Best Thai in Town

Hands down, Thai Kitchen is the best Thai restaurant in the area.  I’ve never had a bad meal there!  It’s received rave reviews on Yelp, so I know I’m not the only Thai Kitchen fan out there!

The Chicken Satay and Fried Tofu are among my favorite dishes.  And if their food isn’t reason enough to dine there on a regular basis, you can also snag a discounted gift certificate from Restaurant.com!

Currently if you use the coupon code ‘PLATE’, you’ll get 80% off the already discounted price.  This means you can get a $10 gift certificate (which is regularly priced at $4) for .80 cents!   That’s a steal of a deal!

What’s your favorite dish at Thai Kitchen?

Quick Chicken Teriyaki

This is my kind of meal…healthy and easy to make!  Give this ‘Quick Chicken Teriyaki’ recipe a try and let us know what you think!

What You Need!

• 1/4 cup Light Zesty Italian Dressing
• 1 lb.  boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
• 1-1/3 cups water
• 1/4 cup  teriyaki sauce
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 2 cups  frozen broccoli florets
• 1-1/2 cups instant white rice, uncooked

Make It!

HEAT dressing in large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook and stir 5 to 7 min. or until cooked through.

ADD water, teriyaki sauce and garlic powder; stir. Bring to boil.

STIR in broccoli and rice; cover. Reduce heat to low; cook 5 min. Remove from heat. Let stand, covered, 5 min. Fluff with fork.

Kitchens Tips

Substitute frozen stir-fry vegetables for the broccoli.

recipe from Kraft Recipes

photo credit: sneakerdog

Melon Mania

Fresh fruits such as melons are synonymous with the start of summer.  They travel well to outdoor activities, are loved by kids and adults alike and satisfy any sweet tooth!

Are you aware of the health benefits of melons?  With their high water content, melons are refreshing but also low in calories.  They’re a great source of potassium and vitamin C.  Below you’ll find some interesting info about the 3 most popular melon varieties found at the local grocery stores this summer.

Watermelon contains more water than other melon varieties.  Be sure to select a watermelon that is firm, smooth and unblemished.  Watermelons should sound hollow when knocked.

A ripe Cantaloupe should have a strong, sweet (nearly floral) scent, and should give slightly when pressed.

Honeydew melons are the sweetest of all these three melons.  Honeydew melons’ sweetness pairs perfectly with cottage cheese for a nutritious snack!  Choose melons with a freckled rind, an indication of sweetness.

Always store melons (whole) at room temperature.  Once you’ve sliced the melons you should cover them tightly with plastic wrap or place them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days.

Which melon is your favorite?

photo by moreno0101

Enough BBQ Talk…

With all of that talk of BBQ ribs in that last post, I just can’t get BBQ off my brain.  Instead of giving you a BBQ recipe, let’s focus on the side dish that is a perfect compliment to BBQ…Baked Beans!

Maple Baked Beans

Ingredients:

• 1 pound dried navy or great northern beans
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons spicy brown mustard
• 2 tablespoons molasses
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
• 2 thick strips bacon

Directions:

(Dried beans don’t always need to soak overnight. Just prepare them as instructed below.)

1. In a large pan, cover the beans with water. Bring to a boil and simmer until tender, about 1 hour.
2. Preheat oven to 300°F.
3. In a bowl, combine everything else except the bacon. Stir in the beans.

photo credit: stevendepolo

Pico de Gallo for Cinco de Mayo!

Happy Cinco de Mayo!  If you’re celebrating tonight in the comfort of your own apartment or if you’re going to a party where you’re taking a dish, this Pico de Gallo recipe is sure to be a hit!

• 1 medium tomato, diced
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 fresh jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
• 2 sprigs fresh cilantro, finely chopped
• 1 green onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper

In a medium size bowl, combine tomato, onion, jalapeno pepper (to taste) cilantro and green onion. Season with garlic powder, salt and pepper. Stir until evenly distributed. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Easy enough, right?!?!

photo credit: little blue hen

Foto Finish Friday!

Happy Friday everyone!  Where did the week go?

With the warming weather, the sight of this picture nearly made my mouth water!  Bet you might stop by the local ice cream shop after seeing this…

photo credit: D Sharon Pruitt

Chicken Tonight?

Just like that corny commercial from the 90s…”I feel like chicken tonight, like chicken tonight”!   Maybe I’ll stop by the grocery store this evening and give this recipe a try.  It sounds amazing!

Parmesan Pasta with Chicken and Rosemary

Ingredients:

• 12 ounces orecchiette (about 3 cups)
• 1 2- to 2 1/2-pound rotisserie chicken
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
• 3/4 cup grated Parmesan (3 ounces)
• Kosher salt and black pepper

Check out the directions here at Realsimple.com!

Irish Recipe for St. Patrick’s Day!

I’m looking for something ‘Irish’ to make for dinner tomorrow night since it is St. Patrick’s Day tomorrow!

This Irish Beef Hand Pies recipe sounds delicious!

Irish Beef Hand Pies

• 1 tablespoon(s) vegetable oil
• 1/4 head(s) green cabbage, shredded
• 1/2 pound(s) red potatoes, scrubbed and diced
• 1 pound(s) ground beef sirloin
• 3 tablespoon(s) tomato paste
• 1/2 teaspoon(s) Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon(s) dried thyme
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• All-purpose flour, for rolling
• 2  (9-inch) pie crusts, homemade or store-bought

Now for the directions…

Comment and let us know if you tried it!

Winter-Ready Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

Enjoy this creamy but surprisingly low in fat soup recipe. Perfect for warming up this winter!

Ingredients

• 1 cup uncooked quick-cooking wild rice
• Cooking spray
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 1 1/2 cups cubed peeled baking potato
• 3 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 10 ounce light processed cheese, cubed (such as Velveeta Light)
• 2 cups chopped roasted skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 2 breasts)
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley (optional)

Next…the directions…

Easy Turkey Chili

Here’s what I’m serving for dinner…

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 pound ground turkey
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cups water
• 1 (28 ounce) can canned crushed tomatoes
• 1 (16 ounce) can canned kidney beans – drained, rinsed, and mashed
• 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Place turkey in the pot, and cook until evenly brown. Stir in onion, and cook until tender.  Pour water into the pot. Mix in tomatoes, kidney beans, and garlic. Season chili powder, paprika, oregano, cayenne pepper, cumin, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 30 minutes.

Check out other great recipes here.

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