Chocolate and Peanut Butter Blondes

CHOCOLATE and PEANUT BUTTER BLONDIES

INGREDIENTS: 

2 sticks of unsalted butter, softened 

1 cup light brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup sugar

2 teaspoons good vanilla extract

2 large eggs, room temperature

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1 cup peanut butter chips 

1 cup milk chocolate chips

1/2 cup chopped walnuts 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13 baker with baking spray.

In a medium mixing bowl combine the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Whisk together to combine. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the softened butter, packed brown sugar, and sugar on low speed at first to incorporate; then cream at high speed for a few minutes. It should be light and fluffy. Scrap down sides as needed.  Reduce the speed to low, and add the vanilla and one egg at a time, mixing until combined. With the mixer still on low, add the flour mixture a little at a time. Mix until incorporated. You'll have more of a dough than a batter.  

Stir in chips and nuts by hand. Don't over mix. 

Spread dough in the prepared pan  and bake in the center of the oven for 30 minutes. Making sure toothpick comes out clean. 

Remove from oven and allow to cool before cutting into squares.

Breakfast Casserole

1 can of flaky biscuit-- I used the Grand Honey Flaky ones 

Ingredients: 
1 C diced ham 
1 C milk 
3 eggs--beaten 
1 tsp garlic powder 
1/2 tsp Tony 
Pepper 
1/2 C Mexican cheese 
*** optional sliced green onions 

Preheat oven to 350 

Mix all your ingredients in a big bowl..mix well  
Pour into a grease casserole pan... I used a 9x9 square deep dish pan

Next take your biscuit and cut into 4 and lay on top of the egg mixture .. I rolled the biscuit around a little so all sides are wet.. Then I just layered it on top in a single layer. 

Bake for 40 minutes or until top of biscuit is golden brown 

I serve mines with more bacon (I diced it up and sprinkle on top) 
Garnish with sliced green onions or tomato 

Enjoy!!! 

Teriyaki Salmon

During lent season I usually try to make a lot of Salmon dishes..since its our favorite fish. I try to make a dish that would go well with rice or salads. 

Ingredients: 
1 slab of salmon 
2 TBS olive oil 5 TBS of honey
10 TBS of teriyaki sauce ( Kikkoman) 

GARNISH:
Green onion-- chopped 
Cucumber 


Preheat oven to 350.

Take a baking pan and cover with foil to make cleaning easy. Place the salmon on the baking pan and pour the olive oil over the salmon. Making sure to grease well so the salmon wont stick to the foil. 

Mix honey and  teriyaki sauce together.. Pour over salmon.. Bake @ 350 for 20 minutes.. Then add green onion and broil for about 20-30 seconds.... You want it to caramelize on the top .. Keep a close eye cuz you don't want it to burn. 

***If you would want more juice.. Add more teriyaki sauce 

I like to eat it with cucumber but you can eat with any vegetable that you like. 
ENJOY!!! 

Creamy Mac and Cheese

My famous Mac n Cheese....I make batch of these at least once a week for the kids to eat...what I do is make a huge batch the beginning of the week then I would separate them into about 5 containers and put them in the freezer...every morning I would take one out and defrost...by the time the kids get off of school...they would have their snacks before dinner.

It is delicious and creamy goodness....

Ingredients:

vegetable oil
1 package of elbow macaroni
butter
1 C shred Muenster cheese
1 C shred Cheddar cheese
1 C shred sharp Cheddar cheese
1 C shred Monterey Jack cheese
4 cups half-and-half
1 C cubed processed cheese food (Velveeta)
salt & pepper

Directions:

1. bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. add the oil and the pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain well and return to cooking pot.
2. in a small saucepan over medium heat, melt 8 tablespoons butter (1 stick); stir into the macaroni
3. in a large bowl, combine the Muenster cheese, mild and sharp Cheddar cheeses, and Monterey Jack cheese; mix well
4. preheat oven to 350 degrees farenheit
5. in a saucepan over medium heat, warm the half-and-half to an almost boiling point, then add the velveeta cheese. stir constantly until the cheese is completely melted. then add 2/3 of the cheese mixture and stir constantly until cheese is completely melted.
6. add the cheese mixture to the pasta and mix evenly. add salt and pepper to taste.
7. transfer pasta to a lightly greased deep 2 & 1/2 quart casserole dish. sprinkle with the

• • remaining cheese mixture and 1 tablespoon of butter ...bake at 350 until nice and bubble....serve
    
    
    
    
    
    
    ENJOY!!!
    
