ASIAN HONEY CHICKEN ~ BLOG 365.27

ASIAN HONEY CHICKEN
2 chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
2 teaspoons FINELY chopped ginger
2 cloves garlic, FINELY minced
1 + 2 tablespoons avocado oil
1 tablespoon QUALITY honey
1 teaspoon red chili flakes
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper
1/2 + 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 + 1 tablespoons Bragg’s liquid aminos
1 SMALL onion, halved and sliced thin into half moons
1/2 red bell pepper, small chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, small chopped (optional)
1 cup broccoli florets (optional)
1/3 cup chicken broth
Prepared Yakisoba noodles or rice

  • Whisk together 1 tablespoon avocado oil, ginger, garlic, honey, chili flakes, cornstarch, Fresh ground sea salt and black pepper.
  • Fold in chicken pieces, stirring to coat.
  • Add 1 tablespoon liquid aminos, stirring again to coat.
  • Set aside and marinade 10-15 minutes.

 

  • Heat 2 tablespoons avocado oil in heavy skillet.
  • Add chicken pieces cooking 3-4 minutes until chicken is cooked through.
  • Remove chicken pieces with slotted spoon.
  • Add 1 tablespoon oil.
  • Add onion slices, sauteing 5 minutes.
  • Add peppers, garlic and broccoli florets if using, sauteing 2-3 minutes more.
  • Return chicken to pan.
  • Whisk together chicken broth, 1 tablespoon liquid aminos and 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch.
  • Add to pan, stirring well, cover and simmer 5-10 minutes until thickened.
  • Add yakisoba noodles and heat through or serve over prepared rice.

BLOG 365.26 ~ SNICKER DOODLE BREAD

Do you love a good snickerdoodle? What could be better than a warm cookie? Warm bread of course!

SNICKER DOODLE BREAD
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons QUALITY cinnamon (see notes)
1 bag Hershey’s cinnamon chips (see notes)
1 cup butter, room temperature
2 cups sugar
2 LARGE eggs
1 tablespoon PURE vanilla
3/4 cup sour cream

  • Preheat oven to 350°.
  • Grease 3 loaf pans.
  • Sift together the flour baking powder, salt and cinnamon.
  • Fold in cinnamon chips and Set aside.
  • Cream together the butter and sugar.
  • Add eggs, blending until fluffy and uniform in color.
  • Mix in vanilla and sour cream.
  • Gradually add in the dry ingredients.
  • Distribute evenly amongst the loaf pans.
  • Bake 45-50 minutes until toothpick comes out clean.

NOTES:

  • This recipe easily transforms into a seasonal taste by using apple pie spice or pumpkin pie spice in combination with the cinnamon.
  • You can also substitute the cinnamon chips for butterscotch chips.

CHAR SIU PORK ~ HAWAIIAN INFLUENCED ~ BLOG 365.24

SLOW COOKED HAWAIIAN INFLUNECED CHAR SIU PORK 8 servings
1/2 cup QUALITY honey
1/2 cup hoisin sauce
1/4 cup Bragg’s liquid aminos
1/4 cup Jalapeno ketchup
4 garlic cloves, minced
8 ounce can crushed pineapple
4 teaspoons FRESH minced gingerroot
1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
3-4 pound boneless pork shoulder butt roast
1/2 cup homemade chicken broth
Fresh cilantro leaves (optional)

  • Combine the first 8 ingredients and pour into a LARGE shallow dish.
  • Cut roast in half; add to dish and turn to coat.
  • Cover and refrigerate overnight.
  • Transfer pork and marinade to a 6-qt. slow cooker.
  • Add chicken broth.
  • Cook on low 8 hours.
  • Remove pork and cool slightly.
  • Shred meat using 2 forks.
  • Skim fat from cooking juices.
  • Return pork to slow cooker and heat through in juices.
  • Top pork with fresh cilantro if desired.

NOTES: Unpeeled gingerroot can be stored in a zip-top bag in your freezer. When you need some, simply grate the frozen ginger and pop it back in the freezer. No more shriveled ginger in the bottom of your produce drawer.

HAPPY HOMEMAKER MONDAY with MENU PLANS week 4 of 2023 ~ BLOG 365.23

Be sure to join us for Happy Homemaker Monday and link up with our host, Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

I’m so glad I didn’t get too attached to the “dry” forecast that promised 10 days of sun – I knew it was too good to be true 😀 Not only did Saturday rain all day despite a dry forecast, the rain and snow are back in the forecast for this week! Once again highs in the low 40’s with lows in the high 20’s so it will be lots of turtlenecks, flannels and UGG’s

I’m baffled by so many things, but the other day when I cam home to this HUGE box on my porch. What baffled me most was that I was only waiting for a small item to be delivered. LOL 😀 in the HUGE box (that I could pick up with 1 finger) was the small non-breakable item I ordered. So, what baffles me most is WHY? did they ship this in such a HUGE box? And we wonder why prices continue to rise so badly!

Things suddenly became an issue with my web host for both this site and my emails so I have been frantically working on some files (many, many files) to get things transferred to a new host before the end of the month. It is also a domino effect because of the domain registrations that ALSO have to be transferred. This has kept me so busy I barely have time to think, get my work done, do BLOG 365, new recipes and of course visit all of you, but I will get caught up I promise. Fortunately I had planned on using some fillers like Wordless Wednesday and Sipping Sunday to help with BLOG 365 and have many of those already lined up.

