Revisiting Mandarin Chicken Pasta Salad

 

I have made this salad over and over again. I first posted the recipe 2 yrs. ago but I did not take a picture. So here it is again in picture form . You can find the recipe here. I did do a couple of things different this time . For one I did not have any bow tie pasta and used small shells instead. I also substituted the orange juice for the juice off the mandarin oranges. Both changes worked perfectly. This is a great salad to entertain with.

Corn on the Cob

I found a new and easy way to make great corn on the cob. It is another fabulous recipe from Melanie at My kitchen Cafe. I have used a milk boiled corn recipe in the past. This recipe has moved to the top of my list. Our garden is loaded with sweet corn soon to be harvested. We will be using this recipe for sure. Thanks!! Melanie.

Perfect Corn on the Cob

from My Kitchen Cafe

(Printable Version)

7-8 ears of corn, husked and silky threads removed
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons white vinegar
Bring a large pot of water to a boil (probably about 4-6 quarts of water). When boiling, add the sugar and vinegar and bring to a full boil again. Add the husked corn, submerging all the ears in the water the best that you can. Bring the water to a full boil again. This is important! It may take a few minutes for the water to come back to boiling temperature once the corn is added but let it come to a full boil before moving on. Once the water is at a full boil, cover the pot, remove from the heat and let the corn sit in the hot, steaming water for 10 minutes. (The corn can stay in the water for up to 20 minutes without becoming pithy and dry.)

French Bread

 I found this great french bread recipe and had to try it . I wanted to try out the new pans I purchased here...it turned out great. I brushed it with butter because I was feeding smaller children and wanted a softer crust. This recipe would be great for homemade french bread pizza and french toast.
Grandma’s French Bread
from The Sister’s Cafe
(Printable Version) 
2 ¼ c. warm water
2 T. sugar
2 Tbsp yeast
1 Tbsp salt
2 Tbsp oil
5 ½ -6 cups flour-stirred before measured
Dissolve sugar and yeast in the warm water. Let this proof—or sit for a few minutes until it bubbles. Then add salt, oil and 3 cups of flour and beat well. Add in 2 1/2 -3 more cups of flour. The dough should clean off the sides of the bowl and not be too stick – but be careful not to add too much flour. Knead for a few minutes.
Leave the dough in the mixer to rest for 10 minutes and then stir it down (turn on your mixer for 10 seconds) and then allow to rest another 10 minutes. Repeat for a total of 5 times. Then turn dough onto a floured surface and divide into two equal parts. Roll each part into a 9×13 rectangle. Roll dough up, starting from long edge of loaf to seal. Arrange seam side down on large baking sheet that’s been sprinkled with corn meal, allowing room for both loaves. Repeat with second part of dough. With a sharp knife, cut 3 gashes at an angle on the top of each. Cover lightly; allow to rise 30 minutes. Brush entire surface with egg wash (one egg beaten slightly with 1 Tbsp of water). If desired, sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake for 30 minutes at 375 degrees.

Stir Fry Sauce

 We celebrated the 4th of July yesterday with the standard BBQ fare. Today we used some garden fresh veggies and found this yummy chinese brown sauce recipe that was the perfect compliment to any stir fry. It is a basic recipe that uses pantry items and creates a fabulous flavorful sauce. Needless to say there were no leftovers. If you like a little heat in your sauce simply add a little red pepper flakes or chili oil. This recipe has limitless possibilities and is a definite keeper in my book.

Basic Stir Fry Sauce (Chinese Brown Sauce)

Recipe courtesy of Blog Chef

(Printable Version)

Ingredients:
3 garlic cloves (minced)
4 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 ½ cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon oil
Cooking Instructions:

Step 1: In a bowl mix soy sauce, brown sugar, chicken broth and corn starch. Make sure the mixture is well combined and set aside.
Step 2: Add 1 teaspoon of oil to a wok or saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and stir fry for 10 seconds. Add the chicken broth mixture and bring to a boil. Cook until the sauce becomes thickened and bubbly.

KFC Coleslaw

 If you enjoy coleslaw then this recipe is for you. It is very good and easy to throw together. It tastes like Kentucky Fried Chicken's version.

Coleslaw Recipe 

copycat of KFC's coleslaw courtesy of Recipezaar

(Printable Version)

• 8 cups finely diced cabbage (about 1 head)
• 1/4 cup diced carrot
• 2 tablespoons minced onions
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 1 1/2 tablespoons white vinegar
• 2 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice

1. Cabbage and carrots must be finely diced. (I use fine shredder disc on food processor) .
2. Pour cabbage and carrot mixture into large bowl and stir in minced onions.
3. Using regular blade on food processor process remaining ingredients until smooth.
4. Pour over vegetable mixture and mix thoroughly.
5. Cover bowl and refrigerate several hours or overnight before serving.

