Jan
30
2015

Quick Sesame Chicken

A Delicious and Easy Weeknight Meal the whole family will love

by: Lara Katz

Quick Sesame Chicken

Here is a great sesame chicken recipe your whole family will love. It goes perfectly with stir fried broccoli and brown rice, but leave sesame seeds out if you think it will turn away some eaters. You can even leave the sauce off some pieces of chicken if you think your children would prefer it that way. 

The Easiest Way To Make Perfect Rice Every Time

Ingredients

4 skinless boneless chicken breasts
1 cup (whole wheat) panko*
1 Tbsp canola oil
1 Tbsp sesame oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 tsp sweet chili sauce
1/2 cup chicken stock**
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup hot water
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp cornstarch
2 Tbsp water
1 Tbsp sesame seeds, lightly toasted
 
* This is the whole wheat panko I used. If whole wheat panko unavailable use regular panko or regular bread crumbs.
 
** I keep chicken stock powder in my pantry. When recipes call for chicken stock I measure out the amount of water needed and add 1-2 teaspoons of chicken stock powder.
 
  Preheat oven to 350.
 
  Cut chicken into small bite size pieces. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.
 
 Place panko in a medium size shallow dish.
 
  Dip chicken pieces in panko crumbs until they are completely covered.
 
  Place panko covered chicken on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Drizzle with canola oil.
 
  Bake chicken for 25 minutes.
 
  Meanwhile, in a medium size pan over medium high heat, stir fry sesame oil, garlic, ground ginger and sweet chili sauce for 2 minutes.
 
  In a separate bowl mix together chicken stock, soy sauce, water, honey, rice wine vinegar, and brown sugar.
 
  Add chicken stock mixture to pan and allow to simmer for 2 minutes.
 
  In a separate bowl, mix cornstarch with water.
 
  Add cornstarch mixture to pan and allow sauce to thicken over medium heat. Cook for 1 minute.
 
  Place cooked chicken in a shallow bowl. Pour sauce over chicken pieces and mix lightly. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
 
 
Makes 5 servings
 
Adapted from Oh Sweet Basil
 
Looking for more delicious dinner recipes? Try Fiesta Fajitas, Easy Salmon and Broccoli Dinner, and Easy Fish Tacos
Jan
26
2015

Cookies & Cream Banana Pie

A Delicious Combination of Banana Cream Pie and Oreos

by: Lara Katz

Cookies & Cream Banana Pie

I love banana cream pie, and I love Oreos, so when I made a banana cream pie with an Oreo crust last week I thought it would taste even better with whole Oreo cookies in it. The next time I made it I added a layer of Oreo cookies on top of the crust and the result was delicious. Who would have thought bananas and Oreos went so well together, but they do! Add this to unexpected food pairings that taste great together.

This pie is so easy to make. There is no baking involved, but must be done the night before you plan on serving it to allow the Oreos to soften. 

The Oreo Cookie Prank You Should NEVER Play On Anyone

Ingredients

Crust
1 package Oreo cookies, half for the crust and half for on top of the crust
1/3 cup butter, melted
 
Bananas
1 tbsp butter
2 tsp brown sugar
2 tbsp 35% cream
3 ripe bananas, sliced
 
Filling
1 1/2 cups 3.25%  milk
3 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp cornstarch
3 egg yolks
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
 
Topping
3/4 cup 35% whipping cream
2 tsp sugar
left over Oreo crumbs for dusting
 
Directions
 
  Place half a package of Oreo cookies in a food processor and process until cookies are fine crumbs.
 
  Mix crumbs with melted butter and press evenly and firmly into a 9" pie plate sprayed with non stick spray.
 
  On top of crust place remaining Oreo cookies in a single layer. It is ok if there is space between the cookies.
 
 
  In a medium frying pan over medium high heat, melt butter. Add brown sugar and 2 tbsp of 35% cream and bring to a boil, mixing frequently. Allow to simmer lightly for 1 minute or until golden in colour. Remove from heat. Add bananas and toss to coat.
 
  Spread bananas over cookies in a single layer.
 
  Heat milk in a medium size pot over medium high heat until bubbles start to form.
 
  In another bowl, mix together sugar, cornstarch and egg yolks.
 
  Pour half of hot milk into bowl with sugar, cornstarch and egg yolks, mix well until smooth.
 
  Pour milk, sugar, cornstarch, and egg yolk mixture back into pot with the rest of the hot milk. Mix well until pudding thickens. Remove from heat. Add vanilla, mix well.
 
  Spread pudding mixture over bananas. Place in refrigerator overnight, or top with whipped cream and then place in refrigerator overnight.
 
  Beat 3/4 cup 35% whipping cream and 2 tsp sugar until soft peaks form. Spread whipped cream over pudding.
 
  Top with left over Oreo crumbs. If pie has already been in refrigerator overnight it is ready to serve, if not place in refrigerator overnight.
 
Serves 8
 
Adapted from Chatelaine
 
Looking for more dessert recipes? Try Apple Cinnamon Crostata, Individual Blueberry Pies, or Vanilla Bean Cheesecake
 
 
 
Jan
20
2015

Fried Rice Recipe with NO Rice - It's Cauliflower!

A Healthier and Delicious Alternative to Fried Rice

by: Lara Katz

Fried Rice Recipe with NO Rice - It's Cauliflower!

I love fried rice: all the different vegetables, scrambled eggs, and saltiness of the soy sauce. It all culminates into a great side dish. This version doesn't actually use any rice at all, but still tastes like it does. Feel free to add any vegetables you like, because anything works. I wouldn't recommend telling your children this isn't made of rice, and they won't know unless you tell them!

Cauliflower Gets A Makeover In This Easy Cheesy Recipe

Ingredients:

1 head  cauliflower, cleaned and broken into larger florets
1 tsp canola oil
1 cup diced zucchini
1 cup frozen peas, carrots and corn - or any vegetables you like
1 cup pack and cleaned shredded kale, optional
1 tsp finely chopped ginger
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
3 eggs, lightly whisked
1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
 
  Pulse cauliflower in food processor until cauliflower is in tiny pieces the size of rice, 10-15 times.
 
  In a large frying pan, heat canola oil and sesame oil over medium high heat. Add zucchini and other vegetables you are using, except kale. If you are adding kale that will be added later. Stir fry vegetables until they are warm and zucchini begins to brown, around 2 minutes.
 
  Add 2 cups of cauliflower "rice", kale, if you are using, ginger, garlic and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
 
  Move, "rice" mixture to one side of the pan, add whisked eggs to the other side and allow to cook, around 1 minute. Once eggs are cooked on one side, flip them and scramble them, breaking the eggs into small pieces and mixing it around with the cauliflower "rice."
 
  Add soy sauce. Mix everything together so it is warm throughout. 
 
 
Serves 4-6
 
Adapted from GOOP
 
Looking for great main dishes to serve with Cauliflower "Fried" Rice? Try Best Cashew Chicken Stir Fry Recipe, Simple Salmon and Broccoli Dinner, or Quick and Delicious Chicken Drumsticks Recipe