Sunday, June 22, 2008

Going on Vacation

I might not be posting for a while - we're leaving Tuesday morning for a 45-day trip to Colorado. We'll be at Redstone, on the Crystal River for a few nights, then Vega State Park on the Grand Mesa, then Turquoise Lake near Leadville, Tomichi Creek east of Gunnison, Taylor Park Reservoir, and then Lake City.

I hope to relax, cross-stitch, read, cook, and totally forget about work for 45 days. I'll take lots of pics, but they'll be posted over on my travel blog, Wanderlust. If I create any culinary masterpieces that I just HAVE to share, I'll post them here. Otherwise, I'll see you in August!

Up On My Grammar Soapbox - Mixed-Up Apostrophes

I pulled up to the BX at March Air Base the other day, and first saw this sign.











Then as I went inside, I saw this one:
(MENS SHIRTS)






Apparently, the apostrophe that belonged on this sign had wandered over to the Espressos sign.

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Chicken-Peanut Chow Mein

This is another recipe from the daily "Dinner Tonight" emails I get from Cooking Light. It was today's recipe, but was in the April 2006 print version of the magazine. I had all the ingredients except mushrooms, so I just picked a few up at the store on my way home. I made a few changes - Don's allergic to shellfish, so instead of the oyster sauce, I substituted Yoshida's Gourmet Sauce and left out the sugar the original recipe called for. My version of the recipe is below.

Chicken-Peanut Chow Mein
adapted from Cooking Light

1 cup matchstick-cut carrots
8 oz. spaghetti noodles (I used Dreamfields)
1 cup sugar (snap) peas
1 large boneless, skinless chicken breast
3 tablespoons soy sauce, divided
3/4 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons Yoshida's Gourmet Sauce
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper (original recipe called for 1/4 teaspoon, but we like it spicy!)
1 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
2 teaspoons bottled fresh ground ginger
1 cup sliced green onions
2 tablespoons dry-roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped

Bring a pot of water to a boil; add carrots and noodles. When the noodles are almost done, add the peas and cook another 3 minutes. Drain. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cut chicken crosswise into thin strips. Add chicken and 1 tablespoon soy sauce to pan; stir-fry 3 minutes. Remove chicken from pan; keep warm. Combine remaining soy sauce, chicken broth, Yoshida's sauce, and red pepper flakes. Heat remaining 1 teaspoon oil over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and ginger to pan; stir-fry for 3 minutes. Add broth mixture and cook for 1 minute. Add noodle mixture and chicken to pan; cook 1 minute, tossing to combine. Sprinkle with onions and peanuts. Serves 4.

Fruit Bread - Bread Machine Recipe

I made this for Don the other day, and of course, had to try a slice. He likes date-nut bread, which is usually a quick bread - made with lots of sugar and fat. This one's a little lighter, since it's a bread machine recipe, and I used some whole wheat flour in it. I got the recipe from Linda, a fellow baker on my bread machine Yahoo group.

Fruit Bread - High Altitude version
from Linda Darwent

1 1/3 cups liquid (I used water), warmed slightly
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 1/2 cups bread flour
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup dried fruit (I used chopped dates; Linda has used cranberries; you can try apricots, raisins...any dried fruit)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
1 teaspoon bread machine yeast

Place all ingredients in machine in order listed. Use sweet or whole wheat setting. Makes 1 1-pound loaf.