Banana Pancakes

I had just finished a great workout and was cooling down with a little "Jack Johnson" banana pancakes. I took a look at the ripe bananas on my counter and decided to make these today . These are extremely light and fluffy. A great way to use those ripe bananas.

Banana Pancakes

Printable Version

Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon white sugar 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 egg, beaten 1 cup milk 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 2 ripe bananas, mashed

Directions:

1.	Combine flour, white sugar, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, mix together egg, milk, vegetable oil and bananas.
2.	Stir flour mixture into banana mixture; batter will be slightly lumpy.
3.	Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Cook until pancakes are golden brown on both sides; serve hot.

Tres Leches Cake

My son was recently called to serve in the Honduran mission for our church. We have been trying a few dishes to help him get an idea for the types of food he may be eating. This dessert recipe was a big hit. I opted for making it in cake form and serving it in small bowls. I will definitely be doing the cupcake version next.  Enjoy!

Tres Leches Cupcakes

(Printable version)

Recipe by Our Best Bites

24 white cupcakes (I used a white cake mix that I substituted buttermilk for the water)

8 oz. evaporated milk

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 pint whipping cream, divided

3-4 Tbsp. Hershey's Caramel Syrup

Sliced fresh fruit (like strawberries, mangoes, and kiwis, optional)

Juice of 1 lime (optional)

Bake cupcakes according to recipe directions in FOIL LINERS. This is extremely important because it helps contain the milk mixture.

After cupcakes have cooled, use a bamboo skewer to poke several holes in each cupcake. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, and 3/4 c. of whipping cream. Use a ladle to pour the milk mixture over each cupcake. There might be some runover. Such is life with tres leches cupcakes. Place the cupcakes in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

 

When ready to serve, beat the remaining 1 1/4 c. of whipping cream until medium peaks form. Gently fold in the caramel syrup and pipe or dollop the whipped cream on each of the cupcakes. If desired, toss the sliced fruit with the lime juice and top the cupcakes with the sliced fruit. Serve on a small plate with a dessert spoon.

Baseball Sugar Cookies

Looking for a treat for your favorite baseball/softball team ? Try these!! Parker was assigned treats for his game last week and this is what I made. The boys loved them. Here is a link to the sugar cookie recipe I used. It is the same recipe I made at Easter. Enjoy!!

Grilled Island Chicken

I marinated this chicken to grill for Mother's Day . It had great flavor and was a perfect addition to our Mother's Day meal. This is definitely going to stay on the grilling menu.


Grilled Island Chicken from My Kitchen Cafe
(printable Version)

1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 1-2 lemons)
1 ½ tablespoons soy sauce
1 clove garlic, finely minced
½ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2-4 chicken breasts

Combine all ingredients except chicken in a mixing bowl or large airtight plastic bag. Whisk or shake well until the marinade is well mixed. Add the chicken breasts to the bowl or plastic bag so that they are covered by the marinade. If using a bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap. If using a plastic bag, press out all the excess air and seal the bag tightly. Refrigerate and marinate up to 10 hours (I would suggest marinading for at least 3 hours at the minimum).

Preheat a gas or charcoal grill to medium heat. Grill the chicken for 6-7 minutes per side (depending on how thick the chicken breasts are), until the chicken is no longer pink in the center (if you have a meat thermometer, the chicken should register 165 degrees). Tent with foil and let the chicken rest for about five minutes before serving.

Alternately, the chicken can be baked using the following directions:
When ready to cook the chicken, preheat the oven to 350° F. Place the chicken breasts in a baking dish and pour the excess marinade over them. Bake in the oven until cooked through and the internal temperature reaches 165° F, about 45 minutes (exact baking time will depend on the size of your chicken pieces.) Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Strawberry Freezer Jam

Costco had some great tasting strawberries , so we made freezer jam. I just used the recipe from the Sure-Jell box.

Strawberry Freezer Jam
Recipe from the Sure Jell box (printable version)

1 qt. (2 c. crushed) ripe strawberries, washed and stemmed
4 c. sugar
1 package fruit pectin
3/4 c. water
5 8-oz. freezer-safe containers

Wash and dry the freezer-safe containers and set aside.

With a potato masher or in a food processor, mash the berries, leaving some chunks. Measure out 2 c. of berries into a large bowl. Stir in exactly 4 c. sugar and allow to stand for 10 minutes.

While the berries and sugar are co-mingling, whisk the pectin into 3/4 c. water in a small saucepan. Stirring constantly, bring to a boil over high heat and stir for 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir into strawberry mixture for 3 minutes or until sugar is almost entirely dissolved.

Ladle the jam into the prepared containers, leaving about 1/2" at the top for expansion. Top with lids and allow to stand for 24 hours at room temperature. Refrigerate for up to 3 weeks or freeze for 1 year. Makes 5 8-oz. containers.