September 8, 2021

  • Hawaiian Chicken with Coconut Rice

    Prep time: 10 minutes
    Cook time: 20 minutes
    Servings: 4

    INGREDIENTS

    • 2 pounds boneless, skinless, chicken breasts, diced
    • 2 cups bell peppers diced
    • 20oz canned pineapple, diced (reserve the juice for the sauce)
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • salt and pepper to taste

    COCONUT RICE

    • 2 cup white rice (uncooked)
    • 2-1/2 cup canned unsweetened coconut milk (approximately 20.25 ounces)
    • 1 cup water
    • 1-1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
    • 4 teaspoons brown sugar (reserve until the end)
    SAUCE

    • 3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce (or tamarind sauce)
    • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1/8 teaspoon molasses
    • 1/2 tablespoon white vinegar*
    • 1/2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce*
    • 1/2 cup pineapple juice
    • 1/3 cup + 2 teaspoons ketchup*
    • 1 tablespoon garlic minced
    • 4 tablespoons light brown sugar*
    • 1 teaspoon paprika*
    • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper*
    • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

    Sauce notes: Asterisked (*) ingredients and one tablespoon of brown sugar can be substituted with 1/2 cup barbeque sauce

    INSTRUCTIONS

    1. Start the rice.
      • Rice cooker: Dump all of the ingredients except the sugar into the rice cooker. Stir to mix and let cook according to directions for white rice.
      • Stovetop: Bring the coconut milk and water to a boil. Add in the salt and rice. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 18 minutes.
    2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
    3. Season chicken with salt and pepper then add to the skillet and brown.
    4. Remove chicken from pan.
    5. Sauté bell peppers for 3-5 minutes until tender.
    6. Remove peppers from pan.
    7. Add sauce ingredients to pan and bring to a simmer.
    8. Add chicken back in and reduce heat to medium-low, letting sauce reduce while chicken cooks through.
    9. Return peppers and pineapple to pan and cook about 3-5 minutes more. The sauce should be thick, sticky, and glossy.
    10. When the rice is finished cooking, fluff it and stir in the brown sugar.
    11. Serve Hawaiian chicken over the rice.

    Adapted from:

December 9, 2015

November 26, 2013

  • Green Bean Casserole

    Prep time: 10 minutes
    Bake time: 30 minutes
    Serves: 12 (about 1/4 cup each)

    INGREDIENTS

    • 2 cans (10 3/4 oz each) Cream of Mushroom soup
    • 1 cup milk
    • 2 tsp. soy sauce
    • 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
    • 8 cups cooked or 4 cans (14.5 oz each) of french-style green beans
    • 2 2/3 cups French Fried Onions

    DIRECTIONS

    1. Stir soup, milk, soy sauce, black pepper, beans, and 1 1/3 cups onions in 3 qt casserole dish.
    2. Bake at 350ºF for 25 mins. or until bean mixture is hot and bubbling. Stir bean mixture. Sprinkle with remaining onions.
    3. Bake for 5 min. or until onions are golden brown.

October 31, 2013

  • Crispy Cheddar Chicken

    Crispy Cheddar Chicken

    Crispy Cheddar Chicken

    Total time: 1 hour
    Prep time: 10 minutes
    Bake time: 50 minutes
    Servings: About 8
    Source: Slightly adapted from Christy's Skinny Friends (Facebook group)

    INGREDIENTS

    • 2 lbs skinless chicken tenders or 4 large chicken breasts
    • 1 sleeve Ritz crackers
    • 1 cup French's Fried Onions
    • 1/4 teaspoons salt
    • 1/8 teaspoon pepper
    • 1/2 cup milk
    • 3 cups cheddar cheese, grated (optional)
    • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
    • cooking spray

    Sauce:

    • 1 10 ounce can cream of chicken soup
    • 2 tablespoon sour cream
    • 2 tablespoon butter
    • parsley

    DIRECTIONS 

    • Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
    • Crush crackers and dice fried onions. Add salt and pepper and blend well. If using chicken breasts and not tenders, cut each chicken breast in half. Pour the milk, cheese and cracker mixture into 3 separate small pans. Dip each piece of chicken into the milk and then the cheese. Press the cheese into the chicken with your fingers. Then press the cheesy coated chicken into the cracker crumbs and press it in.
    • Spray a 9×13 pan with cooking spray and lay the chicken inside the pan. Sprinkle the dried parsley over the chicken. Cover the pan with tin foil and bake for 35 minutes. Remove the tin foil, bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until the edges of the chicken are golden brown and crispy.
    • In a medium sized sauce pan combine the cream of chicken soup, sour cream, and butter with a whisk. Add parsley to taste. Stir it over medium high heat until the sauce is nice and hot. Serve over the chicken.

