Thomas Wells | Buy at photos.djournal.com
Red curry shrimp and vegetables.
Red Curry Shrimp and Vegetables
3 cups water
2 cups Jasmine rice
1 (13-ounce) can coconut milk
2 tablespoons red curry paste*
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 cup sugar snap peas
1 cup bamboo shoots
1 cup red bell pepper slices
1⁄4 cup fresh Thai basil
1 to 2 tablespoons fish sauce
Bring water to a boil. Add rice, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 15 minutes.
Bring coconut milk to a simmer in a large skillet over medium heat. Add curry paste and sugar and stir until well blended. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer 5 minutes.
Stir in shrimp and vegetables. Cook 3 to 5 minutes or just until shrimp turn pink and vegetables are crisp-tender. Stir in basil and fish sauce. Serve over cooked rice.
* Red curry paste is found on the grocery aisle with Asian ingredients. For extra spice, add green curry paste.
Healthy Breakfast Burritos
Hummus, any flavor
8-inch flour tortillas
Fresh spinach leaves
Turkey sausage crumbles
Boiled egg, sliced
Roma tomatoes, sliced
Avocado, sliced
To assemble, spread about 2 tablespoons hummus in center of each tortilla. Add 5 to 6 spinach leaves. Top with 6 to 8 turkey sausage crumbles, 1⁄2 of a sliced boiled egg, 1⁄4 of a sliced Roma tomato and 1⁄4 of an avocado, sliced. Roll up burrito-style.
Chicken and Dumplings
3 to 4 ribs celery
3 to 4 carrots
1⁄2 yellow onion
3 to 4 cloves garlic
1 small bundle dried thyme sprigs
Salt and pepper
1 whole chicken
3 to 4 stalks lemon grass
2 cups all-purpose flour
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
3⁄4 cup ice water
2 tablespoons corn starch
1 can cream of celery soup
1⁄2 cup half and half
Place celery, carrots, onion, garlic, thyme and salt and pepper to taste in a Crock-Pot or slow cooker. Salt and pepper a whole chicken. Place chicken on top of vegetables and add enough water to fill Crock-Pot up halfway. Place lemon grass stalks on top and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.
For the dumplings, combine flour and salt in a large mixing bowl. Slowly add ice water and, using fingers, pull flour from the sides of the bowl. Knead dough and roll out on a floured surface to 1⁄8-inch thick.
When chicken is done, remove it from Crock-Pot and strain the stock through a colander in a Dutch oven. Add 1 quart water to broth. Combine cornstarch with 1⁄4 cup water and add to broth to thicken it. Add celery soup. Debone chicken and add to stock.
Using a pizza cutter, cut dough into 1-inch wide strips and let sit for about 10 minutes. Place strips in boiling broth for 6 to 8 minutes, turning the pot as the dumplings cook. Do not stir. Add half and half to the mixture and lightly press dumplings down into the stock. Turn off heat and let sit for about 20 minutes.
Chicken Hominy Casserole
1⁄2 cup chopped yellow onion
1⁄2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 stick butter
3 cups cooked, chopped chicken
1 can white hominy
1 can yellow hominy
1 can whole kernel corn
4 ounces sliced fresh mushrooms
1 (8-ounce) jar Cheez Whiz
1 (8-ounce) container sour cream
1 small can diced green chilies
1⁄4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Sauté onion and bell pepper in butter. Combine with remaining ingredients. Pour mixture into a greased 9×13-inch baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees until bubbly, about 20 to 30 minutes.
Sour Cream Chicken Enchirito
White Sauce
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons margarine
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cube chicken bouillon, crumbled
11⁄2 cups boiling water
1 cup milk
Ground white pepper
Enchiritos
3 cups chopped, cooked chicken
1 cup frozen corn
1 can black beans, drained
1 can Ro-tel tomatoes, drained
1 small can diced green chilies, drained
1⁄4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 cups sour cream, divided
1 package (8-inch) flour tortillas
1 small can green enchilada sauce
1 small can salsa verde
1 cup Mexican-blend cheese
Fresh sliced avocado
For the white sauce, melt butter and margarine in a saucepan over medium-low heat; stir in flour and bouillon until roux is well blended. Continue to cook and stir until thickened and lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Increase heat to medium and whisk water into roux until smooth. Stir in milk; cook and stir until thickened, about 2 minutes more. Season with white pepper.
To make enchiritos, combine chicken, corn, black beans, tomatoes, chilies, cilantro and 1 cup sour cream. Divide mixture among tortillas, roll each one up, and place in a greased 9×13-inch baking dish. Combine remaining 1 cup sour cream with the white sauce and pour over rolled tortillas. Combine enchilada sauce and salsa verde and drizzle over rolled tortillas. Sprinkle cheese on top. Cover with foil and cook 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Serve with fresh sliced avocado.