Pressure Cooker Thai Coconut Curry

The beauty of this recipe is that it is 1) very quick, and 2) very forgiving. What that means is that you can play around with the veggies a great deal. Want sweet potatoes instead of potatoes? Done. Want winter squash instead of that? Done. Want to throw in green beans or eggplant or mushrooms? Go or it. Just don't overload your pressure cooker, and you'll be fine. Enjoy!

Pressure Cooker Thai Coconut Curry

Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons oil
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• optional: 3 Thai green chilis
• 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons Thai curry cowder
• OR 2 tablespoons Thai curry paste
• 1 14-oz can coconut milk
• 6 cups potatoes, cubed
• 4 carrots, sliced 1/2-inch thick
• 1-2 lbs chicken pieces
• Kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 4 oz (4 packed cups) spinach
• 1/2 cup loosely packed fresh herbs
• fresh black pepper
• 1/4 - 1/2 cup cooked rice or grain
• 6 lime wedges

Cooking Directions

1. Heat oil in a pressure cooker over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add garlic, chilies (if using), ginger, coriander, and cumin and cook, stirring, until aromatic, about 1 minute. Add curry powder or paste and cook, stirring, until it has darkened slightly, about 2 or 3 minutes.
2. Add coconut milk, stir, bring to a simmer, and cook for 1 minute. Sprinkle salt on chicken pieces. Add half the potatoes and carrots. Add chicken and top with the remaining potatoes and carrots. Sprinkle on a little salt. Seal pressure cooker and cook on high pressure for 20 minutes.
3. Release pressure with the quick-release method, remove lid, and stir in the fish sauce, spinach, and 3/4 of any fresh herbs. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Ladle the stew into serving bowls and place remaining herbs on top. Serve with rice (or grain) and lime wedges.

Turkey Croquettes

What do you do with those turkey leftovers? Make croquettes, of course!

Simple and nice and crispy, you'll enjoy the texture and much as the taste. They reheat well in a toaster oven as well. Enjoy!

Turkey Croquettes

Yield: 20-22 croquettes
Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 medium onion, minced
• course salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 cups finely chopped cooked turkey
• 1/8 cup milk
• 1 cup mashed potatoes
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 1/2 cups bread crumbs
• canola oil

Cooking Directions

1. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Cook for 3 minutes. Stir in thyme, and cook for 1 minute. Stir in turkey, then milk, and cook until liquid evaporates, about 30 seconds. Transfer to a large bowl, and let cool for 10-15 minutes.
2. Add potatoes, flour, and egg to turkey, and season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
3. Form 2 tablespoons turkey mixture into balls and drop into a shallow bowl of breadcrumbs, turn to coat, and pat into 2-inch disks. Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet, and refrigerate for 10 minutes.
4. Heat a very shallow layer (sheen) of oil in a skillet over medium heat. Working in batches, cook croquettes in a single layer until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Pat tops with more paper towels.

Modified from Martha Stewart.

Roasted Chicken on a Bed of Roots Vegetables

A larger chicken can be used. Just adjust the cooking time. Also, various other root vegetables would be perfect. More delicate vegetables can be added later in the cooking time as well. In addition, I would suggest cutting the oil and butter down if you prefer less oily vegetables. Enjoy!

Roasted Chicken on a Bed of Roots Vegetables

5 stars

Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients

• 1 4 to 4.5 lb whole chicken
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 6 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
• 6 thyme sprigs
• 2 large leeks
• 3 tennis-ball-sized rutabagas
• 2 tennis-ball-sized turnips
• 4 medium carrots, peeled and cut in half
• 1 small onion, cut into quarters
• 8 golf-ball-sized red potatoes
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temp

Cooking Directions

1. Let chicken stand at room temperature for 1.5-2 hours.
2. Remove innards. Generously season cavity with salt and pepper, add 3 cloves of garlic and 5 sprigs of thyme and massage the inside. Truss the chicken.
3. Cut off the dark green leaves from the top of the leeks. Trim off and discard any darkened outer layers. Cut the leeks and rinse well.
4. Cut off both ends of the rutabagas, then cut off the skin. Cut into 3/4 inch wedges. Repeat with the turnips.
5. Combine all the vegetables and remaining garlic and thyme in a large bowl. Toss with 1/4 cup canola oil and season with salt and pepper. Spread the vegetables in a large cast iron or roasting pan.
6. Preheat oven to 475 degrees.
7. Rub the remaining oil all over the chicken. Season generously with salt and pepper.
8. Make a nest in the center of the vegetables and rest the chicken in it.
9. Cut the butter into 4 or 5 pieces and place over the chicken breast.
10. Put the pan into the oven and roast for 25 minutes. Reduce the heat to 400 and roast for another 45 minutes or until the thighs and under the breast are 160 degrees and the juice runs clear. Add 5 more minutes if needed.
11. Transfer the chicken to a carving board and let rest for 20 minutes.
12. Just before serving, reheat the vegetables over medium heat on the stove, turning an glazing them in the juices.
13. Cut the chicken into serving pieces, arrange over the vegetables, and serve.

