Tuesday, September 24, 2013

CINNAMON ROLL CAKE


CINNAMON ROLL CAKE ( YUM, Favorite in my house)

Cake:
3 c. flour
1/4 tsp.salt
1 c. sugar
4 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 c. milk
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. butter, melted

Topping:
1 c. butter, softened
1 c. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. flour
1 Tbsp. cinnamon

Directions:
Mix everything together except for the butter. Slowly stir in the melted butter and pour into a greased 9x13 pan. For the topping, mix all the ingredients together until well combined. Drop evenly over the batter and swirl with a knife. Bake at 350 for 28-32 minutes.

Glaze:
2 c. powdered sugar
5 Tbsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla

While warm drizzle the glaze over the cake.
posted by Kathy Ferdig a great friend... I can not wait to try these!!!!

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

classic peanut butter cookie

Ingredients

  • 1 cup unsalted butter
  • 1 cup crunchy peanut butter
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

Directions

  1. Cream together butter, peanut butter and sugars. Beat in eggs.
  2. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir into batter. Put batter in refrigerator for 1 hour.
  3. Roll into 1 inch balls and put on baking sheets. Flatten each ball with a fork, making a criss-cross pattern. Bake in a preheated 375 degrees F oven for about 10 minutes or until cookies begin to brown. Do not over-bake.

Saturday, April 7, 2012

Monday, April 2, 2012

Ricotta Frittata


Serves: 4
Makes: 1 10-inch frittata
Hands-on time: 8 minutes
Total time: 15 minutes
CATEGORY:
Under 45 Minutes, Vegetarian, Gluten Free

INGREDIENTS:

  • 8 egg whites (about 1 cup)
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/3 cup skim milk
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 medium white onion, thinly sliced
  • 4 cups baby spinach
  • 1/4 tsp each sea salt and ground black pepper
  • Pinch ground nutmeg
  • 2/3 cup low-fat ricotta cheese

INSTRUCTIONS:

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together egg whites, egg and skim milk until frothy; set aside.
  3. Heat oil in a 10-inch nonstick frying pan on medium. Add garlic and onion and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes, until softened. Add spinach to pan, in batches if necessary, and cook, stirring frequently, until wilted. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.
  4. Pour egg mixture into pan and drop ricotta by the tablespoonful over top. Cook for 3 minutes, until eggs begin to set on the bottom. Transfer pan to oven and bake for 8 minutes or until eggs are firm. Cut frittata into 4 wedges and serve immediately.

pizza dough


1 pkg. yeast
1 tsp. sugar
1 cup warm water
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp. salt
2 1/2 - 3 1/2 cups flour
corn meal

Dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water. Let set for several minutes until it gets a little foamy. Add 2 1/2 cups flour, oil, and salt. Knead on speed 2 (in the KitchenAid) for about 2 minutes. Add remaining flour 1/2 cup at a time until dough starts to cling to hook and clean the sides of the bowl.

Remove dough and place in a greased bowl, turning to grease the top. Cover. Let rise in a warm place for about an hour.

Punch dough down. Shape dough into rounds. Place on greased pizza stone sprinkled with corn meal. Top with desired toppings.

Bake at 425 for 15-20 minutes until crust is done

real steak

Restaurant Style Filet Mignon

  • 2 8 ounce filet mignons
  • 4 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 4 teaspoons freshly ground pepper
  • 1 stick butter
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon thyme, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest

DISCLAIMER: The reason this dish is so amazing is due mostly in part to having the very best, most fresh ingredients possible.  That means high grade salt, it means pepper ground right in front of you by a pepper mill.  It means fresh herbs and it means REAL BUTTER.  The good news is that these are all things you should already have in your house.
Take 1/2 stick of butter, softened, and mix well with the peeled, chopped garlic, the chopped herbs, and the lemon zest.  Form into a log and refrigerate.  Generously season the filet’s with salt and pepper, approximately 1 teaspoon of seasoning per side.

