A Pinch of Chaos

Syrup

2012-01-09T20:51:00.000-08:00

2 cups Sugar
8oz Evaporated Milk
1 Tbsp Butter

Boil sugar and milk, stirring constantly until all sugar is dissolved. Cook over high heat until the mixture starts to boil. Remove from heat and add butter. Let sit 5 minutes. Stir.

Enjoy!

Don't leave unattended. It comes to a boil fairly quickly.

Creamy Lime-Cilantro Dressing

2010-10-04T18:47:00.001-07:00

I am a fan of Costa Vida and Cafe Rio’s Lime Cilantro dressing and after Googling recipes I did a little mixing and matching and came up with this recipe.

1 pk Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing mix
1 cup mayo
1 Tbsp vinegar and milk to equal 1/2 cup
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1/2 cup Salsa Verde
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
juice of 1 lime or equal to 2 Tbsp

Blend all ingredients together in a blender or food processor.

Make it several hours before serving so it can be chilled. I like overnight so the flavors can meld together.

Zippy Ziti

2010-05-15T17:18:00.001-07:00

8 oz pkg of ziti, uncooked
4 C. frozen broccoli cuts
3 clove garlic, minced
2 C. alfredo sauce
14 1/2 oz can Italian-style diced tomatoes
2 C. mozzarella cheese
4 Tbsp. Italian style bread crumbs
2 tsp. butter, melted

Prepare ziti according to package directions; add broccoli during last minute of cooking time. Drain; add garlic, alfredo sauce, tomatoes and cheese, mixing well. Spoon into a casserole dish; set aside. Toss bread crumbs with butter; sprinkle over ziti. Bake at 350 degrees about 20-30 minutes, until top is golden. Makes 4-6 servings.

Chinese Noodle Salad

2010-03-29T14:20:00.001-07:00

I am sure this is a familiar recipe to most people.

1 lg head napa cabbage, chopped
5 green onion, chopped (use only the tops)
2 chicken breasts, cooked
1 pkg ramen noodles, broken into small pieces, don’t use the seasoning packs
1 sm pkg slivered almonds
1/2 cup sesame seeds, lightly roasted

Mix everything but the noodles together.

Dressing:

1 cup oil
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup vinegar

Blend.

Add to cabbage mixture and refrigerate. Add noodles just before serving.

I like to chop the chicken breast for this salad instead of just shredding it. For some reason I just like the smaller pieces of chicken.

This time I added roasted soy nuts. They added a really nice crunch and flavor.

Also I used just half of the dressing which was really nice. You could taste more of the other ingredients and not just dressing. Plus I just didn’t want to add that much sugar to the salad. Not that I am anti-sugar, but I think I could stand to cut a little sugar out of my diet and be just fine…or maybe even more fine. You know what I mean?!?

And I totally spaced adding the raman noodles before eating…and didn’t really miss them.

Crockpot Cacciatore Chicken

2010-02-19T15:50:00.001-08:00

4 boneless chicken breast halves
32 oz jar spaghetti sauce
4 oz can sliced mushrooms
1 cup chicken broth
1 tsp Italian seasoning

Put chicken in Crockpot. Pour on sauce, mushrooms and broth. Sprinkle with seasoning.

Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Serve over egg noodles.

When I put my chicken in I always season it with salt, pepper and garlic.

Apple Pancakes

2010-02-16T20:18:00.001-08:00

2 C. Bisquick
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/3 C. Milk
1 C. grated apple
1 egg

Syrup

1 C. sugar
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
2 C. apple cider
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1/4 C. butter

add all at one time bring to a boil...until butter is melted.

Serve with Sour Cream.

I double both the pancake batter and the syrup for my family.

Pizza Dough

2010-02-15T18:45:00.001-08:00

1 C warm water
1 Tbsp yeast
1 Tbsp sugar

Mix together until yeast blooms.

Add:

1 tsp salt
½ C olive oil
3 C flour

Mix in Kitchen-aid with bread hook, about 2 minutes.

Let raise 20 minutes.

Pull and roll onto pizza shape. Add favorite pizza toppings. Bake at 425 for 25 minutes.

Spicy Orange-Glazed Drumsticks

2010-01-18T10:35:00.001-08:00

Ingredients

1/4 cup orange marmalade
1/2 teaspoon chili-garlic sauce (found in the Asian section of the supermarket)
8 chicken drumsticks (about 2 1/2 pounds)
kosher salt and black pepper
1 pound green beans
1 tablespoon butter
4 corn bread muffins, warmed

Directions

Heat oven to 400º F. In a small bowl, mix the marmalade and chili-garlic sauce.
Season the chicken with 1⁄2 teaspoon salt and 1⁄4 teaspoon pepper. Roast on a foil-lined baking sheet until cooked through, 35 to 40 minutes, brushing with the marmalade mixture during the last 10 minutes of cooking.
Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the green beans until tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Drain and toss with the butter and 1⁄4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Serve with the chicken and muffins.

