Sweet & Sour Citrus Chicken Stir-Fry

It feels so good to be cooking and eating real meals again!  This was pretty good!!  We served this over some white rice - yummy!!

Serves 4: OBB Cookbook
 

Ingredients:
Sauce
2/3 cup orange juice
Juice and grated rind of 1 lime (about 2 tablespoons juice)
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons fresh ginger, minced or grated

Stir-Fry1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1″ chunks
Salt and pepper to taste
3 tablespoons corn starch
1 1/2 cups broccoli florets (fresh or frozen; if frozen, pull them out when you begin cooking)
1 1/2 cups green beans (fresh or frozen; pull these out of the freezer with the broccoli)
1 red, orange, or yellow bell pepper, seeded and sliced
1 small or medium red onion, halved and cut into 1/4″ slices

In a large skillet, whisk together the sauce ingredients. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and pour into a heat-safe bowl. Rinse out the skillet and wipe it dry.

Season the chicken with salt and pepper, then sprinkle with corn starch and rub the corn starch into the chicken.

Add about 1 tablespoon oil to the skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Swirl the pan to coat it. Add the seasoned chicken and stir-fry for 4-5 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Add the onions and other veggies and stir-fry until the beans and broccoli are tender-crisp. Add the sauce, a few tablespoons at a time, allowing the sauce to bubble up after each addition.

Honey-Orange Pork Tenderloin

We made up this yumminess for dinner tonight!  Didn't take long at all, and even a baby can make it (it's that easy!)  :)  We had this with Lisa Ronhovde Salad, which was awesome!  Next time I'm going to add a rice...maybe Baked Mushroom Rice!

1-pound tenderloin serves 4 - OBB

Ingredients:
1/3 cup orange marmalade
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons honey
2 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil
 1-pound(ish) pork tenderloin
Kosher salt and black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the marmalade, vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, and honey. Reserve 2 tablespoons and set the sauce aside.

Heat the oil in an oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Season the pork tenderloin with salt and pepper. When the oil is hot, add the tenderloin and cook for 1-2 minutes or until a golden brown crust starts to form. Flip the tenderloin over and cook for another 1-2 minutes or until the entire tenderloin is golden brown. Remove from heat.

Pour about 1/2 of the sauce over the pork. Place the pan in the oven and cook for 10 minutes.  Remove the pan from the oven and flip the tenderloin over. Add the remaining sauce (not the reserved 2 tablespoons) and place the pan back into the oven. Cook for another 10 minutes or until a thermometer reads 155 degrees. Remove from oven and allow to stand for 10 minutes.

Drizzle with reserved sauce and cut into 1/2″ slices. Serve immediately with a salad or vegetables.

Cheesy Grilled Pizza Sandwiches

Made up some yumminess tonight!  This was super quick and easy too - and that was making my own pizza sauce and garlic seasoning!!  Do it up!  So good!

Ingredients
rustic style sandwich bread
butter or olive oil
pizza sauce
garlic bread seasoning
pepperoni or turkey pepperoni
Mozzarella cheese

Lightly butter one side of each slice of bread, or brush lightly with olive oil.  Sprinkle garlic bread seasoning on each slice and gently pat on with clean hands.  Turn slices of bread over.  Spread pizza sauce on each slice and sprinkle with cheese.  Place pepperoni slices on one of the sandwich halves and then place the two pieces of bread together.

Grill on a panini press or hot skillet, or place under a broiler in the oven, flipping once, until both sides of bread are toasted and golden brown and cheese is melted.  Cool for 3-5 minutes before slicing in half and serve.

Garlic Bread Seasoning

I haven't ever made a "seasoning" before....this was so good!!  I can't wait to use this on breadsticks!  I used this on Grilled Pizza Sandwich tonight- yummy!!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup powdered Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons Kosher salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons oregano
2 teaspoons basil
2 teaspoons marjoram
2 teaspoons parsley

Combine ingredients in a jar (preferably one with a sprinkle top) and shake.

Pizza Sauce

I tried this out tonight on Grilled Pizza Sandwiches, and it was sooo good!!  I want to put this on some pizza in the future....delicious!  Here are some other recipes that use the sauce too:
1. Kalua Pork Hawaiian Pizza
2. Italian Chicken Rollups

Ingredients:
6 oz. can tomato paste
6 oz. water (just use the empty tomato paste can)
3 tablespoons
1 tablespoon sugar or honey
3/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

Empty tomato paste into a bowl and add water a few tablespoons at a time, stirring constantly until combined. Add remaining ingredients, stir to combine, and allow to stand until ready to use. Covers two average-sized pizza; freezes extremely well

Buffalo Chicken Beer Dip

Cookbook club is BACK!!  It was so much fun to cook, have a drink, and hang with some fun ladies!!  Brody even got to attend his first cookbook, and he was a champ!  :)

We made this app and Candied Walnut Salad.  This appetizer was good, but I like my old school Buffalo Chicken Dip better.  Plus, that one is easier and doesn't have so many random ingredients.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into small pieces

8oz sour cream

16oz cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup Parmesan

3/4 cup Mozzarella, plus ½ cup mozzarella for top

1/3 cup Franks Red Hot Sauce

2/3 cup IPA beer

1 teaspoon garlic powder

2 tablespoons cornstarch

½ cup blue cheese crumbles

Preheat oven to 350.

Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium high heat, add the chicken and cook until browned, about 5 minutes.

In a food processor, add the sour cream, cream cheese, Parmesan, 3/4 cup mozzarella, Franks Red Hot, beer, garlic powder and cornstarch, process until well combined, about 5 minutes.

Pour into an oven safe dish. Stir in chicken pieces, sprinkle with remaining mozzarella.

Bake until warm and cheese is bubbly, about 15 minutes.

Remove from oven, sprinkle with blue cheese and serve warm with chips.

Spinach Artichoke Omelet

I'm BACK!!!  I'm a mom to a perfect little boy, Brody!!  I'm smitten and more in love with this little man than I ever thought possible!  I finally had time to make a grocery list this week, AND I even found time to make a new recipe! (well, I'll be honest....Ross made this while I fed Brody!) It was really good - and very healthy!!  I need to get back in shape, so I hope to be finding/making some more healthy eats in the future!

Serves 1 - Recipe by Our Best Bites

Ingredients
1 whole egg
2 egg whites
1 tablespoon water or milk
kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper
pinch of garlic powder
1 wedge Laughing Cow cheese, regular or garlic herb
1/2 cup chopped fresh spinach leaves
3 marinated artichoke hearts, diced
1 tablespoon fresh shredded Parmesan cheese

 Heat an 8-inch nonstick frying pan to medium heat.  Whisk together egg, egg whites, and water, and add a sprinkle of salt, a few cracks of pepper, and a pinch of garlic powder.

Spray pan with nonstick spray (or brush with olive oil).  Add egg mixture and swirl to coat bottom of pan.  Use a rubber spatula to slowly scrape from the outside edge of the omelet inward, letting runny eggs flow to bottom of pan.  Do this several times, then place a lid on the pan and turn heat to low.  Cook until top is just barely set.  Drop small dollops of Laughing Cow cheese on top, followed by chopped spinach, artichoke hearts, and Parmesan cheese.  Sprinkle top with additional salt and pepper and then slide onto serving plate (either folded over, or open faced.)