Chicken and Beacon Won ton's

In California, we made delicious salad wraps with pretty much this same recipe and they turned out so good, I have been trying to figure out more way that I can incorporate this "filling" in to more dishes. So I was in the grocery store and can across the won ton wraps ... Perfect!

what you'll need:

2 chicken breasts, cut into small cubes

6-7 strips of beacon (you can also use turkey beacon to be a little healthier) chopped

2-3 green onions- cut the whole stem so they make thin circles

a handful of either walnuts or peanuts, chopped

2 Tbsp. Soy Sauce

2 Tbsp. Yoshidas Sauce

Ground pepper and salt if you like- just a little

Extra Virgin Olive Oil to grease the pan

Won Ton Wraps (found in the produce section next to the packaged mushrooms)

Vegetable Oil

Water

*Serve with rice

*Can feed about 4 people

Cook the chicken and beacon first, then mix into the pan the green onions and nuts. Last, add the sauces. Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes on medium heat. Make sure your stove top cools to a medium heat before adding the sauces. You do not want the sauces to burn, it will ruin the flavors BIG TIME! Then remove from heat.

Now, how to make the won tons

Place a small scoop of your chicken mixture in the center of your uncooked won ton wrap. Wet along the edges with water.

Fold in half. Start with one side of your won ton shell holding it with both hands and make a ripple by pushing the wrapper with your left hand back and your right hand over, to make a small fold. Do this across the whole shell. Repeat until you have made as many won tons as you'd like.

Fill your pan so it is about 1 inch deep with vegetable oil on medium/high heat.

They cook very fast so have a plate with a paper towel on it next to you to place the finished ones on.

Enjoy!

Avocado Egg Rolls with Sweet Cilantro Dipping Sauce

Another adventure that I decided to try out is the Egg Roll.

I never order them when I go out to eat and I never try the different sauces that are served with meals. I usually just go with the boring, regular, well known sauce.

However, I finally found an Egg Roll that I liked and made myself...

Oh and Jon hardly took breaths between eating these yummy things!

Complements of Alyssa at Cooking a la mode

~Here's the what you'll need and the how to~

2 large avocados, peeled and diced

2 Tbls. sun dried tomatoes (packed with oil) or fresh tomatoes diced

2 Tbls. minced red onion

1 tsp. fresh cilantro

1/4 tsp. salt

6 egg roll wrappers (which are found in the produce section at the grocery store)

In your food processor, finely dice tomatoes, onions and cilantro.

Gently stir together avocado, salt and tomato mixture. Distribute fillings evenly in line on the bottom third of each egg roll wrapper.

Position a wrapper so a corner is pointing towards you; fold the bottom corner up and over the filling. Fold side corners in and roll toward the to corner. Wet the edges of the top corner with a little water. Then fold corner over and press to seal. Repeat to make a total of 6 wraps.

Heat 2-3 inches of oil to 350 degrees. Cook eggs rolls for 3-4 minutes, or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Slice rolls on the diagonal and serve hot with cilantro sauce.

Sweet Dipping Sauce

1/4 cup white vinegar

1 tsp. balsamic Vinegar

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup chopped cashews

2/3 cup fresh cilantro

2 garlic cloves

2 green onions

2 Tbls. granulated sugar

1 tsp. ground black pepper

3/4 tsp. ground cumin

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Put all ingredients together, except for the olive oil and blend or use a food processor until pureed. Stream in olive oil. refrigerate until ready to use.

Enjoy!

Mongolian Beef

My Husband is a BIG red meat fan

but you can't just have burgers and a chunk of steak all the time.

Here is another way o enjoy your red meat!

Complements of Alyssa at Cooking a la mode

~Here's what's needed and the How to~

2 pounds steak - tri-tip or any other flank

The Marinate:

1 cup soy sauce

1 1/4 cup sugar - yes I know that is a lot!

1 tsp. pepper

2T. toasted sesame oil

4-6 green onions, sliced from top to bottom

2 T. sesame seeds

Combined marinade in a ziplock bag. Cut steak into 1/4 inch thick slices against the grain. Place meat in marinade, if possible, for 24 hours. Once marinate is complete, pour entire contents of bag into a 9x13 pan. Broil, turning at least once, until meat is cooked to your liking.

(I like mine well done)

Watch it carefully, it cooks fast.

*Serve over rice.

Enjoy!

The Perfect Bruschetta

Okay, I must admit that I am not a tomato fan .. or so I thought. I do not like ketchup, cherry tomatoes, tomato soup and a few other tomato item

BUT,

I do love Bruschetta!!!

Complements of Alyssa at Cooking a la mode

I decided to make some for my hubby and I to go along with our Italian style dinner. The only thing, I did not have fresh Parmesan cheese to sprinkle on top... I just used the ready to shake on your pasta kind.

