Gai Pad Gra Pow

Gai Pad Gra Pow is one of my favorite Thai dishes and is surprisingly easy to make. It is just right when the heat from the chili peppers accentuates the flavor of the basil and the fish sauce. This will use a lot of basil leaves, but they will wilt down during the final stages of cooking.
A traditional Gra Pow uses what is called Holy Basil, which I found easily at a larger Asian food market. Using other basil may alter the flavor of this fantastic dish.

2 servings

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2 Tbsp vegetable oil
4-7 Thai chili peppers (whole)
1 Tbsp sugar
6-8 cups fresh Holy Basil leaves
1/2 lb minced or ground chicken
1 Tbsp minced garlic
3 Tbsp Fish Sauce

Mince garlic and chili pepper together. Clean and pick basil leaves from their stem. It may appear like a lot of leaves, but the leaves will shrink when cooked and this dish's flavor comes from the leaves.

Fry the garlic and chili pepper in oil over high heat. When garlic starts to turn brown, drop the ground chicken in. Stir constantly until liquid is mostly reduced and chicken is cooked. It might take a couple of minutes. Add sugar and fish sauce. Then add Thai basil. Quickly turn it over a few times to mix the leaves with the meat and then remove from heat. Serve hot with jasmine rice.

Rhubarb Cream Cake

1 white cake mix and indicated oil, eggs, and water
3 c chopped rhubarb
1 c sugar
2 c cream or half and half

Follow cake mix directions and pour into 9x13 pan. Toss sugar with rhubarb and crumble over cake. Pour cream evenly over rhubarb. Bake at 350 until lightly browned--rhubarb mixture will settle to the bottom.

(From my mom, Nancy Fletcher)

Fresh Tomato Soup

1/2 c butter
2 tbs olive oil
1 large onion, sliced
chicken bouillon, basil, garlic powder
2 1/2 pounds fresh, ripe tomatoes, skinned and cut up, or
2 cans (16 oz. each) Italian tomatoes, undrained
3 tbs tomato paste
1/4 c flour
3 3/4 c chicken broth
1 tsp. sugar
1 c whipping cream or half and half

In a large saucepan, heat butter and oil over medium heat. Add sliced onions. Cook, stirring occasionally until onions are soft. Season onions liberally with bouillon, basil, and garlic while cooking. Add tomatoes and tomato paste. Stir, and simmer for 10 minutes. In a small bowl, combine flour and 1/4 c broth until smooth. Stir into tomato mixture and add remaining broth. Reduce heat. Simmer 30 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent scorching. Remove from heat and allow to cool before pureeing in blender. Return pureed soup to the pan, add sugar and cream, and heat through. Season to taste with more herbs and salt, if needed.

From Kris Horn, Amanda Detling, and Joni Rennick

Potato Bread

5/8 c milk
1/4 c warm water
3 c flour
1/3 c mashed potatoes
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tbs butter
1 1/2 tbs sugar
1 1/2 tsp yeast

Boil and mash a potato or use a little bit of leftover mashed potatoes. Place all ingredients in bread machine and start dough cycle.

When cycle is finished, shape into loaf on a floured cookie sheet, let rise for a few minutes, lightly cut diagonal lines in the top of the loaf, and bake in the oven until lightly browned. I don't remember at what temperature or how long.

I also tried this recipe using the basic cycle (not baking it separately) and it was fine.

Apple Caramel Pork Chops

4 (3/4 inch) thick pork chops
1 1/2 - 2 cups apple juice
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 teaspoon vegetable oil

Sauce:
4 tablespoons brown sugar
dash of salt and pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tart apples - peeled, cored and sliced

Marinate pork chops in apple juice and soy overnight. Place oil in skillet and sear all sides of the pork chops at high heat. Place chops in a square glass dish, and add the marinade. Bake at 400 for 15-20 minutes or until chops are done (depends on the thickness of the chops). While they cook, melt butter in skillet, and stir in brown sugar, salt and pepper, cinnamon and nutmeg, then the apples. Cover and cook until apples are just tender. Remove apples with a slotted spoon and arrange on top of chops. Keep chops and apples warm in oven (set to warm or 175). Continue cooking sauce uncovered in skillet, until thickened slightly. Spoon sauce over apples and chops.
We like to eat these with yams.

Recipe adapted from a recipe on allrecipes.com

Strawberry Glazed Chicken

2-3 chicken breasts, sliced
1/4 cup strawberry jam
1/4 cup water
1 avocado, sliced
sliced strawberries
hot rice

Sauce:
2 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp olive oil
4 tsp honey
1 tsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp cider vinegar
10-15 strawberries, mashed

Cook chicken in jam and water on the stove, covered (Best if done over a lower heat). Surround a pile of rice with the sliced strawberries. Top the rice with the chicken slices, followed by the avocado, and then top with the sauce. For the flavors to work well together, each bite should include rice, fresh strawberry, avocado, chicken, and the sauce.

Orange Chicken Salad

3-4 Chicken Breasts
Fresh Spinach (Can use other lettuce, but not iceburg)
1 can mandarin oranges
Craisins

Marinade: (mix well)
1 tsp orange zest
3 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp honey
1/2 cup orange juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp paprika

Dressing: (mix well prior to serving)
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup red wine (or white wine) vinegar
2 Tbsp garlic herb seasoning
3/4 Tbsp sugar
3 Tbsp olive oil

Marinade chicken overnight. Cook in marinade at 350 until chicken is done. Slice chicken into strips. Place chicken on a bed of spinach (or lettuce). Top with mandarin oranges, craisins and the dressing.

Recipe adapted from several recipes found on allrecipes.com