Crock Pot Sesame Chicken

This is a delicious and easy recipe for a group.
While not exactly what you get at a Chinese restaurant, it is pretty close!

yield: 6 servings

ingredients
1lb (or one package that is about 1lb) chicken breasts
½ onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
½C honey
½C soy sauce
4 tbs tomato paste
3 tsp sesame oil
3 tsp cornstarch
¼C water
1 small head of broccoli, cut into small florets
1 tbs toasted sesame seeds
prepared brown rice

directions

1. Place chicken breasts in the bowl of a crock pot.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together onion, garlic, honey, soy sauce, tomato puree, and 2 tsp sesame oil.
3. Pour mixture over chicken.
4. Cook on low for at least 4 hours, up to 6 hours.
5. About 20 minutes before you want to serve, combine cornstarch and water in a small bowl to create a slurry.
6. Remove the chicken from the slow cooker.
7. Add the slurry to the remaining sauce in the slow cooker.
8. Turn the crock pot to high, allowing the sauce to thicken.
9. Shred the chicken with two forks.
10. Add the shredded chicken back into the crock pot, stirring together.
11. Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds over the chicken.
12. Cook on high, stirring occasionally for 20 minutes.
13. In a skillet, heat 1 tsp of sesame oil over medium-high heat.
14. Stir fry the broccoli pieces, until they turn a bright green color but not soft.
15. Lay broccoli over rice and top with a scoop of the chicken/sauce mixture.
16. Enjoy!

Breezy Willow CSA Week #21

What we received:
Loaf of pumpkin bread
12 eggs
Head of cauliflower
Bag of onions
14 apples
Bag of bean sprouts
Bag of spinach
Bag of mushrooms

What's left from Week #20:
Head of cauliflower
Bag of kale
1 red delicious apple
Bag of sweet potatoes
Head of purple lettuce
Head of lettuce

What's left from Week #19:
12 eggs
1 turnip
¼ Bag of mushrooms
1 huge eggplant

What's left from Week #18
5 eggs

What's left from Week #17:
lavender

What's left from Week #16:

1 winter squash

What's left from Week #15

1 fall squash

Breezy Willow CSA Week #20

What we received:
Parmesan sourdough bread
Head of cauliflower
Bag of kale
5 red delicious apples
7 Jonathan apples
Apple cider
Bag of sweet potatoes
Head of purple lettuce
Head of lettuce
Bag of green beans

What's left from Week #19:
12 eggs
1 turnip
Bag of mushrooms
Bag of spinach
1 red apple
1 huge eggplant

What's left from Week #18
8 eggs
2 beets
1/2 Head of romaine lettuce
Head of broccoli

What's left from Week #17:
lavender

What's left from Week #16:

1 winter squash

Wheel of smoked Gouda

What's left from Week #15

1 fall squash

Breezy Willow CSA Week #19

What we received:
6 Challah rolls
12 eggs
3 turnips
3 green peppers
Bag of mushrooms
Bag of potatoes
Bag of spinach
6 red apples
5 golden delicious apples
1 huge eggplant

What's left from Week #18
12 eggs
3 beets
1/2 Bag of onions
Bag of red potatoes
Head of romaine lettuce
Head of broccoli

What's left from Week #17:
lavender
2 peppers
bag of sweet potatoes

What's left from Week #16:

1 tomato

1/2 red bell pepper

1 winter squash

1 head of broccoli

Wheel of smoked Gouda

What's left from Week #15

1 fall squash

What's left from Week #12:

Apple butter BBQ sauce

Salted Caramel Cupcakes

The perfect balance of salty and sweet, I got this recipe on page 84 of a recipe book called Cupcakes: Sensational Sweet Treats for Any Occasion.

