Corn and Mushrooms with Cilantro

Corn. Mushrooms. Cilantro. Three very simple ingredients that come together to make a side dish that we couldn't stop eating.


When my friend Melissa recommended the Chipotle Honey Lime Pork Tenderloin she insisted I serve it with White Corn and Mushrooms with Cilantro. I trust her advice completely so I went with it. After all, it contains two of SP's favorite things - corn and mushrooms. How could it be bad?


Since corn isn't in season yet I used frozen yellow corn. SP came home with regular white mushrooms instead of crimini, but they worked out just fine. I think the crimini would only make this better but aren't necessary. If you're using frozen corn this dish takes almost no time to prepare, which makes it a perfect weeknight side dish. Since I'm a spice wimp I used maybe 1/8 teaspoon of cayenne, but adjust to your spice preference.

SP was in love with this entire meal and told me I could make it again and again, whenever I wanted.

Corn and Mushrooms with Cilantro
Alosha's Kitchen

4 tablespoons butter, divided
8-12oz crimini mushrooms, stems removed and cut into a small dice
5 ears fresh white corn, husks removed and kernels cut from cobs (or 3 cups frozen)
1/4-1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
Kosher salt
Cracked black pepper
1/2 cup chopped cilantro

In a medium, heavy-bottomed skillet, heat 2 tablespoons butter over high heat. When butter has melted and is just beginning to brown, add the mushrooms and saute until softened and browned.

Reduce heat to medium high. Add corn, the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, cayenne pepper and smoked paprika. Stir to combine. Continue to saute until corn kernels are softened, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from heat. Stir in cilantro.

Chipotle Honey Lime Pork Tenderloin

I've been very into pork tenderloin lately. Not only is it delicious, you can marinate it in so many different flavor combinations. I like that it cooks quickly in the oven after a quick sear on the stovetop and has very little fat, which means every ounce you pay for is edible. And speaking of price, my supermarket has club packs with four tenderloins for $2.99 per pound. Awesome.


After I posted the Greek Pork Tenderloin my friend Melissa insisted I try this Chipotle Honey Lime Pork Tenderloin. The chipotle in the title initially turned me off because I haven't been a fan of dishes where that's the dominant flavor, but when I realized it was just in the marinade I decided to go for it.


I marinated the pork overnight, a step I highly recommend. I don't think the flavor really penetrates the meat otherwise. Be careful reducing the sauce because it can go from saucy to sticky in a matter of seconds thanks to the honey in the marinade. I ended up dipping my pieces of pork in the sauce because I couldn't drizzle it. The flavor was intoxicating and SP deemed this his new favorite way to eat pork and one of the best meals I've made in a long time. Stay tuned for the recipe for the amazingly delicious corn and mushroom side dish I served with it.

Chipotle Honey Lime Pork Tenderloin
Alosha's Kitchen

1 pound pork tenderloin
1/2 cup lime juice
Zest from 1 lime
1/4 cup honey
1/2 tablespoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, chopped
1/2 tablespoon adobo sauce
Canola oil
Chopped cilantro

Place tenderloin in a large plastic food storage bag or other container to marinate. In a bowl, combine lime juice, zest, honey, salt, and garlic powder. Stir to combine, then pour half over tenderloin, reserving half for sauce. Add chipotle and adobo sauce to tenderloin. Seal and marinate in the refrigerator overnight.

About 30 minutes before you are ready to cook, remove pork from refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature. Preheat oven to 425°F. In a heavy, oven-proof skillet, heat enough oil to coat over medium high. Remove tenderloin from marinade and sear in hot skillet on all sides, 3 minutes per side. Place the skillet in the oven and roast tenderloin for 15 minutes, turning once halfway through the cooking time.

Check temperature with an instant read thermometer. Remove pork from the oven at approximately 140 to 145 degrees, then cover pork in skillet with foil. Let rest for 5 to 10 minutes or until temperature rises to 150 degrees. Remove pork to a cutting board and slice into 1-inch medallions.

Pour reserved lime juice mixture and leftover marinade into skillet with meat juices and heat on medium-high. Allow sauce to reduce and thicken slightly, then pour over sliced pork. Garnish with freshly chopped cilantro.

Corn Chowder with Cilantro, Avocado and Lime

I might have to stop saying I dislike soup.

