Chinese Chicken salad

Ina Garten gets all the credit on this one. She's amazing, and we miss the Barefoot Contessa store we had here desperately...

This is a favorite for picnics, and family gatherings.. Very delicious.

Chinese Chicken salad.

Ingredients

nocoupons

• 4 split chicken breasts (bone-in, skin-on)
• Good olive oil
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 pound asparagus, ends removed, and cut in thirds diagonally
• 1 red bell pepper, cored and seeded
• 2 scallions (white and green parts), sliced diagonally
• 1 tablespoon white sesame seeds, toasted

For the dressing:

nocoupons

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup good apple cider vinegar
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 1/2 tablespoons dark sesame oil
• 1/2 tablespoon honey
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon peeled, grated fresh ginger
• 1/2 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted
• 1/4 cup smooth peanut butter
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the chicken breasts on a sheet pan and rub with the skin with olive oil. Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until the chicken is just cooked. Set aside until cool enough to handle. Remove the meat from the bones, discard the skin, and shred the chicken in large bite-sized pieces.

Blanch the asparagus in a pot of boiling salted water for 3 to 5 minutes until crisp-tender. Plunge into ice water to stop the cooking. Drain. Cut the peppers in strips about the size of the asparagus pieces. Combine the cut chicken, asparagus, and peppers in a large bowl.

Whisk together all of the ingredients for the dressing and pour over the chicken and vegetables. Add the scallions and sesame seeds and season to taste. Serve cold or at room temperature.

Marinated Cucmbers

I just picked 6 cucumbers out of my garden because I was craving these! We LOVE them. give it a try, Tell me what you think...



Marinated Cucumbers
Ingredients

6 medium cucumbers, thinly sliced
1 medium onion sliced
1 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup sugar ( I prefer agave)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp marjoram
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp ground mustard

Combine the cucs and onion, and in a small bowl mix all other ingredients mix well, and pour over, stir, cover and refrigerate for a couple hours... but better the next day!

Rhubarb Chutney

So Easy, and yummy. I love chutneys, and this was very easy. You could cut the sugar, but I found a bit more than 1 1/2 cups, helped cut a slightly to tangy chutney.... if you don't want so much sugar in it I would cut the cider vinegar a little. A bit to tangy for me. but it has a well rounded taste of sweet, sour and salt over all...
thinking about it now, I might (next time) add a little jalapeno and or ginger
to it for a little kick.... (hmmm? stay tuned I may make another batch!)
depends on what you like. I like it to hit every taste bud....

Rhubarb Chutney

• 3 cups fresh rhubarb, chopped
• 2 cups chopped onion
• 2 cups brown sugar
• 1 cup cider vinegar
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 2 tsp salt

throw it all in a heavy pot and let it boil, then simmer for 30 minutes. Sterilize some pint jars or which ever size you like, lids and bands. Pout into jars, wipe rims clean, put on lids and bands and turn up side down to cool, they will seal themselves.... makes about 2 pints.

try it first as is, then go back and try other added flavors.... for a fast easy yummy chutney, this is a good one.

Rhubarb cookies

RHUBARB COOKIES

1 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
2 eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups diced fresh rhubarb

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:
1 cup soft cream cheese
1 tablespoon butter, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cups confectioners' sugar


preheat oven to 350 degrees
cream shortening and brown sugar and then the eggs.
Separately, mix the flour, baking soda and salt; slowly add to creamed mixture.
stir in rhubarb, it will be a bit stiff... then form medium size dollops and place on cookie sheet.
bake for about 15 minutes, let cool.
frost with cream cheese frosting if you like. keep in fridge, or freeze.

It is a cake like cookie. Very yummy! You could even add strawberries to these to if you liked! or some pecans! Enjoy!

Strawberry Rhubarb muffins

I was in the mood for Strawberry adn Rhubarb, ANYTHING. So I thougthI'd make some
Strawberry rhubarb muffins, then freeze them, so when I want a treat for breakfast, I toss one in the microwave, and away I go...

Strawberry Rhubarb Muffins

2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
2 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup milk
1/2 c oil
2 eggs
1 cup strawberries chopped
1 cup rhubarb chopped
cinnamon sugar to sprinkle on top.

preheat oven @ 400, butter/grease muffin tins.

mix first 4 ingredients. Separately, mix milk oil and eggs, then add to dry ingredients, stir lightly, and mix in strawberries and rhubarb. then pour into muffin tin, not quite full...
Sprinkle a little sugar and cinnamon over the top....bake 15-20 minutes.

Lemon Garlic shrimp & Pasta

Lemon Garlic Shrimp & Pasta

1 pound Shrimp, peeled and deveined
16 oz pasta
1/4 c butter
1/4 olive oil
4 large garlic cloves crushed
1 /3 c white wine
1/4 c lemon juice
salt & pepper tp taste
1/2 c fresh parsley
1 Tbs lemon zest
1 batch of asparagus
Parmesan to sprinkle on top.

Fill large pot with water to boil, add pasta, cook until al dente. Chop the asparagus put in the bottom of the strainer, pour pasta water and all over the asparagus and let it sit for 5 minutes...

in a skillet, add oil and butter, and melt. Add garlic and cook til softened. (a few minutes)
Add shrimp, wine, lemon juice, and cook until shrimp are no longer translucent in the middle.
(about 5-6 minutes.) Pour pasta/asparagus into large bowl, then pour the shrimp onto the pasta and stir up, add salt and pepper, sprinkle with parmesan cheese, stir in parsley and lemon zest.
Serve, and enjoy!

Blueberry Zucchini bread

Blueberry Zucchini bread

• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 cups white sugar
• 2 cups shredded zucchini
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1 pint fresh blueberries

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease 4 mini-loaf pans.
2. In a large bowl, beat together the eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugar. Fold in the zucchini. Beat in the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon. Gently fold in the blueberries. Transfer to the prepared mini-loaf pans.
3. Bake 50 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a knife inserted in the center of a loaf comes out clean. Cool 20 minutes in pans, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.