Red Velvet Waffles

On a Sunday morning, making red velvet waffles for breakfast is probably as sinful as it gets! I love breakfast foods, and couldn't resist The Baker's Pantry Red Velvet Pancake and Waffle Mix I found at World Market yesterday. It is all natural, and there are also meyer lemon and pumpkin flavors. Thankfully, one batch only made three waffles (or perhaps four if I didn't waste some of the batter). One waffle was plenty ~ very filling. They were really pretty good, and had a cake-like consistency. I only wish we had fresh whipped cream to top them off!

This isn't something I would make every day, but definitely a great decadent splurge for a special occasion like Christmas or Valentine's Day. Though they were easy to make, I still managed to make a hot mess in the kitchen. In no time, there was bright red batter oozing out of the waffle maker. Enter aftermath here... 

Fortunately, the mess doesn't matter if it tastes good in the end!  

Tales of Pesto Making

On the first day of summer, I made fresh pesto using my very own basil plant (thanks to my mother's green thumb). I love pesto, and this recipe is especially good because it has lots of potent garlic! I also like the mix of walnuts and pine nuts.

However, tonight I used this Barefoot Contessa recipe again, but had no pine nuts. So I made a major faux pas and used walnuts with some pistachios thrown in. The taste was still really good, though I think the pine nuts are more ideal.  I drenched some grilled chicken breasts with the pesto, and it was delish. I think I could eat pesto on nearly anything.

Unfortunately, my herbs could use a little more TLC. I just learned I should be trimming the leaves from the top, and snipping the white buds off to help new growth. About a month later, the basil is still growing like crazy, along with the jalapeno pepper. However, my cilantro died from the brutal heat, and the rosemary is surviving.

I guess three out of four isn't bad. Clearly I need to work on my green thumb, but if all else fails I will have enough pesto to freeze and last us through the winter!

Orange Deliciousness

I really love breakfast foods. There's something very comforting about warm, tasty breakfast on a leisurely weekend morning. French toast is one of my favorite splurges. There are so many ways to make it, so I like trying new ways. When I discovered this Grand Marnier French Toast recipe from Bon Appetit on Epicurious.com, I could not resist!

The only thing that would have made this better is if it was stuffed, and if I used richer bread, like challah or brioche. Even with standard whole grain white bread I substituted for french, it hit the spot!  The flavor from the orange rind and orange liqueur really make this basic french toast DELISH. And, of course, the creaminess of the half-and-half doesn't hurt, either.

Surprisingly, I have yet to get syrup in my hair. Just this past week, I managed to get balsamic syrup all over my jeans. It's one thing if I'm wiping sticky hands on the front of my jeans while I cook. However, I managed getting this sticky syrup all over my rear, and subsequently, on one of our bar stools after I sat down. Fortunately, a little stain remover saved my jeans! But I digress...

While Bon App suggested serving this french toast with canadian bacon (yum), I had turkey bacon on hand and it was great. Perfect meal for an oh so rainy morning.

Tomatillo Time!

I adore tomatillos! Grilled or roasted, in salsa or enchiladas. I can't get enough of them. Tonight I made cheese enchiladas with a tomatillo sauce, all from Everyday Food.

I visited a gem in Pilsen to get my ingredients, La Casa del Pueblo. We first heard about this ethnic market from Rick Bayless. It is one of his go-to destinations in Pilsen. They even have a taqueria next door. The market is a dive, but offers amazing produce, prices and authentic ethnic foods. If it's good enough for Rick Bayless, it's good enough for me!

I've never bought queso fresco before, and was thrilled to find it here. They have a great selection of tortillas, all made in Chicago. Their produce is so inexpensive. Normally I pay about a dollar or so for one bunch of fresh cilantro, but La Casa has it for only 49 cents! They also have large tomatillos.  

La Casa is also a wonderful place to buy great spices, on the cheap. I scored a pound of cinnamon for the price of a small jar at a regular grocery store. I also discovered saffron for half the price we paid to make Scallopini a few weeks ago ($10 cheaper!). 

One of the other advantages of La Casa is the music. It is quite festive. Definitely not something you would ever hear at Jewel or Dominick's! To bad the aisles aren't big enough for dancing...

