Honey-Ginger Chicken Bites

Soo delish! This has made it's way into one of our regulars. Usually just steam some rice, add the chicken bites and sauce.

Honey-Ginger Chicken Bites
From: Cooking Light - Best of Chicken Recipes

2/3 C. Honey
2 Tbsp minced peeled fresh ginger
2 TBSP Fresh Lemon Juice
2 TBSP Cider Vinegar
2 TBSP Low-sodium Soy Sauce
2 TSP dark sesame oil (I could not find it so just used reg. sesame oil
1 TSP grated orange rind
1 TSP Worcestershire Sauce
4 Garlic Cloves, minced
1 1/4 pounds, skinless, bonless Chicken thighs cut into bite size pieces (about 16 pcs)
Cooking Spray
1 TSP Salt
1/4 TSP black pepper
2 TSP cornstarch
2 TSP water
2 TSP sesame seeds, toasted (Optional)

1. Combine first 9 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic, seal and shake well. Add chicken pieces; seal and toss to coat. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight, turning occasionally.

2. Preheat oven to 425

3. Remove chicken from bag, reserving marinade. Arrange chicken in a single layer on th erack of a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Back at 425 for 20m, stirring once.

4. While chicken is cooking, strain marinade through a sieve into a bowl, discard solids. Place marinade in a saucepan, bring to a boil. Cook 3 minutes; skim solids from surface. Combine cornstarch and 2 teaspoons of water in small bowl; stir with a whisk. Add cornstarch mixture to pan, stir with whisk, cook 1 min. Remove from heat, pour glaze into large bowl.

5. Pre-heat broiler.

6. Add chicken to glaze, toss well to coat. Place chicken mixture on a jelly-roll pan; broil 5m or until browned, stirring twice, sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired.

Yield: 12 servings (serving size about 1.5 oz)

Beef and Barley Soup

For Samantha!

Looking for Mr. Goodbarley Soup

1-1/2 pounds		stewing beef, trimmed of fat and cut into bite-sized pieces
1 cup each		chopped celery, chopped carrots and chopped onions
1 clove		garlic, minced
7 cups		water
4 tsp		beef bouillon powder
1 cup		tomato sauce
2/3 cup		pearl barley
1-1/2 tsp		dried marjoram
3/4 tsp		dried thyme
1/2 tsp		black pepper
		Salt to taste
1/3 cup		chopped, fresh parsley

1. Spray a large soup pop with non-stick spray. Add beef and brown on all sides over high heat. Work in two batches if necessary

2. Reduce heat to medium. Add celery, carrots, onions and garlic. Cook and stir for 5 minutes. Add all remaining ingredients to pot, except parsley. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer for 1-1/2 hours, until beef is very tender. Stir in parsley and serve hot

Tiramisu

Ingredients:

2/3 cup strong espresso (or substitute 1 tablespoon instant coffee dissolved in 2/3 cup of boiling water)
½ cup Kahlua
4 large egg yolks
4 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 cups whipping cream
2 cups mascarpone cheese, room temperature
40 (about) crisp Italian ladyfinger cookies
Unsweetened cocoa powder, for dusting

Method:

In a small bowl, combine the espresso and Kahlua. Set aside to cool completely. If the espresso mixture is hot the ladyfingers will absorb too much liquid and fall apart easily. Using a whisk, beat the egg yolks and 2 tablespoons of sugar in a medium metal bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water until the mixture is pale and thick and forms a ribbon when the whisk is lifted.

Cool for 5 minutes. Place the mascarpone in a large bowl. Stir half of the yolk mixture into the mascarpone to lighten, then fold in the remaining yolk mixture. In another large bowl beat the whipping cream and the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar with the electric mixer just until stiff peaks form.

Fold the whipping cream into the mascarpone mixture and set aside.

Quickly dip enough of the cookies into the Kahlua mixture to cover the bottom of a 9 x 13 glass dish or pan. Cover with half of the marscapone mixture Top with another layer of dipped cookies and the remaining marscapone mixture.

Sift the cocoa powder over the tiramisu. Refrigerate until set, at least 2 hours (overnight is best.)

Cold Shrimp Soup

This is a little odd but it is very tasty and a summer favorite around here :)

1 bottle Clamato
Lemon juice
Worcestershire sauce
Celery salt
Fresh ground pepper
Peeled, cooked shrimp
1 pkg cream cheese, cut into small cubes (about 1/2" or so)
2 avocados, cubed

Chill the Clamato and pour into a large bowl. Add all the other ingredients (lemon juice, Worcestershire, celery salt, and pepper are all to taste... it's like making a big caesar) and chill until serving (eat within an hour or so.. the shrimp turns red after a while.)

Very yummy with crusty bread!

Easy Peasy Soft Granola Bars

From one of the moms on DIP!

GRANOLA BARS

41/2 cup rolled oats
1 c all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 c butter
1/2 cup honey
1/3 c packed brown sugar
2 cups mini semi sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325 F . Lightly grease 1 9X13 in rectangle pan.

In a large mixing bowl combine the oats, flour, baking soda. Set aside. In a microwave safe container melt the butter until liquid. Stir in honey, vanilla and brown sugar until incorporated and smooth. Add to oat mixture. Add in chocolate.

Pour mixture mixture into prepared pan and press down until flat. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes or until the edges are starting to brown. Let bars cool completely before cutting and removing from pan. Store in a container with a lid. Makes 18 bars.


NOTES:

You can mix up the recipe to suit what you have on hand, use whole wheat flour or a nice 7 grain flour, nuts, seeds, dried fruit, etc. The combinations are endless. Can substitute corn syrup instead of honey and quick oats work just as well as regular oats.

Rhubarb Nectar

This one is for Sam :) This is sooo tasty when mixed with 7-up or soda water!

Ingredients:

10 cups (2.5 L) chopped rhubarb (about 3 lb/1.5 kg)
3 cups (750 mL) water
1 strip each orange and lemon rind
2 cups (500 mL) granulated sugar

Preparation:

In large saucepan, combine rhubarb, water and orange and lemon rind; bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer for 10 minutes or until rhubarb is broken up.

Strain through cheesecloth-lined strainer into clean saucepan. Stir in sugar and bring to boil. Pour into hot sterilized jars, leaving 1/4-inch (5 mm) headspace. Top with lids and screw bands; process in boiling water bath for 5 minutes. Shake or stir before using.

Bavarian Apple Torte

Ingredients:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup flour
8-oz. cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
4 cups peeled, sliced apples
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 450 Fahrenheit.

Cream butter and 1/3 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Blend in vanilla. Add flour; mix well. Spread on bottom and sides of a springform pan. Combine cream cheese and 1/4 cup sugar, mixing until well blended. Blend in egg and vanilla. Pour in pastry lined pan. Toss apples with combined sugar and cinnamon; spoon over cream cheese layer. Sprinkle with nuts. Bake at 450 for 10 minutes. Reduce temperature to 400 and continue baking 25 minutes.