Amish Friendship Bread

Source: Unknown

Servings: 2 loaves
Prep Time: 10 minutes (after waiting 10 days!)
Bake Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 10 days + 1 hr. 10 minutes

Ingredients & Directions:

Do not use any type of metal spoon or bowl for mixing.
Do not refrigerate.
If air gets in the bag, let it out.
It is normal for batter to rise, bubble, and ferment.

Day 1: Do nothing
Day 2: Mash the bag
Day 3: Mash the bag
Day 4: Mash the bag
Day 5: Mash the bag
Day 6: Add to the bag: 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup milk, and then mash the bag
Day 7: Mash the bag
Day 8: Mash the bag
Day 9: Mash the bag
Day 10: Follow the instructions:

1. Pour the entire contents of the bag into a non-metal bowl.
2. Add 1 ½ cups flour, 1 ½ cups sugar, and 1 ½ cups milk. Stir with a non-metal spoon. It will be a bit lumpy.
3. Measure out 4 separate 1 cup each of batter and place each 1 cup measurements into a one-gallon zip-lock bag. You will now have four bags of batter. Keep one starter for yourself and give the other 3 to friends along with copies of this recipe. Be certain to mark the bag with the date of the new starter and let your friends know which day it is when you give them the bag. (Mark the dates down on the recipe.)
4. Preheat the oven to 325º degrees.
5. To the remaining batter in the bowl add:
   • 3 eggs
   • 1 c. oil
   • ½ c. milk
   • 1 c. sugar
   • 2 t. cinnamon
   • ½ t. vanilla extract
   • 1 ½ t. baking powder
   • ½ t. baking soda
   • ½ t. salt
   • 2 c. flour
   • 1 large box of vanilla pudding mix*
6. Grease 2 large loaf pans (these can be metal). Mix an additional ¾ c. sugar and 1 t. cinnamon together and dust the loaf pans with half of this mixture or until coated.
7. Pour the batter evenly into the 2 loaf pans and sprinkle the remaining cinnamon/sugar mixture of top.
8. Bake 1 hour. Cool until bread loosens from the pan, about 10 minutes.
   
   *(You can try any kind of pudding mix; lemon is really good. You can split the batter in half and use one small box of pudding in each loaf. That way you could have two different flavors of bread.)

Comments:

Since Vickie grew up with Amish families as neighbors, I figured I should get my facts straight before posting this recipe on the Bistro! So, here's a few things I learned about "Amish Friendship Bread" (I Googled it while waiting for the bread to bake):

• It's not Amish.
• According to Wikipedia, "The instructions distributed with Amish Friendship Bread typically omit instructions on how to prepare starter from scratch, and frequently claim that the recipe is a secret 'known only to the Amish'."
• The recipe I received also states that "only the Amish know how to make the starter," but I found a starter recipe at allrecipes.com.
• The starter can be frozen up to 6 weeks and saved for future use; just thaw for 3 hours at room temp before using.

Wihongi Nearly-Award-Winning Chili

Source: Rachael Ray (modified by me)

Servings: A lot?
Prep Time: 5-10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes (or more, if cooking in Crock Pot)

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 2 pounds ground hot (or mild) sausage
• 2 tablespoons grill seasoning (recommended: McCormick's Montreal Steak Seasoning)
• 1/2 pound (10 oz.) baby Portobello mushrooms, chopped
• 1/4 pound (3.5 oz.) shiitake mushroom caps, sliced
• 1 medium yellow skinned onion, chopped
• 3 ribs celery, chopped
• 1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1 medium yellow bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 4 to 6 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 3-4 canned chipotle peppers in adobo, chopped, with an additional 1 T. of the adobo sauce
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 bottle beer
• 1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained
• 1 (15 oz.) can diced tomatoes
• 1 (15 oz.) can tomato puree
• 1 cup beef stock (8-ounce box)
• 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
• 2 bay leaves
• dash of chili powder
• grated cheese and sour cream

Directions:

