Curried Chicken Stir Fry

Did everyone have wonderful Christmas celebrations? Are you done or still going strong until January 1st?  After all the eating and stuffing of your face with cookies and sweets, feel good and festive when making this health filled dinner with visual culinary splendor.  Use whatever combination of veggies and meats you have readily in your kitchen. 

Simple, flavorful, fresh and easy in a one dish meal.

Curried Chicken Stir Fry
Print recipe here

2 TB grapeseed oil
1 ½ tsp curry powder
½ tsp celtic sea salt and fresh cracked pepper
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced thin
½ onion, sliced thin
1 red bell pepper, sliced thin
2 C snow peas, ends removed
1 C coconut milk
1 tsp chili garlic sauce (optional)
1 lime, juiced
steamed rice

1. Heat skillet or wok over medium high heat with oil. Add chicken and sprinkle 1 tsp curry powder, salt and pepper. Toss and cook 5 minutes.

2. Add onion, peppers, snow peas and ½ tsp curry powder. Saute and cook 1 minute.

3. Stir in coconut milk and chili garlic sauce, once it comes to a boil reduce heat to medium low and simmer 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat once slightly thickened. Squeeze half of a lime over whole dish.

4. Serve over fresh steamed rice and top with more lime as desired.
 

Today's recipes where brought to you by, inspired or adapted from:  Cooking Light Magazine

Homemade Coffee Creamer: Christmas Edition

My long lost love is coffee creamer, my new found love is raw cocoa butter, better known as unsweetened white chocolate.  Buy it just to open the jar and smell, very aromatic.  Cocoa butter is high in antioxidants and fatty stearic acid.  These have been found to lower your cholesterol and raise metabolism!  Cheers to that! 
This started as an ode' to the Berry White Mocha from Caribou Coffee.  So in a sense it is a copy-cat.  But this is much better when brewed at home with your favorite roasted beans.  This recipe post has 2 nice and 1 naughty...if you have little mini coffee sneakers in the house like me, do not let your children drink from the Eggnog Creamer.  See here for my first edition of Homemade Coffee Creamer!   Also learn How To: Make a latte.  Have a very Merry Christmas!

Homemade Coffee Creamer: Christmas Edition

White as Snow White Chocolate Raspberry Creamer
Print recipe here
1 C whole milk

1 C heavy whipping cream

½ C raw cane sugar, ¼ C pure maple syrup or ½ tsp stevia

2 TB raw cocoa butter (unsweetened white chocolate)

2 tsp raspberry extract



This was hard to find for me, but glad I kept searching.  It is food grade but I found it in the lotions.  This stuff smells amazing!



Whisk together milk, cream, sweetener and cocoa butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. When mixture begins to steam up from pan, remove from heat and stir in raspberry extract. Let cool, pour into a glass bottle and store in the refrigerator. Use according to your own taste in coffee, hot cocoa, ice cream, oatmeal, french toast...

Eggnog Creamer
Print recipe here
1 C whole milk
1 C heavy whipping cream
2-4 TB good quality bourbon
½ C raw cane sugar, ¼ C pure maple syrup or ½ tsp stevia
1 tsp ground nutmeg
¼ tsp Vietnamese cinnamon

Whisk together milk, cream, bourbon, sweetener and spices in a medium saucepan over medium heat. When mixture begins to steam up from pan, remove from heat and let cool. Pour into a glass bottle and store in the refrigerator. Use according to your own taste in coffee, hot cocoa, ice cream, oatmeal, french toast...

Christmas Tree Candy Cane Creamer
Print recipe here
1 C whole milk
1 C heavy whipping cream
½ C raw cane sugar, ¼ C pure maple syrup or ½ tsp stevia
2 tsp Homemade Peppermint Extract
½ tsp pure vanilla extract

Whisk together milk, cream and sweetener in a medium saucepan over medium heat. When mixture begins to steam up from pan, remove from heat and stir in peppermint and vanilla extract. Let cool, pour into a glass bottle and store in the refrigerator. Use according to your own taste in coffee, hot cocoa, ice cream, oatmeal, french toast...



