Summer Sandwiches

 

General Tso's Chicken

 

Chicken:

• 4 cups vegetable oil for frying

• 1 large egg

• 1 ½ pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1 ½-inch pieces

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon white sugar

• 1 pinch white pepper

• 1 cup cornstarch

Sauce:

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

• 3 tablespoons chopped green onion

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• 6 dried whole red chilies

• 1 strip orange zest

• ½ cup white sugar

• ¼ cup soy sauce

• 3 tablespoons chicken broth

• 2 tablespoons peanut oil

• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar

• 2 teaspoons sesame oil

• ¼ teaspoon ground ginger

• 2 teaspoons cornstarch

• ¼ cup water

Directions

1. Heat vegetable oil in a deep fryer or large saucepan to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

2. Whisk egg in large mixing bowl. Add chicken, salt, sugar, and pepper; mix well. Mix in cornstarch, a little bit at a time, until chicken is well coated.

3. Working in batches, carefully drop one piece of chicken at a time into the hot oil. Fry until chicken turns golden brown and begins to float, about 3 minutes. Remove chicken to a plate and allow to cool as you fry the next batch.

4. Once all of the chicken has been fried, refry the chicken, starting with the batch that was cooked first. Fry each batch until chicken turns deep golden brown, about 2 minutes more. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate.

5. To make the sauce: Heat vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. Stir in green onion, garlic, whole chiles, and orange zest. Cook and stir until garlic turns golden and chiles brighten, 1 to 2 minutes.

6. Add sugar, soy sauce, chicken broth, peanut oil, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and ginger; bring to a boil and cook for 3 minutes. Whisk 2 teaspoons of cornstarch in water until dissolved. Stir into the boiling sauce. Return to a boil and cook until the sauce thickens and is no longer cloudy from the cornstarch, about 1 minute.

7. Stir chicken into the boiling sauce. Reduce heat to low and cook until chicken is heated through and has absorbed some of the sauce, about 3 minutes.

Pig Shots

 

Ingredients

 

1 pound smoked sausage or kielbasa sausage, cut into ¾ inch chunks

12 ounce thick cut bacon

4 ounce cream cheese, room temperature

¼ cup sour cream

1 jalapeno, stem, seeds removed, diced

½ cup sharp cheddar cheese

½ teaspoon Slap Ya Mama seasoning

¼ cup BBQ sauce (any brand)

⅛ cup honey

1 ½ teaspoon brown sugar

Jalapeno slices

 

Instructions

 

Preheat the oven to 375°.

In a small bow, mix BBQ sauce, honey and brown sugar together. Set aside.

Cut bacon in half and wrap each piece of smoked sausage with a strip of bacon.

Place into a muffin pan or use a toothpick to hold together and place on a baking sheet.

In a medium bowl, mix cream cheese, sour cream, diced jalapeno, sharp cheddar cheese and seasoning together until combined.

Add mixture to a quart size baggie and clip the corner.

Squeeze cheese mixture onto the top of each sausage.

Add a sliced jalapeno on the top and then brush each pig shot with the honey BBQ mixture.

Bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes or until the bacon is crispy.

Carefully remove from the oven and enjoy

Wonton Soup

 

Ingredients

  

Broth:

• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 2 garlic cloves smashed
• 2 slices ginger peeled
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
• 8 cups chicken broth
• 2 green onions sliced

Wontons:

• 30 wonton wrappers
• 8 ounces ground pork
• 1 teaspoon grated ginger
• 1 green onion thinly sliced
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 8 ounces Small shrimp

For serving:

