Got Peanut Butter?

Three things I hate in the kitchen; an electric cook top stove, and nonstick pots and pans. OK, I guess that was two things.

Cooking with an electric stove is difficult with the unpredictability of heating times. With gas, you turn up the burner and instantly, you get more heat. Not so with electric where you turn up the knob higher and you must wait until more heat is generated. However, I prefer an electric oven for baking bread.

The non-stick coated cookware is impossible for caramelizing foods. Thus deglazing the pan with wine becomes unnecessary because nothing sticks. If you eliminate the deglazing process , flavor is lost, sauces become bland, the result is a mediocre meal. And we can't have that!

I found this recipe and simply had to try it last night. The result was excellent! Are you reading this J.B.?

Thai Peanut Chicken with Spaghetti

• 1 pound chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1/4 cup crunchy peanut butter
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 4 green onions, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 red pepper, cut into strips

In a saucepan, saute the chicken in olive oil. When done, remove chicken, keep warm. Add broth, honey, and soy sauce to the pan. Whisk in peanut butter, cornstarch, and ginger. Add green onions and garlic - stirring constantly over low heat until blended. Add red pepper and chicken, increase heat to medium, cooking until sauce has thickened. Toss over warm spaghetti. Serves 4.

Recipe by Phyllis Klassen, Keremeos, British Columbia. First Prize winner in the 2007 Peanut Butter Recipe Contest of the Old Farmer's Almanac.

Blood Orange for desert. Expensive, but well worth the added cost over a plain navel orange.

A recipe recommended by JB - Chicken Parmesan Bake