Stir Fry for One

 This stir fry is quick and easy.  You can make more servings by multiplying the ingredients.  It's one of my favorite dinners.

Stir Fry for One

Ingredients:

4 ounces meat of your choice, very thinly sliced (It's easier to slice it thinly if it's partially frozen): chicken, beef, fish, pork

1 cup mixed fresh or frozen vegetables of your choice, bite sized pieces (I often use frozen Asian mix vegetables)

1 teaspoon cooking oil

1/2 teaspoon ginger, either grated fresh or powdered

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon Hoisin sauce

1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

Directions:

Heat heavy shallow skillet on medium heat.  Add cooking oil.  Add meat.  Stir and fry until browned.  Add vegetables.  Stir and fry until cooked to crisp tender and heated all the way through.  If it gets too dry add a small amount of water, less than a teaspoon.

When vegetables are crisp tender and meat is cooked through add 1/2 teaspoon Ginger, 1 teaspoon soy sauce, and 1 teaspoon Hoisin sauce.  Stir and fry for about 30 seconds.  Add 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil.  Stir until combined.  Remove from heat and enjoy.  This is delicious with rice or noodles.  Sometimes I add cooked rice to the skillet before I add the ginger and mix it all together.

Dutch Baby

 These Dutch Babies are great for breakfast or dinner.  So delicious!

Ingredients:

3 eggs

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup milk

1 Tablespoon sugar

Pinch of nutmeg

4 Tablespoons butter

Toppings of your choice.  Any soft fruit should work, peaches, berries, bananas, or use canned pie filling

Whipped Cream, optional

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Combine eggs, flour, milk, sugar and nutmeg in a blender jar and blend until smooth. Batter may also be mixed by hand.

Place butter in a heavy 10-inch skillet or baking dish and place in the oven. As soon as the butter has melted (watch it so it does not burn) add the batter to the pan, return pan to the oven and bake for 20 minutes, until the pancake is puffed and golden. Lower oven temperature to 300 degrees and bake five minutes longer.

Remove pancake from oven, cut into wedges and serve at once topped with your choice of fruit and whipped cream if desired.

Makes 3 or 4 servings

Chocolate Caramel Pretzel Bars

These taste great and are an addicting snack! 

Ingredients:

1 package (11.5 oz) Milk Chocolate Chips, divided

1 package (11 oz) Caramel Bits

2 Tablespoons water

1/2 Cup Peanut Butter Chips

8 oz of Mini Twist Pretzels

Directions:

Place the chocolate chips in a small microwavable bowl. (Reserve about 1/4 cup of chips for later). Melt in microwave in 20 second intervals until melted.Stir between intervals.

Spread the melted chocolate on a parchment lined cookie sheet.

Place pretzels on top of the chocolate, they can overlap. Press down slightly.

Place the caramel bits in a microwavable bowl with water. Melt in microwave 20 seconds at a time until melted. Stir every 20 seconds. Stir; then drizzle and spread over the pretzels. Let Cool.

  Place the reserved 1/4 cup of chocolate chips in a sandwich size zip lock bag. Melt in the microwave 10 seconds at a time until smooth. Knead  gently with your fingers between 10 second intervals. Drizzle over the cooled caramel. Repeat with the peanut butter chips.

Let cool.  Then cut into squares.  Keep in an airtight container. 

 

Banana Jumbos

These cookies are my family's favorite. They create lots of excitement when we see or smell them.

 

2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 cup butter or margarine
1 cup mashed bananas, about 2 large
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl with mixer at low speed, beat all ingredients except walnuts and chocolate chips about 3 minutes or until well blended, occasionally scraping bowl with rubber spatula. Add walnuts and chocolates and beat with a spoon until mixed. Drop by scant 1/4 cupfuls, about 2 inches apart, onto large cookie sheet. (I only get about 6 on each cookie sheet at a time.)

Bake 10 to 12 minutes until lightly browned on bottom. Cool a couple of minutes then remove to wire racks to cool.
Makes about 2 1/2 dozen cookies.
They are soft and moist and cakelike in texture. Store in an airtight container.

Waffles

These are the best waffles E.V.E.R!  They are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.  Perfect!  I use yeast for the leavening.  But don't that that scare you.  It's easy!  Just mix everything together and let the batter sit overnight.  

I almost always mix the batter the night before and let it rest in my refrigerator so it's all ready to bake in my waffle iron for breakfast the next morning.  So easy and so delicious!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups lukewarm milk

6 Tablespoons butter, melted

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 large eggs

2 cups all purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast

Directions:

Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl, leaving room for expansion; the mixture will bubble and grow.

Stir to combine; it doesn’t have to be perfectly smooth. 

Cover with plastic wrap, and let rest at room temperature for 1 hour; the mixture will begin to bubble. You can cook the waffles at this point, or refrigerate the batter overnight to cook waffles the next day.

Preheat your waffle iron. Spray with non-stick vegetable oil spray, and pour 2/3 to 3/4 cup batter (or the amount recommended by the manufacturer) onto the center of the iron. Close the lid and bake for the recommended amount of time, until the waffle is golden brown. 

Serve immediately, or keep warm in a 200 degree F oven. Serve with berries and whipped cream, if desired.

Freeze the leftovers; when ready to use, pop them in the toaster until heated through.

 

Jumbo Raisin Cookies

These are my all time favorite cookies.  I love the texture!  I love the taste!  They are absolutely perfect.
Recipe makes about 5 dozen cookies.

Ingredients:

1 cup water
1 cup raisins

       1 cup shortening

1 3/4 cups sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 eggs, beaten

4 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Place the water and raisins in a small saucepan and bring to a boil.  Boil slowly for 5 minutes.  Set aside. Do not drain!
Cream together the shortening and sugar.
Add the vanilla and beaten eggs; beat until light and fluffy.
Mix  the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg lightly.

Add the raisins with the water and the flour mixture alternately to the sugar mixture.  Mix well.

(If you want you may add one cup nuts of your choice.)

Drop by teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake at 375 degrees for 12 minutes.

Place on rack to cool. 

Store in covered container in dry place.