Sesame Chicken

Recipe from: AllRecipes.com
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Sweet-Sticky-and-Spicy-Chicken/Detail.aspx?ms=1&prop25=41235786&prop26=DailyDish&prop27=2010-07-28&prop28=DailyRecipe&prop29=FullRecipePhoto&me=1

Ingredients

1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 teaspoons chopped fresh ginger root
2 teaspoons chopped garlic
2 tablespoons hot sauce
salt and pepper to taste
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into 1/2 inch strips
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Directions

Mix together brown sugar, honey, soy sauce, ginger, garlic and hot sauce in a small bowl.

Lightly salt and pepper the chicken strips.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken strips and brown on both sides, about 1 minute per side. Pour the sauce over the chicken. Simmer uncovered until the sauce thickens, 8 to 10 minutes.

Lighter Sesame Chicken

Recipe from: MarthaStewart.com
http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/lighter-sesame-chicken?&backto=true&backtourl=/photogallery/quick-better-than-takeout-recipes#slide_64

Ingredients
Serves 4.

3/4 cup brown rice
3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 garlic clove, finely chopped or crushed with a garlic press
2 large egg whites
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 2-inch chunks
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, such as safflower
4 scallions, thinly sliced
1 1/2 pounds broccoli, cut into large florets, stems peeled and thinly sliced

Directions

Place a steamer basket in a large saucepan, and fill with 1 inch water; set aside for broccoli. Cook rice according to package instructions.

Meanwhile, make sauce: In a small bowl, combine honey, sesame seeds, soy sauce, and garlic; set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together egg whites and cornstarch. Add chicken; season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat.

In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high. Add half the chicken; cook, turning occasionally, until golden and opaque throughout, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate; repeat with remaining tablespoon oil and chicken. Return all the chicken to skillet; add reserved sauce and scallions, and toss to coat.

Meanwhile, place saucepan with steamer basket over high heat; bring water to a boil. Add broccoli, and cook until crisp-tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Serve sesame chicken with broccoli and rice.

Amaretti Cheesecake

Ingredients to make Amaretti Cheesecake

CRUST:
7 oz Amaretti (see note)
2 Tbsp granulated sugar
1 oz unsweetened chocolate,1 sqare
5 Tbsp sweet butter

FILLING
6 oz semisweet chocolate
7 oz Amaretti
4 oz almond paste
1/3 cup Amaretto liqueur
1 1/2 lb cream cheese
1/4 cup granulated sugar at room temperature
4 eggs (large or extra-large)
1/2 cup heavy cream

Directions to make Amaretti Cheesecake

Step 1:(CRUST) Butter the sides only (not the bottom) of a 9-inch spring-form pan (2 1/2-3 inches deep). Grind the Amaretti very fine in a food processor or blender. Mix with sugar in a mixing bowl. Melt the chocolate and butter in the top of a double boiler, stirring occasionally. Add the melted mixture to the Amaretti crumbs and sugar and mix thoroughly. (Don’t wash the double boiler; you’ll be using it again in a minute.) Turn the mixture into the prepared pan. With your fingers, distribute it evenly over the bottom and press it down into a very firm, compact layer. Refrigerate while you prepare the filling.

Step 2:(FILLING) Adjust rack 1/3 up from the bottom of the oven and preheat to 350 deg. F. Partially melt chocolate in the top of a double boiler, then uncover and stir until completely melted. Remove the top of the double boiler and set aside to cool. Break the Amaretti coarsely into a bowl and set aside. Cut the almond paste into small pieces, and beat on low speed with an electric mixer, while gradually adding the Amaretto liqueur. Beat until thoroughly mixed, and set aside.

Step 3:the cream cheese with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the sugar and beat until smooth again. Add the almond paste-Amaretto mixture and beat until thoroughly mixed. Add the melted chocolate and beat well again. Add the eggs one at a time, beating at low speed until they are incorporated after each addition. Add the heavy cream and beat until smooth. Add the coarsely broken Amaretti and stir gently only to mix. Turn into the prepared pan, pouring the mixture over the bottom crust. Rotate the pan gently to level the batter. (Don’t worry if the mixture comes almost to the top; it won’t run over.) Bake 45 minutes. It will seem soft and not done, but don’t bake any more; it will become firm when chilled.