    

Bun Rieu

Everytime  we go to Houston, Texas ...we alway try to stop at this Restaurant called Thien Thanh so that I can have my Bun Rieu Oc...I love bun rieu but MISTER isnt a huge fan of bun rieu because of the man thom (shrimp paste). So I usually make it at home without it and just add it to my individual bowl.  I find that bun rieu is the easiest and one of those quick soup to make that is filled with tons of flavor. I love to eat mines with lots of tofu and VEGGIES (bean sprout, rau mong, lots of basil, cilantro and  mint leaves) 

When the weather is nippy and gloomy outside I usually wipe up a pot. 

INGREDIENTS: 

1 gallon  of pork or chicken stock ( I usually use the baby pork ribs so that I can have some meat in there besides the rieu and tofu) 
1 can of 14 oz of crab meat paste in spices ( we like Lee Brand)
4 eggs, beaten
1 cup of crab meat, either fresh or canned/frozen drained
1 lb of ground pork
1 TBS of fish sauce
1 TBS of sugar
1 large onion--I used a whole one and just throw in the broth (washed and peeled)  1 tsp of ground pepper
1 TBS of of fine shrimp paste..man thom...very salty so be careful 
tomato paste...if u want the red color ...

1/4 C of dried shrimp (soaked in warm water)---optional...I dont add the dry shrimp cuz hubby doesnt like the smell 
8 cloves minced garlic 

4 large ripe tomatoes (quartered)
10 medium sized fried tofu (halved)
1 bunch of green onion--chopped

1 bunch of cilantro...or other asian herbs...I also used mint..and lettuce, bean sprout, rau muong 

1 packet of vermicelli noodles



(I used a food processor to make my crab mixture) 

Cook the vermicelli noodles and set aside. 

At the same time add pork or chicken stock into large pot and bring to boil.

In the meantime, make the crab mixture. Combine ground pork, crab, can of crab meat in spices, shallots, fine shrimp paste, fish sauce, dice garlic,  pepper, and sugar. Add the beaten eggs and mix well. I actually put it all in a food processor and pulse it a few times ...so it can mix and chopped up.  

When the stock comes to a boil, slowly add this crab mixture into stock. Now add the  quartered TOMATOES  and tofu and bring to boil again. Finally, season stock with additional salt or fish sauce. Mix in tomato paste if you  want more of the red color

Add vermicilli noodles to bowl and ladle on the bun rieu.

Garnish with sliced green onion and chopped cilantro...bean sprout..lettuce, mint, and rau muong.

ENJOY!!! 

Stuffed FRIED Lobster

 Deep fried stuffed lobsters:

Ingredients: 

4 Lobsters--Steamed throughly 

8 cloves minced garlic

1 large onion-chopped 

4 stalked celery-chopped finely 

green onion-chopped finely 

jalapeno--minced 

1 egg --binding 

1 TBP garlic powder 

1/2 tsp cracked black pepper (for the heat) 

1/2 tsp Tony Chachere's 

Mix all these ingredients into a bowl with 1 egg 

Cut the lobster in half then stuff the lobster--it will fall all over the place but try to pack it tight into all the side and in between. 

Next dust with some fish fry and  fry these babies up ;)

(I like to steam them throughly first so that the lobster wont burn with all the seasoning while frying) 

ENJOY!!! 

SO DELICIOUS!!! My family LOVE LOBSTERS ...they like it steamed dipped in a lemon butter sauce or stuffed and deep fried or stir fry with a garlic oyster sauce. 

Crawfish and Corn Bisque

Everytime when we go out to eat and if my kids see crawfish and corn bisque. They each want a bowl for themselves. So I was on a mission to find a recipe.. I made this once and my kids LOVE it!! It's simple and fast. The only problem is the crawfish tail can get pretty expensive so when they are on sale.. I rack up. We can always find use for crawfish tail in our household. Crawfish Monica, crawfish fried rice, crawfish étouffée and the list goes on and on. 

Crawfish and Corn Bisque

Ingredients: 

1 large onion--chopped 

4 stalk of celery--chopped 

1 bell pepper chopped 

1 stick of butter 

1 tsp Onion powder 

1 tsp garlic power 

2 bag of Crawfish tails

2 capful of liquid crawfish boiled 

4 can of cream of potato 

4 can of cream of corn 

1 can whole corn kernel 

1/2 tsp Tony Chachere's 

Cracked black pepper 

1 quartz of half  n half 

In a soup pot mix 1 stick of butter with onion/celery/bell pepper .. Add your onion and garlic powder. 

Once it's translucent pour in all your soups and corn (juice and all) 

Then add in your crawfish boiled 

Cook for about 5-10 minutes then add in your crawfish tails (the entire bag--juice too)  and then the half and half .. Turn heat down to medium low because you do not want the soup to burn. 

