Thai Chicken Pot Stickers

Here is the recipe for the pot stickers we had at the pot luck. Enjoy!

Chicken Pot Stickers
1 Chicken breast
2 tablespoons Garlic, minced
2 tablespoons fresh Ginger, minced
¼ cup Green Onions, minced
¾ cup chunky Peanut Butter
¼ cup brown Sugar
2 tablespoons Sweet Thai Chili Sauce
1 tablespoon Chili Powder
2 tablespoons fresh Basil leaves, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh Cilantro leaves, chopped

In a hot pan sauté ground chicken, garlic, ginger, and green onions together until the chicken is thoroughly cooked. Drain off the excess fat and mix the chicken together in a bowl with the peanut butter, brown sugar, sweet Thai chili sauce, chili powder, basil, and cilantro. Chill the mixture, and then wrap in wonton wrappers. Bring the edges into a corner or simply fold into triangles, using a dab of water to “glue” the edges. In a pot fitted with a steamer basket, bring 1 to 2 inches of water to a boil. Steam the pot stickers in the steamer basket for 8 to 10 minutes until the wrappers are translucent, and serve with chili mint dipping sauce.

Note: At the pot luck, instead of steaming them, I pan fried them to get the crispy texture. I actually prefer them with the crispy exterior. To pan fry, heat up a small amount of oil in a skillet, and pan fry until the edges are brown and crispy. Flip and repeat on the other side.

On Election Eve…

K the House Frau gets my vote!

I mentioned last week that I had a new blog for everyone to read. Check out Kaylyn’s blog for some fantastic writing and some great recipes. I’m hoping to have her do some guest writing on my blog in the future as well, so get out there and check it out!

Chicken Wings!

It’s been a while since I last posted on here. I’ve actually been busy with a job search so I haven’t had quite the normal time I usually have to cook. I have some good news coming in the next few days though. I have added a new member to my blogging team to help turn my recipes vegetarian friendly. She’s a great friend of mine even though she doesn’t like meat 😉 I also have a friend of mine that started her own blog and I am going to post some of her great recipes on here as well as provide you the link to check out her blog. You guys are sure to love her recipes because her food never disappoints.

In the meantime, I wanted to get some new recipes out to you guys, so I figured Wings was the perfect recipe since its tailgating season! Try these three sauces on your wings at your next tailgating event or backyard BBQ.

All of the recipes below are for the sauces only. Pour over your wings before you cook and save some to dip in while you eat. You can use whatever cooking method you prefer, grill or oven. You can probably even use them on deep fried wings if that is your preference. I love the grill, so that is my suggestion. Then again, I don’t have an oven that works, so I’m kind of biased 🙂

Chili Lime Chicken Wings

Makes 12 Wings

Ingredients:
½ cup fish sauce
4 tablespoons Lime Juice
2 tablespoons Sugar
1 teaspoon Garlic, minced
2 tablespoon hot green chili, finely chopped
¼ cup Cilantro, chopped

Directions:
1.) Mix All Ingredients together in a bowl.
2.) Pour over Chicken Wings.

Chef’s Tip: Use Jalapeño peppers with the seeds for more kick!

Chipotle Chicken Wings

Makes 12 Wings

Ingredients:
1 Chipotle Chili, finely chopped
½ cup BBQ Sauce
½ cup Honey
1 teaspoon Chili Powder

Directions:
1.) Mix All Ingredients together in a bowl.
2.) Pour over Chicken Wings.

Chipotle BBQ Chicken Wings

Sweet Thai Chili Chicken Wings

Makes 12 Wings

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons Hot Ground Chili Paste
1 teaspoon minced Garlic
¼ cup Rice Vinegar
1/3 cup Water
1/3 cup Sugar
Pinch of Salt
2 teaspoons Cornstarch
2 tablespoons Cilantro, chopped

Directions:
1.) Combine All Ingredients except the Cilantro in a sauce pan.
2.) Bring to a boil.
3.) Reduce heat and let simmer 4 minutes.
4.) Remove from heat, and stir in Cilantro.
5.) Pour over Chicken Wings.

Sweet Thai Chili Chicken Wings

Southwest Grilled Chicken

Here is a more traditional entree for your palates. The sweet and spicy glaze will make your taste buds dance.

Ingredients:
2 Boneless Chicken Breasts
2 tablespoons Butter, melted
2 teaspoons Balsamic Vinegar
2 teaspoons Brown Sugar
1 teaspoons Chili Powder
½ teaspoon Chile Pepper
Pinch of Salt
¼ cup Chopped cilantro
½ Lime, juiced

Directions:
1.) In a small mixing bowl, mix Butter, Balsamic Vinegar, Brown Sugar, Chili Powder, Chile Pepper, and Salt.
2.) Brush the mixture over the Chicken Breasts, setting aside a small amount to use after grilling.
3.) Grill the Chicken Breasts on medium-high heat with the lid closed for 6-8 minutes on each side until cooked all the way through.
4.) After removing the Chicken Breasts from the grill, spread the remaining mixture on the Chicken Breasts and top with Cilantro and Lime Juice.
5.) Serve and Enjoy!

Chipotle BBQ Mac & Cheese w/Salmon

I recently had a friend ask me about Gourmet Mac & Cheese. She was exactly right that this has been a recent trend at upscale dining establishments. She asked if I had any good recipes, and if I thought the trend would continue. I think it’s a great question and difficult to say. Mac & Cheese is a favorite of almost everyone so it has longevity going for it. The problem is that trendy restaurants like to stay ahead of the curve, so I see it being phased out in the next year or two for another American favorite dish turned “upscale”. As for recipes of my own, I usually just take a standard box of Velveeta Shells and Cheese and add some seasonings and meat. I figured for my friend, I would create a fusion dish of two recent trends, upscale Mac & Cheese and Chipotle! Like upscale Mac & Cheese, Chipotle flavors have seen an explosion in the past 2-3 years. Here is my take on the combination.

Chipotle BBQ Mac & Cheese w/Salmon
1 box Velveeta Shells & Cheese
4 tablespoons Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ Sauce
1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1/2 teaspoon Chipotle seasoning
1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 Salmon Fillets
dash of Salt and Pepper

Prepare the Velveeta Shells and Cheese according to the packaged directions, stirring in the Cheese. Add the BBQ Sauce, Garlic Powder, and Chipotle seasoning and stir.

While making the Velveeta Shells and Cheese, pan fry the Salmon Fillets in the Olive Oil. Sear both sides and sprinkle with a small amount of Garlic Powder, Chipotle seasoning, Salt, and Pepper. Once cooked to your liking, pull apart the Salmon into small pieces and add to the Mac and Cheese. Sprinkle a small amount of Salt and Pepper on top to taste, and there you have a gourmet Mac & Cheese in under 15 minutes!

Gourmet Tip: To make it even more gourmet, put the Mac and Cheese in a baking pan and sprinkle the top with Bread Crumbs and your favorite Cheese. Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes until golden brown on top. (Unfortunately my oven is broke, so I couldn’t test this out!)

Try this quick and easy meal for dinner and its sure to impress. You can cook it up in under 15 minutes and it has a great flavor combining the smokiness of the Chipotle seasoning with the sweet BBQ sauce.