Dinner | Adventures in Thyme

Spring Rolls

June 3, 2015 by Ginger Leave a Comment

Thai Spring Rolls

I have three little nieces that I love to get into mischief with. This summer we are taking a trip to exotic cultures (from the safety of the house) with a little belly dancing, a little cheesemaking (Paneer), and a Thai Spring Roll buffet. So this recipe was really my test to see if I could come up with a simple lunch that could cater to everyone’s likes/dislikes – and these rolls are perfect! I can slice a variety of fresh veggies, some protein options and each of them can create their culinary masterpieces. Woot!

The recipe, such that it is, is basically what you want to eat in a spring roll. Here’s what I used:

Spring roll wrappers (these look like sheets of round paper, Asian products at the grocery store)
Chicken (I used roasted chicken from Costco)
Carrots – sliced
Bean Sprouts – sliced
Green Onions – sliced
Mushrooms – sliced
Fresh Cilantro
Optional: Sesame Oil
Dipping Sauce. A peanut sauce is pictured but there are many alternatives for those with nut allergies
Tip: Slice the veggies thinly, and about the length of your thumb, they will fit into the roll better after it’s folded

Assembly

The spring roll sheets should be placed individually into a bowl of cold water for about 25 seconds then remove and shake off the excess liquid. Quickly place some of each of the ingredients and roll once, fold the sides in then complete rolling the rice sheet.

There you have it! They are so delicious!

Pork Cherry Stir Fry

May 20, 2015 by Dan Leave a Comment

Pork Cherry Stir Fry

Ever had one of those nights when you had no idea what you wanted for dinner? Well, after a long day at work, tonight was one of those nights. So we wandered through the grocery store looking for what looked fresh and sounded appealing. We arrived back in our kitchen with bing cherries, roma tomatoes, an English cucumber, pork, and appetites waiting to be sated.

What you’ll need:

2 pounds Pork Loin or thick cut Pork Chops
1 cup pitted Cherries
3 Roma Tomatoes
1 large Cucumber
1/2 cup Soy Sauce
1/2 cup dry Sherry
1/4 cup Teriyaki Sauce
fresh Mint

Slice the pork into thing strips. Into a large bowl mix the soy sauce and sherry then add the pork making sure to cover it well with the marinade, and let sit for half an hour to an hour. While you’re waiting for the pork to bathe in the marinade, seed your tomatoes and cucumber and cut both into bite sized pieces.

Heat a large skillet and some oil (I used olive oil) over medium high heat. Drain your meat and then place it in the hot skillet. Stir until cooked through. Add the cherries, reduce the heat to medium, cover and let cook 5 to 10 minutes or until the cherries get soft. If the pan is dry, add some of your marinade to the pan, you want a little bit of juice so the cherries will steam.

Once the cherries are soft, add the cucumber and tomato. Stir until the tomato and cucumber are hot. Don’t over cook. Add 1/4 cup teriyaki sauce and stir to coat everything evenly.

Serve over rice or noodles and top with a little fresh chopped mint. Enjoy!

Non-dairy Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

May 15, 2015 by Ginger Leave a Comment

Chicken Soup

Our Spring weather has been decidedly cold, wet and snowy lately – the perfect time to try a non-dairy version of an old favorite so everyone in the house could enjoy it!

This recipe takes a little extra time, making it on a weekend is best, but it has made wonderful meals I could take to work or reheat in the microwave when I didn’t feel like cooking again.

Ingredients

1 Idaho Potato
1 Quart Organic Chicken Broth
6 Organic Chicken Thighs*
1 Celery Stalk sliced
10 Baby Carrots sliced
1 Shallot finely diced
1 Cup wild rice mix
1/2 Tsp dried Savory
1/2 Tsp dried Thyme
1 tsp salt
2 Cups Almond Milk (plain, unsweetened)
Optional: Cilantro garnish

* I chose organic meat (and bone in) chicken thighs so I could get the most bang for my buck – “bone broth”. You might have memories of a beloved auntie or grandmother that always cooked soup with bones added in, I do, and the health benefits FAR exceed the time it takes to use and dispose of them.

Into a large cooking pot add the broth, celery, carrots, shallot, savory, thyme and salt and turn heat to medium high. On a cutting board I removed the chicken meat from the bone and diced into bite size pieces – add everything to the pot. Don’t worry about any remaining meat on the bones. Bones are added right into the pot with the chicken and during the cooking process will either cook off the bones or your can easily remove the meat with a spoon. Bring the pot to a boil then reduce to a simmer.

