Taco Seasoning

Delicious blend of taco seasoning. Mix a batch and store it!

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp chili powder
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/4 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper

Combine ingredients. Use in recipes that call for taco seasoning

Crispy Baked Chicken Wings

Delicious and easy to make. Can also use breast meat cut into nugget-sized pieces.

Ingredients:

• 1.5 kg (3lbs) chicken wings
• 1 tsp cayenne
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 Tbsp Sriracha (or a little less) 
• 2 Tbsp melted butter
• 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 Tbsp soy sauce

Preheat oven to 450ºF (=210ºC). Cut chicken wings to separate winglets from drumettes. Place in large bowl and sprinkle with cayenne, cumin, paprika, and salt, rubbing to get them well covered. 

Mix Sriracha, butter, soy sauce, and vinegar and drizzle over chicken. Toss to cover thoroughly.

Bake on a wire rack over a foil-covered pan for 35–40 min (or 20–25 if using convection oven).

Garlic Mashed Cauliflower

Makes 4 servings
8g carbs per serving, 5g protein

Ingredients:

• 1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, smashed
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 Tbsp reduced-fat cream cheese
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Cut cauliflower into pieces and cook in a steamer until tender, about 10 minutes.

Heat olive oil in small skillet and sauté garlic, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat

Transfer half the cauliflower into blender or food processor and blend on high. Add remaining cauliflower, one piece at a time, until creamy. Add garlic, Parmesan cheese, cream cheese, salt, and black pepper and blend.

Spinach-Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Delicious stuffed chicken breasts. Reposed from this site.

Ingredients

• 3 chicken breasts
• 8 oz chopped frozen spinach, cooked according to package directions and squeezed dry.
• 3 oz feta, crumbled ( about ½ cup )
• 4 oz cream cheese
• 1 clove garlic, diced
• ¼ teaspoon salt, divided
• ⅛ teaspoon pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions

Preheat oven to 450ºF.

Mix the chopped frozen spinach, feta, cream cheese, garlic and 1/8 tsp salt in a medium sized bowl.

Cut a pocket along the side of each chicken breast: Insert knife 2/3 into the chicken at the thickest part, then cut along to the thin part, stopping before you cut all the way through.

Separate the spinach and cheese mixture into three parts. Roll and stuff into the pocket of each chicken breast. Season with remaining salt and pepper.

Heat the olive oil in an ovenproof pan set over medium high heat, then add the stuffed chicken, pocket side down. Cook for 5 minutes, then flip the chicken over.

Place the pan into the oven, and bake for 10 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

One-Pan Parmesan Tuscan Chicken

An instant family favorite. Delicious and sauce, and healthy too! Adapted from this site. (We’ll have to check out more of her recipes.)

Makes 4 servings
8g carbs per serving, 44g protein

Ingredients

• 1 lb chicken breasts (or 4 chicken breasts)
• 1 tbs vegetable oil spread
• 8 oz sliced baby Bella mushrooms
• 1/2 onion, thinly sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 cups almond milk
• 1/2 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
• 1 tbs cornstarch + 2 tbs water
• 1 tbs garlic powder
• 1/4 cup shaved Parmesan cheese
• salt and pepper to taste
• parsley (optional garnish)

Directions

Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Cook in skillet in olive oil on medium high until cooked through (about 8 to 10 minutes a side). Once cooked, remove and set on a plate.

Sautee mushrooms, garlic, and onions in olive oil until mushrooms are brown and tender. Add the almond milk, Greek yogurt, garlic powder, salt and pepper and Parmesan cheese. Whisk occasionally until the cheese has fully melted and the sauce begins to boil. 

Mix the cornstarch with the water to create a slurry and whisk into the sauce. Once the sauce begins to boil and thicken, reduce the heat to low and add the chicken back to the skillet along with the sun-dried tomatoes. Simmer until the chicken is warm, approx 5 minutes.

Roast Chicken

A family favorite. Relatively simple, but no less delicious! Trussing the chicken is optional, but it does help it cook evenly.

Ingredients:

• 2–3 lb roasting chicken (= 1–1.5 kg)
• kosher salt
• black pepper
• 2 tsp minced thyme
• unsalted butter
• Dijon mustard (optional. serve on the side)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450º (= 232ºC).

