Bourbon Chicken

Ok, so this doesn't have any Bourbon in it, but it has sort of a Bourbon or Asian type chicken flavour. Another one I found on www.recipezaar.com then made my own changes to, although I don't think I changed much on this one from the original posted one as it was excellent to begin with.

This is probably my husbands favourite meal that I make.

4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts

2 Clove Garlic

1/2 tsp Ginger

1 1/4 tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes

1/2 cup Juice(I have tried this with Apple Juice, Orange Juice, Lemonade and even Apple Sauce...so use what you have, all tasted great, I think the Lemonade tasted best but there was a very subtle difference between all of them)

2/3 cup Brown Sugar

4 tbsp Ketchup

1 tbsp Cider Vinegar(the recipe called for Cider Vinegar which I used to use, but when I ran out I couldn't find it anywhere so have been using Apple Cider Vinegar since and it works fine, I'll be honest I don't know the difference between these vinegars LOL)

1 cup Water

2/3 cup Soy Sauce(I've made it both with regular Soy Sauce and with Low Sodium Soy Sauce, it actually tastes different both ways, better with Low Sodium)

corn starch

1. Heat about 2 tbsp of Olive Oil in a large pot. Cut chicken breast into bite sized pieces and cook in pot until nicely browned and cooked through. Remove chicken from the pot and set aside.

2. Mix all remaining ingredients together and heat over medium heat until well mixed, add about a tbsp of cornstarch to help the sauce to start thickening a bit..

3. Add chicken back in and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes. Add more corn starch if needed for a nice sauce.

4. Serve over rice or pasta. I always serve it over Whole Wheat Linguine then top with Sesame Seeds and Green Onion if I have it.

Technorati Tags: chicken,pasta,bourbon chicken

Warm Spinach and Artichoke Dip

I order this stuff a LOT when we go to restaurants, love it! But of course restaurants tend to use the highest fat ingredients. It is really easy to make at home and easy to make a lot lower fat by using low fat ingredients.

When I make it I fill 2 oval dishes(as you see in the pic) that I picked up at the dollar store, but I place both dishes on a baking sheet to put in the oven.

1/2 cup Low Fat Sour Cream

1/2 cup Low Calorie Mayonnaise(I'm a Miracle Whip lover, so that's what I use)

1/2 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese(you can use fresh parmesan if you want, but I'm cheap so I just use it from my big container of Kraft grated parmesan)

1/2 cup Shredded Skim Milk Mozzarella

2 tsp Minced Garlic

1 pkg Frozen Spinach, thawed and drained(squeeze the water out)

1 can Artichoke Hearts, chopped(if you can fine the cans of prechopped hearts even better!, I seem to only be able to find these at the dollar store of all places, so stock up when they have them, only a dollar there, Safeway is about $3!)

Combine all ingredients in a bowl, pour into oven safe dishes and bake for about 20 minutes at 325F. Let it cool for a few minutes then dip away with crackers, tortilla chips or veggies.

Technorati Tags: spinach dip,spinach artichoke dip,dips,dip,appetizer,snack,spinach,artichoke

Banana Bread

mmmm, yummy! I've been using this Banana Bread recipe for a couple of years now, my family loves it when I make this. It's a very moist and cake-like version of Banana Bread.

Feel free to add chocolate chips to it if you would like!

1 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour

1 1/2 cups Whole Wheat Flour

1 tsp Baking soda

1/4 tsp Salt

3/4 tsp Cinnamon(or however much you like, we love cinnamon so I tend to add a lot)

1/4 cup Butter

1/4 cup Applesauce

3/4 cup Brown Sugar

2 Eggs, beaten

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

2 1/3 cups Mashed Bananas(the riper the better, approx 5 bananas)

1. Preheat oven to 350F.

2. In a large bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.

3. In a separate bowl cream butter and sugar together. Stir in eggs, Vanilla and mashed bananas.

4. Add liquid mixture to dry and stir just until mixed.

5. Pour batter into greased loaf pan, bake at 350F for 60 minutes.

I have also made this recipe in an 8x8 glass dish when I didn't have any loaf pans. It came out great, just double the recipe and bake for about 45 minutes.

Technorati Tags: banana,bananas,banana bread,bread,snack,dessert,banana loaf

More Recipes Coming

I know I haven't been posting much on this blog lately, moving was my first excuse lol. But I hope to post some more recipes next week when I get a chance! Coming soon will be my recipes for: Banana Bread, Apple Crisp, Spinach Artichoke Dip and ummm, I can't remember the others I was going to post lol, but there should be more!

