Honey Sesame Chicken #sponsored

Our summer is coming to an end and with that thought, I am already thinking about fall, back to school and our busy schedules. It is true that I homeschool  our kids and our time is a bit more flexible but I find that with more open time also brings more scheduled activities.  Isabella wants to be on the go every single day.  I am already tired thinking about September and October.

What brings me comfort during this busy time is knowing that I can prepare some healthy meals at home that feed my family and keep us out of the lines for fast food.  Chinese Food is something that I have not been able to enjoy for a few years because of the ingredients that are used. I have an intolerance for soy, msg and wheat products (noodles) and most pre-packaged foods (sauces and dressings).  I have missed the sweet and spicy flavors of some of my favorite dishes.  

To bring some of the "fast food" in to our home so that my family feels that they are not being deprived of the "finer things" I have been experimenting with a variety of dishes.  Honey Sesame Chicken is one such dish that was easy for me to convert because I could easily replace the sauce ingredients with a few gluten free/paleo cupboard items that I keep on hand.  The recipe I decided to use called for chicken breast.

I am in the habit of buying chicken thighs.   For this recipe I decided to follow the suggestions for white chicken meat and purchased Tyson® Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast.  I found that each piece of breast meat is hand-trimmed for convenience to save time and effort in my meal preparation.  It is nice when I am in a hurry to have the meat ready to cut and use in my recipe.

Tyson Fresh Chicken is a brand that I use in place of my locally sourced meat when I am unable to get to my farmer to restock my refrigerator or freezer. They are a company made up of real people who have been in the business for 75 years.  Their products are all natural* with no added hormones or steroids**.   Did you know that they provide the chicks and feed to local farmers throughout the country?  In fact, more than 4000 farmers throughout the US help Tyson Foods provide chickens to our local market places by using their own farms to raise them in. 

As an added bonus, Tyson Foods also carries a line of gluten free pre-made items to be used when your family is on the go.  This recipe when made with arrowroot starch and coconut aminos is Paleo; when made with cornstarch and gluten free soy sauce it is gluten free.

My Honey Sesame Chicken recipe turned out delicious and my family asked for seconds.  I can't wait to make this again and next time trying the Tyson Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs in place of the white meat.

Honey Sesame Chicken 

Makes enough for 4

1 1/2 pounds Tyson Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast, cubed into 1 inch pieces

1/4 cup arrowroot starch or corn starch

3 tablespoon honey

1/4  teaspoon salt

pepper to taste

3 tablespoons coconut oil, for frying

Honey Sesame Sauce:

We like extra sauce, so I double this recipe for my family.

2 tablespoons soy sauce, gluten free soy sauce or coconut aminos

1 tablespoon water

1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

1 1/2 tablespoon honey

1 1/2 tablespoon rice vinegar

1/4 teaspoon powdered ginger

1 clove of garlic, minced

1 tablespoon arrowroot starch or corn starch

2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds (garnish)

2 green onions, sliced thin (garnish)

1.  Combine the first 8 ingredients for the Honey Sesame Sauce in a small bowl.  Whisk to blend.

Set aside until all of the chicken is cooked through.

2.  Combine the chicken pieces, arrowroot starch, honey, salt and pepper in a medium size bowl. Stir to coat each chicken piece.

3.  Heat oil in a skillet, add chicken pieces and cook until each side is golden brown. (See picture below.) Transfer chicken pieces to a wire rack until all chicken is prepared.

4.  When chicken is done cooking, transfer sauce to a small sauce pan. Heat sauce until it begins to boil, stirring often. Remove from heat when the sauce begins to thicken.  

5.  Add the chicken to a medium bowl and add sauce.  Fold chicken and sauce to coat each piece.  Add sesame seeds and green onions for a garnish.

6.  Serve with rice.  Store leftovers in the refrigerator for 3 days.

Note: Chicken must be cooked to an internal temperature of 170 degrees for boneless products and 180 degrees for bone in chicken products.

Written by Sherron Watson

THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED AND THE WINNER HAS BEEN CONTACTED.

Please share in the comments below your favorite "back to school" chicken dish.  I am always on the lookout for new recipes to feed my hungry family. Plus if you leave a comment you will be entered to win a gift basket full of kitchen gadgets!

For more delicious recipes visit PickTysonFresh.com.

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This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. The notification email will come directly from BlogHer via the sweeps@blogher email address. You will have 72 hours to respond; otherwise a new winner will be selected.
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*Minimally processed. No artificial ingredients. 

**Federal regulations prohibit the use of added hormones or steroids in chicken.

Pineapple and Turkey Curry #glutenfree

Ground turkey has become our new best friend.  I have switched to using more ground turkey and less ground beef.  I do this when I don't have access to grass-fed beef in my freezer or it is not on sale at the grocery store.  It is more cost effective on my budget and a good healthy choice for my family.

