Chicken Rice Bowl

We made this super yummy dish at a Relief Society evening where we had a "Chopped" competition. This rice bowl took first place! It is so good! There are several ingredients in the sauce that are tricky to find so I took a picture of everything so you could see what the bottles look like:

 I found the Mr. Yoshida's sauce in the BBQ sauce/ketchup section. The chili garlic sauce is by the same company that makes Sriracha sauce, if you are familiar with that. I found it in the Asian section of my grocery store. I bought minced garlic by accident. It is really suppose to be minced ginger. I found this in the produce section. Don't skip the ginger. After making it without last night, it makes a big difference. Canned coconut milk can also be found in the Asian section. OK, here we go:

Chicken Rice Bowl

2 cups chicken, grilled and cubed (I have made it with pork, and this was also good)
1 1/2 cups broccoli florets.
1 zucchini, cubes
3 celery stalks, washed and sliced
4 carrots, peeled, then chopped or grated
1 Tbs. vegetable or olive oil
Coconut Rice (recipe follows)
Spicy Hawaiian Teriyaki Sauce (recipe follows)

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add carrots, celery, zucchini, and broccoli (you can really add any vegetables you want). Saute only until veggies are crisp tender. Add in chicken. Serve over rice, with the teriyaki sauce on the side. About 3 Tbs. per bowl, it has quite a kick.

Coconut Rice and Red Beans

2 c. long grain white rice
2 1/2 c. water
1 14-oz. can coconut mild (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/2 Tbs. sugar
1 can red beans, drained and rinsed

Combine all ingredients in a rice cooker. Gently stir it all together so the beans are all mixed. Place the lid in and start the rice cooker. Fluff rice with a fork before serving. If you don't have a rice cooker, combine water, coconut milk, and sugar in a saucepan. Stir in rice and beans. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 18-20 minutes until most moisture is gone and rice is done.

Spicy Hawaiian Teriyaki Sauce

3/4 cup Mr. Yoshida's teriyaki sauce
1 tsp. soy sauce
2 tsp. chili garlic sauce
1 tsp. mince ginger
pinch of salt
pinch of brown sugar
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
2 Tbsp. cold water

Combine teriyaki sauce, soy sauce, garlic sauce, ginger, salt, and brown sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer. Combine cornstarch and cold water and then slowly add to sauce for thickening. Allow to simmer for a minute. Cool to room temperature and serve over your rice bowl. If you find that the sauce is too thick as it cools, add a little more teriyaki sauce or water. Enjoy!

 Here is my super kitchen helper. She did a great job making the rice and stir-frying the veggies.

Greek Chicken Salad Pitas

This is a picture taken of the actual recipe book (Cooking Light) that is why it's such a poor picture, we ate ours too fast to get a real one...that's how good they are!

Greek Chicken Salad Pitas

from Cooking Light-fresh food fast weeknight meals

2 c. sliced lettuce

1 c. chopped roasted chicken breast
2/3 c. diced seeded cucumber
1/4 c. thinly sliced red onion
1/4 c. crumbled feta cheese
2 T. fresh lemon juice
2 T. olive oil
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
6 T. hummus (I used roasted garlic)
2 whole wheat pitas, cut in half

Combine lettuce and next 4 ingredients in a large bowl. Add the lemon juice, oil, salt and pepper and gently toss.
Spread the hummus inside the pita halves then spoon salad mixture in.

Chicken Korma and Garlic Naan

I was first introduced to Indian food by my brother and sister-in-law Derek and Becca. They told us that they had found this awesome restaurant that was run out of a gas station by USU. I was skeptical to say the least. But they got us take-out one night and we tried it. I have been hooked ever since. Just the smell of Indian food makes my mouth water. I love the smell, the fact that they put golden raisins and cashews in stuff, and the naan! Oh man!
So I have tried several times to reproduce my favorite dish: chicken korma. This recipe is a compilation of 3 different recipes and I think it is very close to what I get in that little gas station restaurant. Becca, this post is dedicated to you, my friend. Thanks for helping me branch out!
One more thing: this recipe calls for a lot of random spices that I don't have laying around my kitchen. As we all know spices are expensive. You buy the expensive spice and you are left with a whole container that you only use 2-3 times a year. And spices don't last forever, right? Well I found the perfect solution: The bulk spice section at Smith's Marketplace. It is the coolest thing! You just measure out the amount of whatever spice you need and take it home in a little baggie. Cheap, no waste, I love it! Try it out. They had everything I was looking for in this recipe.