Today's recipes where brought to you by, inspired or adapted from:  Saved by the Egg Timer: Original

Eggnog Butter Rolls

Did you make these Eggnog Muffins with Eggnog Icing?  Have leftover Eggnog that you don't know what to do with?  Make delicious Eggnog Butter Rolls!  No need to have a mixer or bread hook, just a wooden spoon and bowl.  These have a fast rising time so you do not need to think 4 hours ahead in order to have these fresh, hot rolls on your dinner table.  They are sweet and savory.  Perfect with ham dinner where it gives the sweet to the salty.   Don't have Eggnog?  Milk works too!

Eggnog Butter Rolls
Print recipe here

1 TB active yeast
1 C eggnog, warm
2 large eggs
1/2 C unsalted butter, melted and cooled
4 C white flour, unbromated and unbleached
2 TB raw cane sugar
1 tsp celtic sea salt

1. Heat eggnog to a slightly warm temperature. Pour into large mixing bowl. Sprinkle in the yeast and let poof for 10 minutes.

2. Add eggs, butter, flour, sugar and salt. Stir with wooden spoon for 2 minutes until fully combined and tacky. Continue to stir another 3 minutes.  If too dry to incorporate, add up to another 2 TB warm eggnog or water.  

3. Butter a 9 x 13 glass baking dish with butter. Grab a baseball size of dough, roll and place in the glass baking dish until you have 12. For smaller rolls grab golf ball size until you have 16 or 24 for even smaller.  No need to flour your hands or surface since they are so buttery they do not stick to your hands!  Cover with a dish towel and let raise in a warm, draft free spot for 45 to 60 minutes.

4. Once doubled in size, place in a preheated oven to 375 degrees F. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove from oven when golden brown on the tops. You may brush with more melted butter if desired. Dust with a small amount of nutmeg. Serve at holiday dinners, great with ham.



Today's recipe is brought to you by, inspired or adapted from:  Saved by the Egg Timer: Original

Gingerbread Spiced Syrup

The countdown to Christmas is less than a week!  You may just have everything on hand to make this simple type syrup spiced up like Gingerbread Cookies.  Make sure to have this out on your table for all who share this wonderful Christmas day with you.  Are you wanting more drink ideas?  Don't forget about serving this Holiday Pie Coffee Creamer and this Hot Cocoa.

Gingerbread Spiced Syrup
Print recipe here

2 C water
2 C raw cane sugar or 1 C pure maple syrup or 2 tsp stevia
2 inch piece fresh ginger root, sliced thin
2 whole cinnamon sticks
20 whole cloves
20 whole allspice berries
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp whole peppercorns

1. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine water and sugar or equivalent. Stir in ginger, cinnamon stick, cloves, allspice, nutmeg and peppercorns.

2. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer for 30 minutes.

3. Let cool for 20 minutes, then strain through a fine mesh sieve, or double layer cheesecloth. To remove the ground nutmeg. Store in glass jars.

4. Use to spice up coffee, tea, apple cider. Add a tablespoon to your favorite beverage, whipped cream or brush it on fresh muffins or cakes. Drizzle over yogurt, oatmeal or pancakes. Keep as a simple syrup to spruce up your cocktails for Christmas parties and New Years Eve.  Simply wonderful!



Today's recipes where brought to you by, inspired or adapted from:  All Recipes

Cranberry Struesel Cake

Happy Cake Slice Baker's post day!  It is the 20th day of the month which means today's post will be about baking with The Cake Slice Baker's ladies (and gentleman if there are any...I haven't checked...).  The cake for the month of December is Cranberry Cake, how appropriate.  I have been super in love with cranberries this year so I was happy to see this be the winner.  This is the most wonderful batter I think I have ever tasted!  The cake and toasty topping is a winner too.  A must try if you need to impress your family. 

Cranberry Struesel Cake
Print recipe here

1 ½ C sliced almonds
3 TB unsalted butter, melted
3 TB raw cane sugar
dash celtic sea salt
2 C whole wheat pastry flour, unbromated and unbleached
1 tsp aluminum free baking powder
¼ tsp celtic sea salt
3 organic eggs
2 C raw cane sugar
¾ C (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 bag (12 ounces) fresh organic cranberries


1. Heat the oven to 300 degrees F. Grease a 10inch round springform pan.

2. Stir to coat the butter, almonds and raw cane sugar in a small bowl, set aside.

3. Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. 

4.  Combine the eggs and granulated sugar in a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer on medium high speed until the mixture is lightened and increased in volume, about 5 minutes.