1. Heat a deep, large skillet or a pot over high heat. Add 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil and the sausage. Season it with grill seasoning and sear it up, browning and crumbling it, for 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer sausage to a plate and return pot to stove.
2. Reduce heat to medium-high and add another tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil. Add the mushrooms and begin to brown them before adding the other veggies. After 2 or 3 minutes the mushrooms will begin to shrink and soften.
3. Push the mushrooms off to one side of the pot and add all the remaining veggies to the opposite side of the pot surface. Once the onions, celery, peppers and garlic have been working for a few minutes as well, mix the veggies with the mushrooms.
4. Add the sausage back, season with Worcestershire sauce, chipotle in adobo, and cumin. Add in beer to deglaze the pot, scraping up all the pan drippings. Reduce the beer by half, about 5 minutes.
5. Add the black beans, tomatoes, puree, stock, thyme, bay leaves, and chili powder to chili and simmer 10 minutes for flavors to combine. (For this step, we just threw everything in the crock pot and let it cook on low for 2-3 hours.) Taste to adjust seasonings.
6. Remove bay leaves from chili. Top bowls of the chili with cheese and sour cream.

Comments:

This recipe was created for Scott's Hillcrest Junior High Chili Cook-Off. We found a recipe we liked by Rachael Ray on Foodnetwork.com (here's the link for the original recipe), made a few modifications, and came up with one amazing batch of chili! We didn't take first place (although many people said we should have), but we still like ours best, which works out great for us!

One of the modifications we made was substituting hot ground sausage for the ground sirloin; definitely a good choice, but using regular sausage definitely would cut back on the heat a bit. We also added the tomato puree (since the original recipe looked more like stew than chili), yellow bell pepper (for color), and more of the chipotle peppers with adobo sauce (since it's such a yummy ingredient). Keep in mind, that's 3-4 individual peppers, not 3-4 cans of the peppers!

I realize that there's over 20 ingredients in this chili, but you won't be disappointed. . .it's SO good!

East Potato Sides

Source: Laurel

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Bake Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Bret and I have started adding a potato side dish to most of our dinners for several reasons: 1) eat more vegetables, 2) reduce our calorie intake by filling up on lighter side dishes instead of just one large main dish, and 3) add more volume to the meal for super cheap (let's face it, we're farrers/blanchards and it takes a lot to fill us up). We've had a lot of fun mixing and matching different combinations:

Step 1: Potatoes (cut and spread in a single layer on cookie sheet)

-diced red or russet potatoes

-thinly sliced sweet potatoes

Step 2: Seasonings (rub potatoes with a little olive oil and desired seasonings)

-parmesan cheese, italian bread crumbs, and garlic salt

-seasoned salt, pepper, chili powder, cinnamon

-salt, lemon pepper, orange zest

-invent your own!

Step 3: Bake (425F oven for 20-30 minutes, longer if potatoes are cut extra thick)

Step 4: Enjoy!

Note: For efficiency, I usually make the potatoes first, then make the main dish while they're cooking so that both are done around the same time and ready to serve.

Sloppy Buffalo Joes

Source: Rachael Ray

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
• 2 pounds ground chicken or turkey breast
• 1 carrot, peeled and chopped or grated
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
• 2-3 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4-1/3 cup hot sauce, such as Frank's Red Hot brand
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 8 good quality burger rolls, split and toasted
• 1 cup blue cheese crumbles
• 2 large dill pickles, chopped

PREPARATION

Heat a large skillet with the EVOO over medium-high heat. Add the meat and break it up with wooden spoon, then cook for 5-6 minutes. Add in thecarrots, celery, onions and garlic, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, then cook for 7-8 minutes more.

In a bowl, combine the vinegar, sugar, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, tomato sauce and stock. Pour into the pan and stir to combine. Simmer a few minutes more. Pile the sloppy Buffalo filling onto the buns and top with blue cheese and chopped pickles.

