Won Ton Chicken Salad

This is a salad that frequents our Bunco nights. It has a lot of crunch with the iceberg lettuce, water chestnuts, sesame seeds and won tons. I usually don't use iceberg lettuce in my salads but with this salad it works perfectly because it holds to the crunch of the other ingredients. It's simple to make, a little different than your regular salad and always a great crowd pleaser.

Ingredients:
1 12 oz. pkg. Won Tons (cut into 1/4" strips)
1 head shredded iceberg lettuce
2 cans sliced water chestnuts (drained)
4 Tablespoons sugar
4 teaspoons seasoned rice vinegar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
4 chicken breasts
1/2 bunch green onions (cut in thin diagonal slices)
1/4 cup sesame seeds
2 teaspoons salt

Directions:
Cut won tons into 1/4" strips. Fry small bunches at a time in hot oil until golden brown, be careful this goes very fast (5 seconds) and also will brown a little even after you take them out. Be careful of the oil as it will bubble up. Drain on paper towel.

Put chicken breasts into boiling water and cook until tender, (takes 15 minutes or so depending on size), cut into bite size pieces. Cool a little before adding marinade.

Mix together sugar, vinegar, salt and oil for marinade. Add chicken, water chestnuts, onions, sesame seeds to marinade sauce.

Just before serving, mix chicken mixture with lettuce and toss in won tons, saving some to garnish on top.

Serves 8 main dish salads or 16 side salads.

Strawberry Cream Cheese Cupcakes

The perfect cupcake for Spring.

Very seldom do I use a cake mix but in this case it works quite well. This is an easy peasy cupcake to make. I used the dry cake mix and then added different wet ingredients other than what is listed on the box. It just makes the cake seem a little more 
made from scratch. This strawberry cream cheese frosting is also an excellent choice for chocolate cupcakes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Strawberry Cupcake Ingredients:
1 strawberry cake mix, just the dry mix.  (I used Pillsbury Strawberry, super moist)
1/2 cup melted butter
3 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup diced strawberries (dice and measure, then mash)

Dump dry cake mix into mixer bowl. Add melted butter, eggs, and milk. Mix for two minutes and then add mashed strawberries and blend together.

Bake on 350 degrees for 18 minutes.  Makes 24 cupcakes.  Cool cupcakes completely before frosting.

Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients:
1- 8 oz. cream cheese brick
1/2 cup butter (room temperature)
4 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup diced strawberries (dice and measure, then mash, then drain off juice)

Cream butter. Add cream cheese and blend well.

Add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time and blend well. Add vanilla and blend well.

Before you add the mashed strawberries put them in a small mesh strainer and mash out the juice. If you have juice in the strawberries the frosting will get overly soft. Add mashed strawberries and mix until blended and creamy.

Tomato Basil Mozzarella Side Salad

A simple but flavorful recipe that is definitely a keeper for the Summer tomato harvest.

Ingredients:

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

8 ounces fresh "mini or cherry" mozzarella pearls (drained)

4 Tablespoons olive oil

15 or so basil leaves, chopped

Salt and pepper to taste. I used fresh ground sea salt and pepper.

sprinkle onion powder, optional

Directions:

Add the cherry tomatoes and mozzarella cheese to a medium bowl. Drizzle the olive oil over the tomatoes and mozzarella. Add the basil, salt & pepper, optional onion powder and gently toss all the ingredients.

Serve 4.

Applesauce Oatmeal Banana Bread

Raining again. If I hear anyone this year say we are thankful for the moisture I will personally hit them up side the head. O.K. maybe that sounds a little too violent. I will pinch them, softly. How about saying we need the sun for all the blossoms to pop. That sounds much better. So, here you have it, a healthier version of what I am calling rainy day banana bread. Enjoy.

 

Ingredients:
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup dry Quaker quick oats
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoons salt
1 cup low fat buttermilk
2 eggs
1 cup unsweetened apple sauce
1 heaping cup mashed bananas (2 to 3 bananas, depending on size)
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Spray loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray; set aside.  Let me just tell you; This recipe makes a pretty big dense 9X5 loaf pan size. So next time I make it I would fill the pan with a little less batter (which will make it a little less dense) and use the rest for some muffins OR make two smaller breads. Yum, great for breakfast.

Directions:
In a large bowl, whisk together flours, oats, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.


In a medium bowl, mix together buttermilk, eggs, applesauce and bananas. Pour into dry ingredients and mix until well combined. Can mix by hand or mixer. I always use my stand mixer but that's what I am used to.

Stir in mini chocolate chips.

Pour batter into prepared pans and bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until tester inserted comes out clean.