Do you like Thai? Sure. Do you like shirt?

(oh yes, that's steam rising over the chicken, eggs, & onions)

Mike and I have discovered Sweet and Sour, my new favorite place to shop. It's an Asian grocery store; the one in Clinton is kept by Anna and her sweet Beagle, Younggi. They have everything there: miso, edamame, sesame oil, chopsticks, bowls, rice, nori, udan, pickled plums, and Japanese snacks that Mike remembers from his childhood years there.

It. Is. Awesome.

So the other day I figured I'd try some homemade Pad Thai. Of course I had to do chicken instead of prawn, as Mike's allergic to shrimp. I think next time I'll add another green onion, peanuts, lime, and some red pepper: this initial version wasn't nearly spicy enough for us. But it's nice to have the hookup on Asian groceries from a vendor that's local and more authentic than our Kroger.

Swedish Chicken

Helen, this one's for you.

This is my favorite go-to dish for a shower or other casual get together. I can't tell you how many times Mom and I have figured a meal around this main course. Other than the delectable flavor, I like it because the dried beef actually gives the dish a flash of red every now and then, with the rest of the dish being rather pink. It looks great with a simple green salad. Why the women of my family call it Swedish Chicken, I will never know. Even the flag doesn't have red or pink in it!

I guess it's akin to our name for Russian creme, but at least that red dish makes sense.

I have been known to add a can of artichoke hearts to give it a little flavor kick. Would have posted a photo of the last batch I made, but intead of grabbing sour cream at the Kroger, don't you know I grabbed cottage cheese! The flavor was still awesome, but the dish wasn't as, ah, visually appealing as I'd like it to be. Probably wouldn't have made you want to go home and put it on the table. But once you've made it the "right" way below, if you have some extra cottage or ricotta cheese lying around, yeah, you can substitute.

It takes THREE hours to cook this in the oven, but it reheats beautifully. So if you want it for a friday dinner, maybe cook it when you're home Thursday night so you won't have to take off work Friday afternoon to put the chicken in the oven.

Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 strips bacon
1 jar Armor sliced dried beef
½ pint sour cream
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 small can sliced mushrooms
¼ cup white wine (optional)
2 cups cooked rice

1. Preheat oven to 275°.
2. Wrap each uncooked chicken breast with a strip of uncooked bacon.
3. Line bottom of an 8-inch square pan with dried beef.
4. Place wrapped Chicken breasts in the pan on top of the beef.
5. Pour mixture of sour cream, mushrooms, wine, and mushroom soup over chicken and bake uncovered at 275° for three hours.
6. Serves 4 with rice.

Photo courtesy of Top News.

Would-Be Gardener

After the war, my grandfather in Arkansas was a farmer. I remember traveling through the Delta as a little girl, making notes on the status of soybeans, corn, and cotton, and counting the number of sections on irrigation systems so I could give him a full report once we arrived in Morriliton. To this day, cotton that's two feet high means that school's around the corner. Along with crops, Grandpapa raised the most beautiful cows, and we still have a little farm out from Menifee, which I love to visit.

I suppose then that there is a genetic explanation for my lethargic love of dirt. The smell, the feel, the simple nuturing vitamins emanating from a spongy, dark clod of dirt is as good for me as a cup of coffee and a pound of dark chocolate.

I'm not saying I'm a GOOD gardener.... Just that once I get into it, it's a good day.

My stepmother, now SHE's a great gardener. As long as I've known her, she has engineered exquisite creations both inside and outside the house, in dirt, pots, vases, whatever she touches works beautifully. I remember once she'd worked all afternoon on quail herbed from her own garden. My sweet little sister was about 2 years old. She took one bite, looked at me with her big blue eyes, and matter-of-factly said, "This tastes like dirt. I know. I've had it before."

So so here's my attempt at giving food the delectable taste of dirt. The above photo shows my purchases this morning: from the left, two cilantro, four mint (will probably move them into the yard once they grow up and out of the pot), one flat-leaf parsley, and a rosemary.

I love how once they were re-potted, they all took a collective deep, relaxing sigh and seem to like their new homes. It's like they're stretching out and settling in. Kind of the same reaction as I have in the hot tub with Mike and a glass of champagne.

So much for my Valentine's Day manicure.

Glimpse into the Future

Went to Wal-Mart this morning and picked up a step in preparation of ski season. I set it on the conveyor belt at the check-out, smiling and nodding briefly at the elderly gentleman behind me. Because EVERYONE in Clinton makes small talk, he said the only thing that came to him:

"You're sure gonna cook up some great stuff on that!"

And all I could do was smile and respond, "Yes Sir, I sure am."

Wait for it......

Can you hear it? Spring's on its way!

Amish Cinnamon Bread

Once upon a time, my good friend Linda gave me the starter for Amish bread. Though a rather complicated little recipe, the finished result was absolutely lovely. The only problem was that you ended up with several starters that you needed to give a friend and hope they give one back so you could cook it again later, or you might never taste this delicious bread again! Or you could keep making Amish bread every 10 days, which would be great if we had a bigger family. But between just the two of us, Mike and I started feeling rather Amish after the third batch..

Then I stumbled upon the recipe for the starter in Recipes and Remembrances from the Sanderson Farms Family, a lovely cookbook to benefit the American Cancer Society, given to me for Christmas by my good friend Cindy.

So here you go, the recipe in its entirety, with no mystery starter. It's also very good with raisins, fresh blueberries, dried apricots or cranberries, or your favorite fruit.

Why the Amish are supposed to have ziploc bags, I will never know.

Employee: Jane Dennis
Location: Collins Production

Starter
1 cup self-rising flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup milk

Combine flour, milk, and sugar in a glass bowl.
Stir with a wooden spoon.
Do not refrigerate.
Place mixture in a Ziploc gallon bag.
Let it stand at room temperature for 1 day.

For the following 4 days, with the starter remaining in the Ziploc bag (do not open the bag), kneed and squeeze the dough.

On Day 6, open the bag and add:
1 cup self-rising flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup milk
Squeeze and knead to mix.

Days 7, 8, and 9, squeeze the bag but do not open.

Day 10, add:
1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1 cup milk
Squeeze to mix.

Mix is ready to use and makes five loaves of bread. You can separate the starter in to five individual gallon Ziploc bags and freeze for later use or share with friends.

Cinnamon Bread
1 cup starter (from recipe above)
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup canola oil
3 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large box vanilla instant pudding
2 Tablespoons cinnamon
2 cups self-rising flour
1/2 cup milk

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Spray 2 glass bread pans with non-stick cooking oil.
3. Sprinkle sugar/cinnamon mix (2 Tablespoons sugar and teaspoon cinnamon) on bottom of pans.
4. Mix ingredients as listed in order on recipe, stirring well.
5. Pour into prepared pans.
6. Bake at 325 degrees for 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean.
7. Sprinkle top with more cinnamon/sugar mix if desired.

Photo courtesy kreativekuisine.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Hope you and yours have a truly lovely day!