, vegetable oil, garlic, Sriracha sauce and crushed red pepper in a small bowl.  Place chicken in a Ziploc bag, pour marinade into the bag, and mix until chicken is thoroughly covered.  Marinate in the refrigerator for 1-8 hours.

2. If skewers are wooden, soak for 15-20 minutes to avoid burning.  Thread chicken onto skewers.

3. Heat grill or grill pan on medium high heat.  Grill skewers 5-6 minutes, flip and continue grilling for an additional 5 minutes or until skewers are fully cooked.

Udon Noodles with Peanut Sauce

I’m feeling a bit run down from last weekend, and the bizarre weather (75° Monday and an expected high of 92° today) isn't helping, but KK and I still managed to have a busy Tuesday night.  We went to the Hoboken Volunteers general interest meeting, and we’re hoping to volunteer at their 5th Annual Chili Cook-Off/Craft Beer Competition in February.  The organization is geared towards giving back to the local community, which is something I've had a compelling feeling to do since Hurricane Sandy wracked havoc on Hoboken last October.  After the volunteer meeting, we met up with the Budnicks and some of their Hoboken friends for a competitive game of trivia and $5 All-You-Can-Eat Ribs (none for me, thanks) at McSwiggans.  This is our second time playing together as a team, and it was our second time winning!! I’m not going to lie – I’m not the strongest player on the team, but I was able to contribute to our win with a few random answers.  We used our winnings (a McSwiggans gift card) to pay part of last night’s tab, and now we need to plan another trivia outing to make use of our new winnings (another gift card)!

This is yet another "add whatever veggies you have on hand" recipe.  Despite what I just said, we wanted some greens in the dish, so KK and I stopped at the local bodega to pick up a pack of snow peas at the tail end of our run when we cooked this last week.  In case you were wondering - KK is a former cross country runner, and running is very near to torture for me.  Anyway... I'm always worried about sauce-to-noodle/veggie ratios, but this recipe was spot on.  If you're short on time or feeling a tad bit lazy, you can use jarred peanut sauce.  If you're going that route, I'd start with ½ cup of sauce, and then add more if the dish is still looking dry.  As you can see, I topped my serving with additional Sriracha sauce, but you can always omit the chili flavoring all together if you choose to do so.

Udon Noodles with Peanut Sauce

Adapted from Recipe Girl
Time: 25 minutes
Serves: 2-3

Ingredients

8 oz. udon noodles or spaghetti
¼ cup + 2 Tbsp water

¼ cup peanut butter
2 Tbsp brown sugar
2 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
2 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 ½ tsp fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1 ½ tsp sesame oil

½ tsp cornstarch

½ tsp chili sauce

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups chopped or shredded carrots
8 oz. snow peas, halved crosswise
5-oz. can water chestnuts, sliced

Directions
1. Cook noodles or pasta according to package directions.

2. Meanwhile, combine water, peanut butter, brown sugar, soy sauce, rice vinegar, ginger, sesame oil, cornstarch, chili sauce, and garlic in a small saucepan; whisk until blended.  Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat to medium and stir constantly for 1 minute.  Set aside.

3.  In a wok, cook chopped carrots over medium-high heat for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add snow peas and water chestnuts, and continue to cook for an additional 5-7 minutes, until vegetables are tender and some have started to blacken.

4. Remove wok from heat.  Add noodles and peanut sauce to the wok.  Toss well to coat, and serve hot.  If desired, top with additional chili sauce.

Chicken Tikka Masala Pizza

Woohoo!!! I'm an aunt!! My sister-in-law had her twins last Wednesday! Before driving down to Delaware to meet them, KK and I celebrated his high school friend's wedding.  Congrats to Phil and Jillian! The rehearsal on Friday was followed by a family-style Italian dinner at Mario's Tutto Bene.  The wedding was at the groom's family church, and the reception was at the gorgeous Wilshire Grand Hotel; the bride looked simply stunning.  My favorite part of the evening was the Viennese dessert room with every treat one could possibly imagine - Funfetti wedding cake, chocolate cake, Sundae bar, tiramisu, pudding parfaits, s'mores pie, cheesecake, Mississippi Mud pie, a chocolate fountain with fresh fruit and marshmallows for dipping, cannolis, and I'm sure the list goes on and on.

