Worth the $5.75

Summer vacation starts early here, and Alex was getting bored.

This meant it was time for a trip to the big used book store.

So, he and Matt stopped in one day, coming home with a huge stack of thick books (Arabian Nights, Richard Burton translation, among them).

They also grabbed a copy of Asian Wraps: Deliciously Easy Hand-Held Bundles to Stuff, Wrap and Relish by Nina Simonds for me.

We're all fans of Asian flavors here, so it wasn't an entirely altruistic gesture on Matt's part.

The book saw its debut tonight, with the Vietnamese Chicken Salad.

Thin rice noodles are topped with shredded chicken (for Matt, we used some of the hickory- & pecan-smoked chicken we'd made last night, while Alex and I used the soy delight nuggets from Earth Fare, pan-fried in a splash of olive oil), grated carrot, peanuts, mint and (replacing the we-think-it-tastes-like-dish-soap cilantro) basil. That then gets a Vietnamese Sweet and Sour Dipping Sauce poured over (lime juice, crushed red pepper flakes sugar, minced garlic, nam pla soy sauce and grated carrot.

Easily eaten in Boston lettuce leaves or from a bowl (we did both), it's a good combo of bright, fresh flavors and crunch. The dressing really ties it all together. Both guys are taking leftovers for lunch and we're already looking forward to trying more recipes. You've gotta love those used book stores.