Our family would eat curry daily.   We do enjoy all types of curry.  My husband makes a great japanese style curry.  I lean more toward the Indian curry combinations.  I buy a good quality yellow curry powder for basic recipes like this one.   At H Mart (they sell Indian Food too) we are able to find a good selection of curry powders and paste in our area.  I wish I could find an Indian grocery store because I would love to add a few more ingredients to my cupboards with an Indian flair. H Mart only has a small aisle.

This particular dish of Pineapple and Turkey Curry reminds me of a dish I had in Hawaii when we were on vacation a few years ago.  We visited the pineapple farm on the island of Oahu.  Fresh pineapple from the islands was something I ate every day.  We found curry to be a popular dish is some of the local eateries around the islands.

I have added a few ingredients that we like in our curry's to make it our own.  Our garden is producing a lot of zucchini and this is a dish that features it well.  The green and yellow together just feel like summer.  This dish is gluten free.  To make it paleo don't add the peanuts, peanut butter or serve it over rice.  You could substitute the rice for cauliflower rice. You could use almond butter in place of the peanut butter.  A vegetarian conversion would be to eliminate the ground turkey and use a firm tofu instead.  Just dice the tofu into small pieces.  I use tofu often in our curry dishes for our vegetarian friends. 

Summer is almost over in our part of the states.  The Farmer's Almanac is forecasting a white and wet winter for the East.  BOO HOO!

This is a great dish to add to your family's dinner to remind you of summer and the warmth that the sunshine brings.

ENJOY!

Pineapple and Turkey Curry
Makes 4 servings

1 pound of ground turkey
1/4 cup green onion, diced
1/2 cup zucchini, sliced and quartered
1/4 thinly sliced carrots
1 tablespoon coconut oil
2-3 tablespoons yellow curry powder
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
2 (13.5 oz) cans of coconut milk, full fat
1-2 teaspoons of honey, for sweetness (omit if using sweetened peanut butter)
1/2 (+/-) cup unsweetened peanut butter
1 cup diced pineapple (fresh or canned)
cilantro, optional garnish
whole peanuts, optional garnish

1.  In a large skillet melt coconut oil.  Add diced vegetables and cook for 4 minutes.  Add ground turkey and cook until meat is not pink.

2.  Add spices, curry powder, peanut butter and coconut milk.  Stir well and simmer for 12 minutes.

3.  Add fresh pineapple and serve immediately with rice.

NOTE:  This is a dish that you can adjust to your family's preferences.  Taste and cook as you go. My family likes our curry to be strong so I use the 3 tablespoons we also like the peanut butter so I might add more than the 1/2 cup.  Same with the honey, if you like it sweeter add a bit more.

Written by Sherron Watson

Refrigerator Dill Pickles

I go through a lot of pickles in our home. Every one of my kids enjoy sweet or dill pickles in our tuna fish, on hamburgers and on a good ham sandwich.  

I get tired of buying food that I can easily make at home and save a few hard earned dollars.  Pickles are not hard to make and they can be customized to how you and your family like them.  This recipe is a salty brine.  It has a good dill punch.  The juice is strong.  I make it with coconut palm sugar and this is why the brine is a brownish color.   I use coconut palm sugar in most of my recipes because it has a lower glycemic index than white table sugar.  If you would like to learn more about coconut sugar here is a LINK to some information.

I remember my grandmother always adding fresh pickles to her pickle jar. I was just a kid and never thought much about it until I made my own.  It worked.  I made a batch of the brine, added my pickles and let them get "dillified" and the kids started eating them down fast.  I bought about 3 more fat pickles, quartered them and added them to the brine.  The kids could tell the difference between the recently added pickle spears and the older ones.  It was easy.  I did this a few times and the brine held true each time.  The dill got a little sleepy and droopy but the flavor stayed the same.

This is a refrigerator recipe which means that this is not a processed pickle recipe.  It is not shelf stable. These pickles need to be refrigerated and will remain crisp. If processed with a hot water bath, then the pickles may become a bit softer.

I made two jars from this recipe.  I had a quart jar for the spears and I had a small pint jar for some slices.  This is just a personal juice and you can slice and dice your pickles however you wish: spears or slices.

Refrigerator Dill Pickles 

4 medium pickling cucumbers, cut into quarters

1 1/2 cups of white vinegar
1/4 cup coconut palm sugar or table sugar
2 cups of water
1 Tablespoon salt
1 Tablespoon pickling spice
1 Tablespoon dill seed
3 cloves of garlic, left whole

1 cup of ice cubes
Handful of fresh dill

1.  Prepare cucumbers by slicing or cutting them into quarters.  Set aside.

2.  In a medium saucepan add white vinegar, salt, and water.  Bring to a boil and add pickling spice and dill seeds.  Remove from heat and add 1 cup of ice cubes.