yield: 12 cupcakes

ingredients
for cupcakes
1.5C all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1C brown sugar
1/2C (1 stick) butter, room temperature
2 eggs, room temperature
1/2C milk

for frosting
1/2C sugar
2 tbs water
1/4C heavy cream
1 tsp sea salt
1C (2 sticks) butter, room temperature
2.5C powdered sugar

directions

1. Preheat oven to 325°F.
2. Line muffin tin with cupcake liners (or grease pan if not using liners).
3. for cupcakes: In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt.
4. In a large bowl or bowl of a stand mixer, beat brown sugar and butter at medium speed for 3 minutes.
5. Add eggs and vanilla, beating until well combined.
6. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add half of the flour mixture.
7. Add milk, mixing until well combined.
8. Slowly add remaining flour mixture, mixing until just combined.
9. Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full.
10. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
11. Cool in pan for 5 minutes.
12. Allow cupcakes to cool completely.
13. for frosting: Combine sugar and water in a large heavy saucepan.
14. Heat over high heat, without stirring, until medium amber in color.
15. Remove from heat.
16. Slowly stir in heavy cream and sea salt.
17. Let stand for 15 minutes.
18. In a large bowl or bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter and caramel mixture on medium-high speed until well combined.
19. On low speed, slowly add powdered sugar until well combined.
20. Beat on medium-high speed for 5 minutes.
21. Pipe or spread frosting onto cooled cupcakes.
22. Top with a garnish (I used edible glitter) if desired.
23. Enjoy!

S'mores Cupcakes

A while ago a friend tasked me with making s'mores cupcakes.

This weekend, for a fundraising event and for her birthday, I took on the challenge.

I opted for this recipe, modified only slightly, and it is 100% s'mores in cupcake form.

Great success!

yield: 28 cupcakes

ingredients

for graham cracker crust

1.5C graham cracker crumbs

3/4C (1.5 sticks), melted

for cupcakes:

1/2C cocoa powder

1/2C hot water

2.25C all-purpose flour

3/4 tsp baking soda

3/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1C (2 sticks) butter, room temperature

1 2/3C sugar

3 eggs, room temperature

1 tbs vanilla extract

3/4C sour cream

for frosting:

4 egg whites, room temperature

1C sugar

1/4 tsp cream of tartar

1 tsp vanilla extract

for garnish:

1 graham cracker, crushed

directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Line muffin tins with cupcake liners (or grease pan if not using liners).
3. for graham cracker crust: In a small bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs and melted butter.
4. Mix well with a fork.
5. Drop 1 tablespoon of graham cracker mixture in the bottom of each cupcake liner, pressing down to cover the entire bottom.
6. Bake for 5 minutes.
7. Remove from oven.
8. for cupcakes: In a small bowl, whisk cocoa powder and hot water until smooth.
9. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
10. In a large bowl or bowl of a stand mixer, cream butter and sugar on medium speed for 5 minutes.
11. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
12. Add vanilla and cocoa mixture, mixing until smooth.
13. With mixer on low speed, slowly add half of flour mixture.
14. Add sour cream, mixing until well combined.
15. Slowly add the rest of the flour mixture, mixing until just incorporated.
16. Fill cupcake liners about 2/3 full.
17. Bake 18-20 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean.
18. Let cool in pan for about 5 minutes.
19. Allow cupcakes to cool completely.
20. for frosting: Combine egg whites, sugar, and cream of tarter in a heat-proof bowl.
21. Set bowl over a pan of simmering water.
22. Heat mixture, whisking frequently, until it reaches 160°F.
23. Transfer the mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer with whisk attachment.
24. Whisk starting a low speed and gradually increase to medium-high speed until stiff glossy peaks form.
25. Mix in vanilla until well combined.
26. Pipe (or spread) frosting onto cooled cupcakes.
27. Brown frosting with a kitchen torch (or a lighter if you don't have a torch).
28. for garnish: Sprinkle crushed graham crackers on top of cupcakes.
29. Enjoy!

Snickerdoodle Cupcakes

I'm convinced everyone loves snickerdoodles, so when I was tasked to make cupcakes for a fundraising event I decided to pair this cake recipe with a modified version of my spiced buttercream. Perfection.

