Author: QuiltLady

COOKING THURSDAY ~ CRUNCHY PEANUT CHICKEN SALAD ~ BLOG 365.225D

CRUNCHY PEANUT CHICKEN SALAD

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/3 cup rice wine vinegar
3-4 tablespoons avocado oil
1/4 cup teriyaki sauce
3 teaspoons Garden Gourmet ginger paste

  • Whisk all together until smooth and well blended.

1 SMALL head Napa cabbage, shredded
1 SMALL red pepper, diced or thinly sliced
2 stalks celery, halved lengthwise and sliced thin
1 SMALL English cucumber, quartered lengthwise and sliced
1 SMALL bunch green onions, sliced thin
1 cup snap peas, halved (optional – seasonal)
1 1/2 cups rotisserie chicken pieces
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/2-1 cup bean sprouts
1 1/2-2 cups shredded carrots

  • Toss ALL together.
  • Drizzle salad with half of the vinaigrette.

1/2 cup chopped peanuts
Sesame seeds

  • Sprinkle with peanuts and sesame seeds.
  • Serve with remaining vinaigrette.

COOKING THURSDAY ~ CHOCOLATE ROOT BEER CAKE with CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER GANACHE ~ BLOG 365.225C

This old fashioned cooked cake recipe is just like one grams used to make, but I updated it a bit.

CHOCOLATE ROOT BEER CAKE with CHOCOLATE;ATE PEANUT BUTTER GANACHE

CAKE
2 cups AP flour
1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon sea salt

  • Preheat oven to 325°.
  • Spray flute pan, angel food pan or LARGE spring form pan with non-stick cooking spray.
  • If using a 2 part pan, wrap the bottom in foil and place on a cookie sheet.
  • Sift together flour, baking soda and salt.
  • Set aside

2 cups A&W root beer (see note)
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 stick unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup PACKED dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons PURE vanilla

  • In a LARGE sauce pan melt butter and whisk in root beer and cocoa powder, continually whisking over medium heat until smooth.
  • Whisk in sugars, stirring well until sugars are dissolved and mixture is smooth.
  • Whisk in vanilla, turn off heat and let cool 15 minutes.

2 LARGE eggs

  • Add eggs one at a time until well blended.
  • Whisk in the flour 1 cup at a time to the sauce pan, stirring constantly until well blended.
  • Pour into prepared pan.
  • Bake 40 minutes until tester comes out clean, turning the pan half way through.
  • Let cool on wire rack 20 minutes.

 

  • Invert to a platter to unfold cake.
  • Let it cool completely.

GANACHE
2/3 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon QUALITY instant espresso or coffee
1 cup chocolate peanut butter chips

  • Whisk together the heavy cream and instant espresso in a saucepan over medium heat until well blended and heated through.
  • Remove from heat and add chocolate peanut butter chips.
  • Cover and let stand 5 minutes to soften chips.
  • Whisk until smooth.
  • Drizzle ganache over cake.
  • Chill to set ganache.
  • Slice and serve.

NOTE: Cherry Pepsi, Coca Cola and even Cream Soda make great flavor adaptations.

COOKING THURSDAY ~ OLD SOUTH SODA SAUCE PORK LOIN ~ BLOG 365.225B

Using soda, whether it’s cola, 7UP, Dr. Pepper or even Orange Crush in recipes is truly something I learned from my southern grandmother.

OLD SOUTH SODA SAUCE PORK LOIN ~ serves 6
MARINADE
1 cup Coca-Cola OR Dr. Pepper
1/4 cup Bragg’s liquid aminos
3 tablespoon avocado oil
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, optional
1/3 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon dry mustard, optional
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon FRESH ground ginger
2 tablespoons QUALITY balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon FRESH chopped thyme
3-5 pound pork loin roast

  • Whisk marinade ingredients together in a baking dish.
  • Add pork loin and refrigerate overnight.

SODA SAUCE
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard, optional
2/3 cup Coca-Cola OR Dr. Pepper
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper, to taste

  • Whisk together sauce ingredients in a saucepan.
  • Bring to a SLOW boil then reduce to a simmer until thickened.
  • Preheat oven to 325°.
  • Remove pork from marinade.
  • Roast for 30-40 minutes per pound until meat registers 175°.
  • Pour sauce over pork and roast 30 minutes more.
  • Allow to rest 5 minutes before slicing to serve.

COOKING THURSDAY ~ CHICKEN FAJITA COBB SALAD ~ BLOG 365.225A

CHICKEN FAJITA COBB SALAD

VINAIGRETTE
1 LARGE lemon juiced
2 cloves garlic, FINELY minced
1 shallot, FINELY chopped or minced
1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
⅓ cup avocado oil
FRESH ground sea salt and rainbow pepper, to taste
pinch sugar, as needed

  • Whisk ALL together and chill until needed.

CHICKEN & MARINADE
1 tablespoon avocado oil
2 chipotle peppers in adobo finely chopped or pureed
1 1/2-2 teaspoons taco seasoning
FRESH ground sea salt and rainbow pepper, to taste
4 chicken thighs or 3 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless


  • Combine the vegetable oil, chopped chipotle peppers in adobo, taco seasoning, FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper in a small bowl, stirring to combine.
  • Place the chicken in a large zip top plastic bag and pour in the marinade.
  • After sealing, mix the chicken into the marinade well and refrigerate for at least an hour.


