Category: My favorite recipes

Spicy Chicken Lettuce Wraps


ABOUT:

This is a great spicy recipe.  You will need to adjust the curry to your liking.  Original recipe was 2 tablespoons and it was found to be exceedingly spicy hot.  Courtesy of https://www.averiecooks.com 

It makes between 6-8 servings at
6 weight watchers points per serving (206 calories per serving)

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 1 pound ground chicken (I’ve also used ground turkey with good results)
  • 1 medium/large sweet Vidalia or yellow onion, diced small
  • 1/3 cup hoisin sauce
  • 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon Asian chili garlic sauce, or to taste (sriracha may be substituted)
  • 3 cloves garlic, finely minced or pressed
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger or 2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger, or to taste
  • one 8-ounce can water chestnut, drained and diced small
  • 2 to 3 green onions, sliced into thin rounds
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
  • butter lettuce leaves, for serving

DIRECTIONS:

  1. To a large skillet, add the oils, chicken, and cook over medium-high heat until chicken is cooked through; stir intermittently to crumbly while cooking.
  2. Add the onion, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, chili garlic sauce, stir to combine, and cook for about 5 minutes, or until onion is soft and translucent and most of the liquid has been absorbed; stir intermittently.
  3. Add the garlic, ginger, stir to combine, and cook for about 1 minute, or until fragrant.
  4. Add the water chestnuts, green onions, salt and pepper to taste, and cook for about 2 minutes, or until tender. Taste filling and make any necessary flavor adjustments, i.e. more soy sauce, hoisin, pepper, etc.
  5. Spoon about 1/4 cup of the mixture into the lettuce leaves to serve. Recipe is best warm and fresh but filling will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days
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Easiest and Tastiest Dill Pickles


This one to Bev Romane from my Credit Union days.

20170822_224459
​You will need a number of 1 quart jars, lids and rings.

  • 3 large cloves of garlic per jar.
  • 1 large head of dill (the size of the palm of your hand) per jar

Put the above items in each jar then pack each jar loosely with pickling cukes

Add the following to each jar20170822_221350

  • 1/2 cup pickling vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon of pickling salt
  • 1 teaspoon of sugar

Fill each jar with water leaving 1/4 inch at top of the jar.  Put on lids.

Put jars in canner.  Fill canner with luke warm water to cover jars.

Put on high heat until water in the canner just comes to a boil.

Once water boils remove jars, tighten lids & shake to ensure salt & sugar are dissolved.

Leave 6 weeks then enjoy.

Sugar and Butter Free White Bread Recipe – So incredibly tasty


I have a knack for turning all attempts of making bread and buns into creating door stops and hockey pucks respectively.  That was until I found this little gem of a bread recipe.

Coconut Oil and Honey bread and buns
Coconut Oil and Honey bread and buns

The added bonus was that it is healthier than your standard recipe (zip it you carb hating, flour despising do gooders – its a compromise).  Anyway I am not a big fan over super wordy recipe blogs, so here goes for your Coconut, Honey White (yes WHITE- phbbbbt health nuts) bread recipe.

Note:  this bread recipe is written for those who have Kitchen Aid mixers.  You may need to adapt for your device or just pull out the stops and the pipes and go full hands on manual bread making.

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 packs yeast (or 4 teaspoons)
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/3 cup coconut oil
  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 cups warm water (100/38 degrees F/C)
  • 6 & 1/2 cups bread flour or white wheat flour (I used all purpose and it was fine)

DIRECTIONS

  1. Pour warm water into your stand mixer bowl (I am lucky I have a kitchen aid mixer).  Add yeast and stir it around to dissolve
  2. To this mixture add the coconut oil, honey, eggs, 3 cups of the flour and salt.  Mix on speed 1 for 10 minutes, using the paddle attachment
  3. Change to the dough hook attachment.  Add the remaining flour (I did 1 cup at a time).  Once all flour is added, mix for 10 minutes on speed 1.  If the dough is a little sticky, you can add a small amount of flour by hand, but not more than a 1/4 cup.
  4. Put dough into a greased bowl, turning so the surface is greased.  Cover and let rise until doubled, approximately 45 minutes
  5. Poke down dough and turn onto a floured surface.  Knead or slap to remove air bubbles
  6. Divide in half.  Shape into two leaves and put into two greased 9 inch loaf pans.  Turn dough to coat surface in oil.  Cover and let rise until doubled.  about 45 minutes.
  7. Bake at 375 degree for about 30 minutes or until loaf sounds hollow when tapped
  8. Let rest in pans for 10 minutes before turning out to cool completely on wire rack.