Turns out, this delicious appetizer is super easy to make and only takes a few minutes!

~Here's the what you'll need & how to~

1 loaf French bread

1/2 cup butter

Vine-riped tomatoes, diced

3-5 basil leaves, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp. Olive oil (I used extra virgin)

Kosher salt or grounded salt

freshly ground pepper

Fresh Parmesan cheese

In a medium bowl, combine tomatoes, basil, garlic, oil and seasonings. Let mixture rest in the fridge while you prepare toast rounds.

In a very large skillet, melt 1/4 cup butter over medium-high heat.

(Be careful not to burn the butter or your dish will be disgusting. I burnt it the first rime and had to throw it out, wash my skillet and start again)

Slice bread into 3/4 inch slices. Toast butter on both sides until butter is absorbed and toast is lightly browned.

Remove from pan, sprinkle fresh Parmesan cheese and top with tomato mixture. Top with additional Parmesan and serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Blueberry Belgium Waffles

One of my favorite breakfast items is a nice Belgium waffle. I like them with blueberries, chocolate chips, bananas, strawberries, peaches ... I think you get the idea. They go great with a lot of different fruits! This morning my hubby made me a blueberry one and himself a chocolate chip one. What a nice way to start off a wonderful Sunday. Sorry if you were hoping for a homemade recipe because we just used the ready to use Krusteaz brand and added the extra goodies. You can always top yours with syrup, whip cream and butter but today I just wen simply with the butter!

All the good stuff

We got our Belgium waffle maker as a Wedding present and are so glad. You can get this one from Bed, Bath and Beyond

I hope you all have a

fabulous and restful

Sunday!

Mozzarella Stuffed Chicken

If you want a super easy but great tasting chicken dinner you have got to try this!

What you'll need:

2 chicken breasts

3/4 cup of Italian bread crumbs

1/2 cup of butter

Parmesan cheese

basil seasoning- just a dash

salt and pepper

mozzarella cheese

Parmesan cheese

*served with organic wild rice

Preheat oven to 350' F

Begin cooking your rice.

Sliced through one side of the chicken breast leaving a space to insert the cheese. On separate plates pour out your melted butter on one, flour onto another and spread the bread crumbs and add to them the Parmesan cheese, basil, salt and pepper on the third plate. Dip both sides of your chicken breast into the flour. Move to the butter and do the same thing and then with the bread crumbs mixture. Once your chicken breasts have been covered with all three coats, stuff the chicken with mozzarella cheese. I decided to just use cheese sticks since I already had them in my refigerater. Next, place chicken in a greased (spray with Pam or any other non-stick spray) and bake in the oven for at least 15-25 minutes or until the bread crumbs are browned and the chicken is well done.

My husband loves this meal! I usually add a vegetable like green beans or corn as a side. Enjoy!

Honey Chicken Stir-fry

Since mentioning this Honey Chicken Sir-fry that I have made a few times for dinner ( which turned out del-i-cious) a few people have been wanting the recipe.

Well here it is, simple and quick:

(These portions are perfect for a dinner of 2)

~Ingredients~

1 pound boneless chicken breast, cut into 1 inch pieces

1 garlic clove, minced

3 teaspoons olive oil

3 Tablespoons honey

2 Tablespoons soy sauce

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1 package (16 oz) frozen or fresh vegetables

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1Tablespoon cold water

*Hot cooked rice

In a large non-stick skillet, stir-fry chicken and garlic in the olive oil. Add honey, soy sauce, salt and pepper. Cook and stir until chicken is lightly browned and juices run clear. Remove from pan and keep warm. In the same pan, stir-fry the vegetables in he remaining sauce for 4-5 minutes or until tender. Return chicken to pan and stir to coat.

Combine cornstarch and cold water in a separate bowl, stirring with a fork until smooth. Gradually stir into chicken mixture. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1 minute or until thickened. Serve over rice.

*Some helpful tips:

-Don't forget to start the rice early, depending on if it's instant or not.

-Let the chicken mixture cook a little bit longer at the end to caramelize the stir-fry.

Dinner will be ready to eat in only a few short minutes. Enjoy!

Bisquick Cinnamon Rolls

Here is another one of my cravings lately... Cinnamon Rolls! I found this easy recipe at cooks.com. I did not use their frosting recipe, I prefer to make mine with milk and I always double the amount they say to make because I love them covered in the dressing!

Here's the how to:

1 egg
3/4 c. milk
1/2 c. sugar
3 c. Bisquick
2 tbsp. melted butter
2 tsp. cinnamon

Heat oven to 350°F.

Beat egg, add Bisquick and milk. Stir to make soft dough.

Knead lightly, just until smooth. Pat or roll out into rectangle 10 x 8 inches. Spread with butter. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Roll up tightly beginning with wide side. Seal well by pinching edge of dough into roll. Place sealed side down on ungreased baking sheet.

