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Grilled Chicken with Spicy Peanut Sauce and Masa Potato Cakes

Sunday, March 13, 2011

Ok, this photo is bad, but it gives a little insight to the once a
week dinner at the table without the tv on. 
Those two do nothing but crack up about stories and
usually try to get me mad at them...Seriously! 
Notice the ketchup on the table...for her green beans....

The Masa Potato Cake

The Peanut Sauce, it is delicious and has a mild kick to it

I had to add a picture of Chloe's project recently.  She loves to use boxes all the time to create a house or condo for Biscuit and Gooch Man, cracks me up...she's celebrating the music....

The house she made with wallpaper on the inside, rug she custom fit,
mail box and music.  Cracks me up....
 Sunday, March 13, 2011

I can't really publish a recipe today without mentioning the devastation in Japan.  Near the coastal city of Sendai, the fifth largest earthquake in the world happened Friday afternoon.  The tsunami pictures are overwhelming.  It's said the power of the waves were equal to a jet plane engine at 650 mph.  And the nuclear reactor meltdown occurring now is chilling.   I've copied a link off my Yahoo homepage that gives relief agencies where we can all help.  It is so, so sad.   It's a sobering Sunday morning. 
http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_newsroom/20110311/wl_yblog_newsroom/japan-earthquake-and-tsunami-how-to-help
Spring Forward Ya'll!  I made yet another Terry Conlan classic recently and want to share it with you.  I've gotta somehow meet this culinary legend before he retires.  Hmmmm...I think Jackie needs to send me to Austin for a weekend at Lake Austin Spa....

Here's how Terry's recipe goes (you'll have most all these ingredients in your pantry and if not, substitute like I did....):

Peanuts are indigenous to the Americas and have played an important role as a nutritious binder for Mexican sauces and moles since pre-Columbian times.  In this recipe, they are pureed with tomatoes, chipolte chiles (smoked jalapenos), lime juice and seasonings to create a wonderfully spicy, slightly piquant salsa that adds a lively interest in the simple goodness of the chicken and masa cakes.

4 4oz boneless, skinless all-natural chicken breasts (I can only find organic chicken locally in the Wal-mart freezer out in the middle of the isle)
2 medium tomatoes
2 garlic gloves, I used 4
1 canned chipolte chile in adobo sauce (you'll find this in the Latino isle at Hay's)
1 T. brown sugar
1 t. ground cumin
1/2 t. dried leaf oregano
1/4 C. chopped cilantro
3 t. smooth reduced fat all-natural peanut butter (I used 1 T regular peanut butter)
2 T. lime juice

Season the chicken lightly with salt and pepper.  Spray each piece lightly with nonstick cooking spray, then grill over hot coals until cooked through.  (I find using my grill pan that Kara gave me for my birthday years ago works just as great if you don't wanna grill in the cold temps outside)  Grill the tomatoes, turning them occasionally, until they begin to char and soften (I broiled in the oven for 4 minutes).  Remove the tomatoes from the grill and combine in a blend with the remaining ingredients.  Puree the mixture, thin with water or stock as needed.  Serve the chicken napped with the warm sauce and Masa Potato Cakes.  Lemme just say how fabulous this is!  WOW, it'll be on your table in say 20 minutes, literally.  Serve with a salad from your garden and you're a gourmet cook!  I have romaine, arugula and spinach in my garden right now. 

The Masa Potato Cakes

1/4 C. masa harina de maiz (this is similar to cornmeal)
1/2 C. water
1 C. cooked and mashed potatoes (I microwaved one russet for 6 minutes on high in the microwave)
1 garlic clove, minced, I used 2
1 T. minced, fresh chives (I didn't have this, I used the green of a green onion)
3/4 t. salt
1/4 C. crumbled feta cheese  (there really isn't a substitution here, but maybe Gorgonzola)
2 t. olive oil

Mix all ingredients in a bowl and shaped into four 1/2 inch thick disks.  Heat the olive oil in a heavy nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Saute the cakes until browned and crisp on both sides.

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