Back to the newest additions to the family... A&A! They were born on Wednesday and, with the twins and my sister-in-law all healthy, they were discharged from the hospital on Saturday.  KK and I arrived Sunday, and I was instantaneously wooed by them.  A&A are both happy, sweet babies and they're even letting their mom and dad sleep for decent stretches throughout the night.  Their tiny yawns, sneezes and hiccups are the most adorable things I've ever seen! We probably won't see them for another month or two, so I can only imagine how much bigger they'll be by then.  All I can say is - thank goodness for FaceTime!

In my opinion, there's no sense in making traditional margarita pizza at home because there are so many incredible pizzerias in Hoboken.  I'm not sure which I prefer - this Indian twist on pizza or KK's tried-and-true favorite - Corn, Pesto, and Tomato Pizza.  Try them both and let me know which is your favorite!

Reflected in the directions below, I decided to cook the onions with the garlic and jalapeno because I was worried about them tasting raw.  KK doesn't like raw onions and I didn’t want the pizza to be ruined (for him) because of the onion slices.  I mistakenly (a.k.a. didn’t read the directions thoroughly or wait for KK’s help) diced ¼ of the jalapeno and threw it into the sauce.  I think that took the pizza spiciness to the next level, so I don’t recommend doing that unless you can really handle the heat! The pizza crust KK picked up was on the thin-side and we have a pizza pan with holes on the bottom, so it crisped in 8 minutes.  If you have a thicker crust or a pan without holes, your pizza will probably cook for 10-12 minutes.  You can also quickly turn this into a vegetarian dish by using tofu instead of chicken.  As always, when dealing with jalapenos – be careful! Don’t touch anything after handling one, especially your face/eyes, before thoroughly washing your hands and under your fingernails! Served with a side salad, we still devoured this pizza and there are sadly no leftovers.

Chicken Tikka Masala Pizza
Adapted from Rasa Malaysia
Time: 1 hour and 30 minutes (includes marination time)
Serves: 2-3

Marinade Ingredients

½ tsp cumin

½ tsp cayenne pepper

½ tsp garam masala

½ tsp minced fresh ginger
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp ground black pepper
2 Tbsp plain yogurt
1 Tbsp lemon juice
Pinch of cinnamon

Other Ingredients
10 oz chicken breast, cut into ½-inch cubes
1 Tbsp olive oil + brushing
1 Tbsp butter
2 cloves garlic, minced

½ jalapeno, seeds removed

¼ onion, thinly sliced
½ tsp cumin
½ tsp paprika
½ tsp garam masala
4 oz tomato sauce
2 Tbsp plain yogurt
2 Tbsp evaporated milk
Salt and pepper, to taste
12-inch pizza crust
1 cup mozzarella cheese

Directions
1. Combine marinate ingredients in a medium bowl.  Add chicken and marinate in the refrigerator for 1 hour. 

2. When ready to cook, preheat oven to 450.

3.  Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  When oil is hot, cook chicken until no longer pink inside, about 5-10 minutes.  Remove chicken from skillet, plate, and tent with tin foil.

4. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small sauce pan over medium heat.  Add garlic, jalapeno, and onions; stirring frequently, saute until aromatic, about 3 minutes.  Stir in cumin, paprika, and garam masala, and continue to saute for 2 minutes.  Remove jalapeno and discard.

5. Stir in tomato sauce, yogurt, and evaporated milk; season with salt and pepper.  Simmer until sauce thickens, about 2-3 minutes.  Turn off heat, add chicken, and stir to coat.

