Thai Fresh Spring Rolls

Ingredients:

Rice paper rounds

Vermicelli rice noodles

Fresh thai (sweet) basil

Fresh cilantro

Shredded carrots

Green onions, cut into 2-inch long pieces

Cucumber, peel and thinly sliced lengthwise (3-inch long pieces)

Large cooked deveined shrimp, tails removed

Directions:

Fill a 10-inch glass pie plate with warm water. 

Place one rice paper into the water, gently presses down to get all sides evenly wet. 

When the rice paper reaches a soft, silky texture, carefully remove to a large plate. 

In the center of the round, layer basil, cilantro, cucumber, carrots, green onions, shrimp, and a generous clump of rice noodles. 

Carefully roll rice paper in the same manner as a burrito. Pull back over first, stretching until tight. Fold over each side and then tightly roll toward the front. 

Serve with Thai Spicy peanut sauce for dipping. 

* My recipe

Thai Iced Tea

Ingredients:

1 qt Water

1 Star anise, smashed

1 Inch Vanilla bean, chopped

6 Whole cloves

1/2 Stick cinnamon, smashed

1 t Orange peel

2 T English breakfast black tea leaves

1/2 C Honey

1 C Half and half, divided

Directions:

In a large pot, combine spices, tea, and water. Bring to a boil. 

Boil, stirring occasionally, for five minutes. 

Remove from heat. 

Stir in honey. 

Allow mixture to cool to room temperature. 

Strain using a Thai tea filter or colander lined with a coffee filter or fine wire mesh. 

(Can be refrigerated overnight at this point.)

Pour into glasses over generous amount of ice. Gently drizzle 1/4 C half and half on top of each serving. 

Yield: 4 Servings

Tip: If making the mix in bulk, use 3T of mix for one batch of tea.

* Adapted from http://www.thespicehouse.com/recipes/thai-iced-tea

Tom Kha Gai (Thai Lemongrass Coconut Milk Soup)

Ingredients:

2 14 oz Cans Chicken broth

1 Lemongrass stalk, cut into 1-inch pieces

1-inch Piece Fresh Ginger, peeled

1/4 C Fresh lime juice (about 2 limes) plus one additional lime for serving, cut into wedges

1 T Fresh Lime zest

1 lb Chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces

8 oz Can Straw mushrooms, peeled and cut in half lengthwise

2 C Full fat coconut milk, canned (shake thoroughly before opening)

1 T Brown sugar

1/4 C Fish sauce

1/2 C Fresh Thai (sweet) basil leaves

1/2 C Fresh Cilantro

Directions:

Lightly smash lemongrass and ginger. 

Bring lemongrass, ginger, lime juice, lime zest, and broth to a boil. 

Reduce heat and simmer 8-10 minutes. 

Strain broth, discard solids. 

Add chicken. Return to boil. Reduce heat to simmer. 

Add mushrooms and simmer, stirring occasionally until chicken is cooked through. 

Mix in coconut milk, brown sugar, and fish sauce. Simmer until well-combined and heated through. 

Serve immediately topped with basil, cilantro, and lime wedges.  

Yield: 4-5 Servings

* My recipe with half the credit going to my good friend Sarah

Slow-Cooker Beef Tamale Casserole

Ingredients:

1 lb Ground beef
1 Medium onion, chopped
4 oz Can Diced green chilies
11 oz Can corn, drained (or 1 3/4 C frozen corn)
1 t Mexican Seasoning
10 oz Can Red enchilada sauce (or 1 1/2 C Homemade Red Enchilada Sauce)
12 Corn tortillas
2 C Shredded cheese (monterey jack, cheddar, etc.)

Directions:

Spray slow-cooker with non-stick spray.

In a skillet, cook ground beef and onion until no longer pink. Drain, if necessary. Stir in green chilies, corn, mexican seasoning, and enchilada sauce. (This can be refrigerated overnight)

Place 4 tortillas in bottom of slow-cooker; top with 1/3 meat mixture. Sprinkle on 1/3 of the shredded cheese. Repeat twice except for last layer of cheese.

Cover; cook on low 3-4 hours or high 2-3, or until bubbly. Turn off heat. Top with remaining cheese. Cover and allow cheese to melt.

Top with sour cream and sliced green onions.

