Easy Tome Ka Gai

From Quick and Easy Thai by Nancie McDermott

4 Tbs lime juice
4 Tbs fish sauce
4 green onions, thinly sliced
12 lime leaves, torn into quarters
4 Tbs cilantro, chopped
3 c coconut milk
3 c chicken broth
4 Tbs ginger or galanga, sliced
4 stalks fresh lemon grass, cut into 2 inch pieces
2 lbs boneless chicken, cut into bite size pieces
2 c thinly sliced fresh mushrooms

1. In a large bowl combine the lime juice, fish sauce, green onion, cilantro and half the lime leaves. Place the bowl by the stove.

2. In a stock pot, combine the coconut milk and chicken broth and bring to a boil  on medium high heat. Stir in the ginger, lemongrass and remaining lime leaves. Add the chicken and mushrooms, reduce to a gentle boil and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes.

3. Remove from heat, pour the bowl of herbs into the soup, mix and serve.

Zucchini Soup

From allrecipes.com

Serves 6

2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, halved and sliced
1 Tb curry powder (S&B Oriental Curry Powder is our favorite)
salt to taste
3 largish zucchini cubed (about 8 cups), cubed
1 QT chicken stock (or veg)

1. Heat oil in a soup/stock pot. Add onion and cook until soft. Add curry and stir to combine. Add zucchini and stir, cooking until soft. Add chicken stock and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat. Simmer for 20 minutes.

2. Remove soup from heat. With an immersion/hand blender blend until smooth. Serve warm. (Nice with a few croutons on top.)

Stuffed Zucchini

4 medium to large zucchini, halved lengthwise, seeds removed
2 cups cooked white rice
1 lb ground beef
1/2 medium sweet onion
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 14.5 cans fire roasted diced tomatoes, with their juices OR 1 can tomatoes and 1 10oz can Rotel
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup Parmesan, grated (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 400
2. In a medium skillet, brown the ground beef, onion and garlic. Drain the meat.
3. In a medium saucepan, bring the tomatoes to a boil, then reduce and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
4. In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, rice, tomatoes, salt and pepper, mix until blended.
5. Place the zucchini skin side down on a cookie sheet. Evenly divide the beef mixture among the zucchini halves. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes.
6. Remove the foil and sprinkle the cheese on top. Return the pan to the oven, uncovered, for about 5 minutes until the cheese melts.