Rinse chicken in cold water, then dry thoroughly inside and out. Salt and pepper inside cavity, then truss chicken with twine. Cover outside of chicken generously with salt, and add pepper to taste.

Place chicken in roasting pan. Bake untouched (don’t open the oven door!) until it reaches 165ºF 73.9ºC) internal temperature, about 50–60 minutes.

Remove from oven and add thyme to pan. Baste chicken with juices and thyme and let sit 15 min. Remove twine. Cut breast down the middle and slather meat with butter.

Stoofvlees (Belgian Beef Stew)

An instant favorite! A homey beef stew served on top of fresh Belgian fries. The "herb bouquet” (kruiden-tuiltje) can be bought pre-made in Belgian grocery stores, or easily made by tying together the herbs listed with string or in a cheese cloth.

• 2 to 2 1/2 lbs (= 900~1125g) stew meat
• 2 large onions, cut in half then sliced in thick slices
• 16 oz (= 475 ml) dark Belgian beer (about 1 1/2 bottles)
• 2 Tbsp dark brown sugar
• 1 small clove garlic, minced
• 1 packet stew spices (kruiden-tuiltje)
• 2 laurel leaves/bay leaves
• 3–4 sprigs rosemary
• 2–3 sprigs thyme
• 1 clove (whole)
• 1–2 slices brown bread, liberally spread with mustard
• 1 splash balsamic vinegar
• Butter & olive oil (for sautéing)
• Salt & pepper to taste

Cut the meat into 1-inch-cube pieces. Season with salt & pepper. Brown meat in olive oil in a large dutch oven. Brown meat in small batches to avoid overcrowding the meat—try instead to get a crispy brown edge on each side of the piece. Let the brown crusty “crud” build up in the pan—this is where the flavor is!

When all meat is browned, pour a splash of beer into the pan to loosen up what is built up in the bottom of the pan. Then add butter, sliced onions, and garlic, cooking until onions are translucent.

Add remainder of the beer, browned beef, herb packet, and brown sugar. Heat to a simmer. Add bread slices with mustard. Leave uncovered until stew reaches desired thickness, then cover. Simmer a total of 2–3 hours, until beef is tender.

Remove packet of herbs. Add splash of balsamic vinegar and stir. 

Serve with or on top of fresh Belgian fries.

Giordano’s Pizza

Best attempt at replicating Giordano’s stuffed Chicago-style pizza. Still tweaking, but not bad. The dough is enough for one pizza (with trimmings left over). The sauce is more than enough for one, possibly enough for two.

Crust:

·     ¾ cup warm water

·     2 tsp active dry yeast

·     ¾ tsp sugar

·     3 ½ cup all purpose flour

·     ¾ tsp kosher salt

·     ¾ tsp sugar

·     ¾ tsp garlic powder

·     ¾ cup corn oil

·     3 Tbsp warm water

·     2 Tbsp butter (for pan)

Sauce:

·     2 (140g) cans tomato puree (fijne tomatenpulp)

·     1 (500g) box diced tomatoes (tomaten-stukjes)

·     2 tsp sugar

·     2 tsp kosher salt

·     2 tsp crushed fresh garlic (1/4 tsp garlic powder)

·     2 tsp garlic salt

·     3 tsp black pepper

·     5 tsp basil

·     2 tsp marjoram

·     3 tsp oregano

·     1 tsp parsley

Toppings:

·     400 g (12 oz) mozzarella cheese (sliced from a block or shredded)

·     Salami, pepperoni, spinach, etc.

Dough

Proof 2 tsp yeast in ¾ cup warm water, adding in ¾ tsp sugar. Allow to proof 5 min.

In the bowl of a KitchenAid, mix together flour, salt, sugar, and garlic powder. Add oil and mix with dough hook. Add water & yeast mixture. Mix with dough hook for one minute on low, using spatula to scrape bottom. Add water, one Tbsp at a time, mixing for one minute between. Do NOT over-mix! Allow dough to rise 4 hours.

Original recipe recommends keeping dough in the fridge for at least 24 hours, for better texture and flavor. If refrigerating dough, pull it out for 2 hours to allow dough to return to room temperature. 

Sauce

Combine ingredients and set aside. Do not cook. I’d recommend straining the sauce if necessary to remove excess liquid.

Assembly

Preheat oven to 450ºF (=232ºC). Remove 1/3 of the dough and set aside. Roll out remaining 2/3 of the dough to make a 15 inch circle (1/4 inch thick). Grease a 9 inch springform pan (or cake pan) with butter. Place rolled dough in pan and tuck it in to reach the edges of the bottom. There should be excess dough hanging over the top of the pan.

Cover bottom of crust with toppings (pepperoni, etc.). Cover toppings with cheese.

Roll out remaining 1/3 of dough as thin as possible. Place on top of cheese and gently pinch all the way around the pan to seal the doughs together. Cut several small slits in top layer to release steam. 

Pour two ladles’ worth of sauce on top and swirl around so that sauce covers over the slits. Add two more ladles of sauce. Use a rolling pin or knife to cut excess dough from rim of pan. If desired, sprinkle a little parmesan cheese over the sauce.

Bake at 450º for 30 min. I recommend covering the crust with foil for the first 20 min to avoid burning. Remove when crust is golden brown.

Allow to sit 2 minutes, then serve.

From Scratch Pancakes

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 Tbsp white sugar
• 1 1/4 cups milk
• 1 egg
• 3 Tbsp butter, melted

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Make a well in the center and pour in the milk, egg and melted butter; mix until smooth.

Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.

Mama Moo’s Fudge Squares

A Moo family favorite. A quick, easy, and delicious dessert. Recipe calls for letting the fudge squares cool before adding the topping, but the topping can be added right away for a fudgier texture.

Ingredients:
Fudge squares
2 squares (= 2 oz) baking chocolate
2 sticks (= 1 cup) butter
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cup flour
1 tsp. vanilla
4 eggs

Fudge topping
1 1/3 Tbsp. butter
1 1/2 Tbsp. cocoa powder
2 1/2 Tbsp. water
1 1/3 cup powdered sugar

Directions:
Melt baking chocolate and butter together. Add sugar, flour, and vanilla.
Add eggs one at a time, beating well after adding each.
Pour batter into a greased 9x12 pan and bake at 350º for 30 min.
Allow to cool.

In a small saucepan over low heat, mix butter, cocoa, water, and powdered sugar. Pour over cooled squares.

Betty Crocker Lemon Chicken

A family dinner favorite. Can sub honey for corn syrup. Reposted from here.

Ingredients:

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (about 1 1/4 pounds)
1 egg white
1 tsp water
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 to 1/2 tsp ground red pepper flakes (optional)
Cooking spray
1/2 lemon, cut into thin slices
1 medium green onion, chopped (1 tablespoon) (optional)

Chinese Lemon Sauce:
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup chicken broth
1 tsp grated lemon peel
3 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp light corn syrup
2 Tbsp rice vinegar
1/4 tsp salt
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2 tsp cornstarch
2 tsp cold water

Directions:

Cut each chicken breast half crosswise in half. Mix egg white and water in medium glass or plastic bowl. Add chicken; turn chicken to coat both sides. Let stand 10 minutes.

Heat oven to 450°. Spray nonstick cookie sheet with cooking spray. Remove chicken from egg mixture; discard egg mixture. Mix flour, baking soda and red pepper in resealable plastic bag. Add 1 chicken piece at a time. Seal bag; shake to coat chicken. Place chicken on cookie sheet; spray with cooking spray about 5 seconds or until surface of chicken appears moist.

Bake uncovered 20 to 25 minutes or until juice of chicken is no longer pink when centers of thickest pieces are cut. While chicken is baking, prepare Chinese Lemon Sauce. Let chicken stand 5 minutes; cut each piece crosswise into about 5 slices. Pour sauce over chicken. Garnish with lemon slices and green onion.



For Chinese Lemon Sauce
Heat all ingredients except cornstarch and cold water to boiling in 1-quart saucepan, stirring occasionally. Mix cornstarch and cold water; stir into sauce. Cook and stir about 30 seconds or until thickened. Serve warm, or cover and refrigerate up to 2 weeks.

Serves 8.

Zucchini Fries

Great side to accompany just about any meal. Original recipe calls for marinara, but we prefer to dip in ranch or blue cheese dressing.

INGREDIENTS:

2 medium zucchini, sliced into sticks

1 large egg white

1/3 cup seasoned bread crumbs

1/4 tsp. garlic powder (optional)

cooking spray

salt and fresh pepper

DIRECTIONS:

In a small bowl, beat the egg whites and season with salt and pepper. In a ziplock bag, place the breadcrumbs and garlic powder; shake well. Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray and set aside.

Dip the zucchini sticks into the egg and then place into the bread crumb mixture, a few at a time and shake to coat. Place the breaded zucchini in a single layer and spray more cooking spray on top. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 – 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve with some marinara sauce for dipping.

Baked Barbecue Ribs

Tender meat, sweet sauce, and a bit of kick in the rub. Delicious! Reposted from here.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs boneless pork loin ribs
3 tsp ​Cajun seasoning (see homemade mix, below)
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1 medium onion (sliced)
1/2 cup barbecue sauce

Quick Cajun Seasoning:
Blend 1 tablespoon of salt with 1 1/2 teaspoons of paprika, 1 teaspoon dried leaf oregano, 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or less), 1 teaspoon black pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon dried leaf thyme.

Directions:
Heat the oven to 325 F.
Dry the ribs with paper towels to dry.
Combine the Cajun seasoning blend with the garlic powder and onion powder. Rub the seasoning mixture over all sides of the ribs. Note: If your Cajun seasoning is salt-free, sprinkle the ribs lightly with kosher salt as well.

Line a shallow baking pan with foil; coat the foil with oil or spray with nonstick cooking spray.
Arrange the ribs in the prepared baking pan and then top with onion slices.

Cover with another piece of foil and bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until the ribs are very tender.

Remove the top piece of foil and brush the ribs with barbecue sauce. Bake uncovered for about 15 minutes longer, or broil for about 2 to 3 minutes.

Southwestern Casserole (Emeril’s Cowboy Casserole)

A piquant casserole with southwestern flavorings, made with tortilla chips. Originally posted by Emeril as Cowboy Casserole. Can be frozen.

Ingredients

1 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
2 bay leaves
2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts
2 1/2 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 garlic cloves, smashed
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 pound white button mushrooms, wiped clean and stems trimmed, quartered
Pinch freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups whole milk
12 cups tortilla chips
2 cups finely chopped onions
1 cup finely chopped bell peppers
2 jalapeno peppers, stem and seeds removed, finely chopped, optional
8 ounces grated Pepper Jack
8 ounces grated Cheddar
1 tablespoon Emeril's Southwest Seasoning (see below)
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 cup chopped drained canned tomatoes
1 (4-ounce) can diced green chiles, drained

Emeril's Southwest Seasoning:
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons paprika
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon dried oregano

Directions

Combine the chicken, chicken stock, wine, cilantro, lime juice, garlic, peppercorns, 1 teaspoon of the salt, the oregano, and bay leaves in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow the chicken to cool in the poaching liquid for 45 minutes. Remove the chicken from the cooking liquid and tear or cut into bite-size pieces. Reserve the chicken. Strain the cooking liquid and reserve.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Heat the butter in a large skillet over high heat until foamy. Add the mushrooms, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and the black pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms release their liquid. Continue to cook until the mushrooms are golden brown and all the liquid has evaporated, about 6 minutes. Sprinkle the mushrooms with the flour, stir to blend, and cook for 1 minute. Add the milk and stir, scraping up any bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook until the mixture begins to thicken. Add 1 1/2 cups of the reserved chicken cooking liquid, stir, and cook until very thick and flavorful, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Place the tortilla chips in the bottom of a 9 by 13-inch glass casserole. Crush the chips with your hands so they form a thin layer on the bottom of the dish. Pour 1 cup of the reserved cooking liquid over the tortilla chips and allow them to soak up the liquid. Scatter the chicken over the top of the tortilla layer. Spread the chopped onions, bell peppers, and jalapenos evenly over the chicken. Top with half of the grated cheeses. Sprinkle with the Southwest Seasoning, chili powder and ground cumin. Spoon the reserved mushroom mixture evenly over the top of the spices, then top with the tomatoes and green chiles. Cover with the remainder of the cheeses. Bake uncovered for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and the casserole is heated through. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving.

