Oriental Chicken Salad

August 4, 2010 by
 
This was based on a copycat recipe for Applebee’s Oriental Chicken Salad.  I’m not sure where it came from, since it was just a scribble on an index card from a long time ago.  I’ve adjusted it to our liking, and it’s one of my favorite meals.   I know I’m a bit of a salad junkie, but at least I’m a discerning salad junkie.  Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go add this to my menu for the week.
 
ORIENTAL CHICKEN SALAD
 
4 cups chopped Romaine lettuce
2 cups shredded red cabbage (green is okay too)
2 cups chopped Napa cabbage
1 cup shredded carrots
1/2 cup sliced green onions
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1 cup chow mein noodles
1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
about 3-4 cups sliced chicken tenders (you could use premade if you like)
 
Toss everything together in a large bowl.
 
DRESSING:*
3 T honey
1 1/2 T rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tsp dijon mustard
1/8 tsp sesame oil
 
Whisk together, serve tossed with salad or on the side.
*We don’t like alot of dressing, but you could double this if need be for your tastes.
Filed Under: Chicken / Turkey, Salad / Dressings Tagged With: , ,

Pasta with Roasted Tomatoes

August 2, 2010 by
 
I have a confession.  Fresh mozzarella isn’t always that exciting to me.  I know, I know, I’m a food blogger, so I should love such a trendy item.  And don’t get me wrong, it can be good.  But I personally think it needs a little coaxing.  Since it isn’t aged, it really has more of a “blank canvas” kind of taste, unlike a strong aged Irish cheddar (one of my favorites).  This dish is perfect for dressing it up just enough, while still keeping with the simplicity of things.  And if you don’t have “fresh” mozzarella, don’t worry, I won’t tell if you won’t. : )
PASTA WITH ROASTED TOMATOES
 
1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes
2 T fresh Thyme leaves
3 cloves garlic, crushed
drizzle olive oil
drizzle balsamic vinegar
1 lb. spaghetti noodles
1/2 lb. fresh mozzarella, cut in 1/2 inch cubes
1 1/2 cups fresh basil, chopped
kosher salt, to taste
1/4 cup grated parmesan
 
Cut tomatoes in half and lay out on a cookie sheet.  Sprinkle with garlic, thyme, olive oil, and vinegar.
Toss to coat.  Roast at 450 degrees for 10 minutes.
Cook spaghetti noodles.  Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking liquid.
Toss spaghetti with roasted tomatoes, mozzarella, basil, parmesan, and salt.
Add a drizzle of olive oil, and 1/4 cup of the pasta liquid.  Add remaining 1/4 cup of liquid if needed.
Serve hot.
Filed Under: Pasta

Whole Grain Chocolate Chip Cookies

July 30, 2010 by
 
Who doesn’t love chocolate chip cookies? If you raised your hand, put it back down, I don’t believe you.  If you’re trying to get your family eating healthier, this is the best way to start.  After all, who would turn one of these down?  They may be whole grain, but the only thing people think when they eat them is how good they are.  The whole wheat gives a great heartiness, while the oats keep them light.
And bonus? They freeze well too!
 
WHOLE GRAIN CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
Recipe from http://www.everydayfoodstorage.net/
 
2 cups butter
2 cups sugar
2 cups brown sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
4 cups white whole wheat flour*
4 cups oatmeal, blended in blender to make oat flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda
24 oz. chocolate chips
8 oz. chocolate grated (not needed but adds flavor- I don’t usually add this)
 
Cream the butter and sugars together.
Add the eggs and vanilla.
Mix in the remaining ingredients. 
Drop by tablespoonfulls onto ungreased cookie sheets, bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes.
*Sometimes called spring wheat as well.
 
To freeze: Put a few cups of batter in a cookie sheet, smooth out in an even layer about 1″ thick. Seal and freeze.  When ready to bake, just cut bag open and use a chef’s knife to cut into 1″ cubes. Bake as usual.
Filed Under: Cookies, Freezer, Whole Grain

Roasted Zucchini

July 28, 2010 by
 
Well, it’s that time, isn’t it? Those of us who plant zucchini have it taking over our gardens and scratching our heads, asking “Did I really plant that much?”
I love to get creative finding ways to use it, and of course roasting came to mind, my favorite cooking technique.  I really loved the results, it cooked the zucchini quickly, keeping some of the crunch and really increased the flavors in my opinion.  And next time, I’m thinking of adding a little lemon zest, one of my favorite ingredients.
 
