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We wanted to share some of our favorite recipes with you, so here they are! We'll be adding more periodically. Keep watching, and we hope you enjoy. Please note, most of these recipes are the total opposite of HEALTHY, so cook in moderation. :)
P.F. Chang's Chicken Lettuce Wraps
1 head iceberg lettuce, separated into lettuce "cups"
1 1/2 lb uncooked chicken breasts, diced into very small pieces
5 to 6 cloves minced garlic
1/3 c soy sauce
1 1/2 tsp corn starch
2 tbsp cold water
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp ground pepper
3 tbsp brown sugar
3 tbsp vegetable/canola oil, to coat skillet or wok
1 8 oz can water chestnuts, roughly chopped
8 oz chopped fresh mushrooms (shiitake, button, or portobello)
5 scallions (2/3 c) chopped
Add corn starch to the water and stir to dissolve. Add corn starch mixture to chopped chicken in a bowl and combine thoroughly. Add oil to a large hot skillet or wok over medium high heat. Add chicken mixture and cook for one to two minutes. Add salt, pepper, brown sugar, crushed red pepper, garlic, mushrooms, and scallions and saute for three to four minutes, stirring frequently. The mushrooms will reduce by more than half and become tender. Once this happens, add the water chestnuts and soy sauce and continue cooking until the liquid reduces by half and is thickened (about six minutes or so). The mixture is done cooking when there are about four tablespoons of liquid left. Spoon mixture into lettuce cups and roll up. This recipe makes about eight fully loaded lettuce cups. If you want the special sauce they make at the table at P.F. Changs, I found a recipe on the internet that I've posted below, but beware, I haven't tried it out yet... :)
Special Sauce
1/4 c sugar
1/2 c water
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
2 tbsp ketchup
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/8 tsp sesame oil
1 tbsp hot mustard
2 tbsp water
1 to 2 tsp garlic and red chili paste
Obviously, this is a knock-off recipe of P.F. Changs lettuce wraps that are so famous. To me, this recipe tastes extremely similar to the restaurant's appetizer. The prep work on this one takes about 30 minutes, but it sure beats going out and paying $6 when you can have about three times as much at home for about the same price. Sorry it's taken so long to get this recipe back up, but I had to make it again to figure out what I did the first time!
Chicken and Dried Beef Rolls
8 to 10 chicken breast fillets, pounded into even, thin fillets
1 lb bacon
2 jars dried beef
2 pints sour cream
2 cans cream of celery soup
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
Place two to three slices of dried beef on chicken breast filet. Roll up jelly roll fashion. Wrap one piece of bacon around the roll and secure with 2 toothpicks. Do all filets and set aside.
In a 9 x 13 pan, mix soup and sour cream together and place chicken rolls in pan with gravy. Cover tightly with foil and bake three hours at 300 degrees. Uncover during last 15 minutes of baking. Serve over steamed white rice.
This recipe is just awesome. My Mom would always make this when I was a child and it was always one of my favorites. Thanks for the recipe, Mom!
French Toast
2 eggs, beaten
1 c sugar
1 tbsp cornstarch dissolved in a splash of water
1 c whole milk
1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
8 slices white bread
Preheat a nonstick griddle or a large skillet over medium heat. Beat eggs well, add sugar, and beat again. Add water/cornstarch mixture and beat again. Add the rest of the ingredients and whisk until smooth.
Coat bread thoroughly in mixture. Lightly butter griddle/skillet. Add bread to the cooking surface and cook slowly (about 3 minutes) until both sides are nicely browned. Serve with maple syrup, powdered sugar, or whatever you like.
This recipe is one of Barrett's favorites. He just loves "fwench toase." I got this recipe from watching a show on Food TV with Rachael Ray and just had to make it. I added vanilla and cinnamon to the recipe to give it a little something extra.
Hot Bacon and Swiss Dip
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 c mayo
4-6 oz grated swiss cheese
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp finely chopped green onion (optional)
8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled (precooked works great)
1/2 c Ritz crackers, crumbled
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix first five ingredients and place into a small cooking dish (8 x 8 or so). Top with bacon and crackers and bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown on top. Serve with Ritz or Fritos.
This dip is one of our favorites for parties/get-togethers. My sister-in-law, Jennifer, usually makes this, and it is always a huge hit.
Ginger Salad Dressing
1/2 c minced onion
1/2 c peanut oil
1/3 c rice wine vinegar
2 tbsp water
5 tbsp fresh minced ginger (or more, to taste)
2 tbsp minced celery
2 tbsp ketchup
4 tsp soy sauce
4 tsp sugar (or more, to taste)
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp fresh minced garlic (about 1 small clove)
1/2 tsp kosher salt (or regular)
1/4 tsp black pepper
Combine all ingredients in a blender/food processor and blend until very smooth. Refrigerate immediately and store for up to a week (if it lasts that long). Serve on top of iceburg or romaine lettuce, tomatoes, julienned carrot, and whatever else you like.
The hardest part of this recipe is the prep work involved. A couple of tips for the prep work: use a normal spoon to peel the outer skin off the ginger root...it'll come right off and save you the worry of cutting yourself like I normally do; don't worry about mincing the garlic, onion, or ginger too finely...let the blender/food processor do the work for you. Recipe makes 1 3/4 cups of dressing.
