COCONUT MANGO PUDDING

I picked up a rotisserie chicken from the supermarket for dinner, and the kids from school, after their activities and clubs were finished.
I planned to meet friends at a local yoga studio, Urban Asana, to try an aerial yoga class for the first time, but before I gamely threw my yoga mat over my shoulder and walked to the studio, I made this Coconut Mango Pudding. My husband and I chatted and caught up on the events of the day, as I chopped and cooked and poured and cooled.
Although I had difficulty trusting I wasn't going to crash to the ground, and as uncoordinated and ungraceful as I was, it was a really great experience, and one I would definitely repeat for the novelty, but probably not how I would regularly choose to practice.

Amber at Urban Asana Yoga

COCONUT MANGO PUDDING

1 cup ripe mango, cut into small cubes
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon of cornstarch
pinch of salt
3 eggs
1 (13 ounce) can of coconut milk

Combine sugar, cornstarch and salt in a medium saucepan. Add eggs and coconut milk, and beat until well mixed. Cook over a medium heat, whisking constantly until pudding thickens, about 3 to 4 minutes.
Remove from heat. Gently mix mango into pudding. Pour into small custard cups or decorative bowl. Cover, and refrigerate until cool.
Decorate with toasted coconut and/or extra mango before serving, if desired.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from The Morning News
April 2004

BLACK BEAN AND MANGO SALSA and ROASTED SALSA

Happy Cinco de Mayo!!
Once the chopping is done, these two Salsa recipes are quick to mix up, and bring a burst of delicious freshness to the table.

BLACK BEAN AND MANGO SALSA

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup diced ripe mango
1 tomato, rinsed, cored and coarsely chopped
1 cup diced green bell pepper
1/4 cup finely diced red onion
1 tablespoon minced fresh jalapeno
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients and mix well.
Serve with tortilla chips.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from The Arkansas Democrat Gazette, May 2009
www.arkansasonline.com/news/features/food/‎

ROASTED SALSA

4 tomatoes, halved and seeded
1 poblano pepper, cut in half, stem and seeds removed
1 onion, peeled and cut into quarters
4 tomatillos, husks removed, halved
5 cloves of garlic
vegetable oil
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chipotle chile powder
juice of 1 lime
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Heat oven to 500F.
Line a baking sheet with foil.
In a large bowl, combine tomatoes, peppers, onion, tomatillos and garlic. Add a drizzle of oil and the cumin and chile powder and toss to coat. Transfer to prepared baking sheet. Roast 20 minutes, or until vegetables are slightly charred.
Let cool 5 minutes. Remove skins from tomatoes and peppers.
Process vegetables in food processor to desired consistency. Add fresh lime juice and salt to taste.
Refrigerate at least an hour, or until well chilled.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from the Arkansas Democrat Gazette, May 2012
www.arkansasonline.com/news/features/food/

ASIAN CHICKEN DUMPLINGS and PORK DUMPLINGS and CHINESE NOODLES WITH BARBECUE PORK and MANGO PUDDING

Happy Chinese and Vietnamese New Year!!! Wishing you luck and prosperity in the Year of the Horse!!

ASIAN CHICKEN DUMPLINGS

1/4 cup soy sauce
2 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1/2 pound ground chicken
1/2 cup finely chopped cabbage
2 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
wonton wrappers (I used round)

In a bowl, mix the soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of ginger and the rice vinegar.
In a large bowl, mix the chicken, cabbage, remaining ginger and oils and season with salt and pepper.
Put about 1 tablespoon of mixture into a wonton wrapper, brush the edges with water, fold and pinch to seal. Repeat until all mixture is used.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Rachael Ray Magazine
www.rachaelray.com/‎

PORK DUMPLINGS





1 egg white, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons oyster sauce
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped green onions
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 pound ground pork
wonton wrappers (I used square)

Whisk together the egg white, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, cornstarch, sugar, salt and pepper in a medium sized bowl. Stir in the green onions, ginger and garlic, add the pork and stir until the filling is thoroughly combined.
Put about a tablespoon of filling into the middle of each wonton wrapper, moisten the edges with water and bring the corners of the wrapper together at the top, pinching to seal.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Family Fun Magazine, February 2010
family.go.com/recipes/‎

CHINESE NOODLES WITH BARBECUE PORK

PORK
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon sherry
1/2 teaspoon five-spice powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1 (1-pound) pork tenderloin, trimmed and diced
NOODLES
12 ounces chinese noodles
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 1/2 tablespoons minced peeled ginger
1 garlic clove, minced
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
1/2 onion, sliced
2 cups fresh bean sprouts
3 green onions, sliced

