Lillian's Birthday Dinner

I don't pretend to be a chef, but it's become tradition for me to cook Lillian something that she wants for her birthday dinner. Its never as good as when she cooks but she is always kind and humors me. Anyhow, these are recipes that we got from some of her cook books.

Chicken Pad Thai
Serves 4
here it is only I didn't use fish sauce, which would have made it better I'm sure. I only used soy sauce and omitted the fish sauce. Also we only had the skinny rice noodles which were good too.

8 oz. dried rice noodles, about 1/8 inch wide
3/4 warm water
1/4 cup fish sauce
juice from 2 limes
1/4 dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 rotisserie chicken, no skin, shredded
4 garlic cloves
1/4 cup bean sprouts
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1. Cover rice noodles in hot water for 20 min until soft. Drain and set aside. Then wisk the warm water, fish sauce, lime juice and sugar together in bowl until sugar is dissolved.
2. Heat oil on high until smoking, then add the chicken and the garlic and cook until lightly browned and fragrant, about 2 mins. Add noodles and fish sauce mixture and cook until noodles are coated, about 3 mins. Scatter bean sprouts and cilantro and continue to cook for another 3 mins or so. I also put some scallions on top.

Easy Fresh Strawberry Tart
serves 4
1 9 1/2 by 9 inch puff pastry, thawed overnight in refrigerator
2 teaspoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup strawberry jelly, plus 2 tablespoons
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups fresh berries

1. Adjust over rack to upper middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Unfold thawed pastry onto baking sheet and prepare pastry shell by wetting and folding the edges in 1/2 inch on all sides. Score the folded edges with a sharp knife. Poke holes in the dough to keep it from puffing up in the center.
2. Combine cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle over the inside of the tart shell. Transfer to oven and bake until pastry and sugar are golden brown, 15 to 22 minutes. Transfer to wire rack to cool for about an hour.
3. While crust is baking, stir softened cream cheese, 2 tablespoons jelly and vanilla in bowl until smooth and refrigerate until ready to use.
4. Spread cream cheese mixture over the inside of cooled tart shell. Place remaining jelly in large microwave safe bowl and microwave until jelly melts, about 30 seconds. Add berries to bowl and toss until coated with jelly. Spoon berries over the cream cheese mixture and refrigerate until jelly is set, at least 1 hour, and up to 4 hours. let sit at room temp. for 30 minutes and serve it up.