November 4, 2011

  • S'more Cups

    Total time: Approximately 1.5 hours (depends on cooling time in step 2)
    Servings: 24 cups
    Source: The Pampered Chef

    INGREDIENTS

    • 7 whole graham crackers (1 cup/250 mL finely crushed)
    • 1/4 cup (50 mL) powdered sugar
    • 6 tbsp (90 mL) butter, melted
    • 4 bars (1.55 oz or 43 g each) milk chocolate candy, divided
    • 12 large marshmallows

    DIRECTIONS 

    1. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Place graham crackers into a large resealable plastic bag. Finely crush into crumbs using Baker's Roller®;. Combine graham cracker crumbs, powdered sugar and butter in Small Batter Bowl. Using Small Scoop, place scant scoop of crumb mixture in each cup of Deluxe Mini-Muffin Pan. Press crumbs to form shallow cups with Mini-Tart Shaper. Bake 4-5 minutes or until edges are bubbling. Meanwhile, break two of the candy bars into rectangles. Remove pan from oven; place one rectangle into each cup.
    2. Cut marshmallows in half crosswise using Professional Shears dipped in cold water. Place one marshmallow half, cut-side down, into each cup. Return to oven 1-2 minutes or until marshmallows are just slightly softened. Remove from oven to Stackable Cooling Rack; cool 15 minutes. Carefully remove cups from pan. Cool completely.
    3. Break remaining candy bars and place in (1-cup/250 mL) Prep Bowl. Microwave on HIGH 1 minute-1 1/2 minutes or until melted and smooth, stirring every 20 seconds. Dip the top of each marshmallow in melted chocolate. Turn top-side up and let stand 40 minutes-1 hour or until set.

    Nutrients per serving: (1 cup) Calories 100, Total Fat 6 g, Saturated Fat 3.5 g, Cholesterol 10 mg, Carbohydrate 11 g, Protein 1 g, Sodium 60 mg, Fiber 0 g

    Cook's Tips: Dipping the Professional Shears in cold water before cutting the marshmallows helps minimize sticking. 

    The time it takes the chocolate to set varies depending on weather conditions and room temperature. You can refrigerate the cups briefly until the chocolate is set; store them at room temperature. 

    Store the cups in a single layer in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Freezing is not recommended. 

    For a richer chocolate flavor, substitute dark chocolate candy bars for the milk chocolate.

October 31, 2011

  • Hannah's Pumpkin Cheesecake

    Prep time: 20 minutes?
    Cook time: 1 hour
    Cool time: 4 hours and 15 minutes 
    Servings: Recipe makes two cheesecakes in 9" pie tins with 6-8 servings each
    Source - @irishmom4christ

    INGREDIENTS
    Crust:

    • 1 3/4 cups of ginger snap cookie crumbles
    • 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
    • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • 1 stick melted salted butter

    Filling:

    • 3 (8 ounce) packages of cream cheese at room temperature
    • 1 (15 oz ) canned pureed pumpkin
    • 3 eggs (yolks and whites) plus 1 egg yolk
    • 1/4 cup sour cream
    • 1 1/2 cup sugar
    • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • 1/8 ground nutmeg
    • 1/8 ground cloves
    • 2 tablespoon all purpose flour
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

    DIRECTIONS

    Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

    Crust: In a medium bowl, combine crumbs, sugar, and cinnamon. Add melted butter. Press flat into a 9-inch springform pan. Set aside.

    Filling: Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add pumpkin puree, eggs, egg yolk, sour cream, sugar, and the spices. Add flour and vanilla. Beat together until well combined.

    Pour into crust. Spread out evenly and place in oven for 1 hour. Remove from the oven and let sit for 15 minutes. Cover with plastic and refrigerate for 4 hours.