3.  In quart jar add fresh dill, garlic pieces and pickles.  It will be crowded.  Once the ice cubes have melted and the brine is cool add the brine to the pickle jars.  The brine should be just covering the pickles.  They will produce some of their own water as the pickle.

4.  Store in refrigerator for 24 hours.  To be honest, we ate them after 4 hours but they are definitely better the next and the next and the next DAY.    If the brine is too salty for you, soak the pickle in water for 15 minutes and use.  We like a salty brine in our home.

5.  As mentioned above, when I get down to half a jar of pickles, I buy a few more and add them to the old brine.  It works great and saves a few pennies too.

Written by Sherron Watson

Baked Rock Fish

I have lived in Maryland for three years and in this time I have baked, grilled and poached more whole fish than ever in my life time of cooking in the kitchen.

I love the experience that a whole fish brings to the table for my family. It touches on our senses: the smells are vibrant with the scent of the ocean, the visual beauty of a whole fish is exciting for the kids to see, the ability to touch and debone the fish at the table is once again, an exciting venture for our guest to enjoy and finally the ooohs and aaaahs that escape the mouths of friends and family are music to my home chef ears.

Rock Fish is a local fish that is caught in the Chesapeake Bay.  We eat a lot of this fish in the summer time.  I find the fish to be mild in flavor.  Not too firm to the touch.  A great fish to eat, use in fish tacos, or serve as individual steaks.

For this dish I layered the flavors to create the lemony sauce that I made from the melted butter, steamed green onion, lemon, capers and of course, any juice the Rock Fish provided during the baking time.

I have a few more whole fish recipes coming in the near future. I recently bought a whole Red Snapper and grilled that on our BBQ pit.

When I buy my whole fish I try to buy it as fresh as possible. In fact, if you know anyone that goes fishing, ask if they would sell you one, give you one or barter with you.  Living by the water we have fish markets that get fresh fish daily so this is easy for my family to find the freshest fish possible.  I usually have them remove the scales and gut the fish for me.  I will trim the gills when I get home.  I find this is the easiest for me but you are always welcome to do this task at home.

The great thing about fish is that there are an array of herbs and spices to choose from when baking or grilling your whole fish.  Each time I make a whole fish I mix and match what I have in the refrigerator.  Some herbs that I have used are dill, thyme, mint and flat parsley.  I like to use citrus. Sometimes its lemons, limes or grapefruit.  I like capers a lot and of course butter or ghee always make an appearance.

This is an easy recipe and the fish and sauce have rich flavors and make a lovely dinner.

Baked Rock Fish

1-2 pound rock fish

6 whole green onions

handful of fresh dill

2 lemons, juice from one and slices from the other

2 tablespoons capers

salt and pepper

1 teaspoon garlic powder

3 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup water

2 tablespoons cream or coconut cream (from top of coconut milk can)

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2.  In a baking dish (oval or rectangular-large enough to hold fish) lay your fish across dish.  My head and tail hung over abut 2 inches on each side and did not cause me any problems while baking.

3. Use a sharp knife and cut 4 slashes across fish. In each slash place a sliced lemon. Around the fish add the dill and green onion. Squeeze half a lemon over the top of the fish. Add the salt, pepper and garlic salt. Sprinkle the capers. Add the tablespoons of butter. (see picture) Finally add the water.

4. Place in oven uncovered and bake until fish is firm to the touch, 25-30 minutes. Remove from oven and pour broth into a small sauce pan. Reduce the liquid for 5 minutes by bringing broth to a boil and simmering.

5.  When sauce has reduced add cream or coconut cream to the sauce.  Stir and taste.  Make any adjustments based on your taste buds.  

6.  I gently removed the fish from the bones to a small plate, added a few more capers and lemon slices.  Poured the sauce over the fish and served with steamed vegetables and rice.  The sauce can always be served on the side.

Written by Sherron Watson

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole #glutenfree

This is a dish that my kids request I make on multiple occasions.  I don't cook casseroles very often anymore because of the requirement of dairy and cheese.  BUT--my kids don't have any diet restrictions and so I don't mind making this once in a blue moon; or as they say in this day and age, a Super Moon.  

I make this gluten free with several changes to the original recipe.  I don't buy any canned cream soups. I make the "cream soup" as I go in the recipe.  It takes but a few minutes to whip it together and you have a "made from scratch" version without all of the extra preservatives.  This is one way that I can make our casseroles gluten free.  Some people are surprised that these soups have wheat listed as an ingredient.  This is why I suggest, if you are new to the gluten free style of eating, to read ALL labels. 

The cracker crumbs on top are our favorite garlic and onion gluten free crackers whizzed in the Vitamix two or three times. I also buy my sliced ham from a reliable vender that sells a gluten free product.  I buy our ham from a local farmer or Whole Foods.

I have not attempted to make this paleo for my family.  The cream soup is easy because you can use a nut milk and arrowroot.   The cheese is my kids favorite part.  If you're Lacto-Paleo or an 80/20 Paleo family then use the cheese that works best for your family.

