Sloppy Joes

I had sloppy Joes for the first time not to long ago at a friends house and ever since then I have wanted to make my own. This is a super easy meal to make when you are not really in the mood to cook. My advice, let it simmer for a good 25 minutes after you have mixed the ingredients. It might have a strong vinegary smell but if you cook it for long enough you will not have that bitter taste.

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 1/2 cups ketchup
• 1 cup chunky salsa
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons white vinegar
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce
• 6 potato rolls

Directions

1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and stir in the ground beef. Cook and stir until the beef is crumbly, evenly browned, and no longer pink. Drain and discard any excess grease.
2. Stir in ketchup, salsa, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, white vinegar, Dijon mustard, and hot sauce. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, over low heat 20 to 30 minutes. Serve on rolls. Serves 6

Edamame Dip with Crudites

Indegrents:

• 4 large carrots
• 3 celery ribs, strings removed with a vegetable peeler
• 1 seedless cucumber (usually plastic-wrapped), halved lengthwise and cored
• 1 bunch radishes
• 1 lb fresh or frozen shelled edamame (soybeans; 3 cups)
• 2 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:

Cut carrots, celery, and cucumber into 1/2-inch-wide sticks (2 1/2 inches long). Cut radishes lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Fill a large bowl with ice and cold water and keep cut vegetables in ice water (to keep crisp) while making dip.

Cook edamame in 1 1/2 quarts boiling water with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt in a 3-quart heavy saucepan 3 minutes, then reserve 3/4 cup cooking liquid and drain edamame in a colander. Rinse under cold water until cool.

Dry saucepan and add garlic and 3 tablespoons oil, then cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until garlic is pale golden, 3 to 5 minutes.

Purée 2 cups edamame with garlic-oil mixture in a food processor until smooth. With motor running, add 1/2 cup reserved edamame-cooking liquid in a stream. Add remaining cup edamame, lime juice, sugar, pepper, remaining 2 tablespoons oil, and remaining teaspoon salt and pulse until slightly lumpy. Add remaining 1/4 cup cooking liquid to thin if desired, then stir in cilantro.

Transfer dip to a serving dish and serve with vegetables, drained and patted dry, for dipping.

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Edamame-Dip-with-Crudites-232965#ixzz1I04vhVPY

 

Kickin' Chicken Nuggets

Ingredients:

• 1 6-ounce bag spicy pita chips
• 1 cup grated Parmesan
• 1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped (optional)
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 pounds chicken cutlets, cut into 3-inch pieces
• 1 cup sour cream
• 4 scallions, trimmed and chopped

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 400° F.
2. Place the pita chips and Parmesan in a food processor. Pulse until coarsely ground. Transfer to a large bowl and stir in the parsley, if using. 
3. In a medium bowl, beat the egg with 1 teaspoon water. Dip the chicken in the egg, letting any excess drip off, then in the pita-chip mixture, pressing gently to help it adhere.
4. Place the chicken pieces on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake until cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes.
5. In a small bowl, combine the sour cream and scallions and serve with the chicken for dipping.

Sweet Pea and Potato Pasta

Ingredients:

• 12 ounces fettuccine (3/4 box)
• 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 pound Yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
• kosher salt and pepper
• 2 pounds garden peas in their pods (2 cups shelled)
• 6 scallions, trimmed and chopped
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Directions:

1. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain, return the pasta to the pot, and toss with 4 tablespoons of the oil.
2. While the pasta cooks, place the potatoes in a large pot, cover with cold water, and bring to a simmer. Add 1 tablespoon salt and cook until tender, about 12 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, shell the peas. When the potatoes have 2 minutes left to cook, add the peas to the pot. Finish cooking, drain, and transfer to pasta pot.
4. Stir in the scallions, ¼ cup Parmesan, remaining 2 tablespoons oil, ¾ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper.
5. Divide among bowls and top with the remaining ¼ cup Parmesan.

Tofu Vegetable Stir-Fry

This recipe is awesome! I changed up the vegetables in it to whatever was in my fridge so I had white mushrooms, red pepper and carrots. I put this over some white sticky rice and it was great.

