Dee's Stir Fry

This recipe could be a lot of fun... because it can satisfy many different types of people. Vegetarians and possibly even vegans could enjoy this meal depending on how you want the finished product to be. I'm going to give a bunch of options for this meal, and of course alter it as you wish!

Stir Fry with Chicken option

Ingredients: (two servings)
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in half
1/2 cup teriyaki sauce
1/4 cup Panda Express Orange Sauce
(above optional)
2 tbl olive oil
small head broccoli - florets only
4 oz bean sprouts
1 carrot, peeled, chopped
2 green onion stalks, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1/2 red pepper, chopped
1 tbl sesame seed oil
1 tsp worcestershire sauce
2-3 handfuls of sliced mushrooms
2-3 stalks celery, chopped
1/2 cup sweet onion, diced
1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds
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Optional: If you decide to not do the chicken, either cook two cups of white rice or throw in about four cubed  yellow potatoes... ALSO, IF YOU DECIDE TO GO WITH JUST THE VEGGIES, OR THE VEGGIES WITH RICE OR POTATOES INSTEAD OF CHICKEN, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND STILL THROWING IN THE ORANGE SAUCE WITH THE VEGGIES, IT IS WHAT GAVE THE FLAVOR. SECONDLY, ADD MORE THAN 1/4 CUP OF ORANGE SAUCE FOR ADDITIONAL SPICE.

Prep:
~If you decide to make it with chicken then clean the chicken and cut it down the middle as if you were to filet it.
~In a container with a lid add the chicken along with the teriyaki sauce and put in fridge to marinate until ready to cook
~Clean all the vegetables, chopping/dicing everything listed above.
~Add olive oil to the largest skillet you have and add all veggies, cook on low.
~Add chicken to another skillet and add orange sauce, cover and turn to cook. Cook on medium heat until cooked all the way through.
~If you are NOT cooking the chicken, be sure to add the orange sauce to the veggies.
~Cook until veggies are tender.
~If cooking rice, cook seperately and then put veggies on top and serve
~If making the chicken, when veggies and chicken are done, cut chicken and put on top of veggies (Pictured below)

Dee's Candied Sweet Potatoes

I had searched for recipes that I thought sounded good to make for Thanksgiving last year... and I totally winged this recipe. I made it again for Easter this year, and this time, I wrote it down. It was a huge hit at both holiday dinners so hopefully other people will enjoy it as well!!

Ingredients: (Makes a 13x9 inch pan)
5 sweet potatoes
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 stick melted butter
2 tbl cinnamon
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2 tbl brown sugar
2 cups small marshmellows
4 tbl butter
1 tbl cinnamon

Prep:
~Boil potatoes till skins are falling off in water
~Drain water
~Let potatoes cool till able to be handled with bare hands
~Peel potatoes, add to mixing bowl
~Add first cup of brown sugar, 1/2 stick melted butter, 2 tbl cinnamon, and nutmeg to potatoes and blend with hand mixer, till mashed and mixed thoroughly
~Preheat oven to 375 degrees
~Add potatoes to 13x9 inch casserole/oven safe pan
~Bake for 15 minutes, remove
~Add 2 tbl of brown sugar sprinkled over top of potatoes, along with 1 tbl of cinnamon, cut butter into thin slices and place on top of potatoes, add marshmellows to top
~Put back in oven and cook for 8-10 mins or until marshmellows are lightly browned
~Serve!!!

 

 Sprinkle remaining brown sugar 

 Remaining 4 tbl of butter place around pan

 Spread small marshmellows

Rose's Fruit Dip

A good friend of mine was out visiting for Easter and I didn't have the right ingredients for making my mom's fruit dip, so my friend Lisa gave me her mom's recipe. It was so simple and I happened to have all of the ingredients handy at my house. This was a huge hit for my fruit tray I had out for Easter... so I hope everyone else enjoys this, compliments of Mrs. Rose Nicolazzo!!

Ingredients:
1 (8oz) bar of Philadephia cream cheese
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla

Prep:
~Add all ingredients to mixing bowl
~With a hand mixer, beat until smooth
~Serve with fresh fruit

Homemade Cheese Cake Cupcakes...

My mom has been making this recipe for years at Christmas time... I decided to make these for a friend's birthday and she loved them!! Typically you would add the topping on right when you make them and then put them in the refrigerator, however, I decided to get a few cans of different fruit toppings and let people put them on themselves, this way they could have whichever flavor they preferred.