Guacamole with a Kick

****Edit***** LOL, I just noticed that I did in fact post this recipe before, it was my first recipe on here. But I just think it's so darn good that I'm going to leave it here again anyway!****

I can't believe I haven't posted this yet. I thought I had, but I guess I just took the picture to prepare to but didn't get any farther then that. A friend asked me today how to make Guacamole so now I guess is the time to post it!

And sorry I haven't posted any recipes in a while! Since moving my blogging groove has been gone, but I'm trying to get it back ;).

I LOOOOVE Guacamole and after trying many many different recipes and liking them all, once I tried this one it was an automatic favourite and the only one I have used since.

2 avocados, mashed

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 medium onion, diced fine

1 large tomato, diced fine

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp chili powder

1 dash hot sauce

1. Mix all ingredients together in a bowl, adjust chili powder and hot sauce according to personal taste and tolerance for 'heat'.
2. Cover and allow to chill for a bit, serve as desired.
**make sure avocados are nice and ripe or it will seriously affect how good your guacamole is.

Baked Wontons

I used Julie Van Rosendaal's Wonton recipe as an inspiration for these. They were so good we didn't even make it to the table to eat them, they disappeared off the plate as I put them on it. I barely was able to snap a picture before they were all gone.

1/2 lb. ground pork
1/4 cup green onions, finely chopped                                        1 tbsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. rice vinegar
1 tsp. sesame oil                                                                  1 pkg wonton wrappers(you won't use all of them)

1. Brown ground pork and drain off fat.                                     2. Mix pork with remaining ingredients.                                      3. Put about a teaspoon to a teaspoon and a half of mixture in the middle of wonton wrapper. Fold wrapper together into a triangle, using your finger wet around the edges to make them stick together.                                                                    4. Put them on a baking sheet either lined with a silicone baking sheet or sprayed with cooking spray. Spray Wontons with canola oil if you have an oil spray bottle, if not then just brush them lightly with oil.                                                                      5. Bake in oven at 425 for 10 to 15 minutes, about halfway flip them and spray the other side.

We didn't  dip them in anything, they were really good as they were, but I did pick up some sauce this weekend to try dipping them when I make them again. (which will be soon!)

 

Technorati Tags: baked wontons

Vietnamese Night!

Vietnamese is one of my favourite foods, this was my first attempt at making it myself and it won't be the last! It was sooooo good!

Spring Rolls

1/2 pound ground pork

1 cup finely shredded cabbage

1/2 cup finely shredded carrot

1/4 cup green onions, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

1/2 tablespoon oyster sauce

1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 teaspoon chile sauce

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 tablespoon water

1 pkg spring roll wrappers

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F .

2. Brown pork in a saucepan. Remove from heat and drain.

3. In a medium bowl, mix pork, cabbage, carrot, green onions, cilantro, sesame oil, oyster sauce, garlic and chile sauce.

4. Mix cornstarch and water in a small bowl.

5. Put about 1 tablespoon of pork mixture in centre of spring roll wrappers. Roll wrappers around the mixture, folding edges inward to close. Moisten fingers in the cornstarch and water mixture, and brush wrapper seams to seal.

6. Put spring rolls in a single layer on a baking sheet. Brush with canola oil. Bake for 20 minutes, turning after 10 minutes, or until hot and lightly browned.

7. Serve on vermicelli salad bowl or eat on their own. Try dipping them in some Nuoc Cham(recipe at the end of this post) and with a little bit of chile sauce on it.

 

 

Rice Vermicelli Salad Bowl

1 pkg rice vermicelli

1 cup green onion, sliced thinly

2 cups lettuce, shredded thinly

1/2 cup shredded carrot

1 long english cucumber, sliced then cut in half

fresh or freeze dried cilantro

Nuoc Cham(recipe to follow)

1. Cook rice vermicelli according to package directions, leave to cool in strainer/colander.

2. Put a couple handfuls of rice vermicelli in each bowl for how many you are serving. Divide green onion, lettuce, carrots and cucumber evenly among bowls.

3. Top with about a tablespoon of cilantro and as much Nuoc Cham as desired(usually about 1/4 to 1/2 cup). Mix together, top with spring rolls and enjoy!

 

Nuoc Cham

1 cup water

4 tablespoons rice vinegar

4 tablespoons sugar

5 tablespoons fish sauce

1 tablespoon garlic, finely chopped

chilies(I just use dried)...as much as you like or don't like

1. Combine water, sugar and rice vinegar in small saucepan and bring to boil. Remove from heat and leave until cooled.

2. Add remaining ingredients and mix well.

 

Technorati Tags: vietnamese Food,nuoc cham,rice vermicelli,pork spring rolls,baked spring rolls,spring rolls