There’s no frogs breath, worms wort, or deadly nightshade in this Nightmare Before Christmas Soup but it looks good enough to kill! Kale and pea green curry is topped with a skull-shaped slice of provolone to resemble Sally’s Worms Wort Soup.

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Other than frogs breath, worms wort, and deadly nightshade, I have no idea what is in Sally’s worms wort Nightmare Before Christmas Soup. So I took some liberties and remade a kale and pea green curry soup inspired by spring vegetables and Thai/Cambodian flavors that I had at a dinner party recently, made by Damian of Fetty’s Street Food.

Despite the lengthy list of ingredients, this soup actually comes together in just 1 hour. I know that’s not super fast but given the complexity of flavors you would think it took longer. However, this is one of those recipes that the quality of the ingredients matter. Sure it uses frozen peas and spinach, but make sure you are using good green curry paste, coconut milk (no light milk here), and fresh seasonings because they make the difference.

At the dinner party, Damian served this soup with Thai style fried pork belly, a drizzle of Thai bail oil, and peas/pea shoots for garnish. It was exquisite but not necessary for Sally’s Nightmare Before Christmas soup. Instead I added a slice of provolone cheese cut to resemble the skull that appears over the soup as she makes it. I know, lots of skulls this week!

The result is a velvety bright green soup with all the flavors: fish sauce for salt, sugar for sweetness, vinegar for sour/tartness, and mushroom seasoning for umami. Not nightshade to put you to sleep here like Dr. Finkelstein, but you may enough enough to put yourself in a food coma instead.

Welcome to 2024’s #HalloweenTreatsWeek event!

If you’re new here, Welcome! If you’re a returning haunt, welcome back!

#HalloweenTreatsWeek is a yearly Halloween blogging event that is hosted by Angie from Big Bear’s Wife . This spooky event is an online, week-long event that is filled with some frightfully fun Halloween treats and recipes from some fantastic Halloween loving bloggers!

For this year’s 7th annual #HalloweenTreatsWeek event we have 12 hauntingly talented bloggers who are sharing their favorite Halloween recipes throughout the week! You can follow the hashtag #HalloweenTreatsWeek on social media to collect all of these frightful recipes to use at your own Halloween parties and events!

• Mozzarella Skull Caprese Pasta Salad from BigBearsWife
• Hocus Pocus Spell Book Rice Krispie Treats from Semi-Homemade Recipes
• Vanilla Citrus Cider from Jolene’s Recipe Journal
• Purple People Eater Macaron from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
• Mini Pizza Skulls from Karen’s Kitchen Stories
• Halloween Candy Chocolate Pie from Sweet ReciPEAs
• Halloween Bark from Art of Natural Living
• Pumpkin Oatmeal Bread from A Day in the Life on the Farm

SALLY'S WORM WORT NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS SOUP (GREEN CURRY SOUP)

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Yield: 8 Servings Prep Time: 15 Minutes Cooking Time: 45 Minutes 45 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp neutral oil, such as canola
• 1 medium yellow onion, peeled and roughly chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed/chopped
• 1 heaped Tbsp good green curry paste*
• 1 bunch kale, stripped off the stem and roughly chopped
• 1 (12 oz.) bag of frozen peas, thawed
• 2 (13.5 oz.) cans of coconut milk
• 10 oz. water
• 3 Tbsp sugar
• 1 Tbsp fish sauce**
• 1 Tbsp white vinegar
• 2 Tbsp mushroom seasoning/powder
• 2 tsp ground white pepper
• 1 (12 oz.) bag of frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed or excess liquid
• 8 thin slices provolone

