Simple Pad Thai

This recipe is for you Tiana. Last night I made Pad Thia for dinner and was asked to share the recipe. Please forgive the bad photo as I used my phone.

PAD THAI

You will need:

 2-3 chicken breast

Julienne cut carrots

Broccoli florets

Udon noodles

Sliced limes and chopped peanuts (if you would like)

SAUCE:
1 1/2 c. chicken broth
5 Tbsp. creamy peanut butter
1 tsp. crushed red pepper -- more or less depending on how hot you like it
3 Tbsp. honey
5 Tbsp. soy sauce
3 Tbsp. fresh minced ginger or 1 Tbsp. dried ginger
4 cloves garlic, pressed or minced

Start a stock pot of water for the noodles, bring to a boil. In a large skillet, saute the chicken in olive oil and season with salt & pepper. While chicken is cooking, you can make the peanut sauce. Combine all of the ingredients  in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until sauce becomes smooth.

 After the chicken is finished remove from the heat and slice in to strips. Re-oil the skillet and lightly saute the vegetables (I like mine to still have a crunch).  While the vegetables saute add the noodles to the boiling water, they only take about 4-5 minutes to cook.  

Drain the noodles and add to a large serving bowl.  Next add the sauted vegetables and then the chicken strips.  Pour the sauce over the whole dish and garnish with peanuts and limes (if you would like).

Oven Pancake

This is a great one for those of you who like breakfast for dinner. It's called Oven Pancake. It's simple, fast, and super addicting! I use strawberries tonight, but it is great with raspberries and blue berries too.

Oven Pancake

¼ cup raspberries
¼ cup blueberries
3 tbls. Butter
3 eggs
½ cup milk
½ cup flour
¼ tsp. salt
½ tbls. Vanilla (optional)

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees

Melt butter in a glass 9 in. pan round or square. In a medium mixing bowl combined eggs, milk, flour, salt and vanilla. Whisk together till smooth. Pour in pan with melted butter and add fruit of your choice. I love mine with fresh raspberries and blueberries.

Bake for 20 min.

Cut and serve with a little maple syrup and enjoy!

Easy Thyme Chicken

This is a favorite in our home. Fast, easy and delicious!!

Ingredients


2-4 skinless, boneless chicken breast

1/4 cup butter

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1-2 clove garlic diced

1 1/2 cup  chicken broth

Pinch of  black pepper

Directions:

 Sprinkle thyme and pepper over chicken. With a little olive oil cook chicken in a skillet over medium heat until golden brown and juices run clear. Add the garlic allowing the garlic to roast a little. Add and melt the butter and then pour in the broth. Cook until sauce has reduced and thickened.

Enjoy!

Fall Homemade Oreos

Oh yum is all I have to say! I have been craving these for a long time now and with the feeling of fall in the air, I figured no better time. I changed it up a little by making my center orange and shaking some sprinkles on every other one to add more interest.  I found the recipe on cooks.com but have changed it here and there over time to my liking.

They also make a great "Thank You" to a friend (Paige) who brought over her food coloring because I missed placed mine.

Fall Homemade Oreos

Makes one dozen medium sandwich cookies or two dozen half dollar size.

For the chocolate wafers:

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) room-temperature, unsalted butter
1 large egg


For the filling:

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) room-temperature, unsalted butter
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Orange food coloring



Set two racks in the middle of the oven. Preheat to 375°F.

In a large bowl  mix the flour, cocoa, baking soda and powder, salt, and sugar with an electric mixer. On low speed, add the butter, and then the egg. Continue mixing till all ingredients are combined well.


For larger cookie use a tablespoon size of dough, roll into a ball with hands and then flatten and place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake for 6  minutes, rotating once for even baking. Set baking sheets on a rack to cool.

To make the cream filling, combined butter and shortening in a mixing bowl, and at low speed, gradually beat in the sugar, vanilla and food coloring if so desired. 
After cookies have cooled, fill with frosting by using a piping bag and star shape tip. Start from the center and work your way out. Add a top and your done. I added some sparkles to some to add an extra touch.

Mmmm....Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting need I say more?

Oh man...I made a red velvet cake for the first time and WOW! It was awesome and did not not last long in my house.  I've probably gained 8 lbs from eating so much of it!  Okay maybe not 8 lbs but I seriously could not get enough and either could the kids. Maxon kept crawling into the kitchen to point to the cake and whine for more (he is only 15 months). Really it's that good and I would have to say it is now my favorite cake on earth.

Here is the recipe. I got it from Cook's Country. Enjoy! 

