Lemongrass Chicken Banh Mi

I consider myself a pretty big foodie and  I love trying new foods!
I am pretty picky so I don't always love everything that I try,
but when one of my best friend introduced me to Bahn Mi sandwiches,
I immediately knew I wanted to recreated it in my own kitchen!

I did what I do quite often and turned to Google in search of a recipe.
I found quite a few ideas, but decided to use this one,
and modify it slightly to make the sandwiches to my liking.
Keep reading to see how I made them!

The Goods:

Serrano Chilis

Jalapenos

Fresh Lemongrass

Green Onions

Coconut Sugar

Tamari

Rice Vinegar

Carrots

English Cucumber

Radishes

Tomatoes*

Spinach*

Limes

Fresh Ginger

Garlic

Chicken Thighs

French Rolls

*Include in your shopping list if wanting to make salad instead of sandwichs

In a blender, add the following:

2 Serrano chilies - thinly sliced

1 lemongrass stalk -smashed and cut into 1/2 inch pieces

2 green onions - thinly sliced

1 teaspoon coconut sugar

6 tablespoons tamari

1 lime - zested

10 inch piece of ginger - peeled and chopped

2 garlic cloves - peeled and smashed

Puree for about a minute until paste like consistency.

Pour half of the mixture into a large lidded container.

Add your chicken thighs...

And cover with the remaining half of the mixture.

Cover and let marinade for at least 30 minutes,

but can be marinaded for up to 24 hours!

While meat is marinating, make your quick pickled vegetables.

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the following:

2 Teaspoons Coconut Sugar, juice from one lime and 3 Teaspoons Rice Vinegar.

Add 2 grated carrots, 1 thinly sliced Serrano chili and 1/3 of an English cucumber.

Mix well and let sit at least 10 minutes, or refrigerate overnight. 

Heat your grill to medium high, wipe off excess marinade and place chicken on hot grill.

Grill each side about 5 to 7 minutes.

Let grilled chicken rest a few minutes...

And then chop it all up into bite sized pieces!

Make sure to grill your french rolls so they're nice and toasty,

and then assemble the sandwich to your liking.

Mmm mmm mmmm!

Looking at this picture, I can just taste the deliciousness of the sandwich!

Lemongrass Chicken Banh Mi Sandwich

Adapted from Goop

3 Serrano Chilis

1 Jalapenos**

1 Stalk Fresh Lemongrass

2 Green Onions

2 Teaspoons Coconut Sugar

6 Tablespoons Tamari

3 Teaspoons Rice Vinegar

2 Carrots Carrots

1/3 English Cucumber

2 Radishes**

3 Limes

10 inch Piece Fresh Ginger

2 Cloves Garlic

1 1/2 Pounds Chicken Thighs

French Rolls

**Used for Sandwich Garnish

1. In a blender, add 2 Serrano chilies - thinly sliced, 1 lemongrass stalk -smashed and cut into 1/2 inch pieces, 2 green onions - thinly sliced, 1 teaspoon coconut sugar, 6 tablespoons tamari, 1 lime - zested, 10 inch piece of ginger - peeled and chopped and 2 garlic cloves - peeled and smashed. Puree for about a minute until paste like consistency.
2. Pour half of the mixture into a large lidded container, add the chicken thigh and cover with the remaining half of the mixture. Cover and let marinade for at least 30 minutes, but can be marinaded for up to 24 hours.
3. While meat is marinating, make your quick pickled vegetables. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the following: 2 Teaspoons Coconut Sugar, juice from one lime and 3 Teaspoons Rice Vinegar. Add 2 grated carrots, 1 thinly sliced Serrano chili and 1/3 of an English cucumber. Mix well and let sit at least 10 minutes, or refrigerate overnight. 
4. Heat your grill to medium high, wipe off excess marinade and place chicken on hot grill. Grill each side about 5 to 7 minutes.
5. Let grilled chicken rest a few minutes,then chop it all up into bite sized pieces.
6. Grill the French rolls so they're nice and toasty,and then assemble the sandwich to your liking.

Steak & Chicken Kebabs

I purchased a propane grill in May and have been grilling nonstop!

The day I bought it I made a mental note of all the things I wanted to grill.

Kebabs have been a favorite of mine since I was a child,

so they were at the top of the list of yummy foods to make!

I like to marinate what I'll be putting on the kebabs

and that includes not only the meats,

but the variety of veggies you'll be using too.

You can use any marinade you like,

even store bought would be fine,

but I like to whip something together myself!

The Goods Part 1:

Chicken Breasts

Sirloin Steak

Zucchini

Yellow Squash

Bell Peppers

Red Onion

Cut up your meat and veggies so that it's the size of about two bites.

