I've Moved

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www.theclassykitchen.blogspot.com

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Turtle Bars

These are SO yummy! I've loved them for years. I make them anytime I need to take something to a potluck.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups flour
2/3 tsp. soda
1/3 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cup quick oats
2 cubes softened butter

Mix above ingredients (mixture will be crumbly). Spray a 9x12 pan. Spread 2/3 of above mixture on bottom of pan. Press down to flatten. I use my mini rolling pin to make it really good and smooth. Bake 7-8 minutes at 350.

Remove and sprinkle 1 cup chocolate chips and drizzle the caramel sauce over the chocolate chips. Put remaining mixture over the top. Put back into the oven and bake an additional 10-12 minutes.

Caramel Sauce: 35 caramels and 4 TBSP. milk, melted together either in microwave or on the stove. Be careful not to scald.

Chinese Chicken Salad

Here is yet another one of my favorite salads. I've tried quite a few different dressings, combining some and I've settled upon two that I really like. I'm listing both the dresing recipes. Either one will be yummy. I love this served as the entire meal. My kids love it when I make scones to go with it. It's perfect for a shower or luncheon. The only disadvantage is that the next days leftovers are soggy if you premix everything. I typically keep everything seperate in ziploc bags in the fridge so I can enjoy it for a few days.Ingredients:
4 Lg chicken breasts (you can cook various ways. If you want fast, cook in a covered dish in microwave in 1 Cup soy sauce and 1 TBSP sugar, cooking in five minute increments and stirring everytime until done) Then cube.
1 pkg won ton skins (cut into strips and fry till crisp)
1 pkg rice stick (oil needs to be very hot. I cook the won tons first and then turn oil up high to do the rice stick. Just drop the rice stick in the hot oil. It will blow up and you immediately remove it from the oil.)
2-3 heads of lettuce shredded
3-4 bunches green onions

Dressing:
1 cup salad oil (I do use olive oil)
1/2 c rice vinegar
8 TBSP sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp accent salt
1 tsp pepper

Combine in a jar and shake. Toss over salad right before serving. The regular recipe calls for twice this much salt. I've found that I'm sensitive to a lot of salt, so I half the salt. Start with this amount that I've listed. Taste it and if you want more salt, go for it.

Dressing #2:
1/4 c. sesame oil
1/4 c. salad oil
4 tbsp. sugar
6 tbsp. rice vinegar
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

Combine in a jar and shake. Toss over salad right before serving.

Mongolian Beef

Tonight I wanted to make stir fry for dinner and wanted to try a new recipe. I found this recipe for Mongolian Beef and decided to just throw in a bunch of veggies with it. It turned out yummy and I wanted to save the recipe. I doubled the recipe for the sauce and it was perfect. I did fry the meat tonight. Next time I wont. But I do have to say, it was sure good fried! Even if it wasn't healthy!Ingredients:
Vegetable oil
1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger root (I used the canned minced ginger)
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup water
2/3 cup dark brown sugar
1 pound beef flank steak, sliced 1/4 inch thick on the diagonal
1 cup vegetable oil for frying
2 bunches green onions, cut in 2-inch lengths

Directions:
Heat vegetable oil in a saucepan over medium heat, and cook and stir the garlic and ginger until they release their fragrance, about 30 seconds. Pour in the soy sauce, water, and brown sugar. Raise the heat to medium-high, and stir 4 minutes, until the sugar has dissolved and the sauce boils and slightly thickens. Remove sauce from the heat, and set aside.

Heat the vegetable oil in a deep-sided skillet. Drop the meat slices into the hot oil and fry until the edges become crisp and start to brown. Remove and drain on paper towel. Pour the oil out of the skillet or wok, and return the pan to medium heat. Return the beef slices to the pan, stir briefly, and pour in the reserved sauce. Stir once or twice to combine, and add the green onions. Bring the mixture to a boil, and cook until the onions have softened and turned bright green, about 2 minutes.

That's the official recipe. Of course, I sauteed my veggies in a little oil, added the meat and then put the sauce over the entire thing right before serving.

Apricot Chicken

This is one of those standards thats been in our family for years. It's an easy dinner that you can throw in the crockpot or in the oven. It's easy, very few ingredients and the kids eat it up because it's so sweet and yummy. Apricot Chicken:

16 oz. Russian Salad Dressing
16 oz. Apricot Jam
2 packets lipton onion soup mix

Mix it all together and pour it over the chicken and bake until the chicken is tender. Serve over rice.

Favorite Banana Bread

It's taken me awhile to find a recipe for the BEST Banana Bread. For years, everytime I make banana bread I'd try a new recipe. Funny thing is, this recipe I didn't have to go searching for. My friend, Cody (there you go Cody - you are officially mentioned!) brought it into work, let me have a piece and I was hooked. Of course I asked for the recipe! It's my all-time favorite recipe now for banana bread. Warren requested chocolate chips in it, so I tried it today. I DON'T recommend it. The only thing differently that I like doing is blending the bananas in your blender and I do prefer to use the bread flour instead of all purpose.