Heat the remainder of the butter (1/2 stick) and the olive oil in a cast iron skillet to a screaming hot temperature.  Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.   Sear the filets in a screaming hot pan for about 2-3 minutes per side, or until a nice brown crust has formed. While the steak is searing, continue to spoon the residual butter in the pan on top of the meat while it’s cooking.  Once both sides are seared, place in the center of the oven for about 6-8 minutes, depending upon how thick your steak is.  In the last minute of cooking, take the log of compound butter and slice a nice thick piece to place on top.

Your steak will be ready when it is approximately 135 degrees in the center, or when you push lightly on the top center of the steak and it gently and slowly bounces back.  (Note, this is medium rare kids. Some people don’t like to eat cows while they are mooing, so clearly you can cook longer if your afraid of the pink.)

Spinach Artichoke Pizza

Spinach Artichoke Pizza

We're adding this pizza to our list of FAVORITES! It was so delicious and surprisingly healthy... for pizza :)


2 tablespoons butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons flour
1½ cup milk (any fat content)
¼ teaspoon salt
½ ounce (¼ cup) parmesan plus 1 ounce (½ cup)
7 ounces fresh spinach, washed and roughly chopped
1 pizza dough recipe (our favorite, here)
6 ounces (1½ cup) shredded mozzarella (skim works great)
1 (14-ounce) can artichokes, drained, rinsed and dried, quartered
1. Place a pizza stone on the bottom rack of the oven and preheat the oven to 525ºC.
2. In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. When the foaming subsides, add the garlic and red pepper flakes; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, 30 to 60 seconds. Add the flour; continue cooking and stirring for 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in the milk. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Continue to simmer, stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes. Stir in the salt and ¼ cup (½ ounce) of the parmesan.
3. Meanwhile, add the spinach (if the spinach isn’t damp from being washed, also add a couple tablespoons of water) to a medium saucepan set over medium-high heat. Cook and stir until the spinach just wilts, about 1 minute. Remove the spinach from the pan and place it in a clean kitchen towel. Squeeze the spinach as dry as possible, then add it to the béchamel from step 1.
4. Flatten the dough, then pick it up and gently stretch it out, trying to keep it as circular as possible. Curl your fingers and let the dough hang on your knuckles, moving and rotating the dough so it stretches evenly. If it tears, just piece it together. If the dough stretches too much, put it down and gently tug on the thick spots.
5. Dust a pizza peel (or the back of a large baking sheet) generously with cornmeal and transfer the round of dough to the peel. Rearrange the dough to something reasonably circular; stab it several times with a fork. Spread the spinach mixture over the dough, then top with the mozzarella, artichokes, and the remaining Parmesan.
6. Transfer the pizza to the hot baking stone, and bake for about 6-10 minutes, until the cheese is bubbling and the crust is spotty brown. Let the pizza cool for about 5 minutes before slicing and serving.

Tyler's Mozzarella Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Tyler's Mozzarella Grilled Cheese Sandwiches (find original recipe on Food Network's site)
Serves: 2

Click Here For Printable Recipe

Ingredients
8 slices rye bread
4 quarter-inch slices of fresh mozzarella
3 plum tomatoes, cut into thick slices
1 cup fresh basil pesto, recipe follows (or use the store-bought stuff)
Freshly ground black pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil


Basil pesto:
1/2 cup pine nuts
2 cups fresh basil leaves
1 cup fresh Italian parsley leaves
1/2 cup Parmesan or Romano
2 garlic cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil


Method:


1. Toast pine nuts in a skillet over medium heat until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Combine pesto ingredients in a food processor and pulse until well combined but still rough-textured.

