If you don’t like slaw, please don’t run away yet.  This slaw recipe is very different from your traditional cole slaw.  The dressing is made from peanut butter and thinned out with soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, and lime juice.  The veggie component is napa cabbage, a great alternative to regular cabbage, red and yellow peppers, carrots and green onions. 

I have made this slaw many times.  Most recently, I served it with pork and vegetarian pan fried dumplings, fried rice, and egg rolls.  Give it a try and you may learn to love slaw in a whole new way.

Asian Slaw

1 (3-inch) piece ginger, grated fine
1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 lime, juiced
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 head Napa cabbage, sliced thin
1 red bell pepper, julienne fine
1 yellow bell pepper, julienne fine
2 jalapeno peppers, seeds and membrane removed, minced fine
1 large carrot, grated with a box grater
3 green onions, cut on the bias,
2 tablespoons cilantro, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

In a small bowl, or food processor combine ginger, vinegar, soy sauce, lime juice, oil, and peanut butter. In a large bowl, combine all other ingredients and then toss with dressing.

adapted from: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/asian-slaw-recipe/index.html

Also, this recipe yelids two potpies.  I always bake one right away and put the other in the freezer for an easy dinner on another night.  Even a weeknight.  Instructions for freezing and thawing are included with the recipe.

Chicken Potpie
yeilds 2 pies

4 homemade or store bought pie crusts (I use store bought)
1 (3 1/2 to 4-pound) frying chicken, cut into 8 pieces
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
2 teaspoons chicken rub seasoning  
1 large russet potato, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 2 cups)
2 cups sliced carrots (1/4-inch thick slices)
1 cup coarsely chopped onions
1 cup fresh corn kernels, cut from the cob (2 medium ears) (or frozen)
1 cup button mushrooms, quartered
1 cup frozen lima beans
1/4 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon water

Season the chicken pieces with the salt and pepper. Heat a Dutch oven or other large, heavy pot over high heat and brown the chicken pieces on both sides in the olive oil, working in batches if necessary, about 5 minutes on each side. Drain all fat from the Dutch oven and add the chicken broth, bay leaf, poultry seasoning, and chicken rub seasoning. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until the chicken is very tender and falling from the bone, about 1 hour. Transfer the chicken pieces to a plate and set aside until cool enough to handle. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the bones and tear into bite-size pieces. Set aside.

While the chicken is cooling, add the potatoes, carrots, onions, corn, mushrooms, lima beans and heavy cream to the Dutch oven and return to a boil. Cover the pot, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook until the vegetables are very tender, about 30 minutes.

Combine the flour and butter in a mixing bowl to form a thick paste-like mixture. Ladle some of the hot chicken broth into the mixing bowl and whisk to combine with the flour-butter mixture. When smooth, add this mixture to the pot and stir to combine well. Bring the sauce to a low boil and continue to cook until the sauce is thick and smooth, about 5 minutes. Add the reserved chicken meat, stir to combine, and remove from the heat. Discard the bay leaf, taste, and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Set aside to cool completely. Once cooled, refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.

Place 2 rounds of dough into the bottom of 2 (9-inch) deep dish pie pans. Trim the edges of the dough so that 1/2-inch dough hangs over the sides of the pans.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and position the oven rack on the lowest rung of the oven.

Divide the chilled filling between the 2 pastry-lined pie pans and, using a spatula, smooth the filling to the edges. Place the egg in a small bowl and beat with 1 tablespoon of water. Lightly brush the edges of the overhanging pastry with some of the egg mixture. Top each pie dish with one of the rolled out portions of dough and trim edges so that they match the edges of the dough lining the pie pans. Using your fingers, pinch edges of dough together and roll inward so that the edges sit inside of the edges of the pie pans. Decoratively crimp the edges using your fingers, a fork, or a crimping tool. Using the tip of a sharp knife, cut several decorative slits in the top of each pastry to allow steam to vent while cooking. Brush the top of each potpie with some of the eggwash.

Bake the potpies for 20 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F and continue baking the potpies until the crusts are golden brown and the filling is heated through, about 40 minutes longer.

