Chicken Lettuce Wrap happiness

Last night I surprised myself, and Jake, when I put together a lettuce wrap dinner. We both had our doubts and PB&Js on hand when I started but were happily satisfied with the results. This meal will definitely be an addition to our week day dinner rotation.

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Recipe:

1 package ground chicken

8oz water chestnuts, chopped

1/2 cashews, chopped

1/2 cup shredded carrots

2 tbs sesame oil

1 tbs Chinese 5 spice

1 tbs finely grated ginger

1/2 tbs minced garlic

1/2 tbs salt

3 tbs hoisin sauce

2 tbs soy sauce

2 tbs teriyaki sauce

1 head Boston lettuce

Heat oil in pan over medium heat. Add chicken, ginger, garlic, and 5 spice and cook until browned. Add hoisin, teriyaki, soy sauce, and salt and combine mixture. Then add carrots, water chestnuts, and cashews and simmer for 5 minutes. Serve with lettuce leaves and enjoy. 

This meal is also great because it can be made in one pan and is pretty easy to throw together.

Yummy... 

Apricot Chicken

This recipe is easy to make and helps mix up "chicken dinner" night. I had some apricot jelly that I had left over from holiday cooking and decided to try to incorporate it into dinner. You can use this recipe with different jellies and cheeses. I'm sure it would be great with pepper jelly and pepper jack cheese, apple jelly and brie, etc.

Recipe:

2 chicken breasts

1 slice swiss cheese

4 tbs apricot jelly

Cayenne Pepper powder

Salt

Pepper

Pat chicken dry and then sprinkle both sides with salt, pepper, and cayenne powder. Cook in an oiled skillet over medium heat until chicken is cooked through. Top each chicken breast with jelly and half a slice of swiss. Remove from heat and put pan top on to hold in heat to melt the cheese. Serve when cheese has melted.

Jake has been trying to help out in the kitchen and committed to make a side to go along with our apricot chicken and salad. He tackled the Kraft Home Style Mac and Cheese kit :)

Pretty delicious. Can't go wrong with mac and cheese topped with toasted bread crumbs.

Healthy Spinach Dip

This is one of my all time favorite dips. It is super healthy and has a ton of flavor. Like most women, I found out from my doctor that I had pretty low iron and so began my search for a tasty spinach dish I would enjoy eating. I tweaked a few spinach dip recipes to make it healthier. You can also vary the ingredients to your liking as well (i.e. add more cream cheese for a creamier dip, use more garlic for a sharper taste, etc)

Recipe:

1 package frozen chopped spinach

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1 1/2 tsp minced garlic

1 1/2 tsp minced onion

1 1/2 tsp chopped basil

1/2 tbs butter

1 tbs chopped parsley

1 tbs lemon juice

2 oz fat free cream cheese

1/4 cup of shredded Italian cheese

1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese

Cook and drain spinach. Over medium heat, add butter and saute spinach for about a minute. Reduce heat to medium low and add remaining ingredients. Heat and stir until all cheese has melted and the dip is at a creamy consistency. Transfer to serving bowl and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. I like to serve this with baked tortilla chips.

Jake and I are like 3 year olds when it comes to vegetables. If it doesn't taste good, it's just not happening. That's also why you will probably never find brussel sprouts on this blog.. I am all for being healthy and eating well so I do try to make all of our vegetable dishes taste awesome. Or when all else fails add cheese or a healthy dose of Ranch :)

Jake's Take: (will update soon, but I know he likes this dip and appreciates that it is tasty and healthy at the same time. He requests it at least once a week :)  )

This may be the last post of 2010 since Jake and I are off to PA to hit the slopes to ring in the New Year!

Cheddar Bacon Scones

These scones are a meal in themselves and are great to grab on the go. I mean how can you go wrong with bacon and cheese?

Oh yumm.. you can make these a day or two in advance and are a great addition to a brunch.