Comments: We liked Rachael Ray's buffalo chicken chili so much that we searched for a similar sloppy joe recipe to serve at our super bowl party. Lo and behold, it was right there in her online recipe archives. Once again, the flavor was outrageous! We complemented this healthy dish with sweet potato fries, green salad, and Heather's cowboy caviar for a spectacular guilt-free menu!

Butternut Squash Apple Soup

Source: Kim Blanchard

Servings :6
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes
Total time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

· 5 cups chicken broth
· One medium sized butternut squash peeled and cubed in 1” cubes
· One diced yellow onion
· One apple diced – unpeeled
· Vegetable oil
· 2 Tablespoons butter
· Salt to taste
· White pepper – to taste
· Nutmeg about 1 teaspoon
· Cinnamon- about ½ teaspoon

Directions:
Sauté onion in 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil until soft
Add chicken broth and cubed squash
Cover and boil for about 15 minutes until soft
Add diced apple and boil for another 5 minute until soft

Remove from heat, spoon out squash and apples (retaining broth) and blend in blender just until smooth
Return blended squash and apples to pan with broth
Add butter
Add salt and white pepper to taste
Add nutmeg and cinnamon
Mix well

Serve hot

Comments: I tasted a yummy Butternut Squash Apple Soup at Whole Foods Market and came home and looked up a bunch of recipes online and then combined them and created my own. This turned out delicious!

Chicken Cacciatore

Source: Kim Blanchard

Servings: 6
Prep Time: sauce: one half hour
Prep Time: chicken: one half hour
Cooking time: one hour for each
Total time: two hours

Ingredients:

Sauce:
· One large green pepper- sliced thinly
· One large white or yellow onion- sliced thinly
· Three large diced cloves fresh garlic or two teaspoons mined in jar
· Olive oil
· One 8 oz package mushrooms- sliced
· Small bunch of fresh basil or two Tablespoons dried
· Salt and pepper to taste
· Two cans or jars of your favorite marinara sauce

Chicken:
· Fresh chicken breasts- I allow one breast per person. I thaw frozen chicken and when slightly thawed slice them horizontally in half-to make them thinner
· Milk
· Bread crumbs
· Olive oil for browning

Pasta- cooked
Parmesan cheese grated


Directions:

The day before serving:
Sauce:
Sauté the garlic, green pepper and onion in olive oil until just soft, add the mushrooms and sauté just until beginning to get soft. Add the marinara sauce (I usually use the Hunts four cheese, but last time used one Prego with meat and one Hunts Four Cheese and liked it better), and simmer for about an hour on low heat. Add basil. Add salt and pepper if needed. Can be chilled and served the next day.

Chicken:
Place the sliced chicken breasts in a bowl and moisten with about one cup of milk. Salt each piece lightly on both sides and then dip on both sides in bread crumbs. Brown chicken lightly in olive oil on both sides and place in baking dish.

Add 1/3 cup water to baking dish with chicken and seal tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for about 35 minutes until chicken is cooked through. Serve immediately with your choice of pasta, sauce and cheese.

Numbers: varies

Comments: I prepare the sauce a day before serving, mostly because I usually serve this at a Sunday family dinner and I use Saturday as my prep time, but I think that the flavors are better too. Our kids get to pick the menu for their birthday parties, and this is often their choice.

Citrus Red Leaf Salad

Source: Kim Blanchard

Servings: apx 6
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cooking time: none
Total time :25 minutes

Ingredients:

Dressing:
· ½ teaspoon orange zest
· 1/3 cup orange juice
· 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar (I use any kind of vinegar)
· ½ cup oil
· 2 Tablespoons sugar
· 1 Tablespoon dry Good Seasons Italian Dressing Mix

Salad ingredients:
· Mix of small leaf lettuce and red leaf lettuce – your choice of the proportions to serve about six small salads.
· 1 half of a thinly y sliced red onion (I cut ahead and let sit out for several hours or overnight so not so strong tasting)
· 1 can drained mandarin oranges
· 1 small jicima peeled and cut into thin slices
· 4 oz candied sliced almonds

· One peeled avocado diced
· ½ cup dried cranberries

Directions:
Mix the dressing ingredients in the blender and set aside. I usually make the day before so that the flavors have time to blend.

