Sweet Crispy Chicken Wings

Sweet Crispy Chicken Wings

40 pieces of chicken (20 wings cut in half)
1/2 cup flour
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
2 eggs crack over chicken
1 tsp. salt
pepper (fresh grinded over chicken)
vegetable oil to cook chicken
1 cup ginger root sliced
a little soy sauce
a little vinegar
seasame seeds (optional)
Put chicken wings in bowl salt & pepper. Crack eggs and add flour and starch. Coat the chicken in it. Get vegetable oil hot. Put chicken in cook both sides and remove.
Add all chicken back to pan when cooked and pour the sticky sauce over them and cook a little bit to get sauce mixed on evenly.
For sticky sauce add
1 cup sliced ginger
add to 1 cup boiling water
add 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
1/4 cup vinegar
Let boil in separate pan about 5 minutes add 1 cup cornsyrup. Lower heat add 1/2 cup orange sauce and pour over chicken.

Chicken and Prawn Laksa

Chicken and Prawn Laksa
2 tbsp. oil (I use sesame oil)
2 tbsp. grated ginger
2 cloves garlic, crushed
8 green onions, sliced
8 chicken tenderloins (I actually use 5-8 chicken breasts)
2 tbsp. mild curry paste
3 cups hot chicken stock/broth
1.5 cups coconut milk
12 small raw prawns (I used cooked, tail off,ok I use 30-40 medium shrimps)
about 3 cups of rice
handful of snow peas
handful of bean sprouts
1/3 cup chopped cilantro (optional)
2 pinches of basil (optional)

Heat the oil in a wok (or normal pan). Add ginger, garlic and green onions: stir fry 1 min. Add chicken to the pan and stir fry for further 3 minutes or until cooked. Stir in curry paste until chicken is well coated. Add hot chicken stock and stir in the coconut milk. Bring slowly to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 3 minutes. Add prawns and simmer for a further 3 minutes. Meanwhile, place the vermicelli in a large heatproof bowl and pour over enough boiling water to cover. Set aside for 5 minutes until soft. Drain the vermicelli and divide among large, warmed serving bowls. Add snow peas last 5 minutes before serving and add and some bean sprouts, then ladle over the rice and top with bean sprouts, and chinese crunchy noodles. Serve sprinkled with cilantro and remaining bean sprouts which is optional

Chicken Pot Pie

Chicken Pot Pie

2 9-inch pie crusts
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 tsp salt
pepper
thyme
1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth
1/2 cup cream (I used milk, worked fine)
1/2 cup or so white wine
2 cups cooked chicken, cut into chunks
3/4 cup frozen peas
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, sliced
couple cloves chopped garlic
some more thyme, because thyme is awesome

Heat oven to 425.

Melt butter over low heat. Blend in flour, salt, pepper, and a little thyme. Cook over low until it's a nice light roux. Stir in broth, cream, and wine. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute.

Saute the onion, carrot, and garlic until soft. Throw in salt, pepper, and thyme as you like. Add to the sauce with the peas and chicken. Pour into the pie shell and cover with the other crust. Cut a couple vents in the top. Put some foil over the edges to keep them from burning. Bake 35 to 40 minutes, until golden brown.

Homemade Soft Pretzels

Homemade Soft Pretzels (Beer drinking Pretzels...Ha Ha!)
1 tbs yeast
1 1/4 c warm water
1/4 c brown sugar
4 c flour

coarse salt
melted butter (about 3 tbs)
1/2 c baking soda dissolved in 3 c water at a simmer



1. Dissolve the sugar in the warm water and add the yeast to proof it. The yeast should get foamy after about 5 minutes.

2. Add the flour and mix it gently. The dough should be sticky but well combined. Don't over-knead it or you'll get tough pretzels.

3. Let the dough rise in a covered, oiled bowl for about 20-30 minutes depending on how warm your house is.

4. Divide the dough into 10 equal pieces and shape into long ropes about 1" in diameter. Shape these into pretzel shapes and prepare some greased baking trays. Dip each pretzel into the water-baking soda mixture and submerge for about 20 seconds. Then place each onto the tray.

5. Bake at 450ºF for about 5 minutes or until the pretzels are golden and smell like heaven. Remove from the oven, brush with butter, and sprinkle with coarse salt. TRY to wait as long as you can before chowing down on them, but they are really really good warm.



I also think this would be a fun baking activity to involve kids in if you happen to have any around! Kids are really good at making dough ropes. :)

Cinnamon Swirl Bread

Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread

For the bread:

* 3 over-ripe bananas, smashed up
* 1/3 cup melted butter
* 3/4 cup sugar
* 1 egg, beaten
* 1 tsp vanilla
* 1 tsp baking soda
* dash of salt
* 1 1/2 cups flour

For the swirl:

* 1/3 cup sugar
* 1 Tbs cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 350. Butter and four a loaf pan. Mine was 9 x 5, but you could use any sort, I suppose. Just keep a close eye on it in the oven, and adjust the time as needed
2. Mix bananas, butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla together. sprinkle baking soda and salt around on top of the banana mixture. Then gently stir in flour. Be careful not to over-mix!
3. In a small dish, mix together the 1/3 cup sugar and 1 Tbs cinnamon.
4. Add 1/2 of the batter to the loaf pan and then sprinkle half, or a little more than half of the cinnamon-sugar mixture all over the batter in the pan. Add the rest of the batter, and then sprinkle the leftover cinnamon-sugar on top.
5. Bake for 50-60 minutes, but remember, if you’re using a different-sized loaf pan, be careful and keep a close eyeball on it!

