Recipe: 2 for 1

I'm so in love with baking and eating sweets that I usually end up posting a recipe in that category, but today it's main dishes. I'm going with two of my favorites: a pretty quick noodle salad and a rich, comforting potato dish.

Peanut Chicken Soba Salad

2 cups water
2 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
4 black peppercorns
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 tablespoons roasted peanut oil
2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce (such as Lee Kum Kee)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups cooked soba noodles (about 4 ounces uncooked)
1 cup grated carrot
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/4 cup minced red onion
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
4 teaspoons chopped unsalted, dry-roasted peanuts
Lime wedges (optional)

Combine first 4 ingredients in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil. Cover, remove from heat, and let stand 15 minutes or until chicken is done. Remove chicken from pan, and discard peppercorns, bay leaf, and cooking liquid. Shred chicken; place in a large bowl.

Combine vinegar and next 5 ingredients (vinegar through salt), stirring with a whisk. Pour over chicken; let stand 5 minutes. Add soba noodles and the next 4 ingredients (noodles through chopped basil) to chicken mixture, and toss well. Sprinkle with peanuts. Garnish with lime wedges, if desired.

(I often use part of a rotisserie chicken to make this meal even faster).

Recipe and image from Cooking Light, May 2004

Sausage and Potato Casserole

1/4 c oil
1/2 c all-purpose flour
2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
4 c milk
7-10 potatoes, boiled, peeled and sliced
1 lb. ground sausage, browned
1 c shredded American cheese

Combine oil, flour, salt and pepper in a large skillet. Cook and stir over medium heat until hot. Whisk in milk, stirring constantly, until thickened; remove from heat. Layer half of potatoes, flour mixture and sausage into an ungreased 13"x9" baking dish; repeat layers. Sprinkle cheese on top. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until cheese begins to brown slightly.

(I have no idea where this recipe comes from and haven't taken the two minutes to call and ask my mom.)