Asian Lettuce Wraps

Tried this recipe from Our Best Bites last week and it was so amazing. I think it will be a new family favorite.

2 tsp canola oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 lb ground chicken*
3 ounces mushrooms, finely chopped (about 8 small mushrooms)
1/2 tsp kosher salt
4 C bagged coleslaw mix or thinly shredded cabbage
1 8oz can sliced water chestnuts, drained, rinsed, and finely minced
1/2 C thinly sliced green onions
4 Tbs soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1 lemon, zested and juiced (about 3-4 Tbs juice)
1/2-1 tsp sriracha or other hot sauce (1 tsp of Sriracha is fairly spicy in my opinion, so if you want less or no kick, just give it a little, or you can leave it out completely)
1/3 C roughly chopped cilantro
1-2 heads iceberg lettuce

*To prepare your own ground chicken, cut boneless skinless chicken breasts into large chunks and pulse in a food processor until ground.

Dipping/Drizzling Sauce
4 Tbs soy sauce
4 Tbs rice vinegar
3 Tbs water
2 tsp honey
1-2 tsp finely minced fresh ginger

Heat a very large skillet to medium-high heat on the stove top. When hot, add vegetable oil and then garlic and ginger. Saute for about 30 seconds, until fragrant, and then add ground chicken, chopped mushrooms, and kosher salt. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until chicken is cooked through. (*At this point, sometimes I have some extra liquid in the pan from the chicken. If it’s quite a bit, I tilt the pan and spoon it out so the chicken can cook and not boil.) Add cabbage/coleslaw, water chestnuts, and green onions. Cook for about 2 minutes, until cabbage starts to wilt. Add soy sauce, sesame oil, the zest from the lemon and the lemon juice, and hot sauce to taste. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro.

To prepare dipping sauce, combine all ingredients and whisk to combine.

To serve, carefully remove the individual leaves from the head of lettuce. (The closer you get to the center, the easier it becomes!) Place chicken mixture in the leaves and serve with sauce.

Yield: about 5 C chicken mixture. Makes 14-16 lettuce wraps.

Texas Sheet Cake

Texas Sheet Cake

2 sticks of butter

1 C water

4 tbsp cocoa

2 C sugar

2 C flour

1 tsp soda

pinch salt

1/2 C buttermilk

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

Bring butter, cocoa, & water to a rapid boil. Mix with flour, sugar, soda, salt, buttermilk, eggs, & vanilla. Mix all together. Grease and flour baking sheet or pan. Bake 350 for 20 minutes.

(For buttermilk -- mix 1 tbsp vinegar w/ 1 C milk)

Frosting for Texas Sheet Cake

1 stick butter/marg 4 tbsp cocoa

6 tbsp buttermilk 1 tsp vanilla

4 C powdered sugar ½ - 1 C chopped nuts

Bring butter, buttermilk, & cocoa to a rapid boil. Add powdered sugar & vanilla. Pour over cake, sprinkle nuts on top. Best if frozen for a while before serving.

La Plaza Pie

I am adding my very favorite pie recipe on Pi Day. It's easy and so delicious.

Ingredients:

• 1 pint heavy cream
• 6 egg yolks
• 1/2 cup sugar
• pinch of salt
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 9 inch pie shell
• fine granulated sugar

Preparation:
Heat heavy cream in a heavy bottomed saucepan over medium heat and bring to a low boil. Beat egg yolks with sugar and a pinch of salt; mix in the cream, stirring constantly with a wooden spatula or wire whisk until well blended. Add vanilla. Strain the custard into 9� pie shell in a pan of warm water and bake in a 350�F oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until the custard is completely set but not over cooked. Do not let the water in the pan boil. Remove from the oven; cool and then chill in the refrigerator. Before serving, sprinkle the top evenly with fine granulated sugar. Light handheld torch and caramelize sugar until melted and bubbly, watching carefully to see it does not scorch and burn. You'll have a hard, highly glazed crust on top of delicious, rich custard. Serves eight.

