Avocado Egg Rolls with Dipping Sauce

So amazing and fairly easy to make. This recipe is for 3 egg rolls, but is easily doubled.

Dipping sauce ingredients

Egg Rolls:
1 large avocado or 1 1/2 medium avocados
1 Tbsp. sun-dried tomatoes in oil
1 tsp. cilantro, chopped
1/8 tsp. salt
3 egg roll wraps
1 egg, slightly whipped
oil for frying

Dipping Sauce:
1/8 tsp. white vinegar

Dipping sauce pureed

1/2 tsp. balsamic vinegar
1/4 c. honey
1/4 c. cashews, chopped
1/3 c. cilantro
2 green onions
1 garlic clove
1/2 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/8 c. olive oil

To make the dipping sauce: In a bowl, mix together the vinegars and honey. Heat for 1 minute in the microwave.

Pour this mixture and all other dipping sauce ingredients except the olive oil into a food processor. Puree. Pour into a bowl and add the olive oil. Stir and refrigerate.

Egg rolls frying

To make the egg rolls: In a bowl, stir together the avocado, tomatoes, cilantro, and salt together.

Add 1/3 of the mixture onto the center of each egg roll wrapper.

Position the wrapper so the corner is pointing toward you. Fold the bottom corner up over the filling. Fold remaining corners up over the filling, brushing the corners with egg to secure in place. Roll up from the bottom, folding the top corner over all. Seal with egg and repeat for remaining wrappers. 

Ready to eat!

Fry egg rolls for 3-5 minutes in oil over medium high heat. Fry until golden brown.

Serve with dipping sauce.

We'll be making this recipe again and again. It's so good.

Here's a link to the original recipe: http://lilluna.com/cheesecake-factory-avocado-egg-rolls/

Maple Oatmeal Cookies

*plan ahead... needs to chill

3/4 c. flour
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda
8 Tbsp. butter, melted
3/4 c. brown sugar, packed
1/4 c. + 1 Tbsp. maple syrup
3/4 tsp. vanilla
1 egg
1 3/4 c. old fashioned oats

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together melted butter, brown sugar, maple syrup, and vanilla. When mixture is cool, whisk in egg. Add dry ingredients to bowl and stir until combined. Stir in oats. Press plastic wrap over dough in bowl and let chill in refrigerator overnight. Don't cheat on this step.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Drop dough by rounded tablespoon onto prepared baking sheets. Bake until golden, about 16 minutes. Let cool on sheet for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling. Enjoy!

Here's a link to the recipe I used: www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2012/05/maple-brown-sugar-oatmeal-cookies-recipe.html?ref=search

Candy Cane Sugar Cookies

10 Tbsp. butter, room temperature
1 c. sugar
2 egg yolks                                                                                                        
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 c. flour

Baked cookies

1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. baking powder
sprinkles
24-25 candy cane Hershey Kisses, unwrapped

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line 2 baking sheets with wax or parchment paper. Set aside.

Beat the butter and cream together with an electric mixer for 5 minutes on medium speed. Add in the yolks and vanilla. Beat until completely mixed in.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, salt, and baking powder.

Slowly add the flour mixture to the wet mixture, while beating on low continually until the flour is fully combined. The dough should be thick. If it is sticky, chill in the fridge for 45 minutes.

Kissed cookies

Roll into tablespoon sized balls. Roll the balls in the sprinkles. Place on the prepared baking sheet - 12 balls on each sheet.

Bake 8-10 minutes. The cookies will look undercooked. That is what you want. Remove and let cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes. Then press a candy cane kiss into the center of each cookie. Place the baking sheets in the fridge 5-10 minutes. This will keep the kisses from melting.

These cookies are cute, festive, and taste delicious.

Here is a link to the recipe I used: http://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2013/12/03/candy-cane-kiss-cookies/

Salad with Candied Pecans

1 c. pecan halves
1/4 c. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
mixed greens
green apple or pear, chopped
strawberries, sliced
bleu cheese or feta, crumbled
raspberry dressing

Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil. Set aside.

Stir sugar, oil, and vinegar in a large skillet over medium heat until sugar melts and syrup bubbles, about 3 minutes. Mix in pecans and stir until nuts are toasted and syrup coats them evenly, 5-6 minutes.

Turn nuts out onto prepared baking sheet, and separate using 2 forks. Cool completely.

When the pecans have cooled completely,  mix all the remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Toss. Serve. We make this salad all the time.

You can make the candied pecans a day or two ahead before making the salad, just make sure to store them in an airtight container.