Step 4:NOTES Amaretti are Italian almond-flavored wafer cookies. They are usually sold in metal tins with the wafers wrapped in packages of two inside the tin. You can also buy Amarettini, which are the same flavor but much smaller and not individually wrapped.

Paula Dean’s Creamy Scallion Dip

Ingredients:
4 cups sour cream
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp hilli powder
The juice of one lime
6 chopped green onions
Fresh ground pepper and salt.

Directions:

Combine all, stir and sprinkle chili powder and a few more scallions for garnish.

Cashew Chicken

Recipe from: MarthaStewart.com
http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/cashew-chicken?backto=true&backtourl=/photogallery/quick-better-than-takeout-recipes#slide_54

Ingredients
Serves 4.

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, such as safflower
6 cloves garlic, minced
8 scallions, white and green parts separated, each cut into 1-inch pieces
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
3/4 cup raw cashews (4 ounces), toasted
White rice, for serving (optional)

Directions

In a medium bowl, toss chicken with cornstarch until chicken is coated; season with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Cook half the chicken, tossing often, until browned, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Add remaining oil and chicken to skillet along with the garlic and white parts of scallions. Cook, tossing often, until chicken is browned, about 3 minutes. Return first batch of chicken to pan. Add vinegar; cook until evaporated, about 30 seconds.

Add hoisin sauce and 1/4 cup water; cook, tossing, until chicken is cooked through, about 1 minute. Remove from heat. Stir in scallion greens and cashews. Serve immediately over white rice, if desired.

Wonton Soup

Recipe from: AllRecipe.com
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe-Tools/Print/Recipe.aspx?RecipeID=13199&origin=detail&servings=8

"Wontons stuffed with a mixture of pork and shrimp seasoned with soy sauce and ginger root are gently simmered in chicken broth."

Ingredients:

1/2 pound boneless pork loin, coarsely
chopped
2 ounces peeled shrimp, finely chopped
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine
1 tablespoon light soy sauce 1 teaspoon finely chopped green onion
1 teaspoon chopped fresh ginger root
24 (3.5 inch square) wonton wrappers
3 cups chicken stock
1/8 cup finely chopped green onion

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine pork, shrimp, sugar, wine, soy sauce, 1 teaspoon chopped green onion and ginger. Blend well, and let stand for 25 to 30 minutes.

Place about one teaspoon of the filling at the center of each wonton skin. Moisten all 4 edges of wonton wrapper with water, then pull the top corner down to the bottom, folding the wrapper over the filling to make a triangle. Press edges firmly to make a seal. Bring left and right corners together above the filling. Overlap the tips of these corners, moisten with water and press together. Continue until all wrappers are used.

FOR SOUP: Bring the chicken stock to a rolling boil. Drop wontons in, and cook for 5 minutes. Garnish with chopped green onion, and serve

Country Pound Cake

AllRecipes.com
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe-Tools/Print/Recipe.aspx?RecipeID=8300&origin=detail&servings=14

This a really good down-home style, back to basics pound cake that my whole family enjoys! This recipe was handed down to me with the stipulation of placing the cake in a cold oven, and it turns out perfectly every time."

Ingredients:

3 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening 2 2/3 cups white sugar
5 eggs
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon extract

Directions:

Do not preheat the oven. Grease 10 inch tube pan and line bottom with wax paper or parchment paper.

Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the butter, shortening, and sugar on low speed for 10 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, blending well after each addition. Alternately add the flour mixture and milk, mixing well. Add the vanilla and lemon extracts.

