Jon's Curry

Not in the book :)

Cook some rice

Stir fry whatever veggies you want
Stir fry whatever meat you want

1 package red Taste of Thai curry paste
2 packets Taste of Thai peanut sauce mix
1 can coconut milk
garlic
onions

Mix milk, paste and peanut sauce.  You may not want to put the entire packet of red curry paste in the mix or your butt hole will not be happy with you in the morning (Jon made me write it).  Mix and bring to a boil.  Turn to low and add veggies and meat.  Coat thoroughly.  Serve over rice.

I would just like to point out the oddity of Jon calling me across country to type a recipe.

Honey Soy Chicken

So, this was yummy and so so easy-I totally did it one handed.  I would suggest putting it on rice and steaming or stir frying some veggies (I steamed broccoli, carrots, and a small amount of red pepper) to go with it and making it a kinda rice bowl.

It is super easy and I pretty much always have these ingredients on hand.  She has some very ... let's say STRAIGHTFORWARD disclaimer/notes that I am going to include. I used chicken breasts (I thought I had thighs but couldn't find them) cut into almost tenderloin size so that they got lots of sauce all over.  That means that I cooked it for less than 30 minutes...I think it was 23 minutes and it might have actually been able to be less.  I did like the tenderloin type size for the rice bowl idea.

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 - 2 pounds boneless, skinless, chicken thighs (most of the fat cut and discarded)

3 tbsp. vegetable oil

3 tbsp. low sodium soy sauce

1 tsp. sesame oil

5 tbsp. honey

4 cloves of garlic, minced

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a 8x8" oven-proof pan with 2 layers of tin foil. I HIGHLY advise using foil in this dish because soy sauce & honey are STICKY and tend to adhere heavily on glass dishes when cooked at high temperatures. Unless you want to be scrubbing forever, use the foil!
2. In small bowl, whisk together vegetable oil, soy sauce, sesame oil, honey, garlic, ground ginger, and pepper.
3. Place the chicken thighs in the foil layered pan then pour the mixture on top of it. Turn the chicken around in the sauce to make sure it gets all coated.
4. Bake, uncovered, for 40 minutes, checking occasionally to make sure the tops are not browning too quickly. If they are, cover with foil and resume baking until chicken is done.
5. Remove from oven and let chicken sit for 5 minutes then transfer to a plate. Do NOT discard the liquid.
6. Immediately after plating chicken, pour sauce over top of chicken. It's delicious so you want all the sauce you can get!Sprinkle rosemary on top before serving.
7. Serve with white or brown rice and some steamed veggies.

Notes: You may use chicken breasts if you prefer it. I would reduce cooking time by 10-15 minutes if you're using chicken breasts as they dry out faster. I wouldn't use thick chicken breasts - use thin ones. Butterfly/cut them in half if you need to. Also, everyone's oven temperature varies slightly. Mine cooked perfectly after 40 minutes. Yours may cook faster or slower. Keep an eye on it. Check up on it every 20 minutes or so!

DISCLAIMER:

1. If you don't follow directions and want to improvise, that is definitely ok! But please do not come back to yell at me for a failed dish. The instructions are laid out completely above because I have tested it myself and it works the way it's written above.
2. If you do not use the right equipment it will likely not turn out either. 8x8" pan means 8x8" pan. 2 layers of foil means 2 layers of foil. Why? 8x8" pan will keep the sauce together and compact and won't cause it to spread out over a large surface area. If you put it in a larger pan, it will spread, therefore, causing the sauce to get cooked off and you'll end up with dry chicken and little to no sauce. Double layering the foil insulates the sauces and the chicken, it'll keep the sauce from burning on the scalding hot pan.
3. Yes, it really is cooked at 425 degrees. I'm not going to lie to you. Yes, it's high but it also works (proof: above pictures!)
4. If you're using (thin cut) chicken breasts, reduce cooking time to 10-15 minutes or you'll end up with dry chicken.

Source: http://www.tablefortwoblog.com/2013/05/09/honey-soy-chicken/

Sesame Chicken Stir Fry

I made this because I magically had everything for it except the broccoli. Win. It was a good, fast stir fry sauce. It was a little too saucy when I did it, possibly because I used less meat and veggies than called for, but I would still cut it back a little.

I added red pepper flakes because I was afraid it would be bland. And I added garlic in there with the meat because it's garlic.

http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2011/11/sesame-chicken-stir-fry.html

• 1 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
• 4 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 pound (about 3) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
• Sara: spoonful of Garlic
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 pound broccoli, florets cut into 1-inch pieces, stalks discarded
• 1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and cut into thin strips
• 1/2 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• Sprinkle of red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
• Hot cooked rice for serving

DIRECTIONS

1. In a liquid measuring cup, whisk together 1 cup broth, 6 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoons cornstarch and the sesame oil. In a large bowl, toss the cubed chicken with the remaining 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoons cornstarch and 1 tablespoon oil.
2. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until the oil is hot and rippling. Add the chicken mixture and brown the chicken until cooked through, flipping occasionally, about 5-7 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate and tent with foil. Set aside.
3. To the empty skillet add the broccoli and remaining 1/4 cup broth. Cover the skillet and cook until the broccoli begins to soften and turn bright green, about 2 minutes. Uncover the skillet and cook until the liquid evaporates, about 1 minute. Add the bell pepper and cook 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add ginger and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Whisk the sauce in the liquid measuring cup to recombine and add to the skillet with the chicken and any accumulated juices. Cook, stirring often, until the mixture is bubbly and thickened, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle the mixture with sesame seeds. Serve over hot, cooked rice.