Recipe: (adapted from The Pastry Queen)

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tbs baking powder

1 tsp salt

2 tsp black pepper

1 stick chilled, unsalted butter, cut into cubes

1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese

4 green unions, thinly sliced

10 slices of bacon, diced and cooked with fat drained

3/4 - 1 1/2 cups buttermilk

1 egg

2 tbs water

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix first 4 ingredients together. Add butter cubes and mix with a mixer on low speed until mixture is has butter flour bits the size of peas. Add cheese and mix until blended. Add bacon, green onion slices, and 3/4 cup buttermilk. Add 1 tbs of buttermilk if mixture is still too dry and repeat until dough can be formed into ball. Place dough ball on floured surface and roll out until it is 1/2 thick. Cut dough into 10 wedges and place on ungreased baking sheet. Combine water and egg and brush each scone with the egg wash. Bake 18 minutes or until golden brown.

Jake's Take: Thought they were very filling and liked tasting the bacon in every bite. Suggested adding some more cheese on the top. Yumm..

Holiday Apps, Drinks, & General Merriness

Jake and I recently had a Holiday Party which ended with a lot of empty liquor bottles in our house and appetizer plates with crumbs too small for a mouse... Sorry, we just finished watching the Grinch..

On the list for appetizers were Chocolate Bacon Bites (recipe in previous post), Angel Cinnamon Wings, Raspberry Sugar Cookies, Baked Brie, and Sticky Delicious Ham Sandwiches.

I'm going to start off with my all time favorite appetizer, the Sticky Delicious Ham Sandwiches. Let's just say this blog was very close to being called Sticky Delicious Ham Sandwiches & Other Life Adventures...

Let's take a look at these bad boys:

Um yummm... I promise these will be a hit at any party and the recipe is pretty easy.

Recipe:

24 bite size potato party rolls

1 package Swiss cheese

1 package sliced ham

1 1/2 sticks of butter

4 tbs brown sugar

2 tbs spicy mustard

2 tbs Worcestershire sause

Poppy seeds

Build mini ham and swiss sandwiches and place in a greased baking dish. Bring butter, brown sugar, mustard and Worcestershire sause to a boil. Pour entire mixture over ham sandwiches making sure each one is covered. Sprinkle poppy seeds over sandwiches. Cover in foil and refrigerate over night so that sandwiches can marinate in the delicious sticky sauce. Leave covered and bake in oven at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Take cover off and continue to bake at 325 degrees for another 10 minutes.

Once the sandwiches have cooled, transfer to serving plate. These can be made up to a day in advance and stored in a zip lock bag.

Jake's Take: Angered that he had to share them with our party guests..

Raspberry Sugar Cookies

My sister and I perfected these cookies last Christmas and there's really nothing not to love about them. I use a packaged cookie mix because I have issues making cookies from scratch along with pancakes.. don't ask..

Recipe:

1 package Pillsbury Sugar Cookie mix along with the ingredients it requires

Raspberry jam

1 1/2 cups powdered Sugar

3 tbs lemon juice

2 tsp lemon zest

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Make sugar cookie mix according to instructions on package. Form dough into log and wrap in parchment paper. Place in freezer for 15 minutes. For raspberry cookie filling, take about 1/2 cup raspberry jam and mix in 1 tbs powdered sugar and set aside.  Once cookie dough has hardened, cut the log into 1/2 inch rounds. Place on baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Use your thumb and fingers to create a small well in each cookie to hold raspberry mixture. Make sure there is a good amount of dough between the bottom of your well and the baking sheet so that raspberry mixture doesn't go through when baked. Spoon small amount of raspberry mixture into each cookie well and bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until golden. For lemon glaze put remaining powdered sugar in bowl and slowly mix in lemon juice. Use as much lemon juice as you like to get the glaze consistency you prefer. Mix in lemon zest and set aside. Once cookies have completely cooled (if not completely cooled, the raspberry center may fall out), remove from cookie sheet and place on cooling rack. Use a fork to drizzle lemon glaze of cookies and enjoy! You should be able to get about 20 cookies out of this recipe depending on size.

Jake's Take: Thinks the softer the better regarding a lower baking time. These cookies will be more fragile of course but may be worth it since they will literally melt in your mouth. Sometimes messy cookies are the best cookies.