Iced Oatmeal Cookies

Cookies:
Crisco
2 c. old fashioned rolled oats
2 c. flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder

Cookies cooling

1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 c. butter, softened
1 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla

Icing:
2 c. confectioners sugar
3 Tbsp. milk

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Grease 2 baking sheets with crisco. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, mix together the oats, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugars with an electric beater. Add in one egg at a time, beating after each addition. Mix in the vanilla.

Cookies with icing

Gradually add in the flour mixture until just combined.

Roll cookie dough into 2 Tablespoon sized balls and place 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.

Bake 10-13 minutes or until the bottoms start to turn golden. Cool on the baking sheet 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack.

To make the icing: Combine the milk and sugar in a bowl. Stir until all the lumps are gone. Spread gently over the cooling cookies. Let the icing set before serving or storing in an airtight container.

Here's a link to the recipe I used: http://www.motherthyme.com/2013/11/iced-oatmeal-cookies.html

Orange Cranberry Bread

Streusel:
1/4 c. flour
2 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
3 Tbsp. butter, cold

Bread:
Cooking spray

Before baking

2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. fresh cranberry, chopped
1 large egg
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. sugar
1 c. buttermilk
1/3 c. vegetable oil
1 tsp. vanilla
2 Tbsp. orange zest

Preheat oven to 350 F.

To make the streusel: In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and cinnamon together. Grate in the cold butter. Then mash it up into large crumbs. Set aside.

To make the bread: Spray a bread pan with cooking oil. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt, and cranberries.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg and sugars. Make sure there are no lumps. Then whisk in the buttermilk, oil, vanilla, and orange zest. Whisk until just combined.

After baking

Pour into the prepared bread pan. Top evenly with the streusel. Cover loosely with foil. Bake 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Allow the bread to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before removing. If you get impatient, and don't let it cool completely, it will not come out of the pan well.

This bread is delicious and moist. A crowd pleaser.

Here is a link to the original recipe I adapted: http://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2013/11/13/orange-glazed-cranberry-bread/ 

Peppermint Bark

17 oz. white chocolate (not white chips), finely chopped

First layer

30 hard peppermint candies, coarsely crushed
7 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
6 Tbsp. heavy cream
1 tsp. peppermint extract

Turn a large baking sheet upside down, and cover it securely with aluminum foil. Measure out a 9x12-inch rectangle on the foil.

Put the white chocolate in a metal bowl, and set it over a saucepan of barely simmering water. (Do not allow the bottom of the bowl to touch the water.) Stir occasionally until the chocolate is melted and smooth; if you take its temperature with a candy thermometer, it should register 110 F.

White chocolate and peppermint

Remove the chocolate from the heat. Pour 2/3 cup onto the rectangle on the foil. Using an icing spatula, spread the chocolate to fill the rectangle. Sprinkle with ¼ cup of the crushed peppermints. Chill until set, about 15 minutes.

Combine the bittersweet chocolate, cream, and peppermint extract in a heavy medium saucepan. Warm over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture is just melted and smooth. Cool to barely lukewarm, about 5 minutes. Then remove the baking sheet from the refrigerator, and pour the bittersweet chocolate mixture over the white chocolate rectangle. Using an icing spatula, spread the bittersweet chocolate in an even layer. Chill until very cold and firm, about 25 minutes.

Bittersweet chocolate layer

Rewarm the remaining white chocolate over barely simmering water to 110 F. Working quickly, pour the white chocolate over the firm bittersweet layer, using your icing spatula to spread it to cover. Sprinkle with remaining crushed peppermints. Chill just until firm, about 20 minutes.

Carefully lift the foil from the baking sheet onto a large cutting board. Trim away any ragged edges of the rectangle. Using a metal spatula, slip the bark off of the foil and onto the cutting board. Cut the bark crosswise into 2-inch-wide strips, then cut each strip crosswise into 3 sections, and then cut each section diagonally into 2 triangles. Or just cut it into the size pieces you want.

Peppermint Bark

Pack into an airtight container, with sheets of wax paper between layers of bark to prevent them from sticking to one another. Store in the refrigerator. Serve cold or let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving.


Here's a link to the recipe I used: http://orangette.blogspot.com/2008/12/look-at-that.html

Sesame Beef and Asparagus

1/2 lb. asparagus, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
water, for boiling

3 Tbsp. sesame oil, separated
1 1/2 lbs. steak, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. ginger, minced
3 Tbsp. oyster sauce
3 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. Chinese 5 Spice powder
3 Tbsp. rice vinegar
black pepper, lots
4 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1/4 c. water
1 can sliced water chestnuts, drained
sesame seeds
hot cooked rice

Sauce

First blanch the asparagus in boiling water for 3-4 minutes. Drain. Immediately run very cold water over the asparagus for a minute or two. This retains the color of the asparagus. Set aside.

