PF Chang's Lettuce Wraps

PF Chang's Lettuce Wraps

2 large chicken breasts, cooked
1 tablespoon oil (for frying)
1 large onion (chopped)
2 garlic cloves (minced)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
¼ cup hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
Asian chili pepper sauce (optional, to taste)
1 (8 ounce) can water chestnuts (drained and chopped)
1 bunch green onions (chopped)
2 tablespoons dark sesame oil

1. Chop chicken into VERY small pieces.

2. Heat a medium skillet to high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of oil.

3. Add chicken and onions and stir fry for 1 minute.

4. Add garlic, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, vinegar and chili pepper sauce to the onions. Stir to mix well.

5. Stir in water chestnuts, green onions and sesame oil.

6. Serve in lettuce leaves with fried Rice Sticks (I used the Dynasty MaiFun Rice Sticks)

Double Berry Cupcakes

Double Berry Cupcakes
Makes 30 cupcakes

STRAWBERRY CUPCAKES:
1 cup butter
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 3oz pkg. of strawberry jello
2 3/4 cup flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp almond extract
1/2 cup strawberry puree
1 cup milk

1. Cream together butter, sugar, and jello until light and fluffy.

2. Add eggs, one at a time beating well after each addition.

3. Mix in the vanilla and almond.

4. Sift together the flour and baking powder.

5. Add flour mixture alternately with milk.

6. Stir in strawberry puree.

7. Scoop into cupcake pan lined with papers and bake at 350 for about 15 to 18 minutes.

8. Top with Blackberry Buttercream.

BLACKBERRY BUTTERCREAM:
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup shortening
6 to 7 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup blackberry puree

1. Mix together the butter and shortening.

2. Add in about half of the powdered sugar and beat until fluffy.

3. Add in the blackberry puree.

4. Mix in the rest of the powdered sugar.

5. Add in more puree to perfect the consistency of your frosting.

Lemon Pound Cake Muffins

Lemon Pound Cake Muffins

MUFFINS:
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
zest from 1 lemon
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 3/4 cup flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup sour cream

GLAZE:
2 cups powdered sugar
4 Tbsp lemon juice

1. Cream together butter and sugar.

2. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.

3. Add in vanilla, lemon juice, and zest.

4. Mix in flour and baking soda.

5. Stir in the sour cream.

6. Divide evenly among 12 muffin cups sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.

7. Bake at 350 for 18 to 20 minutes.

8. Cool.

9. Mix together lemon juice and powdered sugar and glaze tops of muffins.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cheesecake Torte

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cheesecake Torte

1 pkg. Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
1 8oz pkg. cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
3 Tbsp flour
1/4 cup chocolate chips
1 cup Cool Whip

1. Press cookie dough evenly in the bottom of a large tart pan.

2. In a mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, sugar, egg, and flour.

3. Pour cheesecake mixture over the cookie dough.

4. Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes.

5. Cool completely!

6. Melt chocolate chips and drizzle over tart.

7. Garnish with Cool Whip.

8. Cut into wedges and serve.

Strawberry Shortcake

Strawberry Shortcake

SHORTCAKE:
2 1/3 cups Bisquick
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2/3 cup milk
4 Tbsp melted butter

1. Mix together Bisquick, and sugar.

2. In another container, mix together vanilla, milk, and butter.

3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry.

4. Scoop into muffin pan, sprayed with nonstick baking spray.

5. Bake at 425 for about 10 minutes.

6. Cool and slice each one in half.

7. Layer the shortcakes with whipped cream and berries.

VANILLA CREAM:
1 cup heavy cream
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup powdered sugar

1. Combine the cream, vanilla, and powdered sugar.

2. Beat until stiff peaks form.

3. Layer with shortcakes.

STRAWBERRIES:
4 cups sliced strawberries
1/4 cup sugar

1. Combine sugar and berries and let marinate for several hours until juicy.

2. Serve with shortcakes and vanilla cream.

Coconut Cream Torte

The original recipe I used for this called for a Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough crust, and a chocolate pudding filling, topped with mini chocolate chips. (Made that one too, will post pics of it later this month.) I changed it a little bit to make it coconut instead of chocolate. It was delicious. I'm not a huge coconut fan, however this was just right. Not too coconutty, but enough to taste. My kids have never really eaten coconut in many things but they liked it.

Coconut Cream Torte

1 16oz package vanilla sandwich cookies
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 8oz brick of cream cheese
1 cup powdered sugar
12oz container of Cool Whip
1 3.4oz pkg. of Jello Coconut Cream Instant Pudding
1 3.4oz pkg. of Jello Vanilla Instant Pudding
3 cups milk
2 cups flaked, sweetened, coconut
1. Crush cookies and reserve 1 cup.

2. Take remaining cookies and mix them with the melted butter.

3. Press cookie mixture into the bottom of a 9 x 13 dish.

4. Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, combine cream cheese and powdered sugar.

