Chicken Eggs Rolls

This was my first time making egg rolls. For some reason, I've always thought that it would be much more complicated that it was. This recipe is really easy and it leaves lots of room to play with different ingredients to change the flavors. I used chopped chicken in place of the usual pork or shrimp because that's what I had on hand. You could even make these totally vegetarian and not miss the meat at all.

Chicken Egg Rolls

1 package egg roll wrappers
1 - 16 oz - package of coleslaw
2 tbsp fresh grated ginger
1 tbsp fresh grated garlic
2 tsp sesame oil
1 c. cooked chicken breast, cubed into very small pieces

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. Add 2 tbsp oil to a frying pan. Toss coleslaw mixture into the frying pan and heat until the cabbage has softened. Stir continually to avoid any sticking. Remove from heat. Cool for 5 minutes.

Unwrap egg roll wrappers. Lay one wrapper flat on the table facing you in a diamond shape. Brush outer edges with water. Add 1/3 c. of filling to the center of the egg roll wrapper.

Fold one end to the center of the wrapper. Fold the left and right edges in on each side. Roll up, making sure all edges are sealed. I ended up with 13 egg rolls.

Deep fry the egg rolls in 3 inches of oil. Fry for 1-2 minutes on each side. Watch carefully as they will brown very fast. Remove from oil onto a plate lined with paper towels. 

Enjoy!

Meatloaf and Mashed Potatoes

Nothing screams comfort food like these two items. Everyone seems to have their favorite recipe for each of them. I'm sharing mine tonight.

Meatloaf #2

I made a variant of this recipe.

2 lbs ground meat
1 c. plain bread crumbs
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese
2 eggs
1/3 c. ketchup
2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

Bake at 375* for 45 minutes or until no longer pink in the middle.

Mashed Potatoes

3 lbs. Idaho potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes

Place potatoes in a large pot. Cover with cold water and bring to a rolling boil. Cook over medium high heat for 8-12 minutes or until fork tender. Drain well. Return potatoes to pot. Add 2 tbsp. butter and 1/2 c. chicken broth. I like to use my hand-held mixer to "mash" the potatoes. Cover to keep warm until ready to eat.

Serve with brown gravy and green beans!

Chicken & Mushroom Penne

Chicken & Mushroom Penne

3 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed into small pieces
1 lb. penne pasta, cooked and drained well
8 oz. sliced white button mushrooms
1 small onion, diced into small pieces
1 1/4 c. chicken broth
1 - 10 3/4 oz- can of cream of mushroom soup
4 oz. Velveeta cheese, cubed
2 tsp sage
2 tsp creole seasoning (optional but it adds a nice kick)

In a medium frying pan, melt 2 tbsp. butter. Add onions and mushrooms to the pan and sautee until soft.

Into a large stock pot, stir together onions & mushrooms, 1/4 c. chicken broth, chicken and seasonings. Heat until warm.

Add mushroom soup and Velveeta cheese, stirring constantly until the cheese has melted. 

Spoon the penne into the pot of sauce. Stir well to blend.

Serve immediately with crusty bread on the side.

Celebrate New Year's Morning with Eggnog Waffles Topped w/ Spiced Whipped Cream

If you're like me, you always have a lot of eggnog in the frig after all of the holiday partying is over. Don't let it go to waste! Treat yourself to these delicious eggnog waffles. These waffles were such a nice treat for our breakfast this morning. They would be perfect for an easy breakfast or brunch on New Year's day.

Even if you've promised to lose weight starting now....do yourself a favor...start tomorrow - and don't skip the spiced whipped cream and powdered sugar! It's to die for!!

Eggnog Waffles with Spiced Whipped Cream

A couple of reminders before starting the recipe:

1. Preheat your waffle maker.

2. Set a bowl, along with your mixer's whisk attachment, in the freezer to chill before beating the whipped cream. 

Waffle ingredients

2 c. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp nutmeg
2 tsp cinnamon
2 eggs
2 c. eggnog
4 tbsp. oil

Sift all of the dry ingredients into a large bowl and set aside.

Into a second bowl, mix eggs, eggnog and oil until well blended. 

Stir wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Let rest for 5 minutes.

Follow your waffle maker's instructions for making waffles. You will end up with a beautiful stack of waffles.

With my basic waffle maker, I was able to make 12 waffles from this recipe.

Lightly sprinkle powdered sugar on top of the waffles and top with spiced whipped cream.

Enjoy!

Spiced Whipped Cream

Remove the bowl and whisk from the freezer.

Pour 1 c. of heavy cream into the chilled bowl. Add 1-2 tsp cinnamon, 1-2 tsp nutmeg and 2 tsp powdered sugar. Whip on high until soft peaks form in the cream. I dare you to not stick your finger into the bowl over and over again!

** I recommend starting with 1 tsp. of each spice and then do a taste test to see if you like it. I tend to like a heavier spice taste than some people. If it needs more spices, add them and continue whipping until blended.**

Leftover waffles can be frozen by placing them on a baking sheet in a single layer, then placing the baking sheet into the freezer until the waffles are frozen. The frozen waffles can be stored in freezer bags or freezer-safe containers.

As for the leftover whipped cream......grab a spoon and dig in!!  I promise not to tell!

Happy New Year to everyone in Blog Land!

Rustic Apple Pie

Sit down with a warm slice of apple pie and enjoy your favorite holiday shows. This is a super easy dessert that looks like you spent a lot of time making it. All of the imperfections make it look even better.

Rustic Apple Pie

1 recipe for brown sugar apples* - recipe link below
1 refrigerated pie crust
extra brown sugar for sprinkling over the top

I used my recipe for brown sugar apples, adding 1 c. of raisins to the apples while they are cooking.

Lightly coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.

Stretch the pie crust out on the sheet - doesn't have to be a perfect circle.

Pour the cooked apples into the center of the crust, leaving 3-4 inches of dough all around the outer edge.

Pull the pie crust to the center of the pie, overlapping the crust as you fold it around forming a circle.

Lightly sprinkle 2 TBSP of brown sugar over the top of apples.

Bake at 350* until the pie crust is light brown - you do not need to cook any longer because the apples have
already been cooked.

Use a large spatula to loosen the pie from the pan. Cool on baking sheet for 10 minutes. Carefully transfer the pie to a cutting board or a large plate. Serve warm.