Peruvian Spicy Creamed Chicken - Aji de Gallina

If you, like us, have a friend bequeath you packets of aji pepper puree, you may be dumbfounded at first too. Well look no further because you've found the answer to your aji prayers!

By far the best Peruvian dish we have ever made. OK so it's also the only Peruvian dish we've ever made. Yet after devouring this Aji de Gallina I'm not sure I could force myself to make any other Peruvian cuisine - it's that good.

This is a beautifully simple, though perhaps time-consuming dish to make. But the great thing is that it makes a ton of food. Great for dinner parties.

Peruvian Spicy Creamed Chicken - Aji de Gallina

Yield: Serves 6-8
Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lb. chicken breast
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1 packet aji pepper puree
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 tablespoons walnuts, chopped
• 3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
• 4 slices bread
• 3/4 cup evaporated milk
• 4 yellow potatoes
• 2 hard boiled eggs
• 10 black olives, halved
• 1/4 - 1/2 cup cooked rice

Cooking Directions

1. Cook the yellow potatoes in salted water until tender when pierced with a fork. Let cool, peel, cut into quarters, and set aside.
2. Place the bread in a small bowl and pour the evaporated milk over it to soak. Set aside.
3. Place the chicken breasts in a pot with the chicken stock, and bring to a simmer. Cook for 10-15 minutes, until chicken is just barely cooked through. Set chicken aside to cool. Strain broth and reserve 2 cups.
4. In a blender, process pepper puree with the oil until smooth. Saute the garlic and onions with the pureed peppers and oil, until the onions are soft and golden. Remove from heat and let cool.
5. Shred the cooled chicken into bite-size pieces.
6. In a blender or food processor, process the evaporated milk and bread mixture with the walnuts and Parmesan cheese until smooth. Add the cooked onion mixture and process briefly.
7. Return onion mixture to pan, and add 1 1/2 cups of the reserved chicken stock. Bring to a low simmer, and stir in the chicken. Heat until warmed through, adding more chicken stock if sauce is too thick.
8. Serve over rice, garnished with the yellow potatoes, slices of hard boiled egg, and black olives.

Thanksgiving Recipes

We made 3 dishes to take over to a friend's place for Thanksgiving - Garlicky Baked Butternut Squash, Green Bean Casserole, and Smashed Potatoes with Garlic. It took a couple hours to prepare everything, but we had a wonderful time doing it and everything turned out great. And isn't that all that really matters?

Borscht

Borscht. Try and say that again. It's not that difficult or anything but there are 5 consonants in a row. That's a lot of consonants with only 1 vowel. Anyway...

Where was I? Right, Borscht! This is some awesome Ukrainian Borscht. Not sure what borscht is? It's a beet soup with a couple other veggies in it. That's what gives it the wonderfully dark red (almost blood-like) color.

We made a couple tweaks on a traditional recipe, and it turned out to be a huge hit! Like the sweet and salty together? Then you'll love this. Enjoy!

Free-Form Beef Potato Pie

Sometimes free-form is the way to go. Have you ever tried free-form lasagna? Give it a shot some time. It's definitely an experiment if you want it to be because of all the great substitutions you can make, which make it uniquely your own. Plus no baking. Always nice.

This Free-Form Beef Potato Pie is kind of like a shepherd's pie without the long wait and tedious work. In fact, it's a lot more flavorful too since the juices soak into the potatoes and they don't sit on top in a big lump.

The funnest ingredient is the cinnamon. Who knew?

Doesn't seem like something that would normally go with beef, does it? Yet it works its magic in a surprising way. If you want to know how, you'll just have to make this comforting, hearty dish yourself.

Disney's Monterey Clam Chowder

Monterey Clam Chowder

Pacific Wharf Cafe

Serves 6

Ingredients

5 T. butter
5 T. flour
2 T. vegetable oil
1 ½ c. potatoes, peeled and diced
½ c. diced onions
½ c. red peppers
½ c. green peppers
½ c. celery
2 ¼ c. clam juice
1 ½ c. heavy cream
1 c. clams, chopped
1 T. fresh thyme (or 1/2 tablespoon dried)
1/4-1/2 t. salt
1 pinch white pepper
¾ t. Tabasco sauce
Sourdough Bread Bowl or bread slices

Directions

Melt the butter in a saucepan and then add the flour to make a roux. Cook for 10 minutes over medium heat, stirring often, then set aside.