Ingredients:
24 cupcake liners
24 vanilla wafers
2 (8oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
2 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1 tbl lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla
1 can pie feeling (any flavor)

Prep:
~Preheat oven to 375 degrees
~Line cupcake pan with cupcake liners
~Place wafter in each liner
~Beat cream cheese, sugar, 2 eggs, lemon juice, and vanilla until light and fluffy
~Fill cups 2/3 full
~Bake for 15-20 minutes
~Chill in fridge (Repeat until cupcake liners are gone and filling is gone - It may also hold more than 24 so have a few extra liners and wafers ready if there is filling left)
~Once all are baked, set and cooled, keep refrigerated until ready to serve
~Choose type of filling to use as topping, spoon on top of cupcakes

 

Easy Party Ideas....

One of my favorite things to have out as an appetizer for a house party is a fruit tray and a cheese and cracker tray. It may be a bit more on the expensive side compared to other ideas, but it is great for everyone. Even vegetarians can enjoy the trays, and this way if someone is a vegan they can enjoy the fruit since they do not consume dairy products. I made this up for a party at my house and they are super easy to make up. I also cut my fruit up ahead of time and just store it in the refrigerator until it is time to serve.

Ingredients for fruit tray:

1/2 Watermelon, cubed

1 lb. strawberries, sliced

1 cantelope, cubed

Grapes are also great for this but are not pictured above

Prep:

~Clean, chop fruit

~Place on tray when ready to serve

~See post called Rose's Fruit Dip* for the fruit dip recipe

Ingredients for cheese/cracker tray:

Box of assorted crackers

1 block of sharp cheddar cheese

1 block of pepper jack cheese

1 block of Monterey jack cheese or Swiss cheese

1 package Hormel original pepperonis

1 block of Philadelphia cream cheese

1/2 cup of cocktail sauce

Prep:

~Slice cheese into bite sized pieces

~Put on tray with crackers and pepperonis when ready to serve

~Pour cocktail sauce over cream cheese and serve as a spread with the crackers

Mom's Butter-Cream Frosting...

My mom has been making this frosting for cakes in our family for years. I absolutely despise frosting... but this is so yummy. I'm not a fan of sugary frostings, and this one is smooth and light compared the the canned types at the grocery stores. It is extremely simple to make.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup softened butter
3/4 cup shortening
1/4 cup warm milk (must be warmed)
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Prep:
~Soften butter
~Add all ingredients to a bowl
~Beat with hand mixer till mixed thoroughly and smooth
~Whatever type of cake you have made, spread over cake while warm still and let cool. Then add another layer of frosting once it is cooled.

 Add all ingredients to a bowl

 Mix together till smooth

 Spread over cake

Dee's Homemade Deep Fried Thin Potatoes....

Now isn't that a mouthful?? Well I was sitting here the other day deciding what to make for dinner and a T.V. commercial came on for french fries for some restaurant and they just looked delicious. However, I had plenty of potatoes at home that there was no need to go out and buy a bag of pre-made frozen french fries. So I made my own... I decided to coat them in a batter before frying them cause I figured fries at a restaurant probably have the same thing... they turned out pretty good considering I didn't have a recipe to go by. They were crispy, just the way I like my fries. They were pretty easy too!!

Ingredients: (Makes approximately 4 small servings or 2-3 larger servings)
5 yellow potatoes (Cleaned, ends removed)
1 cup flour
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp onion powder
2 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp cajun seasoning
2-3 cups of canola oil for frying (or if you have a deep fryer, whatever yours calls for)

Prep:
~Clean potatoes
~Cut ends off
~Slice in thin slices
~Mix flour and seasonings in small bowl
~If the potatoes aren't moist, dip them in water first
~Coat the potatoes in batter (I placed mine on non-stick sprayed wax paper until ready to fry)
~Heat oil in saucepan (be sure to cover for splattering)
~When oil is around 375 degrees, drop 1/2 potatoes in for about 10-12 minutes depending on how you like your potatoes cooked ...
~Remove potatoes and place on a paper towel on plate to allow extra grease to drain, lightly salt, then cover with another plate to keep warm until second batch cooked.
~Do the same with the second batch, allow them to drain on towel and lightly salt.
~Serve with practically any meal!!!
(For a healthier alternative instead of deep frying...I would imagine that these are good baked... but I haven't made them this way.. perhaps try 400 degrees for 30-45 minutes??? I guess cook them till they are browned and cooked all the way through)

 Cut ends off before slicing

 Cut approx 1/4" thick or thinner if you want them more like chips

 Coat all potatoes and put on non-stick wax paper till ready to cook

 Drain grease on paper towel

Shown served with a NY steak with grilled mushrooms and onions with Dee's Style Zip Sauce*