Linus and Lucy go with Camilla to Jakarta

Last night, I made an exotic-sounding recipe that I found in an unlikely source. As Charles said to me last night, "Betty Crocker has come a long way since Chicken a la King!" Fair warning: if you have anyone in your family with a peanut allergy, you might just want to surf on over to whatever other blogs you read, and check back in with me in the next couple of days for a different recipe.

A few years ago, I made Indonesian Peanut Chicken exactly as directed by the book (Betty Crocker's Cookbook, Bride's Edition - which, oddly, I bought just before I started dating my husband.) It calls for a 3- to 3 1/2-pound cut-up broiler-fryer.

Last night I simplified by using a couple of pounds of boneless, skinless chicken thighs. They had a nice flavor to them, but were typically fatty and a bit sinewy. I'm sure boneless, skinless breasts would work well, and I'm thinking of going that route next time. I also removed the 3/4 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper the recipe calls for, and cooked the chicken in Pam instead of 2 tablespoons of oil.

If someone in your life is vegetarian or vegan, omit the chicken and substitute in your favorite vegetables. Sautee veggies until crisp-tender, and proceed with making the sauce as written.

Serve either version over rice or rice noodles.

Indonesian Peanut Chicken

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts
Vegetable oil spray (or 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil)
1 medium onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1/3 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup chili sauce (I used sweet Thai chili sauce)
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup water
1/4 cup chopped peanuts
1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper (or more - I just chopped up a whole pepper)

Heat 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Spray with vegetable oil spray and cook chicken about 15 minutes, turning occasionally, until browned on both sides. Cover and cook over low heat about 15-20 minutes, or until juice is no longer pink when center of thickest piece is cut. Remove chicken from skillet.

Drain all but 1 tablespoon of drippings from skillet. Cook onion in drippings over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until tender; reduce heat. Add peanut butter, chili sauce, and cayenne. Gradually stir in water, stirring constantly, until peanut butter is melted.

Add chicken. Spoon sauce over chicken. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer uncovered about five minutes, spooning sauce frequently over chicken, until sauce is slightly thickened. Serve sauce over chicken. Sprinkle with chopped peanuts and red bell pepper.

Déjà vu

Here I am, about to publish a lovely recipe for pork tenderloin. I'm typing away, tra la...and something starts to bother me. Have I written about this already?

I look back in the archives and realize that I posted it last January.

*sigh*

All right, since I'm not posting tonight's dinner, I promise you that later this week I'll post a recipe for Indonesian peanut chicken, and maybe one for applesauce. Fall is here, and I'm ready for fall food!

Well? How did I get here?

I've just been perusing my visitor log, and am rather amused by some of the searches that bring readers to Throwing Spoons.

In some cases, the searches make perfect sense to me. Fannie Farmer Apple Crisp, for example, has been the subject of numerous searches lately.

However, allow me give you a few examples of some of the searches that are a little more, shall we say, out there.

"hippopotamus meat recipes"
(Here you go.)

"horrible cakes"
(Try this site instead. Mine are all scrumptious. ;) )

"ingredient list of hoodsies icecream"
(This seems to be a closely guarded secret.)

"how to make oatmeal like dennys"
(I'm not sure how Denny's makes it, but mine is pretty good.)

"throwing spoons at black people"
(I do not endorse this sort of activity at all. I don't endorse throwing spoons at anyone, for that matter. Where on Earth did this come from???)

"kool aid kool aid tastes great rest of song"
("Wish I had some...can't wait!")