Honey Soy Chicken

This simple and easy to make Asian dish is absolutely delicious! The chicken is savory, juicy, and flavorful. The ingredients are very simple and I bet you already have them (or most of it) in your pantry. This yummy chicken goodness is another keeper in my books. So give it a try, you're going to love it for sure!

HONEY SOY CHICKEN

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Servings: 4

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 to 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (cut most of the fat and discard)

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce

1 teaspoon sesame oil

5 tablespoons honey

4 cloves of garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Line an 8x8" oven-proof pan with 2 layers of tin foil.

2. In small bowl, whisk together vegetable oil, soy sauce, sesame oil, honey, garlic, ground ginger, and pepper.

3. Place the chicken thighs in the foil layered pan then pour the mixture on top of it. Turn the chicken around in the sauce to make sure it gets all coated.

4. Bake, uncovered, for 40 minutes, checking occasionally to make sure the tops are not browning too quickly. If they are, cover with foil and resume baking until chicken is done.

Rigatoni Pie

I first saw this pasta dish in a YouTube video. I was fascinated as I found it unique and worth a try, but the thought of spending lots of time standing each of the pasta up looked pretty daunting. Nevertheless, my curiosity got me. I decided to give it a try and I'm so happy I did. It may be a little labor intensive, but it's totally worth the effort. I am impressed. It is as delicious as it looks! 

RIGATONI PIE

Servings: 10

INGREDIENTS:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 pound ground beef

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes

1 pound rigatoni pasta

1 cup Parmesan, grated

1 cup mozzarella, shredded

Special equipment: 

8" Springform pan

DIRECTIONS:

1. Boil the rigatoni in salted boiling water until just underdone or al dente.

2. Drain the pasta and place in a bowl with a little olive oil so the pasta doesn't stick together. Set aside.

3. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).

4. In a pan, heat the olive oil and add the ground beef.

5. Break up and stir the beef until brown.

6. Add in the garlic, salt, and pepper. Stir until combined.

7. Add in the crushed tomatoes and simmer until thickened, about 20 minutes.

8. Sprinkle the prepared pasta with the Parmesan cheese and mix.

9. In a springform pan, place the rigatoni noodles standing up to fill the pan.

Shrimp with Snow Peas Stir-Fry

If you crave for a classic Chinese stir-fry that is simple, quick and easy to make, then this dish will do the trick. Stir-fry the shrimp with snow peas, ginger, garlic, and few seasonings and you have yourself a delicious meal.

 SHRIMP WITH SNOW PEAS STIR-FRY

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Serving: 4

INGREDIENTS:

Marinade:

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1 tablespoon Chinese cooking wine or dry sherry 

1/2 teaspoon salt

Stir Fry:

1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 tablespoons peanut oil (or other vegetable oil)

1 tablespoon minced ginger

3 garlic cloves, sliced thinly

1/2 pound snow peas, strings removed

2 teaspoons soy sauce

1/4 cup chicken stock

4 green onions, white and light parts, sliced diagonally

2 teaspoons dark roasted sesame oil

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large bowl, marinade the shrimp by mixing all the ingredients for the marinade. Add the shrimp and toss to coat. Let sit for 15 to 20 minutes while you prepare the snow peas, ginger, and 

2. Heat a wok or large saute pan over high heat for 1 minute. Add the peanut oil and let it get hot, about 30 seconds. Add the ginger and garlic and toss to combine. Stir-fry for about 30 seconds.

Honey Garlic Baked Pork Bites

Looking for a sweet and sticky pork recipe that don't need a plethora of ingredients to chop, dice, and slice? Look no more. This dish hits the mark. The pork is so delicious with its sweet, savory, garlicky flavor and it has the perfect amount of heat...porky goodness!

HONEY GARLIC BAKED PORK BITES

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 2 hours 15 minutes

Total time: 2 hours 25 minutes
Serving: 4

INGREDIENTS:

1 tablespoon olive oil

8 cloves garlic, finely minced

1 large onion, finely chopped

3/4 cup honey

1/2 teaspoon dried chili flakes

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 pounds pork loin roast, cut into 1" cubes

parsley, chopped for garnish

sesame seeds, for garnish

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2. In a large oven-safe baking dish, gently toss the cubed pork with the salt and pepper, onion and olive oil.

3. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 1 hour.

4. Remove the pan from the oven and add the garlic, honey, and chili flakes. Gently move the pork bites around to help mix in the honey and garlic.

5. Place the aluminum foil back on the baking dish and return to the oven for another 30 minutes.

Butter-Basted Rib Eye Steaks

My husband and I love steak. Every once in a while, we treat ourselves to a good cut of beef. Recently, I found this rib-eye steak recipe from Food & Wine website. Oh my goodness, what a lovely treat for me and my love! These mouth-watering steaks are so rich in flavor, with the meat basted in butter, infused with garlic, thyme, and rosemary...hmmm, delish!

BUTTER-BASTED RIB EYE STEAK

INGREDIENTS:

Two 1 1/4 pound, boneless rib eye steaks

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

3 tablespoons canola oil

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

4 sprigs of thyme

1 sprig of rosemary*

3 garlic cloves

DIRECTIONS:

1. Rub the rib eye steaks with 1 tablespoons of oil, then season with salt and pepper all over. Let the meat stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.

2. In a large cast-iron skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of oil until shimmering.

3. Add the steaks and cook over high heat until crusty on the bottom, about 5 minutes.

4. Turn the steaks and add the butter, thyme, garlic and rosemary to the skillet.

5. Cook over high heat while continually basting with the butter, garlic and herbs until the steaks are medium-rare. About 5-7 minutes or longer (depends how you want your steaks doneness).

Fried Catfish Fillets with Watercress Sauce

We are very blessed and lucky to have such sweet friends who are very thoughtful and generous in sharing their blessings. This couple friend of ours went fishing and gave us lots of freshly caught fish such as tilapia, mullet, and catfish. I mean, fresh caught bounty. How awesome is that! I was so happy and excited that right after I cleaned them (with the help of my husband), I immediately grilled one big tilapia. Oh my, nothing beats the taste of fresh fish!

However, this post is not about the tilapia. It's about the other type of fish that our friends caught. They gave us three big, fat catfish. Sure, they're slimy, kinda hard to clean especially when removing the skin to make fillets, but all that hard work is definitely worth it. I cleaned all three catfish but only needed two for this particular recipe. I knew in an instant what I'd do with them. I have a catfish recipe in one of my cookbooks that I've been wanting to try and finally the time has come for me to make it.

I love the simplicity of this dish. The fillets are seasoned only with salt and pepper before being dredged in flour and then pan-fried in a skillet with melted butter. It's that easy. The secret weapon that made this dish extra special lies in the sauce. The taste of the watercress and lemon juice works excellent with the cream sauce. What a delicious meal! 

FRIED CATFISH FILLETS WITH CRESS SAUCE

Prep and cook time: 40 minutes

Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS:

Salt and pepper

1 shallot, chopped

7 tablespoons (100g) butter, divided 

1/2 cup (125 ml) dry white wine

7 tablespoons whipping cream

2-3 tablespoons watercress

2 tablespoons lemon juice

4 catfish or rockfish fillets, each weighing about 5-6 oz.

2-3 all-purpose flour

Lemon wedges, to garnish

DIRECTIONS:

1. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a saucepan. Add the shallot and fry for about 1 minute until transparent.

3. Pour in the wine and cook over a medium heat until reduced by about a half. Stir in whipping cream and season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the watercress.

Orange Baked Ham

This is my new "Go-to" for any ham that comes into the house. The recipe is from Ina Garten of Food Network's Barefoot Contessa. I made it for the first time yesterday for our family's Easter Sunday dinner and let me tell you: This was the best glaze I have made for a ham, ever! I could not believe how easy and amazing this recipe was. I followed it to a T and it came out very delicious. It was an instant homerun with the family.  The ham was moist and flavored well, the glaze browned the sides perfectly and it smelled wonderful while it was baking. I wouldn't change the recipe a bit because it is already a winner as it is. 