To prepare pork, combine honey, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, sherry, five-spice powder, salt and pepper, in a zip-lock bag. Add pork. Seal and marinate in refrigerator 8 hours or overnight, turning occasionally.
Heat broiler to high. Remove pork from bag, and discard marinade. Place pork on a foil lined baking sheet, broil for 4 minutes on each side or until it is cooked through. Let stand 10 minutes.
To prepare noodles, cook according to package directions. Combine 2 tablespoons soy sauce, oyster sauce, and 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce, set aside.
Heat a large pan over high heat, add oil to pan, swirl. Add ginger, garlic and jalapeño, stir fry 30 seconds. Add sliced onion, bean sprouts, and green onions, stir fry one minute. Add pork and soy sauce mixture. Serve over noodles.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Cooking Light, March 2013
www.cookinglight.com/‎

MANGO PUDDING

2 envelopes of unflavored gelatin
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup hot water
3 cups pureed frozen mango
1 cup evaporated milk

Add gelatin and sugar to hot water and mix until dissolved and smooth. Mix in mango puree and evaporated milk, stir until smooth.
Pour mixture into bowl and chill until set (I poured mine through a sieve because the gelatin formed lumps).
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from About.Com
http://chinesefood.about.com/od/dessertsfruit/r/mangopudding.htm

TRAVEL TUESDAY - PORTUGAL - GRILLED PORTUGUESE STYLE CHICKEN WITH MANGO SALSA

Mum had always wanted to drink Port in Portugal.

The opportunity presented itself this past summer, due to the Rotary International Convention being held in Lisbon, although we didn't plan to attend any of the scheduled events, we did plan to sample local beverages.

We flew into the capital city, and met my Uncle, who happened to be backpacking around England (at age 67 no less), and had popped across to meet us before continuing on his journey through Asia, on his way back to New Zealand.
We rented a van, requiring a large vehicle to accommodate 3 kids and 4 adults, and headed North out of Lisbon. My husband maneuvered it expertly through the ancient narrow streets we often encountered during our journey.

Sardine lunch beside the ocean

We relished the rich, wonderful and delicious history. Usually eating in restaurants for lunch, sampling as many traditional dishes as we were able, octopus, sardines, salt cod and the local vinho verde or green wine. While dinner was often enjoyed wherever our home was for the evening, where we savored produce, cheeses and other fare from the markets we visited during the day.

Salt Cod dish we enjoyed at a restaurant on the banks of the Rio Douro

A view of Porto across the Rio Douro

Traveling North, we spent the night in a pretty Bed and Breakfast in the Nazare region, and then on to Porto, stopping to tour a retired battleship, and enjoy as much time on the beaches as we were able.
Our adventures included a bus tour around Porto, a boat ride along the Rio Douro and a tour of the port houses.
My husband and I were able to take a long walk most mornings, which is my favorite way to see a new place. Although English wasn't as widely spoken as I had expected, it definitely added to the charm and adventure of our vacation.

Another view of Porto

My husband booked all of our accommodations through Airbnb https://www.airbnb.com/‎ and we had wonderful experiences, but I think my absolute favorite was the "marmalade farm", a historic homestead with a pool, and orange and grapefruit trees, surrounded by vineyards in the town of Sa. We spent several nights there, taking a brief trip across the border into Spain, and touring forests and Historical Roman sites.

The "marmalade farm"

Then we headed down to Lisbon, where we took excursions to Sintra to see castles and Cascais for the beach.

Cascais, a ferry and bus ride from Lisbon

While in Portugal, I had the idea to collect a plate from every country I visit. I imagine it will be fun and nostalgic, to one day, use the mismatched pottery at a gathering.

Portuguese plate

The Grilled Portuguese Style Chicken was a recipe that originated in Portugal, was found in a magazine published in New Zealand and cooked and consumed in America.

GRILLED PORTUGUESE STYLE CHICKEN WITH MANGO SALSA

6 to 8 chicken thighs or breasts, boneless and skinless
1 tablespoon olive oil
5 cloves of garlic
3/4 cup roasted red pepper
1/2 onion, chopped
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 mango, peeled and diced
1/2 red onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup cucumber, diced
1/2 red capsicum, diced
1 tablespoon fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
2 teaspoons of lime juice
1/2 cup chopped fresh mint

Use a small sharp knife to make several deep cuts in the chicken.
To make the marinade, puree the garlic, olive oil, roasted red pepper, onion, brown sugar, paprika, cayenne pepper, oregano and lemon juice in a food processor until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
Coat the chicken pieces in the marinade, cover and leave to marinate for at least an hour or overnight.
Gently mix mango, red onion, cucumber, mint, capsicum and lime juice in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper and refrigerate.
Grill on high for 20 minutes, turning once until golden.
Serve the chicken with fresh mint and a squeeze of lime, with the salsa on the side.
Enjoy!

