Orange Honey Chicken - Home Cooked Recipe 60

While looking for new chicken recipe online recently, I came across a recipe for Orange Chicken that the Pioneer Woman posted.  You can find the original recipe HERE.  It looked so good, I had to try it.  It is really easy to make and super delicious.  The only thing I tweaked was that I added double the amount of honey (she used 1 tbs brown sugar, but I used 2 tbs of honey), and I omitted the vinegar because I didn't think the sauce needed it due to the acid in the OJ.  I even fresh squeezed my OJ since navel oranges are in season and I got 4 lbs for $1.99.  I squeezed 5 oranges worth, which was probably more than the 1/2 cup of OJ she calls for, but we like things really saucy around here.  Try it for a great weeknight meal!

Orange Honey Chicken

Sauce before thickened

Ingredients:

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
• 2 egg whites
• 1 tbs cornstarch
• 1 cup OJ
• 2 tbs honey
• 1/2 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tbs soy sauce
• crushed red pepper to taste (I used about 1 tbs)
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 inch ginger, minced
• 1 tsp cornstarch
• 1/4 cup water
• veg oil (for frying)

Chicken in egg white mixture

Directions:
Heat 2 inches oil in dutch oven until it reaches 350.
Whisk together 2 egg whites and 1 tbs cornstarch until frothy.  Place chicken cubes in mixture and let sit 5-10 minutes.  Meanwhile, make sauce.
In small non stick saucepan, combine OJ, honey, sesame oil, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, and red pepper.  Heat on medium until bubbling.  Reduce heat to medium low.  Stir together 1 tsp cornstarch and 1/4 cup water.  Whisk in to sauce mixture.  Heat on medium low until sauce is thickened (about 5-10 minutes).

Thickened sauce

Fry chicken in oil until golden brown, about 5 minutes.  Drain on paper towels.  

Chicken Frying

Serve chicken in sauce, with white rice on the side if desired (cook 1 cup rice in 2 cups water for 30 minutes).
Enjoy!

Finished chicken

Beef and Potato Empanadas - Home Cooked Recipe 59

I adore empanadas! Little hand pies filled with meat, cheese, or even dessert fillings.  I am in love with Latin flavors, and these tasty little treats are easy to make if you take a little help from your freezer section.  As you know, I am not much into the pastry arts, so instead, I get the dough, already made and in perfect circles for only a couple of bucks from my freezer section (you can find them with international foods).  Easy to make for a snack, lunch, dinner... Any time really!  And I did mine with beef and potato since I saw a recipe that looked so good on Wishes and Dishes.  But really, you can fill them with chicken, cheese, or even chocolate for dessert.  Try them!

Beef and Potato Empanadas

Ingredients:
1 package of 10 frozen empanada dough discs, thawed (for 1 hour at room temp prior to using)
1 lb ground beef
1 small onion, diced
1 small russet potato, diced into very small chunks
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 packet of Goya Sazon
1 tbs of Goya Adobo seasoning
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tbs dried cilantro
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
salt and pepper
1 small can tomato sauce 
1 egg, lightly beaten with a splash of water

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350.

Add caption

Brown ground beef in pan with potatoes.  After 5 minutes, add garlic and onions.  Cook another 5 minutes and add all the spices.  Cook another 5 minutes and stir in all the spices.  After 5 more minutes, add in tomato sauce, combine well, cook two more minutes and then turn off heat.  Let filling cool.  Fill each disc with a tablespoon or so of filling (be careful not to overfill).  Fold in half and seal edges together with a fork.  Brush tops with egg wash.  Bake for 30-40 minutes.
Enjoy!

We Made Room For Dessert 20 - Xmas Sugar Cookies

I love a good sugar cookie.  I found an easy recipe for them online, and made them this year as my Christmas cookie of choice.  I also made the icing from scratch, and I am giving you that recipe today too as a bonus recipe!  Happy Holidays to all my blog readers!!!

Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:

• 2 sticks butter, room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp almond extract
• 1 egg 
• 1 tbs baking powder
• 3 cups flour

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350
Using an electric mixer, beat sugar and butter together on low until completely combined.  Add extracts and egg, beat again for another minute.  Slowly fold in baking powder and flour.  Beat on low for a couple of minutes until dough is completely incorporated.  Roll out dough onto counter.  Cut out desired shapes with cookie cutters.  Bake for 8 minutes.  Let cool completely before icing.
Enjoy!

Sugar Cookie Icing

Ingredients:

• 1 stick butter, room temperature
• 2 tbs milk
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 5 drops of food coloring (I used green for Christmas)

Directions:  
Combine all ingredients until smooth and completely combined.  Spread onto cooled cookies with knife.
Enjoy!

Asian Beef Stew - Crock*Pot Cafe 4

I am a big fan of food that uses Asian flavors.  Recently I saw a recipe for beef and broccoli in the slow cooker that had a great Asian sauce.  So I adapted the recipe by using carrots instead of broccoli, and adding about a cup more beef broth to the sauce recipe, as well as adding some red pepper flakes for a kick.  The result?  A delicious Asian style beef stew that was hearty and comforting, with a great sweet and spicy sauce.  Served over rice it makes a great meal.

Asian Beef Stew

Ingredients
(for 2 people, double recipe for a family of 4)

• 1 lb beef stew meat
• 6 carrots, peeled and chopped into large chucks
• 2 cups beef broth
• 1/2 cup light soy sauce
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 tbs red pepper flakes
• 1 tbs sesame oil
• 3 garlic cloves, minced

***4 tbs cooking liquid
***2 tbs corn starch
***2 cups cooked white rice for serving

Directions
Mix together broth, soy, sugar, pepper, garlic, and sesame oil.  Pour into bottom of slow cooker.  Place stew meat on top, stirring gently to separate cubes and toss with sauce.  Top with carrot chunks, and gently stir.  Cook on low for 6 hours.  After 6 hours, remove 4 tbs cooking liquid.  This is also the time to start cooking your rice (1 cup white rice, 2 cups water, simmer for 20-30 minutes).  Mix the 4 tbs of cooking liquid with 2 tbs cornstarch. Pour back into slow cooker.  Stir well.  Continue to cook stew on low for another 30 minutes until rice is finished.  Serve stew with white rice.
Enjoy!!!

Slow Baked Chicken Thighs - Home Cooked Recipe 58

Normally in my house when we have chicken it is boneless, skinless chicken breasts.  That's like 97% of the time.  One in a while we have chicken wings.  But I have heard so much about chicken thighs, that I finally decided to take the plunge and make a recipe where that is the main star.  I was perusing through the October issue of Cooking Light magazine and came across and article for slow baked chicken thighs.  You can find the original recipe HERE.  With a few tweaks, I made the dish my own and really liked it!  I think white meat is still the favorite around here, but I will definitely be making chicken things (boneless, skinless) again.

Slow Baked Chicken Thighs

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 4 tbs butter
• 1 onion, sliced into rings
• 6 garlic cloves, sliced thinly
• 2 lemons, cut into wedges
• 1 packet Goya sazon
• 1 tbs cajun or creole spice
• salt and pepper

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325.
Melt 2 tbs butter on the bottom of a baking dish (I used my trusty small glass Pyrex).  Next, layer onions on bottom of dish.  Place chicken thighs on top of onions.  Season all over with sazon, cajun spice, and salt and pepper.  Place lemons and garlic slices all around dish in between chicken pieces,  Cut remaining butter in to a small dice and sprinkle over top of chicken.  Cover dish with foil and bake for 1 hour.  Uncover, baste chicken, and bake for an additional 45 minutes, basting every ten minutes.  Serve with rice.
Enjoy!