Orange Chicken

Orange Chicken

Chicken:
2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts (cut into 1-1/2” cubes)
1 ½ cups all purpose flour
1 eggs (beaten)
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
Oil (for frying)

Orange Sauce:
1 cup water
2 tablespoons FRESH orange juice
¼ cup FRESH lemon juice
1/3 cup rice vinegar
2 ½ tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon orange zest (grated)
1 cup packed brown sugar (I actually added a little more brown sugar... )
½ teaspoon ginger root (minced)
½ teaspoon garlic (minced)
2 tablespoons green onion (chopped)
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (we added more... again, we like it HOT)
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 c. water

Combine flour, salt, and pepper. Dip chicken in egg mixture and shake in flour mixture to coat. Deep fry chicken in batches at 375 degrees in a deep fryer (or use a wok) until completely cooked.

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan combine 1 cup water, lemon juice, orange juice, rice vinegar, and soy sauce. Blend well over medium heat for a few minutes. Stir in brown sugar, orange zest, ginger garlic, and onion. Bring to a boil.

Combine 3 tablespoons of cornstarch with 1/4 cup of water and mix thoroughly. Slowly stir cornstarch mixture into sauce until it thickens. Pour sauce over breaded chicken, and if desired add red pepper flakes and garnish with green onions.

Pizza Factory Breadstick Twists

This recipe is so easy and sooo good! They taste amazingly similar to the breadsticks at The Pizza Factory in Utah.

1½ cups warm water

2 Tbsp. sugar

1 Tbsp. yeast

Let that sit for 5 minutes. Then add:

3½ cups flour

1 tsp Salt

Mix until smooth then let raise for 10 minutes. Roll out dough into a large square on a floured surface. Brush with melted (real) butter mixed with garlic and then sprinkle with kosher salt. Fold in half and cut into 1 inch strips. Twist and place on a cooking sheet. Let sit for 15 to 20 minutes to raise. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately after baking, brush with more garlic butter and sprinkle with kosher salt and grated parmesan cheese. Serve with marinara, alfredo sauce, or ranch for dipping.

*Dough also makes a great pizza dough, just roll out into a large circle, add your favorite toppings, and bake at 400 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes.

Creamy Tortilla Soup!

1 Chicken Breast - raw & diced into small chuncks (I seriously always use Kirkland canned chicken, drained. It's much easier, faster, and I think tastier).

1 can of corn with liquid
1 can of rotel (in the mexican food isle), or you can use a can of green chiles
1 can of chicken broth
1 can drained pinto beans
1 can of cream of chicken soup
2 Tbls. Taco seasoning
2 Tbls. Chopped fresh cilantro

Mix above in a large heavy pan. Bring to a boil, simmer 15 minutes.

1 cup (+ extra for serving) of light sour cream
Tortilla chips
Cheese

Take 1 cup of liquid from above and mix with 1 cup of sour cream. Add back to pan.

Serve soup with tortilla chips/shredded cheese/chopped cilantro and sour cream.

Honey Butter's!

Cinnamon Honey Butter!
2 sticks Butter, softened but NOT melted!
1 cup Powered Sugar
1 cup Honey
2 tsp. Cinnamon

Whip it good my friends! Then, scrape the sides and whip it agaiN!


My Own Whipped Honey Butter!

1/2 cup butter (softened)

1 egg yolk

1/4 tsp. vanilla

1/2 cup honey

Mix the butter, egg yolk, and vanilla until smooth. Gradually add the honey while mixing.

Old Fashioned Cake-Doughnuts

2 large eggs
1 cup (8 ounces) buttermilk
1 cup (7 ounces) granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon lemon oil or 1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 cup (4 ounces) King Arthur White Whole Wheat Flour
3 1/2 cups (14 7/8 ounces) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 quarts (3 pounds) lard, shortening or vegetable oil

While you prepare the dough, begin heating the lard (best flavor), shortening (less saturated fat but also less flavor), or vegetable oil (probably the healthiest alternative but if you're doing these for flavor, this is not the choice to make). An 8-quart stock pot is an appropriate size cooking container.

You want the fat to reach somewhere between 365°F and 375°F before you begin to cook. It's best to have a thermometer that you can clip onto the side of your pot so you can monitor the temperature. And make temperature changes slowly. Unlike water, it takes time for the fat to respond to increased or decreased heat. It's easy, if you're too exuberant, to have the temperature begin to soar up to the smoke point. And it doesn't like to give up its heat easily.