After loving the Chicken Gnocchi (Pasta) Soup so much, as well as a few others since then, I don't shy away from soup recipes when I see them on my favorite blogs. This recipe for Corn Chowder with Avocado and Lime caught my eye when Katie posted it back in January, but once it showed up on one of her weekly menus recently I finally put it on my own menu. And am I glad I did!


SP was initially skeptical, particularly when he came home and found sliced avocado, minced cilantro and lime wedges on the cutting board. "I thought we were having corn and potato soup," he said. "We are," I replied, rummaging through the pantry for hot sauce. He swirled his soup around the bowl for awhile, waiting for me to photograph my bowl and get Baby Girl settled before he finally took a bite. "Hey, this is good," he said. I admit, I was skeptical as well. Lime with corn and potato soup? But it really, really works. The brightness of the cilantro is the perfect touch and you can never go wrong with buttery slices of avocado, at least not in my world.

I ended up going back to the original recipe for Corn Chowder with Cilantro, Lime and Avocado that Katie had modified to see what she had changed. We both love cilantro so I added it back in, thankful that I had some on hand for other recipes later in the week. I left out the masa because I didn't have any and wasn't going to buy it for a mere tablespoon. I also went back to the 6 cups of chicken broth because the soup was getting thick between the potatoes and the corn. And to save on calories I opted for half and half instead of heavy cream, but increased it back to 1 cup. Despite my spice aversion I did shake a few splashes of hot sauce into my bowl, mostly for color.


I served the soup with toasted ciabatta slathered with garlic and herb butter. It was perfect for dipping into the soup. Can't have soup with a dipper, right? Baby Girl had her own bowl of soup and loved it. She even managed to get most of it in her mouth instead of on the table and her shirt. I know the weather is getting warmer but this is too good to hold off making until fall. Treat yourself to a bowl of this soup using some fresh, sweet summer corn and you won't be sorry!

Corn Chowder with Cilantro, Avocado and Lime
Modified from both The Scattered Cook and So Tasty, So Yummy

1 tablespoon butter
1 onion, diced
1 tablespoon dry masa (optional)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons water
2 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into bite size chunks
6 cups chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 cup half and half
1 pound frozen corn or the kernels from 5 ears of fresh corn
Minced cilantro, lime wedges, avocado slices and hot sauce for garnish

In a Dutch oven, heat butter over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until tender, about 3 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine the masa (if using), flour and water. Add the flour mixture, potatoes, chicken broth, cumin, salt and pepper to the pot. Bring heat to medium high, bringing the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

Add the corn and bring back to the boil, then simmer for 10 minutes more. Stir in the half and half and simmer for 2 minutes more.

Serve topped with minced cilantro, avocado, hot sauce and a squeeze of lime.

Recipe Swap - Chicken in a Tomato-Basil Broth over Couscous

Want to see what other Blogger's Choice recipes were made during the swap? Here is the link to the Blogger's Choice Recipe Swap Roundup


It's recipe swap time again and this installment is one of everyone's favorites - Blogger's Choice (formerly known as SRC-style). This is where swappers are assigned an entire blog instead of a specific recipe and are tasked with picking any recipe from their assigned blog to make and write about.

My assignment turned out to be my good friend Mary Ellen's blog, Mary Ellen's Cooking Creations. As I've mentioned before, Mary Ellen and I met through our food blogs and found out that we lived about 20 minutes from each other. We've gotten together several times and our daughters are 9 months apart in age. As soon as I realized I'd be cooking from Mary Ellen's blog I knew which recipe I was going to make - Chicken in a Tomato-Basil Broth over Couscous. I'd had my eye on it ever since Mary Ellen posted it a few months ago for an earlier Blogger's Choice swap. The ingredients are reminiscent of caprese, one of my favorite flavor combinations, and the dish includes pearl couscous, my latest obsession.


I doubled the recipe so we would have leftovers and I had to use regular balsamic instead of white because the white balsamic in my pantry expired more than two years ago (!!), but otherwise I stayed true to the recipe. And was it fantastic. Holy yum! I knew it would be great because of the ingredients but the tangy kick from the balsamic was the perfect counterpoint to the creamy mozzarella and tomatoes.

This is a great summer meal I'll definitely be making again, if I can find pearl couscous. SP went to 4 stores before settling for boxes of flavored couscous (where the spice packet was separate, thankfully). I had purchased a huge container of couscous from our local wholesale club, but they didn't have it in stock. I went online to Rice Selects and even their online store is sold out at the moment. I wonder what's going on.