• Bok choy
• 2 green onions sliced

Instructions

• In a large pan combine the sesame oil, garlic and ginger and sauté for 1 minutes, then add the soy sauce, sugar, chicken broth and green onions. Simmer on medium heat while you make the wontons.
• Combine the pork, ginger, green onion, soy sauce and sesame oil together in a bowl.
• Place the wontons in a zip lock bag or place on a plate and cover with plastic wrap. Don’t let the wrappers dry out. Lay out 4 to 5 wonton wrappers cornstarch side up. Put ½ teaspoon of the filling in the middle, and top with a small shrimp.
• Use a brush or your finger and brush the edges with water. Fold one corner over to the corner directly across forming a triangle. Press the edges together, pressing the air out and sealing well.
• Dampen the top of one corner of the wonton. Push the middle of the wonton in and fold the dry corn on top of the wet corner and press together. Flip up the point of the triangle.
• Place the wontons on a plate.
• Gently lower 3 to 4 wontons per person into the soup and cook for 2 minutes.
• Add the bok choy and cook for 2 more minutes.
• Remove from the heat and serve immediately with green onions.
• Note: do not add the wontons until 4 minutes before serving. Overcooked wontons will begin to fall apart.
   
   

Egg Fu Yung

 

For the egg foo young:

• ▢ 8 ounces cooked protein, such as Chinese roast pork/char siu or pan-fried tofu (or 10 ounces/280g raw protein, such as shrimp, boneless skinless chicken thighs, boneless pork shoulder, or beef flank steak, sirloin, or chuck; see note 1)
• ▢ 4 to 6 cups neutral oil (such as vegetable, canola, or peanut oil, for frying. You can also pan-fry; see note 2)
• ▢ 1 medium onion (diced, 1 medium onion = about 1½ cups, 6 ounces, or 165g)
• ▢ 2 cups mung bean sprouts
• ▢ 6 large eggs
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon sesame oil
• ▢ 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• ▢ 1 scallion (chopped)

For the gravy:

• ▢ 2 tablespoons neutral oil
• ▢ 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• ▢ ½ teaspoon turmeric
• ▢ ½ teaspoon paprika
• ▢ 1 small clove garlic (minced)
• ▢ 1 teaspoon shallot (or red onion, minced)
• ▢ 3¼ cups low-sodium chicken stock (divided)
• ▢ 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
• ▢ 2 teaspoon light soy sauce
• ▢ ½ teaspoon dark soy sauce
• ▢ ½ teaspoon sesame oil
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon white pepper (or to taste)
• ▢ 3 tablespoons cornstarch

Instructions

Prepare your protein:

• If using cooked protein, such as Chinese BBQ Pork (Char Siu), pan-fried tofu, or leftover cooked steak, cut it into small cubes and set aside.
• If using shrimp, roughly chop it and set it aside. You do not need to pre-cook it.
• If using raw chicken, pork, or beef, cut it into small cubes. In a medium bowl, toss the cubed meat with 1 teaspoon each of cornstarch, neutral oil, and oyster sauce. For beef, you can also add ⅛ teaspoon baking soda as an optional tenderizer. Marinate for 15-30 minutes. Heat a wok over high heat until it just starts to smoke. Add a couple tablespoons of oil to coat the wok, and sear the meat for 1 minute per side. Then stir-fry for 1 minute, until it’s 80% cooked through. Remove it from the wok and set aside to cool.

Make the gravy:

• In a wok or saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of neutral oil over medium heat. Whisking constantly, add the flour, turmeric, and paprika to make a roux. Continue whisking for 15-20 seconds, then add the garlic and shallot, and whisk another 30 seconds.
• Next, whisk in 3 cups of the chicken stock. Bring the mixture to a simmer. Add the oyster sauce, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sesame oil, and white pepper.
• Combine the cornstarch with the remaining ¼ cup of chicken stock (or use water) to make a slurry. Slowly stir in two-thirds of the mixture. Let the gravy cook and continue to thicken for 30 seconds. Add more slurry if needed, until the gravy’s thick enough to coat a spoon. Adjust seasoning with additional salt or soy sauce to taste.
• Set the gravy aside, and reheat right before serving.