5.  With the mixer on low speed, add the melted butter in a slow stream. Turn the mixer to medium speed and beat for another 2 minutes. Add in the vanilla and mix through.

6.  Gently, yet thoroughly fold in the flour mixture, half a cup at a time. Stir in the cranberries.

7.  Scrape the cake batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top with a spatula. Sprinkle the streusel over the batter. Bake and check the cake at 60 minutes up to 90 minutes until it is golden and a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. (Mine needed the full 90 minutes.)

8.  Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Release the sides of the pan and use a large spatula to slide the cake from the pan bottom onto the wire rack.

9.  Let cool completely before cutting into wedges and serving.  Store uneaten cake in a cake keeper or wrap in plastic and store at room temperature for up to 5 days.



Today's recipes where brought to you by, inspired or adapted from:

and    

Chocolate Mint Truffle Kisses

There are no words, all I can say is make these!  Bonus:  if you ran out of eggs you can still whip this up!  Don't have Kisses?  Add 2 cups of chocolate chips to the batter instead.  I used my Homemade Peppermint Extract, remember that?  It is delicious, don't forget about it next year when your planting. 

Truffle cookies with a truffle topping. 

Chocolate Mint Truffle Kisses
Print recipe here

2 1/2 sticks (1 ¼ C) unsalted butter, softened
2 C powdered sugar
1/3 C unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 tsp celtic sea salt
1/4 C Greek yogurt or cultured sour cream
2 tsp Homemade Peppermint Extract
2 ¼ C white flour, unbromated and unbleached
¼ C unsweetened cocoa powder (for rolling)
1 package Mint Truffle Kisses

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and powdered sugar, slowly added.

3. Add in the cocoa powder and salt. Mixture until well combined.  Beat in the sour cream and peppermint extract.

4. With the mixer on low, blend in the flour until no streaks of flour remain. Chill dough 30 minutes.

5. Shape the dough into 1-inch balls and roll each ball lightly in the cocoa powder and place on the baking sheet. Do not flatten the cookies. The cookies will not spread very much if the dough is chilled, so they can be placed fairly close together.

6. Bake the cookies for 10 minutes. They will just barely be set but you don’t want to over bake or they will be dry. Remove from cookie sheet and place on plate, wax paper or cooling rack. Place a kiss on each cookie.

Note: The truffles Kisses will melt into perfect puddles. If you use solid chocolate Kisses you will keep the Kisses shape. Both are cute and yummy. Store in an airtight container.

Today's recipe is brought to you by, inspired or adapted from:  My Kitchen Cafe and a bag of Kisses!

Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes and a blizzard

Thank God for weatherman, or weather people...weather women...all of them!  We had a blizzard last weekend and since I knew we would be locked in our house for a few days I was able to think ahead.  What do you do when you have 3 feet of snow on your front door? Cookie baking marathon and ham dinner.
Have you decided what you are bringing to share at Christmas dinner?  These potatoes are so good.  Perfect cream to cheese ratio.  I must warn you about what it does to your casserole dish....but well worth it! 

Welcome, have a seat. 

Would you like to come join me on the deck!?



Ham and roll recipes to come...

 Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes
Print recipe here

8 large baking potatoes, sliced thin
2 TB unsalted butter
5 C sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (or mix of colby and sharp cheddar)
celtic sea salt and black pepper to taste
onion powder to taste, optional
paprika for sprinkling
1 quart half and half (or 1 pint heavy cream with 1 pint of whole milk)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Coat a large casserole dish with 2 TB butter.

2. Lay 2 potatoes that are sliced thin on the bottom. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and onion powder. Cover with 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese. Repeat. Repeat again.

3. 4th layer goes on the same, top with 2 cups cheese instead of 1. Always make sure to leave at least 1-2 inches from the top so it will not boil over in your oven.

4. Evenly pour 1 quart half and half over the dish. Sprinkle on a little paprika.

5. Place the casserole dish cover on or cover tightly with heavy duty tin foil.

6. Place in the oven at 375 degrees F for 1 hour. Then turn heat down to 350 degrees F for 1 hour. Don’t fret, it will look too soupy. Remove foil and turn heat down to 325 degrees F for 1 hour. Watch for the top so it does not burn. Remove when browned, bubbly and most liquid has cooked down.

WARNING!!!  Soak overnight and it comes off very easy. 

