Thai Basil Chicken (Spicy!)

Thai Basil Chicken

!SPICY!

Chicken breast (or) Ground chicken

Thai Basil

Thai peppers

Oyster sauce

Fish sauce

Coconut sugar

Cooked rice, hot and ready to serve

Fried eggs

This easy dish was my first taste of Thai food, prepared by my son Stephen on a visit to my house after his stay in Thailand.

Prep work is easy, the cooking is easier!

Use ground chicken, or dice chicken breast into bite sized pieces. Set aside until time to cook.

Chop some Thai peppers. The amount you use depends entirely on how much heat you want. When Stephen prepared this for us, he used about half a cup of peppers... I use less. MUCH LESS.

Roll fresh Thai basil into bundles and chop.
Set aside until time to cook.

In a small bowl, mix equal parts of coconut sugar, fish sauce, and oyster sauce. This is the glaze. Set aside until time to cook. (I used about 2 tablespoons of each here.)

OK! When you are ready to cook.... Get your skillet or wok "Screaming Hot."

Add a small amount of cooking oil of your choice. I happened to use sunflower oil this time.

Add the chicken and stir it around.

When the chicken is almost, but not quite "done", add  the peppers. Stir them around. The skillet should stay as HOT as you can keep it.

Next, pour your glaze over the chicken and peppers.  Allow the chicken to finish cooking, which shouldn't take long at all. (Half a minute?)

OK. Turn off the heat. Take your nice pile of  chopped basil, and throw it over the top of the chicken. 

Put a lid over it and let it wilt while you fry some eggs. (You may want to heat the pan for the eggs when you are starting to cook the chicken.)  

Time to plate!

 Put down a bed of rice. Give the basil chicken a good stir, then put a serving over the rice. Top with a fried egg. I was told it is traditional to leave the yolk runny, but if you prefer the yolks cooked hard, that is your choice!

From the time you start cooking until you sit down to eat this is less than 10 minutes.

The amount of chicken I used was two split, boneless, skinless breasts. I used three or four green cayenne peppers, as I didn't have Thai peppers. I have Thai basil growing in my garden. The flavor is slightly different than your regular basil, but any fresh basil would work in this.  I used a good sized handful, the amount is up to your tastes. (I don't think you can add too much!)
You can find Oyster sauce, Fish sauce, Thai peppers, and Thai basil at pretty much any Asian market. Even Walmart carries the sauces... but it is less pricey at the Asian market... at least around here!

This is one food that just makes you want to have it again and again. It is so easy to make, and delicious you may be finding yourself making it every day!

Lazy Lasagna

Lazy Lasagna

Frozen (or fresh if you prefer!) ravioli (I used both cheese and meat varieties)

left over spaghetti sauce (or canned)

cottage cheese 

eggs (beaten)

shredded mozzarella cheese

Spray a casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray.

Pour in a small amount of spaghetti sauce.

Lay out a layer of frozen ravioli in the sauce.

Mix together cottage cheese and eggs. (1 egg per cup of cottage cheese)

Pour a layer of this mixture over the ravioli.

Add a layer of spaghetti sauce.

Repeat layers.

Top with shredded mozzarella cheese.

Bake @ 300-325* for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until hot and bubbling.

This will cook more quickly if the ravioli is fresh or thawed.

I am claiming to have invented this recipe... I was looking to empty the freezer of on-hand items and had a few ravioli in two bags- one of meat and one of cheese filled ravioli. I had leftover spaghetti sauce, and a half a carton of cottage cheese that was nearing its expiration date. Lasagna came to mind, so I went with it!

The beauty of this recipe over regular lasagna is that I can make a small casserole dish of it and serve it for one meal. With my regular lasagna recipe.. I need company!

Easy Baked Italian Chicken

Baked Italian Chicken

Chicken, cut up, or your favorite cuts (can be Boneless, skinless, or neither)

 Italian salad dressing (NOT creamy!) (Your favorite brand. I like Marzetti.)

Place the chicken in a casserole dish.

Pour bottled Italian dressing over the chicken. You want the chicken well coated, as well as some in the casserole dish. Be generous.

Cover (with foil if you do not have a lid)

Bake at 350* for 25 minutes.

Remove foil, turn chicken. Return to oven, uncovered, for 10 minutes (or longer). You want the chicken to be done, but not dry. The cooking uncovered allows chicken with skin on it to crisp up a bit. Allow to sit for just a few moments before serving.

I like to serve this with a green salad, or even cut up IN a green salad. Also great served over cooked rice.