Friday Foodday

Happy Friday! Here are my favorite recipes this week.

The Clifton Heights
c/o The Five O'Clock Blog

Ingredients

2 ounces Buffalo Trace

3/4 ounce Martini & Rossi sweet vermouth

2 dashes Angostura Bitters

1 ounce pineapple juice, preferably freshly squeezed

Maraschino cherry, to garnish

Directions

Combine all ingredients in an ice-filled cocktail shaker. Shake vigorously for about 20 seconds. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Add garnish if so desired.

Fried Apple Pancakes

c/o The Baker Chick

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour (or 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour and 1/2 white)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 Tablespoon canola oil
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 2 large tart apples, cut into whole slices.
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions

For the apples

1. In a large saucepan on medium-high heat melt the butter. Add the brown sugar and cinnamon and stir to combine. Add the apple slices and stir with the butter mixture to coat the apples well. Cook for about 2-3 minutes on each side, depending on thickness, until apples are soft but not fully cooked.
2. Remove from the pan and set aside.
For the pancakes:
3. In a large bowl, stir together the dry ingredients, add the wet ingredients and whisk to combine.
4. Butter or spray a large skillet over medium heat. Pour out a 1/4 cup measurer of batter ( don't fit too many on the pan at once as they spread when you add the apples.) Place one apple slice on each pancake. Cook until bubbles form and pancake is golden brown when you check it. Flip and repeat! Serve with warm maple syrup.

Scallop Fried Rice

c/o Great Eats with Pete's

Ingredients

1 1/2 tablespoon fish sauce

1 tsp rice vinegar

1 tsp sugar

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

Canola Oil

1 pound scallops

Salt

Pepper

1 tablespoon ginger, minced or grated

1 carrot, minced

1 shallot, minced

2 cups cook white rice, cold

1 egg, lightly beaten

Splash of soy sauce (optional)

2 tablespoons cilantro, minced

Directions

Combine fish sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, and red pepper flakes in a small bowl. Mix to combine and set aside.

Salt and pepper the scallops. On a large non-stick skillet over high heat, heat oil. Add the scallops until browned on both sides. Remove from pan and set aside.

Heat more oil in the same skillet. Add the carrots, ginger and shallots. Cook, for 3-4 minutes, until the carrots have softened. Add in the rice and fish sauce mixture. Cook until heated through, constantly stirring. Add the egg and scallops. Mix until combine and heated through. Add in the splash of soy sauce, stir to combine. Stir in cilantro.

Friday Foodday

Happy Friday lovebugs, and I wish you a very Merry Christmas! I'll be home in Pennsylvania with my family and I hope you have safe travels and get some good love from the ones closest to you.

Chocolate Dipped Marshmallows
c/o Great Eats with Pete

Ingredients

12 oz of your favorite chocolate (I used dark chocolate chips)

2 bags of large marshmallows

Dusting sugar(s)

Directions

Place chocolate in a double boiler (or a heat proof bowl over simmering water, make sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water). Stir the chocolate occasionally until the chocolate is melted and smooth.

Dip the marshmallow top in the melter chocolate. Allow excess chocolate to drip off the top. Then dip it in the dusting sugar. Place it on a baking sheet covered in parchment paper with the chocolate facing up. Continue until all marshmallows are dipped in chocolate and sugar. Allow to chocolate to harden. (Do not put it in the refrigerator the marshmallows will become hard.)

Peanut Butter Carmel Corn

c/o Stephanie Cooks Blog

Ingredients

3 bags natural popcorn, popped (standard size bags, not mini)
1 2/3 cups brown sugar
1 2/3 cup light colored corn syrup
5 tbsp butter
1 tsp salt
1 cup creamy peanut butter
2 tsp vanilla

Directions
1- Preheat the oven to 250.
2- Grease 2 9x13 dishes with cooking spray. Pour the popcorn evenly into the dishes and set aside.
3- In a small saucepan heat the sugar, syrup, butter, and salt. Cook about 3 minutes, then remove from the heat. Stir in the peanut butter and vanilla, stirring until completely melted.
4- Pour the peanut butter sauce evenly over the two pans of popcorn. Gently stir to coat.
5- Bake 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Once done allow it to cool completely, then break the popcorn into pieces.

