Cashew Chicken and Broccoli

INGREDIENTS: 

2 cups rice

3 Tbsp soy sauce

1 tsp brown sugar

1 lb chicken breast, cut into chunks

3/4 cup chicken broth (divided)

1 1/2 tsp corn starch or flour

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 head fresh broccoli, chopped

2 green onions (scallions) sliced

1 cup cashews

1. Cook rice as directed.
2. In a large bowl mix soy sauce and sugar. Add chicken. Let stand 15 min. to marinate.
3. In a small bowl stir 1/4 cup chicken broth and corn starch or flour until dissolved; let stand.
4. In a large skillet heat oil and cook chicken, BUT NOT marinade. Cook until no longer pink. Stir in broccoli and remaining 1/2 cup chicken broth. Cook 1 minute then add onions and cashews.
5. Push mixture to the sides of the pan or to one side leaving an opening in the skillet. Add marinade and corn starch mixture and stir in the pan. Cook 1-2 minutes until thick. Mix well with chicken and broccoli. Serve over rice.

Waffles

Yum, don't those look good? I got this recipe from a friend while we were living in China. All of these ingredients are very easily accessible there. I have no idea where she got the waffle iron though! The Chinese don't do breakfast the same way we do it. If you make these, I hope you enjoy them!

INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup dried oats (oatmeal)
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
5 Tbsp oil
2 Tbsp light brown sugar

1. In a large mixing bowl stir together flour, dry oats, baking powder, cinnamon & salt. Make a well in the center and add the wet ingredients of eggs, milk, oil and brown sugar. Stir everything together very well and add to a preheated, greased waffle iron.

Fudgy Oatmeal Squares

These are very similar to brownies only they are very moist and a little bit more like cake, but they aren't cake. They are so yummy and since they have oatmeal in them, I think technically they are good for you!

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup dry oatmeal (not instant)
1 1/2 cups boiling water
1 cup flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs

1. Preheat oven to 350. Place boiling water in a small mixing bowl and add oats. Stir well and set aside for at least 5 minutes. Meanwhile, mix all other ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Add oats, which should have absorbed all of the water and become cooked oatmeal. Beat everything together with an electric mixer at low speed for 2 min. Pour batter into a greased 9x13 pan and bake for 35 min.
Optional: Garnish with powdered sugar.

Creamy Caesar Salad Dressing

INGREDIENTS:
2 Tbsp lemon juice
3/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce
3/4 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
2 large garlic cloves, pressed
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup olive oil (extra virgin)
1/4 parmesan cheese

1. In a small mixing bowl add first five ingredients. Blend well.
2. Add mayonnaise; blend until smooth.
3. While continually whisking, add oil to mixture in a steady stream. Whisk until blended. Stir in parmesan cheese and mix well. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Keeps for 2 weeks.

Makes 1 cup.

Note: For Chicken Caesar Salad, make the dressing. Drizzle about 2 tsp of dressing into the frying pan. Add chicken and cook in a skillet until chicken is no longer pink. Let cool for about 10 min. Slice into thin strips. Serve over romaine lettuce.
You can also serve the entire salad over bowtie pasta (cooked, drained and cooled off) to make it a complete dinner. Garnish the salad with tomatoes and cooked peas.

Mustard Crusted Chicken

This is going to be a tough one because I never measure anything for this recipe. For those type A's out there (and Danae) it would drive you nuts for me to not include tablespoons or cups. I'll do my best, just for you.

INGREDIENTS:
1 stick butter melted
1 Tbsp dijion mustard
1 package of boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 cup bread crumbs
a pinch of salt (unless you use salted butter)
dried parsley as a garnish (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350. In a small mixing bowl melt butter. Add mustard and mix well. In a large ziplock bag or in a medium mixing bowl add breadcrumbs and salt.
2. Dip chicken in butter mixture, then in breadcrumbs coating the chicken well. Place in a 9x13 pan. Sprinkle with dried parsley if you wish to garnish it. Bake the chicken for 30-35 minutes (until juices run clear). Serve with your favorite sides.

