Simple Asian Salad

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When I put a meal together I usually try and theme all the food around the same nationality.  The other day we decided to grill some Spicy Thai Chicken Satay with Grilled Pineapple.  This spicy hot dish called for something cool as a side dish, so I decided to whip up a salad using a mix of Asian and other known vegetables.

In preparation, I headed to the local Ralph's grocery store to browse the Asian produce section.  I picked up Napa Cabbage to use as the base for the salad.  Napa Cabbage has a long shape and closely packed, pale green leaves attached to wide white stems.  It has a delicate mustard-like flavor which marries perfectly with other vegetables. 

Adding sugar snap peas, carrots, and small Japanese cucumber to the cart I had a good start.  I also added some sweetness to the salad with mandarin oranges.  I'm a sucker for those baby oranges!  Adding a little garnish or cilantro and chow mien noodles for crunch the Simple Asian Salad was born.

Top this off with you favorite Asian dressing.  We used Girard's Chinese Chicken Salad dressing, which I love.  It's lighter and a little more sweet than the typical sesame based dressing. 

Simple Asian Salad is the perfect side dish to spicy food.  I would also make a great lunch entrée.  You could even add chicken or beef to the salad for extra protein if you'd like.

Enjoy!






Simple Asian Salad

1/2 head Napa cabbage, chopped
4 oz. sugar snap peas (or snow peas), chopped
1/3 cup carrots, shredded
2-3 Japanese or Persian cucumbers, halved lengthwise and sliced
3 oz mandarin oranges
2 Tbls cilantro, chopped
handful of chow mien noodles for garnish
2-3 Tbls Girard's Chinese chicken salad dressing

In a large bowl add cabbage, snap peas, carrots, cucumbers and mandarin oranges.  Toss to mix.  Top with cilantro and chow mien noodles.  Drizzle salad dressing over the top and serve.

Spicy Thai Chicken Satay with Grilled Pineapple

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Still feeling the summer heat?  We are. 

Even though the season has officially changed to Fall we are still getting 100+ heat in Los Angeles.  Typical for this time of year, we don't really get the fall weather until late October.  So it's still grilling season!  We love that we can actually grill all year round.  Grilled meat is the best, isn't it?

This weekend I was looking through another of my cooking magazines by BHG and came across a recipe for Thai Chicken Satay with Grilled Pineapple.  YUM!  You had me at satay!  So I decided to make this yummy dish with a few slight modifications for our dinner.  Modifications?  Oh yea, let's spice this baby up a bit.  Then Spicy Thai Chicken Satay with Grilled Pineapple happened.

Serving this with a Simple Asian Salad, this dish was fabulous!  The chicken satay cooks quickly on a grill and has a sweet and spicy beautiful glaze.  Grill up some pineapple spears or rings to go along side and serve this over rice.  The perfect dinner, or make this as game day appetizers for a group of people.  Either way this chicken really rocks!  The glaze is perfect with the Sriracha sauce added for a little heat.  You can either adjust the temperature to your liking or omit it all together.  This glaze is what makes this dish special so don't skip it.

So break out your grill and keep the summer feeling going by making this Spicy Thai Chicken Satay with Grilled Pineapple.  Your sure to love it!

Enjoy!






Spicy Thai Chicken Satay with Grilled Pineapple


Ingredients:

2/3 cup sweet-and-sour sauce
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 teaspoon Thai seasoning
1 clove garlic, minced

4 tablespoons Sriracha Sauce
6 pineapple rings
Nonstick cooking spray
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 1/2 inch thick strips
2 cups hot cooked rice (optional)
Fresh basil, shredded (optional)

Directions:

If using wooden skewers, soak them for 30 minutes in water to prevent burning. 

For Thai sauce, in a small bowl combine sweet-and-sour sauce, snipped basil, butter, Thai seasoning, garlic, and Sriracha Sauce.  Set aside.  

Preheat charcoal or gas grill to medium heat. 

Brush both side of the pineapple rings with canola oil.  Place on a tray.  Thread the chicken strips onto 12-15 wood skewers accordion style.  Place on the tray.

Place chicken skewers and cook (uncovered for charcoal, covered for gas) 10 to 12 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink, turning occasionally and brushing with sauce during the first half of grilling. Discard any remaining reserved sauce. Grill pineapple slices for 6 to 8 minutes or until warm and grill marks appear, turning once halfway through grilling.

Serve chicken and pineapple with hot cooked rice, if desired. Garnish with basil shreds.

Blackberry Almond Muffins - Small Batch

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I don't usually cook to much with anything almond.  If I do I tend to make savory dishes like this Chicken Amandine, or salads like this wonderful Pear Salad, instead of baking with them.

Don't get me wrong I love almonds.  They are a staple in our house, but somehow they weren't in my repertoire.  So I decided to change that right now.  I really love a big warm bear claw in the morning, don't you?  And, I've actually made those in one of the many cooking classes I've taken at Sur La Table, but...that's way to involved for me today.  I need something I can whip up quick and savor my breakfast treat pronto! 

BLACKBERRY ALMOND MUFFINS TO THE RESCUE

If you've followed me for any length of time you will know that I am unashamedly called the 'muffin man'.  I love them, and make them often.  So today's small batch treat will give you a burst of berries, along with the earthy nutty flavor of almonds that remind me of fall. 

I've made a smaller batch for you.  Sometimes you just don't need 12 muffins, when only 6 will do.  However, feel free to double the recipe and freeze any leftovers to have on the run when you want them.  Now go make muffins!  It's the weekend and you deserve them...I know I do!  You'll have 6 scrumptious muffins in no time. 




Blackberry Almond Muffins - Small Batch

Serves 6

Cook time 20-25 min

Ingredients:

1 egg

1/2 cup 2% milk

1/4 cup Canola Oil

1 tsp almond extract

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

2 t. baking powder

1/2 t. salt

1 cup of fresh blackberries, chopped

Directions:

Place egg, milk, oil, and almond extract in a large mixing bowl and whisk together until light.  Add flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.

Stir until moist.  Don’t overmix…batter should be lumpy and a little thick.  Add blackberries, and gently fold them in to the batter.

Spray a non-stick muffin pan with cooking spray.  Divide batter among 6 muffin cups,  filling most of the way full.

Bake at 425 degrees for 20-25 min.