Homemade Crullers

c/o Lauren's Latest

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter
1 cup water
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 eggs
vegetable oil, for frying

for the glaze--
2 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon lemon extract {optional}

Directions

Bring butter and water to boil in a small pot. Once mixture comes to boil, stir in flour and salt until combined. Remove from heat and cool 3 minutes. Crack eggs into a small bowl. Mix eggs into warm mixture one by one until completely batter is completely smooth. Transfer to piping bag with large fluted tip and pipe into circles on parchment paper lined baking sheets. Place into freezer for 30 minutes. Pour vegetable oil into large pot with high sides so there's at least 3 inches of grease. Heat oil to be between 325-350 degrees. While oil is heating, stir all ingredients together for glaze until smooth and runny...but not too runny! Drop frozen crullers one by one into hot oil and fry about 1 minute per side or until lightly golden. Remove to paper towel to drain and then immediately coat in glaze. Place onto cooling rack to let excess glaze drip off. After 40 minutes or so, the glaze should harden onto the crullers. Best served warm, immediately out of the glaze.

Friday Foodday

Happy Friday lovebugs, here are my favorite recipes for the week.

Ginger Soy Mahi Mahi
c/o Great Eats with Pete

Ingredients
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons mirin
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon ginger, minced
2 Mahi-Mahi fillets
Salt
Pepper

3 scallions, minced

Directions

In a small bowl mix half the scallions, the garlic, soy sauce, mirin, vinegar and ginger together. Set aside.

Salt and pepper the mahi mahi filets on both sides. In a large saute pan with high sides and a cover pour in the soy sauce mixture. Place the Mahi-Mahi fillets on top of the sauce. Heat over high heat and bring the sauce to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cover. Cook for 6 minutes. Remove cover and top with the remaining scallions. Cover again and cook until the fish is opaque another 4-6 minutes.

Remove from heat and drizzle with the sauce from the pan. Enjoy!

Colorful Vegetable Tain

c/o Kitchen Bellicious

Ingredients

1 large or 2 medium russet potatoes
1 large squash
1 large zucchini
1 large red bell pepper
1 small onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 TBSP Spanish thyme
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp oregano
1 TBSP mustard
2 tsp olive oil
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp salt and pepper each
1 TBSP freshly chopped basil or parsley
2-3 TBSP Romano cheese

Directions

Saute the onion, garlic and red bell peppers in the olive oil for 5-6 minutes until slightly translucent. Place in the bottom of a round casserole dish or tart pan. Sprinkle with romano cheese and the basil.

Slice the potatoes, tomatoes, squash and zucchini in round 1/4 inch thick slices. In a large mixing bowl stir together the mustard, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper,paprika, thyme and oregano. Layer them alternatively in a circular motion on top of the onion mixture. Make sure to fit them in tightly and create a spiral. Bake at 350 covered with foil for 30-40 minutes, remove the foil and bake for another 10-15 minutes.

Smore Blondies
c/o I Want To Be a Domestic Goddess

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 cups packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup mini marshmallows
• 2 graham cracker sheets, finely crushed.

Directions

Preheat over to 350. Grease an 8-inch square pan.

In a large bowl, combine the brown sugar, butter, eggs and vanilla just until blended. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; add to brown sugar mixture. Stir in chocolate chips.

Spread half of the batter into the baking pan. Place all of the marshmallow on top of this layer. Spread the remaining batter on top of the marshmallows, covering up all of the marshmallows. Sprinkle the crushed graham crackers on top.

Bake for 20-24 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into bars.

Friday Foodday

Happy Friday lovebugs! Here are my favorite recipes for the week.

Chicken Pasta Pesto Bake
c/o Stephanie Cooks

Ingredients
1/2 pound pasta, cooked al dente
1 1/2 cups cooked chicken, chopped small
2/3 cup pesto
1/2 cup grated parmesan or pecorino romano cheese

Directions
1- Combine the pasta, chicken, and pesto. Toss until evenly mixed. Pour into a baking dish. Top with the cheese.
2- Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.




Clam Pizza
c/o Great Eats with Petes

Ingredients

2 dozen little neck clams

1 pizza dough

Flour for dusting

Olive Oil

1-2 garlic cloves, minced

Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Directions

Place clams on a baking sheet. Place clams in the oven and bake for 2-3 minutes or until the clams begin to open. DON’T WALK AWAY! This is only to open the clams a little so you can shuck them not cook them. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Once cool remove the clam from the shell along with the clam juice and set aside in a bowl.

