APPETIZERS

Aloha Cherry Chicken PuPu's

Ingredients:

3 Tbsp canola oil (+1 Tbsp for cooking)

3 Tbsp minced ginger root

2 lbs boneless chicken breast, cut into bite size pieces

3.5 Tbsp rice wine vinegar

3.5 Tbsp teriyaki sauce

1.5 Tbsp honey

1 3/4 lb dark, sweet cherries (halved, pitted)

2.5 cups shredded carrots

1 cup chopped green onion

2/3 cup toasted, sliced almonds

20 leaves of lettuce

Heat a small amount of oil over medium. Add ginger, chicken, and saute for 7-10 min. Set aside.

In large bowl, whisk oil, vinegar, honey, teriyaki. Add chicken, cherries, carrots, onion, almonds, and toss.

Spoon a small amount of mixture onto center of each lettuce leaf, roll up and serve on a platter.

Tom's Palace Kitchen Goat Cheese Fondue (dowload)

SALADS

Bourbon Street Chicken Salad

To be honest, I usually serve this as an entree rather than an accompaniment.  My boyfriend likes it because it has more of the "good stuff" and less lettuce than most salads.

Ingredients:

Mixed Greens (16oz package)

2-3 chicken breasts

1  cup of green and red peppers, chopped

1 cup of peas (or peas and carrot mix), cooked and cooled

1/4 cup of slivered almonds

1 can water chestnuts, sliced

1/2 cup honey-mustard dressing

garlic, curry, seasoning salt, and pepper to taste

splash of whiskey, bourbon, or scotch

splash of olive oil

I know, it's another recipe with undefined ingredient ratios. Cut up the chicken breast into bite sized pieces and cook in oil over stove top. When chicken is almost cooked, add in the spices and the alcohol. Remove from stove and set aside to cool. Mix together the remaining ingredients in a large bowl, add cooled chicken, and toss with grated parmeasan.  Chill in refrigerator until ready to serve.  

Easy Pasta Salad

This recipe was a collaborative idea for a camp meal at Burning Man 2001. 

Ingredients:

Spiral Pasta

Italian Dressing

Pesto

artichoke hearts

sliced olives

sliced or shredded pepperoni or salami

parmesean cheese

sun-dried tomatos

canned button mushrooms

This recipe doesn't have any specific measurements, as I often put things together in a intuitive, tactile way.  If you wanted to use an average package of noodles, then I'd estimate you'd use about 1 cup of dressing, one small container of pesto, 1/4 cup cheese and enough meat and remaining ingredients to taste.

SOUPS

Ginger Pumpkin Bisque

The taste of this soup is one of the first signs that fall is near. 

Ingredients:

3/4 cup shallots

1/2 cup onions

2 tsp. grated ginger root

2 Tbsp peanut or walnut oil

1/4 cup flour

4 cups chicken broth

1/2 cup apple cider

1 (16oz) can of pumpkin

1/3 cup maple syrup

2 bay leaves

approximately 1/4 tsp of ground cinnamon, thyme, pepper, cloves

1 cup whipping cream (in the small carton)

1/2 tsp vanilla

In a 3qt. sauce pan, cook shallots and onions in oil until tender (medium heat). Stir in flour, add chicken broth, cider. Cook and stir undil thickened and bubbly. Stir in pumpkin, syrup, bay leaves, and spices. Return to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 20 min.

Remove from heat. Discard bay leaves. Cool slightly.  Using a blender or processor, blen in 3 or 4 batches at a time.

Return soup to pan, stir in the wripped cream and vanilla. Heat through, but do not boil.

Serve, and makes about 8 cups.