Thai Cooking Class

Thank you to Jen F. for sharing your wonderful recipes and teaching us how to make amazing Thai food. She made the dishes simple and easy to make. Everything was so good I don't think I could possibly choose a favorite dish. To those who were unable to attend these dishes are well balanced in flavor and are not spicy.

Pad See Ew
(Serves 4)

Ingredients
14 oz. fresh wide rice noodles cut in 2" strips(dried noodles can be used as well, but will need to soak for 10-15 mins.)
1 lb. chicken or pork (thinly sliced)
6 cloves of garlic – minced
3 C. Chinese Broccoli or Kale
6 T. vegetable oil (or palm)
4 eggs beaten
3T sweet soy

Sauce – mix and set aside.
3 T oyster sauce
1 t. sweet soy
2 T light soy sauce
2 t. sugar
1 t. pepper

Method
Marinate rice noodles in 2 Tbsp of sweet soy sauce for 5 minutes. Pour 4 T of the oil into a wok and heat on medium/high flame. When the oil is hot add minced garlic and meat; stir fry for 2 minutes. Add the noodles and stir fry for 1-2 minutes, chopping up (fresh) noodles as you fry. If using dry noodles that have been soaked, cook longer until noodles are soft. Add Chinese broccoli and sauce; stir fry to combine well.

Push stir fried mixture off to one side of the wok, add remaining oil (heat for 15 secs). Add beaten egg and fry for 1 minute, then combine and stir fry with noodle mixture. Remove from heat. Add salt to taste.

Panang Curry with Chicken
(Serves 4)

Ingredients
1 lb. Chicken
3 T. Panang Curry paste
2 T. Palm sugar (or brown sugar)
4-6 kaffir lime leaves (optional)
1 C Sweet Basil leaves, sliced thinly
1 Can of Coconut cream
1 C. Coconut milk
½ t. Fish sauce

Method
In a wok, mix together panang curry paste and sugar over medium heat. Add chicken and toss with curry until well coated. Add coconut cream and simmer until chicken is cooked and tender (about 10 minutes). Toss in kaffir lime leaves, basil and fish sauce. Cook, stirring well, for about 2 minutes. Serve over basmati rice.

Spring Rolls
(makes 10-15 spring rolls)

Ingredients
1 package of frozen spring roll pastry
1 C glass noodles or rice stik (soaked in water for at least 5 minutes)
1 C minced chicken (veg: diced tofu)
1 C shredded carrots
1 C shredded Napa cabbage
1 C bean sprouts
4 green onions (chopped into 1 inch pieces)
1 T garlic
½ T sugar
2 T fish sauce (veg: soy sauce)
2 T oyster sauce (veg: mushroom sauce)
1 egg (beaten)
Oil

Method
Heat the oil in the wok, fry garlic until golden. Add meat (or tofu) and fry until almost cooked. Add fish sauce, oyster sauce and sugar. Add the glass noodles, bean sprouts, and onion and stir fry for 1 minute. Add remaining vegetables. Stir fry until well blended, then remove from heat, and set aside to cool.

Fill each spring roll wrap with 2 tablespoons of vegetable mixture. Roll and seal with egg wash. Fry in oil until golden brown. See spring roll demo below.



Sweet Chili Sauce

Ingredients
¼ C water
6 T sugar
½ T chopped red chili
½ t. salt
¼ C vinegar
1 t. minced garlic

Method
Simmer vinegar, sugar, salt, chilis and water over medium heat. Add garlic and simmer until the sauce is thick. Remove from the heat and top with red chilis.

Although we didn't make this dish, Jen was generous to share the recipe with us.

Pad Thai
(serves 2)

Ingredients
10 oz. fresh rice noodles (or dried noodles, soaked in water for 10-15 minutes)
3 T oil
1 T garlic (minced)
1 T dried shrimp (optional)
1 C extra firm tofu – chopped into small pieces
6 T chicken stock (or water)
2 eggs (beaten)
3 T roasted peanuts- chopped
¼ C chives or green onions (chopped into 1 inch pieces)
1 C bean sprouts
2 limes (cut into wedges)

Sauce
3 T sugar
1 T fish sauce
1 T soy sauce
2 T tamarind juice

Method
Heat oil in wok over high heat and fry garlic and tofu until garlic turns golden brown and then add the rice noodles and stir-fry. Add the chicken stock and stir-fry until noodles are soft. Then turn the heat down and add the sauce ingredients and stir well to combine.

