Christy's Stir Fry

I found the original recipe here and it had amazing ratings. I was missing a few key ingredients so I have to improvise and change things up a little. I also decided to add the carrots and onions for more vegetables. I wish I would have had the hoisin sauce though. I'll have to add it for my next trip to the grocery store!


Game Plan: Marinate the chicken while you prepare the rest of the ingredients

• Ingredients
• 1 pound chicken breast (about 2 breasts), cubed or sliced
• 5 green onions, whites only, thinly sliced on an angle
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1-inch piece peeled fresh ginger, minced
• 1 Tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 Tablespoons sugar
• 1 Tablespoon of brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 1 Tablespoon, plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 3 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1-2 cups of thinly slices carrots
• 3-4 cups broccoli,trimmed sliced stalks and medium florets
• 1 medium onion cut into wedges
• 3/4 to 1 teaspoon red chili flakes, optional
• Garnish: toasted sesame seeds, green onions or coconut
• Serving suggestion: Jasmine rice

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, toss the chicken with the scallion whites, about half the garlic and ginger, the soy sauce, sugar, 1 teaspoon of the cornstarch, 1 teaspoon of the salt, vanilla, red wine vinegar and the brown sugar. Marinate at room temperature for 15 minutes. You can also marinade it longer in the fridge. Just make sure it is at room temperature when you begin to cook it.
2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil and heat. 

3. Add the broccoli stems, and stir-fry for 30 seconds.
4. Add the florets and the remaining garlic, ginger, 2 tablespoons of water, and season with 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper.
5. Stir-fry until the broccoli is bright green but still crisp, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

6. Get the skillet good and hot again, and then heat 2 more tablespoons oil.
7. Add the chicken and chili flakes if using. Stir-fry until the chicken loses its raw color and gets a little brown, about 3 minutes.
8. Return the broccoli to the pan and toss to heat through. Stir in the reserved cornstarch mixture and bring to a boil to thicken.
9. Add more water if need to thin the sauce, if necessary. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if you like.
10. Mound the stir-fry on a serving platter or divide among 4 plates and garnish with sesame seeds; serve with rice.

Notes: The garlic and ginger can be chopped together in a minichopper to save time.

Enjoy !!

-Christy

Maple Carrot Cupcakes

These can be cupcakes of muffins. I decided to go with the cupcake route because who doesn't love some extra sugar? I loved this recipe because of the maple syrup. It gave me an excuse to use my REAL Canadian maple syrup, and it was delicious. I would suggest using all 3 cups of grated carrots because it gives it extra flavor. I didn't use it all because it looked like a lot and that was a mistake. Anyways, we shared these with the neighbors and they loved them too. 

Original recipe found here

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 3 cups grated carrots
• 
  
• Frosting:
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Chopped walnuts

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine the first six ingredients. In another bowl, beat eggs, oil and syrup. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in carrots. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full.
2. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.
3. For frosting, combine cream cheese, butter, syrup and vanilla in a mixing bowl; beat until smooth. Frost cooled cupcakes. Sprinkle with nuts if desired.

Enjoy!!

-Christy

Mexican Meatloaf

It friday again, excited for the weekend?! I am just glad last weekend has come and gone. It was a busy one. We had a party for our son and his friend, and 27 kids came! It was a riot, and by the end of it, we were all (including the kids, yes even with all that sugar) wiped out! Great times and memories, but after a party like this, I'm thinking, no more parties for a couple years!

Ok, FOOD! This is probably my favorite meatloaf, with a mexi twist. It has an amazing sweet sauce that goes over top. I serve this with baked potatoes and green beans. Talk about comfort food! I got this recipe from the Canadian Bible Society cookbook, by Denise Toeckes.