Remove the potpies from the oven and allow to cool slightly before serving. Cut the potpies into wedges and serve.

Potpie can be frozen prior to brushing with eggwash.  To freeze, cover tightly with foil and plastic wrap.  Freeze for up to 3 months.  To bake, move potpie from freezer to refrigerator the night before.  Brush with eggwash and bake according to recipe.

adapted from Food Network

I was almost ready to give up on eggplant altogether.  Until this recipe, I had never had a positive experience with the vegetable.  Good thing I gave it one final chance, since I loved this ratatouille.  The vegetables become tender and the flavors intensify baking in the oven.  Very simple ingredients become something magical simmering away in a bath of olive oil.  I served the ratatouille over a bed of creamy polenta for a complete meal. 

If you are ready to give up on eggplant or have yet to try the vegetable,give this recipe a try.

Oven Baked Ratatouille

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 medium onions, cut into wedges
6 cloves garlic, smashed
1 Tbsp. Herbes de Provence (I used a combination of thyme, savory and oregano)
1 bay leaf
2 zucchini (about 10 oz each), cut into 1×3″ wedges
1 small eggplant (about 1 pound), unpeeled, cut into 1×3″ wedges
1 orange bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1″ wide strips
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1″ wide strips
1-28oz can whole tomatoes, drained
1 Tbsp. kosher salt
Black pepper
2 Tbsp chopped parsley

Preheat oven to 400°.  Heat oil in an ovenproof Dutch oven over medium heat.  Add onions, garlic, herbs, and bay leaf, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft, about 10 minutes.

Stir in zucchini, eggplant, bell peppers, tomatoes, salt and pepper, to taste, breaking the tomatoes into rough chunks with a spoon.  Once the vegetables sizzles, put the ratatouille in the oven and bake, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and browning, about 1 hour.  Remove from the oven and stir in parsley.  Serve warm as a side dish or over polenta as a main dish.

Polenta

4 cups water (more or less, depending on desired consistency)
1 cup cornmeal
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp butter

Bring water to boil in a small saucepan, salt it, then turn the heat to medium.  Whisking constantly, add the cornmeal a little at a time until it’s all incorporated.  Turn the heat to low.

For the first five minutes, whisk often to avoid any lumps.  Then switch to a flat-bottomed wooden spoon, stirring often until the water is absorbed. Stir in butter and serve.

I was craving a snack one afternoon and I couldn’t decide if I wanted a sweet snack or a salty one.  So, I made these haystacks, a great combination of sweet and salty.

I had a box of Kashi cereal that I had previously bought for a recipe that I never actually got around to making.  This recipe was on the side of the box and I had everything but almond butter on hand to make it.  A handful of almonds, my handy food processor and I was good to go.  These haystacks did not last long in my house.  Even the skeptics came back for seconds, and thirds…

These can be made to suit your tastes and what is currently taking up space in your pantry.  Have another kind of cereal?  Use that instead.  Don’t have almond butter?  No problem, try peanut butter or another nut butter.  Prefer dark chocolate?  Sounds great.  These are very easy to make your own.    

Puffs and Pretzels Haystacks
adapted from kashi.com

3 ½ cups Kashi® 7 Whole Grain Puffs cereal
1 cup shredded coconut
1 cup broken pretzel sticks (about ¾ inch pieces)
⅔ cup coarsely chopped almonds
12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
½ cup smooth natural almond butter
large pinch of kosher salt
 

In a large mixing bowl, combine Kashi® 7 Whole Grain Puffs cereal, coconut, pretzel pieces and almonds. Set aside. Place chocolate chips in a small microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 10-second intervals, stirring until melted. Add almond butter for the last 10 seconds then stir until smooth. Pour melted mixture over cereal mixture and stir until well coated. Drop by heaping tablespoonful onto waxed paper. Sprinkle each haystack with kosher salt.  Refrigerate until firm. Serve.

MessyCook note:  If you don’t have almond butter on hand, make your own.  To make the 1/2 cup needed for this recipe, put 3/4 cup of raw or toasted almonds into the bowl of your food processor.  Blend until a smooth paste forms, it may take a few minutes.  Add a few drops of vegetable oil if the butter is too dry.