Numbers: this makes about 6 small salads, but I double when I serve our family.

Comments:
I either buy the candied almonds or I make them myself by putting about 1 Tablespoon of butter and 2 tablespoons of brown sugar in a fry pan and after melting the butter and sugar together toss the nuts in bubbly mixture for a minute and then cool. You are supposed to do it without the butter, but I have a hard time not burning them.

Served at Laurel’s #23 birthday party.

Banana Cake

Source: bhg.com


Servings: 12-16
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Bake Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1-1/2 cups sugar
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 3)
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup shortening (or butter)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 eggs

Directions:

1. Grease and lightly flour two 8x1-1/2-inch or 9x1-1/2-inch round baking pans or grease one 13x9x2-inch baking pan; set pan(s) aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add bananas, buttermilk, shortening, and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed until combined. Add eggs; beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Pour batter into the prepared pan(s).
3. Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 25 to 30 minutes for round pans or about 35 minutes for 13x9-inch pan or till a wooden toothpick comes out clean. Cool layer cakes in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove layer cakes from pans. Cool thoroughly on racks. Or, place 13x9-inch cake in pan on a wire rack; cool thoroughly. Frost with desired frosting. Makes 12 to 16 servings.

Comments:

For Scott's 30th birthday (the first one he had since we'd been married), he told me his favorite cake was banana cake. I went to Mum to get her NZ banana cake recipe, but she hadn't made it in years; plus, it was in metrics and I was too unconfident with my math skills to convert it. So, I looked in my Better Homes and Gardens cookbook. . .and voilà! Scott said it was even better than the NZ version he remembered. This is now especially a favorite with the Wihongi sisters-in-law and I am usually requested to bring this to every family potluck function.

A few tips: 1) substituting shortening with butter works great, 2) Chocolate Cool Whip is our personal favorite "frosting," and 3) for a fun variation: remove 1 cup of the batter, mix it with the chocolate packet from a chocolate marble cake mix, and swirl the chocolate-banana batter in with the regular batter before baking.

Meatball and Orzo Soup

Source: Rachael Ray

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
• 1/2 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 carrot, grated or finely chopped
• 1 quart chicken broth
• 1/2 pound ground chicken or turkey breast
• 3 tablespoons Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
• 3 tablespoons breadcrumbs
• 1 egg
• 1 clove garlic, grated
• 2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley, chopped
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup orzo pasta

PREPARATION

Heat the EVOO over medium heat in a medium pot. Sauté the onion and carrot for five minutes, then add the broth and bring up to a boil.

Mix the meat with cheese, breadcrumbs, egg, garlic, parsley, salt and pepper. Mix, and if the mixture is too moist, add a few more breadcrumbs.

When the soup comes to a boil, roll and drop 1-inch meatballs into the broth. Stir in the orzo and cook for five minutes. The pasta will not be done but it will continue to cook. Ladle into thermoses.

Comments: To speed this recipe up, I used frozen meatballs instead of making them from scratch. From start to finish, I made it 10 minutes or less. Also, I didn't have any orzo, so I substituted with cooked rice. DELICIOUS!

Buffalo Chicken Chili

Source: Rachael Ray

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
• 2 pounds ground chicken
• 2 large carrots, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 ribs celery with leafy tops, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 tablespoon smoked sweet paprika
• 1 bay leaf, fresh ordried
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1/2 cup hot sauce
• 1 can tomato sauce (15 ounces)
• 1 can stewed, fire-roasted or crushed tomatoes (15 ounces)

PREPARATION

Place a large pot over medium-high heat with the EVOO, 2 turns of the pan. Add the ground chicken and break it up, lightly browning it for 5 minutes.

Add the carrots, onion, celery, garlic, paprika and bay leaf and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 7-8 minutes. Add the chicken stock and scrape up any brown bits on the bottom of the pot.