Dust a clean, flat surface with flour. Dust the pizza dough with flour. Roll out dough into the shape you desire.

Brush with olive oil. Sprinkle the dough with garlic. Sprinkle the cheese over the pizza dough. Top with shucked clams and some of their juice. Sprinkle with parsley. Bake in oven on a cookie sheet, pizza pan or pizza stone. Allow approximately 17 minutes for the pizza to cook. Remove from oven.

Slice the pizza and Enjoy!

Breakfast Nachos

c/o Lauren's Latest

Ingredients

1 tablespoon butter
5 eggs
1 tablespoon cream {optional}
salt & pepper
1/2 cup cheddar cheese
1 1/2 cups baked tortilla chips
any desired toppings: avocados, tomatoes, salsa, cilantro, sour cream, beans, onions, etc.


Directions

Preheat nonstick skillet over medium low heat. Melt butter in pan. Crack eggs into a small bowl and whisk with salt, pepper and cream {optional}. Pour into hot pan and stir constantly until eggs scramble and are cooked to your liking. Remove from pan. Wipe pan out with paper towel. Spread tortilla chips on the bottom of the pan in an even layer. Top with scrambled eggs and cheese. Place under the broiler until cheese is completely melted. Remove. Top with any desired toppings and serve.

Friday Foodday

Hey lovebugs!

It's Friday Foodday. Thank goodness! I hope you have a fantastic weekend.

Sweet and Spicy Crock Pot Chicken Wings
c/o Stephanie Cooks

Ingredients

2 pounds chicken wings 

1/4 cup chicken broth

Sriracha hot sauce

3 tbsp. brown sugar

Lawry's seasoning salt

 

Directions

1- Pour the broth into the bottom of the crockpot. 

2- Top with the chicken wings. Squeeze sriracha over the wings, tossing to coat. The more you use the more heat you're adding, but make sure the wings are coated. Sprinkle the brown sugar and seasoning salt over the wings, tossing to coat.

3- Set on low for 8 hours.

  

Baked Brie with Carmalized Onions

c/o Great Eats with Petes

 Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, sliced
Salt
Pepper
1 tablespoon water
1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
1 round of brie
1 egg, lightly beaten

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a saute pan heat oil over medium, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add in onions. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook over medium low heat until golden and soft, approximately 10 minutes. Add in 1 tablespoon of water. Allow water to evaporate. Set onions aside.
Place puff pastry on a flat surface. In the center of the pastry place the reserved caramelized onions. Top with the round of brie. Bring up the sides of the puff pastry to cover the brie. If you want you can cut off an edge and make some decorations out of the pastry to put on the top. Turn the covered brie over and place on a baking sheet. Brush with egg. Bake at 350 degrees until golden brown, approximately 20 minutes.

Crab Hush Puppies
c/o Kitchen Bellicious

  Ingredients
16 ounces of fresh lump crabmeat
2 cups cornmeal
1 cup flour
4 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup melted butter
2 TBSP sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup beer
1 tsp cracked black pepper
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper

Directions
 Mix together the dry ingredients and wet ingredients in separate bowls. Now add the wet to the dry and mix well. Heat your oil to 375 and drop spoonfuls of batter in the hot oil. Fry until golden brown 1-2 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain and season with more salt.

 

Friday Foodday

Oh we made it! Thank goodness it's Friday.  Do you have any plans?  I'm hosting a birthday party for my friend Sarah tonight and then celebrating another birthday with my friend Lauren tomorrow. 

Please take a moment on Sunday to remember those we lost on 9/11 and those who keep us safe abroad.

Skinny Taco Dip (perfect for football!)
c/o Skinny Taste

Ingredients

• 8 oz 1/3 less fat Philadelphia cream cheese
• 8 oz reduced fat sour cream
• 16 oz jar mild salsa
• 1 packet taco seasoning
• 2 cups iceberg lettuce, shredded
• 2 large tomatoes, diced
• 1 cup reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese
• 2.25 oz black olives

Directions
In a large bowl combine cream cheese, sour cream, salsa and taco seasoning and mix well with an electric mixer. Spread on the bottom of a large shallow glass dish. Top with shredded lettuce, tomatoes, shredded cheese and black olives. Serve with baked tortilla chips.


