Thursday Treats: Taste the Heat: Jalapeno Chinese Chicken {Pinterest Inspired}

I don't know what it is about packing, but I always wonder why I ever bought all the "stuff". I suppose at the time it seems like a good thing and perhaps even useful...but, when you're downsizing, the only thing you can think is, "Why?!?!". Ah...becoming a college student once more has its benefits and negatives :D

I'm going to have a roomate, and one of the deals was I had to get groceries/cook. I think this will force me to quit living like a bachelor[ette] all the time eating cereal and chocolate milk--to making nutritious, full meals {a lot more often than I did the last year :D}.

A dish that I recently tried, Jalapeno Chinese Chicken will definitely be on rotation.

Jalapeno Chinese Chicken

Pinterest Inspired

[Original Recipe]

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into cubes

1/4 cup cornstarch

4 cups vegetable oil

2 tsp sesame oil

1/2 tsp chopped garlic or 1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp rice wine {have also used regular vinegar}

2 tsp soy sauce

2 jalapeno peppers, sliced {I put in 4-6 depending on how much heat I want that day :D}

2 Tblsp sugar

1. In a seal-able plastic bag, combine the chicken pieces and cornstarch. Shake until the chicken is coated and then let rest for about 5 minutes.

2. Heat the 4 cups of oil in a deep fryer or deep pot until 375 degrees. Drop chicken in batches until all of it has been cooked. Drain on paper towel.

3. In a wok, or large skillet, heat the sesame oil and then add the garlic and jalapenos and fry for 1 minute. Add the rice wine/vinegar and soy sauce and let cook for another minute. Add sugar and cook till thickened.

4. Enjoy on a bed of rice, or just eat as is {I do!}.

Now, the first time I made this, I did not have very much liquid at all and saw no need to put the sugar in. However, the sugar helps to thicken as well as even out the heat from the jalapenos, so I added about 1/4--1/2 cup water/soy sauce mixture before adding the sugar. Worked for me :D As always when cooking, I say go by what you see, taste, and smell. A little bit of this, and a little bit of that. A recipe is just a base for you to jumpstart your creativity!

Thursday Treats: Dangerous Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies {Pinterest--Nikki}

Dangerous Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

{Pinterest Find}

Nikki, www.seededatthetable.com

1/2 cup butter, unsalted

1/3 heaping cup smooth peanut butter

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

1 egg, room temperature

1 egg yolk, room temperature

2 tsp vanilla

2 cups flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1+1/2 cup milk chocolate chips

--Oven Temp @ 325--

1. Melt the butter and peanut butter in a microwave safe bowl at 50% power until mostly melted. Remove from microwave and stir until the butter is completely melted and smooth, then set aside to let cool.

2. In a mixing bowl fitted with the paddle attachment (or using a wooden spoon), mix the cooled peanut butter and butter mixture with the sugars until fully incorporated. Beat in the egg, yolk and vanilla until combined.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. Gradually add to the sugar/butter mix until a dough forms. Fold in the chocolate chips.

4. I used my cookie scoop to make evenly sized balls of dough and baked for 8-10 minutes. You don't want to over bake these.

These were so good, and got rave reviews by all who tried them. This is my favourite PB chocolate chip cookie and have made them at least 3 times now--with plans to make many more batches! :D

Visit Nikki at her blog, Seeded at the Table, for her post on these amazing cookies.

Enjoy!

Thursday Treats: Soft Brown Sugar Cookies {SusieQTpiescafe}

These are another Pinterest treasure. While I wouldn't quite say they melt in your mouth, they are really good. The original recipe says to frost with browned butter frosting, but these cookies are perfect as is. You can follow the link to the blogger's website and grab the recipe from there.

Soft Brown Sugar Cookies

SusieQTpiescafe, Susie

2/3 c. butter, softened
1-1/2 c. brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla extract
2-1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1 c. sour cream

1. Pre-heat oven to 350.

2. Blend together butter and brown sugar.

3. Add the eggs, one at a time; mix well.  Add vanilla; beat until light.

4. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

5. Add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with sour cream; mix well.

6. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto non-stick or lightly greased baking sheets.

7. Bake for 8-10 minutes.  Remove to a wire rack; cool.

Enjoy!

Bonus Treats: Pumpkin Cookies with Caramel Frosting {Let's Dish}

I love pumpkin bread--here's my favourite recipe--and decided to try out these cookies I had pinned on my "cookies" board. The link is from Danelle who blogs at Let's Dish.

I really enjoyed the cookies, and not being a huge fan of frosting/icing--I actually liked the caramel frosting too!

My favourite way to eat them, though, is sans frosting...tastes like a cross between pumpkin pie, cake and bread :D

Delicious.

Pumpkin Cookies with Caramel Frosting

Let's Dish, Danelle

1 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 cup canned pumpkin

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp baking soda

1 tblsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp cloves

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp ginger

1/2 tsp salt

2 cups flour

Frosting
3 tblsp butter
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
Pinch of salt

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup icing sugar

1. Pre-heat oven to 350.

2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugars.

3. Add the eggs and vanilla--mix well. Stir in pumpkin.

4. In a medium bowl, whisk [or sift] together the baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, salt and flour.

5. Add to pumpkin mixture and mix well.

6. Drop by heaping tablespoons onto a lightly greased cookie sheet and press down to flatten them a little bit. Bake for 10-12 minutes.

Frosting

1. In a medium saucepan, combine the butter, cream, and brown sugar over medium heat.

2. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture just begins to boil; remove from heat and stir in vanilla.

3. Cool then stir in confectioner's sugar. Spread frosting over cooled cookies.

4. Enjoy!

Thursday Treats {Pinterest}: Carmelitas

I had wanted to make these last Thursday, but didn't get around to it until the weekend. I made these for our church potluck on Sunday.

And, because Ema Boo reminded me of this pin that I've had on my board for a long time!

The recipe comes from Melissa over at Lulu the Baker. She writes a funny post of entering these into a contest expecting to win but losing to white chocolate & cranberries oatmeal cookies.

If I had been a judge, I would've picked these as winner. More so because I'm not fan of white chocolate OR dried cranberries, than being totally in love with these bars.

 

These bars were...good, but not my favourite. I loved that they were simple to make with ingredients I had on hand. These are quite rich and one small piece is quite enough. I did add salt to my cream/caramel mixture and that helped cut back on the sweetness.

I think the biggest thing for me was that it was almost too sweet to actually enjoy it. I think if I make this again, I'll probably use dark chocolate and add a bit more salt to the caramel layer. Or, as one of my friends suggested, use apple pieces instead of the chocolate.

Overall, it's a good recipe and one that I would make again. It IS delicious when eaten in small quantities though, so I don't think I'd double the recipe again.

Caramelitas

Melissa @ Lulu the Baker

Pinterest

32 caramel squares, unwrapped

1/2 cup cream

3/4 cup butter, melted

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 cup flour

1 cup rolled oats

1 tsp baking soda

6 oz semisweet chocolate chips

1. Combine caramels and cream in a small saucepan, stirring over low heat until smooth. Set aside.

2. In a bowl, combine the butter, sugar, flour, oats, and baking soda.

3. Pat half of the mixture into an 8x8 pan; bake at 350 for 10 minutes.

4. Remove pan from the oven and sprinkle the chocolate chips over the crust and then pour the caramel mixture on top.

5. Crumble the remaining oatmeal mixture on top of the caramel and return the pan into the oven for 15-20 minutes or until the edge is lightly browned.

6. Remove from the oven and let the bars completely cool before cutting into squares.

7. Enjoy with a tall glass of ice cold delicious {chocolate} milk while reading the original post here :)