Falafel & Falafel Dip

So far, we’ve only made the dip, for use with box-mix falafel, which has worked well enough. Eventually, I want to try out the falafel recipe as well. In the meantime, however you make you falafel, this cucumber dip goes great with it! Reposted from here.

Ingredients

For Sauce: 
6 ounces plain yogurt
1/2 cucumber - peeled, seeded, and finely chopped
1 tsp dried dill weed salt and pepper to taste
1 Tbsp mayonnaise (optional)

For Falafel: 
1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, drained
1 onion, chopped
1/2 cup fresh parsley
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 egg
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp salt
1 dash pepper
1 pinch cayenne pepper
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp baking powder
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup dry bread crumbs
oil for frying

Directions

Sauce:
In a small bowl combine yogurt, cucumber, dill, salt, pepper and mayonnaise and mix well. Chill for at least 30 minutes.

Falafel:
In a large bowl mash chickpeas until thick and pasty; don't use a blender, as the consistency will be too thin. In a blender, process onion, parsley and garlic until smooth. Stir into mashed chickpeas.
In a small bowl combine egg, cumin, coriander, salt, pepper, cayenne, lemon juice and baking powder. Stir into chickpea mixture along with olive oil. Slowly add bread crumbs until mixture is not sticky but will hold together; add more or less bread crumbs, as needed. Form 8 balls and then flatten into patties.

Heat 1 inch of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Fry patties in hot oil until brown on both sides. Serve two falafels in each pita half topped with chopped tomatoes and cucumber sauce.

Israeli Couscous Salad

Reposted from here. Goes great with shawarma.

Ingredients

Couscous:

• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• ½ small onion, finely chopped
• 250 g / 8 oz / 1.5 cups Israeli Couscous 
• 1 ½ cups / 375 ml vegetable or chicken broth
• 1 cup / 250 ml water

Salad:

• 2 cucumbers , diced (about 2 cups)
• 250 g / 8 oz cherry tomatoes , halved (about 2 cups)
• 3 cups baby spinach , finely sliced (or more!)
• ¼ cup coriander / cilantro, finely chopped (or sub with parsley)
• ¼ cup dill, finely chopped

Lemon Dressing (Note 3):

• 2 tsp lemon zest
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/4 cup / 65 ml extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 garlic clove , minced
• 1 tsp sugar , optional
• ½ tsp salt + black pepper

Instructions

Couscous:

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan or small pot over medium high heat. Add garlic and onion, saute until the onion is translucent and starting to brown.
2. Add couscous and stir, cooking for 1 minute. Add broth and water, place the lid on and turn the heat down to medium low.
3. Cook for 10 minutes until the liquid is absorbed and the couscous is cooked through but still firm. Do not stir, or it will get gummy! Use a fork to separate the couscous, then transfer into a large bowl to cool. (Don’t worry if it gets sticky, it will separate when tossed with Dressing).

Salad:

1. Place Dressing ingredients in a jar and shake well.
2. Add Salad ingredients into the bowl, pour over Dressing and toss. Serve at room temperature.

Oven Baked Shawarma

If we can’t get to our favorite shawarma place, this is about the best home-made substitute we’ve found. Chicken should marinate at least 1 hour, but it’s much better if you give it all day.
Adapted from NY Times.

INGREDIENTS

2 lemons, juiced
½ cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons paprika
½ teaspoon turmeric
A pinch ground cinnamon
Red pepper flakes, to taste
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 large red onion, peeled and quartered
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley


PREPARATION

Prepare a marinade for the chicken: Combine the lemon juice, 1/2 cup olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, cumin, paprika, turmeric, cinnamon and red pepper flakes in a large bowl, then whisk to combine. Add the chicken and toss well to coat. Cover and store in refrigerator for at least 1 hour and up to 12 hours.

When ready to cook, heat oven to 425 degrees. Use the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to grease a rimmed sheet pan. Add the quartered onion to the chicken and marinade, and toss once to combine. Remove the chicken and onion from the marinade, and place on the pan, spreading everything evenly across it.