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs
• 2-3 bananas, blended
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup oil

Mix really well in mixer, then add:

• 1 cup flour (I prefer bread)
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Pour in greased pan and bake at 350 for 50 minutes. Makes 1 loaf.

Barbecue Chicken Salad

It's no secret, I LOVE a good salad. This happens to be one that ranks among the top. It's super easy to make and great for lunch or dinner. It's not exactly low fat, but hey, it's STILL a salad! :)

• Ingredients:
• shredded lettuce
• 1 can red kidney beans
• 1 can black beans
• 1 can corn
• red onion, chopped
• tomatoes, chopped
• Olives, sliced
• Cilantro
• Corn Tortillas, cut into strips and fried
• Cooked chicken, diced (I cheat and just use the popcorn chicken or the tyson chicken strips you can buy at Costco)
• Your favorite Barbecue Sauce
• Ranch Dressing

Directions: Layer everything on and toss with barbecue sauce and ranch dressing. Top with crunchy tortilla strips.

Whole Wheat Pizza Crust and Pizza Bread

I came across this pizza crust recipe that I really like. Our family has enjoyed eating pizza bread ever since we lived in Connecticut 10 years ago. Here's the recipe for the crust and instructions on how to make the pizza bread if you decide you want to give it a try! For years it was a friday night tradition!

Whole Wheat Pizza Dough:

2 cups bread flour

2 cups whole wheat flour

2 1/4 tsp. rapid rise yeast

1 1/2 tsp. salt

3 TBSP. olive oil

1 1/2 cups warm water

Add bread flour, wheat flour, yeast and salt in your mixer. Add the warm water and oil and knead dough for about 10 minutes on low in your mixer with a kneading hook. Cover and let rise until double.

Pizza Bread: Split dough into two sections and roll out two thin rectangles. Complete cover the dough in pepperoni, not leaving any space where you can see the dough. Sprinkle with mozzarella and cheddar cheese and roll up cinnamon roll style. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle heavily with Oregano. Bake at 425 for 15-20 minutes until done. Let sit for five minutes before slicing into it.

2 TBSP. olive oil
2 lb. pork tenderloin, cut into 3/4" thick slices
4 cloves garlic
Green onions, sliced
2 cans Campbells condensed Golden Mushroom Soup
2 cans (15oz.) sliced peaches in juice, drained, reserving the juice
6 TBSP soy sauce
4 TBSP. honey
1/2 cup pecan halves, toasted and broken into large pieces
Hot cooked rice

Heat oil in skillet. Add pork and cook until well browned on both sides. Add garlic and onions to skillet and cook and stil until tender. Stir in soup, peach juice, soy sauce and honey and bring to a low boil. Cook 5 minutes until soup mixture is slightly reduced. Turn heat to low and simmer until pork is tender. Stir in pecans. Serve pork and sauce with rice. Sprinkle with additional green onion if desired.

Pork and White Bean Chili

2 TB olive oil, divided
1 lb boneless pork loin,cut in 1" cubes
2 c chopped onions
2 TB chili powder
1-1/2 tsp Ancho chili pepper
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp Mexican oregano leaves
2 cans (15-1/2 oz ea)cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (14-1/2 oz) chicken broth
1 avocado, peeled, pitted and coarsely chopped
2 TB fresh chopped cilantro
2 TB fresh lime juice


Heat olive oil in large skillet on med-high heat. Add the pork,brown on all sides. Stir onions into skillet and cook untill tender. Add seasonings,cook and stir 1 min or till fragrant. Add pork,beans and broth,mix well.Bring to boil.
Reduce heat to low. Simmer ,uncovered,15-20 mins or till pork is tender,stirring occasionally
Mix avocado,cilantro and lime juice in small bowl. Serve chili topped with avocado mixture.

Berry Cheesecake bowl

I made this awhile ago, but never posted the recipe. It's so light and yummy though, I wanted to share! Sliced fresh strawberries and bananas
Fresh raspberries
2 pkg. (8oz.) Nufchatel Cream Cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups cold milk
1 pkg (3.4oz.) vanilla instant pudding
2 cups coolwhip
2 cups frozen pound cake cubes
Milk Chocolate

Combine berries and sugar; refrigerate until ready to use. Beat cream cheese with mixer until creamy. Gradually beat in the milk. Add the dry pudding and mix well.

Blend in 1 1/2 cups cool whip. Spoon 1/3 into your truffle bown. Top with layers of frozen cake, berries and then repeat. Refrigerate four hours. Melt the chocolate and drizzle over the top. Top with remaining cool whip. Add a few chocolate covered strawberries to garnish.