Try to get everything similar sized so your kebabs cook evenly. 

The Goods Part 2:

Olive Oil

Balsamic Vinegar

Fresh Lemon Juice

Course Dijon Mustard

Garlic

Fresh Rosemary

Salt

Pepper

I'm a bad blogger and didn't measure anything out,

so I don't really have instructions for my marinade.

I just dump the goods into a gallon zipper bag, seal and mix up.

Add your chopped meat and veggies to the marinade.

Let sit at least an hour, but up to overnight.

Now the fun begins...time to skewer your kebabs!

I like to do all of the same type of food on one kebab,

because cooking times vary for different foods.

Again, this will help your kebabs cook evenly.

Fill your grill with your kebab skewers and start to cook them.

Keep an eye on them, turning the skewers every few minutes until fully cooked.

MMMmmm my mouth is watering just looking at those kebabs!!!

Remove the food from the skewers and serve with a yummy side like cauliflower rice! 

And make a little extra because kebab leftovers are some of the best!!!

Turkey and Sweet Potato Chili

Growing up, my mom used to make a delicious chili using ground beef.

I didn't eat beef for many years, so I modified her recipe to use ground turkey instead.

I almost always have some of that kind in individual portions in my freezer,

but I was intrigued by this turkey chili recipe, so I decided to give it a try!

The Goods:

Ground Turkey

Sweet Potatoes

Onion

Tomato Sauce

Diced Tomatoes

Pinto Beans

Garlic

Chili Powder

Garlic Powder

Cumin

Salt

Pepper

Red Pepper Flakes

Peel and dice your sweet potatoes and set aside.

Brown your ground turkey and drain the grease.

On top of the ground turkey, place sweet potatoes, pinto beans and diced onion and garlic.

Now add your tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and spices.

Mix everything up in your slow cooker...

And cook on low for about 8 hours, 

until sweet potatoes are fully cooked and tender.

Serve yourself a bowl of this hearty chili.

Top with your desired garnishes, dig in and enjoy!!!

This chili was a hit!

I loved the addition of sweet potatoes,

so I'll absolutely be making this again! 

Turkey Sweet Potato Chili

(Adapted from I Wash You Dry)

1 Pound Ground Turkey

1 Large Sweet Potatoes, Peeled and Diced

1 Onion, Diced

1 15 Ounce Can Tomato Sauce

1 15 Ounce Can Diced Tomatoes

2 15 Ounce Cans Pinto Beans

1 Clove Garlic, Minced

1/2 Teaspoon Chili Powder

1/2 Teaspoon Garlic Powder

1/2 Teaspoon Cumin

1/2 Teaspoon Salt

1/2 Teaspoon Pepper

1/2 Teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes

1. Brown your ground turkey and drain the grease.
2. On top of the ground turkey, place sweet potatoes, pinto beans and diced onion and garlic.
3. Now add your tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and spices.
4. Mix everything up in the slow cooker and cook on low for about 8 hours, until sweet potatoes are fully cooked and tender.
5. Top with your favorite chili garnishes, dig in and enjoy!

Teriyaki Salmon with Sriracha Cream Sauce

I'm a pretty big fan of salmon and am always looking for new ways to make it.

So after seeing this recipe mentioned on this blog more than once,

I decided to head to the store to get the ingredients I didn't have

and made it for dinner for myself not too long ago.

After just one bite I knew I would be making the recipe again.

And of course I wanted to share it's deliciousness with you guys!

I can't eat something super yummy and not share it.

So enough talking, let me show you how it's made!

The Goods:

Salmon

Cornstarch

Soy Sauce

Brown Sugar

Ground Ginger

Garlic Powder

Honey

Mayonnaise

Sriracha

Sweetened Condensed Milk

Combine 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons Sriracha 

and 1 1/2 tablespoon sweetened condensed milk.

Set aside.

Mix together 1/4 cup of water and 1 tablespoon cornstarch.

Set aside.

Add 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, 

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, 2 tablespoons honey 

and 1 cup water to a small saucepan. 

Heat over medium until simmering.

Stir in the cornstarch mixture and continue to cook until sauce thickens.

It should take about 2 minutes and coat the back of a spoon once done.

Let marinade cool completely to room temperature.

Place your salmon fillet(s) in a shallow container.

Pour your marinade over your salmon and let sit at least 30 minutes.

I was only making one salmon fillet,

 so I saved the rest of the marinade to use for something else!

Transfer your salmon and marinade to a greased baking dish

and bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes.

Salmon is done with fish flakes easily with a fork.

Immediately serve salmon topped with Sriracha Cream Sauce!