6.  Place pizza crust on pizza pan, and brush lightly with olive oil.  Spread sauce/chicken mixture on the pizza, leaving ½-inch around the edge as crust.  Sprinkle top of pizza with cheese.  Bake pizza for 8-10 minutes, or according to pizza crust package directions.

Teriyaki Fried Rice

While home last weekend, KK and I helped my dad clean out the pantry and fridge.  KK noticed a nearly empty bottle of Teriyaki sauce in the cabinets and, after my dad confirmed he had no plans to use it, KK confiscated it.  Little did I know that KK already had a recipe in mind for Sunday night, so the bottle never made it past our kitchen counter!

This dish catered to KK’s not-so-secret love of Chinese takeout, and my new-found love for my wok.  This recipe would be great for leftover cooked chicken, or even beef or pork.  Use any veggies you have on hand – water chestnuts, edamame, broccoli (can you believe I’m even suggesting this?!?), asparagus, baby corn, cabbage – I don’t think it’s possible to have too many vegetables! If you’re adding different veggies, make sure you give the most dense varietals a few additional minutes of cook time in your wok.  Start by adding ¼ cup Teriyaki sauce, and then add additional sauce if you think the mixture looks dry.  I measured ¼ cup, but then poured the remainder of the bottle in; I’m guessing it was about ⅓ cup in total.  Since I can’t remember us ever ordering Chinese takeout, KK was in heaven… he had seconds and thirds.  Needless to say, there were no leftovers!

Teriyaki Fried Rice

Adapted from Iowa Girl Eats

Time: 25 minutes

Serves: 2-4

Ingredients

1 cup uncooked rice

1 tsp vegetable oil, divided

1 clove garlic, minced

1 cup sliced carrots

2 cups frozen corn, thawed

1 cup frozen peas, thawed

1 red pepper, chopped

½ medium onion, chopped

1 cup cubed chicken breast

2 whisked eggs

¼ to ½ cup Teriyaki sauce

Sriracha sauce

Directions

1. Cook rice according to package directions.

2. Meanwhile, heat ½ teaspoon oil in the wok; cook chicken until no longer pink inside.  Remove chicken from wok, plate and set aside.

3. Heat the remaining oil in the same wok.  Cook garlic until golden brown, about 1 minute.

4.  Add carrots and cook 3-4 minutes until slightly tender.  Add corn, peas, red pepper, and onion to wok and cook another 3-4 minutes until veggies are tender and start to brown.  Add chicken and warm through.

5. Push vegetable mixture to the sides of the wok.  Add whisked eggs to the center and stir gently until they set.  Add Teriyaki sauce and cooked rice to the wok, and stir until all ingredients are well combined.  Serve and, if desired, top with Sriracha sauce.

Cashew Chicken

After the Bike Tour on Sunday, my dad, KK and I strolled through Hoboken's Arts & Music Festival.  Although the vendors are usually the same year after year, it was still nice to meander through the streets and enjoy the sunny weather.  Most importantly, I indulged in a mozzarepa - a fantastic street fair find which sandwiches mozzarella cheese between corn-based patties.  Delicious! We also walked along the Hoboken waterfront and soaked in the great views of NYC.  Instead of making the ~250 mile drive back to VA, my dad stayed with us on Sunday night. I enjoyed the extra time we got to spend together on Sunday night, plus the quick cup of coffee we shared together on Monday morning before he left!  Since we'd had Italian the night before, KK decided we needed an Asian dish for dinner.

I added extra cashews because the original recipe called for 1/2 c, but that just didn't look like enough.  I thought roasting the cashews was overkill, but I was wrong! I don't really know how to describe it, but toasting made the cashews more earthy and nuttier, if that's possible!  I was initially concerned the dish wouldn't be saucy enough, but the water and hoisin sauce, combined with the residual juices from the cooked chicken and vinegar, made just enough sauce.  To feed my dad, KK, and I - we used 1 cup Basmati rice with 2 cups water, and somehow managed to have leftovers.  To top things off (literally), I added a few dashes of Sriracha sauce.

