Schezuan Orange Chicken

A little spicy, a little sweet, and really yummy!

3 Tbsp. hoisin sauce
2 t. grated zest
3/4 c. orange juice
1/2 c. mandarin orange pieces
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut crosswise into 1/4" slices
salt and pepper
3 Tbsp. oil
1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced thin
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 t. grated ginger
1/2 t. red pepper flakes (optional)
2 green onions, sliced thin

Whisk hoisin, orange zest, and juice in bowl. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Cook chicken for 3 minutes. Add red pepper and cook for 2 more minutes. Add garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes. Cook 30 seconds. Add sauce and simmer until sauce has thickened (3-5 minutes). Off heat and stir in green onions. Serve over rice.

Adapted from America's Test Kitchen, The Best Simple Recipes

Meal Plan This Week

I apologize that I haven't been getting to posting my recipes... The times, they are a-changin', and I'm considering putting Food at Our House on hold temporarily. But I am very torn, as I really do love getting these low dairy/sugar/wheat recipes to the people that need them. I will let you know later in the week what I've decided. Until then, have a great week!

Monday - Roast Turkey with Sweet Potatoes
Tuesday - Schezuan Orange Chicken over Rice
Wednesday - Quiche Lorainne
Thursday - Crispy Chicken Wraps
Friday - Go Out!
Saturday - Oven-Grilled Reuban Sandwiches
Sunday - Roast Beef and the Fixins

Phyllo Salmon with Brown Sugar and Rock Salt

A few years back, a friend and I were walking along the beach at dinner time. People were taking advantage of the nice weather, enjoying their swims in the lake, and cooking their dinner on the provided metal grate bbqs. We passed one such bbq, and couldn't help but comment how delicious their food smelled... what was it they were making?? We were told it was salmon with brown sugar and rock salt, gave us a generous sample, and we were on our way, changed people. I have been a fan ever since, and this is my version:

4 sheets of phyllo pastry

1/4 c. olive oil

1/2 salmon fillet, skinned and deboned

1/2 c. whole unrefined cane sugar or brown sugar

1 t. rock salt (make sure not to overdo it!)

1/2 lemon, squeezed

 1-2 Tbsp. chopped fresh dill, or 1 t. dried

a few dabs of butter

Oil the sheets of phyllo according to directions. Place salmon on phyllo. Sprinkle with sugar and rock salt. Squeeze lemon all over, and sprinkle with dill. Dab with butter.

Wrap up phyllo to make a little salmon present.

Bake at 400 for 30 minutes or until done. Salmon will flake with a fork when it is cooked.

Meal Plan This Week!

Monday: Chicken Enchiladas with Rice and Black Beans

Tuesday: Phyllo Salmon with Brown Sugar and Rock Salt and Herbed Quinoa

Wednesday: Roast Chicken

Thursday: Chili

Friday: Go Out

Saturday: Pesto Chicken and Pasta

Sunday: Waffles, Eggs, and Fruit

Gyros!

A gyro is a greek sandwich filled with lamb or beef. I am personally not a big fan of lamb, but if you are, feel free to sub in ground lamb for the beef.

4 pita breads

1/2 c. plain yogurt

1 Tbsp. chopped fresh or 1 t. dried mint leaves

1 t. sugar

1 small cucumber, seeded and chopped (3/4 c.)

1 lb. ground beef or lamb

1 Tbsp. water

2 Tbsp. lemon juice

1/2 t. salt

1/2 t. cumin

1/2 t. dried oregano

1/4 t. pepper

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 small onion, chopped (1/4 c.)

2 Tbsp. oil

2 c. shredded lettuce

1 med. tomato chopped (3/4 c.)

Create a pocket in your pitas by cutting halfway around the edge with a knife and gently separating the layers. Mix yogurt, mint and sugar in small bowl. Stir in cucumber.

Mix beef water, lemon juice, salt, cumin, oregano, pepper, garlic and onion. Shape mixture into 4 thin patties.

Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Cook patties until no longer pink in center. Place cooked patties into pita pockets and top with lettuce, tomato, and yogurt mixture.

**My note: If you don't want to shred your lettuce, just place a leaf or two in each pocket. I also just sliced my tomatoes instead of dicing them.

Adapted from Betty Crocker's Cookbook

Baked Oatmeal

For Estelle! Thanks for reading!!

Last summer I took the kids (no hubby) to family camp with a friend of mine. Between the 2 of us, we had a 6 year old, a 3 year old, a 2 year old, an 8 mo. old, and a 6 mo. old. Yes, we were crazy. BUT we had a great time, so much so that we're doing the exact same thing this year.

The food at this place was AMAZING, and mealtimes were such a great time of relaxing for us moms, as we didn't need to cook a darn thing. One morning we were served baked oatmeal, which my friend had raved about (she had been the year before). Unfortunately for me, it was full of wheat, sugar and milk; more like a cake. When I came home, I made it my mission to find a baked oatmeal that I could serve to my family. Ta-da! Here it is:

3 c. rolled oats (I use quick, but I think any would work)

1/2 c. unrefined raw cane sugar, or sugar of your choice

2 t. ground cinnamon

2 t. baking powder

1 t. salt

1 c. almond milk, or milk of your choice

2 eggs

1/2 c. butter

2 t. vanilla

1 c. dried cranberries, fresh blueberries, or any fruit of your liking

1/2 c. chopped pecans, walnuts, or sliced almonds (optional)

Combine dry ingredients. In separate bowl, mix wet ingredients and add to dry. Stir in fruit and nuts. Spread in greased 9x13" pan. Bake 350 for 30 minutes. This is great for breakfast or as a fast snack on the run. Serve it on it's own, or with a bit of milk and a drizzle of maple syrup. Yum!

Meal Plan This Week!

Have a great week!

Monday: Gyros

Tuesday: Homemade Pizza

Wednesday: Pasta Puttanesca

Thursday: Turkey Stroganoff

Friday: Go Out!

Saturday: Mulagatani

Sunday: Roast Chicken with the Fixins