Move noodles to one side of the wok; add the eggs and stir-fry until the eggs are cooked and then mix well with noodles. Add the peanuts and chives. Stir-fry to combine and then add the bean sprouts and stir together. Turn off the heat and serve garnished with lime wedges.

TIPS

• Slice chicken in thin slices as seen in demo below.
  
• Prep all ingredients including slicing before cooking dishes above to achieve the proper textures and prevent overcooking. The process goes by to quickly to stop and chop, etc.
• To tone down spicy curry in Panang Curry just add brown sugar to taste.
• To reduce amount of Panang curry dish for a smaller crowd omit the coconut milk. (Not cream of coconut.)
• Sweet Chili Sauce can be found bottled in stores listed below.
  
• Jen said Thai Shirlington was her favorite Thai restaurant.

Looking for the ingredients used in recipes above? Jen suggested the following stores.
Asian/Thai Grocery Stores:

Bangkok 54 (Restaurant and Market side by side)
2919 Columbia Pike
Arlington, VA 22204
703-521-4070

H Mart
8103 Lee Hwy
Falls Church, VA 22042
703-573-6300

Cinnamon Rolls

(Picture from the Lion House Recipe)

Last year, Noelle S. taught a wonderful class on cinnamon rolls. The recipe originates from the Lion House in Salt Lake City. In addition, recipes for honey butter and frosting are included. Enjoy!

Lion House Dinner Rolls
Ingredients:2 c. warm water (110-115 degrees)
2/3 c. nonfat dry milk (instant or non instant)
2 tb. dry yeast (2 packets)
1/4 c. sugar
2 tsp. salt
1/3 c. shortening (butter or margarine at room temp)
1 egg
5-5 1/2 c. flour (bread flour)

In the large bowl of an electric mixer, combine the water and the milk powder and stir so the milk dissolves. Add the yeast to this mixture then the sugar, salt, shortening, egg and 2 cups of the flour. Mix on low speed of the mixer until ingredients are wet then turn to medium speed and mix for 2 minutes. Stop the mixer and add 2 more cups of flour then mix on low speed until ingredients are wet then turn mixer on medium speed and mix for 2 minutes. The dough will be getting stiff and you may need to remove the bowl from the mixer and mix in the remaining flour by hand. Add approximately 1/2 cup of flour and mix in well. If the dough is sticky add another 1/2 cup of flour and mix again. (This can be done by hand or mixer) The dough should be soft, not overly sticky, and not stiff. IT IS NOT NECESSARY TO USE THE ENTIRE AMOUNT OF FLOUR.

Scrape the dough off the sides of the bowl and pour approximately 1 tbsp of vegetable oil all around the sides of the bowl. Turn the dough over in the bowl so it is covered by the oil. (This helps prevent the dough from drying out). Cover with plastic and allow to rise in a warm place until double in size. Sprinkle cutting board or counter with flour and put dough on the flour. It is now ready to cut or shape into desired rolls. Place on greased baking pan. Let rise in a warm place until the rolls are double in size (approximately 1-1/2 hours. Bake in a 375* oven for 15-18 minutes or until they are browned to your satisfaction. Yields about 1-1 1/2 dozen rolls.
Dough can be frozen for a max of 5 weeks.

CINNAMON ROLLS
Ingredients:
1 recipe of Lion House roll dough (below)
soft butter
1/4 cup sugar
1-2 teaspoons cinnamon

Prepare one recipe of the Lion House roll dough and allow rising until double. Sprinkle flour on work area, place dough on flour and roll out to 12"x8" rectangle. Spread with soft butter. Sprinkle with mixture of ¼ cup sugar and 1-2 teaspoons cinnamon (depending on your taste), and roll up like a jelly roll. Slice into one-inch slices and place on a well-greased pan with space between so they can rise. Allow to rise until double in size and bake in a 375 degree oven for 10-15 minutes, or until light golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow cooling. Combine 3 cups of powdered sugar, 2 teaspoons Vanilla and 1/3 cup half and half, cream, evaporated, or regular milk. Mix until smooth. Gently spread frosting on the rolls with your hand or drizzle on with a spoon. Allow to cool slightly and enjoy!

HONEY BUTTER (FOR DINNER ROLLS)
1 c. butter
3/4 c honey
1/4-1/2 tsp vanilla
Beat for 30 minutes so it will not separate.