Baked Eggs with Spinach and Bacon
c/o Great Eats with Petes

Ingredients
Cooking Spray
4 slices bacon
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 onion, minced
5 oz spinach
Salt
Pepper
Italian Blend Cheese, shredded
4 whole eggs, if making 2 servings
2 ramekins
Bread, for toast

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Spray a fry pan with cooking spray. Heat pan over medium heat. Add in bacon. Cook bacon until crisp. Once cooked remove the bacon from the pan and place on paper towels. Cool the bacon. Once cool crumble the bacon into pieces. Set aside. 
In the same pan remove the grease and add in the olive oil. Add in the onions. Cook the onions until they are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add in the spinach. Season with salt and pepper. Cover the pan to allow the spinach to steam. Cook the spinach for about 3 minutes or until wilted. Remove from pan.  Spray each ramekin with cooking spray. Add in the spinach mixture to the bottom of the ramekin leaving a hole in the center. Next add some bacon pieces. Top with cheese. Break two eggs over the cheese being careful not to crack the yoke. Season with salt and pepper. Repeat for each ramekin. Place the ramekins on a baking sheet. Bake eggs in the oven for about 15 minutes or until the egg yolks are just set and the whites are not runny.  Serve with buttered toast and more bacon!


 Egg in a Hole Grilled Cheese
c/o Food Network

Ingredients

• 2 (1/2-inch) slices sourdough or French bread
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 large egg
• 2 slices Canadian bacon
• 1/3 cup shredded Swiss cheese
• 1 teaspoon honey mustard

Directions

Cut a 2 1/2-inch hole from the center of one slice of the bread. Melt butter in a medium nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. When it foams, place the cut slice of bread and the round in skillet and toast lightly, about 1 minute.

Crack the egg into the hole and season with salt and pepper, and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes.

Flip the egg bread, sprinkle half of the cheese on bread and top with ham. Spread mustard on second piece of bread and close sandwich. Cook until well browned and bottom part of cheese begins to melt, about 1 minute more. Flip whole sandwich and cook until all cheese is melted, about 2 to 3 minutes more. Serve.

Friday Foodday!

Hey lovebugs! It's back, Friday Foodday! Have an absolutely fabulous weekend!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dip

c/o Stephanie Cooks

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 8oz. package cream cheese
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
3/4 cup mini chocolate chips, plus more for topping
1/2 tub Cool Whip

Directions

1- In a small saucepan, melt the butter with the brown sugar over medium heat. Stir continuously, until the brown sugar dissolves.
2- Remove from heat, stir in the vanilla.
3- Beat the cream cheese and confectioners' sugar for 1 minute.
4- Stir in the cooled butter mixture and beat again for another minute.
5- Stir in the chocolate chips. 
6- Fold in the Cool Whip until evenly dispersed. 
7- Pour into a bowl. Top with additional chocolate chips, if desired.
8- Refrigerate at least 1 hour. Remove from fridge at least 15 minutes before serving.
9- Serve with assorted small cookies (Nilla Wafers, Teddy Grahams, animal crackers, etc.)

 

Summer Tomatoes, Corn, Crab and Avocado Salad

c/o Skinny Taste

 Ingredients 

12 oz lump crab meat 

1 pint grape tomatoes, cut in half 

1 hass avocado, diced 

2 hot peppers such as serrano or jalapeños, diced fine (seeds removed for mild) 

1 1/2 cups roasted corn kernels 

1/3 cup chopped red onion 

2 limes, juice of (or more to taste) 

1 tsp olive oil 

2 tbsp chopped cilantro 

salt and fresh pepper to taste

Directions
In a small bowl combine red onion, lime juice, olive oil, pinch of salt and pepper. Let them marinate at least 5 minutes to mellow the flavor of the onion.  In a large bowl combine chopped crab meat, avocado, tomatoes, hot pepper and corn. Combine all the ingredients together, add cilantro and gently toss. Adjust lime juice, salt and pepper to taste.

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

c/o Great Eats with Petes

Ingredients

for meatballs

3 pounds ground beef

1/2 cup Italian Breadcrumbs

1 onion, finely diced

4 cloved garlic, finely minced

1 egg

Salt

Pepper

1 tablespoon parsley, minced

2 tablespoons barbecue sauce

2 teaspoons soy sauce

Olive Oil for frying

for sauce

1 can gelled cranberry

1/2 cup barbecue sauce

2 cans of chunked pineapples,  juice reserved

1 tablespoon Chinese mustard

1 tablespoon sweet and sour/duck sauce

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 1/2 cups water

1 red pepper,  sliced

1 yellow pepper, sliced

cornstarch, if needed

Directions

for meatballs

Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl, salt and peppering to taste.  If the mixture feels too wet add more breadcrumbs. Heat olive oil in a large frying pan. I usually use my electric frying pan for this recipe because it holds so much more at once and this way I do not have to make the meatballs in separate batches. 