Beat together the eggs, buttermilk, sugar and lemon oil or zest until light. In a separate bowl, blend together the dry ingredients. Melt the butter but make sure it's not excessively hot. Quickly blend the dry ingredients with the wet and stir in the melted butter. The resulting dough will be quite soft, but if you keep surfaces well sprinkled with flour, you can manage it. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, and knead four or five times to make it cohesive (a bench knife helps here). Then, with a well-floured rolling pin, roll the dough out until it's about 1/2-inch thick. With a doughnut cutter dipped in flour (each time you cut), cut out doughnuts. Save the "holes" or re-roll them with leftover dough. Try to handle the dough as little as possible.

When the fat is at the appropriate temperature, lower three or four doughnuts into it. A slotted spoon is useful here. They will initially sink to the bottom of the pot but will rise shortly. Give them a minute or so on one side, then flip them over and give them another minute. Flip them a third time and cook for another 30 seconds. Drain on paper towels (or brown paper grocery bags). Yield: 1 1/2 to 2 dozen doughnuts, depending on the size of your cutter.

Oatmeal Pancakes!

2 cups regular oats
2 cups buttermilk
2 eggs
1/4 cup melted butter
1/2 cup flour
2 TBS sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. cinnamon (i do a little more)
1/4 tsp. salt

These are so good and hearty! Love them with the Magleby's syrup, posted earlier!

Cilantro Lime Halibut!

It is really easy to make and doesn't taste fishy AT ALL. It is just fresh, flaky, and fantastic! Plus, it is low fat and healthy too!

2 six ounce fresh halibut filets
salt and pepper to taste
2 cloves garlic, crushed
½ cup white wine or chicken stock
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped
juice of 1 lime
1 teaspoon lime zest
2 tablespoons olive oil

Season halibut with salt and pepper one hour before cooking. Place in refrigerator.

Lightly oil a non-stick pan with canola or vegetable oil. Over high heat, sear each side of the halibut filets for five seconds each. Searing the filets will cook a fine layer on the outside of the fish so that it will not stick to the barbecue. Because of the moistness and flakiness of halibut, this will prevent the halibut from sticking and falling through the grates of your barbecue grill. This is a great tip when barbecuing all types of fish, but works especially well with halibut.

Remove halibut from pan and turn heat down to medium. Add olive oil and garlic to pan and cook for 2 minutes. Add wine or chicken stock, cilantro, lime juice , lime zest and olive oil to the sauté pan and heat until hot but not boiling.

Remove sauce from heat and baste fish on both sides. Cook on barbecue grill for 3 minutes per side, basting constantly while cooking. Serve immediately.

This little girl loves her some Corn on the Cob!

Hawaiian Beef Teryiaki

1 can pineapple chunks with juice (15 oz.)
1 c. soy sauce
3/4 c. brown sugar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. minced ginger
1 Lb. beef sirloin, cut in 1 inch cubes

Mix together all ingredients, excluding beef. Set aside about 1/2 c. of the sauce, cover and refrigerate. Add beef to remaining sauce and marinate, covered and refrigerated overnight (better yet, seal the marinade and beef in a large Ziploc bag and place in a bowl, then place in the fridge-- either way works). Thread beef onto skewers. Discard leftover marinade. Broil or grill about 8-10 minutes, turning once, until beef is cooked. Place beef in a large bowl, pour remaining sauce over the cooked beef and stir until well covered. Serve with rice (or grilled fresh pineapple). We also had corn on the cob! So amazing!

We don't have a grill, so I just Broiled both the meat and the Pineapple! (the pic of the pineapple is not my own!) And they both turned out so wonderful! Spencer said it was his favorite meal so far!

And of course, Cupcakes for dessert! Emma wanted Orange frosting, so that is what she got!

Roasted Rotisserie Chicken

Sometimes you just have to let someone else do the cooking for you!
Tonight is the adult session of our Stake Conference and Spencer had to go to the Priesthood session first... So in the state of panic to find something to eat quickly and that wasn't forzen, I ran to the grocery store and picked up one of these Roasted Rotisserie Chicken! My mom loves them , but we have never tried it!
It isn't frozen, they are fresh and hot when you pick them up! I got this a a store called Meijer out here in Michigan, but you can get them at Walmart too, or probably any grocery store! They are in the front of the store, by the bakery and fresh meat section!
They really are good and all you have to do is have a salad and dessert to go with! Spencer just took parts of it with him in a tupperware container!
Yeah...Dinner is done! and Tommorrow we can start cooking again!

Nojito

Nojito (Non-alcohalic Mojito!)

• 10-12 fresh small spearmint leaves
• 1/2 lime, juiced
• 7 oz sprite zero or club soda
• 1 tbsp sugar or Splenda
• crushed ice
  

In a cool tall glass, muddle the mint, sugar or splenda and lime juice. Add crushed ice and soda and stir well. Garnish with a lime wedge and a few sprigs of mint. Serve with a straw.