I find a casserole version of this dish easier than the fancier breast rolled with a cheese and ham center. When I find that much time to make them again, I will, but for now I think this casserole will work, especially on busy activity nights.  In fact this could easily be made with your kids help.

Enjoy!

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

5 cups of precooked chicken, cubed (use breast, left over rotisserie or thighs)
1/2 pound of deli style ham
1/4 pound cheese: provolone or swiss
4 tablespoons grass fed butter or ghee
4 tablespoons rice flour, tapioca starch or arrowroot starch
3-¼ cups whole milk (I have not made this using nut milk or coconut milk before)
2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1-½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoons white pepper

Topping

6 Tablespoons Butter

2 cups of your favorite gluten free cracker, coarsely smashed (see picture)

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Butter a 9 x13 inch baking dish. Set aside.

2.  This dish is layered in this order starting with the chicken, then the ham, then the cheese, the sauce goes on top and finally sprinkle with the cracker and butter crumbs.

3.  In a medium sauce pan melt butter.  Stir in flour or starch and stir.  Add milk.  Sauce should begin to thicken.  When thick remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice, Dijon mustard, salt and white pepper. Return to heat and continue cooking at medium heat until the cream sauce is thick.

4.  Pour cream sauce over the top of the chicken, ham and cheese.  Prepare the topping by melting the butter and adding the cracker crumbs.  Sprinkle topping over the cream sauce.

5.  Bake casserole for 40-45 minutes.  The top should be bubbly and start to brown.  Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes.  As the sauce cools the casserole will thicken too.

6.  Serve with rice, noodles or by itself.  This makes great leftovers and can be reheated in the microwave for school or work.

Written by Sherron Watson

Chicken Liver Pate #paleo #glutenfree

I have created a monster in introducing the girls in my family to Chicken Liver Pate. They love it. They eat it by the spoonfuls or spread thickly on sandwiches.  I am still trying to teach them to eat this is moderation.

The men?  Not so much.

My son's reaction:  "That is not even food".

Cory's reaction after the tiniest little tongue touch to the spoon: "Nope. Nasty!"

Rye and I had this to say, " AWESOME!  MORE FOR US".

I am okay with it. My feelings are not hurt because Chicken Liver Pate is not loved by my whole family or by most people for that matter.  I did encourage them to try it because homemade taste better than store bought.  Not to be snobby but I can't bring myself to eat pate that has been sitting on the shelf.  I am sure it has been properly preserved but I believe this is something that you should make from scratch and definitely eat while it is still fresh.

I have made this batch and frozen small cookie scoop sized balls for later uses.  What can you use it in besides eating it plain?  Lots of stuff.  Liver is full of micronutrients that many of us miss out on and it has been recommended to eat organ meats twice a week.  Here is a link to read more about eating organ meats.  I have learned so much from Paleo Mom and trust her comments, advice and philosophy.  I highly recommend that you do your own research and listen to your doctors and your body.  Chicken Liver Pate is a high calorie food and should not be eaten every day.

A little goes a long way is how I look at it.  I feed about a teaspoonful to Finnley twice a week.  She is almost one and eats very little meat.  This is a way that I can introduce her to a new flavor and know that she is eating something that is good for her.

I have been reading about various ways that you can use liver pate in recipes without eating it by the spoonful. This is especially good to know when dealing with a few family members that won't eat it straight "as is".  The suggestions that I am going to try are adding a small amount to hamburgers, adding some to meatloaf and soups/stews.  The flavor is masked but the benefits are still included.

I had several neighbors test and taste the pate.  I wanted to make sure that the flavor profile was right. My friend Jennifer said it was smooth and she liked the subtle undertone of the addition of the cooking wine.

I am hoping to get a few more livers (rabbit from a friend) and try some new pates in the future.

The pate is easy to make: you saute the veggies, cook the meat, add your spices, blend in a high speed blender until smooth, add your butter/ghee and cream/coconut cream, taste and re-season and you're done.

It is not hard and if you enjoy pate this is something you will want to try at least once to make in your home.  I am thinking with the holidays coming up that this is a great appetizer to share with a gluten free cracker or fresh vegetables.

Let me know what you think.

Chicken Liver Pate
Makes about 1.5 cup

1 lb. of raw chicken livers (a small white container at the store is usually 1 pound)
1/2 cup yellow onion, diced small
1 teaspoon fresh parsley
1 tablespoon ghee (to saute)
3 tablespoons red cooking wine (this is optional)
3/4 cup ghee or grass fed butter, unsalted
3 tablespoons coconut fat (found at the top of the can in a can of coconut milk--don't shake)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2-1 teaspoon nutmeg (we like a lot)


1.  Melt 1 tablespoon of ghee in a cast iron pan.  Add the onion and saute for 3 minutes.  Stir in the fresh parsley.  Remove from heat and add to a high speed blender or food processor.  NOTE: I used my Vitamix and my pate is very smooth.