 
 
Today's recipe is brought to you by, inspired or adapted from:  Chris, thank you for passing along this gem of a dish!

Salted Caramel Chewies

With our awesome blizzard I got a lot of cooking done while locked inside my house.  It was a lot of fun, I am hearing that most people enjoyed being forced to do nothing for a day.  I found a new favorite.  If you are a fan of a salty and sweet you need to make these for your Christmas treat.  Not the prettiest cookie in the whole wide world but nicer looking in person. Sparkling with sugar and salt. 

Salted Caramel Chewies
Print recipe here

¾ C unsalted butter, no need to thaw
1 ¾ C dark brown sugar
½ tsp celtic sea salt
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1 TB vanilla extract (Yes, Tablespoon!)
2 ½ C all-purpose flour, unbromated and unbleached
½ tsp aluminum free baking soda
¼ tsp aluminum free baking powder

Rolling Mixture
2 TB dark brown sugar
2 TB raw cane sugar
Celtic Sea Salt for sprinkling- any good (sea salt, kosher salt or Fleur de sel) salt except NO table salt!

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and set aside.

2. Place butter into a medium saucepan over medium heat. Make your Beurre Noisette (Browned Butter).

3. Pour the browned butter into a large mixing bowl. Add the brown sugar and salt, mix until all ingredients are wet. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract. Mix until combined.

4. Add the flour mixture in three parts. Mix just until the flour is completely combined and the dough is very thick.

5. Take 1/2 a tablespoon-sized pieces of dough (I took my cookie scoop, scooped it level, removed then separated into two) and gently roll them into ball shapes.

6. Dredge them in the sugar dredging mixture until well-coated. Place on the baking sheet and lightly sprinkle with the salt.

7. Bake for 7-9 minutes or until the edges have browned a bit and they look set. Be careful not to over-bake. Remove from cookie sheet and allow to cool on plate, wax paper or cooling rack.



Today's recipe is brought to you by, inspired or adapted from:  Simply Recipes

Eggnog Muffins with Eggnog Icing

I am currently sitting in the middle of a blizzard!  Almost everything is closed today, what a great day to stay home and get my Christmas baking started.  Good thing we had a heads up this week, I got to the store and was able to stock up on butter....about 20 pounds.  Because I am such a good friend, I will now relieve you from your deep dark guilt of the amount of butter we use at this time of year. 

Real butter is filled with Vitamin A, D, and E.  Mineral rich with selenium, manganese, chromium, zinc and copper.  Real butter contains the essential fatty acids and CLA which supports a high metabolism and builds muscle.  Who knew that butter would help give you a smaller waistline!  Bottom line, eat like our great grandparents used to with real ingredients and we will have less obesity problems for ourselves and children. If you don't believe me, read the article and studies here.  Seriously, I am going to talk about this when I am baking loads of cookies filled with butter?  Yes! Butter is good for you...Merry Christmas!

Enough of my class lesson, back to the Christmas baking.  I had to give these a try out of the simplicity of them.  These holiday inspired muffins are amazing and simple, perfect as a muffin or cupcake.  If you are short on time like most, impress your family, friends or co-workers with these golden gems. 

Easy as 1-2-3, fast, fancy and flavorsome. 

Eggnog Muffins 
Print recipe here

2 C eggnog, not lite or lowfat
1 ½ C white flour, unbromated and unbleached
2 tsp + ¼ tsp aluminum free baking powder
½ tsp + ¼ tsp celtic sea salt

Eggnog Icing
¼ C powdered sugar
1 TB eggnog
fresh ground nutmeg for sprinkling


1-2-3

1. In a medium bowl measure out the eggnog, briefly set aside.

2. In small mixing bowl whisk the flour, baking powder and salt.

3. Add flour to the bowl of eggnog and whisk until well blended, about 50 turns (yes I counted!)

4. Scoop 2 cookie scoops into each regular sized muffin liner or greased muffin tin.

5. Bake in 350 degrees F oven for 13-16 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Let cool 10 minutes.

6.  Mix the powdered sugar and 1 TB eggnog. 
 

7.  Drizzle with Eggnog Icing and a sprinkling of fresh nutmeg over the slightly cooled muffins. (Note: Easy on the nutmeg if your not used to using it, it is strong. A little goes a long way.)

 

 

 

Today's recipe is brought to you by, inspired or adapted from:  Big Red Kitchen