5. Fold in 1 1/2 cups of the Cool Whip.

6. Spread cream cheese mixture over the cookie crust.

7. Turn on oven to 400. Layer coconut evenly over a baking pan.

8. Bake coconut until it's slighty browned and crisp.

9. Remove from heat, and cool.

10. In a mixing bowl, combine both pudding mixes and milk. Whisk until combined.

11. Let pudding set in fridge for about 10 minutes, and then mix in 1 1/2 cups of coconut.

12. Spread the pudding/coconut mixture over the cream cheese mixture.

13. Now spread the remaining Cool Whip over the pudding mixture.

14. Sprinkle the top with the leftover cookie crumbs and coconut. Refrigerate until serving.

Lemon Curd Shortbread Squares

Lemon Curd Shortbread Squares

CRUST:
10 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
2 tablespoons white granulated sugar
1 ¼ cups white all-purpose flour

1. Mix all ingredients together until crumbly.

3. Press into the bottom of an 8" or 9" pan.

4. Bake at 400 for about 12 to 15 minutes.

5. Top with lemon curd.


LEMON CURD:
3 egg yolks
4 Tbsp lemon juice
6 Tbsp orange juice
1/3 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1/8 tsp salt
2 heaping Tbsp of flour

1. Whisk all ingredients together in a sauce pan.

2. Cook over medium heat until bubbly and thickened.

3. Pour over shortbread.

4. Refrigerate until set, and cut.

Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes

Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes
24 white cupcakes
1 recipe lemon curd
1 recipe Fresh Strawberry Buttercream

1. Fill cupcakes with about 1 Tbsp of lemon curd each.

2. Top with Fresh Strawberry Buttercream.

LEMON CURD:
3 egg yolks
4 Tbsp lemon juice
6 Tbsp orange juice
1/3 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1/8 tsp salt
2 heaping Tbsp of flour

1. Whisk all ingredients together in a sauce pan.

2. Cook over medium heat until bubbly and thickened.

3. Cool, and fill cupcakes.

FRESH STRAWBERRY BUTTERCREAM:
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup shortening
6 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup fresh strawberry puree

1. Beat together butter and shortening.

2. Add in about half of the powdered sugar.

3. Mix in strawberry puree. (I just blend fresh strawberries with 1 tsp of lemon juice until liquified.)

4. Add in the rest of the powdered sugar.

5. Beat buttercream to desired consistency. At this point you can add more sugar or puree if too thick or thin.

6. Frost cupcakes.

Red Velvet Cupcakes

Red Velvet Cupcakes

CUPCAKES:
1/2 cup shortening
1-1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 bottle (1 ounce) red food coloring
3 teaspoons white vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-1/2 cups cake flour
1/4 cup baking cocoa (I used dark chocolate, if you use regular your red will be vibrant.)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:
1 8oz brick of cream cheese
1 stick of butter
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
4 to 6 cups powdered sugar



1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. Cream together the shortening and sugar.

3. Add in eggs one at a time. Mix until light and fluffy.

4. Add in food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla.

5. In a separate bowl, combine cocoa, flour, baking soda, and salt.

6. Add the dry mixture, alternately with buttermilk.

7. Scoop into cupcake pan, lined with papers.

8. Bake for about 22 minutes.

9. Meanwhile, for frosting, cream together cream cheese, butter, and vanilla.

10. Add in sugar, one cup at a time.

11. Beat until fluffy, and whipped.

12. Frost cupcakes.

Cakey Chocolate Chip Cookies

Martha Again. She gets all the credit for these soft little morsels. It's amazing how a small change in a recipe can alter the outcome. A little more butter, and you have giant, flat, chewy cookies. A little more sugar, and you have a more crisp cookie. Follow this recipe, and you have a soft, cakey, cookie.

Cakey Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
14 Tbsp butter, softened
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 cups chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy.

3. Add in vanilla extract, and salt.

4. Mix in eggs one at a time, mixing until combined.

5. Stir in flour and baking soda.

6. Add in chocolate chips and continue mixing until combined.

7. Drop by 2 Tbsp size scoop onto cookie sheet.

8. Slightly flatten, and bake for about 11 minutes.

Orange Chocolate Chip Scones

Simple and Delicious had a section of one of their magazines a few years back that had tons of different variations of scones. This is a take on one of them. Scones are really easy to make, and with a very basic recipe, you can mix and match and change them into just about anything.

