Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Once every three or four months, my husband travels to Southeast Asia for work. Sometimes he will bring a culinary item back for me to add to my collection at home. I now have 12 sets of chopsticks and this adorable condement holder. I decided it was time to use the chopsticks and the sauce dish, so chicken lettuce wraps it was.

I shredded a rotisserie chicken, shredded a carrot and cucumber, and placed it with a half of an iceburg head. Soy sauce, sweet and sour, and peanut sauce filled the condement cups. Rice and Edamame complemented our wraps.

Peanut Sauce was the best part of this dinner. I have never been satisfied with store bought peanut sauce, so tonight I made my own. This recipe is from Amy, and it is a spoonful of heaven. Here is the recipe:

Perfect Peanut Sauce
From Cooking with Amy

1/4 cup peanut butter (natural, no sugar added kind)
2 teaspoon soy sauce
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon or lime juice
1/4 cup coconut milk (lite is fine, if you prefer or substitute water)
1/4 cup water
red chili flake to taste
chili garlic sauce to taste or 1 clove crushed garlic

Optional:
sesame oil
curry paste
rice wine vinegar
fish sauce
grated ginger
shallots sauteed till brown in oil
Worcestershire sauce

Combine all ingredients with a whisk in a small bowl, adding the water last. Pour into a small saucepan and heat over medium heat until sauce begins to bubble and thicken. Experiment with this sauce adding a teaspoon at a time of one the optional additions and tasting as you go. Serve hot or cold.

I didn’t use any of the optional ingredients, and it was still divine.

Let me know if you like it too.

Turkey Meatballs

Meatballs have always had a superiority about them that led me to believe that it would be too hard to make at home. Three different kinds of groud meat together… veal… it is overwhelming just thinking about how complicated the process might be. This recipe for Turkey Meatballs is from Everyday Italian, and if Giada said not only can I do it, but my guests will love it, then I am willing to try it.

I made these balls on the same afternoon as I made Chicken Parmesan and an angel food cake. It was such a big production that I started a kitchen fire. More on that later. Just remember to always have a jar of flour nearby to put out the flames. Back to the turkey meatballs. They are great and here is the recipe:

Turkey Meatballs
adapted from Giada De Laurentiis and Mama Rocco

1/4 cup plain dried breadcrumbs
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 large eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons milk
3/4 cup grated Romano or Parmesan Cheese
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon pepper
1 lb ground turkey, dark meat
1/4 cup Olive oil
1 jar Marinara Sauce

In a large bowl, stir together bread crumbs, parsley, eggs, milk, 1/2 cups of the cheese, and the salt and pepper. Add the turkey gently and stir to combine. Shape the meat mixture into bite size balls.

Pour the marinara sauce into a large pot over low flame.

In a large skillet, heat the oil over a medium-high flame. Working in batches, add the meatballs and cook without moving or turning until brown on the bottom, about 3 minutes. Turn the meatballs over and brown the other side, about 3 minutes longer. Continue to cook until all the sides are golden brown.

Transfer each meatball to the simmering marinara sauce, and simmer for at least 15 minutes.

Serve with pasta, in a sandwich, or alone. Top with grated parmesan or mozzarella.