Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Lettuce wraps are flavorful, filling alternatives to sandwiches, lavash wraps and tacos.  This filling is slightly sweet, slightly spicy and easy to make.  The fresh basil intensifies the flavor, and the crunchy lettuce makes it very satisfying to eat.  You can make these wraps as appetizers or as a meal.  Enjoy!

Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps
1 lb. chicken breast meat, boneless, skinless
Nature's Seasons or other seasoning salt
2 tbsp. veg. oil
4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
2 tbsp. minced fresh ginger
1 lg. red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
4-5 button mushrooms (optional), sliced
1 oz. canned sliced water chestnuts, sliced again into thin strips
1 cup shredded cabbage and 1 carrot, cleaned and shredded (or use packaged cole slaw mix of cabbage and carrots)
3-4 scallions, chopped
1/2 cup plum suace
1 tbsp. white vinegar or rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp. soy sauce
1 tbsp. fish sauce
1 tbsp. oyster sauce (Optional)
2 tbsp. brown sugar
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (Optional)
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
1/2 head iceberg lettuce, cut into half again

Optional toppings:
Thai-style peanut sauce, chopped seedless cucumber, chopped peanuts

Directions:
Prepare all ingredients before cooking as this will cook quickly.

Thinly slice chicken (or make ground chicken in food processor). Saute chicken in hot oil in skillet, seasoned with Nature's Seasons or other seasoning salt to liking, approximately 1/2 - 1 tsp. Cook chicken, stirring often, until no longer pink, about 2-3 minutes. Stir in garlic, ginger, red bell pepper, mushrooms, water chestnuts, cabbage, carrot, and scallions and stir fry for 2 minutes. Stir in plum sauce, soy sauce, fish sauce, oyster sauce, brown sugar and crushed red pepper flakes. Simmer on med-low heat about 2 minutes. Add basil and cook long enough to wilt the leaves. Place spoonfuls of chicken into a piece of lettuce and add any of the optional toppings as desired. Fold lettuce around filling to form a wrap to eat.

Herb-a-licious cocktails

Rum-Thyme Lemonade

(thyme plant in background)

It's "Rum Time"!

Many cocktail recipes call for combinations of various liquors, sodas, and fruits, but outside of Mint Juleps, there isn't a lot of focus on adding fresh herbs to create a refreshing new cocktail.  Here are a couple from the Martha Stewart Living magazine, March 2011.  I couldn't find them online yet at http://www.marthastewart.com/ but they should be there eventually, along with many other cocktail recipes.

If you're not familiar with the term "muddle" there is a bar tool called a muddler that is used to mash (muddle) fresh herbs, fruits and spices in the bottom of a glass to release their flavor and oils.  You can use the end of a wooden spoon to serve as a muddler.

By the way, I was absolutely compelled to try making the Lemonade drink with rum instead of tequila, and take my word for it, it's delicious!

Tequila-Thyme Lemonade (from Martha Stewart Living)
( or Rum-Thyme Lemonade) (tested in-house!)
Muddle 3 thyme sprigs with 1 tsp. sugar and 2 lemon wedges in a glass.  Add 3 ounces silver tequila OR 3 ounces light (as opposed to dark) rum, 1 ounce cold water, and ice.  Stir.  Makes 1.



Mint-Ginger Caipiroska
Muddle three slices fresh ginger with 1 1/2 tsp. sugar in a glass.  Add 5 mint sprigs.  Muddle until fragrant.  Add 4 ounces vodka and ice.  Garnish with mint.  Stir.  Makes 1.