Sesame Chicken Asparagus Pasta with Creamy Peanut Sauce

I figure it's only fair if I ask you guys for some new recipe ideas, to share some with you. I have really appreciated the recipes you've given me and we've tried almost every single one and loved all of them so far. I've really loved how simple they are. Thank you! Jodi, you've got me hooked on the Mels Kitchen Cafe website. We just tried one tonight that was super easy and so delicious. I didn't have sesame seeds, cucumbers or tomatoes for garnish and it was still delicious!

INGREDIENTS

Pasta, Chicken and Extras:
• 8 ounces linquine, thin spaghetti or regular spaghetti (whole wheat works great)
• 3 cups diced, cooked chicken (rotisserie chicken meat works great here as well as this simple skillet method for quick, shredded chicken)
• 1 pound asparagus, tough ends trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1/4 cup sesame seeds, toasted (optional but adds great flavor)
• 3 green onions, chopped
• 1/2 English cucumber, diced
• 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
• Chopped fresh cilantro, to taste
Peanut Sauce:
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon red wine or rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar or honey
• 6 tablespoons chunky or smooth peanut butter
• 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
• Hot sauce (like sriracha, to taste)
• 3 tablespoons sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Pinch of black pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large pot of salted, boiling water, cook the linguine according to package directions. During the last two minutes of cooking time, add the asparagus pieces. Drain the pasta and asparagus together in a colander. 
2. While the pasta cooks, make the sauce by combining the garlic, vinegar, brown sugar, peanut butter, soy sauce, and hot sauce in a blender or food processor. Blend until well-combined. With the blender or food processor running, drizzle in the sesame and olive oil and process until blended and smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper, if needed. Set aside. 
3. Transfer the pasta and asparagus to a large serving bowl. Add the chicken. Pour the sauce over the top along with two tablespoons of the sesame seeds. Toss to combine so the ingredients are coated with the sauce. 
4. Top the pasta dish with the green onions, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, cilantro and sprinkle with the remaining sesame seeds. Serve immediately.

http://www.melskitchencafe.com/sesame-chicken-pasta-with-thai-style-peanut-sauce/

Bowtie Chicken and Asparagus Alfredo

Ok Lins, one more. My family really likes this dish. When I was making it the other night, I was thinking of you because it really is so fast to throw together. And of course, it's another one from Mel's Kitchen Cafe. I did change the ingredients a little. The original recipe calls for 1 1/2 cup milk, but  I use half milk and half cream because it makes it a lot creamier and it doesn't dry out that way. Also, when I go to Costco, I'll buy a couple of their rotisserie chickens and I come home and cut them up while they are still hot and throw the chicken in the fridge, then I have cooked and cubed chicken ready to go for the week. 

INGREDIENTS

• 3 cups cooked and cubed chicken  
• 1-2 pounds asparagus, tough ends trimmed, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 pound bowtie (farfalle) pasta
Sauce:
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup milk
• 3/4 cup cream 
• 3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• Zest from lemon (about a teaspoon)
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
• 6-8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the noodles according to package directions. When there is two minutes left on the cooking time, add the asparagus to the pot and cook for the remaining time. Drain the pasta and asparagus and rinse quickly with cool water (to stop the asparagus from cooking more).
2. For the sauce, while the noodles/asparagus cook, in a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and add the garlic, cooking for 20 seconds or so, stirring constantly. Stir in the flour and cook for about a minute, stirring, until the mixture is toasty and sizzling. Gradually add the milk and chicken broth about 1/2 cup at a time, whisking constantly to avoid lumps. Bring the mixture to a low simmer and cook until slightly thickened, 3-4 minutes. Stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper, and cook, stirring, until the cheese has melted. Add additional salt and pepper to taste, if needed.
3. Place the pasta, chicken and asparagus in a large bowl or serving dish and pour the sauce over the top. Toss lightly to combine. Sprinkle on the bacon and additional Parmesan cheese (if using). Serve immediately.

Recipe taken from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

http://www.melskitchencafe.com/bowtie-chicken-and-asparagus-alfredo/

Cashew Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Ok Lins, this is the recipe I just made that was so fast and everyone loved. (Livie just asked me if I had any leftovers of this) This recipe is from Mel's Kitchen Cafe. In case you haven't noticed, we like a lot of her recipes. She calls this a 20 minute meal and it really was fast. It's also filling, but light and we like those kinds of meals around here. Case and I thought it would be good with some diced water chestnuts too. Case likes a little spice, so he put some Sriracha sauce on it for some kick.

Here's what you need:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup finely diced yellow or white onion
• 1 cup finely diced (or shredded) carrots
• 3-4 cloves garlic, finely minced or pressed through a garlic press
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts or chicken thighs, cut into small pieces
• 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tablespoon pure maple syrup
• 1/2 cup chopped raw cashews (lightly toasted, if desired)
• Bibb or green leaf lettuce leaves for wrapping
• Chopped cucumbers and tomatoes for serving

Here's how to throw it together: 

1. In a large 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium heat and add the onion and carrots. Add the garlic, salt and pepper and cook for 2-3 minutes, until the vegetables start to soften.
2. Season the chicken pieces lightly with salt and pepper and add to the skillet with the onions and carrots. Cook, stirring often, until the chicken pieces are cooked through, 4-5 minutes.
3. Stir in the soy sauce and maple syrup and cook over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, letting the soy sauce and maple syrup bubble and simmer.
4. Stir in the cashews, cooking until they are just heated through. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper, if needed.
5. Serve in lettuce leaves topped with tomatoes and cucumbers (the freshness adds a delicious element to the flavors!).

