SIMPLE RAMEN RECIPE

ramen noodles 

teriyaki meatballs (or any protein)

scrambled eggs

green onion

cilantro

teriyaki sauce

Make ramen noodles per package and top with meatballs, scrambled eggs, green onion and cilantro.  Use favorite teriyaki sauce and spice on top.

Ashlee Macdonald

Banh Mi Sandwich

 1.5 lb of cooked chicken

6 baguette rolls

fresh cilantro

CREAMY SAUCE:

•  1 cup mayonnaise or plain Greek yogurt
•  2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
•  1 tablespoon (more or less to taste) hot sauce/sriracha or sweet Thai chili sauce
•  1 green onion or a couple chives, finely chopped (optional)

VEGETABLE RELISH:

•  2 large carrots, peeled and cut into thin matchsticks
•  1 English/seedless cucumber, cut into thin matchsticks
•  2 tablespoons granulated sugar
•  2 tablespoons rice vinegar
•  1 teaspoon sesame oil (can use toasted sesame oil)
•  1/2 teaspoon coarse, kosher salt

SWEET AND SPICY HOISIN SAUCE:

•  1/3 cup sweet Thai chili sauce
•  1/4 cup hoisin sauce
•  2 tablespoons rice vinegar
•  2 tablespoons soy sauce

INSTRUCTIONS

1. For the creamy sauce, whisk together all the ingredients. Can be made several days in advance.
2. For the vegetable relish, place the vegetables in a bowl or container. Whisk together the sugar, vinegar, sesame oil and salt. Pour over the vegetables and toss to coat well. Can use immediately but the relish tastes best if made at least an hour before and refrigerated.
3. For the sweet and spicy hoisin sauce, whisk together all of the ingredients. Can be made several days in advance.
4. To assemble take rolls spread creamy sauce put chicken and relish in roll and top with sweet and spicy sauce or dip sandwich in the sauce and top with cilantro.                                                         

Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Grilled Hawaiian Chicken

1 c pineapple juice

1 c soy sauce

2/3 c brown sugar

1T ginger

6 cloves of garlic

Mix ingredients above really well and pour have of the sauce over chicken below and marinate 4-24 hours in the fridge in ziplock bag.

3 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs

Take the other half of the sauce and put on the stove and simmer for 5-10 minutes to thicken.

Grill chicken thighs both sides, let chicken rest for 5 minutes and slice up and pour some sauce off the stove over the chicken slices and leave some sauce for people to drizzle.

Serve chicken over sticky white rice and grilled pineapple.

Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Teriyaki Burger

2lbs ground turkey, chicken, or beef
1 large egg
1/2 unseasoned bread crumbs
2 cubes frozen caramelized onion squares
1 cube garlic
1/4 c teriyaki sauce
1/2 t salt
1/4 t black pepper

Mix above ingredients in a large bowl combine well with hands and form 6 hamburgers.  Preheat grill to medium about 375 degrees.

6 rings of sliced fresh pineapple
6 Ciabatta buns
Lettuce
Teriyaki sauce

Grill the burgers about 6 minutes on each side and baste with teriyaki sauce.
Once the burger are flipped, add the pineapple and grill 2 minutes on each side.  Brush pineapple with teriyaki sauce.  Assemble buns, lettuce, burger, pineapple, teriyaki sauce.

Mel's Kitchen Cafe
Tweaks from Ash

Green Curry

1/2 can of Trader Joe's Green Curry
1 can reduced fat Trader Joe's coconut milk
1 diced onion sautéed
2 diced peppers sautéed
1/3 bag of chopped matchstick carrots
4 chicken breasts cooked and chopped or 20 scallops sautéed

Combine all ingredients prepared and simmer for 20 minutes then serve over rice.

Ashlee Macdonald

Teriyaki Cabbage Salad

1 bag cabbage blend
1/2 bag of matchbox carrots
2 peppers sliced and sautéed
cashews chopped
cilantro half a stalk chopped
Trader Joe's Teriyaki chicken heated through and diced

Mix all ingredients above and dress it with peanut sauce.

Ashlee Macdonald

Chicken Loco Moco

1 lb ground chicken
2 squares of caramelized onions
2 T Soy sauce
1 T Worcestershire sauce
1 t brown sugar
salt and pepper to taste

Mix above ingredients in a bowl then form into patties.  Pan grill patties over medium heat on the stove.  Use the chicken grease in the pan to make the gravy, on low heat add to chicken grease pan:

3 c beef broth
1 T Soy sauce
1 T Worcestershire sauce
4 T flour (whisked in)

Bring to a boil, reduce and simmer to thicken.

