VIETNAMESE CHICKEN SANDWICHES

1 loaf French bread baguette
2 tsp canola oil
2-3 chicken breasts
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 tsp minced garlic, divided
1 Tbsp lower-sodium soy sauce
2 tsp dark sesame oil
2 tsp hoisin sauce
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup rice vinegar
1 cup matchstick-cut carrots
1 cup very thinly sliced radishes (I "subcut" into matchstick slices)
2 cups thinly sliced English cucumber
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced romaine lettuce
1/2 cup cilantro leaves
1 Tbsp Sriracha (hot chili sauce)

Cut bread in half horizontally; hollow out, leaving a 1" thick shell.

Heat canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Sprinkle chicken with pepper.  Saute or cook until done.  Let stand 10 minutes.  Slice chicken; toss with 1 tsp garlic.  (I boiled frozen chicken breasts in water until cooked, then I cut & shredded the chicken.)

Combine remaining 1 tsp garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, and hoisin in a bowl; add chicken.  Mix.

Combine sugar and vinegar in a small saucepan; cook until sugar dissolves. Add carrot and radishes.  Cool; drain, reserving 2 Tbsp vinegar mixture.

Arrange cucumber and lettuce on bottom half of bread; drizzle with vinegar mixture.  Top with chicken, radish mixture, cilantro, Sriracha, and bread top.

Cut into 4 equal portions.

Serves 4.

Cooking Light, January/February 2013

RHUBARB CURRY CHICKEN

Rhubarb Curry Chicken
 

Prep Time: 15 Minutes

Ready In: 2 Hours 45 Minutes
Cook Time: 1 Hour 30 Minutes

Servings: 4

"Homemade rhubarb marmalade gives curry chicken a sweet and tangy appeal. Use the leftover marmalade to spread on toast or serve with pancakes."

INGREDIENTS:
4 cups chopped rhubarb
1 large orange, peeled and chopped
2 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons grated orange zest
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon salt
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

DIRECTIONS:
1. Place rhubarb and orange in a blender; blend until pureed and transfer to a saucepan. Add sugar and orange zest.
2. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until marmalade is thickened, stirring occasionally, about 45 minutes. Allow marmalade to cool; ladle into jars. Cover jars with lids and refrigerate until ready to use.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Arrange chicken breast halves in a baking dish.
4. Mix 1 cup marmalade, water, curry powder, and salt in a bowl; spoon mixture over chicken breasts.
5. Bake in preheated oven until chicken breasts are no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, basting occasionally, about 45 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). Serve rhubarb sauce over chicken breasts.

From www.allrecipes.com

Chocolate Peanut Butter Bites

Chocolate Peanut Butter Bites

Crust:

2/3 cup flour

1 Tbsp Icing Sugar
1 Tbsp Cocoa Powder
1 pinch salt
3 Tbsp Shortening

 

Filling:

1 cup peanut butter
1 can condensed milk

 

Topping:

2/3 cup magic shell topping (I used chocolate chips melted with a bit of shortening)

32 mini muffin paper cups

 

1.       Preheat oven to 350. Line muffin cups with paper cups.

2.       Crust: Mix ingredients until course crumbs. Press 1 tsp into bottom of each muffin cup.

3.       Bake 8 minutes. Cool.

4.       Filling: Mix peanut butter and condensed milk.

5.       Top crust with slightly less than 1 Tbsp of peanut butter mixture.

6.       Add topping.

7.       Freeze 2 hours or until firm. Serve frozen.

Cranberry Bliss Bars

THESE ARE AMAZING!

 

Cranberry Bliss Bars
Source: RecipeGirl

Ingredients:
Blondie Layer:

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) salted butter, cubed
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup dried cranberries
6 ounces white baking chocolate, coarsely chopped

Frosting:

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
6 ounces white baking chocolate, melted
1/2 cup dried cranberries, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon grated orange zest (optional)

