CEiMB - 100th Post!!!!!! Chicken Sate with Spicy Peanut Dipping Sauce

It seems like just yesterday that I joined my first cooking group and that was 100 posts ago! I'm excited that on my 100th post I can tell you about my trip to Italy and also, my good friend Cathy of The Tortefeasor picked this week's recipe for our group. Life just doesn't get much better than this, right?

First, let me say that cooking with Cathy has been a real encouragement to me. We have enjoyed sharing tips about recipes and many discussions about our "pick." When Cathy first came to work at my firm years ago, I was her assistant. I remember my son came to my office to visit (he was 15 or so at the time) and saw Cathy and said "Mom, who was that hottie?" I said "who, Cathy? That's my boss!" I don't think I've ever told her that story. Little did I know at that time that she had real honest to goodness writing/blogging/cooking/comedic talent as well as being attractive to teenagers! She's a rockstar for sure.

Cathy chose Sate Chicken Skewers with Spicy Peanut Dipping Sauce this week. I wasn't sure about making this because I am a seven ingredient or less kind of girl. Long lists of ingredients scare me. I'm always afraid I will leave something out. This recipe, however, was quick to prepare and delicious. Loved the peanut sauce. I served the skewered chicken with stir fried vegetables and corn on the cob. The only substitution I made was I used onion flakes instead of the shallot and a stainless steel skewer instead of the cute bamboo ones!

Chandler and I flew into Venice Saturday before last and immediately took the wrong vaporetto going the wrong direction. We quickly figured that out and got off and got on the correct one. We were so glad we took only two small bags since you had to drag your luggage through the streets of Venice. They have no roads and no cars! Our hotel was like a castle and I felt like a princess staying there. We really loved Venice. Then we took the fast train to Florence where we checked into yet another great hotel. Different from the one in Venice, but wonderful nonetheless. I loved the architecture, the food, the people, and especially the person I was sharing it all with. He's a pretty special guy. The yankee and I celebrated our 11th anniversary in Florence, Italy last Tuesday.

We had some wonderful food and wine. We did not get into St. Mark's Basilica due to the long waiting line. It was at least two hours long. Although we enjoyed walking around Venice and the water, I think we liked Florence more. And there was gelato - every day! We visited the museum that houses the statue David. I'm in love with that statue. Don't tell anyone, but I actually have a magnetic paper doll of him on my refrigerator. I have many different outfits I can dress him in. I wanted to take a photo of him in the museum, but it was against the rules and after the guard practically tackled me to the floor screaming at me when I made my first flash in the museum, I reluctantly put my camera away. Others, however were breaking all rules and snapping away. So then I thought, well maybe it was just no flash so I proceeded to hide behind a pole and try to figure out how to turn off my flash. While I was doing that, the guard again caught me and screamed "No camera, no photos - prohibited!" Well after the second reprimand, you don't have to tell me three times. I'm not sure why they just didn't tell us when we entered the museum that photos weren't allowed. Really, wouldn't that have made the most sense?

I think the highlight of my trip (other than seeing David) was the Leaning Tower of Pisa. It took my breath away with its beauty. But it was extremely hot there. . . at least 94 degrees. And no, my camera was not crooked!

On the way home, the Paris airport was a nightmare and we literally had five minutes to make our flight after waiting on their shuttle (which never came), running through the airport, going through four security ques, etc. Once we got home, there was another one hour security line in Atlanta. So tired, we finally went to bed at 10 that night only to have to get right back up and go to the emergency room. My husband was in so much pain I thought he was having a heart attack but it turned out to be gallbladder. I guess he'll be having some surgery soon. He's looking forward to that about as much as a sharp stick in the eye.

Here is the recipe for Ellie's chicken sate:

1/2 cup low-sodium chicken stock
1/2 cup lite coconut milk
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 shallot, sliced thin
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons Thai fish sauce (or 2 additional teaspoons low sodium soy sauce)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon lime zest
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast pounded slightly and cut into 1-inch strips
Directions
8 (8-inch) bamboo skewers, soaked for 20 minutes
3/4 cup Spicy Peanut Dipping Sauce, recipe below
2 tablespoons minced fresh basil or cilantro leaves
1/4 cup chopped toasted peanuts
In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the chicken stock, coconut milk, soy sauce, shallot, garlic, fish sauce, brown sugar, lime zest, and ginger. Add the chicken strips and marinate for 1 hour. Remove the chicken from the marinade and discard the marinade.
Spray a nonstick grill pan with cooking spray and preheat over a medium-high flame. While pan is heating, thread chicken onto skewers. Grill 2 to 3 minutes per side, until meat is cooked through and has light grill marks.
Serve chicken skewers with Peanut Dipping Sauce, and garnish with basil or cilantro and chopped peanuts.
Yield: 4 servings (2 skewers and 2 tablespoons peanut sauce per serving)
Spicy Peanut Dipping Sauce:
1/2 cup natural creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon chili flakes
1 teaspoon red curry paste
1 shallot, peeled and roughly chopped
Place all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth.
Sauce can be made 1 day ahead of time, and will keep 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator.
Yield: about 1 1/4 cups