Directions

1. In a wok/heavy based sauce pan, heat oil over medium high and fry onion until it starts to brown, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté until lightly browned all over, about 1 minute.
2. Add curry paste and sauté until oil starts to separate from the paste stirring frequently (about 2 minutes). Quickly add kale and peas, and cook until the kale is wilted and halved in volume (about 5 minutes).
3. Add coconut milk, water sugar, fish sauce, vinegar, mushroom seasoning, and white pepper. Stir to combine and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and let simmer for 20 minutes. Taste and adjust for seasoning: fish sauce for salt, sugar for sweet, vinegar for sour/tartness, mushroom seasoning for umami. Remove from heat and let the soup cool completely.
4. Transfer the soup and thawed spinach to a high speed blender***. Blend for at least one minute until completely smooth and bright green. Return soup to the pot and reheat.
5. While soup reheats, use a small round cookie cutter and/or paring knife to cut provolone slices into skulls.
6. Serve soup with provolone skull on top.

Notes

*I have the privilege of getting fresh homemade green curry paste from Damian himself, but you can find good pastes from a local Asian market. **For fish allergies or vegetarian option use soy sauce. ***I normally like to use my immersion blender to avoid the need to cool and transfer, but a high speed blender is preferred here to get a silky smooth texture.

Source: Adapted slightly from Damian of Fetty’s Street Food.

This sweet coconut sticky rice is not claiming to be authentic, but it is delicious! Especially when topped with fresh mango.

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This is the first time I have ever made sticky rice. Am I claiming it to be authentic? Far from it! So don’t try to call me out for not doing it the proper way.

Trust me, I looked up all kinds of recipes claiming to be authentic, and while I don’t doubt those claims, I just didn’t have the patience at the time for all of it.

So, true to form, I decided to wing it. And you know what? I think it turned out damn delicious.

Would the more authentic version taste better? Maybe. And maybe one day I will try it, but for now my cheater method is how I am going to roll.

Another things not authentic about this dish? I served it with a sprinkle of Tajin seasoning. Yes I put Mexican seasoning on a Thai dessert, because I love Tajin on mango and it was just as good when paired with this sweet coconut sticky rice as well.

Have you ever had Tajin seasoning? I highly recommend stopping by your local Mexican grocery to pick some up or making using a homemade tajin recipe. Just keep in mind that a little bit goes a long way!

I’ve also heard it’s delicious mixed with sugar or salt (depending on your preference) on the rim of a margarita. But I digress.

If you don’t want to find Tajin or make your own, this would also be great topped with toasted coconut or sesame seeds.

One year ago: BBQ Brisket Burgers

Four years ago: Rent the Runway Pro Review

Five years ago: Sourdough Pancakes

Six years ago: Twix Brownies

Seven years ago: Peanut Butter Banana Bagels

Nine years ago: Baked Blueberry Almond Pancakes

SWEET COCONUT STICKY RICE WITH MANGO

Print

Yield: 4 Servings Prep Time: 1 Hour 20 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 uncooked, short-grain rice
• 2 cups water
• 1 (15 oz.) can coconut milk
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 Tbsp tapioca starch
• 1 fresh mango, peeled and cubed
• Sesame seeds, toasted coconut, or Tajin seasoning, for serving

Directions

1. In a fine sieve, rinse rice cold water until the water runs clear.
2. In a medium sauce pan, combine the rice and 2 cups water, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover, and until water is absorbed, about 15-20 minutes.
3. While the rice cooks, in a small saucepan over medium heat combine coconut milk, sugar, and tapioca. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Remove the pan from the heat and cover.
4. When the rice ix cooked, stir in the coconut milk mixture, cover, and allow to cool for 30 minutes-1 hour or until it has absorbed all of the liquid.
5. When ready to serve, divide sticky rice among serving plates with mango on top. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, toasted coconut, or tajin seasoning as desired..

Did you make this recipe? I want to see!

Tag @THESPIFFYCOOKIE on Instagram and hashtag it #THESPIFFYCOOKIE

This post is sponsored in conjunction with #BrunchWeek. I received product samples from sponsor companies to aid in the creation of the #BrunchWeek recipes. All opinions are mine alone.

