Pretend PF Chang's Lettuce Wraps

Okay, so I was craving PF Chang's Lettuce Wraps. Whenever we go to PF Chang's (which is not very often in this economy) we always get the Lettuce Wraps appetizer. Now, lucky for us, we usually have a coupon to use, YAY! Well, yesterday I had the craving again, but knew that we were not going to go anytime soon. My friend Jan was coming by to play cards (the guys were getting together with an old friend) and I asked her if she wanted to come to dinner. She laughingly asked what I was having and when I told her my thoughts, she quickly agreed to come and bring the egg rolls.

I looked online for a comparable recipe and finally found one that sounded like it would work. When Jan got here we commenced with the experimentation. What resulted was pretty good, not quite the same as Chang's but very close, and I might add, very good.

So here it goes:

Pouring Sauce:
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup warm water
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
2 Tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 Tablespoons catsup
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon hot water
1 tablespoon Dijon or hot mustard
2 cloves of garlic, minced

Chicken Stir-fry:
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 Tablespoons sesame oil
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed to 1/2"
1 - 8oz. can sliced water chestnuts minced to the size of corn kernels
1/2 cup mushrooms, minced to the size of corn kernels (I use shitake mushrooms)
1/2 onion, chopped fine
3 cloves garlic, minced fine
6 large leaves of iceberg lettuce or nappa cabbage

Stir-fry sauce:
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon rice wine vinegar

Begin by making the pouring sauce. In a large bowl, dissolve sugar in 1/2 cup warm water, then add soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, catsup, lemon juice and sesame oil. Mix well and throw in the fridge until you're ready to eat.

Combine 1 teaspoon hot water with mustard and garlic and set this aside in small bowl.

Combine oils and add to wok or large frying pan. Heat oil over high heat until it glistens, about one minute. Add chicken and saute until cooked through, then remove from the pan and cool. Keep oil in the pan, keeping it hot over a low flame.

Prep the stir fry sauce by mixing soy sauce, brown sugar, and rice vinegar in a small bowl.

Take the pan that you cooked the chicken in (with the still warming oil) and turn it up to medium-high heat (be careful because if too hot, the oils will begin to smoke). Add another tablespoon of olive oil to the pan, wait one minute, and then add chicken, garlic, onions, water chestnuts, mushrooms and the stir-fry sauce you prepared earlier. Stir-fry everything until the mushrooms have cooked, about four minutes, and remove to a serving dish.

Add mustard/garlic mixture to the pouring sauce, 1/2 teaspoon at a time to taste. Serve stir-fry with iceberg leaf wraps and top with pouring sauce.

I found that I needed to double the stir-fry sauce (maybe because I had three small chicken breasts) and add chopped green onions after you finish cooking the chicken and mushroom
mixture.

Southwest Chicken Corn Chowder

We had some friends come through recently, and this soup hit the spot for a nice easy meal. We made it the night before, and then reheated gently. The flavors really blended overnight.

We made it again tonight (I forgot to grab a photo) because all of us in the house are getting colds (not fun :( But this wonderful and easy chowder was just delightful. I grilled some chicken breasts prior to starting this recipe, and then used some of the chicken for the kids' quesadillas, and then served a cheese quesadilla with the soup as well.

This is a variation on shrimp chowder from Cooking Light.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup chopped green onions
• 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped serrano chile (about 1 small)
• 1 (4.5-ounce) can chopped green chiles, undrained
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
• 1 1/2 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 1 1/2 cups frozen Southern-style hash brown potatoes, diced, thawed
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 (15.25-ounce) can whole-kernel corn with red and green peppers, drained
• 1 pound cooked chicken
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 
  
• Prep
• Melt butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onions, bell pepper, and serrano chile to pan; sauté 2 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently.

Add canned chiles to pan; cook 1 minute. Add flour to pan; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.

Stir in milk and next 5 ingredients (through corn); bring to a boil. Cook 5 minutes or until slightly thick.

Stir in chicken; cook 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in cilantro.

Carrot Cake

My niece Emma and I made a fantastic carrot cake recipe. This cake was very dense and moist (almost pudding like) and so full of flavor. We made three layers instead of two and it worked well. I loved the cream cheese frosting, but have to admit that it didn't cover the whole cake. If you choose to make this frosting, please consider doubling the recipe. I am embarrassed to say that I found this recipe at a blog I was visiting, but for whatever reason, my computer didn't save the site in favorites for me. So if this is your recipe, I apologize for not giving you the credit you deserve.



Ingredients

1 pound grated carrots
4 extra large eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups canola oil
2/3 cups firmly packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
Finely grated zest of 1 large orange
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1 1/4 cups toasted walnuts
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1 cup raisins
(I added 1/2 cup drained crushed pineapple)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare muffin tins with 48 regular cupcake papers or oil and parchment two 9" cake pans.

Mix together the eggs, sugar, oil, brown sugar, vanilla and orange zest. Mix together all of the dry ingredients in a bowl with a whisk. Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture, beat well. Add the grated carrots (I grated them pretty fine), coconut and raisins.



Pour the batter into prepared pans or scoop into cupcake papers (fill 3/4 full).

Bake cupcakes for 18-25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
Bake 9" cakes for about 35-40 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. (I had to leave the cake in five extra minutes)


Let cakes cool before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

12 ounces cream cheese, softened
4 ounces unsalted butter, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/4 teaspoon lemon extract (optional)
2 teaspoons lemon zest
2 teaspoons orange zest
2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

Beat together until light and fluffy.



Using the spatula, spread the frosting and create swirls on the cake. If you would like, you can lightly press coconut onto to sides and top. We chose to pipe little carrots with some of the frosting that had been tinted with food coloring.