I first started making the Tomatillo Enchilada Sauce. Instead of boiling the tomatillos, I roasted them in the broiler to get a better flavor. Grilling would also add a great taste, but our grill is not working at the moment. I think it may still be defrosting from our insane winter! 

I also added about 5 tablespoons of light sour cream to the sauce. It reminds me of the Deluxe Tomatillo Sauce at Chuy's in Texas (one of my favorite places in the whole wide world). The sour cream also helped to thicken the sauce. I love the cilantro mixed in. It not only adds great flavor, but also makes the sauce a pretty light green color, along with the green tomatillos. 

I began assembling the Cheese Enchiladas. Though I followed the recipe instructions to dip the tortillas in the sauce before filling, we would not recommend this. It made the tortillas too soggy. Next time I would simply add sauce on top so they don't fall apart.

For the cheese, I filled each enchilada with half queso fresco and half Mexican cheese blend from the grocery store. The queso fresco really added a nice, creamy flavor. I'm a big fan of that stuff now!

I also filled each enchilada with white diced onions. 

I had lots of sauce left over, which is great. Next time I will add another jalapeno pepper and garlic clove to give it a bigger kick. I could drink this sauce straight up it's so good.

Bon Appetit!

BONE Appetit!

Our dog, Shaker, just had her 10th birthday. We don't usually celebrate her birthday, but 10 is definitely a benchmark year. Though I've never cooked for her, I thought she deserved something special. So today I made my first canine birthday cake. It's the least I can do for all the unconditional love she gives us!

After looking through recipes online, I arrived at a peanut butter cake. Shaker loves peanut butter. Some of the icing recipes seemed unappetizing, like pureed cottage cheese. I finally landed on a cinnamon cream cheese frosting. Though you must be thinking the ingredients could make any human sick to their stomach, it's natural things we would normally eat like flour, honey, carrots and peanut butter. All in all, it's kind of like a carrot cake with traditional cream cheese icing (+ peanut butter).

Brian kept laughing, saying Shaker will eat ANYTHING, and it really doesn't matter how it tastes. While I recognize this, I wanted it to taste really good for her. Nothing but the best for this baby girl. Or senior citizen...

Fresh out of the oven, Shaker got her first whiff, 

and licked her chops. Lookin' pretty good so far!

After the icing was added, she's looking even more interested.

Perhaps not a good idea, but I let her sit at our table. 

This is when I learned she's not a fan of carrots.

I plated up a slice and moved her to the floor. She proceeded to pick up the entire piece in her mouth & take it to the living room, on the carpet. I moved her plate to the living room to minimize the crumb mess. However, I have no doubt she'll eat up the entire trail of crumbs. 

Peanut Butter Dog Cake

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 cup peanut butter

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 cup shredded carrots

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/3 cup honey

1 egg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together flour and baking soda, then add remaining ingredients. Mix well, and pour into 8-inch cake pan. Bake for 35 minutes. Let cool, then frost. Decorate to your delight!

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Icing

12 ounces non-fat cream cheese (room temp)

3 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon honey

Scallopine with Saffron Cream Sauce

I've never had saffron before in my life (that I can remember), nor have I ever bought it. I watched Giada make a Chicken Scallopine with Saffron Cream Sauce on The Cooking Channel. She had me at cream sauce.

Brian went to the store to find saffron, among other things. I told him not to buy any if it was too expensive, so he naturally came home with saffron in hand. At least we were getting a true representation of this recipe! I thought perhaps it was over $12, maybe $15. To my surprise, the saffron was a whopping $20! 

It definitely added something to this dish, so I will now be searching for other recipes to use up these expensive threads. Overall, it was quite good, but I would have preferred a thicker sauce. There is lots of sauce left over, so this week I will work on thickening it. 

Brian suggested getting some dessert at 7-Eleven, a block from our house. He returned with two Hostess delights, a twinkie and a ho ho. Though they were both stuffed with cream, we put more homemade whipped cream on top. Since we had cream on hand from the saffron sauce, it seemed like the right thing to do.

The twinkie was better than the ho ho. We've definitely had our fill of cream for awhile, and need to run a marathon to burn this dinner off.

Brioche Breakfast Bust

I bought some brioche rolls at Trader Joe's awhile ago, because I thought they would make perfect french toast. I've heard brioche absorbs liquid really well, similar to Challah. Brioche is so buttery and wonderful, perhaps better than eating a croissant.

