Happy Kitchen Project: Fun Finger Food
Day 14: Happy Kitchen Project: Fun Finger Food
Mandi of Chewsy Lovers is a professional cook. I have always admired people, like Mandi, who can take command of their kitchens and prepare a meal with so little effort. But, like many of you, Brooke and I have to put dinner on the table while working and juggling a whole host of activities. Innovative meals, for me, are usually not an option when trying to get dinner on the table. Inevitably, I end up serving the same dinner over and over.
So when I tried this recipe that Brooke recently shared, I was thrilled! It was delicious, easy to make, and totally appropriate for a nice summer meal. I had to share it with all of you. I used beef instead of chicken and the rice noodle is totally optional. I added the rice noodles, but next time I would use much less or none at all.
Recipe: Lettuce Wraps
Recipes seem to go through trends and right now Lettuce Wraps seem to be on trend. You will find them on many menus in hip restaurants these days. What I really like is that these wraps are really just healthy finger foods. They are a bit messy, but so tasty!
First things first, collect all the ingredients before starting to ensure you have all the ingredients. Once you have all the ingredients, the process is straightforward and the recipe is great for a quick dinner mid week.
Love the wholesome ingredients!
Prepping the sauce –Yum!!
Having all the toppings easily available makes for very easy serving. Everyone can add their own if you want.
Adding the sauce and toppings. Looking good!
Here is the complete recipe below. Give it a try. It was definitely a winner in my house. Let us know if your family likes it!!
INGREDIENTS
For the Sauce
- 4 tablespoons soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 3 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon sambal oelek (chili paste)
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger (I use a paste)
- juice of 2 limes
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 green onions, minced
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar (optional – makes it more tangy)
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch (optional – helps the sauce thicken)
For the Lettuce Wraps
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 1 lb. ground chicken or turkey
- ½ cup lightly salted peanuts, chopped
- 6 ounces rice noodles
- 12 leaves of lettuce (I used Boston lettuce)
- chopped cilantro, green onions, and peanuts for topping
INSTRUCTIONS
- Whisk all the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl. Pour about ¾ of the sauce into a bowl with the ground chicken and peanuts. Stir to combine – marinate for 15 minutes.
- Soak the rice noodles in a large bowl of water while the meat is marinating. When the noodles are softened, drain and rinse with cold water. Cut into small pieces.
- In a large skillet, heat the sesame oil over medium heat. Add the meat and peanut mixture and sauté for 10 minutes or until cooked through. Add the noodles and stir-fry for another 5 minutes or until soft, adding a splash of water, oil, soy sauce, oyster sauce, or lime juice to moisten the pan as you see fit.
- Remove from heat, scoop mixture into lettuce leaves, top with cilantro, green onions, peanuts, and the reserved sauce.
Let us know how you mix up your meals in your happy kitchen. Do you have certain meals that make your kitchen or your family happy? Please share them with us! Send us a pic or two!
Share with us on instagram with hashtag #happykitchenproject and tag us @designerscollective_ and @chewsylovers
We would love to share a few happy kitchens on our blogs during our 30 day challenge!
Thursday we are back with Mandi from Chewsy Lovers who will be posting from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. We will post the link for her blog in the morning for all of you to read about her tips for a HAPPY KITCHEN!!