Chicken in a Tomato-Basil Broth over Couscous
Mary Ellen's Cooking Creations

1 box of pearled couscous
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts pounded to 1/2 inch thickness
Salt, pepper, dry Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 onion, chopped
4 tomatoes, chopped
2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar (regular would work fine)
1 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth
Handful of fresh basil, cut into a chiffonade
1/2 lb fresh mozzarella, diced

Cook cous cous according to package directions.

Season chicken with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Heat olive oil in a saute pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken; saute 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a dish and keep warm.

Add a touch of olive oil to your pan if it is dry. Add garlic and onions; saute 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, saute 2 minutes.
Add balsamic vinegar and stir into ingredients for about 30 seconds. Add chicken broth and half of your basil. Bring to a steady simmer. Return chicken to the pan and let simmer 5 minutes.

Serve over cous cous, top with the tomato broth, basil, and and the fresh mozzarella

FoodBuzz: Chocolate Chip Cookie Delight

You all know I'm not a baker, but sometimes I like to make something sweet, especially when it's our turn to bring food for fellowship at church. FoodBuzz was having a promotion sponsored by COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, so I signed up knowing the due date corresponded with our next turn for fellowship. I'd had my eye on this Chocolate Chip Cookie Delight for awhile now, so this was the perfect chance to make it.


I baked the cookie crust and assembled the rest of the dessert Saturday morning so it would be ready for Sunday morning. I did sneak a taste Saturday night so I could take photos and make sure it tasted OK before bringing it to church. It was delicious. The crunchy cookie on the bottom and the creamy pudding was a great texture contrast, but my favorite layer was the cream cheese, sugar and COOL WHIP. We didn't eat COOL WHIP growing up, so this was my first experience baking with it.

This was a big hit at church and the leftovers went with SP to work, where I hear it was devoured within minutes. This would be a great dessert for a potluck event. Thanks to FoodBuzz and KRAFT for this opportunity.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Delight
Taste of Home

1 tube (16-1/2 ounces) refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 carton (12 ounces) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed, divided
3 cups cold milk
1 package (3.9 ounces) instant chocolate pudding mix
1 package (3.4 ounces) instant vanilla pudding mix
Chopped nuts and chocolate curls, optional

Let cookie dough stand at room temperature for 10 minutes to soften. Press into an ungreased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan. You will need to press into a thin layer to make the dough stretch to all four corners. Bake at 350° for 14-16 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and confectioners' sugar until smooth. Fold in 1-3/4 cups COOL WHIP Whipped Topping. Spread over crust.

In a large bowl, whisk milk and pudding mixes for 2 minutes. Spread over cream cheese layer. Top with remaining whipped topping. Sprinkle with nuts and chocolate curls, if desired.

Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight until firm. Yield: 15 servings.


As part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker Program, I received coupons for free COOL WHIP Whipped Topping and a stipend. Sponsored posts are purely editorial content that we are pleased to have presented by a participating sponsor. Advertisers do not produce the content. What you add makes it. #coolwhipmoms

Greek Chicken Burgers with Tzatziki

A friend of mine recently recommended this Weight Watchers recipe for Greek Chicken Burgers with Tzatziki. I've renamed it because I left out the jalapeno (which makes it spicy) and used chicken instead of turkey.


I also subbed parsley for the cilantro because I've found that when I buy cilantro most of it goes to waste because I can't use it in other recipes the way I can with parsley. Use whichever herb you prefer. I ground my own chicken (directions below) since I usually have frozen chicken in the freezer and it takes almost no effort to make my own ground chicken at home. I also swapped the tzatziki recipe for the one I use for the Chicken Gyros.


Since the burgers are rather wet and sticky once they're formed, I wrapped each individually in wax paper and froze them for a few hours so they'd be easier to handle. You don't want them frozen solid, so make sure to only freeze them for 3 hours max and take them out at least an hour before you're going to cook them so they have a chance to thaw slightly.

I served the burgers in pocketless pita with sliced cucumber, tomato and red onion. Delicious!

Greek Chicken Burgers with Tzatziki
Modified from Weight Watchers

1 pound ground turkey breast or ground chicken*
1 zucchini, coarsely shredded on the large holes of a box grater
2 tablespoons onion, finely grated
2 tablespoons cilantro or parsley, finely chopped
1/2 tablespoon dried oregano
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 cucumber
12 ounces plain Greek yogurt
2 cloves garlic, grated
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
Splash of olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
Squirt of fresh lemon juice
Pita, for serving
Sliced tomato, for serving
Sliced cucumber, for serving
Sliced red onion, for serving

Combine the turkey, zucchini, onion, cilantro/parsley, oregano, salt and pepper in a bowl until well mixed. Shape into 4 patties. Wrap each patty individually in waxed paper and put in the freezer for up to 3 hours. Allow to thaw slightly before cooking.

