Teriyaki Chicken

INGREDIENTS:
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon cold water
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground black
pepper
12 skinless chicken thighs
DIRECTIONS:
1. In a small saucepan over low heat, combine the cornstarch, cold water, sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, ginger and ground black pepper. Let simmer, stirring frequently, until sauce thickens and bubbles.
2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
3. Place chicken pieces in a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking dish. Brush chicken with the sauce. Turn pieces over, and brush again.
4. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Turn pieces over, and bake for another 30 minutes, until no longer pink and juices run clear. Brush with sauce every 10 minutes during cooking.


***Tresa's Notes***
I changed out the white sugar for brown sugar and added two more cloves of garlic. Simmered on stove till it came together. I marinated 5 boneless chicken breasts with this sauce for an hour then grilled them. They came out amazing! A few of the comments on the website thought it was salty, but I really didn't think so once it was on the chicken. I found it quite good. Enjoy!


Recipe Website:

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/baked-teriyaki-chicken/Detail.aspx

Easy Homemade Ice cream (Cinnamon Bun Flavor)

Cinnamon Bun Ice Cream
2 cups heavy cream
1 (14 oz.) Eagle Brand® Sweetened Condensed Milk
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Whip heavy cream to stiff peaks in large bowl. Whisk sweetened condensed milk, butter, cinnamon, and vanilla in large bowl. Mix well. Fold in whipped cream.
Pour into a 2-quart container and cover. Freeze 6 hours or until firm. Store in freezer.

Fir More variations:
Read More http://www.kevinandamanda.com/recipes/dessert/easy-homemade-ice-cream-without-a-machine.html#ixzz1MuElpkIx

***Tresa's Notes***
This is a recipe that I had never tried before and it's really good! Mind you, it's EXTREMELY rich and obviously not that great for you..lol..but it tastes great and is a simple treat! Soo good! Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Muffins

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup white sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup milk
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
3/4 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
3 tablespoons white sugar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
DIRECTIONS:
1. Heat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C). Grease bottoms only of 12 muffin cups or line with baking cups.
2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder, chocolate chips, and salt; mix well. In a small bowl, combine milk, oil and egg; blend well. Add dry ingredients all at once; stir just until dry ingredients are moistened (batter will be lumpy.)
3. Fill cups 2/3 full. Sprinkle tops of muffins before baking with a combination of 3 tablespoons sugar and 2 tablespoon brown sugar.
4. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 1 minute before removing from pan. Serve warm.


*****Tresa's Notes******

I added 1/4 cup of sour cream for moistness-you could up the milk to 1 cup instead of the sour cream if you wanted. I kinda messed up on the sugar-I had 5 Tablespoons of sugar and 2 of brown sugar in the batter-but it tasted good! Also if you wanted you could add a teaspoon of vanilla. Mine made 12 regular muffins-Engjoy!!

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe-Tools/Print/Recipe.aspx?RecipeID=7906&origin=detail&&Servings=12

No-Bake Cookies

Found from the following blog:

http://www.browneyedbaker.com/2009/06/30/no-bake-chocolate-peanut-butter-oatmeal-cookies/

No-Bake Chocolate, Peanut Butter & Oatmeal Cookies
Yield: 2 to 3 dozen cookies
Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cooling Time: 30 minutes

½ cup (1 stick) butter
2 cups granulated sugar
½ cup milk
4 tablespoons cocoa powder
½ cup peanut butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups quick-cooking oats
1. Add the first four ingredients (through the cocoa powder) to a 4-quart saucepan.
2. Bring to a rolling boil and let boil for 1 minute.
3. Remove from heat.
4. Stir in the peanut butter and vanilla until smooth, then stir in the oats.
5. Drop by heaping tablespoons onto wax paper-lined baking sheets.
6. Let cool until set.
(Recipe adapted from Ezra Pound Cake)

Carmel-Pecan Brownies with Whipped Cream Frosting

Basic Caramel Recipe

The caramel will harden quickly upon cooling. You want a medium amber color-so keep an eye on it while it's cooking.
Yields 2/3 Cup

1 Cup Granulated Sugar
1/4 Teaspoon Fresh Lemon Juice
1/4 Cup cold water

Fill a cup measure halfway with water and put a pastry brush in it; this will be used for washing down the sides of the pan to prevent crystalization. In a heavy 2 quart saucepan, stir the sugar, lemon juice and water. Brush down the sides of the pan with water to wash away any sugar crystals. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook, occasionally brusing down the sides of the pan, until the mixture starts to color around the edges, 5-8 minutes. Gently swirl the pan once to even out the color and preven the sugar from burning in isolated spots. Continue to cook until the sugar turns medium amber, about 30 seconds more.