2.  Slice livers and saute them in the same cast iron pan that you used for the onions.  Add cooking wine and continue cooking for 3 minutes. Two ways of doing this.  Cook until the liver centers are pink OR cook until done (no pink).  You decide on how comfortable you are eating undercooked chicken livers. The first option will give you the pink color.  I cooked mine until completely done because I have kids eating it at home.

3.  Remove liver from stove and add to the high speed blender.  Add 1/2 a cup of ghee, coconut cream, salt and pepper.  Blend until smooth.

4.  This is the where you get to decide how it taste.  My recipe is just a basic blend.  If you think it needs more salt--add more salt.  More wine--add more wine.  Smoother --add more cream or butter.

5.  When your pate is JUST RIGHT for you and your family it is ready to be chilled.  Find a container with a tight lid and grease the inside.  I used ghee.  Pour pate.  Add a piece of plastic film to the top if you do not want a skin to appear.  Let chill for at least 3 hours.

6.  The shelf life is short this is why I would recommend that if you don't use it in  days, freeze it.  To freeze just put into a freezer safe container, add your date and freeze.  Good for 3 months.

Written by Sherron Watson

Owl Bento Box #SundaySupper

Sunday Supper is all about Back to School and we have you covered for meal planning and ideas.  See the list with links and recipes at the bottom of this post.

Ah, back to school is right around the corner for us.  Maryland officially begins school next week. BUT, psst.... we start when we want too. Well, kind of.  Our school year is 180 days and we make sure that we keep records and that our kids are "doing school" by the book for 180 days but it also means we get to learn what we want and visit lots of places.  Field trips are the best!

We homeschool our kids and love the freedom that this brings to our family.  We start late because we go further into the summer months.  In Maryland many of the local history locations, living farms, and towns host homeschooling functions.  We try to catch a few of these so that Isabella can get some "hands on history" to start our new year.  This year we will be heading down to Williamsburg, VA to learn about the American Revolution and then to our local Renaissance Festival to learn about this particular time in history.

This is one of the many reasons why I LOVE to homeschool.

Our lunches are a bit different because I don't have to get up early each morning and pack a lunch for my kids but that does not mean we don't have fun when lunch time comes around.  We find ourselves going to parks, camping, hiking, site seeing or enjoying our friends.  These are all reasons for us to pack fun lunches. Bento Boxes are fun lunches in my opinion.

I love Bento Boxes.  This Owl Bento Box is super easy and Isabella gets a real "HOOT" out of opening the sandwich tray.  This particular bento box is stacked.  I love the variety that is available when selecting a Bento Box. I visit our local H Mart in Catonsville.  They have a huge selection of fun inserts (I am using the reusable cupcake holders), little sayings on sticks, cute picks to decorate with and a selection of boxes to choose from.

Pinterest is filled with fun ideas and food suggestions to use in your next Bento Box.  This idea of the owl was easy and something my kids could assemble and would want to eat.  It took me all of 3-4 minutes to make it.  It took me back to when my kids loved Winnie the Pooh.  Owl was one of my favorite characters. I think because he loved to learn, loved to read and he lived in a tree house.  I want to live in a tree house someday.

Want to know how I did it?  See the instructions below and enjoy your next fun Bento Box.

Owl Bento Box
Makes one sandwich

2 slices of lunch meat--any kind
1 slice of cheese--any kind
2 slices of leafy lettuce (wings)
2 slices of bread (body)
cheese or carrots (feet and beak)
6 slices of cucumber (base of eyes)
2 small round carrot slices (eyes)
1 black olive, cut in half (eyes)
extra carrot sticks to hold up the leafy wings

1.  Prepare all of your items.  Cut the carrot sticks for the feet, the triangle for the beak, the circles for the eyes.  Slice the cucumbers and halve the black olive. Tear the lettuce and stack them to create the leafy wings and feathers of your owl.

2.  Make your sandwich using the bread, meat and cheese.  Using a large circle cookie cutter, cut the body.

3.  Assemble your owl using the picture as your guide.  Instruct you children or husbands (he he he--oh that would be funny) to add the lettuce to the sandwich when they are ready to eat their owls.

4.  Ta-Da--you're done with the owl.  Find other healthy snacks to fill the cubbies in your Bento Box. I included fresh blueberries and a trail mix that I make at  home.