Teriyaki Salmon with Sriracha Cream Sauce

Inspired by Damn Delicious

4 (5 Ounce) Salmon Fillets

1 Tablespoon Cornstarch

1/4 Cup Soy Sauce

1/4 Cup Brown Sugar

1/2 Teaspoon Ground Ginger

1/4 Teaspoon Garlic Powder

2 Tablespoons Honey

1/2 Cup Mayonnaise

2 Tablespoons Sriracha

1 1/2 Tablespoons Sweetened Condensed Milk

1. Combine 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons Sriracha and 1 1/2 tablespoon sweetened condensed milk. Set aside.
2. Mix together 1/4 cup of water and 1 tablespoon cornstarch. Set aside.
3. Add 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, 2 tablespoons honey and 1 cup water to a small saucepan. Heat over medium until simmering.
4. Stir in the cornstarch mixture and continue to cook until sauce thickens. It should take about 2 minutes and coat the back of a spoon once done.
5. Let marinade cool completely to room temperature.
6. Place your salmon fillet(s) in a shallow container. Pour your marinade over your salmon and let sit at least 30 minutes.
7. Transfer your salmon and marinade to a greased baking dish and bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes. Salmon is done with fish flakes easily with a fork.
8. Immediately serve salmon topped with Sriracha Cream Sauce.

Turkey and Pesto Panini

I recently made a batch of pesto for some pasta I was making.

I had some leftover and didn't want to make more pasta,

so after a little brainstorming I decided to make:

Turkey and Pesto Paninis!!!

I'd never actually made a panini before,

but thought what the heck and gave it a shot!

It was SO easy to make and incredibly tasty.

In fact, I made it again just two nights later!

Keep reading to find out how easy it really is to make.

The Goods:

Sourdough Bread

Pesto

Butter

Mozzarella

Deli Turkey

Arugula

Balsamic Vinegar 

(Not pictured - oops!)

Butter one side of the bread and then cover the other side with pesto!

Heat up your grill pan over medium-high heat and spray it with oil.

Put the buttered side of the bread on the grill pan and start to build.

I did turkey, mozzarella and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar.

I meant to add the arugula at this step, but I was distracted and forgot!

Don't be like me and remember to add your arugula!!!

Once the bread starts to get nice and toasted,

add the other slice of bread and flip over to grill that side.

After both sides are toasted and your cheese is nice and melted,

remove and let cool on a cutting board for about a minute.

Slice in half and you're ready to eat!

Since I forgot the arugula, I whipped up a small salad to have with it instead.

Now go make one for yourself!

I think your stomach will thank me.

Friday Link Ups Galore!!!

After THREE weeks of Linking Up with three different blogs,

I'm back again for another fun Friday Link UP, 

but this time I'm linking up with ALL three at once!!

And with Christmas being less than a week away,
I thought it was the perfect time for this post
because it's all about preparations for the big day!

If you're not done yet shopping, wrapping, etc. just yet,
hopefully some of the below will help you!

Keep reading to find out about my
Christmas Day Preparations!

Gift Giving!

I love to see people happy with gifts I give.

And I make myself happy by not dealing with crowds!

I didn't go to the mall ONCE this season.

Every year I've done more and more online shopping.

And last year got smart when I started using Ebates!

Who doesn't want to get money back after shopping for others?

Sign up here if you haven't yet!!!

Fun Wrapping!
Even if the gift doesn't cost a lot or is homemade,
I enjoy wrapping and ribboning each gift that I give.
(Yes, I just said ribboning...)

I love all the fun paper, ribbons and bows
and have a hard time not buying more than I need.
I want it ALLLLLLLLL!

DIY Decorations!

I LOVE Christmas Decorations.

See evidence here, here and here!

But I love them even more when they're DIY.

I was inspired by Karli when she posted this.

So what'd I do? I did one myself this year!

But changed a few things to make it my own!!!
A detailed post on the process can be found here.

Christmas Goodies!
I make some type of Christmas goody every year.
Some years more than others and I think this year takes the cake!

I spent ten, yes TEN, hours baking away this past Saturday.
I ended up with hundreds of goodies in six different varieties.
My coworkers, neighbors and local firemen were the lucky recipients!

Christmas Dinner Planning!

Last year I made the entire meal for 13 people!

You can read ALL about the deliciousness here.

We're doing a much more simple dinner this year,
but I'm still in charge of most of the cooking!

What are some of your must have's on the Christmas table?

Now for more Friday Link Up Fun, check out the blogs below!
Andrea and Erika's blogs from Friday Favorites.
 April and Christina's blogs from 5 on Friday.
Karli and Amy's blogs from oh hey friday!

Happy Friday and Happy Holiday All!!!