Spicy Sweet-n-Sour Meatballs

It has been a few months since I made these, so I had to really rack my brain to 1) find the original recipe and 2) remember what ingredients I had subbed. I sometimes put this info on my phone, but nothing there. Anyway, I found the original recipe at Kraft Recipe Makers and looking over the original, as well as looking at the pics I took, has helped me remember the changes I made. So here is what I came up with:

1 box Kraft Recipe Makers for Sweet and Sour Chicken
1 cup finely chopped carrots
6 green onions, thinly sliced
1.5 lbs spicy venison sausage
2 pkg raman noodles, without the seasoning (rice noodles would be better but couldn't get at my store)
2 cups snow peas

Preheat oven to 375 degrees, 350 for rvs or convection.

Mix half each of the simmer sauce, carrots and green onions with the sausage.

Shape into 18 one-inch balls. Place in 13x9 in baking dish. Pour finishing sauce over the meatballs.

Bake 25 or till done. Cook noodles as directed on pkg. In skillet cook remaining half of simmer sauce, carrots and green onion along with the snow peas over medium heat for 2 to 4 minutes or until snow peas are crisp tender. Serve the meatballs over the noodles, then top with the sauteed vegetables. Enjoy!

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Stir Fry

It is time for this months Improv Challenge over at Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker. This months ingredient challenge is peas and carrots. I really did not plan on participating this month, then at the last minute I realized the stir-fry I was making the night before the challenge reveal date had peas and carrots! So here is my very last minute entry for this months improv:

1 lb seasoned pork for fajitas
1/2 of a 14 oz bottle La Choy orange ginger stir fry sauce, divided
1 Tbsp sesame oil
8 oz sugar snap peas
1/2 of a large carrot, cut into ribbons
1/2 cup unsalted peanuts

Cut pork into strips. Place in plastic bag with about 3 oz of the stir fry sauce. Allow to sit in fridge for two to three hours. In large skillet heat oil.

Add the pork and cook till almost done, about ten minutes.

Add the peas and carrots and continue cooking for about four minutes. Stir in remaining sauce and peanuts and cook until heated through.

Serve with rice and egg-rolls and enjoy!

Spicy Chicken-Peanut Fried Rice

I came across this recipe for Spicy Fried Rice with Peanuts at Bizzy Bakes over a month ago. It sounded very tasty so I decided to give it try. We loved it and will be having this again! I changed the amounts on some ingredients and added chicken. This is what I ended up with:

1/4 cup soy sauce
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp dark sesame oil
3/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 lg boneless skinless chicken breast, chopped
1 1/4 cups chopped red pepper
1 cup chopped red onion
1 lg clove garlic, minced
3/4 tsp ground ginger
3 1/2 cups cooked rice, cooled
1 5 oz can sliced water chestnuts, drained and chopped
1/3 cup unsalted roasted peanuts

In small bowl or measuring cup mix together soy sauce, brown sugar, red pepper and sesame oil.

Set aside.

In large skillet heat olive oil, add chicken and cook until outside is completely white, about four to five minutes.

Then add the onion and red pepper. Continue cooking until vegetables are tender, about three minutes.

Stir in garlic and ginger, continue cooking for one minute. Add rice and water chestnuts. Continue cooking until heated through, three to five minutes. Stir in soy mixture and peanuts, making sure to coat all the rice with the sauce. Cook for an additional minute or two.

Serve and enjoy!

Slow Cooker Cashew Chicken - Lots and Lots of It

I found this recipe over at The Girl Who Ate Everything a few months back and pinned it. My original intention was to double this recipe, but that just didn't look like enough chicken for our group of eight, four being big guys who like their food (I had forgotten one of the guys was MIA and wouldn't be there). So I decided to quadruple it - we had a LOT of Cashew Chicken. Although I am glad I did more than double, I don't think that would have been enough but triple would have probably been perfect. Everyone took a little home with them so I was not left with a HUGE amount of leftovers. I made only a couple of minor changes to the recipe - I used chicken breast instead of thighs (it was on sale and actually cheaper than the thighs!) and I substituted hoisin sauce for half of the soy sauce. It turned out VERY yummy!  I will definitely make this again!!