Every year that I have participated in #BrunchWeek  I have shared a brunch cocktail (2014 Raspberry Tequila Sunrise, 2015 Grape Mojito, 2016 Boozy Margarita Smoothie) and this year is no exception. The funniest part about this trend is that I don’t really drink that much but enjoy coming up with fun concoctions just like I do with food. When pondering what to make with the Nielsen-Massey rose water I remembered that mango often is paired with rose water in Indian cuisine, such as in a Mango Lassi. However, I’ve already shared a Mango Lassi cocktail so I applied these flavors to a Pina Colada instead.

But then I was curious, what is the difference between a Mango Lassi and a Pina Colada? After googling, the two are not all that different. A Lassi is usually yogurt, water, mango, and no booze, while a Colada is usually coconut cream/milk, pineapple, ice, and rum. So if you add mango to a Colada it’s basically a boozy Mango Lassie. Which would mean my Mango Lassi cocktail was actually a Mango Pina Colada and now here I am repeating myself. But I digress.

Whether or not this is a repeat recipe should not deter your from the fact that it’s stinking delicious. And if you prefer the mocktail (or Mango Lassi) version just simply leave out the alcohol. The ingredients are all thrown into a blender together until smooth, just like a smoothie. And now I wonder if what I made is actually a mango smoothie? Heck who knows what the proper name is, just drink it and enjoy! Maybe enjoy it while entering the #BrunchWeek giveaway!

Take a look at what the #BrunchWeek Bloggers are creating today!

BrunchWeek Beverages:
Blackberry Mint Bellinis from Sweet Beginnings
Cardamom Rose Cocktail from Culinary Adventures with Camilla
Lemon & Blueberry Mocktail from Girl Abroad
Mango Pina Colada from The Spiffy Cookie
Sparkling Mojito Lime Rickies from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures

BrunchWeek Egg Dishes:
Cheesy Asparagus Bacon Quiche from The Nifty Foodie
Creamed Asparagus Omelet from Wholistic Woman
Eggs in Hell from kimchi MOM
Asparagus and Cheddar Frittata from My Catholic Kitchen
Spring Veggie Quiche from A Day in the Life on the Farm

BrunchWeek Breads, Grains and Pastries:
Apple Cheddar Cream Cheese Danish from Amy’s Cooking Adventures
Apple Cinnamon Bread from It Bakes Me Happy
Gluten Free Apple Waffles from Gluten Free Crumbley
Banana Bread Buttermilk Pancakes from Love and Confections
Blackberry Cream Cheese Sweet Rolls from Pink Cake Plate
Brown Sugar Poptarts from Big Bear’s Wife
Creme Brulee French Toast from The Barbee Housewife
Cherry Almond Coffee Cake from The Chef Next Door
Cheddar Dinner Rolls from Family Around the Table
Cinnamon Apple Danish from Nik Snacks
Garlic and Herb Pull Apart Bread from Jane’s Adventures in Dinner
Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf Cake from Books n’ Cooks

BrunchWeek Main Dishes:
Country Ham Biscuits with Peach Mustard from Palatable Pastime
Ham, Apple and Cheddar Melts from Cookaholic Wife
Ham, Egg, and Asparagus Breakfast Pizza Rants From My Crazy Kitchen
Shaved Asparagus, Herb Cream Cheese, and Smoked Salmon Pizza from Sarcastic Cooking
Yumbo Sliders from Cindy’s Recipes and Writings

BrunchWeek Fruits, Vegetables and Sides:
Rhubarb Crunch from Cooking with Carlee

Biscuit Bar with Flavored Sugars from Sew You Think You Can Cook
Low-Fat Apple Coffee Cake from Hardly A Goddess

Two years ago: Chocolate Caramel Cream Pie

Three years ago: Deviled Potatoes

Six years ago: Homemade Wheat Thins

MANGO PINA COLADA

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 mango, peeled, seeded and cubed

1-1/2 cups pineapple juice

1 (14 oz.) can coconut milk

1-1/4 cups ice cubes

1 Tbsp Dixie Crystals pure cane sugar

1 tsp Nielsen-Massey rose water

1/2 cup rum (optional)

Directions:

1. Place all ingredients into a blender. Puree until smooth, pour into glasses and serve*.

* This recipe is intended for individuals ages 21 & up. Please drink responsibly.

