Chickity China the Chinese Chicken

So I was at home thinking how much I wanted Chinese but also how much I didn't want to have to order it. I already had chicken so I looked up a recipe and was quite pleased with how it came out!

It was a bit of a hassle with the deep-frying but I felt it was worth it!

General Tso's Chicken

Printable recipe

 Ingredients:

• 1-1½ lbs boneless chicken breasts,
•      cut into chunks
• 1 scallion, chopped
• 4 small dried chilies, seeds removed (I used arbol chiles)

Sauce:

• ¼ cup cornstarch
• 2 Tbsp water
• ½ teaspoon fresh garlic , minced
• ½ cup sugar
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp white vinegar
• 2 Tbsp sherry or white wine
• 1 cup chicken broth

Batter:

• 1/4 Tbsp soy sauce, low sodium preferred
• 1 egg , beaten
• 3/4 cup cornstarch

Directions:
1) Mix batter in a large bowl. It should seem thick almost putty like. Add chicken and use a wooden spoon to coat the chicken evenly.

2) Set deep fryer to 350º or fill a sauce pan with 2-3” deep oil and monitor temperature with a cooking/candy thermometer.

3) Mix the sauce ingredients together in a separate bowl and set aside.

4) Using wooden spoon and a fork, remove 7-9 chicken pieces, letting the excess mixture drip off, and drop into the oil. Fry until golden brown and crispy, about 3-4 mins.

 

5) Remove from oil and drain on paper towels.

 

6) While frying chicken, in a saute pan, add a small amount of oil over medium heat.

7) Add green onions and hot peppers and stir fry about 30 seconds, then add the sauce mixture.

8) Stir sauce until thick, making sure to keep an eye on your frying chicken!

9) Add chicken to sauce and cook until bubbly. The quicker this is done the crispier the chicken stays.

8) Serve over rice and enjoy!


OMG Remember this song!?

That's a Spicy Meatball!

This could really be served as an entree but I've mostly seen them served as an appetizer so thus that's where this recipe is being filed!

Swedish Meatballs
Printable recipe

Ingredients:
1 1/2 c. Panko style bread crumbs
1/4 cup milk
1+2 tablespoons butter, divided
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
A pinch plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 pound ground chuck
3/4 pound ground pork
2 large egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups beef broth
1/4 cup half and half or heavy cream

Directions:

1) Combine bread crumbs and milk in stand mixer bowl or a large mixing bowl and set aside.

2) In a 12-inch saute pan over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and sweat until the onions are soft. Remove from the heat and set aside. 

3) Add to your bread crumb mixture: the ground chuck, pork, egg yolks, 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, black pepper, allspice, nutmeg, and onions.

4) Beat on medium speed for 1 to 2 minutes. 

5) Measure out tablespoon sized meatballs, rolling into round, and place on a sheet pan or plate.

6) Preheat oven to 200º.

7) Heat the remaining butter in the saute pan over medium-low heat, or in an electric skillet set to 250º. 

8) Add the meatballs and saute until golden brown on all sides, about 7 to 10 minutes. 

9) Remove the meatballs to an ovenproof dish using a slotted spoon and place in the warmed oven.

10) Once all of the meatballs are cooked, decrease the heat to low and add the flour to the pan or skillet.  If needed add a couple tablespoons of oil.

11) Whisk until lightly browned, approximately 1 to 2 minutes.

12) Gradually add the beef stock about 1/2 c at a time and whisk until sauce begins to thicken.

13) Add the cream and continue to cook until the gravy reaches the desired consistency.

14) Remove the meatballs from the oven, cover with the gravy and serve.


I hadn't actually known where the "spicy meatball" phrase came from until I just now Googled it.

Top of the Mushroom to You!

I've served these at one of my restaurant jobs and as long as they're hot enough they are pretty tasty. I decided that I wanted to make them myself and that they would probably be even better.

Crab Stuffed Mushrooms
Printable recipe

Ingredients:

• 1Lb Whole mushrooms
• Pinch dried thyme
• Pinch paprika + more for topping
• 1/4 tsp salt
• pinch black pepper
• 1/2 c plain or Panko bread crumbs
• 1+2 Tbsp butter
• 2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 4 oz drained crabmeat
• 1/2 Tbsp Sherry

Directions:
1) Wash and dry mushrooms and remove stems.

2) Coat baking pan with cooking spray or butter.
3) Melt 1 Tbsp of butter and brush mushroom tops.