8 large fried, over easy, or scrambled eggs
2 cups cooked white rice


Ashlee Macdonald

Sunomono Japanese Cucumber Salad

3 Japanese or 4 Persian cucumbers
1/ t salt
3 T rice vinegar
1 T sugar
1/4 t soy sauce

Slice cucumbers thin as you can.  Stir in salt and let stand for 5 minutes.  Squeeze water out of cucumbers.
In a small bowl, mix rice vinegar, sugar, and soy sauce together until sugar dissolves.
Add vinegar mixture to prepared cucumbers and mix well.

Japanese Cooking 101

Sticky Chicken

5 chicken breasts (10 tenderloins)
3/4 c brown sugar
2/3 c apple cider vinegar
1/4 c lemon lime soda
2 T garlic powder
2 T soy sauce
1 t fresh ground pepper
2 T corn starch

Spray slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray.  Place chicken (frozen, thawed, or fresh doesn't matter) inside slow cooker.

Mix together brown sugar, vinegar, soda, garlic, soy sauce, pepper in a bowl, then pour over the chicken.

Cook on high for 2 hours, then cook on low for 3 hours.   Drain sauce off chicken into saucepan and add cornstarch and bring to a boil for 2-3 minutes.  Then remove from heat and let stand for a few minutes to thicken and cool down.

Serve over rice, noodles, or even a baked potato.


Six Sister's Stuff

Shoyu Chicken

1/2 c soy sauce
1/2 c brown sugar
1/2 c water
2 cloves garlic (minced)
1/2 onion (chopped)
1/2 T ginger powder
1/2 T black pepper
1/2 T dried oregano
1/2 t crushed red pepper flakes
8-10 boneless skinless chicken thighs

Whisk together all the ingredients in a bowl then add the chicken.  Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate/marinate for at least an hour.  Grill each side for 15 minutes or roast in oven for 15 minutes each side.

The Big E

Thai Sesame Noodles

1 c Asian sesame dressing (divided)

2 chicken breasts (cubed)

2 T chunky peanut butter

2 T honey

1/2 t crushed red pepper

8 oz thin spaghetti (cooked & drained)

1/2 c shredded carrot

1/2 c green onions

1/2 c sliced almonds

Place cubed chicken in zip lock bag and pour 1/3 c of dressing in the bag. Coat and marinate an hour. Drain, discard dressing. Mix remaining 2/3 c dressing, peanut butter, honey, and pepper and set aside. Cook chicken in large skillet on medium-high about 8 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Mix chicken, spaghetti, carrots, onions, almonds in a large bowl. Serve immediately.

Krysti Pyles

Curried Coconut Chicken

4 chicken breasts (cubed)

1 t salt

1 t pepper

1 T olive oil

1 T curry powder

1/4 of an onion diced

1 t garlic graduals

1 can coconut milk

1 can (14 oz) stewed diced tomatoes

1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce

3 T sugar

3 c cooked rice

Heat oil and curry powder in a large skillet over medium-heat for 2 minutes. Stir in onions and garlic. Cook 1 minute more. Add chicken, tossing lightly to coat with curry oil. Reduce heat to medium, and cook for 7 -10 minutes or until chicken is no longer pin in the center and the juice runs clear.

Pour coconut milk, tomatoes, tomato sauce, and sugar in the pan and stir to combine. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, approximately 30-40 minutes.

Serve over rice.

Roma

Lettuce Wraps

Pouring sauce:
1/4 c sugar
1/2 warm water
2 T rice wine vinegar
2 T ketchup
1 T lemon juice
2 T soy sauce
1/2 T mustard
2 t garlic powder
1/8 t sesame oil

Mix and set aside.

2 chicken breasts diced and browned in 2T sesame oil & 2 T olive oil over medium heat.
Take chicken out of pan. Put in the following ingredients:
2 T soy sauce
2 T brown sugar
1/2 t rice wine vinegar
1 t garlic powder
1 green onion cut up
1 can water chestnuts diced
1 diced green pepper
6 baby carrots diced (optional)
1/3 cucumber diced (optional)
1 1/2 c cooked rice

Cook rice as directed on package. Put powder, sugar, soy sauce, vinegar in pan let simmer for a few minutes then place cut up veggies in and saute. Assemble wraps and have pouring sauce on the side.


Ashlee Macdonald