Source: Adapted from AllRecipes.

Disclaimer: Thank you to #BrunchWeek Sponsors: Red Star Yeast, Dixie Crystals, Cabot Cheese, Nielsen-Massey, Rainier Fruit, and Michigan Asparagus for providing the prizes free of charge. These companies also provided the bloggers with samples and product to use for #BrunchWeek recipes. All opinions are my own. The #BrunchWeek giveaway is open to U.S. residents, age 18 & up. All entries for the winner will be checked and verified. By entering you give the right to use your name and likeness. The number of entries received determines the odds of winning. Six winners will be selected. The prize packages will be sent directly from the giveaway sponsors. The #BrunchWeek Bloggers are not responsible for the fulfillment or delivery of the prize packages. Bloggers hosting this giveaway and their immediate family members in their household cannot enter or win the giveaway. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited by law. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, or any other social channel mentioned in the #Brunchweek posts or entry.

Have your cake and eat it too! This 6-inch layer cake may be smaller but it packs the flavor with coconut, lemon and fresh blueberry-lemon frosting.

If you follow me on Snapchat (thespiffycookie), you saw this cake coming. If so, you also saw that I have bandaids on two fingers, one on each hand, because evidently I am not to be trusted around sharp objects. Makes for an interesting time as I sit here and try to type this and darn now my boyfriend has to wash all the dishes… noooo… But I promise no blood was spilled in this cake, although the first injury did occur while cleaning the knife that was used to cut it. I really know how to sell it, someone should hire me to be the spokesperson for their food product.

You may think that there’s a lot of flavors going on here, but I promise it’s just right. The cake itself is coconut with layer of lemon curd in between the layers and a covering of fresh blueberry-lemon frosting. I threw some toasted coconut and fresh blueberries on top for good measure, in case you were confused as to what flavor it was. But what’s my favorite part? It’s a mini 6-inch layer cake! Which means it serves about 4-6 people and is basically my ideal cake size for when I want to bake a cake but not worry about the leftovers. And to promote the recreation of this cake in your home, I’m giving away a bottle of Nielsen-Massey pure lemon extract! Just use the widget located at the bottom of this post to enter.

Side note: please make sure you add 1/2 tablespoon of baking powder, not 1/2 teaspoon to your cake. Not that I know from experience or anything…

One year ago: Sourdough Blueberry Muffins

Two years ago: Whole Wheat Scone for One

Four years ago: Banana Bread French Toast

Five years ago: Sweet Potato Fries

LEMON COCONUT CAKE WITH BLUEBERRY FROSTING

Serves 4

Ingredients:

CAKE

1 egg + 2 egg whites

1/2 cup full fat coconut milk

1/2 tsp Nielsen-Massey Madagascar bourbon pure vanilla extract

1/2 tsp coconut extract

6 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature and cut into cubes

1 cup + 2 Tbsp cake flour

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 Tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup lemon curd