Instead of making a decadent brioche french toast breakfast, I did something horrible. I microwaved the roll, cut it in half, smothered a little butter and syrup on it. Then sprinkled it with a dash of cinnamon and powdered sugar. I know you must be wondering why I didn't just dump some heavy cream on it, but I resisted. Though this probably sounds very unappetizing, it was quite good (but not as good as actual french toast).

At the minimum, I probably could have stuck the brioche halves in the broiler to get them toasty, but today I had no patience. Completely and utterly lazy! Or, perhaps, one could say I was creative building my brioche bun breakfast. As I finished, my sticky, syrupy fingers accidentally touched my hair. I know better than to do this, but with syrup it just seems inevitable.

I am damn lucky my husband left early for work today and did not witness any of this. Here I am, a hot sticky mess, but my stomach is content. Now all I need is a long run to burn off the brioche!

Eggs Italiano!

A month into Spring, we've hit a snow record in Chicago. :-( This breakfast made my morning, filling my kitchen with the smell of piping hot garlic, tomato and herbs. 

This recipe for Baked Eggs with Tomato-Parmesan Sauce reminded me of a Sicilian Omelette they serve at Chris's Pancake House on The Hill in St. Louis. My dear friend, Amy, took me there many years ago. They make a traditional omelette but add their Italian flare with provel cheese, marinara sauce and Italian sausage. Oh so delish!

I always find myself craving tomatoes, perhaps because my husband isn't a fan of them. I cut the recipe down by a fourth, and made one serving for myself. I went a little overboard with the tomato sauce, so my finished product doesn't look anything like the beautiful photo in Everyday Food, but it tasted great!

The only thing that would have made it better is if Amy was here to eat it with me! :)

Spring Has Sprung!

I've been on a blogging hiatus, sidetracked by March Madness, and in a winter rut making some nondescript food. I've been wishing the Chicago weather would turn around. This weekend my wish finally came true!

I'm DONE with the winter recipes. Today I made two recipes from the SPRING section of my Everyday Food cookbook from Martha Stewart Living. There were days I thought I might not ever make it to the spring recipes! Alas, the 80 degree weather has given me the spring in my step I've been yearning for.

To start off, I made Potato Leek Soup. I typically serve it hot, but you can also serve it cold.

Brian loves potato soup, but I don't typically like all of the carbs. This recipe is unique because it only calls for ONE potato. What makes it so good are all of the fresh leeks, and the cream, of course. I had never bought a leek in my life until I started making this soup a few years ago. They are so good, and taste kind of like an onion or cucumber, but smell like a green onion.

I watched The Barefoot Contessa make a roasted potato leek soup earlier this week. It looked wonderful, but it had about 5 more ingredients than this one and took 45 more minutes longer to make. Like most potato soups, it also called for lots of potatoes. Sometimes it's worth all the extra ingredients and time, but I prefer great taste and simplicity.

As a main course, I made Chicken Cobb Salad. I used a Turkey Cobb Salad recipe but substituted chicken. This was the first time I've made this recipe and it was really good! Most importantly, it was simple. I also substituted grape tomatoes for plum, and turkey bacon for regular bacon. It was so flavorful, definitely something I will make again.

Now I'm ready to get my grill on, and hope this nice weather holds!

Vodka for Dinner!

Well, maybe vodka sauce! Though my last blog was a pasta dish, when I saw the Barefoot Contessa make this Penne alla Vecchia Bettola (pasta with vodka sauce) from Nick & Toni's in New York City, I couldn't resist! I also rationalized the decision since I used whole wheat pasta and my husband and I worked out today.

Brian loves vodka sauce, so I thought this was a good recipe to try tonight (also makes up for the torture I'm putting him through as I watch The Bachelor finale!).

I followed the recipe except instead of penne I used whole grain rotini, and skipped the fresh oregano. I didn't have any on hand but I'm sure it would have added wonderful flavor. I also made sure to use kosher salt vs. regular salt based on recommendations in the recipe reviews.

Next time I think I will try adding some chopped asparagus and/or shrimp. The combination of cream and fresh tomato sauce hits the spot as I ball my way through The Bachelor. Such a sap!

Penne alla Vecchia Bettola

This recipe is definitely a keeper. Bon Appetit!

