When it rains… it makes the ground wet

Can someone please tell me how people actually find roommates on Craigslist? Since I’ve posted my listing (about 3 weeks ago) I’ve had more responses from humanitarian workers in remote parts of the world that want to wire me money to reserve the room than actual, real interest. I’ve tried scanning my ad to see if there’s anything in there that might yield this result but there’s nothing. I requested that the individual be employed yet have received at least 3 inquiries from people with out jobs that have “some leads”. Please. That may be indeed true for some but I’m leery when the e-mail is being sent on behalf of someone on behalf of someone else who isn’t the same person who signs the e-mail. You are looking for a progressive roommate who likes sunshine and smiles? Keep looking. That’s not even a joke… that was a real e-mail. That is not to say that I’m not progressive and yes, I do like sunshine and smiles but I’m not sure they are in my roommate criteria short-list. Sigh. The search continues…

I was trying to take pictures of the apartment this morning and Griffy managed to make an appearance in just about every one.

Anyway, aside from that on going search, the weekend was a good one. How could it not be? It was long. Friday night we went out for sushi, Saturday we enjoyed some drinks in town with friends and Sunday the man-friend and I had dinner at The Palm. It was a surprise and I can’t wait to go back again. Last night I made dinner for the two of us. I found a recipe for Brazilian Coconut Chicken on allrecipes and I’m still thrilled with how it came out.

Rub 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs cut into 2-inch pieces with this spice mixture. If you don’t like a lot of heat, I suggest reducing the cayenne a bit. Add 1 T olive oil to a pan and bring to medium heat. Add chicken pieces, flip after about 6-8 minutes. Flip. Cook until chicken is no longer pink. Remove pieces of chicken from pan.

To the still hot pan add 1 T minced ginger, 2 cloves garlic (minced) and 1/4 onion (chopped). Add additional olive oil if desired. Cook until onions start to turn translucent (just a few minutes). Empty contents of one 15 oz can of diced tomatoes into pan (drain a bit of the juice out first). If desired, add chopped jalapenos (seeds removed to reduce heat). I used 3 with seeds. Finally, pour one can of lite coconut milk into the pan. Reduce the heat to med-low. Let cook for a few more minutes then add the chicken back in. The sauce will NOT get super thick. That’s okay. You are going to serve it over rice. Preferably Basmati. Or you can use brown rice if you prefer. I used 1 c dry rice and that amounted to 4 servings once cooked. To serve, place 3/4 c rice in bowl (I used pasta bowls). Top with 1/4 chicken and sauce mixture. Enjoy!

Make this meal pronto. It will bring you sunshine and smiles. And perhaps it will send a roommate my way…

Closet Cooking Inspired: Kimchi (Kim Chee) Sweet Potato Salad

Have you ever tried Kim Chi? Or Kim Chee as it is spelled on this jar I picked up at the store. If not, and you are a fan of all things pickled and spicy, I suggest you give it a try. What is it? I snapped a shot of the ingredient list for those who are unfamiliar.

Chinese cabbage, onion, garlic, ginger, scallion, red pepper, salt, sugar, anchovy sauce. What’s the big deal? Well the vegetables in Kim Chi are fermented and very flavorful by the time you pop open the jar. Kevin has a great photo of Kim Chi. And while you are visiting his site, you can check out the inspiration and recipe for the Kim Chi Sweet Potato Salad I made this weekend.

I made very few changes – his recipe was already incredible. I used double the amount of Kim Chi, added Sriracha to my mayo, subbed regular sesame seeds for toasted and because I couldn’t find “gochujang”, I used regular red chili flakes. Due to the addition of Sriracha and the red chili flakes, this dish was pretty spicy… which I liked. But if you aren’t a huge fan of spicy food, I’d recommend omitting the Sriracha and red chili flakes altogether.

I brought this to a cookout and we enjoyed the leftovers (cold) the next day – still delicious. I will definitely make at least a double batch next time. It’s seriously addictive.

Have you ever had Kim Chi before? If yes, how was it served?

One time I had it on top of a pork-belly slider… I know, right? It was as good as it sounds.

Next order of business: My posts in the next week or so may be even more sporadic than usual. I’m going on vacation! (well I’m going away… it’s ~30% business and ~70% pleasure.) I plan on posting when I can so you can see what shenanigans I’m getting into.

Have a great week!

Peanut Noodles with Sriracha-Lime Tofu

I have been looking forward to sharing this dish with you because I can’t stop thinking about it. It was absolutely delicious, spicy and flavorful. The balance between the delicate rice noodles and the rich, creamy sauce was perfect. The vegetables had the perfect amount of crispness to contrast the noodles and the tofu took on such great flavor from the sriracha and lime it was cooked in. I loved it so much I ate it for dinner three times this week and wish there was still more. And that’s coming from a girl who doesn’t really love leftovers.

{Peanut Noodles with Sriracha-Lime Tofu}

Ingredients:

• 1 c. vegetable broth
• 5 T. all-natural peanut butter (I used crunchy)
• 2 T. honey
• 1 T. Sriracha
• 2 T. Liquid Aminos (or Soy Sauce)
• 1 T. grated ginger
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 block extra-firm Tofu, pressed to remove liquid
• 2-3 T. lime juice
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed with garlic press
• 1 T. grated ginger
• 2-3 t. canola oil (or sesame)
• 8 ounces of rice noodles
• 1 c. chopped green onion
• 1.5 c. carrot shreds
• 1.5 c. broccoli slaw
• chopped peanuts (for garnish)

For the sauce, combine first 6 ingredients in a small saucepan and simmer over medium-low heat until sauce becomes smooth and well-blended. Stir occasionally. Set-aside when done, should take 5-10 minutes.

Boil water for the rice noodles and cook according to package directions. Drain.

Cube pressed tofu in 1/2 inch cubes. Toss with lime juice, crushed garlic, grated ginger and salt & pepper (if desired).

Heat a large skilled. Add oil and tofu. Sauté until tofu starts to brown. When done, remove from heat and set aside.

Add green onions, carrot shred and broccoli slaw to skillet. Saute until tender but still crisp. You may wish to add a bit of vegetable broth to aid in this.

Toss noodles with peanut sauce. When well mixed, plate peanut noodles atop a vegetables. Top with tofu and chopped peanuts. Enjoy!

*Serves 4-6