Jesus Is The Reason For the Season...

Darren and I just moved all of our worldly possessions that we need on a daily basis to my parents house last weekend.  Actually, Darren went hunting with my brother and dad and I moved everything then my mom helped me get it all unpacked, but that is neither here nor there.  Anyway, we still have to finish packing our old house and move everything to storage and clean there, so amongst the crazy hustle and bustle of the holiday we are extra busy.  Also, my birthday is just a week away!

All of that being said, I am not posting a recipe this week, and I am taking a small break until after the first of the year.  I promise as the new year rings in, I will already be planning my next adventurous post, so be ready for something yummy and mouth-watering to be on here soon.

If you have time I highly recommend listening to the best message ever, just go to http://www.ccgonline.org/ and click on to the listen to sermons/messages link where you can pick the message from December 20th and fully appreciate the season and God's use of His love in your life.

Happy holidays, see you back here in a couple weeks.

Amber

Oh the Weather Outside is Frightful...

We are 'dog sitting' this week.  Currently the little guy (a beagle and Jack Russell mix) is sitting at my back door mumbling under his breath at another animal outside.  Gabrielle (my almost 4 year old) is patting his back and saying 'Don't worry I got your back dude!'.  She has been begging for a puppy of her own for over that last year, but alas she must wait one more year before that is even a possibility, as we are getting ready to be moving in less than two weeks (YIKES!) into my parents house to not only save a nice down payment and buy a house debt free, but also to support my parents with all that is going on with my dad's health. 

As I have mentioned before, the holidays bring about a whole torrid swirl of emotions within all people, regardless of what is going on in their lives, and with the weather jumping so quickly to winter I don't doubt that we may truly have a white Christmas this year as well.  All of these things combined bring about a sort of true holiday feeling.  The tree is decorated, the house regularly smells of baked gooey goodness, and thankfully, my waistline is continuing to shrink rather than expand.  Did you know that on average most people will gain an additional 8 pounds every decade just from Thanksgiving dinner alone?!?!  I personally want to be out of that average, and since I so desperately love my sweets and home-cooked comfort food, have found a way of enjoying all the holidays share without fearing for my demise.

When my husband was growing up every holiday feast included homeade noodles and chicken in a simmering and fragrant broth that would literally make your mouth quiver in anticipation.  My childhood taught me how to make homeade egg-noodles and this was a constant dish in my family as well.  In fact, the recipe handed down from my grandma does not measure the milk as much as with the quaint measure through the use of the empty eggshell. 

In keeping with the oh-so-needed warm and cozy feeling that Chicken and dumplings brings, I am sharing this sacred and wonderful recipe from my family, which I have adapted from it's original form quite simply into a Gluten and Dairy Free wonder.

Enjoy the warm soup and the winter wonderland that is pouring from heaven itself.

                                                        

Chicken and Dumplings

2 C Amber's Flour Blend

3 3ggs

3 half egg shells of almond milk, unsweetened, more as needed

pinch of sea salt

3 GF DF chicken bouillion cubes

1 celery stalk finely chopped

1 carrot finely chopped

sea salt and pepper to taste

2 large boneless, skinless chicken breast

1. In a large pot boil enough water to cover the chicken breasts by about 2 inches.  Boil until just barely undone, then remove into a separate dish and cool slightly before shredding chicken and discarding any nasty bits. (when I am making this for a larger crowd I use a whole chicken and boil the same way, picking all chicken from the bone for use)

2. In water that the chicken was boiled in add the bouillion cubes and the finely chopped veggies. (you could add any veggies you like here)

3.  For the pasta dough (which I like to make slightly ahead of time); in a large bowl combine the flour blend, pinch of salt, eggs, and milk and mix until thoroughly combined.  I like to use my hands for this so I can really get it mixed well and also so I can feel if the mix needs slightly more liquid (in which case just add a touch more milk).  Also, for larger amounts of pasta dough my numbers are as follows:  for every cup of flour use 1 egg and a half a shell of milk, however, with the GF DF version it is sometimes necessary to use slightly more eggs and milk for a similar consistency, probably because of the arrowroot or xantham gum.

4.  For my dumplings I either roll out the dough and then cut into strips about 1 inch wide and 2 inches long, or you can pinch off a marble size of dough and roll in hands to create a ball then flatten with thumb in palm to create a small flat round disc.  I add whatever shape of noodle to the boiling soup mix adding more water first and bringing it to a boil if needed.

5.  After adding all pasta into boiling water, add chicken back in, then allow to cook for about 20 minuts, depending of thickness and size of pasta.  To make a thicker soup, add cornstarch mixed with cold water to the boiling soup (usually about 2 Tbsp to a ramekin of water)

                                        

Peace, Love, and Harmony,

Amber

Take-out at Home....