Cashew Chicken
Adapted from Martha Stewart
Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients
Basmati rice, for serving
1 cup raw cashews
1 1/2 pounds chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1/4 c water

Directions
1. Prepare rice according to package directions.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spread cashews on a baking sheet, and cook about 10 minutes, until golden and fragrant.

3. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, toss chicken with cornstarch until chicken is coated; season with salt and pepper.

4. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Cook half the chicken, tossing often, until browned, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

5. Add remaining oil and chicken to skillet and cook for 1 minute.  Add garlic to chicken, and cook until chicken is browned, another 2-3 minutes.  Return first batch of chicken to pan.  Add vinegar and cook until evaporated, about 30 seconds.

6. Add hoisin sauce and water; heat until chicken is cooked through, about 1 minute. Remove from heat.  Stir in rice and cashews.

Kung Pao Chicken Burgers

I was quite the Maxxinista on Saturday - using my new job as an excuse to pickup a few new blazers and work dresses.  And a fun pair of wedges for my friend Jess's September wedding! After a long afternoon of prowling through the racks at both TJ Maxx and Marshalls, my coworker informed me that Red Mango was serving free yogurt.  It was too cold outside for pictures (and my hands were full with shopping bags), but KK and I enjoyed frozen yogurt chock full of toppings before dinner!

My cast iron grill pan still needs some more seasoning, so I was relieved to see this recipe suggesting a non-stick skillet for cooking the burgers.  I recommend flattening the chicken patties before you start to ensure they cook through without the outsides burning.  As you can see from my picture, I knew my patties weren't cooking thoroughly, so I had to slice them in half.  Problem solved! IGE recommends low-sodium soy sauce... listen to her! Our Costco-sized jug of soy sauce is not low-sodium, and the grocery store strangely didn't have any in stock, so we were forced to use regular soy sauce.  The burgers themselves were fantastic, but the sauce was - as predicted - quite salty.

Burgers for dinner would not be complete without beer (and tater tots!).  KK and I sampled beers from his quarterly Beer Club delivery.  The latest delivery included beers from Sprecher Brewery and Woodstock Inn Brewery.  I enjoyed both of the beers I tasted: the Sprecher Abbey Triple and the Woodstock Red Rack Ale.  KK only had a 50% success rate with his selections.  The Sprecher Piper's Scotch Ale was his least favorite, but he enjoyed the Woodstock Pemi Pale Ale.

Kung Pao Chicken Burgers

Adapted from Iowa Girl Eats
Time: 30 minutes
Serves 4

Sauce Ingredients
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup white cooking wine
4 teaspoons chili garlic sauce
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/4 cup water

Other Ingredients
1lb ground chicken
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup chopped peanuts
1 egg white
3 garlic cloves, minced
4 buns

Directions
1. In a small bowl, combine all sauce ingredients except for the cornstarch and water.

2. In a large bowl, combine chicken, onions, bread crumbs, peanuts, egg white, garlic, and 2 tablespoons sauce.  Mix with hands until just combined and form into 4 patties. Cook in a nonstick-sprayed skillet over medium-high heat for 4-5 minutes each side, or until done.

3. Meanwhile, whisk cornstarch and water into the remaining sauce. Transfer to a small saucepan, and heat over medium heat until thick and bubbly.

4. Place cooked burgers on toasted buns, and top with sauce and desired burger toppings.

One Pot Thai Chicken Pasta

Until now, coconut or anything coconut-flavored had never entered my kitchen... unless my old roommate did so without telling me! :) Anyway - I tend to avoid coconut like the plague, but when KK and I were on our honeymoon in Thailand, we had the opportunity to make the most amazing curries! "When in Rome," right? Or Thailand! Based on a recommendation from KK's cousin and his girlfriend, we went to a half-day cooking course at Siam Rice Thai Cookery School in Chiang Mai.  It was most certainly one of the honeymoon highlights.  The course took us to the local food market where we learned about the common ingredients used in Thai cooking - lemon grass, holy basil, Thai basil, turmeric, Thai eggplant, and satoh beans.  After the market, we met with the head chef and owner of Siam Rice, Nancy; she was cheerful, knowledgeable, and put us to work right away! KK and I each cooked several dishes: a soup, noodle dish, stir fry vegetables, curry paste and, of course, a curry.  After using a mortar and pestle to grind our curry pastes by hand, KK and I ended up with a Panang curry, and a red curry with pumpkin.  Since our Thai curry-making was such a success back in November, KK decided we might as well give coconut cooking a try at home!

