Asian Sesame Guacamole

We found an Asian fusion restaurant and went a little crazy.  I had Asian fries, with an eggroll, and quesadillas. Oh and a giant stomach ache for dessert. It was all delicious, and fried, and greasy. Steven, always the better orderer, ate fillet mignon fried udon.  His was amazing and I will be letting him order for the rest of my life.

This Asian Sesame Guacamole was really good, but I'm not quite sure what to do it.  On rice crackers as an appetizer? Maybe a dip for won tons? Make it and tell me what to do with it!

Asian Sesame Guacamole

Adapted from Shutterbean

Serves 4

• 3 Haas Avocados, skin and pit removed
• 1/3 red onion, diced
• 1/4 cup scallions, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 2 teaspoon sriracha, more if you like
• 1 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
• 1 1/2 teaspoon black sesame seeds
• salt and black pepper, to taste
• sesame rice crackers for serving

Place all ingredients in a bowl and mash until lumpy but well combined. Top with an extra drizzle of sriracha and sesame seeds for flair. Serve with sesame rice crackers.

Tips and Tricks: Chicken Thighs

When we eat chicken thighs, we eat between 2 and 4.  Unfortunately they only sell them in like packs of 18.  I used to pull out the food saver and seal 'em up but this time I used them up.

Boil the leftover chicken thighs in water for 45 minutes make sure internal temperature hits 165F. Remove to a cutting tray and let cool completely. Remove the chicken from the bones, fat, and skin. Shred meat and store in fridge. Use bones, fat, and skin to make chicken broth. Use shredded chicken meat to top salads, fancy up scrambled eggs or omelets, make chicken salad, wrap your dog's medicine around, add to pasta, or sandwiches. so versatile.

Protip: don't try to use a knife and fork, or two forks. Just wash your hands and use them. It brings the "funny bites" down to zero because you can feel everything.

Chicken Salad

Chipotle Chicken Salad

Pesto Chicken Salad

Dijon Chicken Salad

Chicken Enchiladas 

Overnight Peaches and Cream French Toast

Fancy breakfast food is hard to mitigate when you have a two year that NEEDS to eat within 15 minutes of waking. This is as close to perfect as it gets. All the work is done the night before so wake up early and preheat the oven and take it out of the fridge.  Wake up again and put it in the oven. Wake up again, for real this time, and enjoy!

This casserole is tradition worthy.  Christmas morning? First day of summer? Every monday??

It also travels well for fancy brunches at friend's house.

Overnight Peaches and Cream French Toast
Adapted from Delicious on a Dime
Serves 6+

•  loaf of French bread, between 1/2 and 1 pound mine was a pound
• 8 large eggs
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 15 ounce cans sliced peaches, drained
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 cup heavy cream

Butter or spray a 9 by 13 casserole dish. Tear bread in large chunks and arrange tight in the dish.

In a large bowl whisk eggs, milk, sugar, and vanilla until well blended then pour over bread. Arrange peaches on top and  sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.

Remove baking dish from fridge while the oven preheats. Preheat the oven to 350. 

Pour cream into a small pot and bring to a boil until slightly reduced and thickened.  Drizzle over the peaches. Bake uncovered until lightly brown on top and cooked through about 45-55 minutes.  Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Next time:  I'm going to try to skip boiling of the cream next time. I always over boil it and need to add more cream plus it's another dish to clean.

French Eggs

We eat a lot of eggs around here.  I'm all for a high protein breakfast but we eat a lot of eggs around here.  Steven has been trying to jazz it up lately and this is his greatest hit so far.

Provence Eggs

• Scrambled Eggs, cooked
• Fancy olive oil, drizzled
• Thyme, topped with
• Rosemary, sprinkled on
• Marjoram, just a dab
• Sage, keep going

Dijon Chicken Salad (No Mayo)

I love mayo but this made a lighter dish even lighter.  Very summer, much good!

Dijon Chicken Salad (No Mayo)
Adapted from Simply Whisked
Serves 5

• 3 cups shredded chicken ( I used rotisserie)
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped

Dressing:

• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 3 tablespoons dijon mustard
• 2-3 tablespoons water
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• black pepper to taste

In a large bowl combine the chicken salad ingredients. In a small bowl whisk dressing ingredients together. Pour dressing over chicken salad and toss to combine.

Paleo-ish Pad Thai with Peanut Sauce

Because you should only gain so much while pregnant. Make a big patch for guilt free lunches since you know these after-dinner freezer trips aren't stopping anytime soon.

Paleo-ish Pad Thai with Peanut Sauce

Sauce

• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon rice vinegar
• 1/4 cup peanut butter
• 1/4 cup coconut milk

Combine in food processor

Pad Thai:

• coconut oil
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 1/2 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 1 cup snap peas, thinly sliced lengthwise
• 2 cups cooked spaghetti squash
• 8 ounces cooked chicken breast

In a large skillet over medium heat, melt a spoonful of coconut oil. Scramble the eggs and soy sauce. Remove to a bowl.

Increase the heat to medium-high and add another spoonful of coconut oil to the pan. Saute onion and snap peas until they are tender (about 2 minutes).

Add spaghetti squash, chicken, and scrambled eggs to the pan. Stir until it's heated through.

Stir in the peanut sauce until well blended.  Serve hot.

Tips and Tricks: Black Beans

This boy scout left a flyer on my door to buy can goods and he would pick them up on Saturday morning. He thanked me in advance so I had to do it. But Saturday morning came and went and no boy scout. Now I have a lot of black beans and tuna. I mean we love black beans and tuna. But we have a lot of black beans and tuna.


My new trick with canned black beans is add an onion (finely diced) and half a green bell pepper (finely diced) to canned black beans. Adds a little something special for very little work.