Remove chicken from the marinade and discard the marinade.
Grill (preferably) the chicken or pan fry until golden and cooked through.
Let chicken rest 10 minutes.

  • Slice the chicken against the grain.

SALAD & ASSEMBLY
3-4 cups torn salad greens of choice
2 corn on the cob kernels removed OR 2 cans Green giant white shopper corn
1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
1 cup grilled red bell peppers
red onion slices, grilled
1-2 avocados, sliced, optional
½ cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
FRESH ground sea salt and rainbow pepper, to taste
Cotija cheese crumbles, for garnish
Lemon or Lime wedges, for garnish

  • On a large platter arrange the greens with all the toppings on top.
  • Toss or drizzle the salad with the vinaigrette.
  • Add garnishes and serve.

HAPPY HOMEMAKER MONDAY with RECIPE LINKS & MENU ~ week 32 of 2926 ~ BLOG 365.222

Be sure to join Happy Homemaker Monday with our host, Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

LAST WEEK RECAPPED

GOOD MORNING I hope you’re having a GREAT beginning to the week. 

Last week was busy with my FINAL catering gig for a private party the Eagles hosted for an 80th birthday YESTERDAY that had been on the schedule for a couple months now. They had a great time and everything turned out beautiful, but I’m glad that’s over! My email resignation from the kitchen has been written and SUBMITTED. WHEW what a relief.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

THE WEATHER OUTSIDE

We survived the excessive heat and red flag warnings last week. It was actually the smoke that made outside life the most unbearable. We even had to skip the last music in the park event due to REALLY unhealthy air quality. This week is going to be much better in the low to mid 80’s with lows in the 50’s. I think the DOG DAYS of SUMMER are over.

TO DO, APPOINTMENTS, DVR/TV & PROJECTS

THIS WEEK’S TO DO LIST, PROJECTS, TRAVEL,  APPOINTMENTS, MENUS & DVR/TV
  • LAUNDRY & CLEANING all caught up! BUT, you know how that goes.
  • GROCERIES & ERRANDS need to put a list together for Wednesday
  • PROJECTS & TRAVELS still waiting on the car to make decisions on the trip. A friend’s teenage son is coming to help us with a big project on Thursday. Blackberry festival is this next weekend and I need to finish the Jalapeno blackberry jam for the Briskuits for Saturday breakfast at the OFFYCE.
  • THINGS THAT MAKE ME HAPPY fluffy clouded skies… birds chirping, children laughing… silence while I have my coffee…

READING TIME

I keep trying to read, but have been falling asleep REALLY FAST almost ever night but I did finish  STATE OF UNREST First Family series Book #11 by Marie Force and started book #4 EVERYTHING WE FOUND by Kerry Lonsdale.

FUNNIES

MENU PLANS

BREAKFAST is always a work in progress for me – it will generally be hot water and a fruit yogurt 😀

 8/10 MONDAY 8/11 TUESDAY 8/12 WEDNESDAY
8/13 THURSDAY
 8/14 FRIDAY 8/15 SATURDAY 8/16 SUNDAY
DINNER
TRIVIA NIGHT
CORN/YOYO
clean out refrigerator night or you’re on your own
STUFFED PORK CHOPS & TWICE BAKED POTATOES
COWBOY STEAK with HERB BUTTER & CORN on the COB
SWEDISH MEATBALLS & NOODLES
WHITE WINE BRAISED CHICKEN & TOMATO FRITTERS
BLACKBERRY FESTIVAL BRISKUITS with JALAPENO BLACKBERRY JAM
SWEET & SOUR MEATBALLS & RICE PILAF
DESSERT
 
BLUEBERRY BOUNTY CAKE
 

FAVORITE PHOTOS FROM THE CAMERA

I didn’t get many pictures, but did see this lizard lounging in the heat of the patio the other day. He’d lost the tip of his tail – I wonder how? And the last time we visited our favorite Italian restaurant I saw that they had put up this funny sign and little fence to prevent people from crossing in the the very place they should have put a walkway!! What you can’t see is that there really is no “crosswalk”, just a sidewalk at a busy intersection entrance to a strangely shaped driveway.

INSPIRATIONS

LIFE TIP

HOMEMAKING / COOKING TIP

COOKING THURSDAY RECIPES COMING UP THIS WEEK

  • CHICKEN FAJITA COBB SALAD
  • CRUNCHY PEANUT CHICKEN SALAD
  • OLD SOUTH SODA SAUCE PORK LOIN
  • CHOCOLATE ROOT BEER CAKE with PEANUT BUTTER GANACHE

COOKING THURSDAY RECIPE LINKS FROM LAST WEEK

ORANGE CRANBERRY ONION RICE ~ BLOG 365.218D

ORANGE CRANBERRY ONION RICE
2 1/2 cups homemade chicken broth
1/2 cup wild rice
1/2 cup brown rice
1 LARGE Vidalia onion, cut into wedges
1 orange, peeled and segmented
2 teaspoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup craisins

  • Bring broth to a SLOW boil in a large saucepan.
  • Add the wild rice, reduce the heat, cover and simmer 10 minutes.
  • Add the brown rice, cover and simmer 45 minutes more until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed.
  • Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
  • Add onions and brown sugar until golden brown. Stir frequently.
  • Add cranberries and orange pieces, heat through and serve immediately.