ROASTED ZUCCHINI
Recipe by My Stained Apron
 
Zucchini
olive oil
garlic powder
salt
pepper
Italian seasoning
 
Cut zucchini in half lengthwise, then in 1/2″ slices.
Spread out on rimmed baking sheet.
Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with seasonings.
Toss to coat.
Roast at 425 degrees for about 12-15 minutes.
 
Filed Under: Side Dishes Tagged With: ,

Pulled Pork (And Sandwiches)

July 26, 2010 by
 
 
It’s officially summertime.  Even though we have air conditioning, I still like to keep the oven off as much as I can. This is a very versatile recipe, you can either used the pulled pork with tacos, burritos, in sandwiches, just use your imagination and I’m sure you’ll think of lots of ways your family would enjoy it.  And you can always change the seasonings according to what you’ll be making with it, of course.
 
PULLED PORK
Recipe by My Stained Apron
 
5-8 lbs Pork shoulder 
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
10 cloves garlic, chopped (or 2 tsp garlic powder)
1 1/2 cups water
 
Combine seasonings in a small bowl, sprinkle on all sides of pork.  Place in slow cooker (throw in garlic cloves now if using) and pour water on top.
Cook on high for 6 to 8 hours, until meat falls apart.
Use for tacos, burritos, sandwiches, etc. 
 



PULLED PORK SANDWICHES
Hoagie buns or rolls
Pulled pork
Cheese (Havarti, Muenster, etc)
 
Lay buns out on cookie sheet and toast at 400 degrees for just a few minutes.
Pile on pulled pork inside buns, place cheese on top.
Toast in oven until cheese melts.
Serve with slaw, or your favorite sandwich toppings.
 
Filed Under: Pork, Sandwiches / Wraps, Slow Cooker Tagged With: ,

Lemon Shrimp Quiche

July 23, 2010 by
 
This is a wonderful summer dish.  I wanted to share with you in case you need a good appetizer recipe as well. The mini version is at the bottom of the recipe, and they work great for summer baby or bridal showers or parties.  You can make them ahead of time and rewarm just beforehand.  Or maybe make the larger version and have an easy dinner tonight!  This recipe comes from my friends mom, who was nice enough to share it!  I tweaked it a bit by reducing the eggs and cream and adding the lemon zest, which REALLY gives it an amazing flavor.
 
LEMON SHRIMP QUICHE
Recipe adapted from Cindy Wagner
 
 
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup lemon juice
3 cloves garlic, smashed
1 four inch sprig rosemary
1 lb (about 20) medium raw shrimp, peeled, deveined, and tails removed
 
4 large eggs
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup sliced black olives
1/4 cup chopped chives
1 T chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
zest of 1 lemon
Nine inch pie crust, precooked (I make my own- bake at 425 for 15-20 min until browned)
 
In a large glass bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, rosemary sprig, and shrimp.
Let marinate 10 minutes.
In another bowl, combine eggs, cream, olives, chives, chopped rosemary, parmesan, salt, pepper, and lemon zest.
Drain shrimp from marinade, discard marinade.  Place shrimp in pie crust and pour egg mixture over the top.  Bake for 15 minutes at 425, then lower temperature to 350 and bake another 15 to 20 minutes, until knife inserted comes out clean. Cool slightly.
 
VARIATION: For individual servings, bake pie crust in small tart pans or muffin pans or mini muffin pans, then place one or two shrimp in each crust and pour egg mixture over the top. Bake the same, but after lowering the heat to 350, bake only another 5 or 10 minutes, depending on size of pans.
You can make these ahead of time, and just before serving, place on cookie sheet and rewarm at 350 degrees until warm.
Filed Under: Fish / Seafood

Rocky Road Bark

July 21, 2010 by
 
I love Cook’s Country magazine. In fact, it’s the only one I subscribe too.  I like some others, but I always feel guilty spending money on myself (What’s with that? Is that a general mom thing?)
Anyways, it’s definitely my favorite cooking magazine. Sometimes I get great ideas for my own recipes just flipping through looking at the pictures.  I almost didn’t try this recipe, but I’m so glad I did.  Everyone always loves it, it’s simple and quick to make. And it contains chocolate, so how can that be bad?
 