Are you searching for back to school recipes? Take a look at these by Sunday Supper contributors:

Back to School Beginnings

• Apple Muffins from Meal Diva
• Apple Oat Breakfast Cookies from What Smells So Good?
• Make Ahead Waffle Casserole from Bobbi’s Kozy Kitchen
• Strawberry Banana Baked Oatmealfrom The Red Head Baker
• Toast Three Ways from Foxes Love Lemons
• Vegan Oatmeal Raisin Muffins from Killer Bunnies

Back to School Lunches and Simple Suppers

• Baked Eggplant Parmesan from Hezzi D’s Books and Cooks
• Berry Nutty Bento from Ninja Baking
• Chicken and Zucchinin Meatballs from Casa de Crews
• Chicken Nuggets from Nosh my Way
• Chicken Schnitzle from Panning the Globe
• Chopped Shrimp Salad with Honey Lime Vinagraitte from The 
• 
  
•  Weekend Gourmet
• 
  
• Clean Eating Lunches Your Kids will Love from Amee’s Savory Dish
• Crispy Chicken Legs from The Not So Cheesy Kitchen
• DIY Veggie Cup Noodles from Food Lust People Love
• First Day of School Pinwheels from Jane’s Adventures in Dinner
• Grilled Chicken Revamp from Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Just for Mom Salad from A Mama, Baby & Shar-pei in the Kitchen
• Owl Bento Box from Simply Gourmet
• Quick and Easy Hot Pastrami Sliders from Webicurean
• Skinny Spinach Mac and Cheese from Take a Bite out of Boca
• Spagetti and Chicken Meatballs from Soni’s Food
• Steak & Cheese Pockets from Momma’s Meals
• Turkey Pinwheels from Peanut Butter and Peppers

Back to School Sips

• Good Morning Smoothies from Family Foodie
• Hulk SMASH Smoothie from Run DMT

Back to School Super Snacks

• Apricot Dip from Magnolia Days
• Beef and Veggie Sliders from Grumpy’s Honeybunch
• Cinnamon Caramel Apple Energy Balls from Cupcakes and Kale Chips
• Fruishi – Fruit Sushi from Mama Bee Does
• Gluten Free Apple Zucchini Flax Bread from Sue’s Nutrition Buzz
• Home Made Graham Crackers from Curious Cuisiniere
• Nutty Granola from Life Tastes Good
• On the Go Guacamole from Shannon at Country Girl in the Village
• Parmesan Garlic Oven Roasted Chick Peas from Ruffles and Truffles
• Peanut Butter and Jelly Granola Bars from Pies and Plots
• Peanut Butter and Jelly Popcorn from Simply Healthy Family
• Playground Granola Bars from Noshing with the Nolands

Back to School Sweets and Treats

• Berry Topped Chocolate Silk Tart from That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Brown Butter Peanut Butter Crispy Treats from The Texan New Yorker
• Cinnamon Sugar Donut Muffins from Confessions of a Culinary Diva
• Frozen Yogurt Mud Pies from Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• Love Note Doodle Bugs from Happy Baking Days
• Open Face (not Faced) PB&J Cookies from Desserts Required
• Peanut Butter and Jelly Paletas from La Cocina de Leslie

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Crispy Orange Beef

2020 Update:  This recipe gets a lot of traffic. Most people love it and a few have not. Our family still likes the flavor of this dish with the orange sauce and the crispy chicken pieces. I hope you enjoy this too!

One thing I really miss?  Chinese food.  I love the sweet and spicy sauces combined with crispy meats.  The smokiness that comes from the vegetables stir-fried in a blazing hot wok....YUM!

I have seen versions of Crispy Orange Beef on Pinterest several times. My mouth waters with each picture. I finally decided to give it a try and see if I could use "my ingredients" to make a tasty alternative.

I think I did. The beef is fried in coconut oil. I am able to use arrowroot starch in place of cornstarch. I use coconut-aminos in place of the recommended soy sauce.

I was very happy to have this for lunch with a bowl of rice and a few stir-fried vegetables along the side.  The combination of ingredients created a nice blend of flavors. Nothing too over-powering.  Subtle flavors that allow the meat to shine and the orange to be present with each bite.

My inspiration for this dish came from two blogs: Fifteen Spatulas and Table for Two. The links will take you to the original recipe if you don't need to make food adjustments due to allergies and intolerances.

NOTE:  Before you make this recipe, read the instructions. It does say to freeze the meet with coating for 45 minutes. I personally have not tried the recipe by skipping this step. 

Crispy Orange Beef

Makes enough for 2 very hungry adults or 4 adults with rice and side dishes

2 pounds of steak: sirloin, stir fry steak or skirt steak (what you see in the pictures)

2 tablespoons coconut-aminos or soy sauce or gluten-free soy sauce

1/3 cup arrowroot starch or corn starch

1 cup of oil, for frying  (I used coconut oil)

Crispy Orange Beef Sauce, recipe below

1.  Cut meat into bite-size pieces.  I tried to have my pieces about 1inch by 1.5 inches.  Add coconut -aminos or soy sauce to the meat pieces and toss.  Add the starch and coat each piece of meat.  

2.  Using a wire rack inside a cookie tray, spread the meat pieces out in a single layer.  Freeze for 45 minutes.  This helps to dry the meat out and make it crispy when fried.

