Sesame Green Beans

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1 pound fresh green beans, cut into 2 inch pieces
1/4 cup chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions:
1.  Heat oil in a large skillet or wok over medium heat.  Add sesame seeds.  When seeds start to darken, stir in green beans.  Cook, stirring, until the beans turn bright green.

2.  Pour in chicken broth, salt, and pepper.  Cover and cook until beans are tender-crisp, about 10 minutes.  Uncover and cook until liquid evaporates.

Source:  Allrecipes.com
 

Curried Coconut Chicken

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 50 minutes
Servings: 6

Ingredients:

2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
1 teaspoon salt and pepper, or to taste
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons curry powder
1/2 onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 (14 oz) can coconut milk
1 (14.5 oz) can stewed, diced tomatoes
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
3 tablespoons sugar

Directions:
1.  Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper.
2.  Heat oil and curry powder in a large skillet over medium-high heat for two minutes.  Stir in onions and garlic, and cook 1 minute more.  Add chicken, tossing lightly to coat with curry oil.  Reduce heat to medium, and cook for 7-10 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink in center and juices run clear.
3.  Pour coconut milk, tomatoes, tomato sauce, and sugar into the pan, and stir to combine.  Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, approximately 30-40 minutes.

Source:  Allrecipes.com

*Note:  I cooked the chicken in the crockpot while I was at work and then cooked everything in the skillet on the stove in the evening.  I think if I had cooked the chicken on the stove instead, the ingredients might have soaked into the chicken more.  I've eaten this leftover for lunch all week, and it tasted better and better each day.  I just prefer my chicken cooked in the crockpot; I don't think it would have been so yummy and tender for leftovers otherwise.  I wasn't sure how I'd like the curry with tomatoes, but it's really good.  I ate it with brown rice and the sesame green bean recipe I'll post next.

Festive Cranberry Salad

1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
1/4 C lemon juice
1 can (20 oz) crushed pineapple, drained
1 can (16 oz) whole-berry cranberry sauce
2 C miniature marshmallows
1/2 C chopped pecans
red food coloring, optional
1 carton (8 oz) frozen whipped topping, thawed

In a bowl, combine sweetened condensed milk and lemon juice; mix well.  Stir in the pineapple, cranberry sauce, marshmallows, pecans and food coloring if desired.  Fold in whipped topping.  Spoon into a 9 X 13 inch baking dish.  Freeze until firm, 4 hours or overnight.  Cut into squares.

This has been served at many Glenn family holiday dinners.