FROSTING

4 oz. cream cheese, room temperature

4 Tbsp (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

2-1/2 cups powdered sugar

2 Tbsp pureed blueberries (about 1/4 cup whole)

1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice

1/4 tsp Nielsen-Massey Madagascar bourbon pure vanilla extract

1/4 tsp Nielsen-Massey pure lemon extract

1/8 tsp salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease two 6-inch round cake pans.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and egg whites. Whisk in the coconut milk, vanilla and coconut extracts.
3. In a large bowl, sift together the cake flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Using a pastry blender or two ceramic knives from The Kitchen calls, cut in the butter until only pea-size pieces remain. Add in half of the egg mixture, and beat using a hand mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 1 minute.
4. Reduce speed to low and add in the remaining egg mixture. Mix on low until combined, about 30 seconds. Stir batter once by hand with a rubber spatula (Do not over mix cake batter otherwise you will end up with a dense cake).
5. Divide batter evenly into prepared pans. Bake cakes until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean, about 25-30 mins, rotating pans halfway through baking.
6. Let cakes cool in pan for 10 minutes before removing and cooling completely on a wire rack.
7. While the cake cools, prepare the frosting. In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter until creamy then add the powdered sugar, pureed blueberries, lemon juice, extracts, and salt. Continue beating until very light and fluffy. Add more powdered sugar to reach desired consistency.
8. Store in the refrigerator until somewhat stiff, before using. (May be stored in the refrigerator for 3 days.)
9. Slice the very top of each cake to flatten and frost, stacking the layers. Top with additional blueberries.

Source: Adapted from Blahnik Baker , my Blueberry Blue Velvet Cake and Strawberry Stuffed Cupcakes.

Items you may need (affiliate links):

Disclosure: I was provided with complimentary product to use and giveaway but was not otherwise compensated for this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Turn your no-churn ice cream tropical with the addition of coconut and pistachios! This no-churn toasted coconut pistachio ice cream is a real treat.

This content contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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Ever since discovering the no-churn cheat method to make ice cream without an ice cream maker I rarely bust it out. With one less day of preparation and no need to remember to freeze the bowl, it means I am one step closer to having homemade ice cream in my belly. And the more time I have to play with creative ice cream flavor ideas!

Being national ice cream month I’ve been slacking a bit but hey, I managed to squeak one in! Today’s flavor comes to you from a recipe I found in a cookbook dedicated entirely to no-churn ice creams aptly named “No-Churn Ice Cream“. I used the recipe for her toasted coconut ice cream but added my own touch with the addition of some chopped roasted pistachios.

Tasty enough to be eaten on its own or scoop some on top of a slice of cake, such as the best pistachio cake recipe.

Today is also Bob’s birthday! Since it is restaurant week, we will be dining at Lindey’s tonight to celebrate. This ice cream is also partly celebratory because that man loves his pistachios. Whenever I add pistachios to the grocery list he pretends to refuse to buy them unless he gets to eat them rather than me hoarding them for a recipe.

While I did use pistachios in this no-churn coconut ice cream, I managed to leave plenty of unused pistachios behind for him to snack on later (as made evident by the cascading nuts in the background of these photos).

Now to resist the urge to use them in another recipe like caramelized white chocolate pistachio ice cream… better act fast Bob!

What more ideas like this coconut pistachio ice cream?

NO-CHURN TOASTED COCONUT PISTACHIO ICE CREAM

Print

Yield: 1 quart Prep Time: 6 Hours 30 Minutes Cooking Time: 10 Minutes 10 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsweetened grated or shredded coconut
• 1 (13 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 cup canned unsweetened coconut milk
• 1/2 tsp coconut extract
• 1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
• Pinch salt
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1/2 cup chopped roasted pistachios

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Spread coconut out on a rimmed baking sheet and toast in oven until golden brown, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in a medium pot stir the sweetened condensed milk and coconut milk together and place over medium-low heat.
4. Once the coconut is toasted add to the hot milk mixture and remove from heat. Set aside to cool.
5. Once cooled, add the coconut extract, lime juice, and salt. Place a fine mesh sieve over a large bowl and strain the coconut out of the mixture, pressing to squeeze out as much liquid as possible.
6. In a separate large bowl, beat the heavy cream until it forms soft peaks. Fold into the coconut mixture until just incorporated. Fold in the pistachios.
7. Transfer to a freezable container, cover with plastic wrap, and freeze for 6 hours or overnight before serving.

Source: Adapted slightly from No-Churn Ice Cream by Leslie Bilderback.