Pour batter into the prepared pan. Set the oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C. Bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of cake comes out clean. Allow cake to cool in the pan for 1 hour. Remove to a cake rack and cool for at least 3 hours

Blueberry Peach Pound Cake

AllREecipes.com:
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Blueberry-Peach-Pound-Cake/Detail.aspx/

Original Recipe Yield 12 servings

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter or stick margarine, softened
1 1/4 cups sugar
3 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
3/4 cup egg substitute
1/4 cup 2% milk
2 1/2 cups cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 1/4 cups chopped fresh or frozen unsweetened peaches
2 cups fresh or frozen unsweetened blueberries
3/4 cup reduced-fat whipped topping

Directions

In a mixing bowl, beat the butter, sugar and applesauce. Add egg substitute and milk. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; add to the creamed mixture and mix until blended. Fold in peaches and blueberries. Pour into a 10-in. flouted tube pan coated with nonstick cooking spray.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack. Garnish slices with whipped topping

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

This classic favorite has made a comeback, and it's easier than ever to make when using a cake mix.

Prep Time: 15 min
Total Time: 1 hour 50 min
Makes: 12 servings

Ingredients:
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 can (20 oz) pineapple slices in juice, drained, juice reserved
1 jar (6 oz) maraschino cherries without stems, drained
1 box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® yellow cake mix
Vegetable oil and eggs called for on cake mix box

Directions:
Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). In 13x9-inch pan, melt butter in oven. Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over butter. Arrange pineapple slices on brown sugar. Place cherry in center of each pineapple slice, and arrange remaining cherries around slices; press gently into brown sugar.

Add enough water to reserved pineapple juice to measure 1 1/4 cups. Make cake batter as directed on box, substituting pineapple juice mixture for the water. Pour batter over pineapple and cherries.

Bake 40 to 45 minutes (42 to 48 minutes for dark or nonstick pan) or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Immediately run knife around side of pan to loosen cake. Place heatproof serving plate upside down onto pan; turn plate and pan over. Leave pan over cake 5 minutes so brown sugar topping can drizzle over cake; remove pan. Cool 30 minutes. Serve warm or cool. Store covered in refrigerator.
.

Caramel Apple Pie Cheesecake

Cheese Cake

Crust:
1 1/2  cups finely ground graham crackers (about 30 squares)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 stick unsalted butter, melted

Filling:
3 blocks cream cheese, softened
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 pint sour cream
1 lemon, zested
1 dash Vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
combine the crust ingredients with a fork until evenly moistened. Lightly coat the bottom and sides of an 8-inch spring form pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Pour the crumbs into the pan and, using the bottom of a measuring cup or the smooth bottom of a glass, press the crumbs down into the base and 1-inch up the sides. Refrigerate for 5 minutes.

For the Filling:

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese on low speed for 1 minute until smooth and free of any lumps. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, and continue to beat slowly until combined. Gradually add sugar and beat until creamy, for 1 to 2 minutes.

Add sour cream, lemon zest, and vanilla. scrape down the sides of the bowl and the beaters. The batter should be well mixed but not over beaten. Pour the filling into the crust lined pan and smooth the top with a spatula.

Set the cheesecake pan on a large piece of aluminum foil and fold up the sides around it. Place the cake pan in a large roasting pan. Pour boiling water into the roasting pan until the water is about halfway up the sides of the cheesecake pan; the foil will keep the water from seeping into the cheesecake. Bake for 1 hour and 45 minutes. The cheesecake should still jiggle, so be careful not to overcook. Let cool in pan for 30 minutes. Chill in the refrigerator, loosely covered, for at least 4 hours. Loosen the cheesecake from the sides of the pan by running a thin metal spatula around the inside rim.

Caramel Apple Walnut Topping or "Apple Pie Topping"

Ingredients:

1/2 cup caramel sauce
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
1-2 baking apples, peeled and sliced into thin slices
3 tbs butter
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 TBS Brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon


Directions:

Add the apple slices, brown sugar and butter into a thick bottom, narrow and high sided pan. Cook over a medium-high heat, stirring, until the apples are tender and the brown sugar melts to form a thick syrup. Set aside and let cool.


Pour the caramel sauce over cooled cheesecake, smoothing with a spoon, leaving a few inch border around the edges. Arrange the apple slices as you like, top with cinnamon and walnuts. Refrigerate until ready to serve.