PF Chang's Lettuce Wraps

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 pound ground chicken

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 onion, diced

1/4 cup hoisin sauce

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger

1 (8-ounce) can whole water chestnuts, drained and diced

2 green onions, thinly sliced

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 head butter lettuce

1.     Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium high heat. Add ground chicken and cook until browned, about 3-5 minutes, making sure to crumble the chicken as it cooks; drain excess fat.

2.     Stir in garlic, onion, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, and inger until onions have become translucent, about 1-2 minutes.

3.     Stir in chestnuts and green onions until tender, about 1-2 minutes; season with salt and pepper, to taste.

4.     To serve, spoon several tablespoons of the chicken mixture into the center of a lettuce leaf, taco-style.

Damn Delicious

Chiya Tea

2 c water
2 c milk
4 whole cloves
1/4 tsp whole cardamom seeds
1 cinnamon stick
1 slice candied ginger, cut into pieces
3-4 TB black tea leaves or 3-4 tea bags
1/2 c sugar

1. In a VERY large pot, boil milk and water over high heat
2. Add cloves, cardamom, cinnamon and ginger
3. Boil for 5 minutes
4. Add tea
5. Continue boiling for 5 minutes
6. Add sugar
7. Boil for another 2-3 minutes
8. Pour through a fine mesh strainer and serve hot

Makes about 3 cups

Nepalese Chai Recipe

Egg Muffins with Ham and Cheese

9 large eggs
1/4 c milk
1/4 c finely grated cheddar cheese
1/2 c diced ham
salt
pepper
cooking spray

1. Preheat oven to 375
2. Spray 6 extra large muffin tins with cooking spray
3. Whisk together eggs & milk in a batter bowl, then divide evenly into the tins
4. Evenly sprinkle in ham and cheese
5. Bake until set in center, 20-22 minutes.

To re-heat:  Place on baking tray in a 350 degree oven for 5-8 min *or* microwave for 30 seconds per muffin

Adapted from Ellie Krieger's Mini Frittatas with Leeks and Asparagus

Iced Tea

6 bags of Lipton tea
1 cup sugar
1 tea kettle full of boiling water

1. Pour boiling water over tea and sugar 
2. Steep for 5-8 min
3. Remove tea bags and let cool to room temperature
4. Refrigerate

Keisha Kogan

Fruit Dip

8 oz pineapple cream cheese
7 oz marshmallow fluff

Applesauce

6 pounds apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 8 slices
1 cup apple juice or water
juice of one lemon
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cloves
1 tsp nutmeg

1. Combine all ingredients in a large pot and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 25 minutes.
2. Put through food mill
3. Place in mason jars

Makes 6 cups

The Pioneer Woman

Chocolate Buttercream Icing

1 c butter, softened

1 tsp vanilla or almond extract
12 tsp (=1/4 c) - 13 tsp + 1-2 TB milk
1 lb pure cane sugar
3/4 c cocoa powder

1. Cream butter, extract and milk in a stand mixer (if using a hand mixer, mix single batches only)
2. Add dry ingredients
3. Drape a towel over mixer
4. Mix on medium speed until all ingredients have been thoroughly mixed together
5. Mix another 1-2 minutes, until creamy

For best results, keep icing bowl in refrigerator when not in use. Refrigerated in an airtight container, this icing can be stored 2 weeks. Rewhip before using.

Makes 2 1/2 cups

adapted from Wilton

Simple Syrup

1 c water
1 c sugar

1. Combine water with sugar in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the sugar has completely dissolved, 3-5 minutes.
2. Let it cool and add beverages as needed.

Use 1-1/2 tsp of simple syrup for every teaspoon of sugar you would usually use.

Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Omelette (Baked)

6 eggs
2 tablespoons cream
kosher salt
black pepper
8 oz ham steak, diced
4 oz mild cheddar, shredded

1. Preheat the oven to 350F
2. Beat the eggs, cream, salt, and pepper together well with a hand-held mixer until frothy
3. Stir in the ham and cheddar
4. Pour into an 8 inch oven proof saute pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray
5. Cook in the oven for 45 minutes

Omelette (Traditional)

2 eggs
2 TB milk

1 TB canola oil

1. Heat an 8" saute pan over medium high heat
2. Break the eggs into a small bowl, add the milk, and whisk
3. Add the oil to pan and swirl around
4. Pour in egg mixture to middle of pan, so that the oil spreads out to the edges
5. For a few seconds, gently the stir the middle of the egg mixture with a rubber spatula
6. Reduce the heat and continue cooking for 1-2 minutes
7. Flip over and cook an additional 1-2 minutes until done

adapted from The Barefoot Contessa

Raspberry Sauce

1/2 pint fresh raspberries

1/2 c sugar
1/4 c + 1 TB water

1 c (12oz) seedless raspberry jam

1. Combine the raspberries, sugar and 1/4 c water in a small saucepan
2. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 4 minutes
3. Pour the cooked raspberries, jam and 1 TB water into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and process until very smooth
4. Chill

adapted from the Barefoot Contessa, Back to Basics

Quiche

1 Pillsbury refrigerated pie crust, softened as directed on box

1-1/2 c cubed cooked ham

6 oz shredded cheddar cheese

4 eggs

1 c milk

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1. Heat oven to 375
2. Make pie crust as directed on box for one crust filled pie using a 9 inch glass pie pan
3. Layer ham and cheese in pie crust
4. In medium bowl, beat all remaining ingredients until well blended. Pour over ham and cheese.
5. Bake 35-45 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean
6. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

foodnetwork.com

Strawberry Jam

2 c sugar
1 large lemon, zested and juiced
1-1/2 pints fresh strawberries, hulled and halved

1. Combine the sugar, lemon zest and lemon juice in a small saucepan and cook over very low heat for 10 minutes, until the sugar is dissolved.
2. Add the strawberries and continue to cook until the strawberries release some of their juices and the mixture boils slowly.
3. Cook until a small amount of the juice gels on a very cold plate (I keep one in the freezer)
4. Pour carefully into 2 pint canning jars and keep refrigerated.

from the Barefoot Contessa

Whipped Cream

1 c cream

2 TB sugar

1 tsp vanilla

Vanilla Buttercream Icing

1 c butter, softened

1 tsp vanilla or almond extract
12 tsp (=1/4 c) - 13 tsp milk
1 lb pure cane sugar

1. Cream butter, extract and milk in a stand mixer (if using a hand mixer, mix single batches only)
2. Add dry ingredients
3. Drape a towel over mixer
4. Mix on medium speed until all ingredients have been thoroughly mixed together
5. Mix another 1-2 minutes, until creamy

For best results, keep icing bowl in refrigerator when not in use. Refrigerated in an airtight container, this icing can be stored 2 weeks. Rewhip before using.

Makes 2-1/2 cups
adapted from Wilton

Italian Cream Soda

4 TB Torani syrup

1-1/2 cups club soda

1/4 cup half and half

Pie Crust (Graham Cracker)

¼ c butter, melted

2 TB sugar
1-1/4 c graham cracker crumbs

1. Blend all ingredients in a 9” pie plate
2. Microwave 2 minutes on high
3. Stir, press evenly
4. Microwave 2 minutes more
5. Cool before adding filling

Pie Crust (Grandma's)

Double Crust:

1 ¾ c flour
¾ c butter flavoured Crisco
pinch salt
¼ c milk

Single Crust:
¾ c + 2 TB flour
6 TB butter flavoured Crisco
pinch salt
1/8 c milk

1. Mix flour, Crisco and salt with a pastry blender
2. Add milk and blend with fork
3. If making double crust, divide dough into 2 balls
4. Place a ball of dough between two sheets of waxed paper that has been sprinkled with flour
5. Roll out

from Elaine Moseman

Icing (Powdered Sugar)

1/3 c powdered sugar : 1 TB milk

Lemonade

4 lemons
1 ½ c sugar
2 tsp vanilla
4 c cold water

1. Juice the lemons
2. Add all ingredients and stir
3. Chill

from Keisha Kogan