Recipe Wednesday

I have been trying ALOT of new recipes this week. They all have been great. I will post 2 this week and save some for next week they all come from My Kitchen Cafe. She has great recipes they are easy to follow and all the ones that I have tried my family LOVES.

The first one is Sweet and Sour Chicken. This was a huge hit with my family. The chicken is tender and the sauce is perfect.

We served it over rice with a little bit of extra sauce that I

made on the stove.

Delani who NEVER eats any meat was asking for seconds.

The chicken is so moist and tender you can cut it with a fork.

Sweet and Sour Chicken :

3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Salt and pepper

1 cup cornstarch

2 eggs, beaten

1/4 cup canola oil

Cut boneless chicken breasts into chunks. Season with salt and pepper. Put all the chicken and the cornstarch in a Ziploc bag smooch all around till chicken is covered then dip in egg. Fry in a little oil until brown but not cooked through. Place in a single layer in a baking dish. Mix sauce ingredients (below) together and pour over chicken.

Sauce:

¾ cup sugar

4 tablespoons ketchup

½ cup vinegar

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon garlic salt

Bake for one hour at 325 degrees. Turn chicken every 15 minutes. If you like extra sauce, make another batch of sauce and bring it to a boil on the stove top. Stir constantly and let cook over medium heat until thickened and reduced - about 6-8 minutes.

The next one is another favorite of mine. My family loves broccoli so this was a great way to make it. The sauce is creamy and smooth and the broccoli just pushed it over the edge. This would be a great base for any kind of veggie soup.

Broccoli Cheese Soup 1 can chicken broth

1 small onion, diced

1/3 c. flour

1/4 c. butter

Pepper to taste (I used about 1/2 teaspoon)

2 c. milk (I used 2% with great results)

1 1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese (the sharper the better for flavor - I used mild cheddar and hopefully next time will have sharp cheddar on hand)

1/2 c. shredded Swiss Cheese

Steamed chopped broccoli (the amount of broccoli really boils down to preference - I wanted a lot of broccoli in my soup, so I chopped and steamed approximately 2 1/2 to 3 cups of broccoli florets)

Simmer chicken broth and chopped onion for 15-20 minutes in a covered small saucepan, until onions are soft. Heat milk in microwave for 1-2 minutes. In a separate medium-sized stockpot, melt butter then add flour and pepper. Cook together for a couple of minutes, then whisk in warmed milk. Stir and heat together on medium-high heat until soup starts to thicken. Next add chicken broth and continue to stir until well blended. Add cheeses and steamed broccoli. Serve immediately. Makes approximately 4 servings

Artisan Bread Bowls adapted from King Arthur:

3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/4 cup nonfat dry milk

2 teaspoons yeast

2 teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons oil

1 1/2 cups lukewarm water, enough to make a smooth, soft dough Let yeast dissolve in warm water until creamy, about 5 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients—by hand, mixer or bread machine— and knead till you've created a smooth dough.Allow the dough to rise, covered, for 45 minutes; it should become puffy. Divide the dough into 5-6 pieces, depending on how large you want your bread bowl to be. Roll each piece into a ball. Place on a lightly greased or parchment covered baking sheet.Cover the bread bowls with greased plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 4 hours (or up to 24 hours); this step will give the bread bowls extra flavor, and a delightfully crisp-chewy texture. Two or more hours before serving, remove the bread bowls from the refrigerator. Uncover, and let them sit for about one hour while you preheat the oven to 425°F.

Just before baking, slash the top surface of the bowls several times with a sharp razor/knife to allow them to expand. Bake for 22 to 28 minutes, until the bowls are deep brown, and sound hollow when thumped on the bottom. Remove from the oven, and cool on a rack.

Italian Bread Bowls adapted from allrecipes.com

1 1/2 tablespoons yeast

2 1/2 cups warm water

2 teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

7 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon cornmeal

1 egg white

1 tablespoon water

In a large bowl (or bowl of an electric mixer), dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes. Add salt, oil and 4 cups flour to the yeast mixture; beat well. Stir in the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, beating well with an electric mixer at medium speed after each addition until a soft but not sticky dough is formed (you may not need to use all 7 cups). When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 6 minutes (or let knead in an electric mixer). Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 40 minutes. Punch dough down, and divide into 6-8 equal portions. Shape each portion into a round ball. Place loaves on lightly greased baking sheets sprinkled with cornmeal (or use silpat liners or parchment paper). Cover and let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, until doubled in bulk, about 35 minutes. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a small bowl, beat together egg white and 1 tablespoon water; lightly brush the loaves with half of this egg wash. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Brush with remaining egg mixture, and bake 10 to 15 more minutes or until golden. Cool on wire racks.

