Kung Pao Chicken

This asian dish cooks up quickly, despite the long list of ingredients, and tastes delicious! (This image is taken from Uchinatravel.com. I was going to take a picture of mine, but we ate it all, and an empty plate wouldn't be as attractive.)


Kung Pao Chicken (and/or Lettuce Wraps*)  by Erin Taylor
serves 4

Chicken and veggies:
3 Tbsp canola or peanut oil
1 C. chicken breast, cubed (would also work great with shrimp!)
1 C. chopped celery
1/2 C. chopped red bell pepper
2 green onions, chopped
1/2 C. carrotts, chopped
1/2 C. snow peas or sugar snap peas
1 tsp. chopped garlic

sauce ingredients:
2 Tbsp hoisin sauce
1 Tbsp.  fish sauce
1/4 C. low sodium soy sauce
2 Tbsp. peanut butter
2 Tbsp. poultry gravy mix
1 C. water
1 tsp. red pepper flakes (omit for no heat, add more for more heat)
salt to taste

1 bag cole slaw mix
cooked rice
salted peanuts (for garnish)
Lettuce leaves (for lettuce wraps, only)

In large skillet or wok, heat oil. Add chopped chicken and cook quickly until chicken begins to turn white. Quickly add remaining vegetables and saute until they become slightly tender. (about 3 minutes.) Turn heat down and add remaining sauce ingredients. Stir and let simmer with lid off until chicken is finished cooking.  (add more water for a saucier dish.)

Place small handful of cole slaw mix onto center of plate. Scoop cooked rice over cole slaw mix. Smother with Kung Pao chicken and sauce and garnish with salted peanuts. Serve immediately.

*For Lettuce wraps, complete instructions for chicken and veggies, and sauce. Add 1/4 C. salted peanuts to mixture. Spoon into large lettuce leaves and roll up.

 

Green Tomato Enchilada Sauce

(picture taken from ifood.tv)

Every time we go to a mexican restaurant my husband asks "Do you have green sauce?" He is usually disappointed with the so-called green sauce. Well, I had an over-abundance of green tomatoes and thought I'd make my own. The verdict? Well, let's just say if he had to choose to either marry me all over again or eat that sauce the decision might be a difficult one!  Needless to say, it's a great way to use up those unripened tomatoes after your harvest!

*NOTE: this canning recipe is for about 6 quarts of sauce, and is not exact! Adjust seasonings to your own taste!

Green Tomato Enchilada Sauce by Erin Taylor

In a large pot with heavy bottom (I used an 8 quart pot), add:

(about) 5 quarts pureed green tomatoes. (measured after they are pureed)

Turn on med. heat and let cook while pureeing the following ingredients in a blender:

6-7 Anaheim Chilies, seeds removed (no need to roast or peel)
1 onion
1 bunch cilantro
4-5 jalapenos, seeds removed for mild sauce, or add seeds for more heat.

Stir into pot with tomatoes and let cook a few minutes.

Add 4-5 C. chicken stock and 1/2 c. Poultry Gravy powder. Stir thoroughly.

Next, add:

3-4 Tbsp. Cumin Powder
2 Tbsp Chili Powder
1-2 Tbsp. Garlic Powder or Salt
1/4 C. Olive Oil
Salt to taste

Let simmer for about 10 minutes stirring every few minutes. With a stick blender puree mixture for about 3 minutes to make it smoother.

Remove from heat and pour into sterilized quart jars. Process according to directions on canner.

Harry Potter Butterbeer

Harry Potter Butterbeer? Well, this tastes exactly like I always imagined it would! And it's perfect for those crisp fall evenings watching the movies.



Butterbeer



Serves: 4



1 C. brown sugar

2 Tbsp. water

6 tbsp. butter

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. cider vinegar

3/4 C. heavy cream

1/2 tsp rum extract


4 12oz. bottles club soda *  (*using unsweetened soda makes it tollerably sweet, rather than over-the-top unbearably sweet like other recipes calling for cream soda or Sprite.)