3.  10 minutes before the meat is done in the freezer, add oil to a large cast-iron pan or dutch oven.  Bring oil to 375 degrees F.

4.  Line a bowl with a paper towel and start frying meat.  Fry until golden brown on each side (about 3 minutes)  You can add more oil if you want to coat the pieces and "fry".  I did more of a pan fry on mine and it worked out great.  Remove pieces to a paper towel and continue frying until all the meat is prepared.

5.  To prepare sauce-see below.  Toss sauce with crispy beef pieces, add garnish and serve with rice.

Crispy Orange Beef Sauce

2 tablespoons arrowroot or cornstarch

1/3 cup fresh orange juice

3 tablespoons molasses

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced

1/4 cup of orange rind, sliced very thin

1/4 cup green onion, chopped for garnish

To serve sauce on the side:  Combine sauce ingredients in a small saucepan, whisk and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until thickened (about 3 minutes). 

To serve sauce over beef: Add ingredients to a small bowl and whisk.  When all of the meat has been fried, remove oil and toss sauce into the frying pan. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat for 3 minutes. Add beef pieces and stir to coat each piece with sauce.

Written by Sherron Watson

Cheese-Filled Ravioli #gluten free

These have been fried in a little bit of olive oil.  The boiled picture is at the very end.  

When I started making homemade gluten free pasta for my family the options were wide open and they started requesting specific things.  Mainly, stuffed pasta.  They missed the little pillows filled with cheese and sprinkled with more cheese.  I wonder if they just did not miss the cheese?

I make two types of stuffed pasta: tortellini and raviolis.  The gluten free tortellini recipe will be out soon. Here is the recipe for my raviolis.

We are split in our home between having them boiled or boiled and then lightly fried.  Me personally?  I love them fried in a hot pan for just a few seconds on each side and then drizzled with brown butter and topped with grated parmesan cheese.    My mouth is watering as I type this and I just made them again yesterday.

You can use this filling in a regular batch of homemade stuffed pasta too. The filling is the same it is just the pasta that is different.  My homemade GLUTEN FREE pasta dough recipe can be found here.  I have included lots of pictures and specific instructions to help you be successful with gluten free pasta making.

Ravioli, of the two stuffed pastas that I make, are by far the easiest.  This is a great stuffed pasta to start with.  It just requires a Ravioli Maker with Rolling Pin . Click on the links or see the pictures below to see which tools I have in my own kitchen.

The only thing I would have you keep in mind when preparing the ravioli' is the cook time.  This pasta needs to be cooked all the way through.  It will be tempting to toss them in your boiling water and wait a minute and take them out.  You might be disappointed.  Have patience and let them cook until tender.  I would recommend testing a pasta pillow after about 3 minutes.  Find your perfect "bite" to this pasta and not this on the printed recipe.

I hope that you enjoy this recipe.  Please leave me a comment or ask any questions and I will get back with you as soon as I can.

Enjoy!

Cheese-Filled Ravioli  #gluten free

I will estimate that this makes about 75 raviolis in a tray

1 batch of gluten free pasta dough

Filling:

1/2 cup whole milk ricotta cheese

2 tablespoons of green onion, minced

1 teaspoon garlic, minced

1/3 cup parmesan cheese, grated fine

1/3 cup mozzarella cheese, grated

pinch of salt

dash of pepper

5 fresh basil leaves, diced small (optional)

or

1/4 cup fresh spinach, diced small (optional)

1.  Bring a large stock pot, filled with water, to a boil.  Add 1 tablespoon of salt to every 8 cups of water.

2.  Combine filling ingredients in a medium bowl.  Set aside until pasta dough is rolled and ready to be filled.

3. Roll out pasta dough in to long sheets.  See this post if you need instructions on how to do this.  You will notice that I usually am able to roll the pasta wide enough for 2 full rows.  This is because the gluten free pasta does not go through the pasta machine past 4 or 5.

 4.  I use potato starch to sprinkle over the ravioli tray.  Use a generous amount so the pasta will not stick to the inside of the pan.  Fill each ravioli with a small amount of filling. Do not over fill the pouches.  I use maybe 1/2 a teaspoon in each ravioli.  It depends on the size of tray you use.

5.  Lay a second sheet of pasta across the top and with the rolling pin, roll the pasta.  By pressing down and rolling across the tray you will create the ravioli.  Gently pull any left over pasta dough away and wrap in plastic wrap for later.   Dump the pasta ravioli out.  

6.  Toss in the boiling water and cook for 3-5 minutes.  Test the pasta starting at 3 minutes.

7.  Serve with your favorite sauce and cheese. To fry your raviolis, add a small amount of oil to a frying pan and add a single layer of raviolis.  Fry for 1-2 minutes on each side and remove.  Add your favorite topping or eat them with a bit of salt.  