Chicken Korma

fresh ginger- 1 2-inch piece
5 cloves garlic
1/4 c. water
1 1/2 tsp garam masala (picture below)
1 can coconut milk (found in the Asian food section)
1 Tbs. coriander powder
1 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (this was HOT. I would probably add less next time. Shawn thought it was perfect).
1/2 tsp. salt
3 bay leaves
7 cardamom pods (picture below)
1 cinnamon stick
2 whole cloves
1/4 tsp. cumin seeds (picture below)
2 onions- peeled and diced
1/2 c. cilantro- chopped, plus more for garnish
2-3 pounds chicken breast- diced (tip: only partially thaw your chicken and dice it frozen. It makes it much easier to work with.)
1 c. golden raisins
1 1/2 c. plain yogurt
1 c. cashews
Jasmine rice (picture below)

Garam masala is a combination of ground spices that are often used in Indian cooking.


Cumin seeds


Cardamom pods. Very aromatic. Remember to remove before serving.

Jasmine rice. This rice is aromatic and delicious. I think is tastes quite different from Basmati rice, which we eat more often. We love both kinds!

So are you totally overwhelmed just reading the ingredients list? Don't be! It is totally worth it. I listed the ingredients in the order that you combine them together. Hopefully that was helpful. OK, here we go.
1. Peel ginger and garlic. Combine ginger and garlic with water and process in a food processor until smooth. I don't have a food processor so I minced the garlic, zested the ginger and combined them all. This seemed to work just fine. Set this mixture aside.
2. Combine coconut milk, garam masala, coriander powder, cayenne pepper, and salt. Set aside.
3. In a large skillet, heat 2-3 Tbs. olive oil. When hot, add bay leaves, cardamom pods, cinnamon stick, cloves, cumin seeds, onion, and cilantro. Saute until onions are soft and transparent. Remove cardamom pods and cloves.
4. Add diced chicken to this mixture and saute until chicken is brown.
5. To chicken, add garlic/ginger paste and golden raisins. Combine and saute 1-2 minutes.
6. Now add the coconut milk mixture to the pan. Turn heat to medium and cook 20 minutes.
7. Add yogurt and cashews to chicken. Cook 7-8 minutes. Remove bay leaves and cinnamon stick.
8. Serve hot over jasmine rice. Garnish with cilantro.
So, so yummy!

Garlic Naan

This is a traditional Indian bread. Naan is cooked in a tandoor, or cylindrical clay oven. The bread is cooked by throwing it onto the side of the oven. Since I don't have a tandoor I cooked my bread on a cooling rack placed on a cookie sheet. I put it under the broiler for 2-3 minutes, turned it and cooked the other side. This seemed to work pretty well.

1 Tbs. yeast
1 c. warm water
1/4 c. sugar
3 Tbs. milk (some other recipes said you could use yogurt instead of milk. It might be interesting to try).
1 egg, beaten
2 tsp salt
4 1/2 c. flour, approximately
4 cloves minced garlic, divided in half
1/4 c. butter, melted

In a large bowl (I used my Kitchen Aid), dissolve sugar and yeast in warm water. Let stand about 10 mintues or until yeast raises. Refer to this post for more direction. Add milk, egg, salt, 2 cloves of minced garlic, and enough flour to make a soft dough. Knead 6-8 minutes or until smooth. Place dough in a greased bowl and let raise until double.
2. Punch down dough and divide into 8-10 balls. Working with one dough ball at a time, using a rolling pin or your hands, roll dough into a oval shape until it is about 1/2 inch thick. Place on greased cooling rack. Combine melted butter and 2 cloves minced garlic.Brush dough with this mixture. Repeat with other dough balls.
3.Place under oven broiler 2-3 minutes, watching carefully. My rack was in the very middle of my oven. When bread is brown and bubbly, turn and broil other side.
4. Remove from oven and serve immediately with chicken korma and rice.

Here is the order I suggest doing everything in to make sure it is all hot at ready to serve at the same time.

1. Make naan dough. Let raise 1 hour.
2. While naan is raising begin cooking the korma.
3. When you reach the end of step 6 with the korma, punch down the naan dough and roll it out. Get it all ready to put in to oven but don't put it in yet. Also start rice at this point. I love my rice cooker for this. I can start it and walk away.
4. Do step 7 for korma. While it finishes cooking, bake the naan.
5. Make your husband set the table. You are busy.
6. Now everything is done and hot! Eat and enjoy. Breath spicy korma/garlic breath on your husband, then eat some more.

Please forgive me for the super-long post. I hope you are not put off from trying this dish by the length of it. It does take a while to make this meal, but none of it is complicated. I would allow yourself a good hour to cook this dinner. Please let me know if you try it. I would love to know what you think!

Candied Chicken

This chicken is on of Grandma's classics. We had this at her house on lots ofs different occsions. I love it!
I served this chicken with steamed green beans. They are so tasty! I like the way they squeak when you eat them.