I owe kudos to http://www.humoroushomemaking.com for this Cindy proof recipe.  No more retaining wall blocks or clay pigeons coming out of my oven.

Enjoy!

 

Avocado Salsa – Yummy!


My co-worker tried this recipe for a department gathering and it was SO refreshing, deceptively good and a huge hit (addictive).  Credit is to Barbara Vinson the creator of the recipe and Allrecipes.com where I originally found this recipe.  It has my stamp of approval.

INGREDIENTS:

1 (16 ounce) package frozen corn kernels, thawed
2 (2.25 ounce) cans sliced ripe olives, drained
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 avocados – peeled, pitted and diced

DIRECTIONS

  1. In a large bowl, mix corn, olives, red bell pepper and onion.
  2. In a small bowl, mix garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, cider vinegar, oregano, salt and pepper. Pour into the corn mixture and toss to coat. Cover and chill in the refrigerator 8 hours, or overnight.
  3. Stir avocados into the mixture before serving.

Served best with tostidos scoops

Tuna Tataki with Citrus Ginger Sauce


I tried this recipe recently and it was fantastic!  I need to give kudos to http://www.grouprecipes.com/people/luisascatering for sharing!

Ingredients

  • 3 very fresh albacore tuna fillets
  • 4 tablespoons sesame seeds
  • kosher salt & fresh ground black pepper
  • canola oil for searing

Citrus-ginger Sauce :

  • 2 tablespoons honey (or more to taste)
  • 4 tablespoons soy sauce
  • a few drops of sesame oil
  • juice of one orange
  • juice of half a lemon
  • juice of 1 lime
  • 2 tablespoons saké (or mirin)
  • 2 thin slices of ginger

Salad Garnish:
shaved cucumber, sliced avocado, frisee lettuce, thinly sliced green onions (I used red onion)

Directions

  • Combine all ingredients for the sauce; set aside (the sliced ginger will infuse the sauce).
  • On a shallow plate, pour the sesame seeds. Season the tuna with cracked black pepper and salt. Coat the tuna in the sesame seeds, pressing lightly so they stick to the tuna.
  • Place a saute pan over high heat. Add the oil and sear the tuna on both sides, about 1 minute per side.
  • In a bowl combine the cucumber, green onions and frisee. Toss with some of the citrus-ginger sauce.
  • Slice the chilled tuna across the grain, faning it out into 3-4 pieces per plate. Place some of the dressed greens on 4 plates. Top with sliced tuna, garnish with avocado and drizzle with some more of the citrus-ginger sauce

Recipe for Strawberry Daquari’s using fresh ingredients


I wanted to make a strawberry daiquiri without using concentrates and syrups. I found this fantastic recipe on AllRecipes.com courtesy of TBOND that I want to share.

6 cups ice (I have a smaller blender so I ended up using 3 cups of ice)
1/2 cup white sugar (I used a 1/4 cup)
4 ounces frozen strawberries (I used fresh strawberries and the more the merrier)
1/8 cup lime juice
1/2 cup lemon juice
3/4 cup rum
1/4 cup lemon-lime flavored carbonated beverage (I used one cup of Soda Stream – (another favorite kitchen appliance of mine) Country Time Lemonade flavored soda – almost no sugar or calories)

Original recipe makes 8 servings

These daiquiris were like heaven in my mouth. I don’t think I will ever go back!

Sloppy Joes, slop sloppy joes


Sloppy JoesHoagies and Grinders, Hoagies and Grinders. Remember Adam Sandler’s tribute to the lunch lady?

Well this is actually a recipe for the best sloppy joes I’ve ever had.  So simple, so quick and so tasty.  This recipe comes to you courtesy of one of my favourite cook books: The Good Housekeeping Illustrated Cookbook.  