Yield: 6 Servings
Weight Watchers PointsPlus: 7 Points

* Adapted from http://www.landolakes.com/recipe/3476/slow-cooker-beef-tamale-casserole

Chocamole

Ingredients:

2 Avocados

1/3 C Cocoa Powder

1 t Vanilla Extract

1/2 C Maple Syrup

1/4 C Almond Milk (or milk of choice)

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. 

Yield: 4 Servings

* From http://emilylevenson.com/recipe-chocamole/

Rocky Mountain Barbecue Sauce

Ingredients:

3 T Brown Sugar

14 oz Ketchup

1/2 C Water

2 T Liquid Smoke

Salt and pepper, to taste

4 T Worcestershire Sauce

3 t Dry Mustard

2 t Celery Seed

6 T Butter

1/4 t Cayenne Pepper

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan. 

Bring to a boil, stirring occassionally. 

Reduce heat. Simmer for 10 minutes. 

* Recipe from my mom

Old-Fashioned Gingerbread

Ingredients:

1/2 C Sugar

1/2 C Butter, softened

1 Large Egg

1 C Molasses

2 1/2 C All-Purpose Flour

1 1/2 t Baking Soda

1 t Ground Cinnamon

1 t Ground Ginger

1/2 t Ground Cloves

1/2 t Salt

1 C Hot Water

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9-inch square pan.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the sugar and butter. Beat in the egg, and mix in the molasses.

Mix in the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. Blend thoroughly. Stir in the hot (boiling) water until fully mixed. Pour into the prepared pan.

Bake 45 minutes in the preheated oven, until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in pan before serving.

Yield: 9 Generous Servings

* Adapted from http://allrecipes.com/recipe/favorite-old-fashioned-gingerbread/detail.aspx

Apple Walnut Tart with Maple Custard

Ingredients:

For the Walnut Crust: 

2½ C Walnut pieces
4 T Unsalted butter, melted 
2 T Granulated sugar 
1 Egg white 
¼ t Kosher salt

For the Custard: 

¼ C Cornstarch 
¼ t Kosher salt 
1 C Heavy cream 
½ C Milk 
½ C Pure maple syrup 
2 t Vanilla extract 
4 Eggs

Rose Topping: 

2 Apples (We used Pacific Rose), quartered, cored, and thinly sliced (keep in lemon water until ready to use) 
Juice of 1 lemon 
¼ C Apricot jam, warmed (optional)

Directions:  

Make the Crust:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. 

In a food processor or chopper, pulse the walnuts until the are finely chopped, and the pieces are about the size of breadcrumbs. 

Place the chopped nuts in a large bowl and add the remaining ingredients, tossing together with a fork. 

Press the mixture evenly over the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. 

Bake for 15 minutes.

Make the Custard: 

In a medium pot, whisk the cornstarch and salt together. 

Slowly pour in the cream, milk, maple syrup, and vanilla, whisking, to avoid lumps. 

Place the pot over medium heat, and bring to a bare simmer. Turn the heat down to low. 

Crack the eggs into a small bowl, and ladle about a half cup of the hot cream mixture over the eggs, whisking to combine. Repeat with more hot cream, until the eggs are warmed. 

Pour the egg mixture into the pot with the remaining cream mixture, whisking vigorously. 

Continue to cook, whisking, until the mixture is hot and thickened (it should coat the back of a spoon). 

Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer, into a heat-safe vessel, and press cling wrap over the surface so that a skin will not form. Refrigerate until cooled.

Assemble the Tart: 

Spread the maple custard in the walnut tart shell. 

Warm the apple slices in the microwave until pliable. 

Roll a slice of apple into a tight spiral and stand it up vertically in the custard. Continue to arrange apple slices in a concentric pattern, around the first one, building a rose pattern. 

Warm the apricot jam, and thin it with lemon juice. Brush this glaze over the apples, for shine and to prevent browning (optional). 

Yield: 10 Servings

* Adapted from http://hipfoodiemom.com/2013/10/30/guest-post-apple-walnut-tart-with-maple-custard-from-baking-a-moment/

Taco Salad Dressing

Ingredients:

1 C Sour cream

1/4 C Mild salsa

1/4 t Mexican Seasoning

1/8 t Dried Cilantro

Combine all ingredients. Refrigerate overnight. 

* My Recipe