Imagine the pastry brush here, I only have two hands...

4) Place mushrooms, top down, in baking pan and brush edges with remaining butter.

5) Melt 2 Tbsp butter and combine with the other liquid ingredients.
6) Drain crab meat, put in a small bowl and pour liquid mix over it. Stir to combine evenly.
7) Combine all the dry ingredients, pour over crab mixture and stir till evenly mixed.

8) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
9) Using your finger, ball up chunks of the crab mixture proportional to each mushroom cap, enough to press into the hole and pile on top a bit.

 

10) Bake for 15-20 minutes, until tops are crusty and browned.
11) Sprinkle with paprika and serve.

I'd Like to Buy You a Coke

Welcome to another edition of Tasty Treat Tuesday! Today's treat is:

Coke Float!

Scoop vanilla ice cream

Pour Coke

Enjoy!

You Got Chocolate in My Peanut Butter!

I'm starting to feel like I should change the name of this blog to Scrumptious Sundays. But then it would get get left for Mondays sometimes and it would be an endless cycle of procrastinating. Although I actually like the sound of Scrumptious Sundays better now that I'm hearing it. So maybe in the future but for now I'll keep trying to post them on Saturdays.

Okay, with out further adieu...

Peanut Butter Cup Cookies
Printable recipe

• 1c. Granulated sugar
• 1 Egg
• 1c. Peanut butter
• 1/3c flour
• 1tsp Vanilla extract
• Mini peanut butter cups (about 20)

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350º.
2) Mix sugar, egg and peanut butter and vanilla together.

3) Add flour in slowly.

 

4) Line mini cupcake pans with preferably paper liners. (I tried my silicone ones but they didn't come out as good.)

 5) Roll (or scoop) 1Tbsp of dough and place in each cup.

6) Flatten a bit if needed, then push a peanut butter cup into each cup.

7) Bake for 12-14 minutes, let cool then enjoy!

Thanks a Latte!

I don't have a beverage category so I had to decide between one this doesn't fit into or nothing so I choose dessert!

This is for everyone who has someone in their lives that didn't know what else to get them for Christmas so they got you an espresso machine. You might as well use it if you've got it!

How to Use Your Espresso Machine to Make Lattes
Printable version

Ingredients

• Finely ground coffee or espresso beans
• 1 1/2 c milk
• Espresso machine
• Latte mug

 

Directions:
Pull Espresso Shots
1) Measure water and pour it into the reservoir and seal it tight.

2) If you have one of the lower end ones like mine, I like to turn it on steam first so that it will heat up the water with out ruining your espresso grounds. Place your mug underneath the steaming wand for when it starts dripping. Turn off when it's about to start steaming.

3) Fill your filter basket with espresso/coffee grounds and use a knife or spatula to make it level.

4) Use a tamper to pack it tight.

5) Set portafilter into the head and turn on.

*If you have one like mine, I do not advise that you pull more than 2 "shots" of espresso at a time.
6) Turn off when it reaches the 2 line or if yours comes with little cups, when they are full.

Steam Milk
1) If you have a frothing thermometer, attach it to the side of your frothing, submerged in the milk.
2) Turn machine on to steam and let it steam until between 160 and 180 degrees or until the pitcher is too hot to touch.

3) To make it foam a little, lower the pitcher so that the steam wand is just below the surface of your milk.

4) Pour your espresso into your latte mug and then pour milk over it. Use a spoon to hold back or pull foam into your mug if you want more/less foam.

5) Add sweetener if desired and enjoy!

A Better Cookie

Yes this post is a day late. Also, welcome to the first installment of Tasty Treat Tuesday. These recipes are just simple quick treat ideas. Last week's milkshake was one of them except I hadn't created the icon yet. They also won't be every week, they will be posted if an idea strikes me.

This week is for everyone with crappy leftover store bought cookies. Chocolate coat the bottom for yummier cookie! I used milk chocolate because it's my preference and it melts nicer, but use semi-sweet if that's more your taste.

Chocolate-Dipped

Melt

1) Microwave on high for 1 minute then 15 second intervals, stirring with a knife in between.

Coat

2) Place cookie in chocolate and push down to get an even coat. Use the tip of a knife to lift an edge to remove from chocolate.

Set

3) Let cool on parchment or silicone until chocolate has set. Place in refrigerator to speed up process if needed.

Ta-da!