2. If you have a panini press, turn it on to warm up; otherwise, set a skillet over medium heat.

3. Assemble sandwich by smearing insides of bread slices with pesto. Arrange a layer of sliced tomato and season with a few turns of fresh pepper. Layer the mozzarella slices over the top and then place another piece of bread on top to make the sandwich.
4. Drizzle olive oil over skillet's surface and place sandwiches on the hot skillet or panini press. If using a skillet, place another heavy skillet over the top to form a "press". Turn after 2 to 3 minutes and replace weight. The sandwich is ready when golden brown and mozzarella has melted around the edges.
Verdict: Oh for pity's sake, just look at the darn thing, would ya? What do you think I'm going to say about it?! It was cheesy, melty, flavorful, rich, crispy, PURRRRRRRRFECT. I want to have it every day for the rest of my life. Maybe not a war, but I'm sure mini-battles can be fought over this concoction. It's devious in its simplicity. It's one of those foods that you will have cravings for in the middle of the night.

I'm submitting this for the next Tyler Florence Fridays round-up, tout de suite! Ladies, this is a hot one!

And I believe this colorful dish will also qualify for this month's Food In Color event, originated by Sunshinemom from Tongue Ticklers, and hosted by Neha from Easy N Tasty Recipes. This time, the theme is "Red + Green", and there's definitely lots of that in this recipe!

Monday, March 5, 2012

buttermilk roast chicken

Buttermilk Roast Chicken

Adapted barely from Deb Perelman's Smitten Kitchen, the original version by Nigella Lawson can be found here.
Serves 4 to 6.
Prep time 10 mins, cook time approximately 20 mins.
Begin this recipe at least 1 day ahead.

Note: I made this in a cast iron skillet just because (1) I was too lazy to line a baking dish with parchment and (2) I wanted to use my cast ironware more often. There is really no need to line your baking dish if you're using this recipe as the sugar content is quite low and hardly any drippings result from it to give you a hard time at the sink. As usual, I made my own buttermilk as the boxed stuff had been from the store for weeks - use 1 tablespoon acid (lemon juice or vinegar) to 1 cup whole milk (I take no responsibilities if you use skim and then realize the outcome is short). I roasted 5 pieces after 48 hours and the rest 1 day later without incident.

  • 2 cups buttermilk
  • 5 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika, plus extra for sprinkling (I used smoked)
  • Lots of freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 1/2 to 3 pounds chicken parts (I used 3 thighs and 6 legs)
  • Drizzle of olive oil
  • Flaked or coarse sea salt, to finish
  • 3 teaspoons goose/duck fat (optional)
  • Chopped coriander (optional, parsley or thyme works well too)

In the measuring up of the buttermilk, whisk it with the garlic, salt, sugar, paprika and lots of freshly ground black pepper. Place all the chicken parts in a gallon-sized freezer bag (or lidded container) and pour the buttermilk brine over them. Swish it around so that all parts are covered. Refrigerate for at least 2 but preferably 24 and up to 48 hours (as mentioned earlier, we tried an extra 24 hours without incident).

When ready to roast, preheat oven to 425°F (fan on for convection). Heat up a cast iron skillet on medium high heat. Add in the goose/duck fat if using, drizzle over some olive oil. Remove chicken from buttermilk brine, shake off excess and arrange skin side up on the skillet. Turn off heat. (If using a baking dish, just arrange the chicken in it skin side up.) Drizzle lightly with olive oil, then sprinkle with additional paprika and sea salt to taste. Roast for 20 minutes if using cast iron skillet or 25-30 minutes if using baking dish, until brown and done. Garnish with herbs of choice if using, serve immediately with pan drippings over some potatoes or greens.

stuffed chicken

Panko Crusted Chicken Stuffed with Ricotta, Spinach, Tomatoes, and Basil

I needed to get rid of some leftover ricotta cheese and spinach so I created this recipe. It was SO DELICIOUS! The chicken was really moist and tender while the panko was crunchy and the ricotta mixture was flavorful and creamy. I will be making this dish again and again – my husband and I especially loved it. I highly recommend this recipe.
Panko Crusted Chicken Stuffed with Ricotta, Spinach, Tomatoes, and Basil:
Recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking.net
 
