for those who need to wear swimsuits in public

Every month a few friends and I get together for Dinner Club. It used to be "Book Club" before everyone got too lackadaisical to actually read the book. And before that it was merely just "Wine Club" (but it never officially had that name or a scheduled date...it was just more like what happened whenever we all got together...and still does, minus me, the one with the baby bump). It was my fabulous sister's idea, of course, to make it more official and call it an actual dinner club. The point is to get together once a month at each other's cozy homes and show off our culinary skills trying out new dishes and creating grand tablescapes.

Each month the hostess picks the menu. A few days before the dinner she sends out recipes for the appetizer, salad, side and dessert to each dinner guest for them to make and bring to the dinner. Each recipe compliments the main dish that she is making. That way we are forced to try new and exciting dishes...and no one can blame you if the untried dish turns out to be a lemon.

This month's hostess with the mostest was my sister and her theme was "recipes for those who need to wear swimsuits in public." Every dish she picked for each of us to make was healthy and would be sure to turn us into bikini-clad babes in no time flat. OK, not really, but just really tasty, minus the calories. Most of her recipes came from the cookbook The Family Chef by Jewels and Jill Elmore. The dinner turned out to be a smashing success (with one debacle, but I won't mention names). By far the most raved about dish was the Chicken Lettuce Cups. You have to try them and serve them at your next dinner club!

Chicken Lettuce Cups
(serves 8-10)

the filling:
2 tablespoons peanut oil
2 teaspoons sesame oil
24 shitake mushrooms, finely chopped
2 large carrots, peeled and very finely chopped
4 scallions, very finely chopped
2 teaspoons minced ginger
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 pounds ground white meat chicken (or combination of white & dark)
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 small cans of water chestnuts, drained and finely diced

the sauce:
1 cup soy sauce
4 tablespoons seasoned rice wine vinegar
4 tablespoons orange juice
4 tablespoons brown sugar
4 tablespoons water
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon chili flakes
4 tablespoons oyster sauce

the lettuce cups:
2 heads of iceberg lettuce, washed and leaves peeled for lettuce cups

1. For the sauce, mix all ingredients together with a whisk or shake together in a jar. Set aside.
2. Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. When pan is hot, add peanut and sesame oils. Saute mushrooms, carrots, scallions, ginger and garlic for 4-5 minutes until mushrooms are cooked and vegetables are soft.
3. Add chicken and cook. Stir constantly, breaking up meat.
4. When chicken is almost cooked, add the sauce, bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer and continue cooking 5-6 minutes.
5. While the chicken is cooking, prepare the lettuce cups.
6. Remove pan from heat, stir in water chestnuts, spoon mixture into lettuce cups and serve.

Enjoy! Happy swimsuit season!