Items you may need (affiliate links):

Did you make this recipe? I want to see! Tag @THESPIFFYCOOKIE on Instagram and hashtag it #THESPIFFYCOOKIE

The fourth Monday of the month is always Secret Recipe Club posting day for me and I look forward to it every month. It’s fun digging through new and familiar bloggers’ recipes and secretly picking one out to make and share. I’ve lost track of how many years I’ve been a part of this group but I’ve definitely been in long enough to start being paired up with people who have had me in the past. For example, Tara of Tara’s Multicultural Table, had me back in April 2014 and she made my chocolate chip cookie dough cupcakes. (Which reminds me, I really need to revisit those babies.) And now I get to return the favor, sharing one of her recipes with you today.

Tara has a diverse genre of recipes on her blog from Saragli (Greek rolled baklava) to Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas. But since I had just gone strawberry picking and had plenty to go around, I decided upon a recipe that would compliment them – a sweet orange flavored risotto topped with sliced strawberries. This risotto is just like rice pudding but is cooked like risotto. Definitely a different dessert to come out of my kitchen but no less delicious, and pretty too. Thanks for the great recipe Tara!

Four years ago: Roasted Potato Salad

SWEET ORANGE RISOTTO WITH STRAWBERRIES

Serves 2-4

Ingredients:

3 cups milk

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 TBsp unsalted butter

1/2 cup Arborio rice

1 orange, zest and juice

1/2 cup coconut milk

2 cups fresh strawberries, sliced

Ingredients:

1. In a medium saucepan, stir together milk, sugar, and vanilla over medium heat. Continue to stir until the milk comes to a simmer and the sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to low and cover.
2. In a large pan, add the butter over medium heat. Once melted, stir in the rice. Continue to stir until coated in butter and heated, about 2 minutes. Add the zest and orange juice and stir for another 2 minutes.
3. While stirring constantly, add the heated milk 1/2 cup at a time. Stir until the 1/2 cup of milk is absorbed before adding the next 1/2 cup, 3-5 minutes each. Repeat until all the milk is absorbed. Remove from heat and stir in the coconut milk. Let sit for 5 minutes. Transfer to serving bowls and top with strawberry slices. Serve immediately.

Source: Adapted slightly from Tara’s Multicultural Table.

Today marks yet another recipe that looks awfully daunting upon first glance of the ingredient list but is easy to prepare. Most of the ingredients are thrown into a marinade or a sauce so as long as you know how to use your measuring cups and spoons, you will do just fine. And that small amount of effort pays off with a spicy peanut butter flavor explosion that will leave your taste buds rejoicing. That is, assuming you like peanut butter. If you don’t now is your chance to quietly leave through the back door before I start ranting.

When I first got my hands on a jar of PB & Co’s “the heat it on” spicy peanut butter I was at a loss with what to do with it. Adding heat to peanut butter was an abomination to a level comparable to adding anything to my sacred root beer. But since I recently widened my horizons and can actually enjoy a root beer float from time to time now, I figured why not embrace the spicy peanut butter? And then I remembered chicken satay and felt silly for every thinking that spiciness and peanut butter were not meant to be together just as much as peanut butter and chocolate.

And then I fed this to my friend Christina during one of our girls nights/re-watching S&TC and I think her taste buds had an intimate moment. I felt as though I should have left the room to allow some privacy. Don’t say I didn’t warn you about this from the beginning. And I apologize for this joke in advance but it popped in my head – “Practice safe lunch, use condiments.”

One year ago: Homemade Whole Wheat Bread Bowls

Two years ago: S’mores Puppy Chow

Four years ago: Banana Foster Cream Pie

CHICKEN SATAY WITH SPICY PEANUT SAUCE & COCONUT-GINGER RICE

Serves 3-4

CHICKEN

2 lb. (approximately 6-8) chicken tenders

2 Tbsp minced lemongrass stalk

1 Tbsp minced garlic

1/3 cup coconut milk

1/4 cup lime juice

3 Tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce

2 Tbsp honey

2 Tbsp sesame oil

1 tsp chili paste

Wooden skewers (soaked for 30 minutes)

