Orange Chicken Stir-fry

I saw this recipe and guess what I had in my fridge...fresh citrus!  woohoo!  I also I am back to being able to cook and wanting to cook with lots of vegetables.  So, my fridge is loaded with veggies and ready for veggie cooking extravaganza! I used broccoli, asparagus, french green beans, red bell peppers, zucchini and served it with a buckwheat soba noodles.  So stir fry friends, stir fry.

Citrus Chicken and Vegetable Stir-Fry

modified from: Alice Currah is the publisher of popular food blog, SavorySweetLife.com

Ingredients

• Sauce:

• 3/4 cup orange or other citrus juice
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce (I used sweet soy sauce)
• 2 tablespoons  vinegar (it calls for rice vinegar, but I don't like rice vinegar, so I used what I had)
• 1 tablespoon orange zest

 

• 2 large cloves garlic
• 1 teaspoon minced ginger or 1/2 tsp powdered ginger
• optional sweetener like sugar, honey, agave, etc.

• Stir-fry:

• 1 pound chicken tender cut into cubes
• salt and pepper
• 3 tablespoons corn starch
• 4 cups chopped vegetables such as broccoli, carrots, celery, mushroom, snap peas, red peppers, sweet potatoes ...whatever you have on hand.
• olive oil
• 1/2 cup medium yellow onion, chopped

Instructions

1. Blend all the ingredients for the sauce in a blender or food processor for 10 seconds.
2. Taste the sauce and add your choice of sweetener to your liking.
3. Blend again for a few more seconds.
4. Heat the sauce in a large skillet on medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Carefully transfer the sauce to a heat proof bowl.
5. Rinse the skillet clean.
6. Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
7. Add the corn starch and massage the chicken with your hands.
8. If using fresh broccoli or green beans, boil the broccoli for 3-5 minutes until soft enough to pierce with a fork yet firm.
9. Transfer the vegetables to a plate lined with a paper towel.
10. Wipe down the skillet until dry.
11. Heat approximately 1 tablespoon of oil in the skillet on medium-high heat.
12. Cook the onion and chicken until the chicken is cooked through, approximately 3-4 minutes.
13. Add the remaining vegetables and stir-fry them together for 2 minutes.
14. Slowly add a few tablespoons of sauce while stirring the vegetables and chicken.
15. Continue to add the sauce a few tablespoons at a time, allowing about 15 seconds between each addition to allow sauce to slightly cook down.
16. Spoon the stir-fry over a bowl of hot rice or noodles. Serve immediately.

Why I will never buy another Granola Bar!

Yes, I made homemade granola bars.  They were easy and oh, so tasty!  I used almonds and cranberries, but I also want to make pecans and cherries or peanut butter and chocolate or ...whatever else I can think of.  So, if you like granola bars you have to try this!  Though, one tip, use parchment paper on the bottom or they will stick solid. 

Granola Bars

1 1/2 cups of rolled oats (I used 1 cup rolled oats and 1/2 cup steel cut oats)

1 cup chopped almonds (or other nuts)

1 cup dried cranberries (or other dried fruit)

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup honey

 

 

Preheat oven to 350. Mix all ingredients. Spread into a well-greased pan. Bake for 10-20 minutes, depending on your crunch preference (the longer it cooks, the crunchier it gets). Let the granola cool before you cut it, or it will fall apart.

Salted Caramel Butterscotch Budino (Italian Pudding)

 

I went to a restaurant not long ago, with a several co-workers.  We were at a conference, and we were chatting it up when this dessert was set in front of us.  I took a bite and it was if I was on a white, fluffy cloud of pure sweet ecstasy.  So you know I had to try to find a recipe and recreate.  Here is what I found!!  It was delicious!!!  Really, really good.  I would probably use one of my other tried and true butterscotch pudding next time, but this was still fabulous.  It is not as difficult as it might seem at first, so give it a whirl and enjoy pure joy!!!

 

xoxo

***"From Chef Marcie Turney of Philadelphia's newest Italian restaurant, Barbuzzo."

 

Salted Caramel Butterscotch Budino (Italian Pudding)

Ingredients

Salted caramel

• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
• 3 tablespoons water
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon sea salt ( the flaky kind, plus more for garnish)
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Pudding

• 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup ( preferably grade B)
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 1/2 cups half-and-half
• 1 eggs, large
• 2 egg yolks, large
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/4 cup whipped cream, for serving



Yes, Virginia, there is a reason I named it "kitchen of tasty....chaos :) 


















Directions

1. Make the salted caramel: In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, bring the sugar, corn syrup and water to a boil over high heat, swirling (not stirring) to caramelize evenly. When the caramel reaches a dark amber color (about 3 minutes), remove from the heat and carefully add the cream. (The mixture will foam up.) Add the butter, sea salt and vanilla and whisk to combine. Set aside and reserve.
2. Make the pudding: In a saucepan, combine the maple syrup, brown sugar, water and salt and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Simmer for about 5 minutes, until the mixture darkens slightly in color. Remove from the heat and whisk in the half-and-half until smooth.