ROSEWATER CUPID and CHUTNEY CHICKEN SALAD and CURRIED CRAB DIP and MANGO SHRIMP WITH CILANTRO YOGURT SAUCE and CAULIFLOWER AND POTATOES and CHICKEN CURRY

On a recent evening when friends came for dinner, we settled on an Indian theme.
We served the appetizers outside, then moved in to the dining room for a chicken curry and a goat curry, accompanied by naan bread, poppadoms and chutney.

ROSEWATER CUPID

1/4 ounce elderflower liqueur
3 drops rose water
bitters
1 ounce gin
rose champagne

In a champagne glass, add 1/4 ounce elderflower liqueur, 3 drops rose water, and a dash of bitters. Add 1 ounce chilled gin and top off with chilled rose champagne.
Enjoy!

CHUTNEY CHICKEN SALAD

1/3 cup slivered almonds
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup greek yogurt
1/3 cup mango chutney
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
5 cups diced cooked chicken
4 green onions, finely chopped
mini fillo tart shells

Heat oven to 350F. Bake almonds in a single layer in a shallow pan 5 to 7 minutes or until toasted and fragrant, stirring halfway through. Cool 20 minutes.
Whisk together mayonnaise, greek yogurt, mango chutney, curry powder, salt and pepper. Add chicken, green onions and toasted almonds, and toss until well blended. Cover and chill 2 to 24 hours.
Fill tart shells with chicken salad just before serving.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Southern Living, February 2012
www.southernliving.com › Food › Recipes

CURRIED CRAB DIP

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
2 teaspoons curry powder
3 tablespoons mango chutney, chopped
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
1 pound lump crabmeat
salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a skillet, melt the butter. Add the onion and ginger and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 7 minutes. Add the curry powder and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the chutney, cream cheese, mayonnaise and lime juice and cook, stirring, until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Stir in the green onions, cilantro and crab. Season with salt and pepper and cook until the dip is heated through, about 1 minute. Transfer to a shallow bowl, serve with bread and chips if desired.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Food and Wine, December 2009
www.foodandwine.com/recipes‎

MANGO SHRIMP WITH CILANTRO YOGURT SAUCE

1/4 cup cashews
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
4 garlic cloves
1 jalapeño, halved and seeded
1 tablespoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 cup mango nectar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 cup plain yogurt
salt
1 1/2 pounds large shrimp
2 tablespoons butter, melted
CILANTRO AND YOGURT SAUCE
2 cups cilantro leaves
1 cup mint leaves
1 jalapeño, seeded and coarsely chopped
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 cup plain yogurt
salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a blender, combine the cashews, ginger, garlic, jalapeño, mustard seeds, garam masala, and turmeric and pulse until the ginger and garlic are finely chopped. Add the mango nectar and lemon juice and puree until smooth. Add the yogurt and 1 tablespoon of salt and pulse to blend. Pour the mixture into a large bowl. Add the shrimp and toss to coat. Refrigerate for 2 hours.
Light a grill. Thread the shrimp on skewers. Drizzle with melted butter and sprinkle with salt. Oil the grate and grill the shrimp over high heat, turning occasionally, until lightly charred and cooked through, about 8 minutes. Serve the shrimp with the Cilantro and Yogurt Sauce.
CILANTRO AND YOGURT SAUCE
In a blended, combine the cilantro, mint, jalapeño, garlic, cumin and lemon juice and puree to a paste. Add the yogurt and puree until smooth. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Recipe.com
http://www.recipe.com/mango-shrimp/

CAULIFLOWER AND POTATOES

4 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large head of cauliflower cut ito 1 1/4 inch florets
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
3/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
2 hot serrano peppers, finely chopped
4 potatoes, boiled, peeled, and diced
salt to taste

Heat oil in a tall sided saucepan, and stir fry cauliflower. Make sure it remains slightly crisp, but also browns in places. Remove cauliflower, add more oil to the saucepan, if necessary, and add cumin seeds, ground cumin, coriander and turmeric. Stir fry mix about 30 seconds. Return cauliflower to saucepan, add serrano pepper and potatoes and stir until cauliflower and potatoes are evenly coated. Season to taste with salt.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from The Arkansas Democrat Gazette, April 2008
www.arkansasonline.com/news/features/food/‎

