Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Original Recipe from: http://www.cookingclassy.com/2015/02/slow-cooker-asian-chicken-lettuce-wraps/

 

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 3 hours

Yield: About 12 wraps, about 6 servings

 

Ingredients

• 2 lbs ground chicken (not ground chicken breast)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 red bell pepper, cored and finely chopped
• 1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion
• 1/2 cup hoisin sauce
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 (8 oz) can sliced water chestnuts, drained and rinsed
• 1 1/2 cups cooked white or brown rice
• 3 green onions, sliced
• 1 Tbsp rice vinegar and 1 1/2 tsp sesame oil (optional)
• 2 heads iceberg lettuce

Directions

• Place ground chicken and garlic in a large microwave safe bowl. Microwave mixture, stirring occasionally, until chicken is no longer pink, about 5 - 6 minutes. Drain off liquid and pour mixture into a 5 - 7 quart slow cooker. Add bell pepper, onion, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper and toss mixture. Cover and cook on low heat 2 - 3 hours until chicken is tender.
• Stir in water chestnuts, cooked rice, green onions, rice vinegar, and sesame oil, cook until heated through 3 - 5 minutes. Season with additional salt as desired. Separate iceberg lettuce leaves and serve with chicken filling.

Original Recipe source: adapted from America's Test Kitchen Slow Cooker Revolution Vol. 2. Pg 115.

3.1

Hot Mama Grade: B

Hot Mama Notes: My friend made this recipe about a month ago at a party.  I liked it so much that I couldn't wait to make it myself!!!  For whatever the reason (different hoisin, or ???), I feel like my dish didn't turn out quite as awesome as hers.  I did like them, and so did my husband.  So, it wasn't a recipe fail.  I just feel like I didn't *LOVE* it like I did when my friend made it.  I used Kroger brand hoisin and canned water chestnuts.  I did add the rice vinegar and sesame oil, since I had them available.  If I make them again, I would cut down on the amount of hoisin, I think, to make them a bit less sweet.  Otherwise, they were tasty.  I did remember to use ground chicken not ground chicken breast.  I used white sticky rice (short grain).

Lasagna

Originally from: Kroger Brand Oven Ready Lasagna Box

Ingredients:

2-15oz containers Ricotta Cheese
2 c Mozarella Cheese, Shredded
1/2 c Parmesan Cheese, Grated
2  eggs
1t  Dried Basil
26 oz Jar Spaghetti Spauce
1c  Water
2 lb Ground Turkey (93/7), browned and drained
12 oz pkg Oven Ready Lasagna Noodles

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375F.
2. Ina medium bowl, combine ricotta cheese, 1 cup of Mozzarella cheese, 1/4c paremesan cheese, eggs, and basil.  Mix well.
3. In another medium bowl, combine spaghetti sauce, 1 cup water, and browned meat.  Mix well.
4. In a 9"x13"x3" pan, spread 1.5 cups of meat sauce.  Place 4 sheets of Lasagna over sauce.  DO NOT BOIL NOODLES.  Spread 1/2 of the cheese mixture over Lasagna.  Top with 1/3 of meat sauce.
5. Repeat Layering once.
6. Top with 4 sheets of Lasagna then sauce.
7. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and parmesan cheese.
8. Wrap the lasagna tightly with a double layer of foil.
9. Bake at 375F for 55 to 60 minutes or until the lasagna is fork tender.
10. Let stand for 10 minutes seals in foil before cutting and serving.
Refrigerate any leftovers.

Hot Mama Grade: A

Hot Mama Notes:  Original Recipe calls for 1 lb ground beef or sausage.  This lasagna turned out FABULOUS, and I am so glad that it has oven-ready noodles.  That saves a time-consuming step and it's associated frustrations!!!  We will definitely be making this again.  Next time, I might add some zucchini and/or spinach to increase the veggie intake.  :)  The spaghetti sauce I used (24 oz jar, I believe) was Ragu with onions  & garlic, I believe.  All the cheeses were Kroger brand, preshredded if applicable. Also, I used a pampered chef stoneware 13x9, so I had to leave it in the oven for an extra 10 minutes.  The stone has a lot of heat inertia, and it takes an extra 10-15 minutes to heat up.

25 Jan 2016

Deviled Eggs

From: The Better Homes & Gardens Cookbook.

Ingredients:
6 hard-boiled eggs
0.25c Mayo
1t Mustard
1t Vinegar
Paprika, to garnish

Directions:
Hard boil eggs.  Cool and dry eggs.  Cut eggs lengthwise.  Remove yolks and put in a bowl.  Smash yolks, and then add mayo, mustard, and vinegar.  Spoon yolk mixture into egg whites.  Sprinkle with paprika.  Voila!  Refrigerate.  

