Pork, pineapples and rice…Yum!

 Okay well it’s me again, Casharina, bringing you another Food Friday post!  Although you know I love to do anything in the crock pot, but when the weather is warm, I love to bring out the grilling foods and this is one of our new favorites!  It’s a pretty easy one too, and can be cooked on the grill, or inside on the stove, your preference.  The first time we had this was while we were camping with friends.  I was a little weary that my kids wouldn’t love it, or us for that matter (we’re VERY boring eaters! LOL!) …but to my surprise my whole family likes it!  So, let’s get started.

Ingredients:

• ½ small onion
• 1lb stew pork pieces (I try to buy them when they’re on sale, and stick them in the freezer.)
• 1 each: green, yellow, red, and orange pepper (These can also be prepped ahead of time and placed in the freezer.  I have also found that Save-A-Lot carries a small frozen bag of these ingredients and it works GREAT, and they’re CHEAP, much cheaper than buying fresh, unless you’ve got a garden!!)
• BBQ sauce (your favorite flavor…I use Kraft Original)
• 2 cups of rice (Instant is what I use, brown rice works great too.)
• 1 can of diced pineapple (I usually buy “chunks” and then cut the chunks into smaller pieces.  I use about 3 rings and then I divvy the rest up for the girls’ lunches the next day.) Reserve some of the juice from the can for the sauce.

Preparation:

• Cut EVERYTHING into small bite size pieces.
• This includes the already small pork pieces, it just taste better to have everything on the smaller size.  I usually cut the pork pieces in half and trim off as much of the fat as possible.
• Dice onion, peppers and pineapple into small pieces as well.

I chose to purchase enough to make two meals out of the ingredients and went ahead and chopped each of the peppers and onion, placed them into a large freezer safe bag and laid it flat in the freezer to use at a later time.  When using ingredients from the freezer the veggies won’t take as long to cook before they start becoming soft so be careful when cooking them.  Also there will be more liquid in the pan as they will have ice pieces, it’s fine, no worries!

Hard parts done, now it’s time to cook!

• Place your pork a pan. If you’re cooking on the stove your standard kitchen pan is fine, OR if you decide to use the grill/bbq, an aluminum pan or other grill-safe pan should be used.
• Add a little BBQ sauce to the mix – enough to keep it moist and some of the pineapple juice from the can.  You don’t want it too wet but you want the meat to take in the flavors, so add a little at a time during the cooking process.
• Okay, begin your rice (seperately).  Like I said, I usually use the instant 5-minute rice and it works great.  If you are using something that takes longer, you may want to start it a little earlier and follow your prefered method!  I use a 4 serving size of rice for this amount of meat & veggies.
• Once the meat is thoroughly cooked add the veggies.  Continue cooking/stirring and keep an eye on it so that it doesn’t scorch.
• After the veggies are done, you are too!! YAY!  Now you can choose to either mix the rice in and eat, or spoon it over the rice.  I like to mix and eat because I feel like it goes a little further that way.  My hubby adds more BBQ sauce right on top.  Either way it’s DELICIOUS, and definitely one of our family favorites!!

And here is your FREE 4×6 recipe card.  You can CLICK HERE to download the card…or simply click the image below! Enjoy!

Thanks for checking in with the Blog today…we’ll see you all on Monday for the Layout of the Week.  Have a lovely weekend!

CasharinaFood Stuff, Free (not desktops), Uncategorized 2 Comments

Hello Shabby Shoppe readers, Rosy here, and welcome to Food Friday!  Are you wanting to hang on to these warm, sunshiny days for just a little bit longer?  Here’s a recipe that will give you another little taste of summer!  Awhile back I was looking for an orange recipe and couldn’t seem to find what I was looking for, so I decided to go the simple route of adding my own flavor to a boxed mix.  You could add any flavor that you like, really!  Here’s what I did…

Gather your ingredients, just to make sure you have everything before you start.

