Chicken Cashew Lettuce Wraps

I made these last night for dinner -- they were good!  I think next time I might add less cashews, some diced water chestnuts, and some green onions for a little more flavor, but definitely would make again.

1 Tablespoon Rice Vinegar


1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar

¼ teaspoons Ground Red Pepper

¼ teaspoons Ground Ginger

1 teaspoon Sesame Oil

2-⅓ Tablespoons Soy Sauce, Divided

3 Tablespoons Canola Oil (or Oil Of Choice)

2 pieces Chicken Breast (approx. 3/4 Lb. Total), Diced

1 cup Diced Onion

2 cloves Garlic, Minced

¼ cups Cashews, Chopped

8 leaves Of Greenleaf Or Iceburg Lettuce, Washed And Dried



For stir fry sauce, mix together rice vinegar, brown sugar, ground red pepper, ground ginger, sesame oil, and 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, making sure to dissolve brown sugar. Set aside.
Heat canola oil in pan over medium to medium-high heat. Add diced chicken and brown (about 4 to 5 minutes). Remove chicken from oil. Add onions and garlic to pan and remaining soy sauce (1/3 tbsp. or 1 tsp.) to pan; brown. When onions and garlic are brown and tender, add stir fry sauce, browned chicken and cashews. Saute mixture for a few minutes and remove from heat.
Spoon chicken mixture into individual lettuce leaves. Add your favorite hot sauce, more cashews or basil.

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

I made these a couple of weeks ago and they turned out yummy!  I found the recipe on allrecipes.com, but made several changes.  The recipe below is the "updated" version that turned out great!  A wonderful fall dessert!

INGREDIENTS:

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 cup vegetable oil 1 cup white sugar 1/3 cup brown sugar 2 eggs 3/4 cup milk 3/4  of a 15 oz can pumpkin puree (more will make them more like a muffin, less will make them a little dry...depends on how you like them)

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened 1/4 cup butter, softened 3 cups confectioners' sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon **I followed these exact directions, but gradually added a little more powdered sugar until it was the consistency I could pipe.  It is sweet, so you just need a little icing piped on top!  I may add a little more cinnamon next time.

DIRECTIONS:

1.	Preheat an oven to 350 degrees.  **I baked mine on convect @325**  Grease 24 muffin cups, or line with paper muffin liners. Sift together the flour, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, clove, allspice, salt, baking powder, and baking soda; set aside.
2.	Beat 1/2 cup of oil, the white sugar, and brown sugar with an electric mixer in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, allowing each egg to blend into the mixture before adding the next. Stir in the milk and pumpkin puree after the last egg. Stir in the flour mixture, mixing until just incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared muffin cups.
3.	Bake in the preheated oven until golden and the tops spring back when lightly pressed, about 25 minutes. (mine did not take this long, so watch them!) Cool in the pans for 5 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack.
4.	While the cupcakes are cooling, make the frosting by beating the cream cheese and 1/4 butter with an electric mixer in a bowl until smooth. Beat in the confectioners' sugar a little at a time until incorporated. Add the vanilla extract and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; beat until fluffy. Once the cupcakes are cool, frost with the cream cheese icing.  Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve!