Saturday, January 28, 2012

Panda Express Fried Rice

 The best fried rice recipe ever!!

Panda Express Fried Rice

1 cup regular long grain Rice, uncooked or 2 cups cooked (freshly cooked is best)
2 cups water
2 eggs, beaten
3 Tbsp butter, divided use
1 cup frozen green peas and carrots, thawed
2 Tbsp Soy Sauce
1/4 tsp Sesame oil
1/8 tsp ground white pepper, or to taste
table salt to taste
1 green onion, diced into pea sized bits, including green tops

In a covered saucepan on the stove top, bring 2 cups of water to a
boil. When the water reaches a full boil, stir in the rice. Stir to
bottom of pan to make sure all rice is moistened and not sticking on
the bottom of pan in lumps. Return water to a boil. Reduce heat to a very
low simmer, replace pan lid and cook for 20-minutes. After 20-minutes,
remove rice from saucepan and place in large bowl to cool. Makes about
2 cups of cooked rice.

Scramble eggs in skillet on stove top with 1 Tbsp of butter. After they
are cooked, chop the scrambled eggs into pea size bits with spatula.

After the rice has cooled in bowl, stir in the chopped scrambled eggs,
and thawed peas and carrots. Toss lightly until mixed uniformly.

Melt 2 Tbsp of butter over medium heat in a large skillet on the stove top.

When the butter is melted and heated, add the rice mixture to the skilled.

Mix the soy sauce with sesame oil in a cup and sprinkle evenly over rice
mixture in skillet.

Saute rice mixture for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring and turning frequently
with a spatula.

When done, season with ground white pepper and table salt to taste.

Place in large serving bowl and garnish top with green onions.

Serve warm.

Makes about 3 cups.

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Tortellini Soup

Tortellini Soup
Tortellini Soup

1 lb Italian sausage
1 onion, diced small
1 cup sliced carrots
2 T garlic, minced
4 c chicken broth
1 can Italian stewed tomatoes, chopped or blended
1 - 8oz can tomato sauce
20oz cooked tortellini*
2 c fresh spinach
1 c provolone or mozzarella
1/4 c parmesean cheese
4 t thinly sliced fresh basil

Brown sausage. Add onions and carrots for 3 minutes. Add garlic for another minute. Add broth, tomatoes and tomato sauce to a boil. Add pasta; boil until tender. Add spinach before serving. Garnish with parmesean, basil and mozzarella.

*If you want to boil the tortellini in the soup, increase your broth from 4cups to 6cups. Boil as long as package indicates.

Grandma's Sugared Popcorn

Yum Yum!! They made bags of this at Mark and Contessa's wedding reception and gave them out as you left.


Grandma's Sugared Popcorn

2 c. sugar
2/3 c cream
1 T light corn syrup
dash of salt
food coloring (if desired)
flavored extract (if desired)

Air pop 1/2 cup of popcorn kernels. Remove all un-popped seeds (aka "old maids"). Mix sugar, cream, corn syrup and salt in a pot. On med-high, bring mixture to the "soft ball" stage (approx 235-240°F). Add food color and flavoring to the heated mixture (if desired). Pour over popped popcorn. Stir to coat. Let cool on wax paper. Break apart and eat.

Sunday, January 15, 2012

Sesame Chew Bread

I am re-posting this with a picture. :) Chase made this to go along with dinner last night. We love chew bread.


Sesame Chew Bread
Printable Version

2 c. warm water
2 t. salt
4 c. flour
1T sugar
2T yeast
sesame seeds

Mix: warm water, sugar, salt, yeast, flour. Do not knead. Let raise until double (about 30-60 minutes) Press out in a large greased cookie sheet. Melt 1/2 stick of butter and pour on top - sprinkle with sesame seeds (opt.) Cook 30 minutes at 375. Tear into pieces and eat with a hot bowl of soup.

Serving suggestion: With Corn chowder or Hamburger Soup

Friday, January 13, 2012

Sweet Potato Fries

Doug found this recipe and I am SUPER glad he did. We make these at our house 4-5 times a week right now. We are hooked. They are not crispy like french fries from McD's...because they are healthy. They are lightly coated in EVOO and delicious spices, then baked. Each time I think I have made enough. When they are all gone someone says, "Next time, you should make more!" It's really the spices that make these so good. (I haven't ever gotten mine to crisp up) Try these and let me know what you think!



 Sweet Potato Fries

3 large sweet potatoes or yams
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon granulated sugar** (optional - I omit)
1 tablespoon kosher salt (I reduce to 1 tsp - it's plenty for us)
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Place two rimmed baking sheets in the oven while it preheats and while you prepare the potatoes (about 10 minutes). Peel the potatoes and slice the potatoes into about 1/4- to 1/2-inch strips or wedges. Try to keep most of the pieces the same size so they bake evenly.
Place the potato strips/wedges in a ziploc bag or bowl. Toss the potatoes with the oil. Add the seasonings and mix until the potatoes are evenly coated.

Carefully remove the hot baking sheets from the oven and divide the potatoes evenly among the two sheets, taking care the potatoes are not touching so they have plenty of room for the air circulate to circulate and bake evenly. Also, try to leave any excess oil in the bag or bowl so the potatoes don’t get too soggy while they bake.

Bake the potatoes for about 12-15 minutes, flipping halfway through, if desired, until they are tender and well-browned. Serve immediately.

 

Eliza thought these were done. She was ready to have some. :)
**Even though I omit the sugar, the original recipe says this about the sugar: "The purpose of the sugar is to help caramelize and brown the outside edges of the potatoes. Combined with the salt and other spices, you are left with a tender sweet potato fry infused with a sweet and smoky flavor. Preheating the baking sheets also helps the outer edges get a nice little crunch." I have made these with and without the sugar, and they are just as soft (but oh so delicious), either way.

Recipe Source: Mels Kitchen Cafe

Rolo Cookies

I posted this recipe for rolo cookies a while a go. Come to find out, I was making them incorrectly. The new way is even better! I got the recipe from a friend and I followed the instructions to my interpretation. Because I had never seen the cookies, I didn't realize the rolo was to be completely enclosed in the middle of the cookie. It makes them much more delicious. A chocolatey, caramelly center... yum.






Rolo Cookies

1c sugar
1c brown sugar
1c butter
2t vanilla
2 eggs
2 1/2c flour
3/4c cocoa
1t baking soda
1 bag Rolo

Cream together sugars and butter. Add vanilla and eggs. Separately mix together flour, cocoa and baking soda. Add to wet ingredients.

Drop 1 1/2" balls onto cookie sheet.  (I used my cookie scoop)
 


Press Rolo into center. Continue to completely surround the Rolo with the cookie dough. It should be in the middle of the dough ball.
 

Once Rolo is completely surrounded, roll cookie into a ball. Roll in sugar. Lightly press the top of the cookie with a cup so it will cook more evenly. 

Bake at 375 for 7minutes. Let them set on the cookie sheet for another 3-5min. Transfer to cooling rack. Best eaten when warm. Still good any time. 



Recipe Source: Maura Leavitt