For the cupcakes I used:

• 1 yellow cake mix
• 3 eggs
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• zest and juice from 2 oranges (divided)
• water

First I carefully cleaned my oranges and then extracted the juice and zest from them.  I tried a few different ways of zesting an orange, but found that using the fine setting on my grater worked the best for me.

Press lightly, making sure to get only the orange colored peeling and not the bitter white underneath.  I used all the juice and half of the zest for the cupcakes, setting aside the rest of the zest for the icing.  You could adjust the amount of zest according to your taste, but a little does go a long way and this was more than enough orange flavor for me.

Add water to the juice to make 1 and 1/3 cup.  Pour all of the cupcake ingredients into a bowl and beat well.  Fill your cupcake liners and bake at 350F (180C) until nicely browned (about 15 -20 minutes).

Now it’s time to make your icing.

• ½ cup solid vegetable shortening
• ½ cup butter or margarine
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 4 cups confectioner’s sugar
• 2 tbsp. milk
• zest of one orange
• food coloring (optional)

Cream together the butter, shortening and vanilla.  Gradually add the sugar and the remaining orange zest.  Add the milk and beat it at a high speed until it’s nice and fluffy, adding food coloring if desired.  I added a tiny bit of red and yellow to mine.  Pipe the icing onto your cooled cupcakes using any method that you prefer.

I also made some pretty cupcake wrappers using papers from SP’s Sandbox kit and summer additions.

 And here is your FREE 4×6 recipe card.  You can CLICK HERE to download the card…or simply click the image below! Enjoy!

Thanks for checking in with the Blog today…we’ll see you all on Monday for the Layout of the Week!  Have a very special weekend!

…and, P.S. Just a quick reminder that the Easy-As-Pie Template Challenge 26 deadline is SUNDAY night (12 midnight US EDT), for all those still wishing to join in the FUN and have the chance to win a $25 gift card to the Shabby Shoppe!  Don’t forget to add your comment/link to the original blog post after you upload your layout to the Gallery!

RosyFood Stuff, Free (not desktops), Uncategorized 5 Comments

Hi all!!  Kylie here today with a little Food Friday goodness!!

Sunny days are here my friends…well for most of you!! LOL!  Although, as I look out my window this winter morning the sun is shining happily (for a change)…but it’s cold, cold, cold!!  ugh…shiver!  But, let’s get back to sunny “SUMMER” days and all the good things that go with them…picnics, BBQ’s, street parties…outdoor FUN!!  Every summer I make these little gems up…my mini Asian Style Chicken Burgers!  A perfectly fresh and zingy alternative to all those grilled meaty (and kinda wickedly naughty in that oh-so greasy fashion, hey?!) burgers and hot dogs.

A number of years ago I was flipping through one of my (many, many) food mags and saw a recipe for something similar.  Months later, and as things generally go, when I went to make them I could not remember which magazine the recipe was in.  Typical!! ;o)  All I could remember was that they had a poached chicken, a mix of pickled vegetables and a zesty lime mayonnaise…so I made my own version up…and here it is:

~*~ Ingredients ~*~

• 24 mini bread rolls (dinner roll sized), halved.  Wholemeal or a grain style bread roll is best with this recipe but use whatever your preference is.  You could also use a standard size burger bun, if want a big serve…just halve the bread quantity to 12 or so.  And if you decide on a hot-dog-style bun then when you halve them don’t cut all the way through…you know the drill! ;o)
• 1 cup coriander (cilantro) leaves
• 1 cup mint leaves
• 2 green onions (spring onions/shallots), finely sliced
• 2 red thai chillies, finely sliced – you can add more or less chilli or a hotter variety depending on your taste

Poached chicken:

• 250ml (1 cup) fish sauce
• 6cm (2in) piece of peeled fresh ginger, roughly sliced
• 2 cloves of garlic, roughly sliced
• 100g (3oz) palm sugar – or you can use brown sugar as a substitute.
• 1 whole chicken (small to medium in size), boiling water

Pickled vegetables:

