Chicken Satay

Recently I had 15 girlfriends at my home for an "Eat, Pray, Love" Party. What a great time we had!
As we watched the Eat, Pray, Love movie, we followed the true story of how Elisabeth Gilbert (played by Julia Roberts) took a year to travel to Italy to discover passion, to India to discover devotion, and finally to Bali to discover balance and love. What made the party interesting was that we would pause the movie at each of Elisabeth's destinations and savor the food and celebrate the culture of each of the countries she visited. I also used different tablescapes, dishes, napkins and decor to represent each unique country. Each lady brought food as well to represent Italy, India or Bali. Take home favors and a special guest book signing made the party complete. We ate the night away, and a good time was had by all. I created a chicken satay recipe for the table featuring India, and served it in white ceramic "tasting" spoons, accompanied by rice. I will post the complete menu following my recipe for chicken satay.
Although this is definitely not typical "southern" or "low country" cuisine, sometimes it is fun to introduce and experience new types of cuisines. Hope you all enjoy!!

Bon Appetite!

Lulabelle

Chicken Satay

1 lb. boneless, skinless, chicken breast, cut into 1" cubes

1 tsp. lemon pepper

1 tsp. garlic/herb seasoning

1/2 tsp. salt

2 tbls. olive oil

1. Sprinkle chicken evenly with lemon pepper, garlic/herb seasoning, and salt
2. Sautee chicken in olive oil in large skillet over medium heat for about 8-10 minutes till cooked
3. Drain off any excess oil

Sauce

3 tbls. peanut butter

1 tsp. curry powder   * add more if a stronger curry flavor is desired

1 tbls.granulated sugar

2 tbls. honey

1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes * optional use if you want some heat to it

1/2 tsp. chopped, crystalized ginger

1 cup canned, Thai coconut milk

1/3 cup salted or sweet & spicy peanuts

1. Add all ingredients to chicken in skillet; stir well to blend together
2. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes
3. Add peanuts to mixture, stir to blend
4. Serve over hot rice

"Eat, Pray, Love" Menu

Italy

Antipasti:

marinated olives, vegetables, mushrooms, and artichoke hearts

assorted cheeses and salami

Caprese Platter;

fresh mozzaerella, sliced tomatoes, fresh basil drizzled with olive oil & herbs

Proscuitto Wrapped  Asparagus 

Flat Bread, Bread Sticks

Pizza

Italian Truffles, Italian Cookies



 India

Chicken Satay

Chicken Korma Curry

Tikka Marsala Chicken Curry

Pineapple Meatballs

Rice

Assorted Hummus

Flat Breads and Pita Bread

Sauteed Garbanzo Beans

Lentils

Coconut/ Curry Peanuts

Dates

Bali

Fresh Pineapple, Kiwi, and Mango

Chocolate Dipped Strawberries

Spiced Pecans

Fresh Boiled Shrimp with Cocktail Sauce