Sweet and Sour Chicken

This is one of Rob's favorite dinners. I try not to make it too often because it is so HEALTHY! But it is delicious!

4 chicken breasts

1/2 green pepper in big chunks

1/2 onion in big chunks

1 or 2 eggs

1 can pineapple tidbits

Cut chicken into bite size pieces and marinate for 2 hours in:

1 tbs. soy sauce

1/2 tsp. accent

1 tsp. salt

1 clove garlic chopped

Stir and cover chicken in marinade. After chicken is marinated in above sauce, break eggs into chicken. Add enough cornstarch to make batter sticky. Fry in oil until brown.

Triple Sauce:

2 tsp. soy sauce

2 tbs. cornstarch

8 tbs. sugar

6 tbs. vinegar

4 tbs. ketchup

1 c. juice from pineapple plus water if needed to make 1 c.

Cook until thick. Saute onions and green pepper; add to sauce. Add pineapple and chicken last. Serve immediately over rice.

*I tried to find accent and couldn't find it so I made it without it and it is still yummy. Serve this with some Edamame from Costco and you feel like your eating at Pei Wei.

Butterscotch Bon-Bons

It was such a fun time making these, and now I'm FINALLY getting around to posting the recipe!

2 cups peanut butter

1/2 cup butter

4 1/2 cups (16 oz.) powdered sugar

3 cups crisp rice cereal

2-3 packages butterscotch chips

In saucepan, melt peanut butter & butter.

In large bowl, combine powdered sugar & cereal; pour peanut butter mixture over cereal mixtures.

Blend together with hands. Form into 1/2 balls (don't get them too big or they are hard to coat in the butterscotch).

Chill until firm.

Melt one bag of butterscotch pieces in double boiler. Dip the candies in coating, swirling tops with back of teaspoon.

Place on waxed paper lined baking sheet.

Repeat using second, and if needed, third bag of butterscotch chips.

PS - you are only allowed to make these candies once a year! They are so addicting!

Lemon Chicken Noodle Soup

This is the best chicken noodle soup I have ever tasted. I think it is because of all the fresh herbs. Try it out and see what you think.

8 c. chicken broth

6 cloves minced garlic

2 medium carrots peeled and cut

1 parsnip peeled and cut

2 stalks celery cut

1 medium onion chopped

3 tbs. fresh lemon juice

2 c. broad egg noodles

6-8 chicken tenders chunked

1/4 c. fresh dill chopped

1/4 c. fresh mint chopped

1/4 c. fresh parsley chopped

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

Combine meat with broth; simmer 10 minutes until done. Add veggies, cook 6 minutes. Add lemon juice, noodles, fresh herbs and salt and pepper. Cook as long as noodles say they need to be cooked on the package. Serve immediately.

Mexican Lasagna

This recipe is super easy and is a great Mexican dish! I usually make two 8x8 dishes, eat one that night and then freeze the other for later, rather than one 11x13 dish. That way you don't have too much left over.

1 lb. ground beef

1/2 c. chopped green pepper

1/2 c. chopped onion

2/3 c. water

1 package taco seasoning

1 can black beans drained and rinsed

1 14 oz. can Mexican tomatoes

6 flour tortillas

1 can refried beans

2 c. shredded Mexican cheese

Brown beef with green pepper and onion. Add water and taco seasoning, boil for 2 minutes. Add black beans and tomatoes and simmer for 10 minutes. In 11x13 pan layer 2 tortillas, refried beans, meat and cheese, twice. Then top with 2 tortillas and cheese. Cover and bake at 350 for 25 to 30 minutes. Top with salsa and sour cream. I used the bean and corn salsa and it was super yummy!

French Banana Cake

I love this cake. And, it's a great alternative to banana bread when you need to get rid of those brown bananas! It is VERY moist and is even better the day after you make it!

This is the first time I have put Walnuts on top and it was pretty, and yummy too!

2/3 cup water

1 tablespoon vinegar

1 teaspoon making soda

1 package white cake mix

2 eggs

1 1/4 cups very ripe bananas

2/3 cup walnuts, optional

Mix water, vinegar, and soda. Combine with cake mix and eggs. Stir until moistened. Scrape bowl with spatula. Add mashed bananas. Beat with electric mixer 3 minutes at medium speed. Pour into greased and floured 9x13 pan. Bake at 350º for 35 minutes (or until toothpick comes out clean). Frost, when cool with creamy butter frosting.

I generally used Anne's butter frosting recipe and it is yummy!

*recipe from Ivory Favorites cookbook

home made oreos

{These are the EASIEST! I made these for a cub scout pack meeting the other night
and I remembered how addicted to them I am! The boys LOVED them too!}

1 box chocolate cake mix {just the powder}
1/2 C. oil
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla

Mix all together. Spoon cookie dough onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake @ 375 for 7-10 min. After completely cool, frost with:

Vanilla Butter Frosting:
3 C Powdered Sugar
1/3 C softened butter
1 & 1/2 t vanilla
2 T Milk

Mix pwd sugar and butter. Stir in vanilla and milk. Beat until smooth.

varieties:
*use mint extract instead of vanilla and add green food coloring for mint oreos
*use cream cheese instead of butter for cream cheese frosting
*use a tub of vanilla frosting from the store if you must {i'm such a frosting snob! i only like homemade!}
*use spice mix cake and frost with cream cheese frosting

yummiest turkey ever

{NO MORE DRY TURKEY! THIS WAS THE MOISTEST TURKEY EVER!}

1 (10 to 12-pound) turkey

Remove the neck, giblets, and liver from the cavity of the turkey. Rinse the turkey inside and out under cold running water. Soak the turkey in the brine, covered and refrigerated, for at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours.

Brine:
1 cup salt
1 cup brown sugar
2 oranges, quartered
2 lemons, quartered
6 sprigs thyme
4 sprigs rosemary

To make the brining solution, dissolve the salt and sugar in 2 gallons of cold water in a non-reactive container (such as a clean bucket or large stockpot, or a clean, heavy-duty, plastic garbage bag.) Add the oranges, lemons, thyme, and rosemary.Note: if you have a big turkey and need more brine than this, use 1/2 cup salt and 1/2 cup brown sugar for every gallon of water.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Remove the turkey from the brine and rinse well under cold running water. Pat dry with paper towels, inside and out. Place breast side down in a large, heavy roasting pan, and rub on all sides with 4 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature. Season lightly inside and out with salt and pepper.

Stuff the turkey with:
1 large yellow onion, cut into 8ths
1 large orange, cut into 8ths
1 stalk celery, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 large carrot, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 bay leaves
2 sprigs thyme

Loosely tie the drumsticks together with kitchen string.
Roast the turkey, uncovered, breast side down for 1 hour. Remove from the oven, turn over, and baste with 1/2 cup chicken or turkey stock. Continue roasting with the breast side up until an instant-read meat thermometer registers 165 degrees F when inserted into the largest section of thigh (avoiding the bone), about 2 3/4 to 3 hours total cooking time. Baste the turkey once every hour with 1/2 to 3/4 cup chicken or turkey stock.

Remove from the oven and place on a platter. Tent with aluminum foil and let rest for 20 minutes before carving.