Cinnamon Angel Wings

These are light and crispy cookies which are perfect for munching on. They aren't too sweet and don't feel too heavy like most Christmas cookies do. I might try to incorporate some fruit/jam in these next time since they have a tendency to be dry. I'm sure the use of apple butter or jam would be delicious.

Recipe:

1 sheet of puff pastry thawed out

Cinnamon

Sugar

1 egg beaten with splash of water

Preheat over to 400 degrees. Lay thawed out puff pastry on cutting board and brush lightly with egg wash. Combine sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle in thin layer over pastry. Roll pastry towards center from opposite ends until touching in the middle. Cut 1/2 inch rounds from log shaped rolled pastry. If the dough becomes too soft you can put it in the freezer for 10 minutes or until hard. Place rounds on parchment paper covered baking pan. Brush tops of rounds with egg wash and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mixture. Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.

Jake's Take: Thought they were a little dry and suggested having something like whipped cream for dipping.

Baked Brie

This dish is easy to make and is a good alternative to your basic cheese and cracker plate. This was a big crowd pleaser and really dresses up an appetizer spread. The combo of cheese, nuts, and fuit is always tasty. Next time I make this I will be sure to get a picture of the ooy gooy inside :)

Recipe:

One round of brie

One sheet of puff pastry

Apricot jam (or cranberry jam if you want to be super festive)

1/2 cup walnuts

2 tbs butter

3 tbs brown sugar

Pinch of cayenne pepper

Preheat over to 400 degrees. Bring butter, brown sugar, and cayenne pepper to a slight boil. Add walnuts and bring mixture to a simmer. Stir until nuts are coated in mixture and remove from heat. Roll out thawed puff pastry until pliable. Place half of the cooled nut mixture in center of pastry. Spread a few tablespoons of apricot jam on top of brie. Place the brie on top of the nut mixture with the apricot jam side down. Fold the puff pastry around the brie and place seam side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Make a slit in the top of the pastry and bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown. When pastry has cooled slightly, top with more apricot jam and the remaining nuts.

Jake's Take: Honestly, Jake doesn't quite remember the brie. He did love the nuts though. (I think the multiple Christmas shooters may have had something to do with this.)

Now on to the drink portion of this post. We have a bar area set up in our apartment which Jake has claimed as his "man nook". Before the party, we found some cool holiday shooters for him to make for our guests. These included candy cane, gingerbread, apple pie, and chocolate cake shooter.

Candy Cane Shooter

It looks cool when poured correctly but it tastes like cough medicine unfortunately...

Grenadine

Peppermint Schnapps (Clear)

Cream Dementhe (Green)

Add to shot glasses in the order listed above in equal proportions. In order to get the layered effect, use the back of a spoon and place the tip of it on the highest point of the previous liquid added. Slowly pour in addition liquor and repeat for layers.

Jake's Take: While it was good learning how to layer shots, there was nothing he could do to make the cherry and mint combo not taste like NyQuil.

Gingerbread Shooters

Butterscotch schnapps 

Goldschlager

Vodka

Irish Cream

Combine equal parts and enjoy! This one did in fact taste like Christmas in your mouth :)

Jake's Take: Taste's like gingerbread for sure. Might experiment in the future by adding a sprinkle of cinnamon or ginger.

Apple Pie Shooters

Vodka

Apple juice

Whipped Cream

Cinnamon

Combine equal parts vodka and apple juice. Top shots with whipped cream and cinnamon. These go down easy to say the least. Very tasty and who doesn't love apple pie?

Jake's Take: Easy to make but the fact the presentation is awesome it will definitely make it a classic winter time shot.

Chocolate Cake Shooters

Vodka

Frangelico

These babys only have two ingredients but I swear they taste exactly like dark chocolate cake!
Yumm... Jake dipped the glasses in lemon juice and rimmed them in sugar to add some sweetness as well. Add equal parts of both and you're welcome :)

Jake's Take: Definitely a lady pleaser but you can go stronger on the vodka depending on the crowd. If you're among friends, for added effect, he suggests having some sugar to put on your finger to lick afterwards.

And finally for some general merriness!

Our gingerbread town! We won't point out which side I did and which side Jake did...

Phew! That was a long post. In the future I'll only be outlining one or two recipes at a time.