Spiced Apple Pancakes

I love breakfast. I tell myself I eat it becasue it's the most important meal of the day, but the truth is, it's just my favorite. But I don't like the bacon or sausage or eggs. I love my carbs! Muffins, waffles, pancakes....bring 'em on! I got this recipe from a friend of mine, Lindsey. I was so excited to try them, and even more excited when they were better than I had imagined. And the syrup? Don't even get me started. It was AMAZING. I ate seven pancakes.....SEVEN!! And I plan on making more as soon as I can get over to the grocery store for more apples.

And as proof as to how good these really are, here's a picture of the pickiest of picky eaters loving them.

Spiced Apple Pancakes:

makes approx. 18-4 inch pancakes

2 C. bisquick

1/2 t. cinnamon

1 egg

1 2/3 C. milk

3/4 C. grated apple (about 2)

Mix bisquick, cinnamon, eggand milk until smooth. Add apple. Cook on greased griddle. Turn when bubbles appear, but before they break.

Cider Syrup:

1 C. sugar

2 T. cornstarch

1/4 t. cinnamon

1/4 t. nutmeg

2 C. apple juice

2 T. lemon juice

1/4 C. butter

Mix sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon and nutmeg in saucepan. Stir in juice and lemon. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil 1 minute. Blend in butter. Serve warm.

Cilantro Lime Rice

Have I mentioned that I love Cafe Rio?  I am always searching for recipes that taste like Cafe Rio food and are easy to make.  I found this recipe for cilantro lime rice that tastes just like Cafe Rio's and is sooooo good.  Justin and I were huge fans of this one and we will definitely make it again!  I can"t get my computer to read my SD card so I will put up a picture later.

Source:  http://www.desktopcookbook.com/

Cilantro Lime Rice

- 4 tbls butter

- 2 1/2 cups rice

- 4 1/2 cups chicken broth

- 1 1/2 tsp salt

- juice of 4 small limes or 4 tbls lime juice

- 4 tbsp chopped cilantro

- 1/2 tsp cumin

Mix all in rice cooker or pot until done. I don't have a rice cooker so I made it in a pan on the stove.

Chili on Rice

This is a mission favorite but not a Janae favorite. She likes the chili just not with rice. It sure is a quick fix and it feeds alot of people for pretty cheap.


Chili
1 pound of ground beef browned
1 can of 16 1/2 ounce kidney beans undrained
1 can of 14 1/2 ounce diced tomatoes undrained
1 package of chili seasoning
1 small onion ( optional )

Pulled Chicken Suiza Sammies

recipe from http://www.realmomkitchen.com/

I have not actually made these yet, but I am going to as soon as I buy some salsa verde.  They look so yummy!  I will add my comments as to whether or not they were a hit with the kiddos after I make them.  We love any hot meat and cheese sandwich so I am sure they will be a winner.

Pulled Chicken Suiza Sammies


1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
1 small red onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
Juice of 1 lime
1 tablespoon honey
1 1/2 cups store-bought tomatillo salsa or salsa verde
1/2 cup sour cream
1 rotisserie-style chicken, skin discarded and meat shredded
4 sandwich rolls, split (I think it makes more like 6-8 sandwiches)
4 slices Swiss or monterey jack cheese

Pre-heat the broiler. In a large skillet, heat the EVOO, 1 turn of the pan, over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until softened, about 2 minutes.

Stir in the lime juice and honey, then stir in the salsa and heat through. Mix in the sour cream. Stir in the chicken to coat.

Place sandwich rolls on baking sheet and top bottom half of rolls with the cheese and broil on middle rack until rolls are lightly toasted and cheese is melted. Fill sandwiches with chicken mixture and serve.

Pasta Salad

Here is my absolute favorite pasta salad recipe. It’s my go-to recipe for any gathering, pot luck dinners, BBQs and today’s event, a bridal shower. It’s always a hit and I never have leftovers. I look at the ingredients and think they seem a little odd together, but believe me it works. And it’s so much better the next day so I always make it the night before. Give it a try, you’ll love it!

Pasta Salad

1 3/4 cups farfalle pasta

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

1 1/2 tablespoons prepared Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon white sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon dried dill weed

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 cups seedless red grapes, halved

2 cups diced ham

1/2 cup chopped green onions

1 1/2 cups sharp Cheddar cheese, cut into small cubes

Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling, salted water until al dente.

Drain.In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, sour cream, cider vinegar, mustard, sugar, black pepper, dill weed and salt.

In a large bowl, combine pasta, grapes, ham, onions and cheese. Toss with the dressing. Cover and chill overnight, or for at least 6 hours.

Congo Bars

 

I know Congo Bars isn't a new recipe to any of us, but I made some changes to the original recipe over the weekend and they turned out de-lish-ous, so I thought I would share. I added peanut butter and did peanut butter chips AND milk chocolate chips. The recipe said to cook them for 15-20 minutes. I took them out right at 15 minutes. Most people would probably say they were under cooked but I love them gooey so I think they were perfect. I think it's my newest favorite treat, and they're so quick and easy.

Congo Bars

2/3 cup oil

2 1/4 cup brown sugar

3 eggs

1/3 cup peanut butter

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups flour

1 tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup chocolate chips

1 cup peanut butter chips

Cream oil and brown sugar. Add eggs, peanut butter and vanilla and mix well. Mix in flour, baking powder and salt. Stir in chocolate and peanut butter chips (the dough was so thick that I actually had to pull it out of the bowl and knead it by hand to get it mixed well). Press into cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes. Enjoy!

Orange Chicken

This recipe is also from My Kitchen Cafe, but the awesome plating picture is from Jay.   

I would say this is my most favorite dinner I have cooked....EVER!  It was so yummy!  It took about 30-40 minutes to fix, but most of that was making the sauce while the chicken was in the oven.  All of the kids loved it and Jay thought it was also one of the best things I had ever cooked. 

If you like Panda Express's Orange Chicken, then you have to give this one a try.

I have also be insturcted by Bridger and Jay that next time I make this I need to make more...they didn't get seconds, and the 5-6 peices of chicken they got weren't quite enough.  So next time I think I will make 1 1/2 times as much chicken...but I think I could still get away with the same amount of sauce...we will see.

 

Orange Chicken

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 2" cubes

1/2 cup flour

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons oil or butter

1 1/2 cups water

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

1/3 cup rice vinegar

2 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce

1/2 tablespoon orange zest

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon finely minced ginger

1 teaspoon minced garlic

2 tablespoons green onion

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1/4 cup water

Heat oven to 350. In a shallow dish combine the flour, garlic powder and pepper. Dip each piece of chicken in flour mixture and coat evenly.

Pour oil (or melt butter and pour) in a shallow baking dish, large enough to accommodate chicken in a single layer. Arrange chicken in pan and bake uncovered for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan combine water, fresh orange juice, rice vinegar, soy sauce, orange zest and whisk over medium heat for a few minutes. Then stir in brown sugar, ginger, garlic, and green onion and let it come to a boil. Combine cornstarch with water and let it dissolve and add it to the sauce until thickened.

After chicken has baked the 30 minutes, turn each piece over and pour 1/2 sauce mixture evenly over chicken. Bake another 30 to 40 minutes basting frequently.

Serve chicken over rice with extra sauce on the side.