  • 1 cup of low fat ricotta cheese
  • Small handful of baby spinach, chopped
  • Small handful of grape tomatoes, diced (remove the seeds if possible)
  • 2 tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated
  • 1 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
  • 1 clove of garlic, minced
  • Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
  • Dash of oregano
  • 2 chicken breasts
  • Italian seasoned panko crumbs
  • 2 tsp olive oil

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Combine the ricotta, spinach, tomatoes, Parmesan cheese, basil, garlic, sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste. Mix until thoroughly combined.
Rinse the chicken breasts then cut a long horizontal slit along the center of the thin long edge of the chicken breast, nearly through to the other side. Fill the cavity of the chicken breast with the ricotta mixture. Season each side of the chicken with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste. Carefully dip the chicken breasts in the panko crumbs until both sides are evenly covered. Close the slit together with toothpicks (or if you are like me and realize that you don’t have toothpicks, simply break some kebab sticks in half and use them).

Heat the olive oil in an OVEN PROOF skillet on the stove over medium high heat. Once the pan is hot, place the chicken in the skillet and cook for 3-4 minutes or until the chicken is golden brown, flip the chicken over and place the skillet into the oven. Cook for 20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Let the meat rest for 5 minutes before slicing. Enjoy.



Click here for a printable version of this recipe – For the Love of Cooking.net

spaghette squash pasta

Martha Stewart Living, January 2008
  • Prep Time 10 minutes
  • Total Time 65 minutes
  • Yield Serves 4
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Ingredients

  • 1 spaghetti squash (about 4 pounds), halved lengthwise, seeds removed
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
  • 1 tablespoon packed light-brown sugar
  • Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (about 2 1/2 ounces)
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1/4 cup blanched hazelnuts (1 ounce), toasted and coarsley chopped

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Brush cut sides of squash with oil, and sprinkle with sugar and salt and pepper to taste. Place squash, cut sides down, on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast until tender, about 45 minutes. Let cool slightly on sheet on a wire rack, about 10 minutes.
  2. Scrape squash with a fork to remove flesh in long strands. Place in a large bowl. Add oil, Parmesan, parsley, cilantro, hazelnuts, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste. Toss, and serve immediately.

korean short ribs





Crock Pot Korean Beef Short Rib Tacos
  • 6 1/2 pounds short ribs (or other ribs)
  • 1 1/2 cups low sodium soy sauce
  • 1 1/3 cups packed brown sugar
  • 10 cloves garlic
  • 2-3 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled
  • 6 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons dark sesame oil
  • 1-2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
Cucumber Slaw
  • 1 hot house cucumber
  • 4 teaspoons rice vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 2 pinches of salt
  • crushed red pepper flakes to taste
To serve:
  • 6-inch flour tortillas
  • fresh cilantro
  • extra Siracha
In the bowl of a small food processor, pulse the garlic and ginger until finely chopped (you can do this with a knife or on a microplane as well, but it was really fast and easy in my mini food processor).

Add the ribs to the crock pot.  In a medium bowl, whisk together all the ingredients for the cooking liquid.  Pour over the ribs.

Set the crock pot to low and cook about 8 hours. When ready to serve, remove the bones from the ribs, and shred into bite-sized pieces.

Skim the fat off the top of the liquid and add to a small saucepan.  Simmer over medium-low heat until thickened and reduced.  Pour over the shredded meat and serve.

For the cucumber slaw, slice the cucumber as thinly as possible, using a mandoline if you have one.  In a medium bowl, whisk together the vinegar, sugar, salt, and red pepper flakes.  Toss the cucumbers in the mixture and refrigerate until ready to use.

To serve, warm the tortillas and fill with the shredded meat, and top with cucumbers, cilantro, and Siracha to taste.