This is one of those recipes that after you've had it once, you crave it again and again. I just had this but as early as now I am already looking forward to making this for this year's Thanksgiving and Christmas. Believe me guys, this delicious recipe will never fail!

ORANGE BAKED HAM

Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Serving: 35 servings for dinner, 50 servings for cocktails

INGREDIENTS:

1 (14 to 16-pound) fully cooked, spiral-cut smoked ham on the bone

6 garlic cloves

8 1/2 ounces orange marmalade

1/2 cup Dijon mustard

1 cup light brown sugar, packed

1 orange, zested

1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the ham in a heavy roasting pan.

2. Mince the garlic in a food processor fitted with steel blade. 

Bacon, Egg and Cheese Brunch Ring

This is my idea of a perfect weekend brunch. The blend of bacon, egg and cheese in a baked crescent ring...delicious! It is always a hit for my family. What's better about this is the use of already made store-bought Pillsbury refrigerated crescent dinner rolls. It's what makes this recipe quick and easy as can be. It looks fabulous and fancy, don't you think?

This recipe is very versatile and ideal for Christmas breakfast, Easter brunch, picnic, Mother's Day, or any time of day!

BACON, EGG AND CHEESE BRUNCH RING

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes

Servings: 8

INGREDIENTS:

4 slices bacon, cut in half crosswise

1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon milk

4 eggs, slightly beaten

Salt and pepper, if desired

1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper

1 can (8 oz.) Pillsbury refrigerated crescent dinner rolls

1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend (4 oz)

chopped fresh cilantro

1 cup Old El Paso Thick 'n Chunky salsa, if desired

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat oven to 375°F. Line large cookie sheet with cooking parchment paper. In 10-inch skillet, cook bacon over medium heat about 4 minutes or until cooked but not crisp, turning once. (It will continue to cook in oven.) Set bacon aside; drain all except 2 teaspoons bacon drippings from skillet.

2. In medium bowl, beat 1/3 cup of the milk, eggs, salt and pepper with fork or whisk until well mixed. Stir in bell pepper. Pour egg mixture into skillet. As mixture heats, portions of eggs will begin to set. Gently push cooked portions with metal spatula to outside edge of skillet. Avoid stirring constantly. As more egg sets, push it to the edge and place it on top of the already set egg mixture. Cook 5 to 6 minutes or until eggs are thickened throughout but still moist.

3. Unroll dough; separate into 8 triangles. On parchment-lined cookie sheet, arrange triangles with shortest sides toward center, overlapping in star shape and leaving 4-inch round circle open in center. Crescent dough points may hang over edge of cookie sheet. Press overlapping dough to flatten.

4, Place bacon on each of the triangles. 

Sprinkle 1/3 cup of the cheese onto widest part of the dough. 

Spoon eggs over cheese. 

Sprinkle with 1/3 cup of the cheese. 

Pull points of triangles over eggs and cheese, and tuck under dough to form ring (filling will be visible). 

Carefully brush dough with remaining 1 tablespoon milk; sprinkle with remaining 1/3 cup cheese.

Carrot Patch Brownies

If Santa gets milk and cookies on Christmas Eve then I would think that Easter Bunny would be very pleased to receive his very own carrot patch! 

This dessert is great for Easter, spring, or garden themed party. It is simpler to put together than you think. Store bought brownie mix and a tub of chocolate frosting makes this wonderful treat so much easier to make. The edible dirt made of crushed Oreo cookies, chocolate coated strawberries as carrots, marshmallow bunnies and egg candies for additional decorations...cuteness overload! 

 CARROT PATCH BROWNIES

Prep time: 25 minutes

Total time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Serving: 12

INGREDIENTS:

Cooking spray, for pan

Parchment paper, for pan and baking sheet

1 box brownie mix, plus ingredients call for on box

1 1/2 cup white chocolate chips

1 tablespoon coconut oil

10 or more drops of orange food, for coloring

12 wooden skewers, for dipping

12 large strawberries

1 tub chocolate frosting

1 package Oreo cookies, crushed

Robin Eggs candies, for garnish

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and spray the inside of a 9"-x-13" baking pan with cooking spray.
Line pan with parchment paper and spray parchment paper with cooking spray.