Meatloaf ingredients:

• 2 lbs lean ground beef
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 4 crushed garlic cloves
• Fine dry bread crumbs (1/4-1/2 cup, depends on how you want the consistency)
• Finely ground nacho chips (about 1/2 cup, give or take)
• 1 Tbs chili powder
• 1/2 jalapeno pepper, chopped (optional)
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup chunky salsa
• 8 ounces cheddar cheese, cut into 1/4 inch cubes (or less)

Sauce

• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 Tbs prepared mustard
• 1/4 cup chili sauce

1. Preheat oven at 350 degrees.
2. Combine raw beef, onion, garlic, bread crumbs, nacho chips, chili powder, and jalapenos. Then add the eggs and salsa. Stir it up. Add cheese cubes. Mix well. Press evenly into a 9 x 5 x 3 inch ungreased loaf pan. (tip: if you want it to take less time to cook, press it into a larger casserole dish so it's thinner)
3. Sauce: combine the brown sugar, mustard, and chili sauce in a small bowl. Mix. Spread over beef mixture.
4. Bake uncovered for about 90 minutes until firm and cooked through (check it starting at the 60 minute mark, time may vary). Drain excess drippings from pan.
5. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Enjoy! 

Cathy

Guest Post: Oreo Cookies

This recipe was sent to me by one of my great friends who lives in Alberta. I can't wait to try these!!

"I decided to make these oreo cookies for my husband for Valentine's Day...My mother-in-law use to make them all the time and they were everyone's favorite treat.  They are so moist and just so delicious...I will definately be making them again!

Oreo Cookies

  

2 Devil’s Food Cake mixes

4 eggs

¾ cup oil

Mix well and roll into balls.  Put on greased cookie sheet.

Bake at 350^o for 7-10 minutes. Do not overbake.

Smack pan on counter when you take them out of the oven, this will flatten the cookies. Allow them to cool on a cooling rack. 

Icing:   

1 pkg. cream cheese (250g)

2 Tbsp butter/marg

4 cups icing sugar

1 tsp vanilla 

Beat well. 

 Ice two cookies together and Enjoy!

Makes about 20 oreo cookies, as shown in the picture.  It all depends on what size cookie you want.


Christine

French Toast Casserol

Hope everyone is having a good day off from work (in the USA at least). I know i'm enjoying it. I just got back from a weekend in Vegas with my hubby and we had some good food while we were there. I made this a few Sundays ago and found the recipe on Paula Deen's website. It was so sweet and so yummy all at once.

Ingredients

By: Paula Deen

• 1 loaf French bread (13 to 16 ounces)
• 8 large eggs
• 2 cups half-and-half
• 1 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• Dash salt
• Praline Topping, recipe follows
• Maple syrup

Directions

Slice French bread into 20 slices, 1-inch each. (Use any extra bread for garlic toast or bread crumbs). Arrange slices in a generously buttered 9 by 13-inch flat baking dish in 2 rows, overlapping the slices. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, half-and-half, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and beat with a rotary beater or whisk until blended but not too bubbly. Pour mixture over the bread slices, making sure all are covered evenly with the milk-egg mixture. Spoon some of the mixture in between the slices. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Spread Praline Topping evenly over the bread and bake for 40 minutes, until puffed and lightly golden. Serve with maple syrup.

Praline Topping:

• 1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and blend well. Makes enough for Baked French Toast Casserole.

Enjoy !!
-Christy

Mediterranean tuna salad

This is a Momma B original, so you know it'll be good. I've been eating this for lunch for years! And every-time I love it even more. My husband, who is not a fish lover, loves having this for lunch. The red wine vinegar masks a lot of the fishy flavor that tuna usually has. This is one of my favorite keeper recipes.

• 1/4 cup light mayonnaise
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 Tbs red wine vinegar
• 2-9 ounce cans of tuna, drained
• 2 Tbs chopped black olives
• 2 Tbs finely chopped red bell pepper
• 2 Tbs sliced green onions

1. Mix up the mayo, oregano, and vinegar
2. Add the drained tuna, olives, red peppers, and green onions. Mix well.

Serve this on a toasted bagel, or just whole wheat bread, with cheese if you'd like. I also add a slice of tomato on there, do what you want, and I want this right now!!