Hot Mama Grade: A

Hot Mama Notes: This is a tried & true recipe.  It is very tasty.  There are never any left.

NickFit's Tzatziki Sauce

Original Recipe at: http://nickfitaz.com/recipes/2015/5/14/nickfits-tzatziki-sauce

Ingredients

• 8 oz. Greek Yogurt (Strained Optional - More yogurt for more creamier sauce)
• 1 tsp Olive Oil
• 1 tsp White Vinegar
• 1/2 Cucumber, Skinned/Diced
• 1 tsp Fresh Chopped Dill 
• 1 Garlic clove, peeled/crushed
• 1/4 Small Lemon, Sliced/Juiced
• Salt & Pepper (to taste)

Directions

1. Mix olive oil, dill, vinegar, lemon, salt and pepper in a small mixing bowl and let sit.  
2. Pour Greek Yogurt and Cucumber into food processor or small blender and with contents in the small mixing bowl. 
3. Process/Blend for 30-40 sec. or until mixture looks fully mixed,  
4. After processing you may add more or less salt according to your sodium preference

Sweet & Creamy Pumpkin Fluff Dessert Dip

From: Lucas' Mom's Friend at their Kid Halloween Party

Ingredients:
1 tub Cool Whip
1 can Pumpkin
1 sm pkg Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix (powder) 
2T Cinnamon
1T Pumpkin Pie Spice

Directions:
Mix all ingredients together.  Serve with Gingersnap cookies, Gingerbread, or shortbread cookies.

Hot Mama Notes:  This dessert is FANTASTICALLY DELICIOUS.  I kept going back for more.  So good and SO EASY.  It looks like hummus... and then you taste it!  YUM.  I liked Triple Ginger Gingersnaps from Trader Joes.  I also put out shortbread cookie bars.

Hot Mama Grade: A+!


Pumpkin Pie Spice Ingredients:

From: http://www.bettycrocker.com/how-to/tipslibrary/baking-tips/how-to-make-pumpkin-pie-spice 

3T Cinnamon
2t  Ginger, ground
2t  Nutmeg, grated/ground
1.5t Allspice, ground
1.5t Cloves, ground  

3 tablespoons ground cinnamon, 2 teaspoons ground ginger, 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg, 1 ½ teaspoons ground allspice and 1 ½ teaspoons ground cloves. Mix the spices together in a small bowl.  Store the mixture in a clean small jar or spice container.

I halved this recipe, and still had some to spare. 

Greek Yogurt Chocolate Chip Cookies

Original Recipe at: http://www.heathersfrenchpress.com/2013/05/greek-yogurt-chocolate-chip-cookies.html

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups of flour 
  
  
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup of packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup of sugar
• 2/3 cup of Greek yogurt
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 2 cups of chocolate chips

Instructions

• combine the flour, baking soda, and salt
• beat together the eggs and the sugars
• add the yogurt and vanilla
• gradually stir in the flour
• finally add the chocolate chips
• drop cookie dough {1 tbsp} onto a parchment lined sheet
• bake @375 for 9 - 11 minutes
• cool on rack

Hot Mama Grade: F

Hot Mama Notes: These cookies were AWFUL.  They taste blah.  They look blah.  They stuck to the pan so I couldn't get them off.  After 2 pans of sticking cookies, I added a bunch more flour (1 cup or more?) to get the cookie dough to be less sticky.  Then they were still no good.  Bunch of flour did not help.  I shall never try to make cookies with greek yogurt in lieu of butter again.  SUPER SUCK.

Pinterest FAIL.  

O Butter, Where art you? You shall not be forsaken again! Greek yogurt chocolate chip cookies = fail. What a waste of ingredients!

Creamy Avacado Dip

From: Nick of NickFit
Original Recipe at: http://nickfitaz.com/recipes/2015/5/18/nickfits-avocado-cilantro-creamy-dressing

 

Ingredients

• 1/2 California Hass Avocado
• 1/2 Lime Juiced
• 1/4 cup Cilantro
• 6-8 oz. of Greek Yogurt
• 1 tsp. White Vinegar
• 2 tsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions

1. Make sure Cilantro has no stems.  

2. Add all the ingredients into a small blender or food processor and pulse until creamy and ingredients look fully mixed. 

3. Add Salt and Pepper to enhance flavor to your liking.

I want to try this!!