Korean Beef adapted from My Life as a Mrs. and Confections of a Foodie Bride, originally from What's Cooking Chicago and Blisstree


Cucumber Slaw from My Life as a Mrs, originally from Steamy Kitchen

fruit roll ups

Fruit Roll Ups
From My Edible Advice
2 cups organic strawberries
¼ tsp cinnamon
Blend the fruit until smooth, then spread onto a Teflex sheet or a parchment-lined baking sheet.
If using a dehydrator, dehydrate at 105 degrees F for 8-10 hours or until the fruit is pliable and easy to peel from the sheet.
If using an oven, leave it on at the lowest temperature until the fruit is dry (times will vary depending on the oven).
Cut into strips and store in a glass container in the refrigerator.

Monday, February 27, 2012

Cheesy Vegetable Chowder

2 Tablespoons butter
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 cup finely chopped carrot
1 stalk celery, finely chopped (feel free to add more celery if you like celery; I don't, so I don't add much)
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
4 cups chicken broth (I usually use a mixture of low-sodium chicken broth and broth made with chicken soup base because it gives it such nice flavor)
2 large baking potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 Tablespoon flour
1/2 cup water
2/3 cup milk
2 cups chopped broccoli
2 heaping cups shredded cheddar cheese
Melt the butter in a large soup pot.  Add onions, carrots, and celery and saute over medium heat until tender.  Add garlic and cook 1 or 2 additional minutes.  Add chicken broth and potatoes, bring to a boil, and cook until potatoes are tender.  Mix flour with water, add, and simmer until soup is slightly thickened.  Add milk and broccoli and cook until broccoli is just tender and soup is heated through.  Stir in cheese, allow to melt, and serve.

Thursday, February 23, 2012

PB Banana squares


Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Cut into squares and enjoy. Top with extra peanut butter if you like! :)

Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Squares
1 1/2 cups quick cooking oats
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 large mashed banana
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
Mix together the quick cooking oats, light brown sugar, baking powder, kosher salt and ground cinnamon.
Add in the vanilla extract, milk and egg. Mix the ingredients together.
Then add in the mashed banana and peanut butter. Combine all of the ingredients.
Pour the mixture into a lightly greased 8 by 8 inch baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.
Cut into squares and enjoy!

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

bake coconut chicken fingers

Baked Coconut Chicken Fingers


Here’s one recipe that you will definitely want to feature at your Super Bowl party this Sunday. These crunchy coconut chicken fingers are oven baked, not fried! They have all the great taste of those greasy, deep-fried chicken fingers but these are so much healthier for you. My husband and I make the Baked Chicken Fingers at least once a month. During a busy weeknight I can always count on them being quick, healthy and delicious. I was getting ready to make another batch of those chicken fingers the other night when I had a craving something coconutty. I pulled out some shredded coconut and went to work. Crusted with a panko coconut mixture, oven baked and served with a homemade sweet dipping sauce, these were a huge hit in my house! Make these tonight, trust me, your family is going to love them! :)

One Year Ago: Homemade Oreo Cookies 
Baked Coconut Chicken Fingers
Printer Friendly Version
For the Coconut Chicken Fingers:
  • 1 cup shredded sweetened coconut
  • 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 2 tablespoons canola oil
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 3 large egg whites
  • 1/2 tablespoon water
  • 1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon orange marmalade
  • 1 1/2 lb chicken tenderloins (or boneless, skinless breasts cut into 3/4-inch strips)