In small saucepan over medium heat, combine the brown sugar and water. Bring to a gentle boil and cook, stirring often, until the mixture reads 240 deg. on candy thermometer. Stir in the butter, salt, vinegar and 1/4 C. heavy cream. Set aside to cool to room temperature. Once the mixture has cooled, stir in the rum extract.



In a medium bowl, combine 2 Tbsp of brown sugar mixture and remaining 1/2 C. heavy cream. Use an electric mixer to beat until just thickened, but not completely whipped.



To serve, divide the brown sugar mixture between 4 tall glasses. (about 1/4 c. for each glass). Add 1/4 C. of club soda to each glass, then stir to combine. Fill each glass nearly to the top with additional soda, then spoon the whipped topping over each.

Divine Hot Fudge Sauce

I LOVE homemade hot fudge! Who doesn't?  Well, I tried a new recipe last night- other than my usual- and it was divine! It takes just a few minutes to make.

Divine Hot Fudge Sauce
(taken from my friend Karen Brown's recipe. I doubled the recipe so I can keep the rest in a jar in the fridge for later and made one small change noted with an *)

2 C. sugar
1 Can evaporated milk
1/4 C plus 1 Tbsp. Cocoa powder
2 Tbsp. Karo Syrup

2 Tbsp. butter
1 tsp. Rum flavoring* (original recipe calls for 2 tsp. vanilla)

In saucepan, boil first 4 ingredients, stirring constantly until a ball forms when dropped into cold water. (This was about 5 minutes.)  Remove from heat and stir in butter and rum flavoring.  Serve over ice cream. Keep left overs in covered container in refridgerator and eat by the spoonful when the kids are at school!

Fluffy and Light Dinner Rolls

    (picture taken from http://www.life-as-a-lofthouse.blogspot.com/2011/08/texas-roadhouse-rolls-and-cinnamon.html#)

I saw these on Life as a Lofthouse blog and wondered if they really would taste like the Texas Roadhouse rolls they claimed to be. Verdict: I can't say they were like Texas Roadhouse, but they were really quite delicious and light and fluffy. I loved them so much I have taped the recipe to the inside of my cabinet where I keep all my go-to recipes, so that should say something! I tweaked the recipe a bit to eliminate the scalded milk step, and halved it. (maybe this is why they didn't taste exactly like the "real" thing. Hmmm... maybe I should try them the original way first, huh? Well, these were great as they are!)

 

Fluffy and Light Dinner Rolls

Yields 12 large rolls

 

2 teaspoons Active Dry Yeast

1/4 cup Warm Water

1 cup Warm Water ( or Whole Milk, scalded and cooled to lukewarm)

1/4 C. dry milk (omit if using whole milk)

1 1/2 Tablespoons Butter, softened

1/4 cup Sugar

3.5 cups All-Purpose Flour

1 Eggs

1 teaspoons Salt

 

DIRECTIONS: Dissolve yeast in warm water with  sugar, in the bowl of a stand mixer. Once yeast has dissolved, add milk, sugar and 1 cup of flour. Beat thoroughly on medium speed. Let stand until foamy (about 2 minutes). Add butter, eggs and salt. Beat well.

Gradually add in another 2.5 cups of flour, slowly, to form a soft dough while mixer is on low.  *NOTE* Do not use more than 4 cups of flour total. The dough will be very soft and somewhat sticky, you may think it needs more flour, but it does not.

Knead dough in stand mixer with the dough hooks, for about 4 minutes. If you knead it with your hands, you will need to grease up your hands with some cooking spray, to help the dough from not sticking to your hands.

Once kneaded, place into a large, greased bowl. Place dough inside, and turn over to grease top. *NOTE* Again, dough will be sticky so you may need to grease your hands to handle while putting dough in the bowl to let rise. Cover, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size.

Once dough has risen, remove from bowl and place onto a lightly floured surface. Lightly flour a rolling pin, and roll dough out into a large rectangle, that is a 1/2 inch thick. Cut dough in half length-wise and then in strips making 12 total, then fold each strip into thirds, or roll it up and place in greased baking dish. (or if you want squares like Texas Roadhouse,  using a pizza cutter, slice dough into 12 large squares. Place squares onto greased cookie sheets. Cover, and let rise again, until doubled in size.