My favorite Japanese restaurant is Benihana. My family and I went there constantly when I was growing up. Unfortunately, we do not have a Benihana in B'ham, so whenever we're in the Atlanta or Memphis area, we make sure to stop by and eat. This is my version of their ginger dressing they serve with their salad. It's also great served over fried rice. Enjoy.
Incredible Chicken Salad
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
OR 3 rotisserie chickens (6 breasts)
1 c light mayo (or regular)
1 c light sour cream (or regular)
1 1/2 tsp dry dill weed
1/2 tsp onion powder
Salt and pepper to taste
3 tsp red wine vinegar
4 tbsp half and half (or whole milk)
1 1/2 c dried cranberries
1 1/2 c sliced red grapes
1/3 c chopped toasted almonds or pecan
Boil chicken breasts 4 to 5 hours until very tender (if not using rotisserie chickens). While chicken is cooling down, combine mayo, sour cream, dill, onion powder, salt, pepper, red wine vinegar, and cream until thoroughly combined.
Once chicken has cooled enough to touch, remove any fat or tendons and put into food processor. Pulse until almost a paste consistency is reached. If not using a food processor, very finely shred and chop chicken until very smooth. This step is what makes the texture of this chicken salad so great, so don't skip it! :)
Once chicken is shredded/processed, add the mayo/sour cream mixture and combine. (If the chicken mixture is too dry for you, feel free to add more sour cream or mayo if you'd like.)
Stir in dried cranberries, grapes, and nuts until well incorporated. This recipe makes approximately 8-10 cups.
We have a great restaurant here in B'ham call O'Carr's, and they are known for their top secret recipe chicken salad, which is just awesome. It's not a heavy chicken salad, but it's also not too dry, and that's what we love about it. It's just wonderful on a croissant or on crackers. I decided that I was going to "unlock" this recipe and make it myself instead of going to the restaurant to get it everytime we crave it! So, here it is. The secret has been unlocked. I think it tastes just like it. I hope you enjoy it. If not, just send it to me.
Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake
1 pkg Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe yellow cake mix
1 pkg 3.9 oz instant chocolate pudding
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1/2 cup sugar
8 oz sour cream
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup water
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups mini semi sweet chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine first four ingredients in a mixer until thoroughly blended. In a separate bowl, whisk together sour cream, oil, water, and eggs until thoroughly blended. Turn on mixer and gradually add the wet mixture to dry mixture, stopping halfway through to scrape sides of bowl. Do not overmix. Once mixture is combined, fold in chocolate chips.
Pour into a greased (Pam) fluted bundt pan and bake for 50-55 minutes. Allow cake to rest for twenty minutes.
I first had this cake about four years ago at a family reunion in Texas. I remember Andrea and I eating about half the cake ourselves, so I just had to get the recipe to it! Andrea's grandmother's niece made it, and she graciously allowed us to have the recipe. I've made a couple of changes to it, but it basically is the same. This cake has become a favorite of our family and friends, and we hope you enjoy it. It was also one of Anthony Burger's favorites, so I think of him every time I make it.
Garlic Potato Soup
(double recipe measurements in parenthesis)
5 medium-sized russett potatoes: 2.75 lbs (10 potatoes: 5.5 lbs)
10 slices bacon (20 slices)
1 cup finely chopped onion (2 cups)
2/3 cup all purpose flour (1.5 cups)
6 cups chicken stock, heated (12 cups)
2 cups half and half (4 cups)
1 tbsp dried parsley or 1/4 cup fresh (2 tsbp or 1/2 cup fresh)
4 cloves fresh minced garlic, or to taste (8 cloves)
1/2 tbsp salt, or to taste
1/2 tbsp pepper, or to taste
2 cups shredded extra sharp cheddar (4 cups)
Wash potatoes. Prick several times with a fork and bake at 400 degrees for one hour or until done. Let cool. Cut pototoes into bite-sized pieces and set aside (we leave the skins on, but you can peel if you'd like).
Cook bacon in a large skillet until crisp. Remove bacon and crumble, but reserve the drippings to saute the onion and garlic. Over medium heat, cook onion for 3-4 minutes, then add garlic, stirring occasionally. Cook until all is tender.
Add flour to onion mixture, stirring well until flour is completely absorbed. Cook for one minute stirring constantly. (If the mixture is too dry, add 1-2 tbsp butter or bacon drippings). Gradually add heated chicken stock, whisking constantly at the beginning to avoid clumping. Cook over medium heat.
Once mixture is thickened and starts to bubble, gently stir in half and half, parsley, salt, and pepper. Add potatoes and gently combine. Bring soup to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for ten minutes, stirring frequently (do not boil).
Stir in half of the cheddar and half of the bacon and let cook for about another minute. Ladle soup into bowls and top evenly with cheddar and bacon. Double recipe should yield about 24 cups.
I started making this soup several years ago at Andrea's parents' house, and it has been something we look forward to every single time. We found a potato soup recipe in an old cookbook, and I ended up making several changes and adding things to accomodate everyone's preferences...well, I came up with this one, and I sure hope you enjoy it. It's a good bit of work, but it is definitely worth the effort.
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