yield: 30 cupcakes

ingredients

for cupcakes

2C all-purpose flour

1C cake flour

1 tbs baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 tbs cinnamon

1C (2 sticks) butter, room temperature

1.75C sugar

4 eggs, room temperature

2 tsp vanilla extract

1.25C milk

for buttercream

1C butter (2 sticks), room temperature

3.5C powdered sugar

1 tsp heavy cream

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/8 tsp salt

1.5 tsp cinnamon

directions

1. for cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Line muffin pan with cupcake liners (or grease pan if not using cupcake liners).
3. In a small bowl, combine flours, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
4. In a large bowl or bowl of a stand mixers, beat butter and sugar on medium-high speed 3 minutes.
5. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
6. Add vanilla until combined.
7. With mixer on low speed, slowly add half of the flour mixture.
8. Add milk until well combined.
9. Slowly add remaining flour mixture.
10. Scrape down sides of the bowl and mix until just combined.
11. Fill cupcake liners about 2/3 full.
12. Bake 18-20 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean.
13. Let cool slightly before removing from pan.
14. Cool cupcakes completely.
15. for buttercream: Cream butter on high speed for 5 minutes.
16. Add vanilla and heavy cream, mix until combined.
17. With mixer on low speed, slowly add powdered sugar.
18. Add salt and cinnamon.
19. Beat on medium-high speed for 5 minutes.
20. Pipe or spread onto cooled cupcakes.
21. Enjoy!

Breezy Willow CSA Week #18

What we received:
12 eggs
5 golden delicious apples
5 red delicious apples
3 beets
Bag of green beans
Bag of onions
Bag of red potatoes
Head of romaine lettuce
Head of broccoli
Loaf of ciabatta bread

What's left from Week #17:
sage
lavender
thyme
3 slices oatmeal bread
4 eggs
3 McIntosh apples
2 peppers
bag of kale
bag of sweet potatoes
head of broccoli
head of red lettuce
3 tomatoes

What's left from Week #16:

1 tomato

1/2 red bell pepper

1 winter squash

1 head of broccoli

Wheel of smoked Gouda

What's left from Week #15

1 fall squash

1/2 Bag of sweet potatoes

What's left from Week #12:

Apple butter BBQ sauce

What's left from Week #11:

Sage
Thyme

Apple Pie

I found this recipe and was fully intent on making it a "pan pie" until I made the crust and it wasn't big enough to cover a 9x13 pan -- so I turned it into a regular pie.

yield: one 9.5" pie

ingredients

crust

2.5C all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/2C vegetable oil

1 tsp maple syrup

2 egg yolks

1/3C cold water

filling

1 tsp lemon juice

3/4C sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/8 tsp sea salt

5 large apples, cored, and thinly sliced (peeled if your heart desires)

directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease a 9.5" pie plate.
3. for crust: In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, and baking powder.
4. Add oil, mixing with a fork until crumbs form.
5. In a small bowl, whisk maple syrup and egg yolks until smooth.
6. Add egg mixture to flour mixture, mixing with a fork until crumbly.
7. Add water until the mixture forms a ball of dough.
8. Divide dough in half and roll out half of dough.
9. Place in the bottom of pie plate.
10. Set aside other half of dough.
11. Place sliced apples into a medium bowl.
12. Toss apples with lemon juice, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
13. Place apple mixture into the pie crust.
14. Roll out remaining crust dough.
15. Place dough over apple filling, pinching edges to seal.
16. Make a slit in the middle of the crust.
17. Bake 45 minutes.
18. Cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.
19. Enjoy!

Tomato Cream Sauce

The government is shutdown today and as a result it is 3pm and I have not changed out of my pajamas.
For lunch I whipped up this tomato cream sauce and it was perfect. And easy. And delicious.

yield: 4 servings

ingredients
1/2 tbs olive oil
1/2 tbs butter
1/4 onion, finely diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1C marinara sauce
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp sugar
1/4C heavy cream

directions

1. Heat butter and oil in sauce pan over medium heat.
2. Add onions and garlic, sautéing for 2 minutes.
3. Add marinara, salt, pepper, sugar.
4. Stir and cook over low heat for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Remove from heat and stir in cream.
6. Serve over pasta of your choice (I used tagliatelle and it was great).
7. Enjoy!

Cinnamon Toast

I've never made toast in the oven, but this recipe may have created a convert.

yield: 8 servings

ingredients
8 slices bread
1 stick butter, room temperature
1/2C sugar
1.5 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract

directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine butter, sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla in a small bowl until well mixed.
3. Spread mixture onto bread slices covering to the edges.
4. Place toast on a baking sheet.
5. Bake for 10 minutes.
6. Turn on the broiler.
7. Broil 2 minutes.
8. Enjoy!