4 chicken breasts
1 1/2 c. water
1 1/2 c. brown sugar
1 Tbs. Worchestershire sauce
1 Tbs. soy saouce
1/2 c. green onions- chopped
1/4 c. prepared mustard
1/2 c. ketchup

Flour chicken breasts them brown over medium heat. Remove chicken from pan and place in a glass pyrex casserole dish. Set aside. Combine all other ingredients. Pour into and simmer in same pan that you browned the chicken in. Let simmer for 3 minutes. Pour of chicken in casserole. Place in a 250 degree oven and bake, uncovered, for 2 2/1 hours.
Modified (this is how I usually cook it): Brown chicken then pour combined sauce over chicken. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes. Remove cover and simmer for 10 more minutes.

Cayenne-Rubbed Chicken with Avocado Salsa

Since some of you think I should get off the treats *cough* Becca *cough*, here a a great recipe that is super easy, healthy, and very yummy. I got this recipe from my Everyday Food magazine. It is my happy mail for the day.
We love avocados at our house. Even Syd and Brynn have acquired a taste for them. It really kind of disappoints me because that means that I have to share with them now. They thought this chicken was "kinda spicy, mom" but still ate it up with lots of water. They loved the avocado salsa. I didn't tell them about the onions. So tricky.
By the way, I love you Bec, and I was seriously going to post this today anyway. :)


Cayenne-Rubbed Chicken with Avocado Salsa

Coarse salt and ground pepper
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (6-8 oz. each)
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 medium red onion, finely chopped
2 Tbs. fresh lime juice
1 Hass avocado, pitted and cut into chunks

1- In a small bowl, combine 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and cayenne; rub all over chicken.
2- In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add chicken, and cook until browned on the outside and opaque throughout, 8-10 minutes per side.
3- Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine onion and lime juice; set aside. Just before serving, fold avocado chunks into onion mixture; season with salt and pepper. Serve chicken topped with salsa.

If anyone can tell me how the picture has been photo-shopped, you will get bonus points that are good for. . . a surprise!

Chicken Saltimbocca

I love to try new Crock-Pot recipes and this one is a keeper!

This is the picture from the actual cookbook (Taste of Homes), I could only wish that mine turned out this pretty. But it tastes wonderful and my kids loved it!

Chicken Saltimbocca

6 boneless chicken breasts

6 slices of deli ham

6 slices of Swiss cheese

1/4 c. flour

1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 t. salt

1/4 t. pepper

2 T. oil

1 can cream of chicken soup, undiluted

1/2 c. chicken broth

Hot cooked rice

Flatten chicken to 1/4 in. thickness. Top each piece with a slice of ham and cheese. Roll up tightly, securing them with toothpicks. Combine flour, cheese, salt & pepper in a bowl. Roll chicken in it and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Heat oil in a pan and brown the chicken on each side. Put into a crock-pot. Combine the soup and the chicken broth. Pour over the chicken and cook for 4-5 hours on low heat. Serve with rice.

Hawaiian Haystacks

First of all, let's just get this out there: I LOVE my book club! Not only is it made up of a group of fantastic women whom I love, but it is also great to get me thinking. As a stay-at-home-mom I sometimes feel that my brain ranges between a 20-watt bulb and a night-light. So to have actual discussions about moral, political, and social issues is so great.
We had a book club overnight retreat several weeks ago. We had a book exchange, did a little craftie(which by the way was super easy, cute, and fun, and would pretty up your kitchen! Go here to see what we did), ate way too much, and stayed up way too late. We ate Hawaiian haystacks. They were perfect. The meal was super-easy to prepare, it was easy to transport (we went to a cabin at Bear Lake), and everyone could tailor the meal to the tastes that best suited them.
Hawaiian Haystacks- serves 5-6 adults

Cooked rice– about 1 1/2 c. per person
2-3 c. cooked, shredded chicken
2 can cream of chicken soup
1 can of chicken broth
1 c. milk
1/2 tsp. Paprika
1/2 tsp. Garlic powder
1/4 tsp. Onion powder
1 tsp. or 1 cube chicken bouillon flavoring
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients, except rice, in a large pot. Stir well to combine. Heat over medium heat until hot, stirring often. This can also be done in a crock pot and left to warm all day. Serve sauce over hot rice with the following toppings:




Cheese
Tomatoes
Chinese noodles
Mandarin oranges
Pineapple tidbits
Edamame (green soy beans)
Water chestnuts
Slivered Almonds
Sunflower seeds
Celery
Green onions
Bell peppers
Coconut
Soy sauce
Whatever else sounds good to you!

So yummy and so easy! Hope you enjoy!