• 2 carrots, cut into julienne
• 8 snow peas (mangetout), cut into julienne
• 150ml (2/3 cup) white vinegar
• 100g (1/2 cup) white sugar
• 150ml (2/3 cup) water
• 1 teaspoon salt

Lime mayonnaise:

• 250g (1 cup) good quality mayonnaise
• Juice & zest of 1 lime
• 2 teaspoons fish sauce

~*~ Directions ~*~

• Poached chicken: Add ingredients to large saucepan.  Add enough boiling water to cover the chicken.  Over medium to high heat, bring the poaching liquid to the boil and then cook for 15 minutes.  Turn off heat and leave chicken to cool in liquid until it has reached room temperature.  Take chicken out and discard poaching liquid.  Remove and discard the skin.  Shred the meat off the bones (discard bones, of course LOL!) and place shredded meat into a large bowl.  Refrigerate until needed.
• Pickled vegetables: In a small saucepan add the vinegar, sugar, water and salt.  Simmer over a medium heat until sugar has dissolved.  Place the prepared carrot and snow peas into a heat-proof bowl and pour pickling liquid over the vegetables.  Set aside to cool to room temperature.
• Lime mayonnaise: Combine all ingredients in a bowl and refrigerate until needed.
• Assembly: Drain pickled vegetables well.  Add them to the shredded chicken, along with the fresh herbs (tear or roughly chop depending on how big the leaves are to start with), green onions and chilli.  Mix well.  Spread the bread rolls with some lime mayonnaise and then fill with the chicken salad mix.  Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and a little extra fresh red chilli (optional).

The best thing about this recipe is that you can make the three main components and store them in the fridge ahead of time.  So if you’ve got a big day planned you can prepare most it the day/night before and then just assemble on the day…too easy!

I also created two 4×6 recipe cards that you can download for free – one for the ingredients and one for the directions…yep it’s a long recipe, lol!  To jump-start my creativity I used a recipe card template from the Farm Fresh set ~ found HERE at the Shabby Shoppe!  And I loved using the GRACIE collection and a few extra pieces to scrap them…so many FUN papers!!

Just click on the image to download (or click HERE)!

Hope you enjoy making (and eating!) these yummy mini chicken burgers!  Thanks for checking in with the Blog today…we’ll see you all on Monday for the Layout of the Week!  Bye for now! :o)

…and, P.S. Just a quick reminder that the Easy-As-Pie Template Challenge 25 deadline is SUNDAY night (12 midnight US EDT), for all those still wishing to join in the FUN and have the chance to win a $25 gift card to the Shabby Shoppe!  Don’t forget to add your comment/link to the original blog post after you upload your gorgeous layout to the Gallery! :o)

KylieFood Stuff, Free (not desktops), Uncategorized 3 Comments

Hey guys :o)  SP here today to share a fun FOOD post with ya!  As many of you know – I truly enjoy cooking…I mean like REALLY love it!  NOT the everyday, monotonous kind of cooking…rather, the FUN, yummy, happy kind of cooking & baking :o)  Yes, there IS a difference (at least to me), lol!  It’s one thing to cook because you WANT to…a whole ‘other thing’ because you HAVE to, know what I mean?  Of course – there is no choice in the ‘have to’ cooking, lol…it’s something we can’t avoid and we grind our way through it.  BUT, the fun cooking…for me, at least – it’s enjoyable from start to finish!  I am a total foodie…and when I cook or bake – I like to have everything pre-measured and prepared so I can just dump along the way.  I really crave organization and ‘pretty-ness’ in the kitchen, lol!  Even then…things still become chaotic and a total mess (just see below, lol) - but just imagine how much MORE that would be true if I wasn’t all prepped?  LOL!  It would be a disaster (and probably take a lot of the fun and joy out of it, too, lol) :o)  So, today – I am bringing you a family favorite…a recipe for the FUN kind of baking, lol…Kentucky Butter Cake!