Add the hot sauce, tomato sauce and the stewed, fire-roasted or crushed tomatoes to the chili and bring up to a bubble. Simmer for 8-10 minutes more to let the flavors come together.

While the chili is simmering, pre-heat the broiler.

Comments: I made this, along with 2 other soups, in under 30 minutes for Bret's family. Amazing flavor, easy prep, and healthy to boot! The only changes I made was using ground turkey instead of chicken and adding 1 can of drained, rinsed black beans to make it more of a chili. Even though it had a little kick, this was a favorite with all ages.

Chop Suey

Source: Barbara Wihongi

Servings: 10-12?
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes (approx.)

Ingredients:

• 3 pkgs. bean thread noodles
• 1-2 lbs. beef or pork, cut into strips
• 1 small onion, chopped
• carrots, grated (I just used matchstick ones)
• 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 small bottle soy sauce
• ground ginger

Directions:

1. Prepare bean thread noodles by soaking in water for 10 minutes.
2. Saute meat, onion, carrots, and garlic until tender.
3. Fill a large pot halfway with water and add soy sauce (about 1/2 of a small bottle), then boil.
4. Add cooked meat, onion, carrots, and garlic to water & soy sauce mixture.
5. Drain bean thread noodles and cut them into smaller pieces with kitchen shears.
6. Add noodles to the rest of the ingredients.
7. Remove from heat and let stand so noodles can absorb the water and soy sauce.
8. Season with ginger and remaining soy sauce to taste.
9. (Optional) Serve over rice.

Comments:

This is a Wihongi family favorite. . .especially with the grandkids. Scott's mom has made this for every major meal that I've eaten since I first started hanging out with these NZ folks! Mum just makes this from memory, so all the measurements are approximations. . .add or subtract ingredients according to personal taste and preference.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Source: Unknown (I got this online years ago and have no idea who to give credit to!)

Servings: 5-6 dozen cookies

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Bake Time: 9-11 minutes

Total Time: 30+ minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 c. canned pumpkin
• 1 c. sugar
• 1/2 c. vegetable oil
• 1 egg
• 2 c. flour
• 2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. baking soda + 1 tsp. milk
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 c. chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Combine pumpkin, sugar, vegetable oil, and egg.
2. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, cinnamon, and salt.
3. Add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture and mix well.
4. Dissolve the baking soda in the milk and stir in.
5. Add vanilla and chocolate chips and stir until blended.
6. Drop by spoonfuls on greased cookie sheet.
7. Bake at 375 degrees F for 9-11 minutes.

Comments:

These cookies are a tradition in our little family. To us, they are as synonymous with fall as changing leaves, starting school, carving pumpkins, and going trick-or-treating. I've taken them to every Wihongi Halloween get-together since Scott and I have been married and they're a hit with the grandkiddos. Plus, they're healthier than the average cookie with pure pumpkin, no butter, and all that vitamin A. We usually double or triple the recipe and gobble these babies down by the dozens! (Suggestion: The cookies are BEST eaten right out of the oven when the outside is just a little firm and the inside is warm and melty. Yumm. . .)

Indoor S'mores

Source: General Mills Cereal

Servings: 12 bars
Prep Time: 5-10 minutes
Bake Time: n/a
Total Time: 5-10 minutes

Ingredients:

• 8 c. Golden Grahams cereal


• 5 c. miniature marshmallows


• 1 1/2 c. milk chocolate chips


• 1/4 c. light corn syrup


• 5 T. butter


• 1 t. vanilla


• 1 c. miniature marshmallows, if desired (and I do!)

Directions:

1. Into a large bowl, measure cereal. Butter 13 x 9-inch pan.


2. In a large microwaveable bowl, microwave 5 cups marshmallows, chocolate chips, corn syrup, and butter uncovered on high 2-3 minutes, stirring after every minute, until melted and smooth when stirred.