I have yet to make either one of these bread bowls. They are on my list of things to make in the next week. Just thought I would add the recipe for those of you that would like to have the soup in one. ENJOY I know my family did!

Source: My Kitchen Cafe

Frosted Banana Bars

I LOVE making banana bread. I have to tell you I'm not a HUGE banana fan. I only eat them if they are mixed into muffins or some type of bread. This recipe is really good the bars come out so moist and I rally like the cream cheese frosting that you put on them. They make a tons so they are also great to give away.

FYI: When bananas start getting brown and nasty throw them in your freezer so that when you want to make anything that requires bananas you will have them an hand and all you have to do is defrost them.

Frosted Banana Bars

(from Taste of Home)

½ cup butter, softened

2 cups sugar

3 eggs

1-1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 3 medium)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

Dash salt

Cream Cheese Frosting:

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened

½ cup butter, softened

4 cups confectioners' sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, bananas and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; stir into creamed mixture just until blended. Transfer to a greased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack.For frosting, in a small mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Add confectioners' sugar and vanilla; beat until smooth. Frost bars. Yield: 3 dozen.

15 min. Bake: 20 min. + cooling

Source: The Sisters Cafe

Recipe Wednesday on a Thursday- Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

So I found this great cinnamon roll recipe on My Kitchen Cafes blog. It is so easy and delicious. The added pudding mix makes the batter so smooth and not sticky. I do have to warn you it make ALOT of cinnamon rolls. The frosting is great with the cinnamon rolls too. One thing that i will do next time is not put all the frosting on it is a little much. My girls loved these and had them for breakfast this morning, and I happen to be having one right now. I hope you all enjoy them too!

Vanilla Pudding Cinnamon Rolls with

Cream Cheese Frosting

from My Kitchen Cafe Rolls:½ cup warm water

2 tablespoons active dry yeast (2packets)

2 tablespoons sugar

3 ½ ounce package instant vanilla pudding (1 small box)

½ cup butter, melted

2 eggs

1 teaspoon salt

6+ cups flour

Filling:1 cup butter, softened to room temperature

2 cups brown sugar

4 teaspoons cinnamon

Frosting:8 ounces cream cheese

½ cup butter, softened to room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 cups confectioner’s sugar

2-3 tablespoons milk

In a small bowl combine water, yeast and sugar. Stir until dissolved. Set aside. In large bowl, take pudding mix and prepare according to package directions. Add butter, eggs and salt. Mix well. Then add yeast mixture. Blend. Gradually add flour; knead until smooth. Do not overflour the dough! It should be very soft but not sticky. Place in a greased bowl. Cover and let rise until doubled.

Then roll out on floured board to 34 X 21 inches in size. Take 1 cup soft butter and spread over surface. In bowl, mix 2 cups brown sugar and 4 teaspoons cinnamon. Sprinkle over the top. Roll up very tightly. With knife put a notch every 1 1/2 inches. Cut with thread or serrated knife. Place on lightly greased cookie sheet 1 inch apart. Cover and let rise until double again. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Remove when they start to turn golden (don’t overbake).

Frost warm rolls with cream cheese frosting (combine butter and cream cheese and mix well, then add vanilla and sugar and mix again, then add milk for desired consistency). Makes about 24 very large rolls.

Weekly Recipe- Banana Nut Bread

This is my favorite EASY recipe. You cannot mess this up and it makes about 3 loafs.

Banana Nut Bread

3 C. Sugar

1 C. Shortening

4 Eggs

2 tsp. Vanilla

1/2 C. Milk

4 C. Flour

1 1/2 tsp. Baking Soda

1 1/2 tsp. Baking Powder

6-8 Ripe Bananas

Mix together sugar, shortening, eggs and vanilla. Add milk, flour soda and powder to the mixture. Peel the bananas and break into pieces ( I like to mash them with my fork) Add the mixture ad mix well. Spray 3 bread pans with Pam. Bake at 300 for 1 hour 20 minutes. Check with knife when done it will come out clean.

This is really good toasted in the toaster for breakfast.

ENJOY!!