Thai Crunch Salad

California Pizza Kitchen Thai Crunch Salad

Servings: 4

Lime-Cilantro Dressing:
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/2 cup coarsely chopped cilantro
1/4 cup minced red bell pepper
1/4 cup honey
4 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons sesame oil
2 teaspoons lime juice
2 cloves garlic
dash salt
dash ground black pepper

Spicy Peanut Sauce:
1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter
6 tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 tablespoon chili sauce (or chili-garlic sauce)
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon minced ginger
1/2 cup water

2 to 3 cups vegetable oil or vegetable shortening
8 wonton wrappers
handful bean threads
4 small skinless chicken breast fillets
1 cup cooked edamame
1 cup lightly salted cocktail peanuts
12 cups chopped napa cabbage, chopped (1 large head)
2 cups thinly sliced red cabbage
2 cups shredded or julienned carrot
1 cup julienned cucumber
4 green onions, chopped (green part only)

Make lime-cilantro dressing by combining all ingredients in a blender on high speed for 20 seconds, or until cilantro is chopped fine, but not entirely pureed. Cover and chill. Make spicy peanut sauce by combining all ingredients in a small saucepan over medium/low heat. Heat until sauce is hot, but not boiling, and sugar is dissolved. Pour mixture into a blender and blend for about 20 seconds. Cover and chill. Flatten chicken breasts by covering them with plastic wrap and pounding them thin with a kitchen mallet. Rub oil on each breast, sprinkle each with a little salt and pepper, and grill for 3 to 4 minutes per side or until done. Wrap and chill the cooked chicken.

Make crispy wontons by heating 2 cups of vegetable shortening or oil in a medium saucepan to 375 degrees. Slice a stack of 8 wonton wrappers into 1/4-inch wide strips. Slice those strips in half. Fry them in hot oil for about 30 seconds or until light brown Drain on paper towels.

Fry a big handful of beans threads in hot on "for about 10 seconds or until they float to the top of the oil. Drain on paper towels. Cook edmame following the directions on the package. If the soybeans are in the pods, remove them and chill the beans after they have cooked. Toast the peanuts by heating them up in a skillet over medium/low heat for 3 to 4 minutes or just until starting to brown. Immediately remove them from the heat so that they don't burn.

Now you're ready to build the salads. For each serving, combine 3 cups napa cabbage, 1/2 cup red cabbage, 1/2 cup carrot, 1/4 cup cucumber, 1/4 cup edamame, 1/4 cup toasted peanuts, 1/4 cup crispy wontons, and a couple tablespoons of chopped green onion in a large bowl. Thinly slice a cold chicken breast into bite-size pieces and add it to the salad. Pour 4 to 5 tablespoons of cilantro-lime dressing over the salad and toss well.

Carefully pour tossed salad onto a serving plate. Sprinkle about 1/2 cup crispy bean threads on top of the salad. Spoon spicy peanut sauce into a squirt bottle and squirt the sauce in a sweeping motion over the top of the salad. repeat for remaining salads.

Olive Oil-Balsamic Dipping Sauce

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Makes 6 servings

Chicken Parmesan

2-4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

1/2 cup bread crumbs

1/4 cup parmesan cheese

1/2 t Italian Seasoning

1/4 t black pepper

1/4 t kosher salt

1 T olive oil

1 beaten egg

sliced mozzarella cheese

favorite jarred marinara sauce

The Directions:

spread the 1 T of olive oil into the bottom of your crockpot stoneware insert

whip the egg with a fork in a separate bowl

mix the bread crumbs with the seasonings and the parmesan cheese in another separate dish

dip the chicken into the egg, then into the bread crumb mixture, coating both sides with crumbs, cheese and seasonings

place the chicken breast pieces in the bottom of the crock

layer 2-3 slices of mozzarella cheese on top

Source

--cover with entire jar of marinara sauce

--close lid and cook on low for 6-7 hours or high for 3-4. If your chicken is still frozen, it will take longer.

Serve with your favorite pasta. We chose penne brown rice pasta from Trader Joe's.

Homemade Ranch Dressing

Ingredients

• 1 clove (to 2 Cloves) Garlic
• Salt To Taste
• ¼ cups Italian Flat-leaf Parsley
• 2 Tablespoons Fresh Chives
• 1 cup (real) Mayonnaise
• ½ cups Sour Cream
• Buttermilk (as Needed To Desired Consistency)
• White Vinegar (optional, To Taste)
• Worcestershire Sauce (optional, To Taste)
• Fresh Dill (optional, To Taste)
• Cayenne Pepper (optional, To Taste)
• Paprika (optional, To Taste)
• Fresh Oregano (optional, To Taste)
• Tabasco (optional, To Taste)

Preparation Instructions

Mince the garlic with a knife and then sprinkle about an 1/8 to ¼ teaspoons of salt on it and mash it into a paste with a fork. Chop the parsley, chives and any of the optional herbs very finely and add to the garlic.

In a bowl combine all ingredients, adding other optional ingredients as you wish, tasting frequently and adjusting seasonings as needed. Chill for a couple of hours before serving, thin with milk or buttermilk if desired.

(Don’t overdo the garlic or you’ll be up all night, emailing me about your heartburn.)

Source

Crash Hot Potatoes

Ingredients

• 12 whole New Potatoes (or Other Small Round Potatoes)
• 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• Kosher Salt To Taste
• Black Pepper To Taste
• Rosemary (or Other Herbs Of Choice) To Taste

Preparation Instructions

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add in as many potatoes as you wish to make and cook them until they are fork-tender.

On a sheet pan, generously drizzle olive oil. Place tender potatoes on the cookie sheet leaving plenty of room between each potato.

With a potato masher, gently press down each potato until it slightly mashes, rotate the potato masher 90 degrees and mash again. Brush the tops of each crushed potato generously with more olive oil.

Sprinkle potatoes with kosher salt, fresh ground black pepper and fresh chopped rosemary (or chives or thyme or whatever herb you have available.)

Bake in a 450 degree oven for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.

Source

Cheesy Chicken Muffins

Ingredients:

• 1 can Pillsbury dough
  
• 1-2 cups Shredded Chicken
• 3/4 cup Cream Cheese
• 1 tablespoon Dried or Fresh Chopped Onion (optional)
• 1/2 Finely Diced Red Pepper
• 2 Tablespoons Milk
• 1/4 tsp Dried Thyme
• Salt & Pepper to Taste
• 1 Tablespoon Parmesan Cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix all of the ingredients in a bowl.
3. Cut dough into squares and place in muffin tin that has been covered with cooking spray.
4. Put a large spoonful of mixture inside and seal by twisting the top shut.
5. Spray or brush with butter sprinkle parmesan cheese and thyme on top.
6. Bake for 20 minutes.

Source

Applesauce Granita with Maple Yogurt

Granita:
2 cups unsweetened applesauce
juice from 1/4 lemon

Mix together in a shallow pan and place in freezer for 1 hour.

Yogurt topping:
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 tsp maple syrup (or honey)
1/4 tsp cinnamon

Mix ingredients together in a separate bowl.

Remove granita from freezer and stir/scrape it apart with a spoon/fork to create a 'shaved ice' texture. Spoon into a dessert bowl and top with a spoonful of the yogurt topping.