CHICKEN CURRY

4 chicken breasts
2 carrots, coarsely chopped
2 celery ribs, coarsely chopped
2 onions, chopped
4 cloves of garlic (all peeled, 2 minced)
2 tablespoons grated ginger
1 bay leaf
1 lime, sliced
3 cardamom pods
salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 apple, peeled and chopped
2 tablespoons curry powder
3 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup mango chutney

Place the chicken in a medium pot. Add the carrots, celery, 1 onion, whole peeled garlic, 1 tablespoon ginger, bay leaf, lime and cardamom pods, then cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, add a couple of pinches of salt and reduce the heat to a low simmer. Gently poach the chicken for about 35 to 40 minutes or until it is cooked through.
Strain the chicken, reserving the stock. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, chop into bite sized pieces.
Wipe out the stock pot and place back on heat. Add the olive oil and the butter. Add the chopped onion, remaining ginger, apple and curry powder. Once the onion and apple are just tender, sprinkle in the flour, stir then whisk in reserved stock until desired consistency is reached. Bring the mixture to a light simmer to thicken. Add in the chicken and the mango chutney.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Rachael Ray Magazine, December 2012
www.rachaelray.com/recipe.php?recipe_id=5125

PRICKLY PEAR MARGARITA and SIESTA MARGARITA and GRAPEFRUIT MARGARITA and MANGO MARGARITA

I recently read a wonderful, well written book called "Are You Really Going To Eat That?"
I loved the food based stories inside, and the Authors adventures and perspectives.
One story was about Prickly Pears, followed by a recipe for a Prickly Pear Margarita, which sounded so good, I absolutely had to make it.
I learned that Cactus Pears are called Indian Figs in Italy and Tunas in Mexico, which came in very useful when I ventured to our local Mexican market in search of the fruit. I asked for Prickly Pears, but was met with confusion until I pulled up a picture on my phone, and the lovely man helping me said "aahhhh, Tunas!", and walked me to the produce section to point them out, but if I didn't know better I would have argued I was looking for a fruit not a fish.
After infusing the Prickly Pears/Tunas in tequila, I invited a couple of friends over to share the bounty. I have also included a few other Margarita recipes I have made for friends over the summer.

PRICKLY PEAR MARGARITA



10 purple prickly pear fruits
1 bottle (750 ml) white tequila
crushed ice
Limes
Triple Sec

Peel each prickly pear fruit and discard the skin. Put the peeled fruit in a large glass jar and then pour in the tequila so that the fruits are completely submerged. Seal tightly and allow to sit for 3 to 4 days. For each margarita, remove one tuna. Cut in half and remove the seeds. Put the fruit in a blender.
For each drink, add 1/2 cup crushed ice, 2 jiggers (3 ounces) of the cactus flavored tequila, 1 jigger (1 1/2 ounces) of triple sec and the juice of 1 lime.
Blend and serve.
Enjoy! please share recipe doodle with your friends and family!

Recipe adapted from Are You Really Going to Eat That?, Robb Walsh, 2003
robbwalsh.com/books/book4/‎

SIESTA MARGARITA

1 1/2 ounces of tequila
3/4 ounce fresh lime juice
3/4 ounce simple syrup
1/2 ounce fresh grapefruit juice
1/4 ounce campari

Shake liquid ingredients with ice and strain into a glass.
Enjoy! Please share recipedoodle with your friends and family!

Recipe adapted from The Wall Street Journal, April 2012
online.wsj.com/public/page/magazine-food.html‎

GRAPEFRUIT MARGARITA

2 cups ruby red grapefruit juice
2/3 cup Blanco tequila
1/4 cup lime juice
1 to 1 1/2 cups of ginger ale
2 cups ice

Stir together grapefruit juice, tequila and lime juice in a large pitcher. Stir in ginger ale and ice.
Serve immediately.
Enjoy! Please share recipedoodle with your friends and family!

Recipe adapted from Southern Living
www.southernliving.com/food/kitchen-assistant/‎

MANGO MARGARITA

1 small mango, peeled, pitted and coarsely chopped
3 ounces of grapefruit soda
1 1/2 ounces of fresh lime juice
2 ounces orange liqueur
1 1/2 ounces agave nectar
3 ounces silver tequila
1 cup ice

In a blender, puree the mango. Add the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth. Pour into a glass and serve.
Enjoy! Please share recipedoodle with your friends and family!