Directions

3. In a large, heatproof mixing bowl, whisk the whole egg with the egg yolks and cornstarch until combined. Whisk in the maple-syrup-brown-sugar mixture in a slow, thin stream. Pour the mixture into the saucepan through a fine-mesh strainer and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until it thickens to a pudding like texture, about 5 minutes.
4. Divide the pudding among four 8-ounce ramekins or small mason jars and top each with a quarter of the reserved caramel. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to overnight. Sprinkle the top of the puddings with sea salt and a dollop of whipped cream before serving.

Happy, Healthy, Homemade Ramen

That's right, homemade ramen.  I was in the Asian food section of my local Fry's grocery store when I came across organic, wheat ramen. Sounded interesting to me, so I bought a pack.  It happened several days later I had food poisoning and was unable to eat solid type food for a couple days.  So, I made soup....ramen soup.  It doesn't look a bit like the ramen you are used to buying in the store, it was better, sooooooo much better and very, very, very simple.  So here is my feature presentation:


                                                         Sara's Simple Ramen Soup

1/2 onion, chopped
2  carrots, quartered and chopped
2 stalks of celery, halved and chopped
5 cups of chicken broth (or beef broth, or vegetable broth)
one bundle of ramen noodles (organic wheat)

In a medium pot, boil ramen noodles in water as directed on the package.

In another pan, saute onion in 2 tbsps of oil or butter until soft and fragrant.  Add carrots and celery.  When they are soft add the broth and cooked ramen noodles and simmer on low for 15 minutes.  As salt and pepper as needed. 

That's it!!!!  You could also shred a rotessiere chicken for more flavor and punch and other vegebables such as zucchini, peas, fresh green beans etc.  Have fun with it!

Kale...what do you do with Kale?

Every time I get a gigantic bunch of kale in my bountiful basket I ask myself this question...what do you do with kale???  Luckily there are these things called pinterest and food gawker.  I found two recipes that I didn't really have all the ingredients for, and made much more than little old me needed...but It gave me enough inspiration to create some of my own kale recipes.  I am only going to give you one of the recipes, because the other one was just a little bit too over the chaotic line to expose my fine friends to.  So, presenting the kale and egg bake!!!  dun duh da dun!!!!!  (sorry about the pictures, I was too lazy to find my camera, so went for the camera phone....)

Kale and egg bake

5 eggs

½ bunch of kale, chopped (get those stems out…they are bitter and tough)

1 tbs heavy cream

½ cup cheese ( use what is available, I used part sharp cheddar, part parmesan)

3 cloves of garlic minced

2 ounces chopped ham

Dashes of salt, pepper and I threw in some All

Chop and saute the kale and get it slightly wilted.  Once it is sauteed, mix all together and put into 4 individual ramekins.  Cook at 375 for 20 minutes.  Let cool for 5 minutes.  You can put some plastic wrap over the egg and ramekin and put in the fridge.  You can put it in the microwave for 1 -2 minutes…but no longer!!  

Enjoy!!

Strawberry Limeade Frozen Yogurt

Strawberry Limeade Frozen Yogurt...because I want to.

 Recipe courtesy the Neelys, modified

• 4 cups strawberries, hulled and chopped
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 lime zest
• 1 lime juiced
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt

Directions

A full 24 hours before you make your frozen yogurt, place your ice cream maker insert into the freezer.

Add all ingredients to a blender and puree.

Turn your ice cream machine on and pour in the chilled yogurt mixture. Churn until the mixture looks formed. about 20 minutes.

Place in the freezer for several hours until hard enough to scoop.

Moroccan Quinoa Salad

I started doing the Pintrest thing recently.  I only have recipes and ideas for first grade, but that consumes my life as is, so now it consumes my interneting.  I found this recipe that someone else had pinned.  I changed a few things, and will probably change things every time I make it, depending on what I have available.  It is really delicious, and extremely healthy.  I am well pleased.  I just won't mention that I have lemon cookies made and vanilla icecream in the works...ah well....can't be perfect all of the time!!!!  xoxo

Moroccan Quinoa Salad (slightly modified from Chef Dennis…who slightly modified it from someone else)

http://www.askchefdennis.com/2010/04/morrocan-quinoa-salad/

1 cup Quinoa

2 cups Water

1 16 oz can of Chick Peas drained

2 cloves of garlic finely chopped

A couple dashes cumin powder

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon Salt
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 zucchini sliced and roasted in the oven with olive oil and salt for 10 minutes, until brown on both sides
1/2 cup of dried cranberries
1/2 cup spicy pumpkin seeds (I got mine at sunflower market)

Start by cooking the Quinoa, first sear the grains just a little before adding the water, almost toasting them…start with a little olive oil in your sauce pan then add your Quinoa (depending upon what brand you are using you may need to rinse it first), just let it saute stirring it around for a minute or two, then add your water let it come to a boil, reduce the heat to simmer and cover for 15-20 minutes. When Quinoa is done fluff with a fork and allow to cool fluffing with a fork while cooling.
While the Quinoa is cooking, start your chick peas. Take a saute pan add the olive oil and garlic, let the garlic saute briefly then add chick peas and all of the seasonings and mix thoroughly. Allow the chick peas to pick up some color while they are cooking, turning then occasionally. Saute the Chick Peas for 10-15 minutes reducing heat if necessary. Chick Peas should have a nice golden brown color.
Add Quinoa to Chick Peas, with the rest of the ingredients, mix well and taste. You may re season to your taste.