Sunday, November 6, 2011

COLD CHICKEN SATAY NOODLES

COLD CHICKEN SATAY NOODLES (dana's dish)

This meal can be served at room temperature or cold, making it a great option for warm spring and summer nights.
by Rachael Ray | on 08/30/07

 

INGREDIENTS

  • Salt
  • 1 pound whole wheat spaghetti
  • 1/4-1/3 cup smooth or chunky peanut butter, softened
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1/4 cup warm water
  • 1/4 cup Tamari (dark soy sauce)
  • 1 clove garlic, grated with a microplane or box grater
  • Juice of 2 limes, zest of 1
  • 1 teaspoon hot sauce (eyeball it)
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable, peanut or sunflower oil
  • 2 cups store-bought rotisserie chicken meat, skin removed and thinly sliced
  • A handful of shredded carrots
  • 4 scallions, thinly sliced on an angle
  • 1 cup spinach leaves, thinly sliced
  • 1/4 cup chopped peanuts, available in small pouches in the baking aisle
  • 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro or flat leaf parsley, whichever you prefer
Serves 4

PREPARATION

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, salt the water liberally, then drop in the pasta and cook to al dente. Run the cooked pasta under cold water to cool. Drain well and reserve.
While the water is coming to a boil and the pasta is cooking, whisk together the softened peanut butter, honey and warm water in a large bowl. Once they're combined, whisk in the Tamari, garlic, lime juice and zest and hot sauce. While whisking continuously, pour in the oil in a steady stream to complete the dressing.
Add the noodles, veggies and peanuts to the bowl and toss until everything is mixed well. Place the noodles in shallow bowls and top with the chicken and cilantro or parsley.

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Caramel Apple Cider

(Recipe from Our Best Bites)


1 (64 oz) bottle of apple juice or cider (**much better with apple cider)
1/2 cup orange juice (freshly squeezed or high quality brand like Simply Orange)
2 cinnamon sticks
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1 orange
8 whole cloves
1/3 cup bottled caramel sauce (plus more to taste if desired)
Sweetened whipped cream
Ground cinnamon

1.Pour the apple cider into a large stock pot on the stove. Set heat to medium high. Add orange juice, cinnamon sticks, and allspice
2.Thoroughly wash your orange and then gently stab the whole cloves into it.
3.Gently drop your orange into the pot. Bring cider to a boil and then reduce to simmer. Simmer on low for 60 minutes or longer if you wish. If at any time the orange splits open, remove it from the pot.
4. After the cider has simmered for an hour, add caramel sauce and stir to combine and dissolve. Add more caramel to taste if needed.
5. When ready to serve, top with whipped cream, a drizzle of caramel and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Teri's Chili

This is the chili I brought to Lisa's house for the baked potato night. ( I have used canned diced tomato's when I don't have tomato's on hand.)

2 lbs ground beef(I use ground turkey)
(1) 29oz can tomato sauce
(1) 20 oz can kidney beans(with liquid)
(2) 15 oz cans pinto beans (with liquid)
1 cup diced onion
1 small can of diced green chili
3 medium tomatoes chopped
2 tsp cumin powder
3 Tablespoons chili powder
1 1/2 tsp black pepper
2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups water

Brown meat, drain and rinse off fat. Add all other ingredients, simmer over low heat.
*For spiecier chili, add 1/2 tsp black pepper
*For much spicier chili, add 1 T. cayenne pepper

Monday, October 31, 2011

Chicken A'La Ritz

Chicken A’La Ritz

4 C cooked brown rice (you can use white, I always use brown)
2-3 C cooked, cubed chicken
2 cans cream of chicken soup (cream of anything will work)
1 ½ C sour cream
2 C Ritz cracker crumbs
1/4 c margarine ( you can use butter or oil instead)

Spread rice in the bottom of a 9x13 dish. Mix chicken, soup, and sour cream. Spread over rice. Toss cracker crumbs with melted margarine. Spread over top of soup mixture. Bake at 350 deg for 45 minutes or until well browned and hot clear through.

Sunday, October 30, 2011

Fall Dip

After School Dip

Ingredients
·        1 package (8 ounces) nonfat cream cheese
·        1 tablespoon nonfat milk
·        3 tablespoons packed dark-brown sugar
·        1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
·        1/3 cup raisins
·        Apples wedges, pear wedges, carrot and celery sticks, for dipping
Make It
1. Place cream cheese and milk in food processor or blender. Pulse until creamy; do not overbeat. Add brown sugar and pumpkin pie spice. Whirl until blended.
2. Remove mixture to small bowl; stir in raisins. Serve with dippers. Refrigerate unused portion of dip.
 I don't like raisins so I substituted Craisins for raisins

Pumpkin Chili

Pumpkin Chili

Ingredients
  • 2 pounds ground beef
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 1 green bell pepper, diced
  • 2 (15 ounce) cans kidney beans, drained
  • 1 (46 fluid ounce) can tomato juice
  • 1 (28 ounce) can peeled and diced tomatoes with juice
  • 1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree
  • 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1/4 cup white sugar
Directions
1.     In a large pot over medium heat, cook beef until brown; drain. Stir in onion and bell pepper and cook 5 minutes. Stir in beans, tomato juice, diced tomatoes and pumpkin puree. Season with pumpkin pie spice, chili powder and sugar. Simmer 1 hour.
Side note: I can't sit at the stove for that long so I cooked everthing ahead and combined in my crockpot on low for about 6 hours and it worked really well. 

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Lion House Honey Butter

1/2 C butter, softened.....don't mess around with margarine
½ teaspoon vanilla
½ cup honey

Whip softened butter until light and fluffy (this is the trick). Add vanilla and honey gradually. Beat for 20 minutes (I just beat til light and fluffy). Refrigerate for at least 3 hours. Makes 1 cup.

Put this delectable delight on a hot roll and you'll think you've died and gone to heaven!!