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Sunday, February 28, 2010

Mini Flourentine Cups

I found this recipe on Kraftfoods.com -love this site!- This is a very easy appetizer and can be made in advance. Enjoy!

1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, cooked, well drained
1/2 cup Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
1/3 cup Cream Cheese
1 Tbsp. Grated Parmesan Cheese
1 Tbsp. finely chopped onions
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
24 slices OSCAR MAYER Deli Fresh Shaved Oven Roasted Turkey Breast

Make it!

HEAT oven to 350°F. Mix all ingredients except turkey.

FLATTEN turkey slices; place 1 slice on bottom and up side of each of 24 miniature muffin cups. Fill with spinach mixture.

BAKE 15 min. or until heated through. Cool in pan 5 min. before serving.

kitchen tips

MAKE AHEAD
Having a party? Assemble appetizers several hours in advance. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Then, uncover and bake as directed.
SPECIAL EXTRA
Add 1 to 2 Tbsp. chopped water chestnuts to the spinach mixture before spooning into prepared cups. (This is not recommended for those watching their carbohydrate intake.)
SUBSTITUTE
Prepare using OSCAR MAYER Deli Fresh Shaved Smoked Ham.

Chinese Chicken Salad


Chinese Chicken Salad Recipe

INGREDIENTS

1/2 lb. white chicken meat, cooked and shredded
1/4 cup soy sauce (use wheat-free soy sauce for gluten-free version)
1 teaspoon sherry
1 Tablespoon sugar

High smoke point cooking oil, such as grapeseed oil, corn oil, or peanut oil
2 oz. bean threads (one bunch)
4 green onions, shredded lengthwise
1 small head of lettuce (romaine works), shredded
2 Tablespoons chopped toasted almonds
2 Tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

Sauce:
2 Tbsp sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
3 Tbsp oil
1 Tbsp dark sesame oil
3 Tbsp vinegar

* Serves 4 to 6

METHOD

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1 Using two forks, shred the cooked chicken (if you don't have any already cooked, poach chicken pieces in simmering water until no longer pink inside). Mix soy sauce, sherry and sugar in a bowl and add the chicken. Let soak for 10 minutes. Remove chicken and pat dry with paper towels. Fry the shredded chicken in a little cooking oil on medium high heat to make it a little crispy and to bake in the seasoning. Set aside.

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2 Put 3/4 inch of high smoke point cooking oil (such as grapeseed oil, or peanut oil) into a small saucepan. Heat on high heat until when you flick a drop or two of water into the oil it sizzles. Take one bunch of the dried bean threads and gently break them up a bit. Test the oil by putting one bean thread into the oil. If the oil is hot enough, the bean thread will almost immediately sizzle and puff up. That's when you know the oil is hot enough. Working with a few bean threads at a time, put them in the hot oil. As soon as they puff up, remove them carefully with tongs and place them on a paper towel to cool. The paper towel helps remove any excess oil. Set aside.
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3 Cut your green onions, shredding them lengthwise as shown. Toast your chopped almonds, or chop your toasted almonds; toast your sesame seeds. (Heat a thin skillet to medium high heat, add the seeds - or nuts, don't do them both together - stir frequently until they begin to brown, remove from heat, they will continue to cook. Let cool to room temp.)

4 Mix all of the sauce ingredients together, in the order listed. Just before serving the salad, mix all of the salad ingredients together - lettuce, chicken, bean threads, almonds, sesame seeds, and sauce.



Monday, February 1, 2010

Zucchini Chip Bread

So I've made this recipe for a few activities, and I thought I might as well post it so others can enjoy it, too!


Zucchini Chip Bread

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
3 eggs
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon grated orange peel
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups shredded zucchini
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon and baking powder. In another bowl, beat the eggs, applesauce, oil, orange peel and vanilla. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in the zucchini, nuts and chocolate chips.

Transfer to two greased 9-in. x 5-in. x 3-in. loaf pans. Bake at 350 for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for another 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely. Yield: 2 loaves.


*I usually leave out the orange peel when I bake this bread. I don't like the flavor it adds--reminds me too much of a fruitcake cookie I never liked. And I usually bake mini-loaves of zucchini bread. The oven temperature is still the same, but the cook time is 40-45 minutes long.

Enjoy!