Recipe adapted from Food and Wine, August 2010
www.foodandwine.com/‎

MANGO LASSI

When we are out enjoying the Fayetteville Trail System, we pass by a gift shop that used to be my daughters favorite tea room and lunch spot, the chosen place for every special occasion.
After months of her asking to see inside, we finally had a free Saturday, and a mother-daughter date was set. The store was delightful, filled with gorgeous things and the owner every bit as lovely as her store. After loading the car with our purchases, and since we were already out and about, we called into a flea market I had driven past many times, and although curious, hadn't yet found the time to stop into and shop.
While my daughter selected a Cookbook, I found a funky purse I couldn't live without.
Once home, she searched the pages and chose an Indian inspired yogurt based drink, as the first recipe she wanted to make from this book. We had all the ingredients ready, so when she came out to the kitchen bright and early, seeking breakfast, we started measuring, pouring and mixing.

MANGO LASSI

2 mangoes, peeled and cut into chunks
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1/2 cup ice cubes
2 tablespoons honey
1 1/4 teaspoons rose water
1 1/2 cups plain yogurt

In a blender, combine all of the ingredients and process on high speed until very smooth and frothy, about 2 minutes. Serve immediately.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Emerils, There's a Chef In My World, 2006
www.goodreads.com › Food And Drink › Cookbooks‎

LIGHT AND ELEGANT SALMON SALAD

Summer vacation is starting to wind down, and I'm left wondering where all the long, lazy days have disappeared to. I seem to have been rushing around just as much as ever.
However, when I have had the opportunity to slow down enough to relax and recharge it has been wonderful, and very much appreciated.
I had a group of girlfriends over for a light lunch, and it was glorious to sit out on the deck, sipping a cool beverage, dining on our elegant salad and just loving the company and the day.

LIGHT AND ELEGANT SALMON SALAD

DRESSING
3/4 cup cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped
3 tablespoons plain yogurt
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 1/2 tablespoons of fresh parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon fresh chives, chopped
1 1/4 teaspoon of lemon zest, grated
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 clove of garlic, minced
SALMON
1 salmon fillet per person
olive oil or cooking spray
salt and pepper to taste
SALAD
4 cups salad greens
3/4 cup basil leaves
1 ripe mango, cubed and peeled

Place dressing ingredients in a blender and process until almost smooth. Set aside.
Drizzle olive oil into a large pan, set over medium heat. Sprinkle the salmon with salt and pepper, and pan fry, 5 minutes on each side or until salmon flakes easily when tested with a fork.
Place the greens and basil on individual plates. Drizzle with the dressing to taste, and divide salmon among the plates. Top with extra dressing if desired and the cubed mango.
Enjoy!

MANGO CHICKEN CURRY and CHICKEN PAPRIKASH

These are two wonderful weeknight dishes - minimal preparation, cooking time and clean up required!

The colors, flavors and aromas in both of these recipes evoke the cooler weather of fall, and the warmth of sitting around the dinner table with family.

MANGO CHICKEN CURRY

1/2 cup chopped onion
1 red pepper, julienned
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
1 tablespoon curry powder
2 teaspoons fresh ginger, minced
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup chopped peeled mango
3/4 cup coconut milk
2 tablespoons tomato paste

In a large skillet, saute onion and red pepper in oil, 2 to 4 minutes, or until tender. Add chicken, curry, ginger, garlic, salt and cayenne. Cook and stir 5 minutes.
Stir in mango, coconut milk, and tomato paste, bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 10 minutes or until chicken juices run clear.
Serve with hot cooked rice if desired.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Readers Digest, May 2009
www.rd.com/food/

CHICKEN PAPRIKASH

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, sliced across the grain 1/4 inch thick

2 tablespoons dry sherry

1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic

2 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch

salt and pepper

2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons vegetable oil

3/4 cup chicken broth

1 onion, sliced 1/4 inch thick

1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/4 inch wide strips

1 tablespoon paprika

1/3 cup sour cream

3 tablespoons chopped parsley

In a medium bowl, combine the chicken, 1 tablespoon sherry, the garlic, 2 teaspoons cornstarch, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Stir in 2 teaspoons oil.

In a small bowl, combine the chicken broth and the remaining 1 tablespoon sherry. Stir in the remaining 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch until dissolved.

Heat a skillet over high heat, swirl in 1 tablespoon oil. Add the chicken mixture, and cook until the chicken begins to brown, about 2 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Lower the heat to medium and swirl in the remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Add the onion and bell pepper, season with salt and cook until softened about 1 minute. Add the paprika, return the chicken and any juices to the pan, increase the heat to high and stir until just combined. Swirl in the broth mixture and mix until the chicken is warmed through, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the sour cream and parsley.

Enjoy!