Spiced Peanut Brittle

I came to realize today that my life must have been a lot less busy two years ago before I decided to do the Twelve Days of Treats.

It seemed like nothing then. I would make a couple treats a night, take them to work and do it all over again the next night. Wham, bam, thank you ma’am.

But I must have a lot more going on now. Because this is the second year in a row I’ve attempted the Twelve Days of Treats and failed. Either I have more going on, or I’ve lost my edge.

Whatever the reason, I’m pretty sure I only made it to Nine Days of Treats this year.

I know it is no excuse, but I was busy a lot of the time wrapping about forty gifts that look like this…

Thankfully I didn’t poop out before making this awesome brittle.

You will need…

1 ½ cup lightly salted, roasted peanuts

½ teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

½ tablespoon vegetable oil

3 cups sugar

1 ½ cups water

½ tablespoons soften butter for the spatula

Start by combining the cayenne pepper, cinnamon and the peanuts in a small bowl.

Then, lightly oil a medium sized saucepan and add in the water and sugar.

Cook over high heating, bring the mixture to a boil. Stir often.

When it has begun to boil, cover and cook for three minutes.

Remove the cover and cook over medium high heat until the sugar water is a medium amber color. You want it to be about 300 degrees.

Then, add in the peanut mixture and remove from the heat.

Once completely combined, pour onto a silicone mat lined baking sheet or a buttered parchment lined baking sheet.

Use the buttered spatula to spread the mixture out into a thin layer.

Allow to harden completely.

Break apart and serve.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela  

 Spiced Peanut Brittle

1 ½ cup lightly salted, roasted peanuts

½ teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

½ tablespoon vegetable oil

3 cups sugar

1 ½ cups water

½ tablespoons soften butter for the spatula

Start by combining the cayenne pepper, cinnamon and the peanuts in a small bowl.

Then, lightly oil a medium sized saucepan and add in the water and sugar.

Cook over high heating, bring the mixture to a boil. Stir often.

When it has begun to boil, cover and cook for three minutes.

Remove the cover and cook over medium high heat until the sugar water is a medium amber color. You want it to be about 300 degrees.

Then, add in the peanut mixture and remove from the heat.

Once completely combined, pour onto a silicone mat lined baking sheet or a buttered parchment lined baking sheet.

Use the buttered spatula to spread the mixture out into a thin layer.

Allow to harden completely.

Break apart and serve.

1 ½ cup lightly salted, roasted peanuts

½ teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

½ tablespoon vegetable oil

3 cups sugar

1 ½ cups water

½ tablespoons soften butter for the spatula

Start by combining the cayenne pepper, cinnamon and the peanuts in a small bowl.

Then, lightly oil a medium sized saucepan and add in the water and sugar.

Cook over high heating, bring the mixture to a boil. Stir often.

When it has begun to boil, cover and cook for three minutes.

Remove the cover and cook over medium high heat until the sugar water is a medium amber color. You want it to be about 300 degrees.

Then, add in the peanut mixture and remove from the heat.

Once completely combined, pour onto a silicone mat lined baking sheet or a buttered parchment lined baking sheet.

Use the buttered spatula to spread the mixture out into a thin layer. Allow to harden completely.

Break apart and serve. 

Crunchy Thai Chicken Salad with Sweet Chili Vinaigrette

You know what really chaps my hide? What really cooks my grits? What really burns my butter?

Yoga without music.

Don’t get me wrong, I love yoga. It is my escape. But it is NOT easy. You push your body’s flexibility, strength and balance boundaries. It is exhausting. And the only thing that gets me through is a rocking play list.

But not today! Today I rocked out to the sounds of other people’s bodies cracking, their heavy breathing and sweat.

The worst part is that you don’t know it is happening till it’s too late. In the beginning of the hour-long class, we start out with stretching with out music. It wasn’t until about seven minutes into class that I realized I was screwed. And by then, it was too late for me to escape.

Fifty-three more minutes of awkward yoga noises.

I had to come home tonight and make something to bring back my yoga Zen. And this tasty salad did just that.

 

You will need…

For the Salad:

5 chicken breast tenders

1 small napa cabbage, chopped

½ small red cabbage, chopped

6 green onions, chopped

1 large cucumber, quartered and sliced (you can peel if you like but I like the peel)

1 cup grated carrots (you can buy them already grated in a bag)

2/3 cup fresh cilantro

1 red bell pepper, chopped

2/3 cup chopped peanuts

Salt and pepper to taste

For the Vinaigrette:

½ cup sweet chili sauce

¼ cup rice vinegar

¼ cup light coconut milk

3 tablespoons brown sugar

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon creamy peanut butter

1 teaspoon, ginger

1 lime, juiced

1 tablespoon soy sauce

Start by heating a grill pan or your outdoor grill to a medium heat.