Enjoy,
Cathy

Sweet Four Bean Chili

My school has a healthy corner every wednesday and the always prepare a quick and easy meal for the students. They always hand out the recipes too! I decided to make this one night. It is very simple and extremely sweet!


Ingredients
1 lbs. of ground beef

1 medium onion, chopped
1 can of green lima beans,un-drained
1 can of butter beans, un-drained
2 can of kidney beans, un-drained
1/2 c. ketchup
1/2 c. brown sugar
































1. Cook the ground beef and drain the fat. 
2. Add the onion and cook until translucent
3. Add the beans, ketchup and brown sugar
4. Heat for about 30 min over the stove stirring occasionally. 


Enjoy!!
-Christy

$2 Valentine Cookies

Cathy found this recipe a few years ago and I cannot remember where she got it from Danny (my husband) has made a few changes to it over the years. He usually doesn't put pecans in, just the oatmeal. Anyways...make sure it goes in the freezer for a bit. It really makes the difference. 

• 2 c. all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1T. Vanilla
• 2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 1/2 c. chopped pecans (optional)
• 3/4 c. melted butter
• 1 c. brown sugar
• 1/2 c. white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 3/4 c. oatmeal (optional)

1. Mix flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside

2. Mix melted butter, brown sugar and white sugar until blended thoroughly. Add vanilla egg and egg yolk . Blend until light and creamy

3. Mix in dry ingredients a little at a time until just blended. 

4. Stir in the chocolate chips, pecans and/or oatmeal

5. Chill the dough for about 30-60min or overnight. You could also put it in the freezer to speed up the process...about 15 min.

6. Preheat oven to 325F

7. Bake 15-20 min or until edges are lightly toasted. Do not wait until they are brown all over!

8. Cool on a cookie sheet or rack for crispier cookies.

Enjoy !!

-Christy

Bacon Tomato Pasta

This bacon is packed with flavor. It is so easy and quick to make. I absolutely loved this and so will your spouse when you make it for them on Valentine's day. The red chili flakes do make it spicy so if you're not a big fan of spicy then I would suggest adjusting it to your likes. This is a Guy Fieri recipe (he is awesome!!) and it is stinkin' great! Hope you like it.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 16 ounces spaghetti pasta
• 1 pound thick-cut bacon or pancetta, chopped
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 cup red onion, diced
• 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
• 3 tablespoons garlic, minced
• 2 cups Roma tomatoes, diced
• 1/4 cup red wine
• 4 tablespoons basil, chiffonade
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

In a large stock pot, boil 3 quarts of water, when boiling add 2 tablespoons kosher salt and the pasta and cook until the pasta is al dente.

In a large saute pan over medium heat, add bacon and saute until bacon is crispy. Remove bacon to drain on a paper towel-lined plate and remove 3/4 of the bacon fat from the pan. Add extra-virgin olive oil, onions, and red chili flakes. Cook until onions are translucent, add garlic, cook for 2 minutes then add tomatoes. Saute for 5 minutes, then deglaze with wine.

Drain pasta and add to the tomato mixture pan. Add basil and bacon. Toss with Parmesan, and add salt and pepper, to taste.

Third time's a charm: cake pops

 The first time I attempted to make cake pops, they turned out like this: one hot mess.

The second time around, equally as frustrating and equally as not-appealing. Nonetheless, you cannot mess up the flavors of cake pops. Regardless of what they look like, they will taste delicious!! How can you go wrong with cake + icing + dipped in chocolate? It's moist and just plain old GOOD.

