Honey Cashew Chicken

This is a recipe that I adapted from an online source. The problem with the original was that the chicken just didn't have any flavor - the rest was great.  So, cook the chicken first, remove from pan or not, but don't add the onion until after the chicken is cooked.  The chicken needs to brown some or it just tastes bland.

Photo is from original site.

I used 2 boxes of frozen sugar snap peas and added about 1 teaspoon more of cornstarch. The addition wasn't necessary.  For variation, consider adding raisins, sliced grapes or chunk pineapple.



Honey Cashew Chicken

1 tbsp cornstarch
1 1/2 teaspoon honey
2 tablespoons soy sauce
6 tablespoons chicken broth
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoons grated fresh or jarred ginger
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 1/4 boneless, skinless chicken, cut into 3/4 inch pieces
6 oz (about 2 cups) snow peas, trimmed
1 large red bell pepper, seeded, cut into strips
1/2 cup cashews, unsalted

In a small bowl, whisk 1 tablespoon water with cornstarch until smooth. Whisk in honey, soy sauce and chicken broth.

Warm oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add garlic, ginger and crushed red pepper.

Add chicken and stir fry until opaque, 5 to 6 minutes. Add onions and cook for another 1-2 minutes.  Add snow peas, bell pepper and cashews and heat for 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in reserved sauce and pour into skillet. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes longer, stirring until sauce is bubbling and has thickened. Serves 4

There are 19 grams of carb in each serving, so great for low carbs.  Serve rice if  you want more.

recipe originally from : http://dailysavings.allyou.com/2012/09/28/honey-recipes/

Maple Pecan Cookies

Mom has been making these cookies for a couple of years now. They are extremely yummy - right on par with Chocolate Chip.  Even better - make the cookie dough in advance and stick in the fridge so that you can make a dozen whenever you have a mind to eat them.  The fresh baked is so much better than freezing prebaked and thawing.

Vanilla Chip Maple Cookies

Debra Hogenson, Brewster, MN (published in Taste of Home Annual 2002)

1 cup shortening
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 cups packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon maple flavoring
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 cups vanilla or white chips
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Frosting:
1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
4 cups confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon maple flavoring
4 to 6 tablespoons milk
3 1/2 cup pecan halves

In a mixing bowl, cream shortening, butter and brown sugar. Add eggs, once at a time, beating well after each.  Beat in vanilla and maple flavoring. Combine the flour and baking soda; gradually add to creamed mixture. Stir in vanilla chips and pecans.

Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls 2 in. apart onto ungreased baking sheets.  Bake in 350 F for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 2 minutes before removing to wire racks. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and confectioners' sugar. Beat in maple flavoring and enough milk to achieve spreading consistency. Frost cooled cookies. Top each with a pecan half.  Yield: about 7 dozen.

Free Holiday Recipes and Party Planning App

Was at Starbucks and picked up what I thought was a single freebee card for an App.  I had 5 stuck together.  So, I'm offering 4 of these.  Just leave me your email in the comment section and I'll send you the code.  These apps only work on Iphone, Ipad or Ipod and are redeemed through the Itunes store.

Watch the Package Sizes

It's been awhile since any of us have tried some new recipes, but I will be posting a couple of them this week.  It's not that what we've been making has been bad.  They just haven't been spectacular enough to share.

I do want to bring to your attention the continuing downsizing of product packaging and how it is going to affect your old recipes. Most of you know already that the old recipes (pre 1980) all expected 7 - 7.5 oz cans of tuna.  This size has been shrinking since the 1980s.  Now, you need to use 2 cans of tuna to have adequate protein in all your classic casserole recipes (the Cream of Mushroom has remained the same!).    Coffee packaging has also shrunk to hide the fact that the cost has gone up.

It has now happened in the baking arena - both Betty Crocker and Duncan Hines have shrunk the amount of cake mix in their boxes, making it impossible to get the same results when using standard pans. Cookbook author Anne Byrnes, quoted on Taste of Home website, has advised that bakers add 1/3 cup of flour to any of her cake recipes to make up for it.  Currently, Pillsbury hasn't shrunk their packaging.  In the meantime, vote with your money. I won't buy the reduced packages of cake mix - I'll buy Pillsbury or simply make my cakes from scratch, once again.  Sure, I like cake flour, but I can do without it.  Cake mix isn't the only victim in the slashing packaging sizes.  Evaporated milk is now a smaller can which makes your pumpkin pie recipes a problem.  Fortunately, Sam's Club still sells the original size cans, but I noticed at both grocery stores that the smaller cans are the only ones available.  There is a fix here as well - you can either add half and half or milk to make up for the lost 2.5 oz OR you can use another can and then freeze the remainder.  It might help to freeze that remainder in an ice cube tray and estimating that 2.5 oz.  You'll have enough for 4 pies then.

So, with this in mind, be sure to check those package sizes when you are making recipes.

I love my ebook readers.  I have 2 kindles and a Nook.   I am spending more time reading than doing needlework, but that's because I CAN!!  I'm only lukewarm on using an ereader for cooking.  I think this would work better with a tablet than a dedicated ereader because rarely can you get an entire recipe on one page.  Anybody with thoughts on that?