Asian Peanut Noodles

Serve Hot Or Cold!

Ingredients:

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• Kosher salt
• 4 ounces soba (buckwheat) noodles
• 1/3 cup natural crunchy peanut butter
• 1/3 cup seasoned rice vinegar
• 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 to 2 teaspoons chili sauce (Sriracha)

Directions:

Boil a large pot of water. Add a pinch of salt and the noodles. Cook according to package directions, drain and rinse well.

Whisk peanut butter, vinegar, soy sauce and chili sauce in a large bowl until smooth. Add the noodles and toss until well coated. 

Serve immediately or chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

If chilling noodles, toss with 1 to 2 tablespoons water to loosen them before serving.

Sprinkle with chopped salted peanuts and sliced green onions if desired.

Serves 2

Salty Peanut Butter Cookies

No Flour Needed!

Ingredients:

1 cup peanut butter*

1 cup sugar

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

course sea salt

*Use regular peanut butter only.  Whipped peanut butter does not make a firm enough dough.

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Place oven racks in the upper and lower third of the oven.

In a medium bowl, mix the peanut butter, sugar, egg and vanilla until well combined. Spoon 1 tablespoon of mixture about 1 inch apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Flatten the mounds with the tines of a fork, making a crosshatch pattern on the cookies. Sprinkle coarse salt on top of the cookies.

Bake until golden around edges, about 10 minutes, switching the position of the pans halfway thorough baking. Transfer to racks to cool. 

Additions And Variations:

Add peanut butter chips, mini chocolate chips, or shredded coconut to the batter.  Turn them into PB&J cookies by making a thumb print indention in each cookie and adding jelly to it. Try peanut butter chocolate cookies by melting chocolate chips in the microwave and drizzling lines of chocolate over cookies with a fork.

Breakfast Brownie Bars

Grab One (or two) 

On The Way Out The Door

Ingredients:


1/4 pound butter (8 Tablespoons), melted and cooled
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 large eggs, room temperature1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 single serving packet hot cocoa mix
1 cup quick cooking oatmeal
1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup chopped nuts
1/3 cup mixed dried fruit, chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 9 X 9 inch baking pan.

Mix together melted butter, vanilla, and egg.  Stir in sugar and brown sugar.

Fold flour, baking soda, baking powder, and hot chocolate mix into butter mixture.  Add in oatmeal, chocolate chips, chopped nuts and dried fruit and stir until well mixed. 

Spread into prepared baking pan.  Batter will be thick - almost like cookie dough.  Bake for 25 to 30 minutes - until top looks set, edges start to pull away from the pan, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs (not batter) clinging to it.  Cool on wire rack and cut into 12 bars.

Serves 12

* Using a different size pan will slightly change the coking time.  A smaller pan will make thicker bars that take longer to cook.  A larger pan will make thinner bars that cook more quickly.

Ma Po Tofu

Chinese Braised Mushrooms and Tofu

Ingredients:


1 Tablespoon oil
4 cloves garlic, minced or 2 teaspoons prepared garlic
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
1 4.5 ounce can mushrooms, drained & chopped
1 tablespoon chile-garlic sauce
1 1/4 cups vegetable broth
2 Tablespoons dry sherry, rice wine, or water
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 14-ounce package firm tofu, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 8-ounce can water chestnuts, rinsed and coarsely chopped
1 Tablespoon water
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch

• 1 or 2 green onions, thinly sliced
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Directions:

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and ginger and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add mushrooms and chile-garlic sauce and cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the mushroom liquid has evaporated, 3 to 4 minutes.


Add broth, sherry, soy sauce, brown sugar, tofu and water chestnuts and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally and adjusting the heat as necessary to maintain a simmer, for 10 minutes to blend flavors.

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  Combine water and cornstarch in a small bowl. Stir the mixture into the saucepan and simmer until the sauce is thickened, about 2 minutes.  Sprinkle thinly sliced green onions on top.  Serve over rice.
  
  

Serves 4

Cherry Chicken

Sweet And Tangy Chicken

Ingredients:

1/2 cup dried cherries

1/4 cup apple juice

1/4 cup chicken stock

1/8 cup all purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 boneless, skinless chicken breast fillets

1/2 Tablespoon cooking oil
1/2 Tablespoon mustard (Dijon, or spicy brown)

Directions:

Combine cherries, apple juice, and chicken stock in a small bowl and set aside.

In a large zip-lock bag, combine flour, salt, and pepper.  Put chicken breasts in bag and shake to coat well.  Heat the oil in a skillet over medium high heat.  Once oil is hot, add chicken and cook for 5 minutes per side.  Remove chicken from heat and set it aside.

Pour cherries, juice, and stock mixture in the hot skillet.  Reduce heat to low and cook for 2 minutes, stirring gently to loosen any browned bits on the bottom of the pan.  Stir in mustard, then add chicken back into pan.  Cook for another 8 to 10 minutes until chicken is no longer pink and sauce has thickened.  Serve chicken with noodles or rice, with sauce drizzled over the top. 

Serves 2