Weekend Round-Up

Quote of the week

The thoughtful  little things you do each day have an accumulated effect on all tomorrows. 

Alexandra Stoddard

Movie of the Week (hands down) in fact movie of 2018 by me 

A Star is Born 
The third remake of a romantic saga with a modern fresh approach. Bradley Cooper makes his directing debut and he also wrote the screenplay.  

Okay, believe the hype-an absolutely fantastic movie with superb acting and directing. You will see a new side of Lady Gaga's whose versatility as musician and actress is simply amazing. She and Bradley Cooper ooze chemistry and give raw, vulnerable moving performances. You will need your tissues for this one. Cooper does his own  singing which is impressive too. Put this one on top of your movie list. 

Best Meal of the Week
Cashew Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Cook's Notes: Restaurant quality made right at home.  It's a filling and low-carb meal your whole family will enjoy made with ground chicken, flavored with hoisin and chili garlic sauce  topped with a peanut gingery sauce .  Advance prep is necessary for easier preparation. Recipe makes 4-6 adapted from damndelicious.net. 

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 pound ground chicken
• 1 (3.5-ounce) package shiitake mushrooms, diced
• 1 large carrot, peeled and diced
• 3/4 cup onions, diced 
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
• 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
• 1-2 teaspoons chili garlic sauce or Sriracha
• 1 teaspoon fish sauce
• 1 head butter lettuce
• Crushed cashews  

Peanut Sauce

• 3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter not chunky
• 1 tablespoon reduced sodium soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
• 2 teaspoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce or Sriracha to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
• 2-3 tablespoons orange juice

Directions: 

• To make the peanut sauce, whisk together peanut butter, soy sauce, lime juice, brown sugar, chili garlic sauce. orange juice and ginger in a small bowl. Whisk in more orange juice until desired consistency is reached; set aside.
• Heat sesame oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add ground chicken, mushrooms, carrots, onions and garlic. Cook until browned, about 5-7 minutes, making sure to crumble the chicken as it cooks; drain excess fat.
• Stir in ginger cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
• Stir in hoisin sauce, chili garlic sauce/Sriracha and fish sauce until heated through, about 30 seconds. Remove from heat.
• To serve, spoon about 1/4 -1/3 cup of the chicken mixture into the center of a lettuce leaf, taco-style, drizzled with peanut sauce and topped with crushed cashews.