Quick Chicken Stir Fry

2 tsp cooking oil
1 lb chicken, cut bite size
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1 med. onion, wedged
1/2 c sliced carrots
1 c. celery
2 c broccoli florets
1 c water
1 pkg Oriental dry noodles (i.e. Raman)
1 c. fresh bean sprouts
1/4 c soy sauce
2 tsp corn starch
Seasoning pkt from noodles
1/2 c chow mein noodles
1 c cashews

Heat oil in wok. Add chicken, garlic, and ginger. Stir fry until browned. Add onions, carrots, celery, broccoli and water. Break up noodles and add. Cover. Cook until veggies are tender-crisp. Stir in bean sprouts. Whisk soy sauce, cornstarch and seasoning packet together in small bowl. Add to center of stir fry. Stir until thick. Sprinkle with chow mein noodles and cashews.

*Feel free to add or omit when it comes to the veggies - whatever you have on hand. Snap peas are a great addition.

Hawaiian Chicken

15 pieces of chicken legs
16 oz (2 cups) soy sauce
Ginger
1 clove garlic
1/2 c brown sugar

Saute garlic and ginger in oil. Add soy sauce and equal amount of water.
Mix ingredients in pot and add chicken.
Cook for 45 minutes.

*I usually half this for my family. You could make this at any quantity, just use equal parts soy sauce and water.

Ginger Snaps

Ginger Snaps
(this is a double recipe)

Mix together in a large bowl:

1 1/3 cup oil
3 cups white sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup molasses
3 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp ginger
1 tsp salt

Roll into balls. Then roll into white sugar. Bake at 350* for 8-10 min.

Enjoy!

The Best Pumpkin Cookies!!

Hands down these are the best pumpkin cookies EVER! They will be your new favorites - I promise! My sister-in-law found this recipe!! Yuummy!

Pumpkin Cookies

* 1 cup butter
* 1/2 cup brown sugar
* 1/2 cup white sugar
* 1 cup canned pumpkin
* 1 egg
* 1 tsp vanilla
* 2 cups flour
* 1 tsp baking soda
* 1 tsp baking powder
* 1 tsp cinnamon
* 1/2 tsp salt

Cream sugars and butter. Add pumpkin, egg, and vanilla. Add remaining ingredients. Drop spoonfuls onto non-greased cookie sheet. Cook at 350* for 10 to 12 minutes.
Frosting:
Boil 3 TBLS butter and 1/2 cup brown sugar until mostly smooth. (Approx. 2 to 3 min.) Cool and add 1/4 cup milk and 2 cups powdered sugar or until desired consistency, and whip with hand mixer until smooth. Spread onto cookies.

Slow Cooker Brown Sugar Pork Loin Roast!!

I made this tonight, and can we say YUM!! It was a delish recipe I had to share with you all! Super easy too! Enjoy!

(need to use a slow cooker, aka crock pot)

* 1 boneless pork loin roast, 4 to 6 pounds
* 1 clove garlic, halved
* salt and pepper
* 1 1/3 cups brown sugar, divided
* 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
* 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
* 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Preparation:
Wash pork roast, trim excess fat, pat dry, and rub with garlic halves. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then prick the roast all over with a fork or skewer.

In a cup or bowl, combine 1 cup of the brown sugar, the mustard, and vinegar. Rub all over the roast.

Cover and cook on LOW for 7 to 9 hours. Pour off the excess juices.

combine the remaining 1/3 cup brown sugar with cinnamon; Spread the mixture over the top of the roast. Cover and continue cooking on LOW for 1 hour longer.

Serves 6 to 8.

Moroccan-Style Stuffed Acorn Squash

This is one of my favorites for this time of year (or anytime in Grenada since squash always seemed to be in season). The stuffing is way more than will ever fit even in two large acorn squashes...but serving the squash as a mashed side dish to this is quite tasty. I substituted orzo for the couscous so Penny could pick all ingredients up with equal ease - she loves it!

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted
• 2 large acorn squash, halved and seeded
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 1 cup garbanzo beans, drained
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1 1/2 tablespoons ground cumin
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 (14 ounce) can chicken broth
• 1 cup uncooked couscous

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Arrange squash halves cut side down on a baking sheet. Bake 30 minutes, or until tender. Dissolve the sugar in the melted butter. Brush squash with the butter mixture, and keep squash warm while preparing the stuffing.
3. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the garlic, celery, and carrots, and cook 5 minutes. Mix in the garbanzo beans and raisins. Season with cumin, salt, and pepper, and continue to cook and stir until vegetables are tender.
4. Pour the chicken broth into the skillet, and mix in the couscous. Cover skillet, and turn off heat. Allow couscous to absorb liquid for 5 minutes. Stuff squash halves with the skillet mixture to serve.

Nutritional Information

(you know, because this info is required in NYC)

Amount Per Serving Calories: 502 | Total Fat: 11.7g | Cholesterol: 10mg

peach & blueberry crisp

photo courtesy of Google images

Um, this might just be the most amazing, delicious, most perfect fall treat :) I dare you NOT to try it!

peach & blueberry crisp
fruit part
4 mondo-size peaches (or 7 regular ones)
1/2 pint blueberries
2 tablespoons corn starch
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

topping
1/2 cup room temperature butter
1/2 cup flour
1 cup light brown sugar
1 cup high quality oats
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

preheat oven to 350 degrees. peel and slice peaches and place into 9x9 inch baking dish. mix corn starch, sugar, and cinnamon (i am not a cinnamon girl so i was hesitant to use any.... but trust me, it makes it) in a separate bowl and toss in with peaches. add blueberries to peaches.

in a mixing bowl, mix thoroughly (best done with your own two hands) the butter, flour, brown sugar, oats, and cinnamon together. cover peaches and blueberries with oat topping.

bake for about 35 minutes or until the crisp topping is a golden brown and the fruit juices are bubbling. then, eat up! (Don't forget the vanilla ice cream).