Heat 1 teaspoon of the oil in a large nonstick skillet (or cast iron) over medium-high heat. Add the burgers and cook until golden and cooked through, about 12 minutes, turning the burgers halfway through and adding the remaining 1 teaspoon oil to the pan after turning them.

To make the tzatziki sauce, peel and seed the cucumber. Shred the cucumber and then squeeze in a towel to get rid of as much excess moisture as possible. Mix together the yogurt, shredded cucumber, garlic, vinegar and lemon juice. Salt to taste. Refrigerate overnight, if possible, or at least 30 minutes for the flavors to meld.

Serve the chicken burgers in pita with sliced tomato, cucumber and red onion, with a dollop of tzatziki.

* To make your own ground chicken, chop partially frozen chicken breasts into small pieces and put in a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Pulse until coarsely chopped.

Mediterranean Couscous

Have you ever decided you didn't like something and later realized it was because you had prepared it incorrectly?

Yup, that was me recently.

I've seen Israeli couscous prepared by TV chefs many times and I always think it looks great. What's not to like about little balls of pasta? But the one time I tried cooking it, it was a mess. I decided I just wasn't a fan and figured that was OK since there are plenty of other pasta shapes out there. Then I saw Melissa's Mediterranean Couscous and decided I had to try again. As luck would have it, we had exactly 1 1/3 cups of the little balls left in the big container in the pantry. The fates were aligning.


As I was getting ready to cook the couscous I read the directions on the back of the container. And that's when I realized my earlier mistake. Unlike rice and regular couscous, Israeli couscous should be stirred every so often as it cooks. Duh. The last time I made it I just left it alone for the full 8 minutes it took to cook and when I went back to the pot it was a gloopy, sticky mess. No wonder I didn't like it. This time I ended up with individual pearls of pasta, just the way it was meant to be.

::smacks forehead::


While I'm thankful I realized my mistake, I'm also annoyed at myself for figuring it out after we exhausted the entire container of couscous. Now I need to go out and get more so I can make this recipe again. Because I will be making it again, and soon. I'm pretty sure I could eat a bowl of this every. single. day for the next month and not grow tired of it. I love, love, love anything Greek-inspired so this was automatically right up my alley. SP, on the other hand, isn't a big fan yet he still proclaimed this couscous good, which for him is a big deal.

I cut up and mixed together everything but the couscous in the morning and let it hang out in the fridge all day so the flavors could marry, and so I didn't have to get everything chopped in the evening when I had Baby Girl underfoot. That way I was able to cook the couscous while the pork was cooking and serve it warm. Delicious. Just so, so good. I think I had about 5 servings last night. Baby Girl tried the couscous the next night and cleaned her plate. A winner all around.

I don't have enough words to say how good this was so just make it and find out for yourself. A big thank you to Melissa for this wonderful recipe!

Mediterranean Couscous
I Was Born to Cook

1 box Israeli couscous (1 1/3 cup), cooked according to package instructions
Feta cheese (plain or Mediterranean flavored), crumbled
1/2 cucumber, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
1 large tomato, chopped
12 kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Splash extra virgin olive oil
Freshly squeezed lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon dried oregano

Combine everything but the couscous in a bowl and mix. Taste and adjust the seasonings to taste. Refrigerate until ready to cook couscous.

Cook couscous and toss with the other ingredients in the bowl. Serve immediately warm.

Weekly Menu - Week of April 29, 2012

Sunday - My recipe swap meal (shhh...it's a secret but it's something I've had my eye on for awhile now and can't wait to make). I'm also going to make this Chocolate Chip Cookie Delight as part of a Foodbuzz promotion. I'll bring it to church for fellowship time.

Monday - Corn Chowder with Lime and Avocado, ciabatta for dipping: This is a carryover from last week. Katie posted this soup on her weekly menu recently and then I saw it when I was looking through my recipes trying to make a meal plan. Seeing it twice just made me want it even more, plus I've got an avocado in the fridge that need to be eaten.