SPICY PEANUT SAUCE

3 Tbsp Peanut Butter & Co’s The Heat Is On peanut butter

1/4 cup coconut milk

1 Tbsp juice

1 Tbsp honey

1/2 Tbsp minced garlic

2 tsp reduced sodium soy sauce

1 tsp chili paste

1 green onion, minced

1 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

Warm water, to thin the sauce out

COCONUT-GINGER RICE

1 cup Jasmine rice

1 cup water

1/2 cup coconut milk

1 Tbsp freshly minced ginger

3/4 tsp salt

Directions:

1. In a large bowl whisk together the lemongrass, garlic, coconut milk, lime juice, soy sauce, honey, sesame oil, and chili paste. Add chicken tenders and stir to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least two hours.
2. Prepare the peanut sauce. In a medium bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, coconut milk, lime juice, honey, soy sauce, chili paste, garlic, green onion and cilantro. Add a little bit of warm water to reach desired consistency. Set aside.
3. In a medium pot add the rice, water, coconut milk, ginger, and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook covered until all water is absorbed, about 15-20 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, preheat grill to medium-high. Thread chicken onto skewers then grill for 4-6 minutes per side or until the chicken is fully cooked.
5. Serve chicken with peanut sauce and rice.

Source: Adapted slightly from Simply Scratch.

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Coolest thing that happened over the weekend? My team and I won Harry Potter trivia on Saturday night! With 21 teams, we were convinced we would be trailing after missing 4 of 32 questions in the first half. As we listened to them counting down the top 15 teams we began to get worried as they neared the top 5 and we had not yet heard out team name – could we really have been worse than #15? 5 – not us, 4 – still not us, 3 – could we really be in the top two? 2 – yet again not us. Low and behold we were rocking the #1 spot! Tension rose for the second half as we fought to retain our throne of nerddom and despite missing a few more questions we the reigning champions in the end. To make it even sweeter we won half of money collected to participate ($5/person) which amounted to $200 or $50/person. Who knew Harry potter knowledge could earn money? We proceeded to bar hop around the Knoxville Market Square-area to celebrate.

Coolest thing that you should cook this week? This creamy peanut chicken made with coconut milk, peanut butter and just a little kick thanks to some garlic-chili paste. Lots of flavor for a quick weeknight meal.

One year ago: Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

Three years ago: Broccoli Garbanzo Pasta

CREAMY PEANUT CHICKEN WITH RICE

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 cup coconut milk

1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter

2 Tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce

2 Tbsp brown sugar

1-2 Tbsp sambal oelek garlic chili paste

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp dried ground ginger

1/3 cup finely chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish

Juice of 1 lime

1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast, diced

1 large carrot, peels and diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

2 cups cooked rice

Chopped peanuts, for garnish

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, combine the coconut milk, peanut butter, soy sauce, brown sugar, sambal oelek, garlic, ginger, cilantro, and lime juice. Whisk to combine. Cover and let sit on the counter for about half an hour.
2. Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium high. Add the chicken and diced carrot, season with salt and pepper and sauté for about 4 minutes, until browned all over and the carrot is beginning to soften. Add the diced pepper and sauté another minute. Stir the peanut sauce into the chicken and cook until heated through.
3. Serve chicken immediately over a bed of rice with chopped peanuts and extra cilantro for garnish.

Source: Adapted slightly from Bev Cooks.

Two years ago: Tomato-Basil Eggs Alfredo in Bread Baskets

STRAWBERRY-BANANA COLADA SMOOTHIE

Serves 1

Ingredients:

1/2 banana, cut into chunks and frozen

1/2 cup frozen chopped strawberries

1/4 cup fresh pineapple chunks

1/2 cup light coconut milk

1/4 cup spinach (optional)

1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt (I used 2% Chobani)

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

1/8 tsp salt

Toasted coconut, for topping

Directions:

1. Blend bananas, strawberries, pineapple and coconut milk until smooth. Add spinach, if using, and set on high until minced. Add the Greek yogurt, vanilla and salt and blend until the smoothie mixture is all one color.
2. Pour the smoothie into glass and top with toasted coconut.

Source: Halved from Half Baked Harvest.