Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Need another quick weeknight dinner?

Today's recipe is perfect for that.  Done in under 30 minutes this dish will please the whole family.  MGG and I used to go to a lot of Chinese restaurants and I always loved getting the lettuce wraps.  Cool crisp lettuce against a hot spicy chicken.  YUM!  I would always order these and we would fight over the last piece of lettuce!  I've actually made a version of these lettuce cups with turkey that you may love.  You can find that recipe here.

Now we seem to be going to a lot of Thai restaurants.  They've been the new "in" thing.  They too have a version of lettuce wraps, but they are different.  Light...more citrusy, very fragrant with Thai flavors of mint and cilantro. They just burst with flavor!  I had to learn to make this version.  So when I was thumbing through a Cuisine at Home magazine I spotted a similar version.  So here's my adaptation of their Chicken Lettuce Wraps.  

So light, and the flavors will just rock in your mouth.  These are filling enough to have for dinner.  Serve with a nice fruit salad and you are set!  Quick to throw together for a weeknight meal, and make sure to save some for lunch the next day!  This will be a definite "go to" recipe!

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Serves 4

1 T canola oil

1 T minced ginger

1 T minced garlic

1 lb. ground chicken

¼ c fresh lime juice

1 T soy sauce

2 t brown sugar

2 t chili garlic sauce

½ c red onion, minced

½ c cilantro, chopped

½ c mint, chopped

Lemon zest

Boston, Bibb or Romaine lettuce leaves

Toppings:

Cilantro and mint leaves (optional)

Dry roasted peanuts

Heat oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.   Add ginger and garlic and cook for 30 seconds.  Add chicken and cook, breaking up into small pieces, about 10 minutes or until cooked through. 

Meanwhile in a small bowl stir together lime juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, and chili garlic sauce.  Add to chicken and cook until liquid has evaporated approx 4 minutes.  

Stir in red onion.  Remove from heat and add cilantro and mint.  Stir to combine.  Sprinkle on lemon zest. 

Serve chicken in lettuce leaves, topping with cilantro and mint if desired, and peanuts. 

Adapted from Cuisine at Home July/August 2012

Southern Sundays

Welcome to Southern Sundays!

Well it's felt like fall around here all week long.  We even had a storm or two roll through.

And then I gave in...

I forgot all about long summer nights...I was longing for fall

longing for comfort food!

So I've been busy this weekend trying out some new dishes, and a few family favorites that remind me of fall. I can't wait to bring them to you!  How does Apple Crisp sound?  or, a lightened version of Chicken Saltimboca, or Italian Chicken and Bean Soup?  Exciting huh! So stay tuned for those excellent dishes.  They will warm your heart...and your soul.

But, there was some relaxing time too.
Driving by the coast this weekend.  Just look at the view!

Remember to take time to take in the beauty around you!

On to last week's party!  What fun...so many exciting dishes to see.  I wanted to eat them all!

Congratulations to our Featured Dish!

German Chocolate Cheesecake

by Call Me PMc
HEAVEN!

So let's party!  I can't wait to see what you all bring this week.  Make sure to tell all your friends so they can join the party as well!

Guidelines:

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Link back to your specific recipe and not to your main site.
Link back to Southern Sundays either in your post, or grab my Southern Sundays Button located in the right side bar.
Please visit a few of the links in the post and say hello to your fellow bloggers!
Enjoy, have fun, cook lots of food, and relish your Southern Sunday!

Nutella French Toast

I was bad.

I'm sorry, I couldn't help myself.  I promise to do better, really I do.  But I was overcome with a craving for chocolate.  Do you ever get that?

I think us women know about chocolate cravings.  There's something about it...it's creamy smoothness when it hits the tongue.  Melting in your mouth and the warm sensation that follows.  Oh my!  

So I had this craving the other night and it wouldn't stop...I had to have some chocolate.  All I had in the house was a jar of Nutella, cause I don't really keep chocolate in the house.  Plus, I was craving warm....melted chocolate.  You know the kind...like a hot baked chocolate chip cookie with the chips all melty and good.

So I decided to be very, very bad...I was going to make French Toast.  Late at night.
Not just any french toast.  Stuffed...with Nutella. AND made with half and half...cause that was all I had.  (I tried to make them seem less self indulgent by cutting them into cute little triangle sandwiches...cute..but I think I'm fooling myself)

And I did...and I ate it all...and it was GOOD!

No regrets.  Maybe tomorrow though.  I'm sure I'll get over it.

So if you are craving chocolate, and I know you are, try this french toast.  It's killer!

Nutella French Toast

serves 4 (2 triangles each)

4 slices of day old white sandwich bread
2 eggs
1 T splenda
1/2 c half and half
1 t vanilla
2 T butter
Nutella (about 1/4 cup)
Confectioner's sugar (if desired)

Slice each bread into 4 triangles, cutting diagonally.  

In a bowl whisk together eggs, Splenda, half and half and vanilla.  Dip the bread pieces on the bowl, dipping them down to ensure they are soaked.  

In a skillet over medium heat add 1 T of butter and allow to melt.  Add half the bread pieces to the skillet and allow to cook about 2 minutes, or until browned.  Turn over and cook the other side another 1-2 minutes.  Transfer to a plate and cook the remaining batch of french toast.  

Meanwhile add a dollop of Nutella to 4 of the cooked bread triangles, and top with another bread triangle   Remove the second batch from the skillet and continue to coat with Nutella making the remaining sandwiches.  Sprinkle with confectioner's sugar if desired and serve immediately.