Tuesday - Hoagies

Wednesday - Chipotle Honey Lime Pork Tenderloin with White Corn and Mushrooms with Cilantro: When I posted the Greek Pork Tenderloin last week my friend Melissa recommended I make these two dishes. I trust her completely so onto the menu they went.

Thursday - Ravioli with Cheese and Garlic Biscuits: I'm keeping it simple and making frozen ravioli with homemade sauce and these knock-off Red Lobster biscuits.

Friday - Out!

Greek Pork Tenderloin

I've recently discovered the beauty of pork tenderloins. While my favorite recipe is, hands down, Orange and Rosemary Pork Tenderloin , I'm always on the lookout for new ways to prepare it. My supermarket sells pork tenderloin in a club pack with four tenderloins, which is a great deal and means I've always got a few tenderloins in the freezer.


Melissa posted this Greek Pork Tenderloin awhile back and I knew I had to make it ASAP. I was especially intrigued by the Mediterranean Couscous she served with it. Look for that post on Monday. One word - delicious. Check out this sneak peak in the photo below:


I marinated the pork all day and I think it would be even better overnight. The flavors really got into the meat and made it juicy and flavorful. I slightly overcooked the pork so definitely keep to the 3 minutes per side for the searing and 15 minutes in the oven.

This recipe has a permanent spot in my pork tenderloin rotation. Thanks for a fantastic meal, Melissa!

Greek Pork Tenderloin
I Was Born to Cook

1 (approximately 1 pound) pork tenderloin
1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tablespoons dried oregano
Salt and pepper

Combine all ingredients with pork in a large ziploc bag. Move around gently, then marinate at least 8 hours or as long as overnight, turning a few times.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Heat a skillet over medium high heat. Add a little oil, then place pork inside and pan sear for 3 minutes on each side. Put skillet in the oven and cook for about 15 minutes.

Remove from the pan to a cutting board, tent with foil and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing.

Recipe Swap Roundup - Celebrity Swap

One of the things I love about food blogging is the community of fellow bloggers I've had the chance to meet. I love getting a glimpse into their daily lives through the food they make and blog about. People have such different tastes and I think it's fascinating to see what everyone chooses to eat.

I know I tend to gravitate towards certain kinds of recipes, which is where the recipe swaps come into play. More often than not they take me out of my comfort zone and force me to try something new. While most of the swaps have a theme, that theme is generally broad enough that you never know what you're going to be assigned. This theme for favorite celebrity recipe, with celebrity being defined as someone who has published a cookbook, been on TV, or is basically a known name, was broader than most because there was no specified ingredient or cuisine to choose from. The recipes below are an eclectic mix and I think they all sound utterly delicious.

Katie made Anthony Bourdain's Roti de Porc au Lait for her parents, who just moved to Texas:



Jey isn't normally a fan of rosemary but in Giada De Laurentiis' Chicken Burgers with Garlic Rosemary Mayo, the flavor was mellow enough for her to love:



Nichole and her husband really enjoyed Tyler Florence's Shrimp Scampi:



Kim, a newcomer to the swap, is more of a baker, but she really enjoyed Rachael Ray's Garlic, Ginger, and Scallion Shrimp, one of my absolute favorite Rachael recipes:



I love a good salad and I've seen this Bobby Flay recipe for Chopped Apple Salad with Toasted Walnuts, Blue Cheese and Pomegranate Vinaigrette on a few blogs so I was happy to finally give it a try:



Melissa had some leftover fried onions from a previous dinner so she modified Alton Brown's mac and cheese to make Fried Onion Mac & Cheese:



Kate's healthier version of Guy Fieri's Baked Chicken Cheesesteak Spring Rolls were a big hit:



Nicole has a food crush on Bobby Flay, the creator of the Breaded Chicken Cutlet with Prosciutto, Brie & Arugula that she absolutely loved:



Dawn enjoyed Giada De Laurentiis'Tuna and Artichoke Panini both hot and cold:



Jenna was a little disappointed with Jamie Oliver's Farfalle with Carbonara and Spring Peas, saying the mint was overpowering:



Christina loved Ina Garten's Roasted Asparagus with Parmesan, even though her husband and kids aren't fans of the "Truffala Trees":



Coleen initially thought Ina Garten's Croque Monsieur was a Monte Cristo, her favorite sandwich, but after realizing they were different she loved the results:



Kristina knew she'd love Ree Drummond, aka The Pioneer Woman's Peach Whiskey Barbeque Chicken because she's a huge whiskey fan:



Melissa's Chicken Marengo from Melissa d'Arabian made enough to feed an army:



Chrystal and her son really enjoyed Rachael Ray's Cumin and Lime Roasted Pork Tenderloin:



Nicole had another Rachael Ray recipe, this one for a delicious and flavorful Chipotle Chicken Chili with Flaming Tequila-Pepper Salsa and Avocado Ranch Dressing:



Leanne has already thought of a few variations to Giada De Laurentiis' Roasted Stuffed Tomatoes:



Cathy has had Martha Stewart's Grammy's Chocolate Cookies bookmarked to make for awhile now and they were worth the wait:



Mary Ellen loves arugula so this Giada De Laurentiis recipe for Arugula Pesto was right up her alley:



The Paula Deen Corn Casserole recipe Ashley received was a bit outside her usual side dish rotation, but it ended up being a welcome addition:



Jaida received a recipe from Chef Larry, as seen on Guy Fieri's Diners, Drive-ins and Dives. His Chicken Croquettes were a bit time-consuming to make but very delicious:

Restaurant Review: Bhan Thai, Mt. Laurel, NJ

I've mentioned before that I'm taking a weekly circuit training class on Tuesday nights. The instructor runs the session on a 6-week cycle with a week off between sessions. This past Tuesday was our off week, which was perfect because we'd just gotten back from a long weekend in Chicago to celebrate my grandpa's 90th birthday and hadn't been to the grocery store. SP and I decided to meet up near his office for a quick dinner before heading to the store. There are hundreds of restaurants near his office, but it's been awhile since we had Thai food, so we decided to check out Bhan Thai, located in the Cambridge Crossing Plaza in Mt. Laurel, NJ. The Yelp reviews were very positive, so I was excited to try it out.

Since it was a Tuesday the place wasn't crowded, although we weren't alone either. We were seated immediately and given menus. Being me, I'd already looked at the menu online as soon as SP suggested it for dinner and knew what I wanted. We both started with the Tom Kha Soup, mine with chicken ($4.95) and SP's with shrimp ($5.95). As you can see, the portion was huge:


Tom Kha Soup - chicken or shrimps and mushrooms in light coconut broth with a hint of fresh kaffir lime leaf and galangal

The chicken was a little tough, but the broth was incredibly flavorful and chock full of two different kinds of mushrooms in addition to the chicken. We always order Tom Kha Soup when we try a new Thai restaurant (or even when it's an old favorite) and this was, hands down, the best version either of us has ever had. Delicious.

For our entrees, SP decided to get one of the specials, Chu Chee Duck ($18.95), which was in a coconut curry sauce over baby bok choy. He loves duck and usually asks them to make him a masaman curry with duck, but he thought he'd try the special instead:


Chu Chee Duck with curry paste and coconut milk over baby bok choy

It was a gorgeous platter of food and he liked it but wasn't overly excited. I didn't try any of the duck but it looked moist and flavorful. I think he was just jealous of my curry. I got the Chicken Masaman ($12.95) and was thrilled. It was also chock full of chicken and veggies:


Masaman Curry with coconut milk, potatoes, butternut squash, tomatoes, onions, peanuts and avocado

The portions were huge, although for the amount of curry I wished for more rice. We had to ask for another portion of rice with our leftovers and were charged $1 for each. We both enjoyed our meals. Everything was flavorful, cooked well and beautifully presented. And having enough for lunch the next day was a bonus. That never seems to happen when we get Thai food. Other restaurants we visit have much smaller portions, which means no leftovers. Being able to enjoy the curry again the next day was a big plus in my book.

Service was also good. Even though we stuck with ice water our glasses were refilled frequently. Many times I feel like restaurants don't like when customers drink tap water and "forget" to refill glasses unless asked. I had one small complaint and that was with the timing of the food delivery. I try to eat slowly, both so I don't overeat and so I can enjoy the food. As I was slurping up the last of the soup the waitress was putting my entree down on the table. The soup had taken a little longer than expected to arrive and I wished there had been some lag time between the soup and entree.

I have to admit, I'm jealous that SP can visit Bhan Thai for lunch during the week. He works about an hour away from where we live so it's not convenient for us to eat there together often. Maybe someday he'll bring home takeout. If you're local or find yourself in the area I highly recommend this gem.