In a large pot, heat the oil and sauté the potatoes, onion, peppers and celery over medium heat until the potatoes are just barely tender, about 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are cooked.

Add the heavy cream, clams, thyme, salt, pepper, Tabasco sauce, and roux. Whisk well to blend in the roux.

Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add more seasoning to taste.

Serve in a sourdough bread bowl or with slices of sourdough alongside.

Disneyland's Breakfast Potatoes

Breakfast Potatoes

Carnation Café

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

3 c. red potatoes, cut in 3/4" cubes
1/3 c. onions, diced
5 T. green bell peppers, diced
4 T. red bell peppers, diced
1 T. butter
1/2 t. parsley flakes
2 t. garlic powder
1/2 t. seasoned salt
Black pepper to taste
Oil for frying

Directions

In a deep fryer or skillet with 1-2 inches of oil, fry potatoes until golden brown; drain and set aside.

Sauté onions and bell peppers in butter. Mix in potatoes.

Add parsley, garlic powder, seasoned salt and black pepper.

Disneyland's Napa Rose Sea of Cortez Rock Scallops

Napa Rose Sea of Cortez Rock Scallops

Grand Californian Hotel

Yields 6 servings as an appetizer

Ingredients

12 large rock or diver scallops
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons clarified butter
11/2 cups chive potatoes (see following recipe)
11/2 cups lobster sauce (see following recipe)

Directions

Have mashed potatoes ready; they can be held warm and ready to serve.

Make lobster sauce and have it ready as well.

Place scallops on a towel and season with salt. Over medium high heat 2 tablespoons of clarified butter in a large sauté pan. Make sure pan is very hot, then add seasoned scallops.

Sauté for 4 minutes or until golden brown. Using kitchen tongs, turn scallops over and begin browning the opposite side. If they are cooking too quickly reduce the heat to medium. Once scallops are cooked on both sides, serve immediately.

To plate, place the hot chive whipped potatoes in the center of the plate, set two scallops per person on top of the potatoes. Then with a spoon, ladle sauce over the scallops and potatoes.


Napa Rose Sour Cream & Chive Whipped Potatoes

Ingredients

3 Russet potatoes, peeled
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons sour cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup snipped chives
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Place potatoes in a pot with enough cold water to cover them by at least 3 inches. Place on burner set to medium heat and bring to a boil. Simmer for approximately 20 minutes or until tender. Drain and transfer potatoes to a mixing bowl. Smash or pass potatoes through a ricer. Season with salt, chives and add the butter and cream until potatoes are nice and moist. Add lemon, taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.

These should be made in advance and can be held warm.


Napa Rose Lobster, Lemon & Vanilla Sauce

Ingredients

1 lobster (steamed, cracked and meat removed)
1 tablespoon clarified butter
2 minced shallots
1 cup white wine
1 cup chicken stock
1 vanilla bean or 1/8 teaspoon good vanilla extract
1 small pinch saffron
3 tablespoons diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon fresh chopped thyme
6 tablespoons unsalted butter

Directions

In a sauce pan, sauté shallots in 1 tablespoon of clarified butter over medium high heat. Add the white wine and reduce by 70 percent. Add the chicken stock, half of one vanilla bean, saffron and reduce by 50 percent. Add tomatoes, lobster, chopped thyme and lemon juice.

Remove sauce pan from heat and slowly whisk in unsalted butter. Mixture should resemble a creamy lobster and saffron stew. Taste sauce and adjust by adding salt or a few drops of lemon juice if necessary.

Disneyland's Clam Chowder

Disneyland's Clam Chowder

Café Orleans, French Market Restaurant, Royal Street Veranda

Yield: 4-6 servings
Ingredients

• 1/4 lb. butter
• 1 1/2 cups chopped onion
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1 quart milk
• 1 1/2 cups chopped clams, reserving juice
• 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 1 cube chicken broth
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon thyme
• 1 1/2 cups potatoes, cooked and diced

Cooking Directions

1. In a medium saucepan, melt butter; add onions, celery, red and green peppers and thyme. Sautee until tender.
2. Add flour and chicken broth cube; cook over low heat for 5-10 minutes.
3. Add milk and reserved clam juice. Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring constantly.
4. Add clams, potatoes, salt and pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes over low heat.

Disneyland's Storytellers Cafe Corn Chowder

Storytellers Cafe Corn Chowder

Grand Californian Hotel

Ingredients

2 ounces diced bacon (part for garnish)
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1 tablespoon diced onion
10 ounces roasted corn kernels
8 ounces chicken stock
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
2 ounces heavy cream
6 ounces pulled cooked chicken meat
4 ounces diced Yukon gold potatoes
1 teaspoon chopped cilantro leaves (garnish)
Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste

Directions

Sauté 1/2 of the diced bacon. When it is done, drain the fat, then add the garlic, onion and sauté until transparent, but not brown. Add the roasted corn and chicken stock.

