SLOW COOKER GENERAL TSO’S CHICKEN

I made this recipe four years ago and the pictures weren’t doing it justice.  We love asian inspired meals here at our family so of course this was one of the first recipes to make its debut on the blog.  We have it quite often at our house and it is incredible.  I love being able to make better than takeout right at home!

It was time to update the pictures on here and my family was reminded about how much we love it.  Everyone devoured it including my youngest two year old.

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into one inch cubes
• ¼ cup cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• ½ cup hoisin sauce
• 2 T soy sauce
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 Tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• ¼ tsp dry ginger
• ½ tsp crushed red pepper (more or less to liking)
• Optional garnish, green onions, sesame seeds, additional red pepper flakes

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. In amixing bowl add the chicken and cornstarch. Toss until the chicken is completely coated in the cornstarch. In a medium sized skillet over medium high heat add oil and cook the chicken until the chicken is lightly brown but not cooked throughout. Put in the bottom of a slow cooker.
2. In a small mixing bowl whisk together hoisin sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, ginger and crushed red pepper. Pour on top of chicken in the slow cooker.
3. Cook on low heat for 3-4 hours or until chicken is cooked throughout. *see note
4. Serve over rice and garnish with green onions, sesame seeds and red pepper flakes if desired.

Recipe Adapted From: therecipecritic.com

source https://www.alanavaleria.site/2019/01/slow-cooker-general-tsos-chicken.html

SLOW COOKER CHICKEN FAJITA SOUP

Today I am sharing with you a quick and easy slow cooker soup from Six Sisters’ newest cookbook the 12 days of Christmas.  I have become friends with the Six Sisters through blogging and conferences.  They continue to amaze me with all that they do and I love how they put an importance on family and traditions.  They started blogging as a way to keep in touch with all six sisters and it has grown into something incredible.  This is now their third cookbook that they have published.  They have such delicious and easy family friendly recipes.  I couldn’t wait to look through their newest cookbook and choose something yummy to make!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 2 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed cream of chicken soup
• 1 cup salsa
• 2 cups frozen corn
• 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1½ cups water
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon dried cilantro
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• Optional Toppings:
• sour cream
• diced tomatoes
• green onions
• cilantro
• lettuce
• diced avocado
• tortilla strips

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Spray your slow cooker with cooking spray. Add chicken to the bottom of the slow cooker.
2. In a medium sized mixing bowl, mix cream of chicken soup, salsa, corn, black beans, water, cumin, and cilantro. Pour over the top of chicken.
3. Cook on low for 4-6 hours. Remove the chicken and shred with two forks. Place back into the slow cooker and add shredded cheese. Continue cooking until cheese has melted about 15 minutes. Serve with your favorite toppings.

Recipe Adapted From: therecipecritic.com

source https://www.alanavaleria.site/2019/01/slow-cooker-chicken-fajita-soup.html

Cheerios Parfait Recipe

Are your mornings as hectic as mine? My mornings always seem to be a bit chaotic.  First off, I am NOT a morning person. The snooze button is my friend.  Once I’m finally up, I wake Z.E.N. up and head to the kitchen for my usual morning routine of getting breakfast ready and packing lunch. Breakfast used to be a hassle because Z.E.N. could never what he wanted to eat and I’d wind up scrambling to get him fed. When you add the fact that I also have to make a hot lunch for his lunch box, the result was that we were always running late.  

I had to figure out a way to simplify breakfast.  I advised Z.E.N. that his breakfast choices would be limited to things that were either already prepared, or that can be prepared quickly. For example, whenever we make pancakes, I make an extra batch that I can freeze for later. When Z.E.N. wants pancakes, all I have to do is pop the previously frozen pancakes in the microwave.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup Nonfat Vanilla Greek yogurt
• 1cup Cheerios
• 1/2cup sliced fresh strawberries
• 1/2 cup fresh blueberries
• 1Tbs granola

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. To assemble the parfait, layer the yogurt, Cheerios, and fruit in a container. Top with granola.
2. One thing I love about this Cheerios parfait recipe is that it is very easy to customize. You can experiment with different combinations of yogurt, fruits, Cheerios, and granola.