Heat a wok or skillet to high heat. Pour in 2 Tbsp. of the sesame oil. Cook the beef until most of the pink is gone. Remove the beef from the wok/skillet. Set aside.

In the same wok/skillet, add the ingredients for the sauce: garlic, ginger, oyster sauce, soy sauce, 5 Spice, rice vinegar, pepper, brown sugar, and the remaining 1 Tbsp. of sesame oil. Bring to a boil for 1 minute. Reduce heat.

Mix together the cornstarch and water to make a slurry. Pour into the sauce. Stir constantly for a minute or two while the sauce thickens.

Add the beef, asparagus, and water chestnuts to the sauce. Stir to coat it all. Let it simmer for several minutes so the beef, asparagus and chestnuts can get heated through.

Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve over hot cooked rice. Delicious.

Here's a link to the recipe I used: http://www.nlrockrecipes.com/2013/10/super-quick-sesame-beef-and-asparagus.html

Shrimp Monica

1 lb. farfalle pasta

Cream sauce cooking

2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/4 c. water + 1/2 tsp. cornstarch, mixed
1 lb. shrimp, frozen, peeled
6 Tbsp. butter
1 onion, chopped
5-6 cloves of garlic, minced
1/3 tsp. paprika
3/4 tsp. salt
1/3 tsp. garlic powder
1/3 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. onion powder

Uncooked shrimp

1/4 tsp. coriander
1/2 tsp. cayenne
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. thyme
1/4 c. dry white wine
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 c. heavy cream
1/2 c. green onions, chopped
2 Tbsp. cilantro, chopped
3/4 c. Parmesan

Cooked shrimp

Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain. Return to pot. Toss with the olive oil and cornstarch slurry. Cover to keep warm.

In a skillet over medium heat, cook the shrimp until they are pink all the way through. Set aside.

In a large pot, melt the butter. Add in the onion, and let cook for about 5 minutes. Add in the garlic and all the seasonings. Stir and cook about 1 minute.

Cream sauce, almost done

Add in the white wine, turn the heat to high. Cook until the wine is almost completely evaporated. When it's ready, turn the heat down to low for a minute or two, stirring occasionally. Add in the lemon juice, then the cream. You don't want to put the cream in when the temperature is still high because it can curdle your cream. Heat through.

Add in the green onions and cilantro. Cook for a minute or two.

Add the pasta and shrimp to the cream sauce. Toss to coat all the noodles and shrimp. Cook until everything is heated through, which should only be a few minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in the Parmesan. Serve hot.

Shrimp Monica!

I served this with a side of french bread. Definitely a recipe I will come back to.

Here is a link to the original New Orleans recipe I adapted: http://www.gonola.com/2011/05/15/crawfish-monica-recipe-for-a-new-orleans-jazz-fest-classic.html

Southwest Chicken and Rice

1 c. rice
2 1/4 c. chicken stock
1/2 tsp. paprika

Rice after cooking

1/2 tsp. chipotle tabasco (or more if you want it)
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. cumin (at least)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
two dashes coriander
4 Tbsp. butter, divided
15 oz. black beans, drained
15 oz. whole kernel corn, drained
1 1/2 c. chicken breast, diced
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 Tbsp. cilantro, chopped
1 c. pepperjack cheese, shredded (I recommend Tillamook)

Adding ingredients

In a large pot, combine the uncooked rice, stock, paprika, chipotle, garlic powder, cumin, salt, pepper, coriander, and 1 Tbsp. butter. Over medium heat, bring to a simmer. Cover and reduce heat to low. Let it cook for 22-25 minutes.

While the rice is cooking, cook up the diced chicken over medium heat. Make sure it is cooked through. Set aside.

When the rice is done, add the remaining butter, beans, corn, chicken, garlic, onion, and cilantro to the pot. Turn the heat up to medium-high. Cook about 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

Ready to eat

Add in the pepperjack. Stir to combine. Leave on the heat 1 more minute so the cheese can melt. Serve hot.

You will not be disappointed. There were no leftovers at my house.

Here is a link to the recipe I adapted: http://www.yammiesnoshery.com/2013/10/cheesy-chipotle-chicken-and-rice.html