ROCKY ROAD BARK
Recipe from Cook’s Country Magazine
 
6 whole graham crackers
5 T unsalted butter (Don’t substitute, it’ll be too salty)
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup milk chocolate chips (I use semi-sweet sometimes)
3/4 cup mini marshmallows
1/2 cup chopped pecans, walnuts, or almonds (we like walnuts)
Heat oven to 375. Line an 8 inch square baking pan with foil, leaving an overhang.*
(* Sometimes I just spray the pan with non stick spray, because sometimes the caramel does stick a bit to the foil- it’s up to you)
Line bottom of pan with graham crackers in a single layer, breaking them if necessary to fit tightly.
(I was making a double batch in this photo- using a 9 by 13 inch pan)
Make the caramel. Combine butter, brown sugar, and salt in a small saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until butter is melted and sugar has dissolved.
Scrape mixture onto graham crackers and smooth with a small spatula so that mixture covers crackers completely. 
Bake for about 10 minutes, until caramel is bubbling.
Remove pan from oven and sprinkle with chocolate chips, and return to oven to soften chocolate, about 1 or 2 minutes.  Remove from oven and, using a spatula, smooth chocolate in an even layer.
Sprinkle with marshmallows and then nuts over chocolate. Press lightly with fingertips to adhere to chocolate.  Cool on wire rack for 30 mintues, then freeze until chocolate hardens, 30 minutes.
Grabbing overhang of foil, lift from pan onto cutting board and cut into 2 inch squares.
Filed Under: Desserts

Beef with Rice Noodles

July 19, 2010 by
I LOVE stir frys. My hubby? Not so much. I’m definetely more of a veggie than meat kind of person, and I’m happy to say over the 9 years since we’ve been married I have gotten him to enjoy all kinds of vegetables he never would have touched before.  And he loves dishes like this now.  I don’t think he even realizes how much he likes veggies these days! : )
We like this fairly tame, but if you and yours like things with more kick, feel free to add some crushed red pepper flakes to add some more punch to it.  And no worries if you don’t have any rice noodles, you could use regular fettuccine noodles, or plain cooked white or brown rice as well.
BEEF WITH RICE NOODLES
Recipe by My Stained Apron
2 T oil
1 1/2 lbs petite sirloin steak
2 to 3 cups broccoli, thinly sliced
2 carrots, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
Rice Noodles (you could also use cooked rice or regular fettucine to serve)
Sesame seeds
2 or 3 green onions, thinly sliced
SAUCE:
1/2 cup orange juice
2 T soy sauce
1 T sesame oil
1 tsp ginger
Heat oil in wok, slice beef very thinly (freeze for awhile to help).
Cook beef in hot wok, then remove and set aside.
Add carrots and broccoli to wok, add 1/2 cup water and cover to steam for a couple of minutes.
Pour off any water left. Add back beef along with garlic.
Whisk sauce ingredients together, add to wok.
To cook noodles, pour boiling water over noodles in a large bowl, enough to cover.
Let sit no more than 5 minutes. Drain and rinse.
Add noodles to stir fry. Top with green onions and sesame seeds.
Serve hot.
Filed Under: Asian, Beef

Grilled Garlic Bread

July 16, 2010 by
I’m not sure where this recipe came from. A scribble on a scrap of paper.  My idea? From a cookbook? A cooking show? Who knows, but it’s such a wonderful change of pace from the usual thrown on the grill. We love to have it with the grilled romaine I posted earlier this week. 
This could easily be made ahead of time, just throw on the grill right before dinnertime.  Make it this weekend and have a fun BBQ with the family!
 
GRILLED GARLIC BREAD
 
1 loaf Italian Bread
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
3 cloves minced garlic
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
 
Slice bread diagonally in 1 1/2 inch to 2 inch slices.
Mix remaining ingredients together, spread on both sides of bread.
Grill each side of the bread very briefly on a hot grill, be careful of flare-ups from the melting butter.
Filed Under: Bread, Quick & Muffins, Grilling / Smoking Tagged With: , , ,

Grilled Romaine

July 14, 2010 by
 
It’s grilling season! I could literally eat this by itself, with nothing else for dinner at all.  I have been known to take one and eat it like a taco!  One taste and you’ll understand why.  I may be a salad lover, but I have no doubt that even those of you who aren’t in that group with me will be won over with this dish.
 
 
GRILLED ROMAINE
Romaine lettuce, cut in half horizontally
olive oil
lemon juice
kosher salt
freshly cracked black pepper
freshly grated Parmesan cheese
 
Cut lettuce in half horizontally.
Drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice, sprinkle with salt, pepper, and cheese.
Put cut side down on a hot grill, grilling only briefly until just slightly wilted.
Serve as is, or cut in 1 or 2 inch strips and serve as a salad.
 
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Filed Under: Grilling / Smoking, Salad / Dressings