Make a small patty out of the meat. Place in frying pan. Fry patty on both sides until cooked through. Taste patty to see if it is well seasoned, adjust seasoning accordingly (I usually need to add more salt). When you are happy with seasoning roll the rest of the meat into balls. Fry until almost cooked through (they will continue to cook in the sauce). I then place them on brown paper bags or paper towels to soak up the excess oil. Once cooked remove from pan leaving some grease in the pan for the sauce.

for sauce

With the pan still greasy from the meatballs add gelled cranberry, barbecue sauce, juice from the pineapple cans, mustard, suck sauce, and soy sauce. Cook for 5 minutes over medium heat. Add water.

Return meatballs to the pan. Add peppers. Cover and cook for 45 minutes. If the sauce appears to be very thin add cornstartch to thicken. Add pineapple chunks and cook for 15 minutes. 

Serve over rice or noodles.  Enjoy!

 

Friday Foodday!

Hey lovebugs!
Happy Friday!  I'm especially excited today because I leave on my family vacation on Sunday for a week!  But don't worry, TCB will still be here for you everyday next week with some fabulous guest bloggers!  Until then, enjoy these great recipes!

Siracha Chicken Strips
c/o Budget Bytes

Ingredients

 2 boneless chicken breasts

1/3 cup  Siracha hot sauce

1 Tbsp rice vinegar

1 inch peeled and grated ginger

1 clove garlic

1 large egg

1 cup flour

1 ½ cups panko bread crumbs

a pinch of salt and pepper

Directions

STEP 1: In a resealable container combine the Sriracha, rice vinegar, minced garlic and grated ginger. Slice the chicken breasts diagonally into 6 strips each and mix to coat in the Sriracha marinade. Cover the container with the marinade and chicken and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

STEP 2: Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Set up your dredging station by getting three bowls. Fill the first with the all-purpose flour, in the second whisk the egg and 1 Tbsp of water and in the third bowl place the panko bread crumbs. Also get a clean plate or dish ready to hold the breaded chicken strips.

STEP 3: Taking one chicken strip from the marinade at a time, wipe off the excess Sriracha then dip to coat in the flour, then the egg and lastly the panko crumbs. Make sure all surfaces of the chicken strip get covered with each. Gently place the breaded strip on the clean plate and move on to the next one. This is messy and your hands will get coated so make sure you won't get interrupted before you begin.

STEP 4: Once all of the strips are breaded, place them on a baking sheet lined with foil and bake for 20 minutes at 400 degrees. After 20 minutes, turn the oven on to broil and broil for about 5 minutes on each side. Watch the strips during the broiling process. When they get golden brown, pull them out, flip them and wait for the second side to get golden (about 5 minutes each side). Let the strips cool slightly before serving!

Chicken Stuffed with Spinach and Ricotta

c/o Great Eats with Petes

Ingredients

Olive oil
1 bag of fresh spinach
1 garlic clove, minced and 2 garlic whole and peeeled
Salt
Pepper
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 cup ricotta
1/4 cup grated cheese
Toothpicks
1 egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water
1 cup seasoned breadcrumbs

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium heat. Add in garlic and spinach. Season with salt and pepper. Stir around the spinach until it is coated. Cover the pan and allow the spinach to cook turning it every so often. Once spinach has wilted remove from pan and set aside.
In a medium size bowl mix together the ricotta and grated cheese. Season with salt and pepper.

Cut a slit in the chicken breasts to create a pocket. Don’t go all the way through the chicken. Stuff the ricotta mixture inside the slit. Then stuff it with the spinach. You can mix the spinach in with the ricotta too but I wanted a separate layer of spinach. Season the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Repeat with the remaining chicken.

Place the egg mixture into a shallow dish. In a second shallow dish place the breadcrumbs. Dredge the chicken in the egg mixture and coat on all sides. Dip the chicken with the egg on it into the breadcrumbs and coat on all sides. Close the pocket up with some toothpicks by placing them in at an angle. Repeat for each piece of chicken.
In a large sautée or fry pan that is oven proof add in the garlic and about 1/4 cup of oil. Turn the heat to medium. When the oil is hot add in the chicken. Brown on both sides. If needed add more oil to the pan. Once browned place the pan in the oven and cook 15-20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.