Pasta con Broccoli

Tonight I made Pasta con Broccoli, a recipe my Mother's been making for years from The Pasta House in St. Louis. It's one of my fav dishes in the cookbook she made me. 

Since it's Ash Wednesday, I wanted to make something really satisfying and delicious, yet meatless. It's sooooo rich and creamy. Almost decadent. It's a good thing I went for a run earlier! Definite comfort food for a gray, rainy day like today.

Pasta con Broccoli (The Pasta House)

16 ounces cavatelli pasta shells

32 ounces half and half

4 ounces butter (one stick)

2 teaspoons garlic (2-3 grated cloves)

4 ounces tomato sauce

4 ounces broccoli florets 

4 ounces sliced mushrooms

1 cup grated parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper

Cook cavatelli until done. Drain and return to pot. Add butter, half and half, garlic, tomato sauce and broccoli. Bring to a hard boil. Add mushrooms and remove from heat. Add parmesan, toss and serve.

Makes 4-6 servings

Paczki Fail

My husband reminded me it was Paczki Day yesterday. His mother's side of the family is Polish, and he loves lemon paczkis (pronounced POONCH-key). So I zipped down to Weber's Bakery on the South side for some homemade paczkis. Nothing says Fat Tuesday like a little lard, right?

My husband's family are big fans of Weber's. It's been in Chicago for more than 75 years. It's one of the few old school bakeries around. It's easy to spot on Archer, right across the street from the Rainbow Motel (yes, this establishment is indeed painted pink). After viewing their site, they have Pink Palace Fantasy Suites. Oh my! God love the South side!

I arrived to Weber's at 11:30am. Major fail. They sold out of paczkis at 11:00am! In fact, they were sold out of many things. However, I snagged this GORG coffee cake with fresh strawberries.

They don't make bakeries like this anymore. Though I'm disappointed I didn't get any paczkis, I am still a happy camper. I love how they wrapped the coffee cake in a box with string. It's like a gift. Or precious cargo!

My next stop was Intelligentsia. If I was going to eat a piece of coffee cake from Weber's, I needed a coffee equally as fantastic, right? I love their vanilla lattes. I've never had coffee like this before. It feels like velvet in my mouth!

Despite my paczki fail, it was a good Fat Tuesday. Next year I'll remember the early bird always gets the worm.

Creamy Crustless Quiche

Quiche sounded so good for dinner tonight, but I didn't have time to make the crust. I found this crustless recipe on Epicurious.com.  It was quite creamy and good (heavy cream just never disappoints). I ended up cooking it for 35 total minutes because the middle just wasn't quite ready after 20-25.  I also tossed Herbs de Provence over the top after I took it out of the oven.

Crustless Quiche (Gourmet Magazine)

So I've redeemed myself after last night's Totinos run. I'm lucky to have such a patient husband. Maybe in the near future he will cook for the next blog post!!

Cookbook Made With Love

The Christmas after I got engaged, my Mother gave me this homemade cookbook. My brother helped with the design and technical stuff. It is so special to me, probably one of the nicest things anyone has ever done for me. It includes some of my favorite recipes, and also basics. I will cherish this cookbook forever, and hope to make one someday for my own daughter or daughter-in-law.

Since I've been married, I've thoroughly enjoyed cooking more. I'm in a discovery phase, learning as I go. There are some nights that a recipe just flops and we make a trip to 7-Eleven for our Totinos pizza standby. In fact, tonight was one of those nights! 

There are also odd moments along the way, like last Tuesday when I was craving dessert, but didn't want all the carbs and sugar that go along with them. Instead, I made a topping. Whipped cream from scratch, and sadly, we ate it plain! No dessert, just whipped cream. Embarrassing, I know, but delicious! 

Tonight I'm sharing a recipe for our favorite salsa. I can't get enough of salsa. I could drink the stuff straight. Though this recipe came from a chain restaurant, and you're probably thinking there's no way it's good, it is delish! Thank you to my brother for discovering it, and making it for us at home.

Chili's Salsa

1 14.5 ounce can tomatoes & green chilies

1 14.5 ounce whole canned tomatoes (with juice)

4 teaspoons jalapenos (canned/diced)

1/4 cup yellow onions (diced)

3/4 teaspoon garlic salt 

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon sugar

Process jalapenos & onions in a food processor for a few seconds. Add both cans of tomatoes, salt, sugar & cumin. Process until well-blended, but do not puree. Place in covered container & chill. Serve with warm corn tortilla chips.

