Microwave Mandarin Chicken

Found this recipe on all recipes--I was surprised that they recommended cooking it in a microwave, but thought I'd give it a try. It turned out great! This was good and everyone ate it--definitely a keeper!

Ingredients:

4 boneless, skinless, chicken breast halves

2 TBS brown sugar

2 TBS cornstarch

1/2 C teriyaki sauce

1/4 C apple juice

1 TBS vegetable oil

1 garlic clove, minced

1 (15 oz) can mandarin oranges

Hot cooked rice (I used jasmine)

2 green onions, sliced (optional)

Directions:

1. Pound the chicken to 1/4" thickness & place in a greased 2 qt microwave safe dish.

2. In a bowl, combine brown sugar & cornstarch, stir in the teriyaki sauce, apple juice, oil & garlic

3. Drain the oranges, reserving the juice--set oranges aside. Add the juice to the teriyaki mixture. Pour over the chicken.

4. Cover and microwave on high for 8 minutes.

5. Baste the chicken with the sauce--cover and cook for 3-5 min longer or until the sauce is thickened.

6. Serve over rice, garnish with the oranges & onions.

(side notes for future: add a little s&p/garlic salt to chicken breasts before pouring teriyaki mixture over them)

**serve with steamed veggie, fresh broccoli or asparagus

Homemade Spanish rice

Also from Lisa...

Ingredients:

1 C rice (not minute)

1/4 C oil

8oz can tomato sauce (& 3 cans of water)

1 tsp salt

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp garlic powder

Directions:

1. mix the 3 seasonings together in a small bowl, set aside.
2. in a skillet, saute the rice in the oil until it is lightly browned

3. when the rice has browned, add your water & tomato sauce to the skillet

4. toss your seasonings in, stir & bring to a boil--reduce to a simmer, cover your skillet & cook for approximately 20 minutes

This goes great with those enchiladas! Soo much better than a boxed version!

Chicken, Black Bean & Bacon Enchiladas

These are sooo yummy! I have to thank Lisa F. for this recipe and the Spanish rice that goes great with it (I'll include on a separate post)!

Ingredients:

3 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut in small cubes

3 slices bacon, cooked crisp & crumbled (this is actually step #2 below)

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 C picante sauce, divided

1 (16oz) can of black beans, drained & rinsed

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 C sliced green onions

8-12 flour tortillas

1 1/2 C shredded monterey jack cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 & lightly grease a 9x13 pan

2. *cook crisp the 3 slices of bacon, remove bacon to paper towel to cool, then crumble it

3. stir fry chicken & garlic in the fat left over from cooking the bacon (until chicken is no longer pink / may also drain off some of the bacon fat if there is too much)

4. stir in 1/2 cup picante sauce, 1/4 C water, beans, red pepper, cumin & salt. Simmer over low heat for approx 10 min, stir in green onions & crumbled bacon.

5. Spoon 1/4 C mixture down center of each tortilla, top with the cheese, roll up & place seam side down in the baking dish. Spoon remaining picante sauce evenly over enchiladas.

6. Bake at 350 for 15 min--then top with the remaining cheese & bake for 5 more minutes.

7. Serve & top as desired (i.e. shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, black olives, sour cream)

*(side note for myself: the bacon boosts the flavor, but if wanting the bacon flavor to stand out more, may try increasing the amount of crumbled bacon from 3 slices to 5??)

The Birthday Cupcakes & Frosting

This is the best cupcake recipe I have ever found...it is easy because it is just a doctored up cake mix. You can freeze them and alter them using different flavors cake mixes too.

We call them The Birthday Cupcakes at my house because everyone in my family always request them to be made for their birthdays. Enjoy!

The Birthday Cupcakes
24 paper liners for cupcake pan
1 package plain butter recipe golden cake mix
1 package cream cheese, at room temp
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup oil
4 large eggs
1 Tablespoon vanilla

Place the cake mix, cream cheese, sugar, water, oil, eggs, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Blend on low speed with a mixer for 30 seconds or until the ingredients are well blended. Stop machine and scrap sides.

Increase mixer speed to medium and beat for 1 1/2 - 2 minutes more scraping down sides, if needed (VERY IMPORTANT STEP to make sure to do it at least this amount of time!). The batter should be smooth and thickened. Spoon/scoop 1/4 cup batter into each lined cupcake cup, filling it 2/3 of the way full.

Bake cupcakes until they are golden and spring back when lightly pressed to your finger (I go by the box directions on baking time). Place on wire racks to cool for 5 minutes.

Birthday Cupcakes Buttercream Frosting

1 cup unsalted butter, room temp
6-8 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Cream butter until smooth and creamy (2-3 minutes). With mixer on low speed, add 6 cups sugar, milk, and vanilla. Mix until light and fluffy. If necessary, add remaining 2 cups of sugar until you reach desired consistency.

Shrimp and Mushroom Casserole

Per Paula Deen recipe...
"This recipe can be served as a main dish with a green salad and French bread or as a side dish with steak."

8 T (1 stick) of butter
1/4 cup flour
1 1/2 cups half & half
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 (13 1/4 oz) can of sliced mushrooms, drained
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 pound cooked shrimp, peeled, deveined, and coarsely chopped
garlic powder to taste
buttered bread crumbs for topping (I used a sleeve of Ritz crackers tossed with a little butter)

Preheat oven to 350. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter and stir in flour, then slowly blend in half & half, stirring constantly. Sauce with be thick. Do not brown. Add mushroom soup, sliced mushrooms, and Parmesan. Fold in shrimp. Add garlic powder to taste. Pour mixture into buttered casserole dish and top with bread crumbs. Bake for 25-30 minutes.

Preschool Spinach Salad

I got this recipe from a girl at our preschool. Really easy and a little different that the normal spinach salad with strawberries (the apples in it are yummy!)

I made it using spinach, granny smith apples (sliced thin), feta cheese, and walnuts. Toss with the dressing recipe below!

2 T fresh lemon juice
2 T white wine vinegar
1/3 c sugar
1 T oil
1 t poppy seeds (optional)

Steaks with Peppercorn Sauce

I made this last night for Kevin's birthday dinner...it was yummy! And the easiest way to make a steak -- I don't think we will ever grill them again! I do think on the sauce I would use 1 T of mustard instead of the 2 T it calls for, but it was good fixed as is.

Thanks Pioneer Woman!

Ingredients
■2 whole Beef Fillets Or Other Good Steaks
■2 Tablespoons Butter
■Kosher Salt And Freshly Ground Pepper
■2 Tablespoons Dijon Mustard
■¼ cups Brandy
■2 Tablespoons (additional) Brandy
■½ cups Heavy Cream
■1 Tablespoon Good Peppercorns, Crushed
Preparation Instructions
Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Sprinkle both sides of steak with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Melt butter in a medium ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. When skillet is hot, brown steaks on both sides, about 45 seconds per side. Place skillet into the hot oven for about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove pan from oven and remove steaks to a separate plate.

Return pan to stovetop over low heat. Add Dijon and brandy, then whisk together. Add heavy cream and crushed peppercorns, whisking to combine. Allow to bubble for about 45 seconds, then remove from heat.

Spoon sauce over steaks and serve.