For the Dipping Sauce:
  • 1/2 cup orange marmalade
  • 2 teaspoons mustard
  • 1 teaspoon horseradish
  • dash salt
  • drizzle of honey to taste
Directions:
  1. Preheat oven to 475 F.  Set a wire rack inside a rimmed baking sheet and spray the rack with cooking spray; set aside.
  2. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade process coconut until finely chopped.
  3. In a 12 inch skillet, combine the breadcrumbs, coconut and canola oil. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until golden brown. Transfer to a wide, shallow dish and set aside to cool.
  4. In a second shallow dish, combine flour, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, salt and black pepper.
  5. In a third shallow dish, whisk together egg whites, water, Dijon mustard and marmalade until the egg whites are broken up and the mixture is foamy.
  6. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge each piece of chicken in the flour mixture, shaking to remove excess, then dip in the egg whites coating both sides completely. Finally, place in the toasted breadcrumb/coconut mixture, turning to coat both sides. Transfer to the wire rack and repeat with all chicken tenderloins.
  7. Spray the chicken lightly with cooking spray then bake for 10-12 minutes, or until a meat thermometer reads 165°.
  8. Meanwhile, in a small bowl combine orange marmalade, mustard, horseradish, salt, and honey. Set aside. Serve as dipping sauce for the chicken fingers.

Saturday, January 21, 2012

Asian Peanut Noodles with Chicken

Asian Peanut Noodles with Chicken
Adapted from Family Favorite Recipes
Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings: 6 • Serving Size: 1/6th of recipe • Old Points: 6 pts • Points+: 8 pts
Calories: 337.9 • Fat: 4.6 g • Carbs: 51.4 g • Fiber: 3.7 g • Protein: 21.1 g

Light Peanut Sauce:

  • 14.5 oz fat free chicken broth (vegetarians use vegetable broth)
  • 5 tbsp better'n peanut butter
  • 1 tbsp Sriracha chili sauce
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce (use Tamari for gluten free)
  • 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
 
  • 16 oz chicken breast, cut into thin strips
  • salt and pepper (to taste)
  • 1 tbsp Sriracha chili sauce (more or less to taste)
  • juice of 1/2 lime
  • 5 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce (use Tamari for gluten free)
  • 1/2 tbsp sesame oil
  • 8 oz rice noodles
 
  • 3/4 cup green onion, chopped
  • 1 1/4 cups shredded carrots
  • 1 1/4 cups cup shredded broccoli slaw 
  • 1 cup bean bean sprouts
  • 2 tbsp chopped peanuts 
  • 1 lime, sliced
  • cilantro for garnish (optional)

For the peanut sauce: Combine 1 cup chicken broth, peanut butter, sriracha, honey, 2 tbsp soy sauce, ginger, and 3 cloves crushed garlic in a small saucepan and simmer over medium-low heat stirring occasionally until sauce becomes smooth and well blended, about 5-10 minutes. Set aside.


Boil water for the noodles cook pasta according to package instructions.


Season chicken with salt and pepper, sriracha, lime, garlic, ginger and soy sauce.


Heat a large skillet or wok until hot. Add oil and sauté chicken on high heat until cooked through, about 2-3 minutes; remove from heat and set aside.


Add 2 cloves crushed garlic, scallions, carrots, broccoli slaw and/or bean sprouts and salt, sauté until tender crisp, about 1-2 minutes.


Drain noodles and toss with peanut sauce and additional chicken broth if needed to loosen the sauce. When chicken is cooked, toss with noodles.

Divide noodles and chicken between 6 bowls, top with sauteed vegetables, bean sprouts, chopped peanuts (or you can toss everything together to hide the vegetables so your family members don't push them aside!) and garnish with cilantro and lime wedges.

Easy Zucchini Parmesan

Easy Zucchini Parmesan

Submitted by: MATCM81

This quick and healthy snack takes minutes to prepare! And as a bonus, it's an easy way to get the kids to eat their vegetables.
Number of Servings: 1

Ingredients

    Zucchini, 1 cup, sliced
    Parmesan Cheese, grated, 1 tbsp
    I Can't Believe It's Not Butter, Original Buttery Spray, 10 sprays
    Non-stick cooking spray


Directions

Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil, then coat with some non-stick cooking spray. Place the zucchini slices out on the pan, then spritz with them with the butter spray. Sprinkle on the parmesan cheese and then pop it in the oven. Broil for a few minutes - until the cheese starts to brown. Enjoy it while it's warm!

Make a larger batch for a delicious and healthy side dish for any meal! Your family will love it!

Asian Flank Steak with Ginger Balsamic Marinade

Asian Flank Steak with Ginger Balsamic Marinade

Slice the flank steak across the grain into thin strips, marinate and cook quickly in hot pan. Add steamed brown rice and sugar snap peas for a healthy dinner with tasty Asian flavors. Leftovers make a great steak salad the next day. Halve this recipe for 2 servings or double for a bigger group. Sake can be purchased in small bottles if its something you don’t often use, but this recipe may change that. For a substitution try dry vermouth or for no alcohol, vegetable or chicken broth. Inspired by a recipe in Bon Appétit, March 2002.
Serves: 4
Ingredients
½ cup (120 ml) low sodium soy sauce or tamari
½ cup (120 ml) sake
3 tablespoons (45 ml) agave syrup
2 tablespoons (30 ml) ginger puree from a jar, (organic with no high fructose corn syrup)
4 tablespoons (60 ml) balsamic vinegar
3 large garlic cloves, finely minced or pressed
1½ tablespoons finely chopped chives
1 ½ – 2 pounds flank steak (700 grams – 1 kilo), well trimmed of any fat
Directions
1)   Make the marinade by combining soy sauce through chives.
2)   Slice the flank steak across the grain into ½” (1 1/2 cm) wide strips. If the steak is very wide, you can slice it in half lengthwise with the grain first, then cross grain into strips. Place steak in a bowl, mix with marinade, then cover with plastic and allow to stand 45-60 minutes at room temperature. You can also mix it in a zip bag, press out the air and marinate.
3)   Heat a large non-stick sauté or fry pan over medium heat. Drain marinade from steak through a sieve and set aside. Lay steak strips flat in the hot pan; don’t crowd them. Cook until one side is a browned and getting caramelized edges. Flip the pieces over and cook just briefly, then remove to a rimmed baking sheet or plate. Repeat with the other pieces until done.
Note – If you want extra sauce to drizzle over the steak, place the raw marinade in a small pan and bring to a boil for a minute to kill any raw meat bacteria. Boil it down but be careful not to let it burn away.
For a quick vegetable side dish – Drop sugar snap peas into boiling, salted water for 3 minutes, drain and serve. If you have snap peas left over, add them to a steak salad the next day. It’s also delicious served with mushrooms. I like to use shitakes with this recipe. Slice and cook in the same pan as the flank steak to pick up the flavors. You may need a little oil or butter in the pan to cook the mushrooms. I’ll add a tablespoon of finely chopped shallots towards the end of cooking for extra flavor.
About the vegetables I did for Ying & Yang Living - To make the vegetables I did for the show, quarter mushroom, thinly slice sweet peppers and slice asparagus. Cook them in the same pan to absorb all of the good flavors from the meat juices. You may need to add just a little oil. Splash with sake and cook down to finish and glaze the vegetables.

Grilled Mahi Mahi with Pineapple Cucumber Salsa

 
Recipe: Grilled Mahi Mahi with Pineapple Cucumber Salsa
Ingredients:
  • 2 mahi mahi fillets
  • Salt & Pepper
  • olive oil
  • 2 limes
  • 1 cup pineapple, chopped
  • 3/4 cup cucumber, finely chopped
  • 1/2 red onion, finely chopped
  • 1 jalepeno (seeds removed) finely chopped
  • 1 bunch of cilantro, chopped
Directions:
  1. To make the salsa, combine pineapple, cucumber, juice of 1 lime, onion, jalepeno, and cilantro. Add salt and pepper to taste.
  2. To cook the fish, heat a grill pan to medium high. Drizzle the fish with olive oil, salt, pepper, and the juice of 1 lime. Cook for 4 - 5 minutes on each side.