This recipe required a good deal of hands-on time, so I recommend having everything prepped in advance - chopped, minced, and measured! We didn't have coconut milk, so KK did a little research and decided that we should use half coconut water and half evaporated milk (or heavy cream).  The substitution probably decreased the intensity of the coconut flavor, so it worked perfectly for us!

One Pot Thai Chicken Pasta
Adapted from Heat the Oven to 350
Time: 40 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed into 1 inch pieces
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
3 cloves garlic, minced
8 ounces pasta, bowties or spirals
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup coconut milk
2 red bell peppers, seeded and cut into thin strips
1/2 pound sugar snap peas
1 can water chestnuts
2 tablespoons lime juice
Salt and pepper

Directions
1. Season chicken with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Cook chicken until it is lightly browned but not fully cooked, about five minutes.  Set chicken aside.

2. Add 1 tablespoon of oil the same skillet (less dishes to wash), and add chopped onion, red pepper flakes, coriander and a dash of salt. Cook until onions soften, about 3-4 minutes; stir frequently to avoid burning.  Add ginger and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 15 seconds.

3. Sprinkle pasta evenly into the skillet, and pour the broth and coconut milk over it. At medium heat, cover skillet and bring to a boil, about 5 minutes.

4. Reduce the heat to medium-low and stir in the red peppers and water chestnuts. Recover and continue to simmer, stirring every few minutes, until the pasta begins to soften, about 10 minutes.

5. Stir in the sugar snap peas and chicken and any accumulated juice from the chicken. Cover and continue to simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 7 minutes longer.

6. Remove from heat and stir in the lime juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.

Sweet and Sour Chicken

I last cooked this dish a few years ago in KK's NYC apartment.  His studio kitchen was so small (although not really that bad when compared against the NYC standard), and I had such a difficult time flipping the chicken on the less-than-9x13-sized pan.  Things were much easier this time around with a proper baking dish!

I also remembered the chicken being a bit dry, so I decided to double the sauce this time (ingredients below are already doubled).  During the last 12-minute cooking period, I sauteed some water chestnuts, sliced carrots, and green peppers to add a little color and nutritional value to the meal.  During dinner, my Dad suggested adding something to give the meal some added crunch, so I'll try adding cashews next time.  I served the chicken and vegetables with brown rice, and the sauce-to-chicken-to-rice ratio was perfection.  Topping it off with Sriracha sauce, I kept dinner sweet by pairing the meal with a bottle of 2008 Mandelberg Gewurztraminer.

Sweet and Sour Chicken
Adapted from Brown Eyed Baker
Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Serves: 4

Chicken Ingredients
1 to 1½ lb. chicken breasts, cut into chunks
salt and pepper, to taste
1 cup cornstarch
2 eggs, slightly beaten
¼ cup canola oil

Sauce Ingredients
1½ cup sugar
8 tablespoons ketchup
1 cup vinegar (rice or white)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons garlic powder

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

2. Season chicken with salt and pepper.

3. Working in two batches, toss the chicken pieces in cornstarch and then coat with the egg. Heat the oil over medium-high heat and again in two batches, brown the chicken, turning it so that all sides are browned.

4. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray, and place the chicken in a single layer in the dish.

5. Whisk together the sauce ingredients in a bowl and pour evenly over the chicken. Turn the chicken to ensure each piece is coated.

6. Bake for 50 minutes, turning the chicken four times - every 12-13 minutes.