Southwestern Black Bean Salad
c/o Skinny Taste

  Ingredients
1 15.5 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
9 oz frozen corn, thawed
1 tomato, chopped
1 small hass avocado, diced
1/4 cup red onion, chopped
1 scallion, chopped
1 lime, juice of
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp cilantro
salt and fresh pepper

Directions
Combine beans, corn, tomato, onion, scallion, cilantro, salt and pepper. Mix with lime juice and olive oil. Marinate in the refrigerator 30 minutes. Add avocado before serving. 

Friday Foodday

Hey kids! Happy Friday to you!  Today I'm featuring some great recipes! Do you have one? Send me an email and I'd love to feature it!


Crispy Chiptole Chicken Fingers
c/o kitchen bellicious

Ingredients

1.5 pounds of chicken tenders, thawed

1-2 chipotle peppers in adobe sauce, minced

1 cup buttermilk

1 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp pepper

1 TBSP chipotle powder

1 1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 1/2 tsp cajun seasoning

Directions:

Place the buttermilk, chicken tenders and the minced chipotle peppers in a large glass bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Meanwhile, prepare your breading. Mix together the flour with the remaining seasonings in a large brown or plastic bag. Shake well to distribute evenly and set aside.

Heat your oil in a large dutch oven or deep fryer to 375 degrees. Using tongs, gently lift 3-4 chicken tenders at a time from the buttermilk (shaking to remove excess buttermilk) and place in the bag of flour. Seal the bag and shake for 1-2 minutes until each chicken tender has been thoroughly coated. Place the chicken tenders in the hot oil and cook 4-5 minutes on each side. Drain on a paper towel and repeat the process with the remaining chicken tenders.

Orange Chicken

c/o a taste of home cooking

Ingredients

For the marinade and sauce:
3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
3/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest
6 tablespoons white vinegar
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup brown sugar (dark or light)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 1/2 lbs. boneless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons cold water
8 thin strips orange peel (optional)

For the coating and frying:
3 large egg whites
1 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 cups peanut or canola oil 

Directions

To make the marinade and sauce, combine the chicken broth, orange juice, orange zest, vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger and cayenne pepper in a large saucepan; whisk to blend well. Measure out 3/4 cup of the mixture and transfer it to a large zipper lock plastic bag. Add the chicken pieces to the bag, pressing out the excess air and sealing well. Refrigerate and let marinate 30-60 minutes, but no longer.

Place the saucepan with the remaining mixture on the stove and heat over medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer. In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and water until smooth. Add the mixture to the saucepan with the sauce. Continue simmering until the sauce is thick and translucent, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the strips of orange peel, if using.

To prepare the coating, place the egg whites in a pie plate and whisk until frothy. In a second pie plate combine the cornstarch, baking soda and cayenne pepper; whisk to blend. Drain the chicken in a colander and pat dry with paper towels. Place half of the chicken pieces in the egg whites and turn to coat. Transfer the pieces to the cornstarch mixture and coat thoroughly, shaking off the excess. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining chicken pieces.

To fry the chicken, heat the oil in a Dutch oven until the oil reaches 350 degrees. Carefully place half of the chicken pieces in the oil and fry until golden brown, about 5 minutes, turning the pieces halfway through cooking. Remove from the oil with a skimmer or slotted spoon and transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat with the remaining chicken pieces.

Reheat the sauce and toss with the cooked chicken pieces. Serve over rice.

Chocolate Pizza

c/o Great eats with petes

Ingredients

1 pizza dough

2 tablespoons buter, melted

Chocolate Hazelnut Spread like Nutella

Your favorite toppings I used mini marshmallows and dark chocolate M&M’s

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Dust a clean, flat surface with flour. Dust the pizza dough with flour. Roll out dough into the shape you desire. Brush the dough with melted butter. Bake in oven on a cookie sheet, pizza pan or pizza stone until the dough begins to become golden, approximately 17-20 minutes

Spread the chocolate hazelnut spread all over the pizza dough. Top with your favorites toppings. Place pizza back in the oven and bake for 3 minutes or until the chocolate begins to melt and marshmallows puff up.