Thai Basil Chicken Lettuce Cups

 1 cup packed thai basil leaves (sweet basil is ok if unable to find thai basil)
1 pound ground chicken breast
2 shallots, peeled and finely diced
1/2 red bell pepper, finely diced
2 green onions, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp EVOO
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 thai chiles, thinly sliced (use less for less spicy)
2 Tbsp fish sauce
2 Tbsp lime juice
salt and pepper to taste
1 head of butter lettuce

Heat 2 Tbsp EVOO in large skillet.  Add diced shallot and diced red bell pepper, saute for 2 minutes.  Add garlic, saute for 30 seconds or until fragrant.  Add ground chicken to skillet and using the back of a spoon, break up the meat and cook meat until it is just cooked through, about 5-7 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.  Turn heat down to low.  Add your sliced chiles and green onions.  Roughly chop basil and add to skillet.  Add fish sauce and lime juice.  Stir in and cook 1-2 minutes.  Serve in lettuce cups.

Serves 3

Blueberry Crumb Cake with Walnut Streusel

Blueberry Crumb Cake:
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
8 Tbsp butter, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups white sugar
2 Tbsp fresh lemon zest
1 large egg
1 egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 cup fresh blueberries

Walnut Streusel:
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup light brown sugar
2/3 cup chopped walnuts
8 Tbsp butter, melted
2 Tbsp fresh lemon zest
1 tsp sea salt

Preheat oven to 350.  Spray 9x9 pan with nonstick cooking spray.  In small bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and set aside.  In a large mixer, combine butter and sugar until pale yellow, add zest, egg, egg yolk and vanilla.  Beat well for an additional 3 minutes.  Alternate adding the flour mixture and the buttermilk until all is combined.  Fold in blueberries.  Set the batter aside.  

Make walnut streusel by combining all ingredients in a small bowl.  Using your fingers, mix it around until its crumbly and set aside.  

Fold half of the streusel mixture into the batter and stir to combine.  Pour batter into prepared pan and top with remaining streusel mixture.  Bake for 55-65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  

Sticky Asian Chicken Thighs

 1/3 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup EVOO
2 Tbsp honey
2 Tbsp chili garlic sauce
Juice of 1 lime
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp grated ginger
4 bone in skin chicken thighs (about 2 pounds)
Thinly sliced green onions (for garnish)
Toasted sesame seeds (for garnish)

In a large bowl, combine soy sauce, EVOO, honey, chili garlic sauce, lime juice, garlic, and ginger.  Reserve 1/2 cup of the marinade.  Add chicken thighs to bowl with remaining marinade and toss to coat.  Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour.  (Don't marinate longer than 1 hour as it will start to become too salty.) Remove 2 thighs from marinade and place in air fryer.  Cook at 375 for 20-25 minutes, until thighs are cooked through to an internal temperature of 165.  Cooking until temp is 180 will render more of the fat, if that is your preference.  Transfer to a plate, tent with foil and repeat with remaining thighs.  Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over medium heat, bring reserved marinade to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer until sauce thickens slightly, about 5 minutes.  Brush sauce over cooked thighs and garnish with green onions and sesame seeds before serving.

**Cooking in air fryer the entire time can sometimes give the skin a burnt look.  To minimize that, bake at 375 in oven for 15 minutes first and then transfer to air fryer for remainder of time to finish cooking and crisping the skin. 

Serves 4