Sweet and Sour Chicken

This is not a red sauce, it's more like the brown sweet and sour sauce you'll find in .....China. Imagine that. Man, I wish I could go back to China for the food! I've made this since high school, it's great stuff.

Feeds 2 adults and some children. :)

2 chicken breasts cut in short strips
2 T oil
1 c. Chopped carrots
1 garlic clove minced
1 T cornstarch
1/4 c soy sauce
8 oz pineapple chunks with juice
3 T brown sugar
3 T white vinegar
1/2 tsp ginger
prepared rice

Brown chicken in oil. Add carrots and garlic (if freshly minced) to chicken and oil. Cook and stir 2 minutes or until carrots are tender. Mix cornstarch, soy sauce, sugar, vinegar and ginger, and garlic if out of jar. Dump this mixture and pineapple along with it's juice in with chicken and carrots. Bring to full boil. Serve with prepared rice. 

Leftover Hot Dog Hamburger Bun Bread Pudding

Around 8 leftover buns give or take a few
3 c hot milk
2-3 eggs
2/3 c. sugar
1/2 c dates or raisins
1/4 tsp salt
1 T butter
1 1/2 T vanilla
1/2 tsp almond extract
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp baking powder

Grease/Butter a casserole dish. Mix all the ingredients, tear up buns and throw them in. Dump into dish, sprinkle with nutmeg. Bake 350 degrees for about an hour.

Easy Deodorant

1/4 c coconut oil

1/4 c cornstarch

1/4 c baking soda

essential oil or fragrance oil drops (I use tea tree oil for the disinfectant properties and sandalwood fragrance since sandalwood essential oil is expensive and the smell works for either sex)

used or empty deodorant tube or bowl

Melt the oil, mix ingredients. When it becomes semi-solid pack it into an empty deodorant tube if you want. Keep in refrigerator if you want a solid like the deodorant from the store. Or leave in bowl and use it like a lotion/cream application

Garlic Brown Chicken

Original Recipe here: Easy Garlic Chicken
My version:

•  2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
•  2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 3 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon onion flakes 
• salt and pepper 

Line baking dish with foil and grease. Mix the ingredients. Smear on top of chicken breast.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake at 500 degrees about 20-30 minutes.

Broiled Baconnaise Tilapia

(If you don't have baconnaise, plain mayonnaise will work, maybe add some bacon bits?)

4 Tilapia Filets

2 T butter, softened
1 1/2 T baconnaise
1 T  lemon juice
1/8 tsp. basil
1/8 tsp. black pepper

1/8 tsp. garlic powder

1/8 tsp. paprika
dash onion powder
dash salt

(Creole Seasoning)

Oil aluminum foil on a broiler pan. Preheat broiler. Broil fish for 2 minutes, flip. Broil for 2 more minutes, flip. Mix the above ingredients and slather on top of fish. Broil 2 more minutes or until done. Sometimes I add Creole Seasoning.

Garlic Broth

I will never have plain chicken stock when I am sick again - This is awesome broth.

8 c. chicken stock

3 Tbs. minced garlic or more

2 Tbs. olive oil (either saute fresh garlic in this or just put in a glug :)

½ tsp. paprika 

Sprinkle in a generous helping of parsley, then a bit of  thyme, oregano, and basil

salt and ground black pepper to taste

 

Bring everything to a boil, then simmer 30 minutes. YUM.

Chunky Potato Soup

This may not be easy and quick, but when I thought I'd lost this recipe, I went into despair--I love this soup.
Original found here. Though I've changed it up.



My version:

• 3 medium potatoes
• 2 cups water
• 1 small onion
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• 6-7 Caraway seeds
• Cayenne to taste
• Ground black pepper to taste
• Salt to taste
• 3 cups milk
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1 cup shredded white cheeses
• 1 cup cubed cooked smoked sausage

Peel potatoes and cut into 1-inch cubes.

Bring water to a boil in large saucepan. Add potatoes and cook until tender. Drain, reserving liquid. Set aside potatoes. Measure 1 cup cooking liquid, adding water, if necessary; set aside.

Peel and finely chop onion. Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat. Add onion to saucepan; cook, stirring frequently, until onion is translucent and tender, but not brown.

Add flour to saucepan; season with  seasonings. Cook 3 to 4 minutes.

Gradually add potatoes, reserved 1 cup cooking liquid, milk and sugar to onion mixture in saucepan; stir well. Add cheese and ham. Simmer over low heat 30 minutes, stirring frequently.