German Pancake Goodness

A dear friend of ours gave us a cast iron skillet for our wedding.  Inside the card she included this wonderful recipe for a German Pancake from Pandl's Inn in Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin. It's been a specialty there for more than 45 years, and has definitely become one of my favorite things to make for breakfast.

It never fails to warm up the kitchen on a cold day. I love to turn on the oven light and watch the pancake rise. It looks like a work of art when finished! Adding a fruit topping is optional, such as apples sauteed in brown sugar, blueberries or Swedish lingonberries.

Famous German Pancake
For 12-inch skillet:
6 eggs (I use 4 because 6 is an awful lot!)
2/3 cup flour
2/3 cup milk
2-3 pinches of salt
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
Fresh lemon juice to squeeze over top
Powered sugar to sprinkle over top
Fruit topping of your choice (optional)
Syrup (optional)

For 8-inch skillet:
2 eggs
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup milk
Pinch of salt
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil

Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees (or 450 degrees for firmer pancake). Pre-heat skillet in oven for five minutes.

Mix flour, milk and salt together until smooth. Crack in eggs and mix until smooth.

Remove skillet from oven, add olive oil, and coat pan with butter (including sides). When butter has melted, add batter and return to oven. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Add fresh lemon juice and powdered sugar over top. Cut into 4-6 slices and serve.

Thank you, dear Jean Kinsella!

Caramel Brandy Valentine

Last year, I made my valentine a steak with caramel brandy sauce. It was so nice to be at home instead of a crowded restaurant. The sauce is so good I could drink it straight up.

Nothing says love like a homemade meal for my valentine, so I'm going to make it again this year. To go with this deliciousness, I'm trying a new pre-dinner cocktail. Enter espresso martini.

For some reason, this sounds soooo good with steak and caramel brandy sauce. However, steak without Malbec seems so wrong. So the tini will be a fun pre-dinner drink.

This recipe from The Barefoot Contessa looks divine, notably because she uses pure espresso and coffee liqueur, without the artificial taste of Bailey's. Ina knows how to keep it real! To me, there's nothing worse than watering down a great espresso taste.

I'm going to adjust the measurements to make two cocktails instead of an entire pitcher. Bon Appetit!

Espresso Martini

Steaks with Caramel Brandy Sauce, Courtesy of My Mother
2 filet mignons (you can use 4, but I prefer more sauce with fewer filets)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cracked pepper
3 tablespoons butter, divided (do not use margarine)
3 tablespoons brandy
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1/4 cup whipping cream
Chives for garnish (optional)

Pat the meat dry with a paper towel. Sprinkle steaks with salt and pepper. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in medium skillet over medium to high heat. Once butter is melted, add steaks, cooking 3 minutes on each side or to desired degree of doneness. If your steaks are extra thick, cook each side as well as top and bottom of steak. Remove from skillet and keep warm in the oven.

Add brandy to skillet, stirring to loosen particles from the bottom of the pan. Add remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and brown sugar. Cook, stirring constantly, until sugar dissolves and browns.

Remove skillet from heat. Whisk in cream until blended. Return to heat and bring to a boil. Cook, stirring constantly for a minute or until sauce thickens. Serve sauce immediately over steaks.

Getaway Cocktail!

When snow is piled up over my head, and politicians resort to placing their campaign signs atop mammoth snow piles, I begin to feel like I'm living in the tundra.  Today I needed to make something that made me feel as if I were in another place ~ a getaway cocktail!  Enter blood orange margarita.

Lately I've developed a crush on blood oranges. A little bird reminded me they are a super food. They have more vitamin C than regular oranges and are beautiful when sliced. While I'm no health expert, I've also read their dark pigment may help reduce the risk of heart disease, certain types of cancer, cataracts and cholesterol. Last but not least, they smell and taste amazing. I'm sold!

As you may know, I ADORE The Barefoot Contessa. This recipe has good reviews, but many thought it had way too much alcohol. If you watch her show, you can tell that Ina knows how to make some serious cocktails for her friends. I cut down the tequila and triple sec to 3/4 cup each, and also added 2 tablespoons of fresh lime juice.