Put the chicken in the oven and roast until it is browned, crisp at the edges and cooked through, about 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven, allow to rest 2 minutes, then slice into bits. (To make the chicken even more crisp, set a large pan over high heat, add a tablespoon of olive oil to the pan, then the sliced chicken, and sauté until everything curls tight in the heat--or put chicken on sheet pan under broiler) Scatter the parsley over the top and serve with tomatoes, cucumbers, pita, white sauce, hot sauce, olives, fried eggplant, feta, rice — really anything you desire.

Perfect Buttercream Frosting

In general, I don’t really like buttercream frosting, but I was a big fan of this one, which we modified slightly below (our version has a little more vanilla).

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 C (3 sticks) Unsalted butter, cold.
5 C Powdered sugar
3 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
2 tbsp Heavy whipping cream
INSTRUCTIONS

Cut butter into pieces. Using the paddle attachment, whip butter for 5-7 minutes, scraping down the bowl occasionally. Beat until butter look light in color.
Add 2 C powdered sugar and mix on low speed until incorporated into butter.
Add 2 tsp vanilla extract and mix to combine.
Add additional 2 C powdered sugar and beat on low speed until sugar is incorporated. Increase speed to medium-high and beat for 3 minutes.
Add last 1 C powdered sugar along with 2 tbsp heavy whipping cream and 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract . Beat on low until ingredients start to mix together. Increase speed to medium-high and beat for another 3-5 minutes to whip additional air into the frosting.

Thai Peanut Chicken

Maybe not authentic Thai, but pretty delicious. This recipe has double the amount of sauce as others, but I still like to add a little extra, so it doesn’t come out too dry.

Makes 4 small servings.

Ingredients:

• 2 large chicken breasts
• 3 Tbsp chopped garlic
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger (or 1 1/2 Tbsp chopped fresh ginger)
• 1/2 cup chopped green onions
• 1 1/2 cups chopped broccoli
• 1/2 red bell pepper cut into strips
• 1/3 cup peanuts
• 5 Tbsp soy sauce
• 3 Tbsp peanut butter
• 3 tsp white wine vinegar (or rice vinegar)
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 5 Tbsp olive oil

Directions:

Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces. Brown in olive oil and add garlic and ginger. Once chicken is browned, add green onions, broccoli, bell pepper, and peanuts. Cook until vegetables are soft.

Mix soy sauce, peanut butter, vinegar, cayenne, and olive oil. Pour sauce over chicken and allow to simmer, at least 5 minutes. Serve over rice.

Oyakodon (親子丼)

A favorite Japanese comfort food. The name means “mother and child rice bowl,” speaking to the fact that it’s made with chicken and egg (macabre, I know, but also delicious!).

I mix the broth to taste, and end up putting in quite a bit more soy sauce than the recipe says by the end. It’s better with dashi, but I rarely have that on hand, so chicken stock or vegetable stock are a reasonable substitute. The sake is optional, but it really does add a nice richness to the flavor. I sometimes substitute a dry white wine.

Some recipes suggest cooking each serving individually, in which case, divide up ingredients and cook in a small fry pan. This allows for better presentation, but is less practical for serving a family.

This recipe makes 4 small servings.

Ingredients:

• 2 large chicken breasts
• 1 small onion
• 2 large eggs
• 2 stalks green onions (garnish) 
• 4 cups cooked rice

Broth

• 1 cup dashi (can use chicken/vegetable stock)
• 2 Tbsp mirin (rice vinegar)
• 2 Tbsp sake 
• 3 Tbsp soy sauce (or more)
• 1 Tbsp sugar

Directions:

1. Thinly slice onion. Slice chicken into bite-sized strips. Slice green onion in 1/2 inch (or less) angled pieces and set aside for garnish.
2. Mix ingredients for sauce and set aside.
3. In a large fry pan, sauté onions until just soft. Add chicken and brown the outsides. Add broth and simmer covered for 5 minutes.
4. Beat eggs and drizzle evenly over chicken. Cover and cook for 1–2 minutes until egg reaches desired level of doneness. 
5. Serve over bowls of rice. Garnish with green onion.