Chicken Cabbage Stir-Fry by Sandy

CHICKEN CABBAGE STIR-FRY

Ingredients

~ 3 chicken breast halves
~1 teaspoon vegetable oil
~3 cups green cabbage, shredded
~ 1 tablespoon cornstarch
~1⁄2 teaspoon ground ginger
~1⁄4 teaspoon garlic powder
~1⁄2 cup water
~1 tablespoon soy sauce

Directions

1. Cut chicken breasts into strips.
2. Heat oil in a frying pan.
3. Add chicken strips and stir fry over medium-high heat, turning constantly until done.
4. Add cabbage and sauté 2 minutes until cabbage is crisp-tender.
5. Mix cornstarch and seasonings; add water and soy sauce, and mix until smooth.
6. Stir sauce into chicken/cabbage mixture.
7. Cook until sauce has thickened and chicken is coated, about 1 minute.
8. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.

Meatball Stroganoff

Written Method:

I start off with our favorite brand of frozen Italian style meatballs (my kids LOVE the Rosina brand).  I brown them in a little olive oil in a black iron skillet.  This is where you get all the good flavors - from the fond (the brown bits that stick on the bottom) that gets stuck in the skillet.  [I don't think this would work as well in a non-stick skillet b/c it releases too much of that goodness.]

After they are browned up nicely, deglaze the pan with about 2 cups of beef broth (I like Swanson's brand).  Bring to a boil.  Season generously with salt and pepper, dried herbs (parsley, oregano, basil).  When it starts reducing, add about 2/3 cup sour cream (I use Daisy light) and about a cup of heavy whipping cream.  These will make the sauce creamy and silky and also act as a thickener.

Meanwhile, boil water in a separate pot and add the wide egg noodles (I use No Yolks).  Boil until they are still just a bit al dente, drain briefly and add to the simmering sauce.  They will finish cooking in the sauce and also soak up a lot of that goodness.

The result is a nice, creamy sauce - slightly tangy from the sour cream, a little herbaceous from the nice green herbs, a little beefy from the stock.  Yum! 

Salted Caramel Pumpkin Parfaits

Salted Caramel Pumpkin Parfaits

40 gingersnaps, chopped 

1 - (5.1 ounce) package Jell-o vanilla instant pudding

1 - (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree

2 cups cold milk

1 1/2 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice

2 - (10 ounce) containers Cool Whip Cream Cheese Frosting, thawed

For the Salted Caramel:

2 cups granulated sugar

12 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into cubes

1 cup heavy cream, room temperature

1 tablespoon sea salt

First prepare the salted caramel: 

Add the sugar in an even layer to a 2-3 quart saucepan over medium-high heat. When the sugar begins to melt, use a whisk to stir the sugar until it is completely melted. Continue cooking the sugar until it becomes deep amber in color and reaches a temperature of 350 degrees. I recommend using a thermometer! As soon as the sugar hits 350 degrees, carefully add the butter all at once, whisking until the butter is melted. Be careful, the caramel will bubble up at this point! You can switch to a wooden spoon now if the sugar is getting stuck to the whisk. Remove the pan from the heat and slowly pour in the heavy cream. Stir until the cream is incorporated into the sauce and the caramel is smooth. Add the sea salt and stir to combine. Allow the caramel to cool for 10-15 minutes in the pan before using. 

Then assemble the parfaits:

In a large bowl, combine the instant pudding mix, pumpkin pie spice, and milk, and beat with a whisk for 2 minutes. Gently fold in pumpkin puree and set aside. Layer about 2 tablespoons of the gingersnaps into the bottom of 8 half pint jars. Top the gingersnaps with a layer of the pumpkin pudding you prepared earlier. Then add a layer of the cream cheese frosting. Drizzle with a spoonful of the salted caramel sauce. Repeat the layers twice with remaining ingredients. Garnish the tops of the parfaits with extra salted caramel and gingersnaps. Refrigerate for about 2 hours before serving. 

- See more at: http://www.lovegrowswild.com/2013/10/salted-caramel-pumpkin-parfait-in-a-jar.html#sthash.mZEfNlwa.dpuf

Cranberry Shortbread

1  Cup/2 sticks (230g/8.1 oz) unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 cup (95g/ 3.3oz) sifted icing/confectioner's sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 cups (250g/8.8oz) sifted plain/all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (50g/1.8 oz) dried and coarsley chopped cranberries

2/3 cup (80 g/2.8 oz) white chocolate- chopped, plus extra for topping

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees Farenheit/ 180 degrees Celsius.

2. Put butter, sugar, vanilla, salt and flour in a large mixing bowl with paddle attachment.

3. Mix together until just combined, not too creamy- just starting to come together.

4. Stir in dried cranberries and white chocolate with a wooden spoon.

5. Press dough evenly into an 8 inch square baking pan.

6. Bake in oven on centre rack until firm and lightly golden, about 30 mins.

7. Let cool on a wire rack.

8. Remove shortbread from pan and transfer to your work bench. Using a 2 inch circle cookie cutter, cut out circles by pressing into shortbread. Trim any cranberries from edges with a sharp knife. Store in an airtight container for up to a week.

- See more at: http://www.red-brolly.com/red-brolly/#sthash.yxlbgU9W.dpuf

Sandy's Pumpkin Fluff

one can of pumpkin,
 one package sugar free vanilla pudding,
 one tub of reduced fat cool whip.

Pumpkin is just the plain pumpkin. Do not add milk to the pudding mix but just blend it into the pumpkin. Fold in the cool whip. I also added pumpkin pie spice for a bit of flavor and topped it off with a dollop of cool whip and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Buttermilk Syrup

• 1/2 cup butter (1 cube)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1 tablespoon corn syrup
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

In a large saucepan, combine butter, sugar, buttermilk, and corn syrup.  Bring to a boil or medium to medium high heat.  Boil for 2 to 3 minutes.  Add baking soda and stir.  Remove from heat and add vanilla.  Serve warm.

Share and Enjoy:

French Dip Sandwiches

• Karen's Yellow Farmhouse French Dip Sandwiches with Au Jus
• 3 1/2 to 4 lb sirloin tip roast
• 2 cups beef broth
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp season salt
• 1 tsp liquid smoke
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 12 hoagie buns
• 12 slices swiss cheese

Place roast in slow cooker.  Stir together broth, brown sugar, season salt, liquid smoke and soy sauce.  Pour over roast, cover and cook on high for 1 hour and then low for 9 hours.  Remove roast from cooker, reserving broth.  Shred roast with forks.  At this point I also strained the broth to remove anything floating around in it.   Place the beef on the hoagie buns and top with the swiss cheese.  Serve the warm au jus on the side in little cups to dunk the sammies in 

A couple of things I did differently than the recipe is that I buttered and toasted the buns - tops and bottoms and I also put the bottom part of the sandwiches with the meat and cheese under the broiler to melt the cheese.  Oh goodness these were good.  Give these a whirl you won't be sorry