I tried one more time making these, for my 2 year old daughters birthday. I called my friend Lesley, who is a professional, and got some tips and step by step instructions on how not to mess these bad boys up. The result? Well, they weren't ugly!! My baby girl's cake ended up looking like so:

Ok, so this isn't a recipe per se, more like my instructions on how not to mess these up. I am using basics ingredients: all pre-made stuff :)

You will need:

• 1 cake mix, baked according to package directions and cooled
• 1 container of icing (I used Betty Crocker's, 453 grams or 1 lb jar)
• Candy melts (you can buy these at bulk barn, or at Michael's and their brand is 'Wilton's)
• About 50 sucker sticks (also bulk barn or Michael's)
• A foam block (to stick the cake pops in to dry)
• Patience

Step 1: Making and rolling the dough

See the heart shaped one? I was thinking Valentines Day!

1. Once your cake is cooled, crumble it up into a large bowl. Yes, destroy it, and make sure your hands are clean.
2. Add about half of the icing into the cake crumble. Get your hands in there and mix it all up. What you want is play dough. Not too moist, not too dry. I ended up using almost 3/4 of the jar of icing.
3. Roll up the "dough" into balls or other shapes. My downfall with my failed cake pops were the size of the balls. Make them about the size of a ping pong ball, maybe even a tad smaller, or else it will fall off the stick when you're dipping them later.
4. On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, place your cake balls. Cover then with plastic, and refrigerate them until they're cooled (about 1 hour).

Step 2: melt it up and dip the sticks

1. Melt a package of candy melts as the package says. In the past, I over micro-waved these. Follow the directions: place in a bowl, and microwave on 50% power for 1 minute. Mix. Microwave at 100% power in 30 second intervals, until they are just melted. (tip: use a tall narrow glass, or glass measuring cup so that the candy melt mixture is deep enough to dip the cake pops in, it makes it much easier).
2. Dip a stick in the candy melts, then insert it into the cooled cake ball, about 3/4 of the way through. Repeat with all.
3. Wait until the candy melt hardens before moving on to step 3.

Step 3: dip the pops

1. Hold the cake pop by the stick, cake down, and dip into the candy melts. Tilt it if necessary to cover the entire cake pop.
2. Tap it gently on the side of the bowl, until all the excess candy melt has come off (patience needed here).
3. If you plan on decorating it, this is the time while it's still wet. I haven't explored this area much, I've only done sprinkles.
4. Stick the cake pops into the foam block to dry.

Well there you have it. These take time and patience, but the results are delicious and a fun way to do cake...plus, no plates or forks necessary!

Or, you can just order them from those who do this well and professionally! 

To the left, are cake pops made by my canadian friend Lesley.
You can contact me at bonappetisters@gmail.com if you want her contact information to order from her, she serves the Ottawa, Ontario region only at this point.

My friend Natalie has a US based business, and ships all over the US. You can find her amazing cake pops at http://nataliescakepops.blogspot.com.

Valentine Cupcakes

We will be posting recipes this week that include treats for valentine's day next week. I chose to do cupcakes because I love watching the cupcake shows in the Food Network. They look so good! I decided to give these cupcakes a try. I got my recipe from Martha Stewart and this is supposed to be a "healthy" cupcake...My husband is on a no sweets fast. I thought it would be justifiable if it was a healthy kind of cupcake. The recipe is below as well as the cream-cheese frosting.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, (spooned and leveled)
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, preferably Dutch-process
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 6 tablespoons buttermilk
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg white                                         
• Candy decorations (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard 12-cup muffin tin (or two 6-cup muffin tins) with paper liners. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
2. With an electric mixer, combine cocoa and 3 tablespoons hot water until a thick paste forms (this process intensifies the chocolate flavor). Add butter, buttermilk, egg, and egg white; beat until combined. Whisk in flour mixture until smooth.
3. Scoop (or spoon) batter into prepared tin(s). Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely.
4. Use an offset spatula or butter knife to spread icing over tops (recipe below) Decorate as desired. 
5. Makes 12 cupcakes

Ingredients for icing

• 1/2 c. unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 c.4 cream cheese, softened
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

In a large bowl, beat together the butter and cream cheese with an electric mixer. With the mixer on low speed, add the powdered sugar a cup at a time until smooth and creamy. Beat in the vanilla extract

Enjoy!! -Christy