2. Prepare brownie batter according to package instructions.
 Pour batter into prepared pan and bake until a toothpick has moist crumbs, 28 to 30 minutes, then let cool.

3. Make orange frosting: 

In a small, deep bowl, microwave white chocolate chips on high for one minute, stirring every 20 seconds to remove clumps. Add coconut oil and orange food coloring, then mix and combined.

4. Make carrots:
Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Pierce each strawberry with a skewer and dunk the strawberries in melted orange chocolate, repeating to coat, if necessary. Place on lined baking sheet and refrigerate until set, 15 minutes.

 

Easter Marshmallow Bark

This is a perfect treat to make for Easter and spring time. It is festive and oh so pretty in its pastel colors. My kids love marshmallows. I mean LOVE them! So imagine their excitement when I told them I am making it for Easter! They happily volunteered as my helper in the kitchen. It is so simple to make with only a few ingredients needed. This dessert is really tasty it will definitely satisfy your sweet tooth!

Pastel-colored mini marshmallows together with melted white chocolate...hmmm, what's not to love? 

EASTER MARSHMALLOW BARK

Prep time: 10 minutes

Total time: 10 minutes

Serves: 12

INGREDIENTS:

1 bag (12 oz.) white chocolate chips

3 cups mini rainbow marshmallows

1 tablespoon shortening (optional)* 

Easter sprinkles or other fun sprinkles for decor on top

DIRECTIONS:

1. Line an 8x13 glass dish with parchment paper.

2. Put white chocolate and shortening in a medium sized glass bowl. Microwave for 1 minute. Give it a small stir. Return to the microwave in 30 seconds increments, stirring after each one, until chocolate completely melted.

3. Add marshmallows and stir to coat. You'll want to do this kind of quickly or the marshmallows will begin to melt.

No Bake Butterscotch and Peanut Butter Bird's Nest Cookies

Easter is just right around the corner. If you're looking for a sweet treat to add to your table during the Easter holidays, try adding these adorable butterscotch and peanut butter bird's nest cookies. These cookies looks so cute and festive! 

The combination of butterscotch and peanut butter flavor is truly delicious. It is fun to make. My boys and I enjoyed making this aesthetically appealing treat. I like that it doesn't require any baking, just a little stove-top action for melting the peanut butter and butterscotch for about 5 minutes. So go ahead, give it a try and bring the kids in on creating this fun treat! 

NO BAKE BUTTERSCOTCH AND PEANUT BUTTER BIRD'S NEST COOKIES

Cook time: 5 minutes

Total time: 5 minutes

Serving: 6 cookies

INGREDIENTS:

3/4 cup butterscotch chips

1/2 cup smooth peanut butter

2 cups chow mein noodles

1/4 cup chocolate eggs (Cadbury mini eggs recommended)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Melt the butterscotch chips with the peanut butter in a wide saucepan over low heat. Stir continuously until melted.

A 20-minute Meal: Honey Garlic Shrimp

This recipe is fabulous! It is very easy and the taste is restaurant quality. I love making meals that are not so time consuming but still taste good. Aside from the yummy taste, this dish require a little effort. It is ready in less than 30 minutes! Every time I make this for my family there's nothing left on the plate, they gobble it up and left the platter empty clean. Yes, even the sauce. 

Seriously, this recipe is quick and easy to make and the flavor is incredible. This is one of the many dishes that I make again and again.

20-MINUTE HONEY GARLIC SHRIMP

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS:

1/3 cup honey

1/4 cup soy sauce (I used reduced sodium)

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger (optional)

1 pound medium uncooked shrimp, peeled and deveined*

2 teaspoon olive oil

chopped green onion or sliced scallion, for garnish (optional)
parsley, for garnish (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

 1. Whisk the honey, soy sauce, garlic, and ginger (if using) together in a medium bowl.

 2. Place shrimp in a large zipped-top bag or Tupperware.

Pour 1/2 of the marinade mixture on top, give it all a shake or stir, then allow shrimp to marinate in the refrigerator for 15 minutes or for up to 8-12 hours.