Ingredients

Cake:

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
Pinch salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons natural cocoa powder
2 tablespoons red food coloring
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter , softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

Frosting :

16 tablespoons unsalted butter , softened
4 cups confectioners' sugar
16 ounces cream cheese , cut into 8 pieces, softened
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Pinch salt


Instructions:

1. For the cake: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 9-inch cake pans. Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt in medium bowl. Whisk buttermilk, vinegar, vanilla, and eggs in large measuring cup. Mix cocoa with food coloring in small bowl until a smooth paste forms.

2. With electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter and sugar together until fluffy, about 2 minutes, scraping down bowl as necessary. Add one-third of flour mixture and beat on medium-low speed until just incorporated, about 30 seconds. Add half of buttermilk mixture and beat on low speed until combined, about 30 seconds. Scrape down bowl as necessary and repeat with half of remaining flour mixture, remaining buttermilk mixture, and finally remaining flour mixture. Scrape down bowl, add cocoa mixture, and beat on medium speed until completely incorporated, about 30 seconds. Using rubber spatula, give batter final stir. Scrape into prepared pans and bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool cakes in pans 10 minutes then turn out onto rack to cool completely, at least 30 minutes.

3. For the frosting: With electric mixer, beat butter and sugar on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add cream cheese, one piece at a time, and beat until incorporated, about 30 seconds. Beat in vanilla and salt. Refrigerate until ready to use.

4. When cakes are cooled, spread about 2 cups frosting on one cake layer. Top with second cake layer and spread top and sides of cake with remaining frosting. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve, up to 3 days.

Mmm...Cookies!

White Chocolate Chips with Dried Cranberries and Hazelnuts

These turned out so yummy! They went fast in my house and at a play date we had. Thought I would share the recipe.

2 1/4 Cups flour

1 tsp. Baking soda

1 tsp. Salt

1 cup (2 sticks ) Butter softened,  I use SALTED

3/4 cup Granulated sugar

3/4 cup Packed brown sugar

1 tsp. Vanilla

2 large eggs

2 cups white chocolate chips

1 cup Hazelnuts

1 cup dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 350F

Combine flour, baking soda & salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla in large bowl till creamy. Adds eggs, beating well. Gradually beat in flour mixture.  Stir in chips, nuts, and cranberries.

Bake: 9- 11 min. or until golden brown.

ENJOY!

Famous Angel Food Cake

Famous with my family and friends that is. I have been baking this cake for about 9 years now and it always gets rave reviews.  It's from a good old Better Homes & Gardens cook book . I love to try and change things up but sometimes sticking with an original recipe is the best way to go. I have heard many times that it is a difficult cake to bake, I assure you it  is not!

Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups egg whites (10-12 large)
1-1/2 sifted powdered sugar
1 cup sifted cake flour
1-1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup granulated sugar

Directions

1. In a large mixing bowl allow egg whites stand at room temperature 30 minutes. Meanwhile, sift the cake flour and powdered sugar together and set aside.

*Quick tip: if you don't have a sifter (me) use a wire whisk to incorporate ingredients together.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

3. Add vanilla and cream of tartar to eggs. Beat with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until soft peaks form (tip* soft peaks curl). Gradually add granulated sugar 2 tablespoons. at a time, beating until stiff peaks.

4.Shake or sift about 1/2 cup of  powdered sugar mixture of the egg whites and begin to fold in gently with a spatula. Repeat using 1/2 cups till all powdered sugar mixture is incorporated.

5. Pour into an ungreased 10-inch tube pan. Gently cut through batter to remove air pockets.

6. Bake for 40-45 Min. or until top springs back when lightly touched.

Me being a dork while the cake bakes

7. Invert cake to cool thoroughly in pan.

ENJOY!!!

Who says Princesses don't bake?

My Lil Miss Sophia loves to help me bake. We went to a play date at a friends house and our host had made us some really yummy brownies. (Thanks Paige) So when we got home I was wanting more so Sophia and I whipped out a batch from scratch.


Here is the recipe I have used for years. I got it off the box of the Baker's Unsweetened Chocolate Squares.

4 squares of Bakers Unsweetened Chocolate
1 1/2 Sticks of butter (I always use SALTED butter)
2 Cups Sugar
3 Eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 Cup flour

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Microwave chocolate and butter in large microwave bowl at high 2 minutes or until butter is melted. Stir until chocolate is completely melted.

Stir sugar into chocolate. Mix in eggs and vanilla until well blended. Stir in flour. Spread in greased 13 x 9 or 9 x 9 inch pan.

Bake 30-35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean .

I like to shake a little powder sugar on the to but like nuts it's always optional.