Ingredients for the Brownies

6 ounces (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch pieces-softened for the pan
4 ounces (1/2 cup) unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped (could substitute Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chunks/Chips)
4 Large eggs
1 3/4 Cups Granulated Sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 3/8 ounces (3/4 cup) unleached all-purpose flour
3/4 ounces (1/4 Cup) natural cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups pecans, coarsely chopped

Ingredients for the Topping

Basic Caramel (Recipe listed above)
1/2 cup heavy cream
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 3 pieces
1 Teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt

Ingredients for the Garnish

2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 Tablespoon heavy cream
1/2 cup pecans, toasted and chopped

Make the Brownies

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350 F. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9x13 inch baking pan. Put the butter and chocolate in a heavy medium -size saucepan over low heat and stir constantly until melted and smooth. Remove from the heat and set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs until well blended. Gradually whisk in the sugar and then whisk vigorously until well blended. Whisk in the melted chocolate mixture, banilla and salt. Whisk in the flour and cocoa powder until blended. Stir in the pecans and then scrape the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing it into an even layer with a spatula. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the brownies comes out with a few moist crumbs clinging to it, 20-22 minutes. Transfer the pan to a rack and if necessary, gently press down any puffed areas with a spatula to make the top level, Let cool for about 5 minutes.

Make the Topping

While the browines are baking make the Basic caramel. Remover the pan from the heat and carefully add the cream-the mixture will bubble furiously. When the bubbling has subsided add the butter and gently whisk until completely melted. Whisk in the vanilla and salt. Pour the caramel topping over the browines using a spatula to spread it evenly over the entire top. Let the brownies cool on the rack for 45 minutes and then refigerate until the caramel toppping is set, at least 1 hour.

Garnish the Brownies

Combine the chocolate and heavy cream in a small saucepan over low heat and sti constantly until melted and smooth. Pour the chocolate into a small piping bag fitted with a 1/8 inch plain tip (or pu it in a small zip lock bag seal the bag then snip off a bottom corner to make a small hole.) Drizzle the chocolate over the brownies in a zigzag pattern. Sprinkle the chopped pecanse over the top. Refrigerate until the chocolate is set, about 30 minutes. Cut the brownies into 36 rectangles. Serve chilled or at room temperature. (well covered, these brownies will keep at room temperature for up to 2 days and in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.


Whipped Cream/Cream Cheese Frosting/Topping (Optional)

2 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 teaspoons milk
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup powered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla (This is my own add in-it's optional)

In a chilled large bowl, mix chream cheese and milk until smooth. Beat in whipping cream and powered sugar with electric mixer on high speed, scrapping bowl occasionally, until soft peasks form. Frost Brownies and referigerate.

Chicken Primavera Pasta

1 LB Boneless skinless chicken breasts but into bite size pieces
2 Cups frozen stir-fry vegetables (I used fresh and stirfried them before hand)
1 Tub (10 oz) Philadelphia Italian Cheese & Herb Cooking Creme
2 cups hot cooked fettuccine (or any other noodle)

Cook and stir chicken in nonstick skillet on medium heat 5 to 7 min or until done. Add vegetables; cook 2 to 3 min or until heated through stirring occasionally. Add cooking creme cook and stir 3 min. Add in cooked pasta and enjoy!!

Sooo good!!

Chocolate Eclaires

1 Cup water
1/2 Cup butter
1 Cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt

Filling
2 1/2 Cups cold milk
1 PKG (5.1 ounces) instant vanilla pudding mix
1 Cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup powered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Frosting
2 ounces semisweet chocolate
2 tablespoons butter
1 1/4 cups powered sugar
2 to 3 tablespoons hot water


1. In a large saucepan, bring water and butter to a boil. Add flour and salt all at once and stir until a smooth ball forms. Remove from the heat. Let stand for 5 minutes, add eggs one at a time beating well after each addition. Continue beating until mixture is smooth and shiny.

2. Using atablespoon or a pastry tube with a No. 10 or lare tim form dough into 4 in. x 1-1/2in. strips on a greased baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until puffed and golden. Remove to a wire rack. Immediately split eclairs open; Remove tops and set aside. Ddiscard sort dough from inside. Cool eclairs.

3. In a large bowl, beat milk and pudding mix according to package directions. In another bowl, whip cream until soft peaks form. Beat in sugar and vanilla; fold into pudding. Split eclair; Remove soft dough from inside. Fill eclairs (Chill any remaining filling for another use).

4. For frosting in a microwave melt chocolate and butter; Stir until smooth. Stir in sugar and enough hot water to achieve a smooth consistence. Cool slightly. Frost eclairs. Store in refigerator.

(I made ganache to go over the top rather than the frosting).