Farmer's Market Stir Fry with Peanut Sauce

I work on the Capitol Square which is also home to the Dane County Farmer's Market on Saturday mornings.  It's said to be the largest produce only farmer's markets in the country which means tons of selection, but also lots of crowds.  Since I'm no longer living in the downtown area, I rarely make the trek on Saturday mornings, but I have gotten in the habit of taking a break at work to head to the much smaller, Wednesday markets.

This past week at the market it seemed like there was a really good variety of vegetables at some great prices, so as I was walking around I decided to get ingredients to make a stir fry.  I had to take a couple laps around the stalls to get all my supplies and ended up with summer squash, green onion, broccoli, asparagus and sugar snap peas.  I also took home a head of lettuce and a couple khalorabi, all for only $13!  Usually when I make stir fry I go with a spicier szechuan sauce, but decided to go with a subtler peanut sauce this time.  It still put lots of flavor in the dish and didn't leave out a little spicy kick either.

Hope you enjoy!

Kelsey

Ingredients:

• 2 cups brown rice (measured before cooking), cooked
• 2 chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces
• Choice of seasonal vegetables (I used sugar snap peas, green onion, asparagus, summer squash and broccoli)
• Desired amount of peanut sauce (I used about half, or a little over 1/4 cup)
• Olive oil

For the peanut sauce:

• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
• 4 teaspoons peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons water
• 2 teaspoons Asian chili garlic paste

Adapted from Food and Family.

Directions:

1. Prepare peanut sauce by mixing ingredients in a small bowl.  Heat in microwave in 20 second increments, stirring in between,  until peanut butter is no longer in large clumps. (It's okay if it's not completely melted into the mixture, the hot skillet will take care of that later.)
2. Drizzle olive oil in skillet (or wok if you have one) and cook chicken.  Set aside.
3. Pour desired amount of peanut sauce in skillet and sauté vegetables until they begin to soften.  Add chicken to mixture and stir until coated with sauce.
4. Serve over rice.

Linking up with Time to Sparkle.

Shrimp Curry with Potatoes and Cauliflower

I struggled making this dish, none the less it turned out splendidly. I had nothing prepped resulting in some timing issues. None the less, it got Ladders, my roommate, seal of approval even with all my cursing at the food! I take it as a huge compliment when she tries something, she thinks she may not like and I prove her wrong. I have the affect in the kitchen. I had made curry once before and I didn't like it, but curry always sounds so scrumptious. This turned out to be a keeper, for both Ladders and I.

This dish should take you about 30 minutes, 40 minutes, if you are slow like me to make. I used Penzey's sweet curry powder and decided to give it a little heat with red pepper flakes. I like this curry too because it does not use coconut milk, something I don't use often unlike yogurt. You can substitute the shrimp with tofu or chicken. This was an insanely easy weeknight meal served with brown rice. There is a lot of flexibility with the recipe too, enjoy!

Ingredients:
1/2 pound extra-large shrimp
Salt and ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
4 garlic cloves, minced or grated
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (depending on the curry you use)
1 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 pound red potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
1/2 a head of cauliflower florets (2 cups)
1/2 cup frozen peas

1/2 cup non-fat plain Greek yogurt
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro (optional)

Instructions:

1. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a medium pot or 12-inch non-stick skillet, with a lid, over medium heat. Add the shrimp and cook on each side for 2 minutes. Transfer the shrimp to a clean bowl and set aside.
2. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the pot, heating over medium heat. Add the onion, curry powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and ginger and cook, 30 seconds.
3. In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk the chicken broth and cornstarch together to dissolve the cornstarch. Add the mixture to the pot. Add potatoes and cauliflower. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until the vegetables are tender, 7 to 10 minutes. 
4. Add the shrimp and peas to the pot, returning it to a brief simmer. Remove from the heat and stir in yogurt and cilantro. Season with slat and pepper to taste. Enjoy!