Kung Pao Chicken W/ Sesame Noodles

 

Kung Pao Chicken (from Mary Ostyn!!)

Ingredients:

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into chunks 2 tablespoons white wine 2 tablespoons soy sauce 2 tablespoons sesame oil, divided 2 tablespoons cornstarch, dissolved in 2 tablespoons water

1 ounce hot chile paste 1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar 2 teaspoons brown sugar 4 green onions, chopped 1 tablespoon chopped garlic 1 (8 ounce) can water chestnuts 4 ounces chopped peanuts

Directions:

1.	To Make Marinade: Combine 1 tablespoon wine, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon cornstarch/water mixture and mix together. Place chicken pieces in a glass dish or bowl and add marinade. Toss to coat. Cover dish and place in refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
2.	To Make Sauce: In a small bowl combine 1 tablespoon wine, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon oil, 1 tablespoon cornstarch/water mixture, chili paste, vinegar and sugar. Mix together and add green onion, garlic, water chestnuts and peanuts. In a medium skillet, heat sauce slowly until aromatic.
3	Meanwhile, remove chicken from marinade and saute in a large skillet until meat is white and juices run clear. When sauce is aromatic, add sauteed chicken to it and let simmer together until sauce thickens. Pioneer Woman's Sesame Noodles: Ingredients 12 ounces, fluid Thin Noodles, Cooked And Drained ¼ cups Soy Sauce 2 Tablespoons Sugar 4 cloves Garlic, Minced 2 Tablespoons Rice Vinegar 3 Tablespoons Pure Sesame Oil ½ teaspoons Hot Chili Oil 4 Tablespoons Canola Oil 4 whole Green Onions, Sliced Thin Preparation Instructions Whisk all ingredients (except noodles and green onions) together in a bowl. Taste and adjust ingredients as needed. Pour sauce over warm noodles and toss to coat. Sprinkle with green onions and toss.

Taco Pasta

 

 

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef or turkey
• 8-12 ounces medium pasta shells or other small dry pasta shapes
• 1 small onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 (14 oz.) can diced tomatoes with mild green chilies, drained (if making this for kids you might want to use just plain diced tomatoes)
• 1 packet (4 tablespoons) taco seasoning
• 3 ounces cream cheese
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• Salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Cook pasta according to the package directions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water. Set aside.
2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet or sauté pan, cook the ground meat over medium-high heat until no longer pink. A few minutes before the meat is cooked through, add the chopped onion to the skillet. Once the meat is cooked through, mix in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add in the diced tomatoes and taco seasoning and let simmer over medium heat for about 3-5 minutes.
3. Stir in the cooked pasta, cream cheese, sour cream and reserved pasta water, and continue stirring until the cream cheese is melted and the sauce is well blended. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer over medium-low heat 3-5 minutes to reduce the sauce a bit if it is still too thin.
4. Toss in the cilantro right before serving for some fresh color and flavor. Serve with a green salad.

Cheesy Ranch Tater Tots

1 Bag frozen tater tots (I got a king size bag and used around 1/2)

Sour Cream Ranch Sauce
1 cup light sour cream
1/2 cup ranch dressing
1/4 cup milk

Toppings
1 cup (or as much as you like) shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (didn't use this time as I didn't have any)
1/2 cup real bacon bits.  Or more.  Lots more.  I cooked up 3/4 pound....
1/4 cup green onions
Salt and pepper to taste (I didn't think it needed it).

1.  Cook frozen tater tots according to package directions.  (I actually cooked up the amount I used on 2 trays, to maximize crispiness.  What you see on the tray above is after it was all assembled.)
2. Spread 3/4 of the Sour Cream Ranch Sauce onto an oven safe serving platter.  I used a baking sheet.
3. Arrange tots on top of the sauce.
4. Drizzle remaining sauce on the top, and sprinkle on the toppings.
5. Place under broiler for a few seconds to melt the cheese.

Serve immediately.

Like making twice baked potatoes, but different.  About 30 minutes prep time.

Malted Cocoa Mix

We made this for Christmas gifts.  We doubled the recipe, which just might have been too much for my most ginormous mixing bowl.

This recipe is enough to fill five 1 quart containers.

25oz powdered milk
6 cups mini marshmallows
16 oz instant chocolate milk mix (like Quik)
13 oz malted milk powder (It will be in the same row as the chocolate milk)
1 cup powdered sugar
6oz powdered coffee creamer
1/2 tsp salt

Mix all the ingredients and store in airtight containers.

To serve, stir 1/3 c mix into 3/4 cup boiling water.

Cinnamon Crescents

I love making (and eating) cinnamon rolls, but it does take a chunk of time.  Last Sunday I quickly made these, and while they aren't the same thing as rolls from scratch, they are still plenty yummy!

1 tube refrigerated crescent rolls

Filling

5 tablespoons butter, softened
¼ cup white sugar
2½ teaspoons cinnamon

 

Glaze

2 tablespoons butter, melted
¼ cup + 2 tablespoons powdered Sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Unroll crescent rolls.  Mix together filling ingredients and spread onto dough triangles.  Roll up and place tip side down on a cookie sheet.  Bake 10-12 minutes at 375.

Mix glaze ingredients and place into a baggie.  Snip the corner.  Drizzle the glaze over the hot rolls.

Chocolate Cookie Dough Dip

I read about this recipe on a blog somewhere, but I can't remember where.  We served it up at Abigail's birthday party.  It is decadently delicious.  We had it with graham crackers and nilla wafers as dunkers, but a spoon works equally as well.  :)

1 cube butter
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 8oz block of cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup mini chocolate chips

Melt butter and brown sugar together, stirring until bubbly and the sugar dissolves.  Add vanilla.  Set aside to cool a bit.

Beat cream cheese and powdered sugar together.  With mixer on low, stir in brown sugar mixture.

Stir in most of the chocolate chips, and then sprinkle the rest on the top.

Cheddar Fondue

We had fondue with the kids for the first time on New Years Eve.  I found a recipe that was more cheddar based, rather than the traditional swiss, so the kids might like it better.

12 oz sharp cheddar
4 oz swiss
1 Tbl flour
8 oz light beer (or chicken broth)
1 Tbl  + 1 tsp garlic powder
1 1 Tbl  + 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbl dry mustard

Shred cheeses and toss with the flour.

With the fondue pot on medium heat, pour in the beer (or broth.)  Since the kids were joining us I let it boil quite a while to burn off the alcohol content.  Add garlic, mustard powder and Worcestershire.

Add about 1/3 of the cheese and whisk very well.  Once it has melted add another third and wish, and then add the remaining and whisk again.

We served it with sourdough and rye bread, apples, celery and boiled red potatoes.