Ingredients

Servings 4-6

• 2 small jars of red curry paste
• 2 (15 ounce) can coconut milk (I use light)
• 1/2 cup fresh basil or if you don’t have it on hand, 2 ounces of dried basil
• 4-6 teaspoons fish sauce
• 4 tablespoons brown sugar
• ²⁄₃ cup chicken stock
• ¹⁄₂ red bell pepper
• ¹⁄₂ green pepper
• ¹⁄₂ yellow pepper ( I use the mixed small sweet ones in a bag)
• 1 big onion (yellow or white)
• 4 chicken breasts (optional) OR shrimp that has been grilled

Serve with Brown Rice-if you don’t have a rice maker and you have trouble with having inconsistent brown rice, use Alton Browns Brown Rice (cooked in the oven) recipe that is fail-safe (http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/baked-brown-rice-recipe.html)!

Directions

1. In a medium saucepan combine curry paste (If you want it spicy have two jars available) with 2 cans of coconut milk. (I use light coconut milk to save calories/fat).
2. Simmer for 5 minutes. Add basil, Fish Sauce, Brown sugar, chicken stock, and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.
3. While you are simmering — sauté the chopped peppers (1 or 2 inch pieces) and chopped onion in a frying pan or wok lightly with light olive oil.
4. Fry lightly peppered chicken breasts till cooked through or grill shrimp that has quickly (1 hour or less) in a little lemon, salt and light olive oil.
5. Place sautéed peppers and onions on bowls of rice and spoon curry sauce over rice. You can either use curry sauce to lightly flavor rice or more as a soupy type mixture. I use short grain brown rice — but any type is fine. Add cut chicken breast or shrimp if desired.

Beer Battered Chicken and Cornbread Waffles with Bang-Bang Sauce

~I was driving down the road and trying to imagine an improved way to make the chicken and waffles that I have eaten but have been very disappointed in at restaurants. These are a tasty version certified by family and foodies in my office.  By the way the cornbread waffles are easy and awesome with chili.  I like them much better than your run-of-the-mill (no pun intended) cornbread muffins. ~

Bang-Bang Sauce:

1 1/2   Cup of Mayonnaise (I prefer Dukes)

¾ Cup Thai Sweet Chili Sauce

14 Drops or more of Sriracha Sauce

• Make this first since it is easy and you can get it out of the way. Stir the ingredients together.

Beer Battered Chicken:

4 Boneless Chicken Breasts, cut up in bite size pieces

2 Cups of Flour

1 Tablespoon or so of Old Bay Seasoning (to taste)

1 Teaspoon of dry Basil

1 Teaspoon of Kosher Salt (to taste)

1 Tablespoon Baking Soda

2 Eggs, beaten

12 oz. of beer

• Mix flour, baking soda, salt, basil and Old Bay Seasoning. Then add beer and eggs to the mix. Let it sit as well in the fridge for about 15 minutes so that the batter isn’t doughy. Fry up a test piece to change things like batter consistency (can add water) or taste.
• When you have things ready, fry in oil in batches then put them in a 325 degree oven on a rack.

Yummy Cornbread Waffles:

2 boxes of Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix (makes eight Belgian Waffles: it may be too many but left overs are tasty)

2 Eggs

1 ½ cups of Milk

4 Tablespoons Shortening (I used Coconut Oil), Melted

• Mix this next so that it can sit in the fridge while you make your other things. When you have the oven ready (325 degrees) to put them on a rack when they are done.

1. Mix the Bang-Bang Sauce.
2. Make the Beer Batter and put in fridge for about 15 minutes.
3. Heat the oil to 375 degree.
4. Start the waffles. A Belgian waffle maker is the best. Spray non-stick cooking stuff on the griddle. Cook until the steam stops even if the waffle maker registers it as done. Put them in the oven when done.
5. Fry the chicken in batches and put them in the oven.
6. Serve 5 or 6 pieces on top of a waffle with Bang-Bang on top. You can garnish with spring onions or parsley if you choose.

Recipe taken from Southern Living, June 2013

This is as wonderful as it looks.  Since it is the first dish I photographed, I have put in first in the blog.  I also bought a tart pan with a removable bottom from Amazon just for this awesome dish. Enjoy!

Tomato-Goat Cheese Tart with Lemon-Basil Vinaigrette

Serves 6

• Cheesecloth or coffee filter
• ¾ cup whole milk ricotta cheese
• Vegetable cooking spray
• 1 ¾ cups finely crushed butter round crackers (about 42)
• 6 Tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 6 Tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• 6 ounces goat cheese, softened
• 6 green onions, sliced (about ½ cup)
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
• 2 teaspoon lemon zest

Lemon–Basil Vinaigrette (I think it would have been fine just without this or with a little Newman’s Own Olive Oil and Vinegar)

~Blend all of the following ingredients in a food processor until smooth~

• 1 cup firmly packed fresh basil leaves
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil* (see below)
• 1 Tablespoon Champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 garlic clove minced

1. Line a fine wire mesh strainer with 3 layers of cheesecloth or 1 coffee filter. Place strainer over a bowl. Spoon ricotta into strainer. Let stand at room temperature 2 hours: discard liquid.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 12 X 4 inch tart pan with cooking spray. Stir together crushed crackers, next 2 ingredients, and ½ teaspoon pepper: firmly press on bottom and sides of pan.  Place on baking sheet.
3. Bake at 350 for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack 35 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, toss tomatoes with ½ teaspoon salt and remaining pepper. Let stand 30 minutes.
5. Stir together goat cheese, next 3 ingredients, strained ricotta, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt in a bowl until smooth. Spoon gently into prepared crust and spread to edges.
6. Back at 350 for 20 to 25 minutes or until lightly browned.
7. Spoon tomatoes over warm tart, using a slotted spoon. Serve immediately with Lemon-Basil Vinaigrette.

* Use tasty olive oil.  In all my tasting of olive oils at specialty stores, I go back with the Cook’s Country number #2 choice of the best olive oil: It is Lucini Italia, Premium Select.  Walmart sells it!