Cranberry Pot Roast

This is the easiest roast you'll ever make...

Ingredients:

1 can jellied cranberry sauce
1 packet dry onion soup mix
1 roast, about 3-5 lbs

3 1/2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons butter

Directions:

1. Spread the onion soup mix into the bottom of the crock pot.
2. Place roast on top of the soup.
3. Spread the cranberry sauce as evenly as you can over the top of the roast.  Try to keep as much of it as you can on top of the roast, it will seep down and give the meat a wonderful flavor. Cook on low for 8 hours.
4. When the roast is done and has been removed, pour the juice from the crock pot into a pan.  Add the butter and whisk in the flour to make a gravy.

I served with:
Mashed red potatoes with garlic and herbs

Jess' Grade: B+

This is a very easy recipe!  The reason I gave it a B+ is because it just doesn't hit my tastebuds like some of the other dishes I make.  Don't get me wrong; this is a fantastic thing for a family, just let it cook all day and make some potatoes before serving.  The first time I made it I couldn't believe how simple it was.  Try it for yourself!

Sweet and Sour Chicken

I'm sorry it's so late!  Next weeks will be on time, posted by Sunday the 12th.

This recipe was a little more complicated than previous, but well worth the effort!

Ingredients:

1 8oz can of Pineapple tidbits, drained
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 3/4 water, divided
3/4 granulated sugar
1/2 cup distilled white vinegar
2 whole chicken breasts (4 halves) cut into small cubes
2 1/4 cups flour
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 tablespoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1 egg
1 1/2 cups water
2 green bell peppers cut into small chunks
enough vegetable oil to fill a pan about 1 inch for frying

Directions:

1. In a saucepan, combine 1 1/2 cups water, sugar, vinegar, and drained pineapple juice.  You can also add food coloring at this point, as without it the sauce is a milky color glaze.  You can have fun and add different colors to dress up your food!  Heat to boiling.  Turn off heat.  In a seprate dish, combine 1/4 cup water and 1/4 cup cornstarch; slowly stir into saucepan.  Continue stirring until mixture thickens.
2. Combine flour, 2 tablespoons oil, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, salt, ground pepper, and egg.  Add 1 1/2 cups water gradually to make a thick batter.  Stir to blend thoroughly.  Add chicken pieces and stir until chicken is well coated.
3. Heat oil in skillet or wok to 360 degrees F (180 degrees C).  Fry chicken pieces in hot oil 10 minutes or until golden.  Remove chicken and drain on paper towels.
4. When ready to serve, layer green peppers, pineapple tidbits, and cooked chicken pieces on a platter.  Pour hot sweet and sour sauce over top.

I served with:
Steamed white rice

Jess' Grade: A+

This was a big hit around the household and with my guests, but it was very involved.  Prepare to spend some time in the kitchen, but it's worth the effort!  The sauce is top notch and I will be using it on other dishes as well.  My daughter now asks for this dish, she loved it that much!

Pineapple Salsa

Just in time for the Super Bowl, salsa good enough to make a Saint cry...

Ingredients:

4 Jalapenos
3 Bell Peppers - 1 green, 1 red and 1 orange
1 large red onion
1 bundle cilantro
2 cans pineapple tidbits

Directions:

1. Chop up the peppers, jalapenos, and onions and put into a large bowl.  Be sure to de-seed the bell peppers, but I would keep the seeds in the jalapenos.  The smaller the chunks the better; I would recommend using a food processor for a good consistency in your salsa.
2. Drain the pineapple juice from the can into a glass, add some rum and a little Sprite, get into a tropical kinda mood.  It really helps you enjoy the salsa!
3. You can add the pineapple tidbits to the veggies whole, but I found with my last batch that if you put them in the food processor and just pulse them a few times, you can use those smaller chunks and the released juice in your salsa (don't drain out the new juice!) and give it a nice sweet taste with a beautiful heat after.
4. Chop up the whole cilantro bundle up to the twist or rubber band using a large kitchen knife, go over the stack a few times to make sure you get the cilantro into small pieces and release the flavor.  Add this to the mix and stir up really good.

I served with:
Chips.  Duh.

Jess' Grade: A+

I now make this on pretty much a weekly basis.  It's great as a chips-and-salsa kind of thing, or also on hash browns or a good chicken dinner.  Adjust the jalapenos to taste, you may want to use only one or two for those of lighter palate.  This is sure to get you compliments at your next gathering!

Spicy Orange Beef

I have raved about this on Facebook, now here is the recipe!

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 pound round steak, cut into thin strips on the diagonal
1/4 cup orange peel, cut into slivers
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup beef broth
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup sherry
1/4 cup marmalade
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Directions:

1. In a wok or skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat.  Add beef strips 1/3 at a time.  Stir fry for 3 minutes or until browned, removing the done pieces to a plate lined with paper towels.
2. Return all the beef to the wok.  Stir in orange peel, garlic, and ginger; stir fry 1 minute.
3. In a medium bowl, combine cornstarch, broth, soy sauce, sherry, marmalade, and red pepper.  Pour this mixture into the beef, stirring constantly.  Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook for 5-10 minutes or until sauce starts to thicken.  Serve hot.

I  served with:
Chow Mien
Jasmine Brown Rice

Jess Grade: A

I love this recipe!  The first time I made it was actually with chicken.  It turns out better with the beef though, and the leftovers are still great tasting.  I would recommend using a zester and zesting the whole orange rather than cutting up the orange peel, but if you don't have a zester make the peel strips as thin as you can, this way the orange peel flavor isn't overpowering individual bites.  The only other recommendation I have is to cook the beef in the last step until the sauce thickens good, as it is FANTASTIC over the rice!

This has been a hit with even the PICKIEST of dinner guests!  ;-)

I welcome any comments, recommendations, or questions!  I receive my recipes from many sources, including AllRecipes.com, the Betty Crocker iPhone app, and ninjas in back alleys.  Thank you all for your support!  Happy cooking!

Coconut Cashew Chicken

This weeks new recipe is Coconut Cashew Chicken.

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons melted butter
1/2 cup unsweetened flaked coconut
1/2 cup chopped cashews
10 butter crackers (I used Ritz)
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
salt/pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat Oven to 350 degrees
2. Place crackers, cashews, and coconut in a food processor until they are coarsely chopped
3. Dip chicken in melted butter and roll in cracker mixture.  Place chicken in foil lined baking dish.  Any extra cracker mixture can be blended with a  little of the leftover butter and gently packed onto the chicken breasts.
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes

I served with:
Jasmine brown rice
Broccoli

Jess' Grade: C+

This was a great tasting way to cook chicken breast, however I was hoping the coating would stick to the chicken better.  This could have been my fault however, as I chose to omit the butter for lower calories.  It required us to use some Montreal Steak seasoning to help it out.  Not bad, but probably not going to be made too often.

I didn't think to photograph this week, but in future weeks I will post pictures of the final result!

Welcome to my new blog!

Hello and welcome!

Since I have started cooking new recipes each week, I thought it would be best to note down what I thought, as well as share things with other people.  I was posting the recipes on Facebook, but someone suggested that I start a blog.  I thought about it and decided to go ahead with the idea.

I would love your input, so please feel free to comment, suggest, or what ever you would like.

Happy Cooking!

~ Jess