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray or line with parchment paper.
2. Prepare the blondie layer: In a medium bowl, melt butter for one minute in the microwave or until melted; stir in brown sugar. Pour the butter and sugar into a large bowl and let cool to room temperature. Use an electric mixer to beat in the eggs and vanilla. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon; gradually add the dry mixture to the butter mixture. Stir in the cranberries and chopped chocolate (batter will be thick).
3. Spread the blondie batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 18-21 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean (do not overbake). Cool completely on a wire rack.
4. Prepare the frosting: In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar until combined. Gradually add half of the melted white chocolate; beat until blended. Frost brownies. Sprinkle with chopped cranberries. Drizzle with remaining melted white chocolate. Let the frosting set (speed this up by throwing them into the fridge) then cut into bars- square or triangle-shaped. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms

1 teaspoon Paula Deen’s House Seasoning
1/2 cup finely chopped green onion with tops
4 ounces feta cheese
2 ounces cream cheese
1   (10-ounce package) frozen chopped spinach
24   fresh mushrooms, stems removed
Salt, to taste
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Wipe mushroom caps clean with a damp paper towel.  Thaw spinach in a colander; squeeze out as much moisture as possible. In mixing bowl, combine all ingredients except mushrooms and parmesan cheese.  Mix well.  Fill mushroom caps with mixture and place on a cookie sheet.  Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top.  Bake for 15 to 20 minutes.  Serve warm. 

Another alternative - I will make a spinach dip and put spinach dip in the mushroom and top with feta or mozarella cheese.  Bake for 15 - 20 minutes and serve warm.

Beef Samosas

Dry Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 cup of flour
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 1/2 cup fresh strawberries, diced

Wet Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 stick of butter, melted
• 2 large ripe bananas
• 1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a muffin pan with cooking spray. In a large bowl combine all dry ingredients. After mixing, gently fold in the strawberries, making sure to coat them with flour – this helps prevent the berries from sinking while baking. In another large bowl, combine the wet ingredients (I use a potato masher to break up the banana) until mixed thoroughly. Slowly combine the wet mixture into the dry mixture, stir until just combined – do not over mix the batter or you will have tough muffins. Fill the muffin tray with the batter, place in the oven and bake for 22-25 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Enjoy!

3 large potatoes, peeled and diced
1 cup frozen peas
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon cumin seed
1 bay leaf
2 large onions, finely chopped
1 lb ground beef
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 teaspoon fresh gingerroot
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 quart oil (for deep frying)
2 eggs
1/4 cup cold water
50 egg roll wraps
3/4 cup sweet chili sauce, mango chutney or 3/4 cup plum sauce

Directions:

1 In a medium saucepan bring some lightly salted water to boil for potatoes.
2 Add potatoes and frozen peas.
3 Cook until potatoes are tender about 15 minutes.
4 Drain, set aside.
5 Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.
6 Brown cumin seeds and bay leaf.
7 Add in onions and ground beef.
8 Saute until beef has all been browned and the onion is soft, about 5 minutes.
9 Add garlic, fresh ginger.
10 Season with black pepper, salt, cumin, coriander, turmeric, chili powder, cinnamon, cayenne pepper and cardamom.
11 Stir in the potato mixture.
12 Remove from heat and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour, or until cool.
13 Remove bay leaves.
14 In the meantime, make an egg-wash beating the egg and water in a small bowl.
15 Heat oil in a large sauce pan or fryer on high to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
16 Brush both sides of a spring roll wrapper with egg-wash.
17 In the corner of the wrapper place about 1 tablespoon of meat and potato mixture.
18 Fold wrapper into triangles, (There is usually a diagram on the spring roll wrapper package) pressing edges together making sure edges are sealed.
19 Fry until golden brown, in small batches, about 3 minutes.
20 Drain on paper towels and serve warm.
21 Can be eaten cold but taste better warm.
22 Use sweet chili sauce, mango chutney or plum sauce for dipping.

Sausage Potato Soup

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound smoked kielbasa, diced
• 6 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 2 cups frozen corn
• 1-1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1 celery rib, sliced
• 1/4 cup sliced carrot
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1-1/2 cups whole milk
• 2/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh parsley

Directions

• In a large saucepan, brown sausage; drain. Set sausage aside. In the same pan, combine the potatoes, corn, broth, celery, carrot and seasonings. Bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add the milk, cheese, parsley and sausage. Cook and stir over low heat until cheese is melted and soup is heated through. Yield: 6 servings.

Nutritional Facts 1 serving (1 cup) equals 380 calories, 17 g fat (8 g saturated fat), 47 mg cholesterol, 955 mg sodium, 46 g carbohydrate, 4 g fiber, 15 g protein.