August 13, 2011

  • Catching Up

    Haven't posted any regular kitty photos since I moved to my new place. Partly because I've been busy but mostly because I'm lazy. Here are a few that have been taken since the move. All are also in the Cats 2011 photo album.


    Care Package!

    Care Package!

    The care package was sent several years ago and the box traveled with me through several moves because the messages on the flaps made me smile. On this last move I was determined to reduce the number of possessions that kept being hauled around but never used which meant this box had to go.

    Before I took it out to the recycling bins, I dropped Butter Cup in for a pic. Incidentally, I got her from them as well (although not part of the care package).

    Taken July 23, 2011



    Regal

    Regal

    The princess freshly bathed, primped, and ready to rule.

    Taken August 13, 2011



    Scowling

    Scowling

    Butter Cup secluded in her safe spot wearing an expression usually seen around Silhouette.

    Taken August 13, 2011



    Comfortable?

    Comfortable?

    Silhouette lounging in the papasan chair

    Taken March 6, 2011



    Laughing

    Laughing

    Silhouette at the tail end of a yawn.

    She's so in love with this carpet remnant and spends hours frolicking on it. Whenever I try to get a picture or video of the more amusing antics, she stops and walks away. It's like she's embarrassed.

    Taken August 8, 2011



    Cowering

    Cowering

    Silhouette cowering in the laundry room while the new screen door and windows were being installed.

    For a usually friendly cat, her bravado shot out the window when the contractors arrived.

    Because they kept leaving the door to the apartment open, I leashed her to the refrigerator. Garfield would have approved.

    Taken June 6, 2011



    Snoozing

    Snoozing

    Valentine asleep in her favorite spot under the bed.

    Taken May 30 ,2011



    Silhouette the Menace

    Silhouette the Menace

    Silhouette playing in one of my unpacked boxes.

    I later discovered she had peed in it but not before including it in a batch of boxes the ex borrowed for his move. I don't know if he used it or not.

    Taken May 30, 2011



    Snuggled

    Snuggled

    Silhouette snuggled up with her favorite blanket, a white fleece throw.

    In the winter, she always curled up on my lap and purred contentedly.

    Later on as the weather warmed up and I didn't use the blanket as often, I figured out it wasn't me she was snuggling with, it was the blanket.

    Taken June 6, 2011



    Claiming the Kill

    Claiming the Kill

    Perhaps, this is the reason why Silhouette has been hanging out near the stove and not the dozen treats that got lost under there when we were playing the food game.

    Although in order to claim the kill, Silly Cat, you have to, you know...actually kill it...not wait for me to clean underneath the stove and then pounce on the corpse.

    And thanks for the warning!

    Taken August 13, 2011


June 14, 2011

  • Things My Sister Says #2

    SIS: Avoid the penguins, they poop flaming skittles.

    ME: Why flaming skittles instead of pop rocks?

    SIS: Pop rocks don't come from penguins, silly. They come from the pissed off caterpillars.

    ME: Oh dear Lord...then what do the butterflies poo?

    SIS: Pissed off caterpillars.

June 10, 2011

  • Things My Sister Says #1

    Inspired by a certain Twitter feed and of course, my sister. Here are few phrases to start off with more to be added as they fly out of her mouth or keyboard.


    "They're all nutters. Ruth's cheese has slid off her cracker too."


    "Doesn't that cat know I just want to hug her and love her until her fur turns purple and her eyes shoot green beans?"


    HER: "why don't you move here until January?"

    ME: "heh... if you can pay me! :) :)"

    HER: "we'll give you a place to have your kitties, food and a bed... we can pay you in rainbows and butterflies... at least until winter then the butterflies might be on short order"

    ME: "LOL... and how do you suppose I'm going to be able to hold on to those rainbows!?"

    HER: "It's simple, I keep a leprauchaun trapped under the stairs, all you have to do is slip him some candy and he starts farting rainbows"

May 28, 2011

  • Roasted Dirt

    So I have this cute little Longaberger flower pot seen below. Please ignore the sad little shamrocks currently calling it home.

    2011-05-28 20.42.28

    While cleaning it up a little, I flipped over the saucer and found the following:

    2011-05-28 20.43.13

    Dishwasher-safe...good to know for lazy clean-ups. But the oven, freezer, or microwave? Whether empty or holding a live plant, I can't figure out the purpose!

    Roasted dirt anyone?