Grandaddy's Tostado Sauce

I grew up in Arizona, poolside! My memories include long swimming days at my Grandparents with yummy food cooking away on the bbq or in the kitchen. The two recipes that I can attribute to my Grandaddy are his teriyaki sauce and this. Spicy, flavorful, run-down-your-arm goodness of Tostado Sauce. I don't know what it is about this sauce that makes it so addicting, but it's the only thing worthy of topping tostados! Just trust me on this.

Grandaddy's Tostados

Corn Tortillas: Spray each side with cooking spray, and lay on a cookie sheet. Cook in a 450 degree oven for 3-5 minutes. Flip, and cook for another 2-3 minutes until crisp. Watch carefully!

Tostado Sauce:

1 can diced tomatoes, drained

1 can diced green chilies

1 small onion, diced

1 Tb white wine vinegar

1 teas ground garlic

Salt and Pepper to taste

Ok, so here's the trick. Put all these yummy ingredients in a bowl, and mix them up- not with a spoon, mind you, with your HANDS! That's right. Reach in there and squish things up. Somehow, it just works better. I promise. 

Make your favorite tostados. Toppings can include beans, cheese, tomatoes, sour cream, lettuce, olives, guacamole, chicken, etc. 

Then, top with the magic sauce.

Enjoy. 

Caution: Will need lots of napkins! 

Coconut Peanut Sauce with Coconut Rice

As you know, my family are huge Thai food fans. I've featured a number of Thai recipes here, and am excited to now post another one! This recipe is a little sweeter then some of my others. In fact, I had to add a touch of spice to give it just a little punch.

We grilled some flank steak, made coconut rice, and topped it all with this fabulous sauce. The only complaint was that the meat was a little bland. Next time, I'll marinate it in olive oil, garlic, and ginger before grilling. You can also serve this over chicken! The sauce is not as thick as I'm used to, but it soaked into the rice, and make our mouths very happy. Both hubby and I just sat and ate the rice until we were stuffed! The best part is that this meal is fast, and both the sauce and the rice can make large quantities for parties!


Coconut Rice

1 cup water
2 cups coconut milk
1/2 teas salt
2 TB sugar
2 2/3 cup Jasmine Rice*

*Jasmine rice is amazing. It has a wonderful, nutty taste to it. You can find it in the grocery store, or at oriental markets. To use rice, measure out amount needed in a strainer. Rinse with cool water several times, until all the extra starch is washed off, and the water is clear. (You can also use instant rice if needed)

1. Place the water, coconut milk, salt, and sugar in a large, heavy pan.

2. After rinsing the rice, add to the pan. Cover tightly with a lid, and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer gently, without lifting the lid unnecessarily, for 15-20 minutes, until the rice is tender.

3. Turn off the heat and leave the rice to rest in the pan, still covered with the lid, for a further 5-10 minutes.

4. Gently fluff up the rice grains with a fork before transferring it to a warm serving dish.



Coconut Peanut Sauce
(Serve with steak or chicken. I recommend grilling Flank Steak that has been marinated in Oil, Garlic, and Ginger.)
Serves 4 to 6

Kosher Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Olive Oil
1 can (13.5 oz)  coconut milk
3 TB peanut butter
4 TB brown sugar, packed,
2 teas curry powder
1 teas red pepper flakes 
2 TB fresh squeezed lime juice (about half a lime)

*optional garnish: toasted coconut and green onions sliced thinly 




To make coconut peanut sauce, add coconut milk, brown sugar, curry powder, lime juice, and peanut butter to the sauce pan. Cook on medium heat, continuously stirring until all of the ingredients have completely come together.  Turn off heat.


Cut your meat into thin slices across the grain and arrange it on a large platter.  Pour coconut peanut sauce on top of the slices and garnish with optional toasted coconut and green onions. Serve over Coconut Rice! Enjoy! 

Chicken Satay with Coconut Rice

Thai food is one of my favorite food "groups". I love the rich, complicated flavors and textures. I always thought that Thai food would be difficult to make, and so I didn't attempt it very often. Then, a few years ago, my husband got me a great Thai food recipe book for Christmas.

The Cook's Encyclopedia of Thai Cooking

It's a fantastic book of simple recipes. There is also a complete dictionary of commonly used Thai ingredients. Today's great recipe comes from this book.

Chicken Satay

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into strips

For the marinade:
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 in piece of fresh root ginger, finely grated
2 teas Thai fish sauce
2 TB light soy sauce
1 TB honey

**Words about these ingredients: Ginger- you are welcome to use the jarred, marinated ginger as well.
Fish sauce- it sounds odd, and as a hater of all things seafood, I refused to use it for a long time. Then I learned that fish sauce is used to give the food a salty flavor, and is an essential Thai ingredient. It does NOT taste like fish!

For the satay sauce:
6 TB crunchy peanut butter
1 fresh red chili, seeded and finely chopped. (dried chili works as well)
juice of 1 lime
4 TB coconut milk
salt

1. First, make the Marinade. Mix all ingredients in a medium bowl. Add the chicken strips and mix. Cover and leave for at least 30 minutes in the fridge to marinate.

2. Make the Satay Sauce. Mix all ingredients in a food processor. Process until smooth. Check the flavor, and add more lime or salt as needed! I've found that no matter how many times I follow the directions, it tastes slightly different every time. Add ingredients until it meets your tastes! Spoon into a bowl, cover, and set aside.

3. Meanwhile, soak 16 wooden kabob sticks in water to prevent them from burning during cooking.

4. Preheat the grill, or the oven broiler, to high. Drain the sticks, and the chicken. Thread the chicken onto the sticks. You can do as many or as few strips on the sticks as you wish. Grill or broil for 5 minutes on each side, or until chicken is golden brown and cooked through.

Serve immediately with Satay Sauce and coconut rice.

Coconut Rice

1 cup water
2 cups coconut milk
1/2 teas salt
2 TB sugar
2 2/3 cup Jasmine Rice*

*Jasmine rice is amazing. It has a wonderful, nutty taste to it. You can find it in the grocery store, or at oriental markets. To use rice, measure out amount needed in a strainer. Rinse with cool water several times, until all the extra starch is washed off, and the water is clear. (You can also use instant rice if needed)

1. Place the water, coconut milk, salt, and sugar in a large, heavy pan.

2. After rinsing the rice, add to the pan. Cover tightly with a lid, and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer gently, without lifting the lid unnecessarily, for 15-20 minutes, until the rice is tender.

3. Turn off the heat and leave the rice to rest in the pan, still covered with the lid, for a further 5-10 minutes.

4. Gently fluff up the rice grains with a fork before transferring it to a warm serving dish.

We eat this dish with a side of steamed veggies. Enjoy!!