KIDS CHOICE YUMMY PEANUT NOODLES

8 ounces soba or udon noodles
1/4 cup warm water
4 tablespoons smooth, natural-style peanut butter
3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce or tamari
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2 teaspoons fresh ginger, chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons dark sesame oil
1 tablespoon rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons natural sugar
pinch cayenne, optional
vegetables, to serve
(I like mung bean sprouts, cucumbers, red bell pepper, snow peas, carrots, broccoli florets, green peas, and scallions)

1. In a pot of boiling water, cook the noodles according to package directions until tender. Drain them, and rinse with cold water.
2. For sauce, whisk or blend together the warm water, peanut butter, soy sauce/tamari, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, vinegar, sugar, and cayenne, if using.
3. Prepare any vegetables you plan on using. Transfer the noodles to a serving bowl, and toss them with the sauce. It's best to toss the noodles with the peanut sauce right before serving, so the sauce doesn't get absorbed by the noodles.
4. Stir in the vegetables or serve the veggies on the side. Serve at room temperature or cold.
If I put this meal in my children's lunchboxes, I usually put the sauce in a separate, small container so they can mix it with the noodles at lunchtime. ou can vary the amount of water depending on how thick you want the sauce. Use whatever vegetables appeal most to you.
Source of recipe: My kids are crazy about the peanut noodles on the buffet at our local natural food store. I've tried many different peanut noodle recipes, each of which caused them to turn up their nose. Finally I came up with this recipe, which they both eat enthusiastically! (I think the fresh ginger is key.)

Preparation Time: 

20 minutes, Cooking time: 20 minutes

Cooking Time: 

20 minutes

Servings: 

6

Print

  

http://vegweb.com/recipes/kids-choice-yummy-peanut-noodles

COCONUT BANANA MUFFINS

COCONUT BANANA MUFFINS

Makes: 11-12 small muffins 

115g cup all-purpose flour (about 1 cup)
70g desiccated coconut/ dried coconut flakes (about 1 cup)
60g unsalted butter, melted *
1 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda
50g castor sugar
1 tbsp brown sugar
¼ tsp salt
1 large egg *
80ml coconut milk *
4 tbsp milk *
2 medium sized full ripen bananas (about 175g with skin), mashed 

* – All these ingredients must be at room temperature

1. Preheat oven to 200°C for 15 minutes. Prepare muffin cups.
2. Cut butter into cubes and put into a small bowl. Transfer the bowl to a sauce pan filled with water. Heat up the sauce pan under medium low heat. Stir the butter occasionally. When it’s fully melted, remove the bowl from the sauce pan. Set aside.
3. In a mixing bowl, combine and sieve flour, baking powder and baking soda. Add in castor sugar and salt to mix well.
4. In a separate bowl, mix desiccated coconut with 1 tbsp brown sugar and 30g melted butter until well combined. Set aside 4 tbsp coconut mixture as topping. Then, add the remaining coconut mixture into the flour mixture (from step 3) and combine well.
5. In another bowl, beat egg until foamy. Stir in coconut milk, milk and 30g melted butter until well combined. Then add in mashed bananas and mix well.
6. Using a spatula, gently fold in wet ingredients (from step 5) to dry ingredients (from step 4) till well incorporated and no traces of flour. Do not overmix. It is fine if there are some small lumps in the batter.
7. Transfer batter into a piping bag and pipe batter into the muffin cups until each cup is 80% full. Alternatively, you can use a spoon to scoop the muffins into the cups.
8. Use a small spoon (ie dessert spoon), scoop and spread the coconut mixture (from step 4) evenly on top of the batter. Lightly press the coconut mixture so that it will stick well to the batter.
9. The batter should be thick, “spoonable” not “pourable”.
10. Bake in the oven at 190°c for 10 minutes, then lower to 180°c for another 10 minutes or until the muffins have risen and turned slightly golden brown. If your muffins show uneven colour, turn the baking tray 180° towards the last 5 minutes.
11. After the baking time is over, leave the muffins inside with the oven door shut. Let the residue heat in the oven cook the muffins for a further 2 minutes.

http://food-4tots.com/2011/10/02/coconut-banana-muffins/2/