CINNAMON ROLL FROSTING
2 lb bag powdered sugar
1 stick butter
1/2 c shortening
2-3 tsp vanilla
Milk (Noelle used whipping cream)
Mix first 4 ingredients well. Add milk choice to get desired consistency.

Truffle Brownie Cups

Last year, Amanda R. made truffle brownie cups at the chocolate lover's food class. I thought I would try and post older cooking class recipes for newer members to enjoy.

Truffle Brownie Cups

1 2/3 c chocolate chips morsels, divided

2 Tbsp. butter (do not use margarine)

1/2 c sugar

1 egg

2/3 c all purpose flour

3/4 c heavy whipping cream

Assorted garnishes such as orange zext, maraschino cherries, toasted almond slices and whipped topping.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Sprays wells of mini-muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray with flour. Place 2/3 c of chocolate chips and butter into a batter bowl. Microwave on high 40-60 seconds or until smooth, stirring after each 20 second interval. Add sugar and egg to batter bowl; mix until blended using a scraper. Add flour; mix just until flour is incorporated. Using two teaspoons, divide batter evenly among wells, filling wells about two-thirds full. Using a tart shaper (or the bottom of a measuring sppon), gently tap batter to create level tops. Bake 10-12 minutes or until edges are set. Do not overbake

Pour Cream into a measuring cup and microwave on high 1-2 minutes or until hot. Pour crfeam into clean batter bowl with remaining 1 cup chocolate chips; whisk until smooth. Place batter bowl into freezer 10-12 minutes or until mixture is cool and starting to thicken, stirring after each 5 minute interval. Spoon ganache into resealable plastic bag.

Remove pan from oven onto a cooling rack: cool 2 minutes. Press tops of brownies with a tart shaper (or bottom of measuring spoon) to make indentations. Cool in pan 3 minutes. Carefully remove brownies from pan. Trim corner of bag to allow the ganache to flow through. Pipe ganache evenly into brownie cups. Garnish as desired.

RS Birthday Celebration Recipes

Wasn't the Relief Society birthday absolutely wonderful?! Thank you to everyone who made it possible because it was such an uplifting and inspiring night. For those of you who missed it--we focused on God given creative talents. Which I may add-- includes food and these are some of the recipes requested from the event. Enjoy!

Chicken Salad

5-6 stalks celery (chopped)
1 can crushed pineapple (drained)
½ c craisens
2 cans chicken all white meat
2 boxes bow-tie or farfalle pasta (cooked and drained)
Red grapes (bunch)
cashews (optional)

Dressing:
1 bottle Kraft cole slaw dressing
1 c mayonnaise
Mix until combined and pour over salad and serve immediately.



Shaunel's Carrot Cake
1 c oil
1 1/2 c sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 t. vanilla

Mix oil and sugar, add eggs and vanilla: mix until combined.

2 c flour
1 1/2 t. baking soda
2 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. each of nutmeg, allspice & ginger
1 t salt

Add dry ingredients barely.

1 c grated carrot
1/2 c crushed pineapple
zest of one orange

Add the carrot, pineapple and orange zest, and beat until combined.
Other good stuff that can be added:walnuts or pecans, raisins, coconut.
Bake in 13 x 9 pan at 350 for 30-40 min. (depending on your oven: mine is really hot, and I had to take it out after 25).

If you're planning to serve cake on platter, put parchment paper on the bottom of your pan (turn pan upside down to cut parchment paper, place paper over greased bottom of pan).Cake is done when it springs back (after being poked), or inserted knife comes out clean.

Cream Cheese Frosting (I like a sweet cream cheese frosting, otherwise it can overwhelm a cake)
4 T butter
1 8oz package of cream cheese
2 t vanilla
1-2 c powdered sugar (depending on desired sweetness)I also like decorating the cake with chopped nuts and orange zest on the top.




These chocolate cupcakes were made by Jennifer R .(The recipe come from Allrecipes.com.) I cheated and used a box of Devil's Food cake. Here is the frosting and it really light. This is wonderful on top of fresh fruit, carrot cake, cupcakes, lemond curd, pudding, cheesecake, etc.

Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
1 cup white sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream

DIRECTIONS
1. In a small bowl beat whipping cream until stiff peaks form; set aside.
2. In a large bowl combine cream cheese, sugar, salt and vanilla. Beat until smooth, then fold in whipped cream. Chill 2 hours and serve. Will keep for 2-3 days in the refrigerator.