Bake rolls at 350 for 16-18 minutes, or until lightly golden on top. Remove from oven, and immediately brush tops with butter.

Stuffed Zucchini

This meal could not be simpler, or more delicious.  It takes about 15 minutes to prepare, 30 minutes to bake, and about 3 minutes to devour! Smother with sauteed mushrooms or onions for a beautiful presentation, top with freshly chopped garden tomatoes, or eat by itself for a delicious, easy meal.


Stuffed Zucchini by Erin Taylor

1 box instant stuffing mix (I even used the generic brand and it was delicious!)
1 medium zucchini (about  a foot long and about 3-4 inches across.)
1/2 lb. breakfast sausage (I prefer the kind not in the casings, but you can use the link kind and remove the casings)
Olive oil
salt and pepper

Turn oven on Broil setting.  Slice zucchini in half cross-wise, and then cut each half in half lengthwise.  Scoop out the seedy center with a spoon so you have a nice, smooth chanel running down the length of the zucchini.  Place a sheet of tin foil on bottom of baking sheet. Brush a little olive oil on pan where the zucchini will sit. Place zucchini halves onto foil lined sheet and brush tops with more olive oil. Sprinkle with a dash of salt and pepper and place in oven on middle rack and broil for 10-12 minutes or until tops are browned. (At this point you will begin making stuffing while zucchini is in oven.) Remove zucchini from oven and let cool a few minutes before stuffing. *Turn oven setting to Bake at 375 degrees.*

Prepare stuffing mixture while zucchini is broiling.

Make stuffing according to box directions, omitting butter or oil. (You won't need it with the sausage inside.) When stuffing is made, crumble (uncooked) breakfast sausage into the mixture and stir thoroughly with a wooden spoon (NOT your hands, it's too hot!) until mixed well. Scoop mixture into chanel in zucchini and spread across evenly. Use all the stuffing by heaping it across each zucchini evenly.

Drizzle tops of zucchini with a little olive oil and place in oven set to 375 deg.  Bake for 30 minutes until stuffing is crispy and browned. Remove from oven and let sit a few minutes before serving.

*Optional: You can make sauteed mushrooms or onions to place on top. Makes for a beautiful presentation and an extra pop of flavor, although it doesn't need it!

Mint Chocolate Brownies

Ok, folks. Mint + Chocolate + Brownies = a no-fail crowd pleaser!  These are from-scratch, so none of that out-of-the-box stuff here. (Although, I don't mind some out of the box brownies. Really.)

Mint Chocolate Brownies  by Erin Taylor

Brownies:
1 1/4 C. Flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2/3 C. unsweetened cocoa powder (not dutch-processed.)
2 1/4 C. granulated Sugar
1/2 C. chopped nuts* (pecans, almonds, walnuts... whatever. *Optional.)
4 eggs
3/4 C. butter, melted

preheat oven to 350 deg.
Throw everything in a big mixing bowl and stir until all ingredients are combined. Pour into greased 9 X 13 pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Cool completely before frosting and serving.

Mint Frosting:
1/2 C. butter
1/2 C. Shortening
4 c. Powdered Sugar
3 Tbsp milk
1 egg
1-2 tsp peppermint extract (depending on how minty you like it.)
dash of salt
green food coloring (about 4 drops, but you can make it as green as you like.)

Whip all ingredients (but food coloring) in mixing bowl until light and fluffy.  Add food coloring and whip until mixture is all one uniform color. Spread over cooled brownies and drizzle with chocolate drizzle. (below)

Chocolate drizzle:

1 C. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 Tbsp. Shortening

Melt chocolate chips and shortening in microwave safe bowl in 30 second increments, stirring after each, until chocolate is smooth and melted. Dip spoon into chocolate and drizzle in sweeping motions back and forth across the brownies. Repeat until all chocolate is used, or until brownies look to good to wait to eat any longer!