Season your chicken well with salt and pepper and when the grill is hot, lightly place the chicken onto the grill and grill for about 5 minutes a side.

When the chicken is cooked through, remove it from the heat and let it cool.

While the chicken is cooling, combine all the ingredients for the dressing in a mason jar or small bowl.

Whisk or shake the mixture well until it is completely combined.

By now, the chicken should have cooked enough to handle.

Use 2 forks to pull apart your chicken into little shredded pieces.

Combine the cabbage, carrots, green onions, cucumbers, cilantro and bell pepper together in a large bowl.

Top the salad with the shredded chicken and peanuts.

Drizzle with the vinaigrette.

Toss and serve.

Namaste

Angela  

Crunchy Thai Chicken Salad with Sweet Chili Vinaigrette

For the Salad:

5 chicken breast tenders

1 small napa cabbage, chopped

½ small red cabbage, chopped

6 green onions, chopped

1 large cucumber, quartered and sliced (you can peel if you like but I like the peel)

1 cup grated carrots (you can buy them already grated in a bag)

2/3 cup fresh cilantro

1 red bell pepper, chopped

2/3 cup chopped peanuts

Salt and pepper to taste

For the Vinaigrette:

½ cup sweet chili sauce

¼ cup rice vinegar

¼ cup light coconut milk

3 tablespoons brown sugar

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon creamy peanut butter

1 teaspoon, ginger

1 lime, juiced

1 tablespoon soy sauce

Start by heating a grill pan or your outdoor grill to a medium heat.

Season your chicken well with salt and pepper and when the grill is hot, lightly place the chicken onto the grill and grill for about 5 minutes a side.

When the chicken is cooked through, remove it from the heat and let it cool.

While the chicken is cooling, combine all the ingredients for the dressing in a mason jar or small bowl.

Whisk or shake the mixture well until it is completely combined.

By now, the chicken should have cooked enough to handle.

Use 2 forks to pull apart your chicken into little shredded pieces.

Combine the cabbage, carrots, green onions, cucumbers, cilantro and bell pepper together in a large bowl.

Top the salad with the shredded chicken and peanuts.

Drizzle with the vinaigrette.

Toss and serve. 

Spicy Thai Noodles

You know what really burst my bubble?

When I’ve made something really tasty for dinner and then I have no leftovers for work the next today.

But, when I don’t have any leftovers, I know that my dish was a great success.

It’s a double edges sword really.

When I was sampling this sauce as I put it together, I got myself all worked up at the idea of having delicious leftovers the next day.

But my dreams came to a crashing halt when Albert scraped the last noodles out of the bowl.

Learn from my mistake and make extra.

You will need…

1 box whole wheat linguini

1 ½ tablespoons crushed red pepper

½ cup peanut oil

¼ cup sesame oil

6 tablespoons honey

6 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon peanut butter

6 green onions, chopped

½ cup chopped cilantro

1 red bell pepper, chopped

¼ cup peanuts, chopped

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

Start by combining the peanut oil and sesame oil and heating it the oil and the red pepper flakes in a small saucepan over medium low heat.

Heat the oil and let it infuse for about 15 minutes.

Strain the red pepper flakes out of the oil.

Bring a large pot of water to boil. When the water boils, cook the pasta to the package instructions.

While the pasta is boiling, combine the oil, the honey, the soy sauce and peanut oil and whisk until the sauce is completely combined and set aside.

When the pasta is cooked, drain the liquid and add it back into the pot.

Pour the sauce over the noodles and let them soak up for five to 10 minutes.

Mix in the cilantro, green onions, peanuts and pepper.

Toss well and serve hot.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela

Spicy Thai Noodles

1 box whole wheat linguini

1 ½ tablespoons crushed red pepper

½ cup peanut oil

¼ cup sesame oil

6 tablespoons honey

6 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon peanut butter

6 green onions, chopped

½ cup chopped cilantro

1 red bell pepper, chopped

¼ cup peanuts, chopped

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

Start by combining the peanut oil and sesame oil and heating it the oil and the red pepper flakes in a small saucepan over medium low heat.

Heat the oil and let it infuse for about 15 minutes.

Strain the red pepper flakes out of the oil.

Bring a large pot of water to boil. When the water boils, cook the pasta to the package instructions.

While the pasta is boiling, combine the oil, the honey, the soy sauce and peanut oil and whisk until the sauce is completely combined and set aside.

When the pasta is cooked, drain the liquid and add it back into the pot.

Pour the sauce over the noodles and let them soak up for five to 10 minutes.

Mix in the cilantro, green onions, peanuts and pepper.

Toss well and serve hot.