I want to share this super simple (but incredibly DELICIOUS) ‘from-scratch’ cake recipe that we love!  Please do not let the length of this post frighten you, lol!  It really is no indication of the recipe’s level of difficulty, lol!  Rather…the difficulty that I have being concise, LOL!  Seriously…let’s just hope that my life never depends on my ability to be ‘to the point’, ha!  Back to the recipe…I particularly wanted to talk about ‘gifting’ this cake…OR…making it to TAKE IT to a gathering, Church event, family reunion, 4th of July party, etc.!  You get the idea!  The reason that I LOVE this cake for gifting/taking is that it is appealing to just about everyone!  Many times, when gifting or taking…we are not sure of the preferences of those we are serving.  Do they have a nut allergy?  Do they like chocolate?  Maybe caramel isn’t their thing?  Who knows what kind of fruit they like?!  With THIS cake…there are no dominating or distinguishable flavors – no chocolate overload, no crazy decorations, no icing piled a mile high (not that there is ANYTHING wrong with any of this, LOL) – just good, simple…yummy cake!  I’m not saying that there won’t be family and friends who will not like it…just that there is a REALLY GOOD CHANCE they will :o)  Another great thing about this particular cake is that it travels well, especially in heat (no icing to melt and run all over the place…no refrigeration necessary, etc.)!

So, what is a KENTUCKY BUTTER CAKE?!  It is a very moist cake with a yummy (and sweet) butter sauce/glaze that goes over the top and throughout!  The moist, vanilla cake – combined with the rich sauce = PERFECTION :o)

We recently had a new neighbor move in nearby…and that is actually what inspired this post :o)  I wanted to bake something to take as a WELCOME gift…but not knowing our new friends all that well (at all)…I needed something that would be generic (for lack of a better word) – but in a really good way!  So, my idea was to bake this scrumptious cake and gift it to them in a new (and super handy) Wilton Cake Carrier (part of the gift)!  I love gifts like that…they are personal and thoughtful – but also super practical (and generally well-received and quite appreciated)!  Of course, I could have ran to the bakery and purchased a cake…but it just wouldn’t have been the same (again, there is absolutely nothing wrong with that and I know it would have still been a great and thoughtful gift…but I wanted to take the time to do it the ‘old-fashioned’ way, lol)!  So, before we get to the recipe…here is a quick image of the final gift!  After the cake had completely cooled, I transferred it to a cake board and then placed it in the carrier.  I then punched a hole in the recipe card (which I am sharing as a free download at the end of this post) and attached it to the cake carrier with coordinating ribbons :o)  VOILA…really easy!

 So, how about we get started with the actual recipe?!  As I mentioned above…I really like to prep everything first!  So, I almost always pre-measure and have everything ready-to-go!  It really cuts down on the chaos and clean-up :o)  If you prefer to pull things out of the fridge and measure as you go…then stick with what works for you!  One of the best things about this cake…SIMPLE INGREDIENTS!  Most of which, we generally have in the panty and fridge…love that :o)  Really, the only thing we have to plan-ahead for is the buttermilk (not something we always have on-hand)!

:::FOR THE CAKE:::

• 3 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
• 2 cups white sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 cup butter
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 4 eggs

Now, you’ll want to preheat your oven to 325 degrees (F)…and grease & flour your 10 inch bundt cake pan (very well)!  I like to use a nonstick cooking spray that is make specifically for baking (generally has flour in it).  If I am baking a regular round or square cake – I just spray it and leave it at that (no flour).  However, when it comes to bundt cake pans (which honestly, freak me out…it can be SOOOOO difficult to remove the cake!)…I spray AND flour them…just to give myself the best possible chance of a clean removal, lol!  However, I will say that I really think this cake needs to be prepared as a bundt cake…just not sure it would be the same otherwise! 

 Now that that’s done…you can really see how EASY this cake is to prepare!  You basically just dump all the ingredients in a bowl and blend them, lol (my kind of cake!)! 

