What a day!

So I awoke this morning like a kid on christmas morning...Is that odd? I was so excited to go to Wegmans to start this project. So I went over all my recipes and wrote down my list...seemed simple enough. Some asian/thai oils and spices some chicken. Easy enough, right? WRONG. If you're going to start a food blog in an attempt to keep sane AND not spend a ton of money...Dont start with thai food. My lord I bought so many oils, sauces and spices. Italian would have been MUCH cheaper...but Thank God I did this particular recipe because it was amazing!! I'm so excited to have it in my recipe box now. First of all I am a tough cookie when it comes to Thai peanut sauce, do not ask me where that comes from, but all the sauces Ive tried in stores just aren't that great, but this recipe was perfect! My boyfriend, Eric, was skeptical of this particular recipe, I even told him if it turns out terribly we can have pizza. Pressures On! So this afternoon Eric and I went to the Rochester Museum & Science Center and the Planetarium! Fun afternoon and we even tolerated the YMCA summer program kids on their field trip. So as soon as I got home it was cooking time. First I started with the peanut sauce because lets face it if I screwed that up the meal was donzo. It was incredibly easy to make and besides practically going to Thailand to get all the ingredients it was fun and delish. Next I started the Coconut Cilantro Rice. I am truly impressed when people cool rice well, I always have trouble, but besides taking a bit longer than expected, the rice turned out well. Looks kind of like sticky rice but tasted great. I ran into a problem though-I am skeptical when it comes to Cilantro, sometimes it annoys me in dishes but I'll tolerate it in salsas and some dishes but its not my favorite herb. So in Wegmans I was slightly appalled when I had to pay 1.99 for a giant bushel of it. Really Wegmans? I swear I'm only going to use a tiny bit and I don't even like you, cant we make a deal. But sigh I took the cilantro and figured what the hay!? Well after my rice is simmering and I'm ready to plate I flipping cant find the cilantro. Okay funny trick. I look in the fridge. Nada. Search the Thai sauce filled counter tops. Nothing. Did I leave it in the bags? Nope. Oh dear god if I get in my car tomorrow and it smells like cilantro I will laugh and never doubt the cilantro gods again. So Sauce done. Rice Done. Now just throw the chicken on the stove with that sauce and be done.

Overall it was great!!! I really recommend it, it was easy, delicious and my boyfriend didn't even make me order pizza. He said and I quote "Oh man this is so great, even the rice is good, it compliments the chicken so well" a few bites later..."and this sauce...so good!" So even Eric, who didn't even think he liked Thai, is now a convert! Hopefully he doesn't get sick of it when I put it on every dish because it was that good!



Thai Chicken 'Mole'
(makes 2 servings)

Ingredients:
1 cup Thai spicy peanut sauce
1/2 cup chicken stock
2 pound chicken breasts (boneless and skinless)
1/2 cup jack and cheddar cheese (grated)
1 handful cilantro (chopped)
1 handful roasted peanuts (chopped)
1 birds eye chili (sliced)

Directions:
1. Mix the peanut sauce and chicken stock in a pan and bring to a boil.
2. Reduce the heat, add the chicken, cover in the sauce and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes.
3. Sprinkle the cheese onto the chicken, cover and cook until it melts, a few minutes.
4. Serve garnished with fresh chopped cilantro, peanuts and chilies.

Thai spicy peanut sauce
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon peanut oil
1 tablespoon panang curry paste or red curry paste
1/4 cup coconut milk
1/4 cup chicken stock
3 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon chili sauce (or 1 birds eye chili, sliced)
2 tablespoons peanut butter
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons peanuts (roasted and crushed)

Directions:
1. Heat the oil in a pan.
2. Add the panang curry and saute until fragrant.
2. Add everything else and simmer to thicken it a bit, about 2-3 minutes.



Cilantro and Lime Rice
(makes 4+ side dish servings)

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon oil
1/2 onion (chopped)
1 clove garlic (chopped)
1 cup long grained rice (I like to use brown)
2 cups water
1 handful cilantro (chopped)
1 lime (juice and zest)

Directions:
1. Heat the oil in a pan.
2. Add the onion and saute until tender, about 5-7 minutes.
3. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about a minute.
4. Add the rice and toast in the oil for a few minutes.
5. Add the water, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer, covered until tender, about 20 minutes for white rice or 40-50 minutes for brown.
6. Remove from the heat and mix in the cilantro, lime juice and zest.


Again I apologize for my crappy picture, need to work on presentation and also not take the pictures with my phone. Hopefully that will improve along with my cooking skills. Thoughts, Questions, Comments? Hope you guys try the recipe...it will be worth it, I promise!!

Thanks to Closet Cooking for the recipes!