Pad Thai and Peanut Sauce

Pad Thai

2 tbsp oil
1 tsp minced garlic
pinch of sliced fresh chili (amount to your spice level)
small handful mixed veggies (carrot, onion, tomato)
1 egg
1 portion presoaked glass noodles
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1/2 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 tbsp sugar
small handful bean sprouts
small handful spring onions
sprinkle roasted peanuts
lime

Fry chili, garlic, and veggies in oil. Add raw egg. When egg cooked on one side break it up and add the noodles. Mix well and add sauces , sugar, and bean sprouts. Sprinkle with onion, peanuts, and drizzle with lime juice.

May serve with some peanut sauce.

Peanut Sauce

1 plum tomato
1 tbsp red curry paste
1 tbsp oil
6 tbsp coconut milk
1 tbsp roasted ground peanuts
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1/2 tbsp dark sauce
1 tsp lime juice

Dice the tomato, and fry with curry paste in oil until paste is fragrant. While frying, try to smash the tomato into a paste. Add 3 tbsp coconut milk, and ground peanuts. Then add sauces and sugar. Add 3 more tbsp milk, and cook for 5 more minutes. If too thin may add more milk or water. Remove from heat and add lime juice.

This sauce is a great dipper for Spring rolls.

Stir Fried Vegetables with Cashews or Ginger

(you can also add chicken, beef, etc)

2 tsp oil

1 plum tomato

small handful sliced onion

small handful shredded carrot

small handful any mixed veggies on hand (mushrooms, greens, cauliflower, broccoli, etc)

1 tsp crushed garilc

diced chili pepper (amount and type to you liking)

1/2 tsp sugar

1 tbsp soy sauce or mushroom sauce

6 tbsp water

handful cashews or thinly sliced ginger

If using any meat, stir fry in oil until almost cooked through in wok. Then add veggies (if doing ginger version add ginger now) , garlic and chili. Stir fry until still crisp. Add sugar, soy sauce, and water. Stir fry for 2-3 more minutes, Turn off heat and add cashew nuts.

Pumpkin Soup

6 pieces steamed pumpkin
1/3 bowl coconut milk
1/3 bowl water
small handful parsley
small handful cilantro
1 tbsp butter
1/2 tbsp chopped onion
1/2 tbsp chapped garlic
pinch salt
pinch sugar

Place steamed pumpkin, milk, water, parsley, and cilantro in food processor. In wok, add butter, onion, and garlic. Fry for a few minutes, then add pumpkin mixture. Add salt and sugar. Stir for 3 minutes, or until soup reduces and becomes thicker.

For a variation you can add 1/2 tsp yellow curry.

Cooking Class in Thailand, Tom Yam Soup

I took a cooking class at May Kaidee's on our vacation to Thailand. I had a private lesson. The class starts out with a trip to one of the local markets to buy ingredients for some of our dishes. Then we headed into the kitchen and made 12 different items. When it was finished we had a group of 6 people to eat all of the wonderful food. The recipes make single soup size bowl portions. The restaurant is vegetarian, but she showed me when meat/seafood could be added to the dishes. Also alot of the measurements are to you liking/spice level.

The dish above is Tom Yam Soup

1 bowl water
2 kaffir lime leaves
2 slices galangal
2 inch piece of lemongrass
1 tbsp shredded carrot
1 tbsp sliced onion
1 plum tomato
1 handful of mixed vegetables (any on hand, cauliflower, broccoli, greens, etc)
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
1/2 tbsp light soy sauce
1/2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp Tom Yam paste
1/2 tbsp chopped spring onion
1/2 tbsp cilantro
1 tsp lime juice
1 tsp coconut milk


In a wok, boil on soup bowlful of water. Add 2 crushed kaffir lime leaves, 2 slice galangal and a 2 inch piece of lemongrass(smashed to release flavor). Add carrot, onion, tomato, and mixed vegetables. When boiling again add soy sauces, sugar, and Tom Yam paste. Turn off heat when vegetables are tender. To finish add spring onion, cilantro, lime juice, and coconut milk.


If shrimp are to be added to the soup place in water after water boils, then add the veggies.



I will post more pics/recipes in other posts

Caprese Salad and Summer Shrimp Pasta

I still have plenty of nice tomatoes to use up, so I created this meal to use some of the ingredients that I had purchased for other meals this week.

Caprese Salad

2 beefsteak tomatoes (sliced)

4 slices of fresh buffalo mozzarella cheese

8 fresh basil leaves

extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper

Layer tomato, mozzarella, then basil and repeat until finished. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

This was SO GOOD! My husband kept looking at mine, to see if I was going to finish what I had!!!

Summer Shrimp Pasta

1 lb peeled, deveined shrimp

4 slices lemon

3 cloves of garlic

3 tsp extra virgin olive oil

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

salt pepper

1 lb spaghetti

2 tsp butter

2 roma tomatoes

handful of fresh basil leaves

grated Parmesan cheese

Marinade shrimp with lemon, 1 tsp olive oil, and 3 minced cloves of garlic for 30 minutes. Cook spaghetti according to package directions. Meanwhile saute shrimp mixture over medium heat with 2 tsp olive oil, 2 tsp butter, and red pepper flakes for approx 5 min (depends on the size of shrimp). Just until the shrimp turn pink. Dice the tomatoes and add to shrimp. Also add basil leaves (you can tear the leaves or julienne them). Grate 1/2 cup cheese and add to the mixture. Combine shrimp, tomato mixture and toss with pasta.

Pizza Night

Tonight I decided to make a couple homemade pizzas. I had a ton of fresh tomatoes and wanted to use them up. I also had a leftover chicken breast to use. I made a barbecue chicken pizza and a tomato, mozzarella and basil pizza.



Barbecue Chicken Pizza

1 store bought pizza crust
1 chicken breast (precooked-diced into small cubes)
1/3 cup barbecue sauce (I used Sweet Baby Ray's)
2 small slices of a red onion
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese



Spread BBQ sauce on pizza crust, then add onion and chicken. Cover with cheese. Cook according to crust package directions.



Tomato Mozzarella and Basil Pizza

1 store bought pizza crust
drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
3 roma tomatoes (thinly sliced)
4 slices of fresh buffalo mozzarella cheese
2 cloves of garlic (minced)
handful of fresh basil leaves



Drizzle crust with olive oil, and arrange tomatoes, basil, and garic onto crust. Cook according to crust directions.

Pork Tenderloin with Fresh Mango Salsa

Ingredients

2 pork tenderloin (about 1 lb each)

2 Mangos (diced)

1 Jalapeno (finely chopped)

1/4 small red onion (finely chopped)

small handful of chopped cilantro

Salt and pepper pork tenderloin and place on medium grill (350 degrees). Grill on first side for 8 minutes, turn over and grill for about 6 min (until reads 140 degrees with meat thermometer). Let meat rest 5 minutes before slicing.

For salsa, combine above ingredients and place on top of pork.

I served the pork with corn on the cob and grilled garlic bread.