You guessed it! Hot water and yogurt 😀

THIS WEEK’S TO DO LIST, PROJECTS & APPOINTMENTS
  • LAUNDRY & CLEANING I have just a couple of loads of laundry to do, a little vacuuming and deep clean the kitchen.
  • GROCERIES & ERRANDS & PROJECTS Fortunately none this week so I can concentrate on some sorting for a couple days to continue the downsizing until I need to help a friend on Thursday and Friday.
  • RECIPE RESEARCH & MENU PLANNING I landed the first glance at a HUGE pile of Cooks and Taste of Home magazines from this estate sale so have been choosing some recipes for February.

WHAT’S ON THE DVR/TV
  • NETFLIX We are watching Vikings Valhalla
  • AMAZON PRIME We are watching RIG – not sure it will keep our interest though
  • CABLE We watched a few TCM movies that were a real treat last week – NIGHT SHIFT with Henry Winkler and Michal Keaton, LIBELED LADY with Jean Harlow, Myrna Loi, William Powell and Spenser Tracy & THE IRENE & VERNON CASTLE STORY which I REALLY enjoyed and started watching RULES of ENGAGEMENT at night as our comedy

I love reading WWII romance stories. I just started the Last Summer at Chelsea Beach by Pam Jenoff.

MONDAY 1/23
TUESDAY 1/24
WEDNESDAY 1/25
THURSDAY 1/26
FRIDAY 1/27
SATURDAY 1/28
SUNDAY 1/29
DINNER
STUFFED MEATBALLS with BOLEGNESE SPAGHETTI
 COCONUT PEANUT CHICKEN with RICE
 GERMAN MEATBALLS & SAUERKRAUT
 PORK CHOPS & MASHED POTATO CASSEROLE
 FRENCH DIP SANDWICHES
 LEMON CHICKEN & HONEY LIME COLESLAW
 GRILLED CHICKEN & POTLUCK BAKED BEANS
DESSERT
 PINEAPPLE ANGEL FOOD SNACK CAKE
 CHAPEL SQUARES
GLUTEN FREE VANILLA CUPCAKES with CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
 
RASPEBERRY PECAN CRUMBLE BARS

CROCKPOT BEEF STROGANOFF ~ BLOG 365.22

CROCKPOT BEEF STROGANOFF – So good and so easy. It also doubles well.

2 pounds stew meat, cubed
2 cans Condensed Golden Mushroom Soup
1 LARGE Vidalia onion, diced
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup water
8 ounces cream cheese, cut into cubes
1 teaspoon garlic salt
FRESH ground black pepper
couple dashes of Hot Paprika

  • Whisk the soup, water and Worcestershire sauce together in the crock.
  • Add salt, pepper and hot sauce, stirring to blend well.
  • Fold in meat pieces.
  • Cook on Low for 8 hours.
  • Turn heat to high and fold in cream cheese cubes.
  • Cover and cook 10 minutes.
  • Stir to combine cheese.
  • Serve over hot egg noodles.

NOTE: If you want to freeze it for a future meal, DO NOT ADD CREAM CHEESE. Wait and add it when you are ready to serve it.

CROCK POT SWEET & SOUR PORK ~ BLOG 365.21

SWEET & SOUR PORK – 6 servings
2 tablespoons paprika
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper
1-1/2 pounds boneless pork loin roast, cut into 2-3 inch chunks
2 tablespoons avocado oil
1 20 ounce can crushed pineapple
1 LARGE shallot, sliced
1 medium red pepper, chopped
1/3 cup cider vinegar
1/3 cup homemade chicken broth
1/4 packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons Bragg’s liquid aminos
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup cold water
Sliced green onions, optional
Hot cooked rice, optional

  • Generously season pork pieces with the paprika, FRESH ground salt and pepper.
  • Heat avocado oil in cast iron skillet.
  • Brown pork on all sides.
  • Remove pork to crock pot.
  • Add shallot and red pepper and saute 1-2 minutes.
  • Add shallots and red pepper to crock pot.
  • Whisk together the pineapple, chicken broth, vinegar, brown sugar and liquid aminos.
  • Pour over pork mixture, stirring to combine.
  • Cook on low 6-8 hours or until pork pieces are tender and shreds easily.
  • In a small bowl, mix cornstarch and water until smooth; gradually stir into pork mixture. Cook and stir until sauce is thickened, 1-2 minutes.
  • If desired, sprinkle with green onions and serve over rice.

THURSDAY 13 ~ BLOG 365.19 ~ THOUGHTS TO PONDER

  • I think part of a best friend’s job should be to immediately clear your computer history if you die.
  • Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you realize you’re wrong.
  • I totally take back all those times I didn’t want to nap when I was younger.
  • There is great need for a sarcasm font.
  • How the hell are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet?
  • Map Quest really needs to start their directions on #5. I’m pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.
  • I can’t remember the last time I wasn’t at least kind of tired.
  • Bad decisions make good stories.
  • You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you know that you just aren’t going to do anything productive for the rest of the day.
  • I’m always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word and it asks me if I want to save any changes – to my ten-page research paper that I swear I did not make any changes to.
  • I hate when I just miss a call by the last ring (Hello? Hello? Damn it!),but when I immediately call back, it rings nine times and goes to voicemail. What’d you do after I didn’t answer? Drop the phone and run away?
  • I keep some people’s phone numbers in my phone just so I know not to answer when they call.
  • I disagree with Kay Jewelers. I would bet, on any given Friday or Saturday night, more kisses begin with Bud Light than with a Kay jewelry product.