So, in a large bowl - mix the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda (I just dump it all in the mixing bowl and then use a whisk to mix it together).  Then, blend in the buttermilk, butter, vanilla and eggs (best if you add the eggs one at a time).  Beat for 3 minutes at medium speed.  Once the batter is blended, simply pour it into your prepared bundt pan. Simple as that!  Pop it in the preheated oven for about an hour – or until a toothpick or wooden skewer comes out clean (I recommend that you start keeping a close eye on it at around 45 minutes…just so you don’t overcook)! 

Remember what I mentioned above…about a total mess?!  Yep…this was one of many, lol!  I just look at it like it is all part of cooking/baking, right?!  Yep…while trying to take pics of pouring the eggs in the mixer (with it going at low speed, lol)…my depth perception was completely thrown off by my 50mm lens…and instead of adding the eggs to the mixing bowl, I literally just dumped them straight on the floor (and rug), lol!  Seriously, sometimes I think ONLY me!  No biggie…a quick clean-up and we were back on track :o)

Soooo, while the cake is cooling for a few minutes…it’s time to make the glaze (yummmmm)!  This is also incredibly simple and FAST.  I tweaked the original recipe a bit to make 1.5x the glaze.  We really felt like it needed a teensy bit more (as did many of the other reviewers)…and hey – I’d rather have too much than not enough, lol!  So…if you want less – you can simply reduce it down…OR…just look at the original recipe here (the recipe listed below and on my recipe card include measurements for the 1.5x version)!  Whew…now that that’s out of the way, LOL…here are the ingredients needed:

• 1 1/8 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 4 1/2 tablespoons water
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

In a saucepan, combine the sugar, butter and water.  Cook over medium heat, until fully melted and combined, but do not boil.  Remove from the heat and add the vanilla :o)

 You’ll want to let this cool for a few minutes!  In the meantime, you can start poking holes in the cake (this allows for the glaze to get all inside…trust me – it’s a wonderful thing, lol)!  I like to use a long, wooden skewer – and make sure to go all the way to the bottom of the pan (or top, depending on how you look at it, lol).  I think I ended up poking about 30-40 holes before all is said and done!

 Now, while the cake AND the glaze are both still warm (not hot)…pour the glaze  all over the cake, making sure to get it in the holes and all around the sides and inner rim!  I typically save about 1/3 of the glaze for pouring on the top after I have removed the cake from the pan.  Be sure to let the cake cool completely before transferring it to your cake plate!  And, be patient and gentle :o)  After you have the cake on a pretty plate…you can add your remaining glaze…and that’s it – YOU’RE DONE!

 The final result is a super moist, wonderfully rich, bready cake!  This is not like a pound cake…it’s kinda crumby…but still very moist.  I guess it’s a little tough to explain exactly – so you’ll just have to bake one up and try it for yourself, lol!

Now, there are lots of variations you could try with this cake!  My number one would be to add toasted pecans (or walnuts)…either to the top/glaze – or to both the cake and the glaze!  However, I only recommend this if you KNOW that everyone you will be serving, LOVES (and can eat) nuts!  You could also add all kinds of fruits…it would even be delicious with jam (if I were going to serve with jam…I would probably omit the glaze) – or fresh, whipped cream!  That’s one reason I love ‘generic’ cakes like this – you can customize them to suit any taste!  So, however you prepare it…just enjoy, and be sure to share it with friends and family (or not, lol)! 

Finally, I created a printable RECIPE CARD for you to download and ENJOY :o)  I hope you will make this cake for your own family…for a community or Church function…or as a gift!  No matter the reason for baking it – I have no doubt it will be enjoyed!  You can CLICK HERE to download the card…or simply click the image below :o)

Here’s another pic of the final and printed recipe card…

Please note that the original recipe is from AllRecipes.com (love that site) and by Suzanne Stull :o)  AllRecipes is one of my favorite, go-to sites when I am looking for great recipes!  I find the reviews to be sooooo helpful and generally, spot-on :o)  So, if you haven’t been – be sure to check it out!

