Asian Salad with Cilantro Lime Dressing & Crispy Tofu

Did you eat way too much on Thanksgiving this week? Well so did my husband and I. So when he asked for salad this week I wanted to come up with something different. The crunchy salad with the warm crispy tofu topped with this zippy dressing is not only flavor packed but it is very filling.

Cilantro Lime Dressing

In a mini food processor place all of the following ingredients in and pulse them together:

Juice of one big lime or 2 small limes (about 2 TBSP)

4 Tablespoons of light olive oil

7 sprigs of cilantro leaves (some stems won't hurt either)

1 tsp granulated sugar

1/2 tsp kosher salt

Salad Ingredients

1 bag of your favorite salad mix

1/2 cup shredded carrots

1/2 of an English cucumber chopped into bite size pieces

2 scallions sliced (some whites and green tops)

A whole bunch of chopped cilantro leaves

1 can of Mandarin oranges (drained and rinsed)

Chow mien noodles for a crunch (optional)

Crispy Tofu

1 package of extra firm tofu (drained and cut into cubes)

1/2 cup Kikkoman's Teriyaki Marinade

1 1/4 cup brown rice flour

salt (to taste)

4 Tablespoons canola oil

Directions:

Marinate Tofu overnight. Drain out marinade so tofu isn't too wet. In a medium skillet preheat your oil on medium heat. Coat each piece of tofu in the rice flour and gently place in skillet. I typically do this in two batches so the pan doesn't get over crowded. Otherwise your oil will get too cool and the tofu will not be crispy. Let the them brown on each side and then place them on paper towels and salt them to taste. Serve warm with salad.

Who needs pie when you can have apple cake!

Apple Cake & Salted Caramel Sauce

Thanksgiving is approaching and I know everyone is all about the apple pie...I'm going to be honest apple pie isn't my favorite thing. I won't complain if you put it in front of me but what can I say I am a cake girl at heart. So I came up with this cake to get my apple fix. Don't be intimated by caramel sauce it isn't as hard to make as you think, and I promise no candy thermometer needed.

Salted Caramel Sauce (Feel free to make this sauce the day before)

1 cup granulated sugar

6 TBSP of butter or margarine (room temperature)

1 tsp Fleur de sel

2/3 cup half and half (room temperature or even warmed slightly)

1. In a heavy bottomed sauce pot on medium heat add your granulated sugar, whisking thoroughly from time to time until sugar starts to melt. Once sugar starts to melt and get lumpy keep it moving. When it is all melted keep gently whisking until lumps are gone and has turned into a beautiful amber color.

2. Lower the heat add in the salt and margarine one tbsp at a time until combined, add in half and half and whisk until all combined, cook for an additional 5 minutes.

Cook's Note:

*If the mixture separates or seizes turn the heat back to medium heat and keep gently whisking trust me it will all melt and come together. The sauce will appear to be thin but once it cool off it will thicken to a sauce consistency. If you want it to thicken up quicker fill your sink with cold water and some ice cubes and place bottom of pot in sink and whisk, remove when thicker.

Pre-heat oven to 350 & grease your favorite bundt pan

Peel, quarter and chop 2 granny smith apples. In a saute pan heat 2 tbsp of butter or margarine add apples along with a 2 tsp granulated sugar and 1/2 tsp cinnamon. Saute on medium heat just a couple minutes until apples are just tender and set aside to cool.

Dry Ingredients, placed in a medium mixing bowl:

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour

1 tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp cinnamon

Wet Ingredients, placed in your stand mixing bowl:

1 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil

2 eggs (room temperature)

1 tbsp of vanilla

*1/4 cup apple cider keep separated from other wet ingredients

Method:

Add half of the dry ingredients in with the wet add half of the apple cider and mix, scrap the bottom and mix again. Add remaining dry ingredients and apple cider and mix until all incorporated. By hand gently stir in apples and turn into your greased pan. Bake 35-40 minutes until golden brown and tooth pick comes out clean.

After cooled dust with powder sugar and serve with sauce.

~Sweet Regards

Carol