By Sara Quessenberry, October 2009 Real Simple Magazine

Macaroni and Cheese

2009-10-26T12:20:00.001-07:00

2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp dry ground mustard
1/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce - almost as hard to type as it is to say
2 cups milk (if I am feeling generous I use half and half)
2 cups shredded cheese

Cook macaroni according to package directions. While macaroni is cooking, melt butter in saucepan over low heat. Stir in flour, salt, pepper, mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth and bubbly. Remove from heat. Stir in milk. Bring mixture to boil, stirring constantly. Let boil 1 minute. Add cheese and stir until cheese is melted. Drain pasta and stir into cheese sauce. Pour into a 2qt casserole. Bake uncovered in 350* over for 25 minutes.

Chicken Noodle Casserole

2009-10-26T12:07:00.001-07:00

1/4 C Butter
1/3 C Flour
2 C Chicken Broth
3/4 C Milk
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 C sliced Mushrooms
8 oz pkg Wide Egg Noodles, cooked
2 C Chicken, cooked and shredded
1/3 C grated Parmesan Cheese

Melt 1/4 cup butter in a medium saucepan. Whisk in flour, broth and milk until smooth and thickened. Add salt and pepper and set aside. In a skillet sauté mushrooms in butter until tender, then add to sauce. Fold in noodles and chicken. Pour in a greased 2qt casserole dish. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake at 350 degrees about 20 minutes, until golden.

Serves 6

Yorkshire Pudding

2009-10-20T16:42:00.001-07:00

2 C Flour
2 C Milk
4 lg Eggs
1/2 C Butter (you really need to use the real stuff)

Heat oven to 425 degrees. In a 9X13 pan place 1/2 C butter. Place in oven to melt butter completely, be careful to not burn the butter. Pour batter into pan over the melted butter. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown. Cut pudding into squares and serve with beef and brown gravy.

Tradition Yorkshire pudding is baked in muffin tins, almost like a popover. Also they use the drippings from the meat instead of butter, I just like the flavor the butter adds to the pudding. I have also seen individual servings baked in ramekins. I use a 9X13 pan because it is easier.

Enjoy!

Chicken Stir-fry

2009-10-12T14:11:00.001-07:00

I am going to share my top secret, labor-intensive chicken stir-fry recipe. I really had to think long and hard to decide if I really wanted to share this little gem, but here you go:

Take 2 chicken breast and do this:

and then this:

Then take 2 bags of this (you could chop fresh, but really why bother):

and do this:

Then add this back into the pan:

Then for the super secret ingredient:

Why yes it is salad dressing, why do you ask?

Pour it here:

Then add a little of this (1/4 cups cold water to 2 Tbsp of corn starch):

And it looks like this:

Then cook it like this for a little while:

Then get some of this:

And then you have this:

Yum!

Seriously this is such a fast and easy recipe. The rice takes longer to cook than the stir fry.

Bon Appétit!

Chicken Tortilla Soup

2009-10-05T15:12:00.000-07:00

28 oz can diced tomatoes
14 oz can corn
14 1/2 oz can black beans
4 oz can diced green chiles
3 - 14 1/2 oz cans chicken broth
1 to 2 Tbsp dried minced onion
1 clove garlic minced
1 tsp cumin
salt and pepper to taste
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast, cooked and shredded
6 to 8 tortillas, cut into 1/4 in strips

Add all the ingredients except chicken and tortillas to a heavy stockpot. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes. Add chicken; heat additional 10 minutes. Fry tortilla strips until crispy.

Garnish soup with tortilla strips, cheese and sour cream.

Scones

2009-06-27T16:39:00.000-07:00

¾ C warm water
1 Tbsp yeast
3Tbsp Sugar
3 Tbsp shortening
Stir and let sit.

Add 1 ½ C milk, that has been warmed on beverage setting.

Then add to the yeast mixture.
1 tsp salt
5 C flour

Raise 20 minutes. This is a really wet dough so you will want to sprinkle with flour before you work with it. Fry.

This also makes yummy doughnuts.

Zesty Crockpot Chicken

2009-06-27T16:35:00.000-07:00

4 boneless, thawed chicken breasts
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 pkg Good Seasons zesty italian salad dressing mix
1 c. water
1 tsp. parsley
1 pkg cream cheese

Place chicken in crock pot. Blend soup, dressing mix, water and parsley, add to crock pot. Cook on low for 6to8 hours. 1 hour before serving, add the package of cream cheese. Serve over rice or noodles.

I got this recipe from Mique at Tried and Trues.

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

2009-06-27T16:32:00.000-07:00

1lb ground beef
¾ C oats
2 eggs
1tsp chopped onions
½ C milk
Mix together and form into 1inch balls. Place in a single layer in a 9X13 in pan

Mix:
2C brown sugar
½ C vinegar
2 tsp mustard
½ C BBQ sauce
½ tsp Worstershire sauce
Pour over meatballs. Bake at 350* for 30-40 minutes.

Serve over rice or noodles.

Welcome

2009-06-27T15:20:00.000-07:00

I have been doing my Menu Mondays on Embrace the Chaos for awhile, but I wanted a place that was easy to find the recipes I use. So I decided that it was time to have a blog set up just for recipes.

So I decided to stir up a little

Pinch of Chaos!