THANKS SO MUCH for stopping by today :o)  Have fun baking AND eating, lol…XOXO–SP

Shabby PrincessFood Stuff, Free (not desktops), Uncategorized 10 Comments

Welcome to this week’s Food Friday!  It’s Casharina… here to bring you a Chocolate Dipped Frozen Banana Recipe!  Wow!  That’s a long title! ;)  But boy is it delicious and really it’s not even that bad for you!!  These little treats are EASY to make and are great for lazy summer days!

Let’s get started…grab the ingredients and ask the kiddos if they want to join in on the fun!  The sprinkles always make my girls happy!!  (Although for this post we didn’t end up doing sprinkles, itty bitty was gone to Mamaws by the time they were frozen and ready for dipping!)

 For this tasty treat you simply need a few ingredients!  (That’s ALWAYS nice!)  For each batch you will use:

• 1 cup of chocolate chips
• 1 tablespoon of vegetable shortening
• Bananas
• Popsicle sticks
• Wax paper
• Sprinkles, nuts, etc. that you’d like to add!

 Directions:

• To get started you’ll need peel your bananas.  I like to get the girls to help me with this part; it makes them feel important when they’re helping and it’s GREAT quality time.  This time I only had the itty bitty with me so we especially loved the one on one time!
• After they’re peeled, you’ll cut them in half.  I’ve found that this size is best for dipping and storing.
• Line a cookie sheet with wax paper, and then begin carefully sticking your popsicle sticks into the bottom portion of your banana halves. Tip: Be careful so that you don’t accidently poke it through the side. I try to put them in at least half way through the banana to help ensure they won’t fall off during the dipping and eating stages!
• Now pop them in the freezer until they’re frozen I usually wait a few hours, and have even waited overnight. (Do not grab by the stick until they’re completely frozen!)

Dipping:

• For this portion you have to work pretty quickly.  The chocolate will start to dry very quickly, so if you’re planning on letting the kiddos “decorate” the goodies they need a ready work station.  I usually place a piece of wax paper over a cookie sheet and have the sprinkles handy for them to use immediately.
• Measure out the amount of chocolate chips you’ll need. I usually use a 2 cup glass measuring cup to do the mixing/melting/dipping in and it works pretty good.

• Melt the chocolate chips.  I have a wonderful button on my microwave that is specifically for melting butter, chocolate, or marshmallows, and it works GREAT for me!  If you don’t have this option simply melt your chocolate chips and vegetable shortening in a microwave safe bowl on high power for up to 1 minute.
• After this first cycle, take them out of the microwave and stir, if they’re easy to stir you’re ready…if they still a little on the stiff side put them back in for 10-15 seconds as needed to get that soft dipping consistency.
• Now, you’ll take your bananas out of the freezer, I only take a few out at a time, so that they don’t defrost while waiting their turns to dip into the chocolate. Once you dip, simply swirl them around in the container until the banana half is covered to your liking.
• Quickly hand it off to your child/helper to begin the sprinkling.  The chocolate will dry very quickly so you have to work fast to ensure the banana is covered before the chocolate dries.  Sometimes I will lay them on the cookie sheet for the girls and just let them decorate them on one side, they don’t seem to mind, it’s still fun for them.  We’ve tried all sorts of goodies on the bananas, from sprinkles, to sugar crystals, peanut pieces, and even white chocolate swirled on top of the dark chocolate.  These are so much fun and so tasty.
• Once they’ve dried place them back into the freezer, when they are totally frozen you can place them into a Ziploc bag to last for a few days??  Weeks??  Who knows, we always eat them within a few days! ;)

That’s it for today, I hope you enjoy this recipe and if you choose to make them I’d love to hear how they turn out and what kinds of toppings you placed on them!

Be sure to stop back by on Monday for the Layout of the Week!!  Wishing everyone a wonderful weekend!

CasharinaFood Stuff, Uncategorized 7 Comments