chicken stir fry lettuce wraps

Since last night was not great for grilling, I tried this. It was really easy and a hit with all. I did add a handful of roasted cashews at the very end for some nice crunch!


ingredients

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, halved horizontally and thinly sliced
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 large red bell pepper, ribs and seeds removed, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch, mixed with 1 tablespoon water
12 to 16 Boston lettuce leaves, (about 2 heads)
Chicken Stir Fry Wraps

Serves 4 Prep time: 45 minutes Total time: 45 minutes

Season chicken with salt and pepper. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over high heat. Add half the chicken; cook, stirring constantly, until opaque throughout, 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with remaining chicken.
Add remaining tablespoon oil to pan, along with the onion and bell pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, until onion is tender and golden, about 4 minutes (reduce heat if browning too quickly).
Reduce heat to medium; add garlic, ginger, and red-pepper flakes; cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 to 60 seconds.
Stir in soy sauce, vinegar, and cornstarch mixture; remove from heat. Add chicken and any accumulated juices; toss to coat. Serve in lettuce cups.

virtual dinner group: Summer BBQs

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/eating-well/tilapia-amp-summer-vegetable-packets-recipe/index.html

Summer BBQs

Is everyone ready for unofficial beginning of summer? I love the season of grilling, salads, dining al fresco, and of course, nice cool beverages. My favorite bevarages are Katie's Sangria, and the following recipe that she shared with me for Beergaritas. With one group of our friends, this became a fast favorite! We haven't tried it frozen yet, but if it gets really hot this weekend, we just might have to!

Beergaritas

1 - 12 oz. can Frozen Limeade Concentrate
6 to 12 oz. Tequila
3 - 12 oz Mexican Style Beers (Corona, etc.)
Ice
Lime Slices for Garnish

In a pitcher, stir together the limeade and tequila until well-combined. Add the beers. Pour into individual glasses over ice; garnish with lime slices. To make frozen beergarita, reduce the total amount of beers to two, and combine the limeade concentrate and tequila in a blender with ice

181 calories, 26 grams carbs., trace fiber, trace protein, trace fat (no saturated), no cholesterol, 7 milligrams sodium**

What are you making this weekend?

How well are you treating the Moms in your life?

We will be going to my sister in law's to celebrate Mother's Day and my brother in law's Bday tomorrow morning. My s-i-l is making a Potato and Chorizzo Torta, a Tomato and cheese Pie, French Toast and Fruit Salad. I will be bring an Apricot-Peach-Cream Cheese Coffee Cake (original calls for Raspberry, http://www.bbonline.com/recipe/prairiepath_il_recipe2.html) and Pumpkin Bread (both are always a hit:). Then we'll head over to my folk's house to join my sister and her family in celebrating with my mom. Dad is in charge of the entree, so it'll most likely be beef and potatoes. Regina is taking care of appetizers and the non-chocolate dessert (for Dad and I). I'm excited as she always comes up with yummy delights:) I'm bring a side, a salad and a chocolate dessert. The side turned into Seasoned Salmon fillets cooked in wine (it's what I felt like:) and dessert is Samoa Kiss Brownies. http://www.girlscoutsww.org/cookies/recipes Even I'm looking forward to trying them, and I can't wait to hear Mom and Reg's opinion! Happy Mother's Day to you all! Enjoy your day and your families!

Desserts - Little Bites

Like many of you, my kids' school is celebrating Teacher Appreciation Week. They asked volunteers to bring in desserts to help them celebrate the teachers. I was thinking of little items, so they can try lots!

Yesterday, I had to bring in cupcakes to my daughter's preschool class. She wanted Chocolate ones and Strawberry ones. We made what we needed for class, the rest I made in mini-cupcakes and popped in the freezer for the teachers. 

I also think I am going to Ina Garten's Carrot Cake Cupcakes in mini-form. I made these for my oldest's first communion last year and loved them. (I am tempted to try them as sandwich cookies. I'll let you know if I do.)

Carrot Cake Cupcakes

2 c sugar

1 1/3 c veg oil

1 tsp vanilla

3 eggs

2 c flour

2 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp kosher salt

3 c grated carrots

1 c raisins

1 c chopped walnuts

Frosting:

3/4 lb cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 lb unsalted butter, room temp

1 tsp vanilla

1 lb confectioners' sugar

Preheat over to 350

Beat sugar, oil and vanilla. Add eggs, 1 at a time. In another bowl, sift together flour, innamon, baking soda & salt. On low speed, add 1/2 dry ingredients to the wet. Add carrots, raisins & walnuts to the remaining flour mix, mix well and add to the batter. Mix until just combined.

Line muffin pans with paper liners. Scoop batter into 22 muffin cups until each is 3/4 full. Bake at 400 for 10 minutes, then reduce to 350 for another 35 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean. Cool on rack.

For the frosting, cream the cream cheese, butter and vanilla. Add sugar and beat until smooth. When the cupcakes are cool, frost them generously and serve.

It’s Monday morning and there is NO FOOD IN MY HOUSE. Ugh. Since I need to get everything, I decided to get organized first, and do a little menu planning for the week.

Let’s help each other out ... what are you planning?

At Chez Habib, we’ll be eating on the run (or late, and therefore light):

Monday - Italian tomato and bread salad with grilled round steak (dinner in shifts, but it’s a nice day out and we watched the Food Network Steak Grilling Challenge last night — if you haven’t checked it out, Sam’s Club has great round steaks)
Tuesday - Cinco de Mayo Chicken and black bean enchiladas (we’re also bringing appetizers to the baseball game to have a little moveable fiesta)
Wednesday - Caesar salad with grilled chicken breasts (dinner in shifts again)
Thursday - Ratatouille (dinner in shifts again)
Friday - Grilled pizza (what are your favorite toppings?)

Share, share! Your menu this week may be my menu next week.

Cowboy Caviar Recipe please!

Sarah,

I love your Cowboy Caviar! In fact I think I ate the whole bowl of it when we were visiting this summer. Can you please share your recipe? I want to make it for a Cinco de Mayo party!

Thanks,