New Recipe Night: Basil Chicken Thai Pasta

Think The Cheesecake Factory's Chicken Thai Pasta....yum, right? One of my favorite items on their gigantic menu. I never imagined that I would unknowingly recreate it (well, kinda) at home in my own kitchen!!! This is a much less spicy version (next time I will do something to change that) and oh so rich. The recipe called for Thai noodles but I switched it up to mimic TCF's recipe and used linguine instead. Easy, easy recipe...don't be intimidated by the name! By the way, you can find the Progresso Recipe Starters right next to the Progresso soup. 

Ingredients:

*1/2 package linguine
*1 can Progresso Recipe Starters creamy parmesan-basil cooking sauce
*1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
*1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
*1 Tbsp soy sauce
*1 package uncooked chicken breast pieces for stir fry
*2 Tbsp chopped roasted peanuts
*Cilantro (optional for garnish)



Directions:


1) Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain noodles; rinse with cold water. Set aside.

2) Meanwhile, in medium bowl, beat cooking sauce, peanut butter, lime juice and soy sauce with whisk until smooth; set aside.

3) Spray 10-inch skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook and stir 4 to 5 minutes or until no longer pink in center. Add sauce mixture; heat to boiling, stirring frequently. Stir in noodles until thoroughly mixed. Sprinkle with peanuts and cilantro. Serve immediately.


Hubby approved! Baby approved!! Leftover city!!! The meal that keeps on giving! Lots of exclamation points!!!! Next time, there will be spice! Oh yeah, one more thing.....ENJOY!!!

Sweet Your Heart Out: Sour Cream Apple Pie

I'm writing this post from the comfort of my favorite spot on the couch with the smell of apple pie wafting through the house. Ah, relaxation. Since beginning my journey in the kitchen last year I've been blindsided by a few recipes. This just happens to be one of them. It caught me off guard and left me wondering why I'd never heard of it before. While at a patient's home on a chilly day last week I was offered a small slice of a pie that her caregiver had whipped up earlier that day. But I quickly (and politely) declined after hearing the term "sour cream"....yuck. Not a fan. Never have been and probably never will be. I stood my ground during two more pie offerings until she finally made me take a bite of it. Um, hello flavor. Nice to see you (or taste you, I should say). Sour cream + apples = genius. Yum. Yum. Yum. If you haven't tried this combo you must give it a shot.....and if you have already tried it then hopefully this is a more simple version for you to whip up. Twenty minute prep time! Oh and FYI, I left the peel on the apples....I'm not sure why....my patient made me promise to do so....so I did. 

Ingredients:

*1 cup sour cream
*1 egg
*3/4 cup sugar
*2 Tbsp flour
*1/4 tsp salt
*2 1/2 cups diced apples
*1 unbaked 9 inch pie crust

Crumb topping:
*1/2 cup brown sugar
*1/4 cup butter
*1/3 cup flour
*1 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

1) Beat sour cream and egg together. Add flour, sugar, salt and vanilla. Mix until smooth.

2) Stir in apples (I left them unpeeled for fear that my patient would come hunt me down if I peeled them)

3) Pour mixture into pie crust. Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes.

4) Mix the crumb topping ingredients until crumbly.

5) Remove pie from oven and spread topping over pie. Continue baking for 20 more minutes.

I can't give an accurate description of the taste of this pie although I wish I could. Is it tacky to cut out a slice before I drop it off at the church?? Ha! The pie will find a home at the church tomorrow for the spaghetti dinner fundraiser tomorrow night. I'll try to arrive early and snag a slice of it. Oh yeah, one more thing.....ENJOY!!!