Hearty Winter Vegetable Soup

INGREDIENTS:
2 Tbsp olive oil
4 leeks, white and pale green parts only, halved lengthwise and sliced
4 celery stalks chopped
4 carrots chopped
2 garlic cloves minced
2 1/2 boxes chicken broth
1 butternut squash, peeled and cubed (this is what give the soup it's wonderful flavor)
1 large sweet potato cubed
1 can chick peas, drained
1 TBSP lemon juice

1. Heat oil in a large stock pot. Add leeks, celery, carrots and garlic. Cook until tender, stirring frequently. Add sea salt & pepper to taste. (I like to use sea salt, but table salt is just fine.)
2. Add broth and bring to a boil. Add squash and potatoes; return to a boil.
3. Reduce heat and simmer partially covered for 15 minutes. Add chick peas; return to a boil. Season again with salt & pepper and let simmer for 30 min. uncovered. Serve with your favorite bread.

WANNA MAKE IT KID FRIENDLY?
Just boil up some egg noodles in water, like the kind in chicken noodle soup. From the Winter Vegetable Soup, ladel out the basic ingredients your kids will like (carrots and sneak in some butternut squash). Then add the egg noodles on top. My kids scarfed it up!

Homemade Ice Cream Cake

This recipe is Dave's Aunt Linda's. She always brings desserts for Thanksgiving and the year we came home from China was the year she made it. Alex was born in October and the day before Thanksgiving I had to give up dairy due to breast feeding issues. (Yes, giving up dairy did make a difference with Alex.) So there I sat, watching everyone eat this delicious goodness. Don't worry, the story has a happy ending. Alex later stopped nursing from me for a whole week so we gave it up all together and I got to eat all my favorites again! Believe me, we were all much happier.

ICE CREAM CAKE:
1 package oreo cookies, finely crushed
1 stick butter melted
2, Half gallons of ice cream, pick your favorites
1 quart cool whip (the bigger container)
1 jar carmel (optional)

1. Crush oreos in a food processor or just smash them in a large ziplock bag.
2. Melt butter. Remove from heat and mix well with oreos. Spread this mixture into a 9x13 pan. If you want to add the carmel layer, here where you do it. Just spread it on, but not too thick a layer because it's strong.
3. Spread the ice cream.
4. Spread the cool whip and garnish with what ever toppings you like such a sprinkles, crushed oreos, crushed m&m's, etc. Really the possibilities are endless.

Lemon Poppy Seed Cake with Chocolate Glaze

My friend Courtney made this cake for a holiday party we had. It was so amazing! I had to get the recipe. I decided I wanted to make it for Christmas for our families. Well instead of following the recipe, which calls for a boxed cake, I decided to make it from scratch. Let me just say, "Big Mistake!" I made "Lemon poppy seed muffins" and topped it off with chocolate glaze. It was so dry and not very sweet. We ended up throwing it out! So my advice to you is, follow the recipe!

LEMON POPPY SEED CAKE:
1 box of lemon cake mix (disregard their directions)
1/3 cup poppy seeds
1/3 cup milk
3 eggs
8 oz plain yogurt
1 tsp freshly grated lemon peel

1. Preheat oven to 350. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and bake in a bundt pan for 40 min. Let cake cool completely on a wire rack.

CHOCOLATE CITRUS GLAZE:
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp cocoa
2 Tbsp milk
1/8 tsp orange extract
1 cup powdered sugar

1. Melt butter in saucepan. Remove from heat and whisk all ingredients into butter gradually. Drizzle over cake. Refrigerate until served.

You may be thinking, "oh but I don't care for orange chocolate glaze." I thought the same thing, but once I tasted it...oh man did I change my mind fast! Let me tell you that it tastes so good.

Wild-rice Pilaf with Cranberries & Pecans

This recipe is straight from Martha Stewart's website. My mom made it on Christmas day and I went crazy for it! She also make a cranberry walnut bread that was amazing. I still have to get the recipe form her on that one. So here's the rice:

INGREDIENTS:
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 shallot, finely chopped (you can use a regular onion instead, about 1/4 cup)
1 cup wild rice
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup pecans
1/4 dried cranberries
1/4 cup golden raisins (optional)
salt & pepper

1. Heat oil in a medium sauce pan over med. heat. Add shallot or onion and cook until translucent. Add rice and cook for 1 minute. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer covered until rice is tender and starting to burst about 45-50 min. Transfer rice to a large skillet and add cranberries and raisins. Cover and stir occasionally until cranberries and raisins are soft and warm, about 5-7 min.
2. While rice cooks heat oven to 400. Arrange pecans on a rimmed baking sheet and toast until browned and fragrant, about 8 min. Let cool and coarsely chop. Add toasted pecans, and salt & pepper to rice. Serve hot with your favorite meat dish.