Spicy Chicken Corn Chowder

• 5 bacon slices, chopped
  
• 2 tablespoons butter
  
• 1 medium onion, chopped
  
• 2-4 cloves of garlic, finely minced
  
• 1 1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, chopped into 1/2" pieces
  
• 1 cup chopped red or orange bell peppers (about 1 large)
  
• 3-4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  
• 6 cups low sodium chicken broth
  
• 3 1/2 cups russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
  
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  
• 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme (or 2 teaspoons dried)
  
• 1 (16 oz.) bag frozen corn kernels
  
• 2 cups half and half or cream
  
• 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese (plus more for garnish)
  
• 1-2 (4 oz.) can chopped green chilies
  
• 1/4 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
  
• 1/2 cup green onions (plus more for garnish)
  
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped (plus more for garnish)
  

Cook bacon in large pot over medium-high heat until crisp. Transfer bacon to paper towels to drain and cool; crumble and reserve for garnish. Pour off all but 1/4 cup drippings from pot. Add butter to pot and melt over medium-high heat. Add onions, garlic, chicken breasts, and bell peppers; saute until onions are soft and chicken is golden brown, about 10 minutes. Add flour; stir and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes.

Whisk in broth, then add potatoes, cumin, and thyme; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer uncovered until potatoes are somewhat tender, about 8 minutes.

Add corn, half and half, cheese, green chilies, and Tabasco; simmer until corn is tender, about 8 more minutes. Add green onions and chopped cilantro and simmer for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Garnish with crumbled bacon, additional shredded cheese, green onions, and cilantro.

Coffee Cake

This is an easy streusel coffee cake, baked in a square or round layer-cake pan.

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• Topping:
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup sifted all-purpose flour (sift before measuring)
• 1/4 cup butter, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• .
• Cake:
• 1 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour (sift before measuring)
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg, beaten
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup melted butter
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation:

Topping. In small mixing bowl, combine topping ingredients. Blend with fork until crumbly. Set aside.

Sift 1 1/2 cups sifted flour with baking powder and salt into a bowl. In a medium bowl, beat together beaten egg and 3/4 cup sugar and 1/3 cup melted butter. Add milk and vanilla. Stir in flour mixture and mix well.

Pour batter into a greased and floured 8-inch square or 9-inch layer-cake pan. Sprinkle topping crumb mixture evenly over batter. Bake at 375° for 25 to 30 minutes, or until cake tests done. Partially cool in pan on wire rack. Cut coffee cake into squares while still warm.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 pound shredded, cooked chicken
• 1 (15 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, mashed
• 1 (10 ounce) can enchilada sauce
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chile peppers
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups water
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 (10 ounce) package frozen corn
• 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
• 7 corn tortillas
• vegetable oil

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place chicken, tomatoes, enchilada sauce, onion, green chiles, and garlic into a slow cooker. Pour in water and chicken broth, and season with cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Stir in corn and cilantro. Cover, and cook on Low setting for 6 to 8 hours or on High setting for 3 to 4 hours.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
3. Lightly brush both sides of tortillas with oil. Cut tortillas into strips, then spread on a baking sheet.
4. Bake in preheated oven until crisp, about 10 to 15 minutes. To serve, sprinkle tortilla strips over soup.

Tuna Cheese Swirls

1/3 C Chopped Onion
1/3 C Chopped Bell Pepper
3 TBS Shortening (oil)
1/4 C Bisquick
1 Can Cream of Mushroom or Celery Soup
1/2 C Milk
1 Can Tuna (drained)
1 Can Peas (drained)
2 C Bisquick
1/2 C Water
3/4 C Grated Cheese

Cook onions and green peppers in shortening, till tender. Add bisquick and soup, gradually add milk, Boil 1 minute. Add tuna and peas. Keep warm until biscuits are ready. Mix bisquick with water. Roll out into rectangle, sprinkle with cheese. Roll dough into long tube. Cut into 1 1/4in sections. Pour soup into sprayed pan then lay biscuits on top. Bake 20-25 minutes at 425 degrees.




Notes from AM: Some things I change- add an extra can of soup and probably another 1/2 cup of milk.

For the biscuits... I do 1 1/2 recipe (so 3 c bisquick, 1 C Water). I also only cut mine about 1/2 inch. This should give you enough to cover the top of a 9x13 pan.