Written by Sherron Watson

Beef and Kale Rolls served with Rice

My family and I really love kale.  We first were introduced to kale about 4 years ago when we traveled the US in our motorhome for one year.  We found that our refrigerator was small and we had to look for new ways to eat our meals. In came the smoothie craze.

I could easily store vegetables and fruits in a large cooler much easier than I could store gallons of milk for cereal in my shoebox of a refrigerator.  This was also the start of discovering that we wanted to eat healthier. Smoothies fit in perfectly with our new lifestyle changes and so did kale.

Since this time I have been using kale in a variety of other recipes.  I add it to our pasta dishes, meatballs, make the ever-so-popular kale chips and then thought to myself, "what about using them in place of cabbage in our favorite roll?"

It worked and a star was born.  I actually like the kale more than the cabbage.  The kale has a different texture--it's sturdier than cabbage- and the flavor is different.  My kids like it better because the flavor of cabbage is not their favorite.

This recipe is another recipe I created in my attempt to use up left over rice in my fridge.  I have come to appreciate left over rice and look forward to finding it in the morning taking up extra room in my refrigerator.  Some of my favorite recipes are using up the rice that we made the night before.

This recipe is made with all homemade ingredients.  Let me just say that homemade is not store bought.  DUH-right?  But you would be surprised by how many people are used to the store bought flavors of so many premade ingredients.  Tomato Sauce is a great example.  Often times the store bought version is sweet and full of LARGE flavors.  I find that my tomato sauce is not so robust.  First it taste like tomatoes.  Simple tomatoes.  I add a few ingredients to build the flavor up a bit but it is not a sweet sauce.  Of course, you can change that by adding your own honey, molasses, maple syrup or refined sugar to match the flavor of store bought condiments.  We don't do that.  We are trying to eliminate sugar from most of our dishes.  Our taste buds have adjusted just fine and my kids don't miss the store bought varieties.

With this thought in mind, if you need to use store bought ingredients--then do.  I will always encourage you to cook from scratch because I believe it is a healthy choice but I completely understand when, for a variety of life style reasons, a store bought item needs to be used in place of my suggestion.  This is part of learning to cook--to make adjustments that meet the needs of your family.

Look at the recipe and decide to make it as is OR make it with your own adaptations.  Just keep in mind that when you start substituting ingredients the recipe's flavor profile may change slightly.

Beef and Kale Rolls served with Rice
Makes 8-10 rolls depending on size of kale laeaves

1/2 pound ground beef
2 tablespoons diced red onion
1 teaspoon minced garlic
oil to saute
2 cups of precooked rice (divided into 1 cup portions)
1/2 cup ricotta cheese or soft cream cheese
1 cup of mozzarella cheese, grated
1/4 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste
10 large kale leaves, blanched for 2-3 minutes in boiling water
2 cups of homemade tomato sauce (see recipe below) OR premade red sauce (marinara)

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Start a large pot of water (for the kale). Let it reach a boil. Prepare the tomato sauce (recipe below).

2.  In a medium frying pan heat oil and saute onions for 4 minutes, add garlic and saute for 1 minute.

3.  Toss the ground beef into the onions and garlic and fry until cooked through.  Remove from heat and drain off any excess oil.

4.  Add the kale leaves to the boiling water and blanch for about 4 minutes.  You be the judge.  The longer they cook, the more tender they will become and may fall apart a bit when rolling the rice and meat inside.

5.  In a small bowl combine 1 cup of cooked rice, the cheese, salt and pepper.  Mix well.  Combine the meat/onion/garlic mixture with the rice/cheese mixture.  This is your filling.

6.  Take a 7X11 baking dish or something very close, and spread the remaining rice on the bottom of the dish.  Take a kale leaf, cut the hardy part of the vein out, and add your meat/rice mix.  Roll and line them up next to each other (see photo above).  The amount you add to the leaf will vary on size of leaf and how many leaves you are working with. Try to mentally divide the filling between what you have prepared.

7.  Top with your favorite red sauce (homemade or premade) and bake for 20-25 minutes.  The sauce should be bubbly and the inside of the kale rolls warm.  Remove from heat and serve.


Homemade Tomato Sauce
Makes about 3 cups (you will have some leftover from this recipe)

2 medium size tomatoes, cut in half
2 cups of cherry tomatoes
4 sprigs of fresh thyme
1 teaspoon of dried rosemary
1 teaspoon of minced garlic
1/2 lemon, juice only
1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1.  Combine all ingredients in a high speed blender.  I use my Vitamix and pulse 10 times. Taste and adjust flavors to suit your families taste buds.  Add more lemon, more olive oil, more seasoning, etc...

2.  You have two choices: transfer to a medium pot and simmer for 30 minutes to reduce or take two cups and cover the top of the cabbage rolls in the recipe above.  The rice will soak up some of the "loose" tomato juice in the recipe.

Written by Sherron Watson