Here's a link to Mel's website:
http://www.melskitchencafe.com/cashew-chicken-lettuce-wraps/

Also, I made this curry recipe tonight and most of us liked it. If you like curry then this is an easy, flavorful recipe. I like to make spicy/seasoned pork roast and serve it with coconut rice, so when I saw this recipe, the pork and coconut flavors caught my attention and I thought it would be a good mix.

http://www.melskitchencafe.com/slow-cooker-coconut-curry-pork/

Chicken Nikki

As promised Lins, here are the two recipes I mentioned in my email.

This is my sister-in-law's recipe. It was always a favorite of mine but Brooks never liked it with all the "creamy"....so I never made it. Recently I've been making it anyway because I love it and EVERY ONE of my kids loves it. (MIRACLE!) When the Elders come over they ask for it as well. I have to make two pans when they come over (my family could eat 1.5 pans as it is). This is also the recipe that my SIL entered in her small town of Virginia's cookbook competition and won the maindish category. Her name is Nikki, so that's why we call it Chicken Nikki.
I like it because these are ingredients we almost always have the ingredients around. I think the tomatoes are a MUST since the flavor is TO DIE FOR WITH THEM. But since I'm the only one that likes tomatos I just put them on top of my chicken before I bake them and everyone else's I leave bare. I think if you make it though for SURE do the tomato and take if off if you don't love it after you cook it.

Here it is exactly how she does it:

4 boneless chicken breasts* cut into 1-2" strips
1 c. tomatoes sliced
2 (8-oz) pkg of cream cheese
1/2 c. butter
2 T garlic powder
1/2 t. oregano (opt)
1/2 t. thyme (opt)
1/2 t. marjoram (opt)
(For those last spices I just give a few shakes of my italian spice blend and call it good)

Prehead oven to 375. Place chicken pieces in casserole dish. Top with tomatoes....one tomato per chicken strip. In a mixing bowl combine cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy. Add apices and mix well. Dollop mixture in large spoonfuls on top of chicken. Do not try to spread around, it will melt when cooked. Place in oven, uncovered and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Serve over rice.

*Note: for all my chicken breasts I always cut it horizontally so one breast would make two. Make sense? My chicken breasts are usually huge so I can probably 4-6 chicken pieces out of each breast for this recipe. It makes the chicken easier to cut the smaller it is. (NOT little pieces though. You will want it no smaller then your tomato slice.

Baked Taquitos

This is a staple in our home because it's easy and "no veggetables" in it. PLUS, I will double this and roll up the taquitos put on an oven sheet in the freezer to freeze. Then I put them in a gallon ziplock bag. Super easy to throw on a tray later and cook. I like using the small fajita size tortillas better because I don't like meat as much. Guacamole is a must. AND I will many times make 50% of my taquitos with just cheese in them so we have meat ones and cheese ones. Anyway, there's my friend's recipe.

Baked Taquitos
(Cianne Wallin)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Brown:
1 lb. ground meat/turkey
1 clove garlic, minced

Stir in:
1/2 c. salsa
2 tsp. chili powder (I've made w/o before and it's fine)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

Cook over low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Warm tortillas in microwave.  Place 1/4 c. meat mixture down the middle and 
sprinkle with grated cheese.  (I use a Mexican blend, but cheddar or 
Monterey Jack would be fine too.)

Roll tightly and place on a baking sheet.  Spray with a very LIGHT spray of 
olive oil cooking spray. (this makes the crunch on the outside so this step can't be skipped) Bake taquitos for 15-20 minutes - until edges 
brown.  Serve with salsa, sour cream and guacamole.

Trader Joe's Frozen Meals

Oh yeah, that's right. I went there. We love all the different varieties of frozen meals Trader Joe's has. And if you are going to buy a frozen meal, Trader Joe's is the way to go. They're healthy!!! Depending on how we like to eat them, we serve these with white rice or veggies......which they also have at Trader Joe's! Seriously, they have big variety of veggies.  They also have a variety of rices but I personally like to make a fresh batch of white rice at home. Here are some of the different meals they have:

Chicken Chow Mein

Chicken Yakatori Skewers

Shiitake Mushroom Chicken

Spicy Shrip Fried Rice

BBQ Chicken Teriyaki

Mildly Sweet and Spicy Beef and Broccoli

Kung Po Chicken

Tempura Chicken

Orange Chicken 

And they have so much more. Also, I love their bread sticks!! They are above the freezer section where they have all the crackers and stuff. They are called Italian bread sticks and they come in this white, green and orange box for only $1.49. I mention this because Linsey said she has a thing for carbs ;) 

Enjoy!!

Slow Cooker Hawaiian Meatballs

Gabe absolutely loves this meal and I love that I can make it in the crock pot. We always serve it with white rice and it's amazing. 

32 oz package of precooked, frozen meatballs

1 (13.5 oz) can of pineapple chunks (put juice aside) 

1 large green pepper, diced

1 c. brown sugar 

2 T. corn starch

2/3 c. vinegar (either white or apple cider, but I'd go with apple cider, it gives it a little more kick)

2 T. soy sauce 

White rice

Place meatballs in crock pot and top with diced green pepper and drained pineapple chunks. In a separate bowl, mix reserved pineapple juice, brown sugar, corn starch, vinegar, and soy sauce. Pour sauce over meatballs, pineapple and green peppers. Cook on low for 3-4 hours or until heated through. Serve on rice. 

Enjoy!!!