Bhan Thai
4330 Dearborn Circle
Cambridge Crossing
Mt. Laurel, NJ 08054
Phone 856-234-4202
Fax 856-234-4203
info@bhanthaicuisine.com

Hours:
Monday-Thursday: 11:00AM – 9:30PM
Friday and Saturday: 11:30AM – 10:30PM
Sunday: 12:00PM – 9:00PM
Closed everyday from 3:00PM - 5:00PM

Weekly Menu - Week of April 22, 2012

The weather has been crazy lately. We started this past week in the high 80s, with Monday topping out close to 90 degrees. Then the temp dropped drastically and by Wednesday we were freezing. I considered turning the heat on but held out and now we're back in the mid-70s. But Sunday is going to be in the high 50s. Sheesh!

This weather makes meal planning difficult. My stomach is squarely in spring/summer food mode, but the weather is telling me to make some cold weather comfort foods while I still have the chance. This week's menu is a smattering of different seasons.

Sunday - Corn Chowder with Lime and Avocado, potstickers: Katie posted this soup on her weekly menu last week and then I saw it when I was looking through my recipes trying to make a meal plan. Seeing it twice just made me want it even more, plus I've got two avocados in the fridge that need to be eaten. I'm keeping it simple with store-bought potstickers.

Monday - Greek Pork Loin with Mediterranean Couscous: Melissa posted this meal awhile ago and I've been lusting after it ever since. I'm trying to clean out the freezer and I've got a bunch of pork loin that needs to be cooked. I've also got Israeli couscous in the pantry, exactly enough to make this recipe. Score!

Tuesday - Hoagies

Wednesday - Greek Chicken Burgers with Tzatziki, frozen fries: A friend posted this Weight Watchers recipe recently and it sounds delicious. I'm going to make some modifications but try to keep it healthy.

Thursday - Pizza Paninis, sautéed zucchini: I have a work meeting in the afternoon so I need something simple that will be easy to get on the table when I get home. I also bought some pepperoni at the store this week that needs to be eaten.

Friday - OUT!

Recipe Swap - Chopped Apple Salad with Toasted Walnuts, Blue Cheese and Pomegranate Vinaigrette

Want to see what other Celebrity recipes were made during the swap? Here is the link to the Celebrity Recipe Swap Roundup


Awhile ago I asked the ladies who participate in the recipe swaps for help coming up with themes. One of the suggestions was your favorite celebrity recipe, with celebrity being defined as someone who has published a cookbook, been on TV, or is basically a known name. I was lucky enough to receive Nicole's submission, Chopped Apple Salad with Toasted Walnuts, Blue Cheese and Pomegranate Vinaigrette, which is a Bobby Flay recipe.


I rarely have trouble finding things in my supermarket, but I asked one of the produce managers if they had pomegranates and she said they aren't in season right now. Boo! She said they sometimes carry packages of the arils, but not at the moment. I've never bought a pomegranate before so I was disappointed that I wasn't able to try it for this recipe. When I Googled I discovered that pomegranates are in season from September - February in the Northern hemisphere. This fact, along with the growing season for apples, makes this a perfect fall salad.


I really enjoyed the flavors in this salad, especially the sweetness of the vinaigrette against the salty stinkiness of the blue cheese. The walnuts added crunch, as did the apple chunks. Even though I've never eaten the arils from a pomegranate, I missed them as I imagine they're like dried cranberries in a way. That just means I need to make this salad again in the fall.

Thanks for a great recipe, Nicole!

Chopped Apple Salad with Toasted Walnuts, Blue Cheese and Pomegranate Vinaigrette
Bobby Flay, via Prevention RD

Pomegranate Vinaigrette:
1/2 cup POM Wonderful
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon honey
Salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/4 - 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Salad:
3 apples (Gala, Fuji, or Honeycrisp), cored and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 cups spinach, arugula or mixed greens
1 large head Romaine lettuce, torn into pieces
1/2 cup toasted walnuts, coarsely chopped
6 oz blue cheese, crumbled
1/2 pomegranate, arils removed (in season September-February)
Salt and pepper to taste

To make the vinaigrette, simmer the POM Wonderful over medium heat until it simmers, thickening to about 1/4 cup (about 10-12 minutes). Whisk together the pomegranate juice, vinegar, mustard, honey, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Slowly whisk in the olive oil until emulsified. Set aside.

For the salad, combine the apples, spinach/arugula/mixed greens, Romaine, walnuts, blue cheese and arils in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper, then add the vinaigrette and toss to coat.