INGREDIENTS

1 pound lean ground beef
1 medium green pepper, diced
1 medium onion, diced
1 16-ounce can of pork and beans
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon chilli powder
6 8-inch-long rolls

DIRECTIONS

  1. In a large skillet,over medium-high heat, cook first 3 ingredients for 10 minutes until ground beef is well browned.
  2. Stir in next 4 ingredient; heat to boiling.  Reduce heat to low; simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes stirring occasionally.
  3. Halve rolls horizontally.  Add 2/3 cup of ground beef and pork and beans mixture and enjoy.

Christmas Favorite – Prize Butter Tarts


I went so far as to steal an old cook book my mother NEVER used – sorry Mom.  The Five Roses Cookbook.  Printed in Winnipeg Manitoba – back when we actually made stuff in our own country.  I absolutely love this tart recipe and it is SO easy.

INGREDIENTS

1 Pastry RecipeButter Tart Ingredients
1 egg beaten
1/3 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 tblsp milk
1/2 cup raisans, currants or chopped pecans (I just use pecans or walnuts)
1 tsp vanilla

DIRECTIONS

Prepare pasty recipe, roll 1/8 inch thick and cut into 4″ rounds.  Press into medium size tart pans.
Mix all ingredients together, fill tart shells 2/3 full.  Bake in a hot oven 450 degrees  8 minutes, reduce temperature to 350 degrees and bake 15 to 20 minutes longer until pastry is delicately brown.

If using store bought frozen tart shells I bake at 350 for 15 – 20 minutes just watching for the right brownness on the tart shells.

Makes 12 – 15 tarts.

Ready for the Oven
Ready for the Oven

Beef Stew that is as good as if not better than Kelly O’Briens


I have to thank Facebook and everyone who shared for this recipe.  Tried it, loved it, gets my stamp of approval!!!  I believe the beer, Worcestershire and tomato paste are the key to it’s flavor success.

WARNING: This one is a long slow cook so not for the impatient. BUT it is worth every minute.  My 45 year old teenage says it is delicious!

The meat should fall apart if you just look at it. And the thicker, more flavorful the sauce, the better.

PREP TIME: 20 minutes

TOTAL TIME: 2 hours 50 minutes

Serves 8

INGREDIENTS:

  •  3 Tbsp olive oil
  •  2 lb cubed beef stew meat (1 1/4″)
  •  1 med onion, dicedBeefStew
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 12 oz beer (pale lager)
  • 3 1/2 c beef broth
  • 2 Tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 1/2 tsp sugar
  •  1/2 tsp paprika
  • 8 new potatoes (1 1/2″-2″ diameter), quartered
  • 4 carrots, sliced diagonally
  • 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
  •  Finely chopped fresh parsley (optional)
  • Crusty bread (optional)

 DIRECTIONS

  1.  Heat oil in large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season beef. Working in 2 batches, brown meat on all sides, 6 minutes. Remove to plate.
  2. Add onion to pot and reduce heat to low. Cook, stirring, until softened, 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, 1 minute.
  3. Pour in beer. Add broth, tomato paste, Worcestershire, sugar, paprika, 1/2 tsp kosher salt, and pepper to taste.
  4. Return beef to pot. Simmer until meat is tender, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
  5. Stir in potatoes and carrots. Simmer until vegetables are tender and meat is very tender, 30 to 40 minutes longer
  6. 6. Remove 1 cup of liquid from pot and slowly whisk in flour. Stir back into pot and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat and simmer until thickened, 10 minutes. Season. Sprinkle with parsley (if using). Serve with bread, if desired.

NUTRITION (per serving) 434 cal, 25 g pro, 19 g carb, 2 g fiber, 26.5 g fat, 9 g sat fat, 523 mg sodium

Best Appy for Men – Buffalo Chicken Dip from Frank’s Red Hot


I had this recipe at a Halloween party. I know how much my burly man cub loves his hot wings and blue cheese dressing that I just had to make this for him

recipe-banner

 

Here we go:.

INGREDIENTS

2 cups shredded c

hicken

1 – 8oz package of cream cheese softened
1/2 a cup of crumbled blue cheese (or your favorite kind of cheese)

1/2 a cup of blue cheese or ranch salad dresssing
1/2 a cup of Frank’s Red Hot sauce or Frank’s Buffalo Red Hot sauce

DIRECTIONS
Mix the ingredients together in a 1 quart baking dish
Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes
Serve with crackers and/or celery sticks

It is easy and tasty!

Enjoy

To view the original recipe go to www.franksredhot.com