About 45 mins or an hour before you intend to eat, peel and dice your potato and add to a small pot with just enough water to cover the potatoes. Turn the heat to high and bring to a boil then reduce to medium (or just enough so it doesn’t boil over). As the water boils off, keep adding a bit more so the potato is always covered, and until the potato pieces are tender. Remove from heat and in the same little pot (don’t pour off the water) mash the potato well and add into your chicken soup.

At the same time you put your potato to boil add the cup of wild rice mix to your chicken soup. As the potato cooks, so will the rice and they will get done at approximately the same time. After the potato is added to the soup pour two cups of almond milk into the soup and increase the heat to medium. Once the soup is back to a gentle boil, reduce heat and serve.

This recipe is non dairy but you can easily add a pat of butter to your bowl if you need that “mouth feel” and aren’t allergic.

Enjoy!

Crockpot Chicken with Figs

April 22, 2015 by Ginger Leave a Comment

Crockpot Chicken with Figs

After a long day at work, I love entering my house and smelling dinner. A poll in 2011 found that 83% of the American population owned a crockpot so I’m not alone in wanting to walk thru the door and have dinner waiting! Today’s recipe takes advantage of dried figs, a recent addition to our local Costco’s offerings.

Ingredients:

1/2 Cup Chicken Stock
1/2 Cup Vegetable Broth
1/2 Teaspoon dried Tarragon
1 Bay Leaf
1/4 Teaspoon Cinnamon
4 Chicken Thighs (rinsed to remove any bone chips and feathers)
12 Figs, halved
1/4 Cup Balsamic Vinegar + 1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar mixed together
1 Sweet Potato, diced
1 Turnip, diced

Into your crockpot add the ingredients in the order listed, then set the crockpot to 6 Hours (or at least that’s what I do when I leave for work, it auto sets to “Warm” after that).

Although you can eat this meal as is when it’s ready, I served with quinoa and a gravy made from removing about 2 cups of liquid from the crockpot and thickening with cornstarch.

A side of cornbread can also add to the yummy factor. Enjoy!

Bacon Cheeseburger Casserole

April 8, 2015 by Ginger Leave a Comment

Cheeseburger Casserole

I’m always game for a juicy burger n’fries, but the bread is sometimes a turn off. So if you find yourself wanting a yummy burger but firing up the bbq isn’t a good solution, you’ll enjoy tonight’s recipe. A cheesy, bacony “burger” with fries all cooked in one dish.

Ingredients:

1 lb ground Beef
1 lb ground Pork
8 slices of Bacon fried bacon, slivered
1 Egg, beaten
1.5 cups of Ketchup
1 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
1 tsp Liquid Smoke
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp dried Thyme
1/2 tsp Oregano
1/2 tsp dried Garlic
Roux (4 Tablespoons butter & 4 Tablespoons flour)
80z shredded Cheddar Cheese (we used goat cheddar)
Bag of frozen Tater Tots

Set your oven to 400 degrees and let’s get cookin!

Fry the bacon in a skillet until done. Remove bacon and set aside on a paper towel to drain. Pour off most of the bacon grease and then add the beef and pork back into the skillet and fry until done. While the meat is cooking mix together the ketchup, Worcestershire, liquid smoke, salt, thyme, oregano and garlic, and set this aside. Carefully spoon the meat into a large bowl and set aside to cool.

In a frying pan melt the butter over medium low heat and then slowly add the flour, stirring constantly. Cook, stirring constantly until golden brown. This will help bind the burger together. When the roux is ready remove from the heat, pour in the liquid ingredients from the step above and mix well. To the cooled meat mixture add the beaten egg and also mix well. Now add the ketchup-roux mixture from the pan into the meat and combine. Time to assemble!

Into a baking dish pour in the meat mixture and level with a spoon. Now add your layer of shredded chedder, then layer on the slivered pieces of crunchy bacon. Finally add rows of tater tots until the casserole is covered.

Bake at 400 degrees for about 30 mins or until the tater tots have cooked. Serve immediately with burger fixin’s: tomatoes, lettuce, onions, avocado and a splash of tabasco – if you dare!