Adventure Awaits

I've spent the last few weeks getting ready for our big trip to Europe. I actually really hate to fly and don't particularly like to travel in foreign countries, especially when I don't speak the language. Rick has therefore taken care of all travel plans to save me from a major anxiety attack. I am looking forward to a week on a cruise ship where I don't have to cook or clean, and I think I'm looking forward to exploring each port a little. Mostly I'm looking forward to reading the books and magazines I've been stockpiling for the last month.

I had this grand idea a few months ago that I was going to sew myself a new wardrobe for this trip. There are two reasons for that: 1. I've decided to brush up on my sewing skills since I'm looking for some time-consuming hobbies, and 2. I find it completely impossible to buy clothes that fit me properly, or even that fit me well enough to have them altered. Well I got a little sewing done, but by no means do I have a new wardrobe. Oh well, that gives me something to work on when I get back. At least the lack of clothing has made packing easy. I just put everything I normally wear in a suitcase, which was then only about 3/4 full. Yay, more room for books! Anyway, I hope to post some of my sewing adventures when I have time to actually have those adventures. In the meantime, Europe awaits! (And there's apparently a great fabric store in Rome, really close to the Pantheon. Too bad the clerks there don't speak English!)

My Favorite Food

I thought I'd start off with something that really makes me happy. I enjoy food in general, but I wouldn't say it makes me happy - except for this dish. I ate it yesterday when I was in a bad mood and sure enough, I can't be unhappy when I'm eating it!

Thai Chicken Sauté

(based on a recipe in Cooking Light, March 2007)

4 cups prepared rice

2 chicken breasts, cut into strips or pieces

1 tablespoon corn starch

1 tablespoon fish sauce

4 teaspoons canola oil

1 cup sliced onion

2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic

1/2 can of coconut milk

1 tablespoon Sriracha (hot chile sauce)

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon lime juice

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (optional)

Heat 1 teaspoon of the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook to desired texture (I like mine soft, but some people like them still crunchy). Add garlic to pan and cook one minute more. Remove onion and garlic mixture from pan.

Toss chicken with cornstarch and fish sauce. Heat remaining tablespoon of oil in the pan, add chicken to pan and sauté 5 minutes or until done. Meanwhile mix together coconut milk, Sriracha, sugar and lime juice. When chicken is done, add coconut milk mixture and onion mixture to pan. Cook until everything is hot, about a minute.

Serve chicken mixture over hot rice and sprinkle each serving with cilantro.

Makes 4 - 5 servings

This recipe is fairly spicy, so if you don't like spicy foods you should cut back on the Sriracha. If you double the recipe you can freeze half of the chicken mixture after it's cooked and heat it up for dinner another night. Plus you won't end up with half a can of leftover coconut milk.