Thai Crunch Salad with Peanut Dressing 

Inspired by California Pizza Kitchen’s recipe, this Thai crunch salad with peanut dressing is wildly addictive! You can serve this salad as a light lunch or pair it with grilled chicken for a more substantial meal.
By Jennifer Segal

Ingredients

For the Thai Peanut Dressing

1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, from one lime
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce (use gluten-free if needed)
2 tablespoons honey
2-1/2 tablespoons sugar
2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1-inch square piece fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves

For the Salad

4 cups chopped Napa cabbage or shredded coleslaw mix (I like to toss in a little shredded red cabbage for color)
1 cup prepared shredded carrots
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced into bite-sized pieces
1 small English cucumber, halved lengthwise, seeded and thinly sliced
1 cup cooked and shelled edamame
2 medium scallions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup loosely packed chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions

For the dressing, combine all of the ingredients except for the cilantro in a blender and process until completely smooth. Add the cilantro and blend for a few seconds until the cilantro is finely chopped. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

For the salad, combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl and toss to combine. If serving right away, drizzle the peanut dressing over top and toss; otherwise, serve the dressing on the side so the salad doesn't get soggy.

If you use cucumbers, be sure to remove the seeds, as they can make the salad watery.

 ENJOY

FROM:  Once Upon a Chef Blog Post

Perfect Roast Chicken by Ina Garten

Serve with sides like fresh vegetables, seasoned potatoes, or creamy mac and cheese. Any leftovers can be shredded into chicken salad and packed in your lunch box for the next day.  It’s easy enough for even beginner-level cooks to perfect.

Photo: Melanie Acevedo

1 5- to 6-pound roasting chicken
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 large bunch fresh thyme
1 lemon, halved
1 head garlic, cut in half crosswise
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 large onion, thickly sliced
1 cup chicken stock, preferably homemade
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Remove the chicken giblets. Rinse the chicken inside and out. Remove any excess fat and leftover pinfeathers and pat the outside dry. Place the chicken in a large roasting pan. Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the chicken. Stuff the cavity with the bunch of thyme, both halves of the lemon, and all the garlic. Brush the outside of the chicken with the butter and sprinkle again with salt and pepper. Tie the legs together with kitchen string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the chicken. Scatter the onion slices around the chicken.

Roast the chicken for 1-1/2 hours, or until the juices run clear when you cut between a leg and thigh. Remove to a platter and cover with aluminum foil while you prepare the gravy.

Remove all the fat from the bottom of the pan, reserving 2 tablespoons in a small cup. Add the chicken stock to the pan and cook on high heat for about 5 minutes, until reduced, scraping the bottom of the pan. Combine the 2 tablespoons of chicken fat with the flour and add to the pan. Boil for a few minutes to cook the flour. Strain the gravy into a small saucepan and season it to taste. Keep it warm over a very low flame while you carve the chicken.

Slice the chicken onto a platter and serve immediately with the warm gravy.

From the cookbook:

The Barefoot Contessa 

by Ina Garten

Mama's Rum Cake

A double dose of rum in the cake and in the glaze makes this cake extra moist and fragrant. One bite and you’ll see why it’s a favorite.

Ingredients

Cake

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
3/4 cup (6 oz.) gold rum (such as Bacardí Gold)
3/4 cup heavy cream

Rum Syrup

1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup (4 oz.) gold rum (such as Bacardí Gold)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

How to Make It

Step 1

Prepare the Cake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously coat a 10-inch (10- to 15-cup) Bundt pan with cooking spray; set aside. Stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl; set aside.

Step 2

Beat butter, sugar, and vanilla in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, and egg yolk, beating well after each addition. Reduce mixer speed to low; gradually beat in rum. Add flour mixture to egg mixture in thirds, alternately with heavy cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture, beating on low after each addition.

Step 3

Transfer batter to prepared Bundt pan, smoothing the top. Bake in preheated oven until golden brown and a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 50 to 55 minutes (cover loosely with aluminum foil after 30 minutes to prevent excess browning, if needed). Remove from oven.

Step 4

During final 10 minutes of bake time, prepare the Rum Syrup: Melt butter in a saucepan over medium. Add sugar and 1/4 cup water; let mixture come to a boil. Boil, stirring occasionally, until syrupy, about 5 minutes. Carefully add rum and vanilla. (Mixture will bubble.) Boil, stirring often, 1 minute. Remove from heat.

This recipes comes from Southern Living