Orange Chocolate Chip Scones

SCONE:
2 cups flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/4 cup sugar
3 Tbsp orange zest
1 cup mini chocolate chips
1 1 /4 cup heavy whipping cream

GLAZE:
1 cup powder sugar
2 Tbsp orange juice

1. In mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and sugar.

2. Add in the orange zest and chocolate chips.

3. Mix in the whipping cream until a soft dough forms.

4. Divide dough into two equal portions.

5. Shape each portion of dough into a ball, and flatten slightly to create a disk.

6. Score each disk into 8 wedges.

7. Bake at 350 for about 15 to 18 minutes.

8. Cool completely.

9. Once cooled, combine ingredients for glaze and brush or pour over the top of scones.

Cinnamon Scones

Ok, so a few years back Simple and Delicious came out with a general scone recipe, and you could add to it whatever you'd like to make different flavors. There was a Raisin Cinnamon version that caught my eye. . .minus the raisins. I like raisins, but not in baked goods. It just grosses me out. It's the idea of a chunky chewy thing in my food. So when I made these, I omitted the raisins. When Dave came home from work he grabbed one right away and gobbled it right up. Said it was "so good!" Then, he said, "The only thing that could make these better is raisins." Ugh. I guess next time we do half with, and half without.

Cinnamon Scones

SCONES:
2 cups flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/4 cup of heavy cream

TOPPING:
1/4 cup melted butter
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon

GLAZE:
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbsp milk

1. In a mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, and cinnamon.

2. Slowly mix in heavy cream to create a soft dough.

3. Divide dough in half, and roll each half into a ball.

4. On a lightly floured surface, flatten each dough ball into a disk.

5. Score each disk into eight wedges.

6. Bake for about 10 to 15 minutes at 350.

7. Cool completely.

8. Brush with melted butter

9. Mix together cinnamon and sugar for topping and sprinkle over scones.

10. Whisk together all the ingredients for the glaze.

11. Drizzle over the scones.

Lemon Orange Bundt Cake

It's Friday! It's the end of the week, we have a great weekend coming up, and I feel the urge to bake. So. . .Today I'm baking, and freezing. I like to bake in bulk, and fill up the freezer with goodies. Today Ava requested this cake, so that's the first thing on the agenda. I'm also baking some scones, and some cookies. That way I get all work done in a day, and have goodies to last weeks.

Lemon Orange Bundt Cake

LEMON ORANGE CAKE:
1 box of Lemon Supreme cake mix
1 3oz box of orange Jello
2/3 cup water
2/3 cup oil
4 eggs

ORANGE GLAZE:
2 cups powder sugar
3 to 4 Tbsp orange juice

1. Whisk together the cake mix and Jello

2. In a separate bowl, beat together the eggs, water, and oil.

3. Slowly mix together the wet ingredients with the dry.

4. Pour into a Bundt pan sprayed with nonstick baking spray.

5. Bake at 350 for about 40 minutes.

6. Glaze with orange glaze.

Strawberry Shortcake Cookies

Good old Martha Stewart. She's about the crankiest person I've ever seen, but boy can that lady bake a mean cookie! I'm honestly not a huge fan of her as a person, but I LOVE a lot of her recipes. Came across this one and it looked and sounded so good. I was right, these are just like strawberry shortcake. Soft, sweet, cakey, and full of sweet red strawberries. Who would have thought to put fresh berries in a cookie?

Strawberry Shortcake Cookies

STRAWBERRY MIXTURE:
12oz fresh strawberries, hulled, and diced
1 tsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp sugar

COOKIE DOUGH:
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
9 Tbsp sugar
6 Tbsp butter
2/3 cup heavy whipping cream

TOPPING:
Additional sugar

1. Mix together strawberries, lemon juice, and sugar. Set aside.

2. In another mixing bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar.

3. Cut in butter with a pastry blender until course crumbs form.

4. Slowly add in heavy cream and mix until thick dough begins to form.

5. Stir in strawberry mixture.

6. Scoop onto cookies sheet using a 2Tbsp cookie scoop.

7. Sprinkle generously with additional sugar.

8. Bake at 375 for about 20 minutes.

Springtime Jello Clouds

Spring is indeed in the air!!! The weather's getting warmer, the snows begun to rapidly melt, the ice in out back is officially beginning to turn back to water, and the bikes, scooters, and strollers have been making their way around the neighborhood again. This excites me!!! And my kids!!! We've already gone on several walks and bike rides, and cannot wait to enjoy this spring and summer.

This Jello is, well, Jello. Nothing too special except for the fact that it's pastel, creamy, and reminscent of spring. It's an easy Easter thing to make with/for the kids too. Add the Cool Whip to any color Jello and you have a creamy dreamy Light Colored treat.

So today, Ava didn't have school and we decided to make a fun and easy springtime treat.

Springtime Jello Clouds

1 large pkg. of blue Jello
2 cups boiling water
2 cups cold water
1 12oz container of Cool Whip
Fresh Whipped Cream

1. Stir together Jello and boiling water until Jello is disolved.

2. Stir in cold water.

3. Cool for about 1 hour or until slightly chilled.

4. Add Cool Whip to Jello and, using a hand held blender, blend together. This will make the Jello more of a frothy creamy treat than a Jello.

5. Pour into individual cups and refrigerate until set.

6. Top with whipped cream. ( I like to make it using heavy cream and a few Tbsp of powdered sugar. Add in a dash of vanilla and it's great.)