Fresh Spring Rolls

I got this recipe from the Thai grocery store where I buy my Thai ingredients. At our Thai food dinner party, it was fun to have our friends roll their own spring rolls. That way, they could adjust the ingredients to their tastes. I personally don't love a heavy mint flavor, so I put very little mint in mine. And you guessed it, this photo came from the internet because I didn't take my camera out at the dinner party!

Recipe makes 4 servings (2 each)

INGREDIENTS:

8 rice papers

1/2 Cup Thai basil leaves

16 springs cilantro (cut off the stem)

8 shrimps (peel, clean, boil--I like to boil them in salted water with a bit of minced garlic)

1 Cup rice noodles

4 romaine lettuce leaves

1/2 Cup mint

1/2 Cup grated carrot

1 cup bean sprouts

1 cup shredded cooked chicken

Soak about 1/4 of a package of rice noodles in warm water for 5-10 minutes. Boil some water in a small pot, drain noodles and put in boiling water for 1 minute and drain.

Rinse bean sprouts and cook in microwave for 1 minute, they should be lightly crispy.

Put very warm water into a bowl large enough to dip a rice paper under the water.

Put one piece of rice paper at a time under water for about 10 seconds. Take rice paper out of water and lay flat on a cutting board.

About an inch from one end of the rice paper, layer the ingredients in the following order:

Small piece of romaine

Cooked rice noodles

3-4 basil leaves

2-3 mint leaves (I only do 1)

2 sprigs of cilantro

bean sprouts

shredded cooked chicken

grated carrot

Fold the end over the ingredients and roll 1 time. Fold the other two sides over. Lay shrimp (slice shrimp in half so that one spring roll uses only 1 shrimp, but looks as if there are 2 shrimp) on the rice paper. Continue to fold rice paper to the end.

We like to dip our spring rolls in peanut sauce or Sweet Chili Sauce. I have not made a homemade sweet chili sauce, but I do like Pantai's Sweetened Chili Sauce that I bought at the Thai grocery store.

Gulliver's Corn

Basically a really yummy creamed corn. Great side dish for a barbecue, potluck, whatever.

2 lb Frozen Sweet Corn

2 cups half and half

3 tablespoons butter

4 tablespoons flour

2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

parmesan cheese

Bring corn and milk to a boil. Separate, then put milk back on stove and add the butter and flour. Whisk and boil 5 minutes. Add salt and sugar. Add corn, and boil a couple of minutes. Pour into a greased baking dish. Sprinkle parmesan cheese on top and broil until the cheese is light brown. Ready to serve!

Vegetable Chicken Soup

I have made this soup several times, and always forget to take a photo! I've got to get better with the photos, sorry! But trust me, this recipe is a keeper! It's packed with veggies, and even my kids will eat it!

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 pounds chicken breast, cut into bite-size pieces

4 small zucchini, diced

1 onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons Italian seasonings (your choice. I like a mix of oregano, basil, rosemary)

1/2 teaspoon salt

8 plum tomatoes, chopped

56 ounces reduced-sodium chicken broth

1 cup dry white wine

8 tablespoons Quinoa

6 cups baby spinach, packed

DIRECTIONS:

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until browned, 3-4 minutes. Put on plate and set aside.

Add zucchini, onion, garlic, italian seasonings and salt and cook until the vegetables are slightly softened, 2-3 minutes. Add tomatoes, broth, wine and quinoa. Increase heat and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat and simmer until the quinoa is tender. Stir in spinach, chicken (including any juices on plate). Cook until the chicken is heated through, about 2 minutes.

Roasted Asparagus

Simple and delicious! I love asparagus!

INGREDIENTS:

Asparagus

Olive Oil

Kosher salt

Freshly Ground Pepper

DIRECTIONS:

Break off tough ends of the asparagus. Lay out asparagus on baking sheet, brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven at 400 degrees for approximately 20-25 minutes, until tender.