Adventure #8: Gourmet Asian Stir Fry

You don't have to have a lot of time to cook to make gourmet food. With just a few quality ingredients, and a little bit of innovation, you can make something delicious in under 30 minutes. Tonight, I made and ate this tasty asian stir fry in less than an hour. Try it out and you will enjoy it!

Gourmet Asian Stir Fry (in under 30 minutes)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups cooked white rice
• 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast
• salt
• 2 Tablespoons Private Selection Signature Asian Rub (Available at King Soopers)
• You can also make your own rub by mixing the following ingredients:
• 1 Tablespoon sesame seeds
• 1 Tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 Tablespoon sweet pepper flakes
• 3/4 Tablespoon red pepper flakes
• 1/2 Tablespoon green chile pepper
• 2 teaspoons ground turmeric
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 cup frozen stir fry vegetables
• 1-2 Tablespoons soy sauce

Procedure:

1. Season whole chicken breast with salt and the Asian rub. Sear the chicken breast over medium-high heat in a lightly oiled skillet. Cook for 1-2 minutes on each side (or until browned). The chicken probably won't be cooked all the way through. Slice the chicken breast into strips and return to skillet.
2. Add stir fry vegetables and soy sauce to pan and cook, stirring regularly until the vegetables are cooked through.
3. To form the rice tower shown in the picture, pack rice into a 1 cup measuring cup or other smooth sided cup that can be used as a form. Invert the cup onto the serving plate and gently tap on cup until the rice comes free (a plastic or metal cup would probably work best). 
4. Arrange half of the stir fry mixture around the base of the rice and pour a small amount of the sauce formed in the pan onto the top.
5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 for the second serving.
6. Enjoy!

Adventure #7: Pumpkin Pie Crepes

It's the day after the day after Thanksgiving and I haven't eaten any pumpkin pie yet. What can I do to put a new spin on this holiday favorite? How about some crepes . . . filled with pumpkin pie? Yes, please! Try it out and you will enjoy it!

Pumpkin Pie Crepes

Ingredients:

• For custard filling (courtesy of Taste of Home):
• 1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup half-and-half cream
• 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1-1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• chopped pecans (my addition, sprinkle into crepe during assembly)
• For crepes (courtesy of Alton Brown):
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 cup flour
• 3 tablespoons melted butter
• Butter, for coating the pan
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (my addition)
• For whipped cream topping:
• 1 package (8 oz) cream cheese
• 1 pint heavy whipping cream
• 1/4 cup (approximately) white sugar
• 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Procedure:

1. Begin by mixing the ingredients for the custard filling in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook until the filling thickens slightly (it won't get as thick as actual pumpkin pie, but with an extra egg, it might get a little thicker than it did when I made it). When cooked, remove from heat and set it aside to prepare the remaining components of the dish.
2. Mix all of the ingredients for the crepes in a blender until no lumps remain. (Be sure to include both the milk and the water, or the batter will be too thick and will taste a lot like flour. Don't ask me how I know.) Cook crepes by ladling out a small amount of batter into a hot buttered skillet and spreading by tilting the skillet to spread the batter. Each crepe should only take about 20 seconds to cook. As each one is cooked, slide them out of the pan (a nonstick skillet works best) onto a plate with the other crepes.
3. Mix all of the ingredients for the whipped cream topping using a hand mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form. (It might take a little while and there might still be a few little chunks of cream cheese mixed in, but it tastes amazing!)
4. Assemble each crepe by spooning some of the custard into a crepe and sprinkling some chopped pecans onto the custard filling. Fold the sides of the crepe over to form a finished roll (be sure to assemble on the plate you are serving the crepes on. They will fall apart if you try to move them!). A good sized serving is two crepes per person (this recipe should make plenty for a family of five).
5. Pipe whipped topping onto the plated crepes and garnish with a pecan half and a sprig of mint. (To pipe the cream, I just used a plastic bag with the corner cut off.)
6. Serve with bacon and eggs or your favorite breakfast proteins. :)
7. Enjoy!

Adventure #6: Biscuit-topped Chicken Pot Pie

What to make with a can of chicken? I was too lazy to take any meat out of the freezer to make something delicious, but luckily, I did have a can of chicken that I could transform into an amazing culinary adventure in under 30 minutes. Try it out and you will enjoy it!

Biscuit-topped Chicken Pot Pie

Ingredients:

• 1 large can of chicken (if you aren't as lazy as I was, you can used a cooked, chopped chicken breast)
• 1/2 cup mirepoix (that's a fancy french word meaning a mix of diced carrots, onions, and celery. I used a frozen mix that I found at King Soopers, which made it super quick to cook)
• 1 clove minced garlic
• 1-2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 2-3 Tablespoons flour (to thicken the stew part)
• 1 cup chicken broth (I used chicken bouillon) or stock (if you are feeling fancy)
• 1/2 cup green beans or green peas (you have to have something green in there, besides the celery that is)
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1-2 cups biscuit mix (aka Bisquick)
• enough water to make a wet biscuit dough

Procedure:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Saute mirepoix and garlic in oil until tender (use a small saucepan to make a 2 serving meal).
3. Add flour and toast lightly in oil to bring out the flavor (it will turn into a golden brown paste in the bottom of the pan mixed with the veggies).
4. Add broth to pan while stirring to incorporate veggies and flour mixture. The broth will thicken. Add chicken to the pan with green beans or peas. The stew portion of the pot pie is complete.
5. To make biscuit top, mix Bisquick with water until a wet dough forms (you should use a fork to break up any lumps. The dough will also be very sticky).
6. Evenly spoon dough onto top of stew mixture in pan, covering as much of the stew as possible.
7. Bake entire pan until the biscuit top is golden brown, 10-15 minutes (be sure to use a saucepan with an oven-safe handle!)
8. Scoop out individual portions and serve! (if it turns out like mine, you will have plenty of biscuit on top to serve the top-most part with honey as a dessert afterwards)
9. Enjoy!