This is really so good! Just don't forget the Sugar! If you do, the lime has a huge punch!!!

Snickerdoodles!

LOVE LOVE LOVE THESE!!!
Cookies:
1/2 cup softened butter
1/2 cup shortening
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
2 3/4 cup flour
2 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

Extra:
2 tbls. sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon

Cream; Butter, shortening, 1st sugar, eggs and vanilla
Add: flour, cream of tartar, soda and salt

Shape dough into balls
Mix in separate bowl: 2 tbls sugar and 2 tsp cinnamon

Roll balls of dough in the sugar/cinnamon mixture
Place 2 inches apart on baking sheet
Bake @ 400 degrees for 8-10 mins!
Remove immediatley from baking sheet!

EnJOY!

Olive Garden Breadsitcks and Salad Dressing

Olive Garden's:

Mine:
For the Dough:
1 pkg active dry yeast
4 1/4 cups all purpose flour-plus more for dusting
2 tbsp Un-salted butter softened
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp fine salt

For the topping:
3 tbsp melted butter-Unsalted
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/8-1/4 tsp garlic powder
pinch of dried oregano

1. Place 1/4 cup warm water in the bowl of a mixer, sprinkle in the yeast and ste aside until foamy. About 5 min. Add the four, butter, sugar, fine salt, and 1 1/4 cups plus 2 tbsp warm water. Mix with paddle attatchemnt until a slightly sticky batter forms. 5 min.

2. Knead the dough by hand on a foured surface until very smooth and soft, about 3 min. Roll into a 2 foot long log, cut into 16 1 1/2 in long pieces. Knead each peace slightly and shape into a 7 in ong bread stick. Arrnage 2 inches apart on a parchment lined baking sheet. Cover with a cloth, let rise until almost doubled (45 min).

3. Preheat oven to 400, and brush the bread sticks with 1/2 the melted butter then sprinkle with 1/4 tsp kosher salt. Bake until lightly golden (about 15 min), meanwhile mix the remaining salt with the garlic powder, and oregeno. When you take the breadsticks out of the oven brush with remaining melted butter and "seasoned salt".

Salad and Dressing!Dressing:
1/4 cup extar virgin olive oil
2 tbso white wine vinegar
3 tbsp miracle whip
1 tbsp jemon juice
2 tbso grated parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp dried Italian seasoning
1-2 tbsp water

Salad:
1-10 oz bag Amrian salad blend
1/4 rd onion thinly sliced
4 small pepperoncini peppers
1 small vine riped tomato, quartered
2 tbsp sliced black olives
1/2 cup large croutons
1 tbsp grated parmesan

The Breadsticks were really good, but I wish that there was just a little bit more garlic in the melted butter! So the next time I do this, I will put enough in, just to make them taste more like Olive Garden's!

Lasagna

Wonderful, so good, Lasagna!

Sauce:

1lb. Ground Beef

1 can Spaghetti sauce

1 can Tomato sauce

1 tbls. Parsley

1 tsp. oregano

Cheese:

1 16oz container of cottage cheese

1/4 cup grated parmesian cheese

1 egg

1 tbls. Parsley

1 tsp. Basil

also needed:

10 cooked lasagna noodles

2 cup mozzerella cheese

Layer;

Sauce, noodles, chesse, sauce, noodles, cheese & rest of sauce!

Bake at 350 Degrees for 1 hr.

Then sprinkle the 2 cup mosserella cheese on top!

Homemade Oreos

Makes 25 to 30 sandwich cookies

For the chocolate wafers:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch process cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 to 1 1/2 cups sugar [see recipe note]
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) room-temperature, unsalted butter
1 large egg

For the filling:
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) room-temperature, unsalted butter
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. Set two racks in the middle of the oven. Preheat to 375°F.


2. In a food processor, or bowl of an electric mixer, thoroughly mix the flour, cocoa, baking soda and powder, salt, and sugar. While pulsing, or on low speed, add the butter, and then the egg. Continue processing or mixing until dough comes together in a mass.


3. Take rounded teaspoons of batter and place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet approximately two inches apart. With moistened hands, slightly flatten the dough. Bake for 9 minutes, rotating once for even baking. Set baking sheets on a rack to cool.


4. To make the cream, place butter and shortening in a mixing bowl, and at low speed, gradually beat in the sugar and vanilla. Turn the mixer on high and beat for 2 to 3 minutes until filling is light and fluffy.


5. To assemble the cookies, in a pastry bag with a 1/2 inch, round tip, pipe teaspoon-size blobs of cream into the center of one cookie. Place another cookie, equal in size to the first, on top of the cream. Lightly press, to work the filling evenly to the outsides of the cookie. Continue this process until all the cookies have been sandwiched with cream. Dunk generously in a large glass of milk.