Ingredients1/4 cup sodium-reduced soy sauce  

1/4 1/4cup cup(50 mL) (50 mL) sodium-reduced soy sauce
1 tbsp rice vinegar 1 1tbsp tbsp(15 mL) (15 mL) rice vinegar
1 tbsp hoisin sauce 1 1tbsp tbsp(15 mL) (15 mL) hoisin sauce
2 tsp cornstarch 2 2tsp tsp(10 mL) (10 mL) cornstarch
1 pkg extra-firm tofu 1 1pkg pkgextra-firm tofu
2 tbsp vegetable oil 2 2tbsp tbsp(25 mL) (25 mL) vegetable oil
3 garlic cloves , minced3 3garlic clovegarlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp gingerroot , minced1 1tbsp tbsp(15 mL) (15 mL) gingerroot, minced
1 pinch hot pepper flakes 1 1pinch pinchhot pepper flakes
2 carrots , thinly sliced on the diagonal2 2carrotcarrots, thinly sliced on the diagonal
1-1/2 cups sliced & stemmed shiitake mushroom caps 1-1/2 1-1/2cups cups(375 mL) (375 mL) sliced & stemmed shiitake mushroom capshiitake mushroom caps
1 cup snow peas , trimmed and cut diagonally in half1 1cup cup(250 mL) (250 mL) snow peasnow peas, trimmed and cut diagonally in half
2 green onions , thinly sliced2 2green oniongreen onions, thinly sliced
2 tsp sesame oil 2 2tsp tsp(10 mL) (10 mL) sesame oil

2 tsp sesame oil 2tsp(10 mL)

Preparation:

In small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, rice vinegar, hoisin sauce, cornstarch and 3 tbsp (50 mL) water; set aside.

Pat tofu dry; cut into 3/4-inch (2 cm) cubes. In large wok, heat half of the oil over medium-high heat; stir-fry tofu until golden, about 6 minutes. Transfer to plate.

Heat remaining oil in wok over medium-high heat; stir-fry garlic, ginger and hot pepper flakes for 30 seconds.

Add carrots and mushrooms; stir-fry for 1 minute. Add 1 tbsp (15 mL) water; cover and steam until carrots are tender, about 3 minutes.

Add snow peas, tofu and soy sauce mixture; bring to boil and boil, stirring, until thickened and vegetables are tender, about 1 minute. Stir in green onions and sesame oil.

Baked Egg Rolls

I am a huge fan of egg rolls because they are really not bad for you. Everything in them is relatively healthy for you it's just the fact that 9 times out of 10 they are deep fried and that's what kills it. So I went on a mission for a baked egg role recipe to try to see if that still tastes as delicious.Now, these are a huge hit in my house, hope they are in yours too!

1lg lean ground pork
3 green onions, chopped
2 minced cloves of garlic
1 carrot, grated
1/2 cup chopped water chestnuts
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp pepper
12 large egg roll wrappers (usually are found frozen or in produce)
1 tsp vegetable oil

Directions:


Cook pork over medium-high heat, breaking up with spoon until no longer pink. Add onions, garlic, carrot and water chestnuts; cook over medium heat until onions are softened, about 3 minutes. In small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, cornstarch, 1 tbsp water, sesame oil and pepper; pour into pan and toss well. Let cool slightly. Roll the egg rolls using 1 tbsp of filling. Place seam side down on rimmed baking sheet; brush with oil. Bake in 375F oven until golden and crisp, about 10 minutes per side.

Peanut Butter Balls

The all time best way to get rid of a peanut butter and chocolate craving. Super easy to make and super tasty!

2 cups (500 grams) creamy peanut butter

1/4 cup (57 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 - 2 1/2 cups (230 - 290 grams) confectioners (powdered or icing) sugar

Chocolate Coating

9 ounces (255 grams) semi sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

2 tablespoons (25 grams) shortening

Directions:

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Place the peanut butter, unsalted butter, and salt in a microwaveable bowl, and heat in the microwave for about one minute or until just soft (check and stir the ingredients every 20 seconds). Stir in the vanilla extract and confectioners sugar and mix until it has the consistency of a dough (add more sugar if necessary).

Roll the dough into 1 inch (2.5 cm) round balls. Place on the cookie sheet and refrigerate for about one hour, or until firm.

Melt the chocolate and shortening in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Dip the balls, one at a time, in the melted chocolate, making sure the entire ball is coated with chocolate. Then, with two spoons or a dipping fork, remove the peanut butter ball from the melted chocolate, allowing any excess chocolate to drip back into the bowl. Place the chocolate covered balls back on the baking sheet. When all the balls have been dipped in the chocolate, place in the refrigerator until the chocolate has set. Store in an airtight container for up to two weeks. To serve: place in small fluted candy cups.

Note: If you want to make Buckeyes: place a toothpick into each peanut butter ball and dip, one ball at a time, into the melted chocolate, leaving the top quarter of each ball undipped.

Makes about 40 pieces, depending on size. Preparation time 30 minutes.