Pon Pon Chicken

Pon Pon Chicken...To the Martys, it's just another way to say, "birthday dinner". My father-in-law is quite the gourmet cook. Although it is not his full time job, I'm quite sure he could make a nice living at it. He introduced us to this family favorite years and years ago. We've had it for countless birthdays and special occasions and served it to dinner guest after dinner guest. I should just have the recipe all printed and ready to send home with whomever we serve this to because it is inevitable that they will ask for it at any given moment between their first bite and when they walk out the door.

Ingredients and Directions:

SAUCE

• 1/3 cup sesame paste (tahini)
• 1/4 cup strongly brewed black tea
• 2 tablespoons hot chili oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt or to taste
• 4 teaspoons sugar
• 1/3 cup chopped green onions
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 4 teaspoons sesame oil
• 1 1/2 - 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped garlic
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 2/3 cup peanut oil

 

get the water boiling for the tea. I just make it in a cup with 2 or 3 teabags. meanwhile, in a medium mixing bowl, mix the above ingredients with a wire whisk in the order given, mixing after each addition. Set sauce aside until ready to serve. No cooking or refrigeration.

 

• 1 1/2 - 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts cut up into bite-size pieces 
• Jasmine rice cooked according to the directions on the package 

 

OPTIONAL INGREDIENTS (although, I like all of them)

• 1 cup salted coctail peanuts 
• 1 cup green onions– cut into ½ inch pieces 
• 1 cup snow peas OR cut green beans– more or less 
• 1/2-1 cup matchstick carrots 
• 1/2 -1 cup bean sprouts

 

Stir fry the chicken pieces in a little bit of peanut oil until almost cooked. Add the peanuts and any or all of the other optional ingredients toward the end of stir frying the chicken top with the green onions at the end (if using). Serve immediately with the cooked Jasmine rice. Pass the sauce in a bowl with a ladel.

Serve the chicken over rice and then spoon the sauce over it. Make sure you get enough sauce. It's the best part! 

 

Refridgerate any leftovers.
For the leftovers, I usually throw in some fresh peanuts and reheat the chicken in the wok or the microwave but I usually just let the sauce come back to room temp on it's own because heating it kinda ruins it.

Homemade Mac -N- Cheese

 Mac -N- Cheese...it's synonymous with 'comfort food'. After a long day or a long week, you're not thinkin' about carrot sticks. You know what I'm talkin' about. It's pasta and a lot of dairy products.  But wait, isn't "comfort food" just another way to say "emotional eating"?  So why is comfort food so good and emotional eating so bad? Let's pretend I didn't just type that and eat this homemade mac-n-cheese anyway. We could make ourselves feel less guilty by serving it with a gigantic salad.

When I am making this for just our family, I cut the recipe in half. This recipe makes a great side dish at a party or bbq too. 

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup flour
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper or more to taste(optional)
• fresh ground black pepper to taste--I like a lot 
• 2 cups milk
• 2 cups half and half   
• 1 lb. Cavatappi pasta cooked--or whatever tube pasta you have in the pantry (pictured with Penne)
• 16 oz shredded super sharp cheese* (4 cups) reserve 1/2 to 1 cup for the top
• 2 cups supre sharp cheese
• 1 1/2 cup parmesan
• 1/2 cup asiago

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 
2. Cook pasta according to package directions and drain well
3. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, melt butter.
4. Stir in flour whisking until smooth. add salt, pepper, cayenne (if using), half and half and milk.
5. Stir over medium heat until smooth and very warm.
6. add cheese. stir until melted and smooth and thickened. 
7. Pour over cooked Cavatappi pasta and toss to coat
8. put in a buttered 9x13 casserole dish and top with reserved 1/2 to 1 cup cheese
9. bake for 30 minutes at 350
10. serve immediately. 

*I like to use sharp cheese imported from Ireland
It's so good to mix in a couple different kinds of cheese too like parmesan and asiago, but you can just use whatever combination of whatever you have on hand. be creative!