Anticipation

It's a new recipe weekend.  If you're a Facebook reader, you will know we now can make zucchini noodles.  I would strongly recommend the following recipe!

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons of coconut oil
• 1 lb. of chicken tenders, diced
• 1 Tbs. coconut oil
• 2 zucchini, inspiralized
• 1 red pepper, julienned 
• ¼ cup of red onions, diced
• sesame seeds (for garnish)

Spicy Peanut Sauce:

• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 4 tablespoons of peanut butter
• juice of 1 lime
• 3 tablespoons of low sodium soy sauce
• ½ teaspoon of ground ginger
• ¼ teaspoon of red pepper flakes

Instructions

1. In a small bowl, whisk together garlic, peanut butter, soy sauce, lime juice, ground ginger, and red pepper flakes. Set aside.
2. Heat a large skillet to medium high heat. Add coconut oil and chicken tenders. Saute until fully cooked.  Set aside
3. In the same large skillet over medium high heat, add 1 Tbs. coconut oil and the zucchini noodles.  Flash stir fry for two minutes, stirring constantly.
4. Remove noodles and place in large bowl along with chicken, red pepper, onions, and spicy peanut sauce. Toss till all noodles are coated.
5. Serve and garnish with sesame seeds.

Now understand, the original recipe called for far more work and cilantro, which is banned from entrance into this house, so adjust as you wish.  My only two suggestions would be to add 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper to the coconut oil before you saute the chicken, and perhaps a little more red pepper flakes.  Oh yes, and be sure to drain the zucchini noodles after flash frying. 

We were going to share this with the neighbor, but she wasn't home so we ate it all!!!!!

And of course, one need use the rhubarb one has on hand, so this is tonight's dessert.  I don't think you'll find it in the "joyfulhealthyeats.com" page from whence we stole the Pad Thai recipe!

Rhubarb custard bars

Crust
2 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 sticks of butter

Filling
2 cups sugar
7 Tbs. flour
1 cup heavy cream
3 eggs, beaten
5 cups finely chopped rhubarb

Topping
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup whipping cream

For the crust, combine the flour and sugar in your food processor.  Cut the butter in pieces, add to the mixture, and pulse until blended.  Press into a greased 9X13 baking pan.  (Or do what I did--skip reading the directions, pat it into a pan that I hadn't greased, and then grease a pan and transfer it!)  Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.

For the filling, combine the sugar and flour in a bowl.  Whisk in the cream and eggs.  Stir in the rhubarb.  Pour over the crust.  Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until the  custard is set.  Let stand until cool.

For the topping, combine the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla in a mixing bowl and beat until smooth.  Whip the cream until soft peaks form.  Fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture.  Spread over the filling.  Chill, covered, until set.  Cut into bars and serve.

According to the recipe, makes 3 dozen.  Yeah, right!

And we anticipate it will be good.  Give them both a try, and know you are loved!