Cucumber Dip

This is one of my favorite dips during the summer. I make it all the time. Every time I bring it somewhere I get requests for the recipe. It seems like it wouldn't have a lot of flavor because there aren't many ingredients, but it really does. I got this from my friend, Natalie, several years ago. I did make one adjustment to the original recipe and that is that I added the garlic. If you're not a big garlic fan, just take it out because it didn't originally call for it anyway.

1 Pint Cottage Cheese
1 Pint Sour Cream
1 Cucumber, peeled & shredded
3 Green Onions, sliced
1 Clove Garlic, finely chopped

Combine all ingredients and serve with Ruffles potato chips.

I decorated the top with green onion and a little bit of chili powder, just for garnish.

Tomato Tip

Don't you love fresh tomatoes during summertime? Especially right out of the garden. Yum! Well, I learned something a few years ago that I really never knew before and I need to make sure everyone else out there knows it too! Never, ever store tomatoes in the fridge. It completely changes their flavor and texture. I thought I didn't like tomatoes until I learned this. When you bring them home, just keep them out in room temperature. They will taste so much better! If you don't believe what a difference it makes, do a test. Put one in the fridge and keep one out and you'll see what I mean. You'll never store tomatoes in the fridge again. One rule of thumb I use is I pay attention to how it's stored at the grocery store. If it's in the refrigerated section, it should obviously go in the fridge and vice versa.

Chili's Peanut Dipping Sauce

This recipe is also from Chili's and meant to be served with the Asian Lettuce Wraps, but you could use this sauce for plenty of things besides the lettuce wraps, so I posted it separately.

1/2 Cup Creamy Peanut Butter
1/3 Cup Water
2 Tablespoons White Vinegar
1/2 teaspoon Ginger, finely minced
1/8 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
1/4 Cup Granulated Sugar
1/4 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1/2 teaspoon Chili Oil
1/2 teaspoon Vegetable Oil
1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar

1. Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan over medium/low heat.
2. Heat while whisking until sauce becomes smooth.
3. Remove from heat when done.

Chili's Sesame-Ginger Sauce

This is a recipe from Chili's that is meant to be served with their Asian Lettuce Wraps. I posted it separately because this sauce would be delicious on many things, not just the lettuce wraps.

1/4 Cup Water
1 teaspoon arrowroot (or cornstarch)
1/3 Cup Granulated Sugar
1/3 Cup White Vinegar
1/4 Cup Soy Sauce
1 teaspoon Ginger, finely minced
1 teaspoon Vegetable Oil
1/2 teaspoon Sesame Seeds
1/4 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1 dash Red Pepper Flakes
1 dash Parsley

1. Combine the water and arrowroot in a small bowl and mix until arrowroot is dissolved.
2. Combine this solution with the remaining ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat.
3. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer 2 minutes.

Chili's Asian Lettuce Wraps

I love these lettuce wraps. They are so good! I always ordered them at Chili's, until recently they discontinued making them. That was a sad day for me. Fortunately, someone gave me this recipe, which is the exact Chili's recipe. It's pretty involved, so you really could cut out some steps (like the way it is served), but I wanted to put the entire recipe here in case you feel so inclined to make them exactly as they are supposed to be.

Chicken:
1 Tablespoon Vegetable Oil
4 Chicken Breast Fillets
4 Green Onions
1/2 Cup Water Chestnuts, minced
1/4 Cup Sliced Almonds
1 Head Butter Lettuce

Stir Fry Sauce:
1/4 Cup Water
1 teaspoon Arrowroot (or Cornstarch)
1/3 Cup Soy Sauce
1/4 Cup Granulated Sugar
1/4 Cup White Vinegar
1 Tablespoon Dried Chives
1 Tablespoon Vegetable Oil
2 teaspoons Sesame Seeds
1 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
1 teaspoon Chili Oil
1 teaspoon Creamy Peanut Butter

STIR FRY SAUCE:
1. Combine the water and arrowroot in a small bowl and stir until arrowroot is dissolved.
2. Add this solution to the remaining ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 to 6 minutes or until thick.

CHICKEN:
1. Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the chicken breast until done (3-5 minutes per side), turning every couple of minutes.
2. Remove the cooked chicken breast to a cutting board and slice it into strips with a sharp knife. Keep the pan hot.
3. Load the chicken back into the same pan over medium/high heat, and add the water chestnuts. Heat for 1 minute.
3. Add 5 tablespoons of stir fry sauce to the chicken and heat for 2 minutes, stirring often. Sauce should be bubbling.
4. Add the sliced green onions and stir.

TO SERVE:
Prepare each serving plate with a bed of bean threads (optional)-(see directions below).
Spoon one-fourth of the chicken onto the bean threads.
Sprinkle the chicken with about a tablespoon of sliced almonds.
Add three leaves of butter lettuce to the plate, along with a garnish of shredded carrots.
Repeat for the remaining servings. Serve with sesame-ginger dipping sauce and peanut dipping sauce on the side (see other recipes).

Bean threads can be found in the Asian food section of your supermarket. Before using as a garnish, the threads must be flash-fried in a skillet in 2 inches of hot vegetable oil. When the threads float to the top, remove them to a towel to drain.