Friday, February 22, 2008

Meg Cooks. Or, she doesn't.

I have a good excuse for barely cooking these last couple weeks--have I cooked anything? I'm not sure. I also have a good excuse for that, right?
New baby or not, sometimes I get into ruts with cooking. Especially in winter. So I'm wondering: what do you make for dinner when you don't feel like cooking and eating out isn't an option?

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

The Thai Request

Is it lame to post a semi-lame post? Probably, but i'm tired of seeing that nagging date back in January of my last post. Elsha, this one is especially for you.
I would love to say I make amazing Thai food from scratch, on my own. Well, not yet. And I can't really speak to authenticity either. However, I do know good food when I eat it, and that's Thai Kitchen. Their rice noodle soups, noodle carts, and rice noodle stir fries are staples in our pantry. If you feel like making something a little more culinary (and spicy), try making a curry with one of their curry pastes. We have tried both red and green and like them both. This recipe comes from the Thai Kitchen website; you can also find it, or a similar recipe, on their curry paste bottles. There's nothing like spicy food when it's cold and drab outside.
Another perk? They are great about marking whether their products are gluten-free: they will actually say Gluten-Free. So if you or someone you know is looking for quick and easy meals, check out their selection.

Green Curry with Basil

Smooth and rich with a delicate hint of basil.

1 (14 oz.) can Thai Kitchen Pure Coconut Milk (Regular or Lite)
1-4 Tbs. Thai Kitchen Green Curry Paste
1/3 cup vegetable or chicken stock
2-3 Tbs. Thai Kitchen Premium Fish Sauce
2 Tbs. brown sugar
1⁄4 cup chopped basil leaves
1 1⁄2 cups assorted vegetables, cut into 1” pieces (try red bell pepper, zucchini, peas, or your favorite combination)
12 oz. chicken breast, cut into 1” pieces
Thai Kitchen Jasmine Rice

Mix the coconut milk, green curry paste, stock, fish sauce, brown sugar and basil in a 2 quart saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the vegetables and chicken and simmer for an additional 10 minutes, until the chicken is thoroughly cooked. Serve over cooked Thai Kitchen Jasmine Rice. Serves 4.