Eating Right in your 30's!

Eating Right in your 30's

The Challenge: You're low on energy.

Feels like your being pulloed in a zillion different directions? No wonder. Between a demanding career, a husband, and kids too. Trying to fit in a workouut whenever you can, it's tough to balance all the things on your to do list and still muster the motivation to eat right. Consider this your health wake up call. "A less than stellar diet starts to catch up with you in this decade, putting you at increased risk for high blood pressure, high cholesterol and weight gain."

Your diet to do list

1)Bolster your Immunity

Antioxidants like vitamin A,C, and E, found in foods ssuch as sweet potatoes, red peppers and almonds, may slow the effects of aging and help ward off heart disease and cancer. The secret to their success? They reduce inflammation and repair damage to cells. You can't get the same benefits from swupplements, however. "Studies show that the antioxidants in food are much more effective than those you get from popping a pill, because they work in tandem with other compounds to fight disease."

2)Aim for Three Squares

Too busy for breakfast. Likely to choose your "lunch" from the office vending machine? If this is you then your habits need to chance. Not eating enough of the right foods for breakfast & lunch can make you feel exhausted and irritable by midafternoon. Build time in your schedule for three meals daily with 400-500 calories
each with a 150 calorie snack anytime you go more than three to four hours without eating. Keep healthy foods like nuts, fruit, whole grained cereal in your desk for those days when you can't get away from the office.

3)Power Up Your Plate.

Filling up on fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains may reduce your risk of diabetes, cancer and heart disease. In one study, women who ate the most vegetables lowered their odds of developing type 2 diabetes by 28 percent. Vegetarians in another report slashed their risk of cardiovscular disease by 24 percent. To reap the benefits, load three quarters of your plate with foods mentioned above, and the remaining one quarter with lean meat, poultry or fish.

Your recipes for success

Breakfast

1 package instant oatmeal topped with 1 sliced banana and 1 teaspoon brown sugar
6 oz. low fat yogurt
coffee with low fat milk

Lunch

Spinach salad: Toss together 1 1/2 cup baby spinach, 1/2 swliced red bell pepper, 5 halved grape tomates, 5 chopped baby carrots, 1/2 cup chickpeas, 2 tablespoons balsamic vinaigrette, 2 tablespoons slivered almonds
1 oz. (about 13) baked pita chips

Snack

1 apple, sliced, and 1 tablespoon peanut butter

Dinner

4 oz. grilled chicken breast with 1 cup cooked brown rice and black bean tomato salad (1/2 cup black beans, 1 small dicedd tomato, 1/4 diced avocado, 1 tablespoon lime juice and 1 pinch chilli powder)
8 oz. 1% milk and 2 oreos

Eating Right in your 20's!

This is information collected from fitness magazine.

The challenge in your 20's is your pressed for time.
Your diet to do list

1) Bone up on calcium and vitamin D

This is the last decade to build up bone mass without bone loss. Aim for 1,000 milligrams of calcium. One serving of yogurt or 1 1/2 oz. of cheese provides roughly 300-400 milligrams and up to 1,000 IU of vitamin D daily. Its tough to get enough vitamin D from food alone your best bet is a combination of foods, such as SALMON and canned tuna in oil, and supplements.

2) Fish for Happiness

Hours at the office and a fully booked social calendar can result in chronic stress, which can raise blood pressure, promote weight gaon and cause mood swings. 500 to 1,000 milligrams of omega-3 fatty acids daily can lessen the damage. Good for you fats, found in FISH, NUTS, and SEEDS, reduce inflammation and improve the health of your brain cells, helping to elevate your mood and protect against depression. A study at the Univesity of Pittsburgh said people with the highest levels of omega 3's were significantly happier than those with lower levels.

3) Go for the Right Grains

Eating too many refined carbohydrates causes drawstic swings in blood sugar, which can sap your energy and leave you feeling cranky. Choose WHOLE GRAINS, PASTA, CEREAL, and RICE. Aim for three to six servings daily for a steady supply of fuel as well as the recommended 25 to 30 grams of fiber you need each day.

Recipes for Success

Breakfast

Veggie fritata: Cook 2 eggs scrambled with 1/4 cup thawed brocoli, 1/4 cup sliced mushrooms and 1 sliced green onion in 1 tablespoon canola oil until set 8-10 minutes. Top with 2 taqblespoons grated parmesan cheese.
2 slices whole grain toast and 8 oz. calcium & vitamin D fortified OJ

Lunch

Salmon burger on a whole wheat bun with chive mayo (mix 1 tablesppon canola mayo with 1 tsp. chives) and cucumber and tomato slices
1 cup grapes

Snack

Whole grain energy bar and a nonfat latte

Dinner

Spicy pasta: saute 1 chopped garlic clove, 1 chopped tomato, 1 tsp. capers and a pinch red pepper in 1 tablesppon olive oil. Serve over 1 1/2 cups cooked whole wheat pasta with 2 tablespoon feta cheese.
1/2 cup vanilla pudding topped with 2 tablespoons mini chocolate chips