Recipe Adapted From: jugglingfamilylife.com

source https://www.alanavaleria.site/2019/01/cheerios-parfait-recipe.html

Paleo Gingerbread Pancakes

These grain free and Paleo Gingerbread Pancakes are a dreamy and healthy holiday brunch item that your whole family will love!

Oh man, guys… I have the perfect Christmas brunch recipe for you and I’ve made it 3 times already since last week because it’s that good. That’s saying a lot because I always choose savory breakfast items over sweet and these Paleo Gingerbread Pancakes are just next level.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 ripe banana cut into chunks
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tbsp molasses
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp coconut flour
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/8 tsp baking soda
• 1/8 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• Coconut oil for frying

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Place all ingredients, except coconut oil, in a blender and blend until smooth.
2. Let the batter sit for 5 minutes so it can thicken.
3. Heat some coconut oil in a skillet over medium low heat.
4. Pour the pancake batter on the skillet to make 3-4 inch pancakes.
5. Cook for 3 minutes, then flip and cook for 2-3 more minutes until browned and cooked through.
6. Repeat with the remaining batter, adding more coconut oil to the pan to grease.
7. Serve with your favorite toppings!

Recipe Adapted From: whatgreatgrandmaate.com

source https://www.alanavaleria.site/2019/01/paleo-gingerbread-pancakes.html

FIRECRACKER CHICKEN MEATBALLS

This is my favorite way to eat chicken meatballs. They’re spiced up with a sweet, savory, and spicy firecracker sauce. They’re tender, filled with flavor, and require minimum work!

This recipe for firecracker chicken meatballs has been stuck in my head on an endless loop for the last several weeks. I had been craving something with a little more spice, yet a little sweet too. And what’s more perfect than game day food that’s actually somewhat healthy (they’re baked!) and still has tons of flavor but isn’t your regular old meatball covered in marinara? FIRECRACKER. SAUCE. FTW!

INGREDIENTS:

MEATBALLS

• 1 ¾ – 2 pounds ground chicken (or turkey)
• 4 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs*
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon onion powder

FIRECRACKER SAUCE

• ½ cup hot sauce (I recommend Franks)
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼-½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (depending on spice preference)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Position 2 racks near the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 475ºF. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper, set aside.
2. In a saucepan, combine the ingredients of the firecracker sauce over medium high heat, allow to come to a boil, reduce the heat so it simmers. Let simmer for 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow the sauce to cool. The sauce will thicken as it cools so don’t worry if it looks thin.
3. In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken, garlic, salt pepper, eggs, panko, paprika, and onion powder. Use your hands to mix all the ingredients together. It’s easier to tell when he ingredients are combined when using hands. DO NOT OVERMIX, it will result in drier meatballs.
4. Shape the meat mixture into ball, about 3 tablespoons of meat per ball. You can also do this with an ice cream scoop. Place shaped meatballs on prepared baking sheet. bake for 11-13 minutes or until the meatballs are completely cooked.
5. Using 2 tablespoon, dip each individual meatball into the sauce. Alternately, you can brush each meatball with the sauce. Place back on the baking sheet and bake for an additional 1-2 minutes. Drizzle or brush with additional sauce as desired.

Recipe Adapted From: littlespicejar.com

source https://www.alanavaleria.site/2019/01/firecracker-chicken-meatballs.html

BROWNIE BOTTOM COOKIE DOUGH CHEESECAKE

fudgy bottom layer of brownie is topped with rich and silken cheesecake, then a layer of egg-less edible cookie dough is spread on the top and drizzled with melted chocolate.  This is the ULTIMATE cheesecake for the ULTIMATE dessert lover!  Brownie bottom cookie dough cheesecake deliciousness!

I mean c’mon, it’s like three desserts in one!  Rich and fudgy brownies, silky cheesecake and classicly sweet cookie dough.  And of course I had to be extra decadent and drizzle a bit of melted chocolate over the top because… well, chocolate

INGREDIENTS

• 1/3 cup milk chocolate chips
• 1 tsp vegetable oil

BROWNIE LAYER:

• 1 stick unsalted butter at room temperature (1/2 cup)
• 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 cup all-purpose flour

CHEESECAKE LAYER:

• 18 oz cream cheese (2 - 8oz bricks and 1/4 of another 8oz brick), softened to room temperature
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3 eggs room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup sour cream or greek yogurt

COOKIE DOUGH LAYER:

• 1 stick unsalted butter at room temperature (1/2 cup)
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
• 3/4 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup mini chocolate chips

INSTRUCTIONS
BROWNIE LAYER:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line bottom of a 9" springform pan with parchment paper and spray paper and sides of pan with cooking spray (I use a baking spray, but you could use regular spray and lightly dust with flour instead).
2. In a small saucepan, melt butter and chocolate until smooth, over low heat, stirring often.
3. Turn off heat and whisk in sugar. Set aside to cool for 5-10 minutes, stirring often.
4. To a mixing bowl, add in melted chocolate mixture, milk and eggs, whisking quickly so the residual heat doesn't cook the eggs.
5. Use a wooden spoon to stir in flour until just combined. Pour batter into prepared pan in an even layer, and bake for 25 minutes.

CHEESECAKE LAYER:

1. Remove brownie pan from the oven and set aside.
2. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F.
3. Using a stand mixer (or hand mixer), beat all cheesecake ingredients together until mixture is smooth. Take care not to mix too quickly, or air bubbles will form.
4. Pour cheesecake batter over brownie layer in pan.
5. Bake for 50 minutes, until center is slightly jiggly (or when an instant read thermometer inserted into the center reads 150.
6. Remove from oven and cool at room temperature, with the pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
7. Place pan in the refrigerator for 4 hours, or overnight to chill and firm up to that amazing cheesecake consistency.

COOKIE DOUGH LAYER:

1. In a stand mixer (or hand mixer), cream together butter and both sugars on MED-HIGH speed until light and fluffy.
2. Beat in sweetened condensed milk and vanilla extract.
3. Beat in salt and flour. Stir in mini chocolate chips.
4. Use an offset spatula to gently spread cookie dough over the top of the cooled cheesecake.
5. This is done most easily when the spring has been undone and the cheesecake is free from the sides of the pan.
6. If you can't spread the cookie dough, gently press pieces together to "spackle" the cookie dough onto the cheesecake.

FINISH THE CHEESECAKE:

1. Microwave milk chocolate chips and vegetable oil in 30 second bursts (stirring each time), until nearly melted. Stir to melt remaining lumps.
2. Drizzle melted chocolate over the top of the cheesecake.
3. To slice, use a long, thin knife. Dip knife blade into very hot water, shake off excess and slice carefully. Between each slice, use a paper towel to wipe off cake crumbs and reside, then dip knife into the hot water again before slicing.

Recipe Adapted From: thechunkychef.com



source https://www.alanavaleria.site/2019/01/brownie-bottom-cookie-dough-cheesecake.html

REFRESHING KENTUCKY LEMONADE COCKTAIL

sweet, tart, and refreshing with a bourbon kick, this Kentucky lemonade cocktail is everything you could want in a drink.  It’s fun, has familiar and easy to find ingredients, and is easy to customize by making non-alcoholic if you’d prefer it that way!

This drink you guys… just wow.  I’m not usually one for adding things to my bourbon… I like it on the rocks and that’s it.  BUT… when added to a homemade lemonade with some mint and ginger ale?  Let’s just say, on the rocks is about to be my second favorite way to have bourbon.

INGREDIENTS:

• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup water
• 1 1/2 cups fresh lemon juice (from approximately 6 lemons)
• 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
• 1/2-2/3 cup Bourbon (depending on your tastes)
• 6 cups ginger ale
• additional lemon slices (for garnish)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. In a small saucepan, combine granulated sugar and water and heat over MED heat.  Heat until sugar dissolves into water and mixture is clear.  Simmer 1-2 minutes, then remove from heat.
2. Add lemon juice, mint leaves, and Bourbon, then let mixture cool.
3. Pour mixture through a fine strainer into a large pitcher to remove solid particles and mint leaves.  Add ginger ale and stir to combine.  Add ice and lemon slices and serve cold.
4. To serve as pictured:  Add a bit of water, lemon juice or light corn syrup to a shallow plate.  To another shallow plate, add coarse white sugar.  Dip the open end of glasses onto the liquid plate, then onto the sugar plate to create the sugar rim.  Serve drink over ice cubes, garnish with a lemon slice and sprig of mint.

Recipe Adapted From: thechunkychef.com

source https://www.alanavaleria.site/2019/01/refreshing-kentucky-lemonade-cocktail.html