Make cuts with scissors almost through roll at 1 inch intervals. If desired form roll in crescent.

Bake 15-20 minutes. While warm, glaze top with mixture of 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar and 2 teaspoons warm water.

Makes 10 to 12 slices.

Chocolate Souffles

Last night I decided to be a little more adventurous with dessert and made chocolate souffles. They turned out so good, I could not believe it. I found a very simple recipe on Epicurious. com.

Ingredients:

1/3 cup sugar plus additional for sprinkling

5 oz bittersweet chocolate (I just use semisweet from a nestles bag)

3 large egg yolks at room temperature

6 large egg whites

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 375°F. Generously butter soufflé dish and sprinkle with sugar, knocking out excess.

Melt chocolate in a metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water, stirring occasionally until smooth. Remove bowl from heat and stir in yolks (mixture will stiffen).

Beat whites with a pinch of salt in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until they just hold soft peaks. Add 1/3 cup sugar, a little at a time, continuing to beat at medium speed, then beat at high speed until whites just hold stiff peaks. Stir about 1 cup whites into chocolate mixture to lighten, then add mixture to remaining whites, folding gently but thoroughly.

Spoon into soufflé dish and run the end of your thumb around inside edge of soufflé dish (this will help soufflé rise evenly). Bake in middle of oven until puffed and crusted on top but still jiggly in center, 24 to 26 minutes ( I only cooked them for 20 minutes and they turned out great, any longer and they would have been hard to burnt, so check them around 15-17 minutes). Serve immediately.

Serves 4 people

The melt in your mouth! Enjoy!

Whats for dinner Tonight?

Jon and I have really been trying o get creative with dinner and not eat out as often, so we decided to attempt Ratatouille! Here whats really inside the dish.... egg plant, yellow square, zucchini, white onion, tomato, garlic, vegetable or chicken broth, basil, and bay leaves. I didn't time how long I put it in the oven for but I kept the temp at 275' until right before I took it out and shot it up to 400' for just a minute! And then we made Italian cheese bread to go on the side. It made a great vegetarian dish but I love meat so I think next time I'm going to add salami to it....maybe!

Before

After... Yumm

Table For 2- Chicken Beacon Sandwich

The other night I decided to make Jon and I a special dinner. First went to Costco to get the ingredients, then rushed home to cook it before he got back from school.

*butter

*Parmesan cheese

*chicken

*olive oil

*beacon

*herb de providence

*onions

*lettuce

*mayo

*fresh black pepper

*4 pieces of french bread (Costco's is the best and very moist)

First butter both sides of all the bread and lay on an oven sheet. Next sprinkle lightly some Parmesan cheese. Bake in the oven on about 250. In the mean time, grill your onions in a bit of olive oils. Then cook the beacon until verrrry crispy. Now, start cooking the chicken and add some of the beacon grease, along with a very light pinch of herb de providence (or whichever extra seasoning you prefer). Once done, pull out the bread, add the mayo, place the chicken and the beacon, lay the lettuce and grind the black pepper over to desired amount! This seriously tasted Restaurant Status... according to Jon, and I agree!

Banana Bread, My Favorite

Jon and I never finish eating all our bananas so we froze them this last time! We made two types: one with crunched walnuts sprinkled on top and the other plain. I was so surprised they didnt burn, since we have to adjust our ovens temp according to what we think will really be 350.. if not they would be well done in less then 20 minutes!

Dinner for two

So while Jon was at school today I decided to wipe up a delicious dinner and dessert... for when we watch 24 tonight! We had steamed rice with a little basil and thyme seasoning, dressed with soy sauce, some cheese bread, steamed broccoli and garlic salmon seasoned with extra virgin olive oil, fresh garlic, sugar, salt pepper, basil, thyme and butter! Sauteed a tomato for the side, plus it tastes great with the salmon! Mouth Watering! Then a fabulous fruit salad that had bananas, strawberries, an orange, apple, grapes and watermelon!

Then for dessert I made chocolate covered pretzels! To top it all off, we drank apple juice! I'm Stuffed!

Divine Popcorn Ball Treat

All this simple treat needs is marshmallows, melted chocolate chips, peanut butter& freshly popped popcorn

Christmas Cookies

Here are some easy, quick, yummy cookies that I made for our Relief Society Christmas Party. Martha Stewart gave me the idea and I simplified it!

Here is EVERYTHING you need. Oreo's, White chocolate chips & Candy Canes. First, Mash up the Candy canes with a rolling pin.

Second, melt the chocolate on medium heat. Drop the Oreo in and flip with a fork. Scrape the excess chocolate off with a knife.
Third, place on the wax paper. With a spoon, sprinkle the mashed candy cane onto the melted chocolate. Once the whole sheet is covered, place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before serving.
Last of all, Serve, Enjoy or share with a friend!