Add all Tony and Pepper to taste 

Breakfast Muffin

In my family we are TOTALLY BREAKFAST people..We can eat breakfast food for breakfast, lunch or dinner. I am always searching for something new to make with eggs/biscuits/bacon...which is our STAPLE food for breakfast. My kids DO NOT eat cereal .... so sometimes its a challenge trying to find something different and FAST. This is something that the kids love. Plus I can cook more than 1 item in the oven at the same time and I can just leave it in the oven while I am trying to get the kids ready for school. 

INGREDIENTS: 

1 can pillsbury grand biscuit

6 eggs

1/2 C milk (I used whatever I had on hand) 

1/2 C Mexican blend cheese 

sliced green onions

crumble sausage 

DIRECTIONS: 

1 can of Pillsbury Grand biscuit.. Cut into little pieces.. 

In a container.. Mix 6 eggs.. 1/2 C milk.. 1/2 C cheese.. Crumble sausage .. Green onion.. Mix all up. Next add your seasoning 1 t garlic powder and 1/2 teaspoon of Tony and dash of crack black pepper .. Pour into greases muffin tin ... And bake for 40 minutes @ 350 

Enjoy!!! 

Egg ROLL

Ingredients

• 1 package egg roll wrappers

Filling

• 1 lb ground pork (makes 25 egg rolls)
• 1/2 cup shredded carrots  
• 1 large chopped onion
• 4 cloves of minced garlic 
• 4 sprigs of green onion-chopped
• ⅛ cup wood ear mushrooms, chopped
• ½ cup bean thread noodle, cut into 1″-1.5″ threads
• 1/2 cup shredded cabbage
• 1 tablespoon  fish sauce
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon sugar

Egg Roll Wrap Sealer

• 1 egg whites 

Instructions

1. Soak bean threads in hot tap water and mushrooms in 40-second microwaved hot tap water until soft. About 30 minutes
2. When soft, cut the bean thread noodles into little 2 in pieces and mushrooms.
3. In a large BOWL...mix all the ingredients ..make sure its all incorporated 
4. In a fry pot--add your oil...the eggroll needs to be deep fry...once oil is hot..slowly add 1 eggroll at a time....
5. Wrap the egg rolls and fry until golden brown and fully cooked inside. About 12-16 minutes per batch. Don't crowd the frying pot. 

Served with dipping fish sauce or sweet chili sauce ;) 

Mirilton or Chayote

Ever since I was a kid...my mom used to make this dish all the time...I love eating it with rice or by itself. Sometimes I would substitute shrimp for the ground meat. I just feel that the ground meat makes it tastier and has more flavor then the shrimps. 


DIRECTIONS: 
It produce a very slimy feel so if you have gloves...wear them on.
Peel the skin off the chayote then take out the seed 

Next cut it into little pieces to your liking.. I like mines in little stripes 

(I usually wear gloves when I am handling these because it has a very sticky to waxy  liquid) 

Next I chopped up some onion and minced some garlic... add a little olive oil to pan and sauté that up until it's translucent...making sure not to burn your garlic or onion.. burnt garlic or onion DOES NOT taste so good ;) 

Then I throw in my 1 lb of ground beef.. Sauté that with the onion and garlic .. Add in 1 T of oyster sauce. 2 t sugar 

1/4 t salt..1 T fish sauce 

1/4 t crack black pepper 

1 t garlic powder 

Next add in your cut chayote and sauté until it's soft but not mushy. 

Garnish with chopped cilantro 

Serve over jasmine rice 

Ingredients: 

3 large chayote (peeled and sliced) 

1 lb ground meat 

1 small onion-- chopped 

4 cloves of garlic minced 

1 T oyster sauce 

1 T fish sauce 

2 t sugar 

1/4 t salt 

1/4 t cracked black pepper 

1 t garlic powder 

Garnish with fresh  chopped cilantro 

Served with Jasmine RICE 

ENJOY!!!! 

STUFF Biscuit

These are so good and FUN to EAT...my kids love it and I always have these items on hand.  Taste like mini hamburger pizza ...If you are looking for something new to make as a snack ...you gotta give this a try ...I promise your kids would love it...you can put pepperoni or ham inside. 

Ingredients: 
1 can grand biscuit 

8 precooked meatball 

4 mozzarella cheese stick (cut each stick into 4 little piece) 

1 T Parmesan cheese 

1 t Italian seasoning 

Greased baking pan... Use an 8'round baking pan is the best 

Some melted butter to cover the top of the biscuit so the seasoning can stick (optional) 

Preheat oven to 350 

Bake for 30-40 minutes (depending on your oven-- and pan that you used) 

Serve with a side of marinara .. It's delicious!! 

Enjoy!!!