3. Stir in vanilla.


4. Pour mixture over cereal; quickly toss until completely coated. Fold in 1 cup marshmallows.


5. Press mixture evenly in pan, using buttered back of spoon. Let stand uncovered for at least 1 hour, or refrigerate if you prefer a firmer bar.


6. Cut into bars and serve.

Baked Penne

Source: Laurel

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

1 lb. pork sausage

1-2 tsp. minced garlic

1 medium yellow onion, diced

1 large green pepper, sliced

1 large can diced tomatoes, partially drained

1 small can sliced mushrooms

1 jar spaghetti sauce

1 box penne pasta, cooked according to package directions

grated cheese

Directions:

Brown sausage, garlic, onion, and green pepper. When finished browning, add tomatoes, mushrooms, and spaghetti sauce. Toss with pasta. If desired, bake in 350 degree oven for thorough heating.

Comments:

I started by making a traditional baked ziti recipe, but after finding more potential ingredients around the kitchen and adding them to the pan, this explosion of flavor! A must try!

French Onion Soup

Source: Me

Servings: 2-4

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cooking Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp. butter

1 large yellow onion, sliced

1 Tbsp. flour

4 cups beef broth

1 Tbsp. worchestershire sauce

1 tsp. pepper

1 french bread loaf

sliced swiss cheese

Soup Directions:

Saute onions in melted butter until soft and golden. Mix in flour. Add beef broth and worchestershire sauce. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Salt (optional) and pepper to taste.

Bread Directions:

Cut loaf into large (1-2") cubes. Spread on cookie sheet and toast in 425 degree oven for or until lightly browned. Remove from oven, top with cheese, and return to oven until cheese has melted.

Ladle soup into serving bowls and top with "croutons." Serve immediately.

Comments: Bret has said for years that this soup is one of his favorites, but I was too intimidated to try. However, after digging for a couple of recipes, I was pleased to see that the directions were actually very simple. So I made my own blend of the various recipes and after all was said and done, I was thrilled with the outcome! Not only was it delicious, but it was so easy to make! The presentation even seemed quite gourmet, so it could be a great dish for entertaining. (My poor photography skills provide no justice for the elegance within the bowl.)

Thai Glazed Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Source: The Food Network


Servings: 4
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
• grill seasoning (recommended: Montreal Seasoning by McCormick)
• 2 T. vegetable oil, two turns of the pan
• 2 T. minced ginger root
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large red bell pepper, seeded and very thinly sliced
• 1 c. packaged shredded cabbage and carrot mix
• 3 scallions, chopped at an angle
• 1/2 c. plum sauce
• 2 c. basil leaves, loosely packed
• 1 T. fish sauce
• 1/2 head of iceberg lettuce, cut into half again
• 1/2 seedless cucumber, chopped

Directions:

1. Thinly slice the chicken into strips and sprinkle with grill seasoning.
2. Heat a large skillet to screaming hot. Add vegetable oil, then chicken. Cook chicken 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
3. Add the ginger, garlic, peppers, cabbage and carrot mix, and scallions and stir-fry another 2 minutes.
4. Add plum sauce to glaze mixture, toss 1 minute, then add basil and wilt leaves. Add fish sauce and turn to coat.
5. Transfer cooked chicken and vegetables to a bowl. Place spoonfuls of chicken into a piece of lettuce with cucumber and fold lettuce over to eat, like small tacos.

Comments:

These lettuce wraps were incredible! I've never made these before, but they will definitely become a regular in the future. Scott and I love lettuce wraps at restaurants; I was craving them tonight, so I Googled an easy recipe that I could make at home. I chose this one since I had nearly all the ingredients at hand (even the leftover basil from last night's bruschetta and the cabbage mix from last week's Sausage and Cabbage Skillet). . .all I had to grab from the store was fresh lettuce and the plum sauce (in the Asian foods section). I couldn't find any fish sauce at the store, so I just left it out and it tasted fine. I also substituted 2 tsp. ground ginger for the 2 T. minced ginger root.

These wraps were tasty, quick, easy, and healthy to boot. . .perfect for those of us watching our carbs. :)