Quite therapeutic for the wintry blues. Thanks to Trader Joe's, I have many left over blood oranges, and may experiment with a blood orange and goat cheese salad as well as a blood orange vinaigrette.

Salud!

Blood Orange Margaritas

It's New Mexican Night!

There is nothing better than Mexican night, except maybe New Mexican night! With the help of Rick Bayless, I'm making green chicken chili tonight. A few months ago I discovered a New Mexico roasted green chili starter made by Frontera at Whole Foods. Bayless was inspired by an unforgettable bowl of green chili he had in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

It has lots of wonderful fresh, roasted ingredients: Onions, tomatoes, green chiles, roasted peppers, lime juice, garlic and cilantro. I usually add ground chicken to the starter sauce, but tonight I'm using boneless chicken breasts (cubed). I also love to doctor it up with more fresh green onions, cilantro (LOVE!), jalapeno pepper, shredded cheese and a little low-fat sour cream.  Delish!

Frontera New Mexico Green Chili Starter

If only I was enjoying it in the warm Santa Fe sunshine, I'd be in heaven!

That's Amore ~ Aceto Balsamico!

Lately I've become obsessed with balsamic vinegar. Perhaps I have a sweet spot in my heart for grapes aged in barrels. Though it's often a standard ingredient as a vinaigrette on a salad, I had no idea it could be so wonderful with other dishes.

My adoration first started with a balsamic butter sauce on ravioli. Butter and balsamic vinegar seem like a match made in heaven! The roasted walnuts make it especially good.

Ravioli with Balsamic Brown Butter, Giada De Laurentiis

I then watched The Barefoot Contessa use balsamic vinegar in a fruit salad. I will never make a fruit salad without it again! Ina serves hers in martini glasses, of course.

Very Berry Fruit Salad by The Barefoot Contessa

I'm on the hunt for more unique recipes with balsamic vinegar. If you have any favorites, please send them my way!

Thai time!

Once upon a time, I was inspired to enter a cooking contest at Williams-Sonoma.  I had to create an original recipe using at least one ingredient from their store.  While I am no gourmet chef, I am proud to say I placed second, beating my very own mother (who placed third).  My mother is a very good cook, worlds apart from my amateur-self.  It's for this reason I am particularly proud of beating her, never mind the fact that only a handful of people entered!! I had bragging rights and a W-S gift card to boot!

As I look back at the recipe, it is ENTIRELY too long with WAY too many ingredients!  However, food is a labor of love, meant to be shared with those you love.  Please let me know what you do or don't like about it.  If it doesn't cut the mustard, then I'll simply delete this post and we'll pretend it never happened! LOL...

Thai Chicken Casserole
1 large red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 cup cucumber, peeled & chopped
1/4 cup sliced green onions
1/2 cup fresh basil
1 garlic clove, minced
8 ounces pasta noodles (I used Benedetto Cavalieri Spaghettoni from Williams-Sonoma)
1/2 cup roasted peanuts
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 14-ounce can cream of chicken soup
1 teaspoon corn starch
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled & chopped
1 teaspoon red curry paste
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in cubes
2 teaspoons Asian grilling & roasting rub (I used Chinos brand from Williams-Sonoma)
3 tablespoons nut topping (I used T. Marzetti's Asian Sesame salad topping with almonds, rice noodles & sesame sticks)
2 limes cut into wedges for topping
6 fortune cookies for garnish (optional)

Chop red bell pepper, cucumber, green onions, fresh basil and garlic finely (food processor is helpful). Set aside.

Cook noodles in boiling water for 6 minutes. Rinse & drain. Keep warm.

Place 1/2 cup peanuts in a food processor and process until smooth for several minutes.  Add peanut mixture to a large skillet, along with veggie broth, cream of chicken soup, corn starch, brown sugar, ginger, red curry paste and salt.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for a minute.  Pour mixture into a blender or food processor. Let mixture rest for several minutes. Process until smooth and stir in rice wine vinegar. Set aside.

Place olive oil in medium skillet over medium heat. Toss chicken cubes in Asian roasting rub and cook in skillet for 6 minutes, turning chicken halfway through.

In a 3-quart casserole dish, layer pasta, peanut sauce and fresh vegetable mixture. Bake in oven at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Add Asian nut topping and cook for another 5 minutes in oven. Serve with fresh lime wedges and fortune cookies.

Yield: 6 servings