Make the batter & fry the patties:

• In a wok or deep pot, add your frying oil (it should be at a depth of a few inches). Heat the oil to 350°F/175°C. The oil temp will lower when you drop the egg foo young in, and the optimal frying temperature is 325°F/160°F. Use a thermometer to check and maintain the temperature. When your oil is close to the target temperature (NOT BEFORE), make your batter.
• Place your cooked protein, onion, and bean sprouts into a mixing bowl. Add the eggs, sesame oil, and 1 teaspoon of cornstarch. Use a large soup ladle to fold the mixture together until just combined. The eggs should look slightly beaten and only just mixed with the rest of the ingredients. Do not overmix.
• By now your oil should be at the right temperature. Ladle about ¾ cup of the mixture, and tilt the ladle close to the oil, starting from the edge where the oil meets the wok. Slowly pour the batter in, with the ladle barely touching the oil. Prolonged contact between the ladle and the oil will cause the egg to cook while it’s in the ladle and stick, and you won’t have a smooth drop for the next patty. Once the patty has released from the ladle, you can push it away from the edge. Repeat to drop in two to three scoops of the mixture. Take a break to quickly clean and dry the ladle if needed.
• Fry the patties for 40 seconds. Gently ladle some hot oil on top of each uncooked patty to help them set more quickly. When each patty is solid and turning golden brown on the bottom, flip (in the same order you dropped them in). Fry for 1 more minute.
• Scoop each patty onto a mesh strainer (first in, first out), giving it a few taps and a gentle squeeze to remove excess oil. Place each patty on a wire rack (or paper towel) on a sheet pan to drain. Repeat to cook all the patties.
• Serve your patties over steamed rice. Ladle the hot gravy over the top, and sprinkle with scallions. Enjoy!

Creamy White Chicken Enchiladas

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

  

• 2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken or boiled chicken
• 3 tbsp flour
• 1 tbsp adobo
• 2 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 5 tbsp butter
• 10 flour tortillas
• 1 cup shredded taco blend cheese
• 1 cup of white shredded cheese of your choice
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 10 oz can diced rotel tomatoes & green chilies

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350F
• Spray 9 x 13 baking dish w/ cooking spray.
• Take the chicken off the bone and shred it using two forks
• Add in 1 cup of shredded taco cheese to shredded chicken along with any seasonings of your choice along with the adobo
• Place chicken mixture in each of the flour tortillas, rolling each one and placing in the baking dish as you go
• In a sauce pan, melt the butter, then whisk in the flour and allow to thicken for for about 45 seconds, stirring constantly
• Add chicken broth and whisk until smooth.
• Stir in sour cream and the can of rotel, dont let it get too hot, then pour it over the enchiladas.
• Top with the one cup of the white shredded cheese
• Bake for about 20-25 minutes.
• ENJOY!

Copycat Drinks

 

Must Try Copycat Drinks 6-Ways!!

 

ORANGE JULIUS

1 (12-ounce) can of frozen orange juice concentrate

1 cup granulated sugar

½ cup whole milk

1 cup vanilla ice cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 cups of ice cubes

 

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE CHIP FRAPPUCCINO

1 cup whole milk (or substitute preferred milk)

½ cup chocolate syrup (plus more for drizzle)

½ cup mini chocolate chips

2 cups ice

Spray whipped cream OR real whipped cream (1 cup whipping cream and ¼ cup powdered sugar, for topping)

 

WENDY'S STRAWBERRY FROSTY

14 ounces sweetened condensed milk

8 ounces whipped topping (thawed)

½ gallon whole milk

¾ cup Hershey’s strawberry syrup

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

 

HARRY POTTER'S BUTTERBEER

Butterbeer Ingredients

2 liters A&W Cream Soda (cold)

1/2 teaspoon caramel extract

1/2 teaspoon butter extract

Cream Topping Ingredients

1 cup heavy whipping cream (chilled)

1/2 teaspoon butter extract

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup butterscotch syrup

1/4 cup powdered sugar

 

CARAMEL ICED COFFEE

1 cup ice cubes

1 cup cold brew coffee (mild-medium strength unsweetened and unflavored)

2 tablespoons salted caramel syrup (Torani brand for flavoring drinks)

⅓ cup whole milk

Garnish

Squirt whipped topping

caramel dessert sauce (Ghirardelli brand in the squeeze bottle)

 

PINK DRINK

2 Tazo “Passion” tea bags (or any hibiscus tea)

½ cup white grape juice

½ cup water

Ice cubes

½ cup unsweetened coconut milk

¼ cup freeze-dried strawberries (or sliced fresh strawberries)

Simple syrup (for optional sweetening)