Bring the soup to a low boil. In a separate sauté pan, prepare a roux combining equal parts of melted butter and flour. First, melt 4 tablespoons butter in the hot pan, then add 4 tablespoons flour using a wire whip until the mixture is smooth. Let roux cook until the moisture is cooked out. Allow roux to cool on stovetop.

Meanwhile, let the soup boil on low heat for 1/2 hour. Then add the cooled roux into the soup use a wire whip to incorporate the roux into the soup. After the roux is completely incorporated, constantly stir soup to keep from burning or roux from sticking to bottom of pan.

Add the cream, pulled chicken meat and diced potato. Let simmer for 1/2 hour.

Meanwhile, cook the remaining bacon until crisp. Drain grease and chop into small pieces. Place in separate container.

Take cilantro bunches and wash. Dry cilantro. Chop cilantro with no stems (very small pieces.) Place in separate container. As soup is done simmering, add kosher salt and black pepper to taste.

Place finished soup in hot soup bowls. Top with garnish of bacon and cilantro right in the center of bowl.

Corned Beef Hash

I love corned beef. I particularly love it in hash form. Whenever I see it homemade on a menu I immediately steer towards it - I just can't help myself. Maybe you're the same way too.

So after cooking a great corned beef and cabbage dinner, the leftover corned beef had me salivating for some hash for breakfast over the weekend. Turned out perfectly.

One of the best things about this is that the corned beef is so flavorful that you don't need to add any extra salt or seasonings. It's ready as-is. Awesome. Enjoy!

Corned Pork and Cabbage

Tired of the same old corned beef and cabbage? Try a different take on a classic recipe.

Pork tenderloin replaces the corned beef in this variation. Don't have a spice packet with your pork tenderloin though, now do you? No problem!

Just take some salt, whole peppercorns, and whole garlic, mix with water, and marinade the pork. Then cook as you would the corned beef. Fantastic! and less fatty. Enjoy!

Asian Spiced Turnip and Potato Stuffed Peppers

I think I had the most fun photographing these. I mean look at all the pictures! I haven't posted so many in...well, ever.

I love stuffed peppers, but I really hate when they're stuffed with cheese. It absolutely ruins the whole thing for me. No thank you!

So these are just perfect. Roasted in the oven, slightly crunchy on the outside, and soft on the inside, filled with an Asian-spiced turnip and potato leftover hash.

Beautiful. Among other things. Enjoy!

Porkchops a la Necessity

Sometimes we cook out of necessity, right? I mean we're hungry (starving, even), and it might seem like a better idea to order out. But there's that leftover onion or tomato or pork in the fridge that you know needs to be eaten. Hence, Porkchops a la Necessity was born!

A potent combination of pork and spices, simmered together with potatoes, tomatoes, carrots, onions, and garlic. Sometimes necessity works! It being the mother of invention and all. Enjoy!

Mixing Bowls

As a featured publisher for Foodbuzz I check out the Daily Specials from time to time. Today, the daily special is a set of stainless-steel mixing bowls. Look, Ma, it even has an easy-grip rim.

Need it? No way! But is it awesome? Totally!

I have my own metal mixing bowl that I use quite often. It just gets the job done better sometimes (as used with the Loco Moco - Turkey Style, Healthy Zabaione, Smashed Potatoes with Garlic, and Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies).

Fries Lies

What's the best way to make fries?

As a featured publisher for Foodbuzz I check out the Daily Specials from time to time. Today, the daily special is a French Fry Baking Sheet. I guess it makes crispy fries without deep frying and without turning.

Need it? No way!

Just follow these simple instructions for Baked Fries. You'll never ever go wrong. Cross my heart.

Pulled Marinaded Chicken, Cajun Baked Potato/Plantains, and Garlic Bread

Holy Cow! That's one long title!

But I wanted to capture as much as I could about what this succulent dinner was all about. And do I mean succulent! The chicken turned out so moist, so juicy, so jam-packed full of flavor (even though it looks fairly bland) that succulent hardly begins to describe it.

And the garlic bread! Mmm light, savory garlic bread. The exact same kind that came with the Complete Veggie Dinner.

Paired with plantains (above) and cajun baked potato (below).

So follow along below to find out how to create succulent chicken yourself - a healthy poultry experience everyone will enjoy!

Sauteed Portobello with Baked Purple Potato Coins

I'm going to let the picture tell the story on this one. If you like what you see, read on. My tummy highly recommends it. Enjoy!