8 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, I cut each breast in half to make smaller pieces
1 cup flour
2 tsp black pepper
canolla oil
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup hoisin sauce
1/2 cup rice vinegar
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup brown sugar
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp ground ginger or 2 tsp fresh grated ginger
1 tsp red pepper flakes (this does not make this dish overly spicy, a couple in our group don't do spicy and               they enjoyed this dish)
2 cup cashew halves and pieces

In Ziploc bag combine the flour and black pepper. Add the chicken a few pieces at a time and shake to coat. In large skillet heat about two Tablespoons of canola oil.

Add chicken and brown for about two minutes on each side. Place browned chicken into slow cooker. Repeat until all chicken pieces have been browned, adding more oil to skillet as needed. In large bowl combine soy sauce, hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, ketchup, brown sugar, garlic, ginger and red pepper flakes.

Yes I really had to use both slow cookers!

Pour the sauce over the chicken and cook on low for five to six hours, or on high for two to three hours. I actually did a combination - one hour on high, then three hours on low. Just before serving stir in cashews. Serve over rice and enjoy!

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Simple Shrimp Pasta

Very easy and very yummy!

1 box simply asian soy ginger noodles
1 to 2 Tbsp olive oil
8 oz small cooked shrimp, no tails
1 cup frozen green beans
2 Tbsp hoisin sauce
dash of ground ginger
generous dash of red pepper flakes
slivered almonds, optional

Prepare noodles according to directions on box.

While noodles are cooking mix sauce pouch from box with hoisin sauce, ginger and red pepper flakes. Set aside. In skillet heat olive oil.

Add shrimp and green beans. Cook, stirring frequently, 4-6 minutes.

When noodles are done, drain and add to skillet along with sauce. Stir till combined and heat over medium heat till heated through. Divide onto serving plates. Top with the sesame seeds from box and with slivered almonds.

Serve and enjoy!

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Check out all the great recipes that will be linked up this week!

Asian Peanut Beef and Noodles for Two

Shortly after starting this blog I posted this recipe or a variation of it, I think I used chicken then instead of beef. Then one day while looking through recipes on my blog I discovered I had goofed when making this post. I had not listed the ingredients nor the quantities. At first I was going to try to "fix" it but in the end just deleted the entire post. Well I have finally gotten around to making this recipe again and thought I attempt to re-post it. This is my variation of this recipe, to see the original version click HERE.

4 oz linguine, broken in half

2 cups broccoli florets

1/2 cup petite carrots

1/3 cup catalina dressing

3/4 lb top round steak, cut into thin strips

1 generous Tbsp creamy peanut butter

1 generous Tbsp hoisin sauce

2 green onions, sliced

1/4 cup dry roasted peanuts

Cook linguine according to directions on package. During last two minutes of cooking add the broccoli and carrots. 

Meanwhile heat catalina dressing in skillet. When hot add the beef strips. Cook, stirring constantly, for about three minutes until outside of beef is completely brown, but inside is still pink. Add the peanut butter and hoisin sauce, continue cooking for about one minute or until sauce thickens.  Remove skillet from heat. Drain pasta and vegetables. Add to skillet, tossing with beef mixture.

Stir in green onions. Plate and sprinkle each serving with half the peanuts. 

Serve with your favorite egg rolls and enjoy!

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Check out all the great recipes that will be linked up this week!

China A

If you are ever in Rockport, TX and craving a good Chinese buffet complete with sushi and grill you must try China A Super Buffet. It's located right on 35 and easy to find.

Being right on the coast they have a great selection of seafood items such as crab legs, coconut shrimp, seafood biscuits and the list goes on. Wonderful place with a huge selection.

We visited this place our last trip to Rockport two years ago. This trip we have already been here three times with a fourth visit planned in the next few days.

Not much cooking going on around here. Enjoying simple foods like chili dogs or going out. I do have a couple of items planned but they won't post until next month since they are for the crazy cooking challenge and the improv challenge. Stay tuned for some more Rockport restaurant reviews - hopefully with pics.