imageWe really enjoy P.F. Changs,  but sadly the closest one to us is about an hour away. Their chicken lettuce wraps are something that we all really enjoy  Here is a quick and easy version of their lettuce wraps. I don’t like mushrooms…not even a little, but if you do you can certainly add 1 cup of chopped mushrooms to the mix. I also made white rice to go with this so you can serve this a couple different ways. Serve the rice on the side or when building the wrap put a little bit of rice on the bottom and add the chicken mixture to the top. Either way, I know you will enjoy this as much as we did!

INGREDIENTS
2 Tablespoons sesame oil, divided
1 cup mushrooms, chopped (optional)
1 pound ground chicken
1 small can chopped water chestnuts
2 garlic cloves, minced
6 basil leaves, chopped
2 Tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 Tablespoons teriaki sauce
1 Tablespoon soy sauce (I used low sodium)
1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 Tablspoon search a sauce
1 head bibb lettuce, separated into leaves
Scallions for garnish

Cooked white rice (optional)

DIRECTIONS
Ina medium skillet over medium heat, heat one Tablespoon of the sesame oil. Add the mushrooms if using and cook stirring occasionally until golden brown and soft.  Transfer to a plate and set aside.  Add one more tablespoon of sesame oil to the skillet and bring the heat back up. Add the chicken and cook until done, about 4-5 minutes crumbling while you are cooking, drain the fat if needed. Add the garlic and stir for about 30 seconds, add the mushrooms back in and sprinkle with basil and stir to combine.
In a small bowl combine the hoisin sauce, teriyaki sauce, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, ground ginger, cornstarch, and sriracha and whisk until well combined. Pour sauce over the chicken mixture and stir to coat evenly. Cook until heated through and slightly thickened. Spoon into the lettuce leaves and garnish with scallions.
Serve warm.

Enjoy!

 

signature

This recipe can be found at www.frugallivingnw.com

image
This apple cake was so easy and absolutely delicious! I had to beat the boys away from this more than once! This lasted less than 24 hours before the boys were scraping the dish for crumbs!  Needless to say this hit the family favorite file quick! I also liked this, but I think I would like the addition of chopped pecans.  I guess I’ll just have to make it again.  I am sure the boys wouldn’t mind it one bit!

INGREDIENTS
1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
3 cups peeled, diced apples (I used Granny Smith)
1 cup chopped pecans (optional)

NOTE- Because this cake was such a huge hit I made it again this time with chopped pecans and it was absolutely delicious!
Either way you make it I have no doubt it will be loved!

TOPPING INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup of butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup milk

NOTE: if you don’t want to make the caramel, simply buy good quality caramel and drizzle over the cake when cool!

DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9 x 13 baking dish.  In a large mixing bowl beat together oil, sugar, eggs and vanilla. Add the flour, salt, baking soda and cinnamon and beat together until well combined. Stir in your chopped apples. Pour the cake batter into your prepared dish and bake for 50-55 minutes or until the center is cooked through. Cool completely before adding the caramel.

To make the caramel combine the brown sugar, butter and milk in a saucepan over medium high heat stirring constantly until the mixture comes to a boil. Once at a boil let cook WITHOUT stirring for three minutes and remove from heat. Immediately pour the glaze over the cake and let cool for one hour prior to cutting and serving.

Enjoy!

 

signature

image
Since the new year started,  we have been eating a lot of salads. Every kind of salad imaginable, some good, some ok but this one is FAN-FRICKIN-TASTIC! No joke this is delicious with lots of flavor and simple to put together for a weeknight dinner and special enough to serve for guests. We had a small amount leftover the next day and Mr. MCYM made a wrap with it and said it was terrific that way too! Both he and Robby asked for this salad again the next week Hmmmmm…boys asking for salad?  Yup! It’s a keeper!

INGREDIENTS
1 pound of shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 Tablespoons taco seasoning (I used low sodium)
1 Tablespoon olive oil
6 cups mixed lettuce (I like to mix romaine and spinach)
1 yellow pepper (or any color)
1/2 cup red onion diced
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

DRESSING INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup sour cream
Juice and zest from one lime
3 Tablespoons olive oil
3 Tablespoons honey
2 Tablespoons taco seasoning

image

DIRECTIONS
FOR THE DRESSING – In a small bowl combine sour cream, lime juice, lime zest, oil, honey and taco seasoning. Combine well. Keep in fridge until ready to serve.
Place shrimp in a Ziploc bag and add taco seasoning, shake to coat the shrimp. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, add shrimp making sure the shrimp are in a single layer. Cook shrimp for three minutes on one side, flip the shrimp and cook another three minutes on the second side making sure the shrimp are cooked through. Remove shrimp from pan and build your salad adding the lettuce, pepper, onion,tomato and cheeses to a bowl.
Add the shrimp to the top and drizzle with dressing.

Enjoy!

signature

 

 

 

 

image
This is a copy cat soup from Olive Garden and it is delicious!
We have hit the winter months in New Hampshire and although we have not had much snow we have had some cold days and nights and this hits the spot perfectly on those days! This soup comes together quick and would be great with some crusty bread!  So next time the weather is cold go ahead and make this and curl up with your favorite someone and enjoy the afternoon!!

 

 

INGREDIENTS
4 slices of bacon, diced
1 pound spicy sausage sliced into bite size pieces
1 Tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 onion, diced
4 cups chicken broth
3 russet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
3 cups baby spinach
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add bacon and cook until browned and crisp. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate and set aside. Add diced sausage to skillet and cook until browned, about 3-5 minutes being sure to stir the sausage as it cooks, drain excess fat and set aside.  Heat olive oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. add garlic and onion cook stirring frequently until onions are translucent.
Stir in chicken broth and bring to a boil, add potatoes and cook until tender about ten minutes. Stir in sausage and spinach until spinach starts to wilt, just a couple minutes. Stir in heavy cream and cook until heated through. Season with salt and pepper, top with bacon and serve warm!

Enjoy!

 

signature

This recipe can be found at www.damndelicious.com

image

These cute little delicious appetizers would be great for your next party or game day! I made a small batch using one box of the mini tart shells but you can easily double or triple this recipe.  Both Jim and I really enjoyed these little bites.  We enjoyed them so much we did not share with anyone else in the house that day!  This takes no time to put together using the triple ale onion spread by “Wozz”. I purchased this product at Apple Harvest Day in Dover over the summer. You can simply used caramelized onions as well!  You can order his amazing products on line anytime of the year!
Website is: www.wozzkitchencreations.com

 

INGREDIENTS
1 box of Athens mini tart shells (15 in each box)
Goat cheese
Wozz triple onion ale spread
Chopped pecans or walnuts

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Arrange mini tart shells on a baking sheet, fill tart shells with a small amount of goat cheese and top with the triple ale onion spread. Add a couple of chopped nuts to each shell and bake for 10 minutes.
Serve warm.

Enjoy!

signature

Stay In Touch

    Subscribe

Follow on Bloglovin

Email Subscription

Follow me!

Follow on Bloglovin

Archive