Pumpkin Pie Martini

Pumpkin Pie Martini

From The Coexist Cafe

I just found this adult drink recipe on another blog and HAD to share it! It sounds AMAZING!!!

 Ingredients

 * 1 oz vanilla vodka

* 1 oz pumpkin spice liqueur

* 1 oz Bailey’s Irish Cream

* sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice

Method

In a martini shaker, combine all liquors with a handful of ice and shake until the shaker is frosted on the outside. Take a martini glass and pour the mix into the glass, then top with a sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice.

Sweet and Sour Chicken

Sweet and Sour Chicken

adapted from: Mels Kitchen Cafe

Chicken Breading:
3-5 chicken breast
salt and pepper
1 cup cornstarch
2 eggs, beaten
1/3 cup canola oil

Rinse chicken, trim off fat or extras and then cut into 1 inch cubes. season with salt and pepper. Dip chicken into cornstarch and coat all the way and then into eggs. Heat oil in large skillet. Cook chicken until browned. Place in baking dish. 3 chicken breasts can be in a 9x9 but 5 chicken breasts fits better in a 9x13.

Sauce:
3/4 cups sugar
4 Tablespoons ketchup

1/2 cup white distilled vinegar

1 Tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon garlic salt

Whisk until smooth. Then pour evenly over chicken. Turn chicken so the sauce gets on both sides and then put in the oven at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. turn chicken and then cook for 15 more minutes.

Great idea!

While cruising through all the posts on Facebook today, I came across this awesome idea...

No more trying to find a good place for the recipe book.

The coolest part is, this person's kitchen is set up exactly like mine so this will work perfectly for me!!!

Today was supermarket day. Time to restock the kitchen and get everything needed for this week's meals. Since it's just Leilani & me this week (Jay is out of town for training), meals will be small but still amazing. I plan to make Lemon Chicken tomorrow night and some Thai Chicken Skewers later in the week. 

Tonight, we're having pork ribs marinated in Pirate's Gold. 

Be sure to check back throughout the week as I'll be sharing some amazing recipes.

Be yourself...

I've put off being myself long enough. I was meant to be in the kitchen...end of story. I've tried so many other things but I always come back to my kitchen. 


Life gets in the way. Life tells me I'm bored and want to do something different. Life needs to shut up and let me be me.


Now, let's start cooking...

Lasagna Cupcakes

Lasagna Cupcakes with Mango Chutney

Amazing little treats you make in your muffin tins!

Can be served as an appetizer or entree!

Quick & easy to make!

Ingredients

Meat Sauce:

·         2 tablespoons olive oil

·         1 (1-inch) cinnamon stick or 1/3 tsp ground cinnamon

·         4 whole cloves or 1/3 tsp ground cloves

·         1 medium onion, finely diced (about 1 cup)

·         Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

·         4 cloves garlic, minced

·         1 pound ground beef or ground turkey

·         1/4 cup tomato paste

·         1 (28-ounce can) crushed tomatoes

·         1/4 cup chopped fresh basil, plus 12 whole small leaves

·          

Ricotta Filling:

·         3/4 cup part-skim ricotta

·         3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus more for topping

·         1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella, plus more for topping

·         1/3 cup mango chutney

·         Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

·          

·         1 package wonton wrappers (at least 48)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

For the meat sauce: In a large skillet over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil until it shimmers. Add the cinnamon and cloves. Add the onion, sprinkle with a little salt and saute until softened but not browned. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute longer.

Add the ground beef or turkey, breaking up the clumps with your spoon. Cook until the beef or turkey is no longer pink, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook 1 to 2 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes, 1/4 cup chopped basil, as well as some salt and pepper. Stir to combine and simmer, covered, for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Allow the meat sauce to cool, about 15 minutes before building lasagna cupcakes. As the meat sauce is cooking, prepare the ricotta filling.

For the ricotta filling: Stir together the ricotta, 3/4 cup Parmesan, 3/4 cup mozzarella and mango chutney. Season with salt & pepper.

To assemble the cupcakes: Pull out your favorite cupcake pan. If your pan is not nonstick, spray the cups with cooking spray. Place a wonton wrapper in each cup. Don't worry if you're using square ones.

Drop about 1 tablespoon of meat sauce into the bottom of each cup. Then add 1 teaspoon of ricotta filling. Cover with another wonton wrapper, rotating it about 90 degrees so that the corners of the first wrapper and the second wrapper aren't right on top of each other. Repeat this until you've built 3 layers total (wrapper, meat sauce, ricotta, wrapper, meat sauce, ricotta, wrapper, meat sauce, Mozzerella, Parmesan) Finish each cupcake with a spoonful of meat sauce, a little shredded mozzarella and a pinch of grated Parmesan.

Pop them into the oven and bake for 20 minutes. When time's up, resist the temptation to eat them right away or else you'll burn your mouth! Let them rest on the counter for about 10 minutes, and they should slip out of the muffin tin easily. Top with more shredded basil if you like.