Berry Salad with Goat Cheese Dressing

We had this when a friend came over recently, and we absolutely loved it. Fabulous taste and easy to prepare! It's from Cooking Light.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons Champagne vinegar
• 2 tablespoons fat-free buttermilk
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 (3-ounce) package soft goat cheese
• 6 cups torn romaine lettuce
• 2 cups trimmed arugula
• 3/4 cup fresh blueberries
• 3/4 cup fresh raspberries
• 1/2 cup hulled fresh strawberries

Preparation

1. Combine first 7 ingredients in a blender or food processor; process until smooth. Combine romaine and remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Drizzle goat cheese mixture over lettuce mixture; toss gently to coat. Serve immediately.

Introducing Emma

Hello! My name is Emma. I am 10 Years old. I am going into 5th grade. I am visiting my aunt in MI, but I originally live in NC.

Aunt Gina & I are Doing some baking & cooking out of "Paula Deen's my first cookbook" .

Lats night We Made Stuffed Shells & Here's the recipe;

Stuffed Shells

What you need

Large Pot~ Colander~Measuring Spoons~ Dry Measuring Cup~ Medium Bowl~ Wooden Spoon~ 13 By 9-inch Glass Baking Dish~ Rubber Spatula~ Teaspoon~ & cooking spray:]

Ingredients

1 Teaspoon of Salt, Large Shell Noddles, 1 pound of cottage cheese, 1 Cup of grated parmesan Cheese, 2 Cups of your favorite spaghetti sauce, & 2 cups of grated mozzarella Cheese:}

What you'll do
Turn on the oven to 350 degrees. Fill the pot three fourths full of water and add the salt. Put it on the cooktop and turn on the heat to high.
When the water is boiling hard, add the noodles and cook until they are tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Have an adult drain the noodles for you in a colander in the sink. Let them cool for 20 minutes, until they are cool to the touch.
In the bowl, combine the cottage cheese and Parmesan, stirring well with the wooden spoon.
Spray the inside of the baking dish with the cooking spray. Pour a thin layer of sauce on the bottom of the dish and spread it out with the rubber spatula. With the teaspoon, place a heaping spoonful of the cheese mixture into each shell. Place the shells side by side on the sauce in the dish. If there is more cottage cheese left, use the teaspoon to drop the cheese onto the shells. Cover with the rest of the sauce, spreading it with the spatula. Sprinkle the mozzarella evenly on top of the sauce.
Put the baking dish in the oven. Bake it for about 25 minutes, until the mozzarella is bubbly and brown. Have an adult helper take it out of the oven with the oven mitts or hot pads, and let the shells cool for a few minutes before serving.

Here's What It Should End Up looking like!!!

Thanks For Makin' It with me


Note:
Emma and I had so much fun making this recipe, I wanted to let you know that we added a few more ingredients to the filling. 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh basil, 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 beaten egg and some salt and pepper.

Ham and Cheese in Puff Pastry

I saw Ina Garten's show recently on the Food Network channel and she was making appetizers. They all look so good! Anyway, I am going to a friend's house next friday and I am bringing several appetizers and snacks to have while playing cards. Last night I decided to try the Ham and Cheese in Puff Pastry, it is really simple to make and very tasty. I am definately bringing this one. I sliced the cheese in the food processor with the slicing blade, and then layered it over the ham. BTW, I use a little more ham than what the recipe called for.

Ingredients:
1 package (2 sheets) frozen puff pastry, defrosted (I used Pepperidge Farm)
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/4 pound good ham, sliced
1/2 pound Swiss Gruyere cheese, sliced
1 egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place a piece of parchment paper on a sheet pan.
Lay 1 sheet of puff pastry on a floured board and carefully roll it out to approximately 10 by 12 inches. Place it on a sheet pan and spread the center with the mustard, leaving a 1-inch border around the edge. Place a layer first of ham and then cheese, also leaving a 1-inch border. Brush the border with the egg wash.
Place the second sheet of puff pastry on the floured board and roll it out to 10 by 12inches. Place the second sheet on top of the filled pastry, lining up the edges. Cut the edges straight with a small, sharp knife and press together lightly. Brush the top with egg wash and cut a few slits in the top to allow steam to escape.
Bake for 30 minutes, until puffed and golden brown. Allow to cool for a few minutes and serve hot or warm.

Pizza Rice Casserole

We made it our mission to use stuff in the house this weekend for our meals.  So I pulled out my copy of the More-with-Less Cookbook and went hunting.  I came across this delightfully simple little casserole.  I admit it sounds a little odd—cottage cheese and rice???—and yet the taste is very nice.  We served it alongside a fresh fruit salad.

2⁄3 c raw rice, brown or white, or 2 cups plain cooked rice
1 1⁄3 c water or vegetable broth
3⁄4 lb ground beef  (we had leftover ground turkey)
1 onion, chopped
1 cn 15oz., tomato sauce 
1⁄4 t garlic powder or 1 clove minced fresh garlic
1 t sugar
t salt and pepper to taste
1⁄4 t dried oregano
1 t parlsey flakes or 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 1⁄2 c cottage cheese
1⁄2 c shredded cheese

Cook raw rice in water or broth until tender, 15 minutes for white rice or about 40 minutes for brown rice; cool slightly. 

While rice is cooking, brown ground beef and onion in a large skillet. Add tomato sauce and seasonings; cover and simmer 15 minutes. 

Preheat oven to 325°F; butter a 2-qt. casserole. 

Combine cooked rice with cottage cheese. Spread one-third of the rice mixture in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Top with one-third of the meat sauce. Continue to alternate layers, ending with tomato sauce. Sprinkle with the shredded cheese. 

Bake in preheated oven about 30 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.