Oh, how the holidays are busy.  This year on top of the normal hubbub myself and my husband are attending a graduation banquet for him at the Marriott downtown overnight.  This last year he finished his schooling and is now not only a Journeyman in his field, but a Foreman!  I am so proud of how far he has come.  Anyway, we also have another national holiday coming our way, and I'm not talking about Christmas; my birthday.
I turn the frightful age of 28 this year on the 29th, and much to my delight my usual request to eat at my favorite restaurant is not to be ignored this year, even with my food allergies!
You may be asking why risk it, but you have never experienced the delight of smells and the complexity of the flavors that Mark Pi's China Gate can deliver.  I am quite a snob about his actually, as I have visited other locations of this franchise, but I really prefer the location here in Greenwood, Indiana over any other so far.  Not only will they prepare my meal to my dietary needs, they don't act put out, and the food taste like a small piece of heaven straight from a far-reaching Asian land.  In the past I would sample every option on the menu given the chance (and for those not restricted they have a Sunday brunch buffet to die for), but for those of us less able, they will make most any dish with the requests you put forth. 
I should be getting stock dividends from this company I eat there so often and plug them so frequently!

Anyway, it is not always possible or affordable to eat out, so last night when unsure what to fix for dinner and having laid three chicken breast out to thaw, I started rooting through my fridge to discover that low and behold I had some fresh green beans as well as mushrooms.  Originally, I thought I would make a play of the dish they have called what else but 'chicken and mushrooms'.  Made in this wonderfully rich brown sauce, you want to lick the plate when you are finished eating. Alas, my kitchen was calling for something else, and my tastebuds were argueing for something more crunchy and salty, so instead of making the copy cat dish, I whipped up something more akin to Orange Chicken and Sweet and Sour combined.  Now, usually when I have tried (and I might add failed miserably) to make Chinese food at home in the past, I have always cooked my veggies with my meat, but afraid of ruining yet another abundance of items, I instead tried something new.  Below you will find my recipes for Chinese Sweet and Sour Orange Chicken with White Sticky Rice as well as a fresh Green Bean and Mushroom stir fry.

Chinese Sweet and Sour Orange Chicken with Sticky Rice

3 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts, trimmed and cut into 1/2" chunks

1/4-1/2 C Amber's Flour Blend

1/8 C Grapeseed oil for frying

3 Tbsp Wine, any will work fine or if available Rice Wine

1/4 small onion chopped

SAUCE:

4 Tbsp brown sugar

1/4 C ketschup

1/4 C GF Soy Sauce (I like San J Tamari)

1/4 C Orange Juice

3 Tbsp. Grapeseed Oil

3 Drops Sesame Seed Oil

1 tsp. Sweet Chili Sauce

2 Tbsp cornstarch

1/2 tsp Garlic powder, or 3 cloves pressed fresh garlic

1. Completely coat chicken in flour mixture, heating an Iron Skillet with the Grapeseed Oil over medium-high heat while doing this.

2. Mix all ingredients for sauce together thoroughly and set aside.

3. Brown and cook onion and chicken on all sides till pretty much done and nicely browned.

4. Soak up any excess oil from skillet with paper towels.

5. Pour Rice wine into pan and deglaze bottom of bits and pieces, then add the sauce mixture.

6. Stir the entire thing a minute or so, until mix becomes thickened slightly and bubbly.  Remove from heat.

FOR STICKY RICE:

If you do not already own a rice cooker immediately go to Target or Walmart and spend the small $20 or so to buy one.  How did you get by before this?

In cooker add 3 cups of rice (using the measuring cup that was included when purchased)

Rinse the rice thoroughly until water you are rinsing with is no longer white and cloudy, but clear.

After rice is thoroughly rinsed and drained and still in rice cooker pot, add water to the 3 marker and push button down to cook rice.

When it switches over to warm I promise it will be a better rice than any you ever made.

I learned this trick of cooking rice from a past BF when I was in college.  His family was from the Phillipines and I learned that it made all the difference!

Green Beans and Mushrooms

2-3 handfuls or approx. 1lb of fresh green beans, ends removed

1/2 package of button mushrooms, wiped and quartered

1/4 soy sauce

1 Tbsp cornstarch

1/4 small onion chopped

1-2 Cloves fresh garlic, pressed

salt

pepper

1 Tbsp Grapeseed Oil

1. After trimming ends from beans, add them and the onion to large skillet.

2. I learned a great trick about mushrooms.  Most will usually come with dirt still on the sides and tops, and in the past I would just rinse them, but this greatly compromises the flavor and ability of the shrooms, so instead I learned that gently wiping them with a soft cloth works to remove the dirt without compromising the integrity.  

3. Chop most of the stem down to a small stub and then quarter each mushroom, adding to the pan as you do so.

4. Drizzle the Tbsp of oil over top of veggies and season with the soy sauce mixture.

5. Over medium heat, and covered with lid, cook veggies for several minutes until tender-crisp.

If you cook the veggies only tell tender-crisp it retains far more of the nutritional value and makes for a tastier and healthier meal.  You may have to get used to eating your veggies slightly less cooked, but remember that your body uses these nutrients for something important; keeping you alive.

I am currently looking into building a great recipe for egg drop soup and for spring rolls so be on the look-out  for those to be coming soon.  Also never forget:

NOTHING TASTES AS GOOD AS SKINNY FEELS!

Happy Holidays, 

Amber