Crockpot Mac & Cheese




Ingredients
  • 16 ounces cooked macaroni
  • 16 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, cubed
  • 16 ounces Colby cheese, cubed
  • 16 ounces Velvetta (cubed)
  • 1 stick of butter, cut into slices
  • 16 ounces milk
  • salt & pepper, to taste

Instructions
  1. Spray crockpot lightly with cooking spray. Layer 1/3 of the macaroni in bottom. Layer half of cheese, butter, salt & pepper. Repeat, ending with last 1/3 of macaroni on top. Pour milk over mixture.
  2. Cook on low for about 4 hours and stir about mid-way.
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General tso’s chicken




Ingredients
for the chicken:
  • 1 pound chicken breasts or thighs, cut into bite size pieces
  • 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 egg white
  • 3 tablespoons cornstarch
sauce:
  • 3/4 cup chicken stock or water
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 1/2 tablespoon chili/garlic paste (I added a little more)
  • 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
  • 3 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch (If you like a thinner sauce, start with a tablespoon)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon minced ginger
  • few tablespoons of chopped green onion
  • dried red chilies (optional, I used 3!)
  • 1 teaspoon canola oil



Instructions
  1. Combine the soy sauce, sesame oil, egg white and cornstarch in a medium bowl. Whisk this together until there are no clumps and it has a nice creamy consistency.
  2. Dump the chicken in and toss to coat. You're going to let this sit while you prepare the sauce. (It needs to sit 10-15 minutes) Toss it around occasionally to make sure everything is covered!
  3. Put a tiny bit of canola oil in a small saucepan and put it over medium heat. Once it's nice and hot, add the garlic, ginger, green onions and red chiles (if using) and stir around until very fragrant - 30 seconds to a minute.
  4. Now you'll add in the rest of the ingredients. I like adding the water first just so the ginger and garlic don't burn. Then add the sesame oil, soy sauce, tomato paste, rice wine vinegar, chili/garlic paste, and the brown sugar. Mix this together very well and bring it up to a boil.
  5. At this point you'll want to start tasting - you can make the sauce spicier or sweeter if you like, or even add a little more vinegar for extra tang. It's all up to you.
  6. Once the sauce is tasting good, combine a few tablespoons of the the warm sauce in a measuring cup with 1 1/2 tablespoons of cornstarch and whisk until there are no clumps.
  7. Pour that mixture back into the sauce pan and let boil for a few minutes until nice and thick.
  8. Once that's done, set the heat to low and focus on cooking your chicken.
  9. Heat a pan over medium high heat with thin film of oil covering the entire bottom. Make sure the oil is shimmering and very hot before you add the chicken! Also, if you've got a wire screen to cover the pan you're using, grab it! The one downside to cooking the chicken like this is that is spits and pops oil everywhere. Your kitchen is about to turn into an action movie.
  10. You'll want to cook the chicken in multiple batches unless you have a giant pan - overcrowding will lead to steaming which leads to ugly, not crispy chicken.
  11. Cook the chicken for a couple minutes on each side - you want it to be nice and crisp and golden brown. Try to brown all sides of the chicken if you have the patience. You'll know the chicken is done when it's very very firm to the touch. Squishy chicken = not cooked all the way through.
  12. Once a batch of chicken is done cooking, set it aside on a plate to rest.
  13. When you've cooked all your chicken, pour the excess oil from the pan and wipe it out.
  14. Your chicken is cooked and your sauce is amazing, so now you must combine them together.
  15. Put your newly clean pan over low heat and pour in the chicken and sauce. Mix to combine and let simmer together for a few minutes.
  16. Serve over white rice with chopped green onion and some steamed veggies if you're into that. Yum yum.
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Buffalo Chicken Casserole




Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup uncooked regular long-grain white rice
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil
  • 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips
  • 2 medium stalks celery, thinly sliced (1 cup)
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) stewed tomatoes, undrained
  • 1/2 cup buffalo wing sauce
  • 1/4 cup blue cheese dressing
  • 1 1/2 cups of mozzarella cheese

Instructions
  1. Cook rice in water 20 minutes as directed on package. Meanwhile, heat oven to 350°F. In 12-inch skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken and celery; cook 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently, until chicken is no longer pink in center. Remove from heat. Open can of tomatoes; cut up tomatoes in can. Stir tomatoes and wing sauce into chicken mixture
  2. Spray 8-inch square baking dish with cooking spray. Spoon cooked rice into dish. Spread chicken mixture over rice (do not stir).
  3. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until hot in center
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Skinny Chicken Enchilada Casserole






Ingredients
  • 1.5 lbs chicken - cooked and chopped or shredded
  • 1 can enchilada sauce
  • 1/2 can corn
  • 1/2 can black beans - rinsed
  • 1/2 cup chopped onions
  • 4 Lo-Carb Tortillas
  • 1.5 cups shredded cheese

Instructions
  1. Pour a thin layer of enchilada sauce in the bottom of a baking dish - top with two tortillas - and then another thin layer of enchilada sauce. Use a spoon to make sure all of each tortilla is coated with sauce
  2. Evenly distribute your cooked chicken on top of the tortillas.
  3. Mix together beans, corn, and onion. (Since this recipe takes a half can of beans and corn I usually double this mixture and use the entire can of each with 1 cup onion and freeze half to use in future "Mexican" dishes!)
  4. Spread the bean mixture over the chicken layer
  5. Layer 3/4 cup of cheese on top of chicken and beans
  6. Top with two more tortillas, and another layer of enchilada sauce.
  7. Top with remaining cheese and bake at 350 degreesF for 30 minutes.
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Simple Sesame Noodles



Ingredients
  • 12 ounces, fluid Thin Noodles, Cooked And Drained
  • 1/4 cup Soy Sauce
  • 2 Tablespoons Sugar
  • 4 cloves Garlic, Minced
  • 2 Tablespoons Rice Vinegar
  • 3 Tablespoons Pure Sesame Oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon Hot Chili Oil
  • 4 Tablespoons Canola Oil
  • 4 whole Green Onions, Sliced Thin
Preparation Instructions


  1. Whisk all ingredients (except noodles and green onions) together in a bowl. Taste and adjust ingredients as needed.
  2. Pour sauce over warm noodles and toss to coat.
  3. Sprinkle with green onions and toss.
  4. Serve in a bowl with chopsticks. Yummy!
Source

Beaches and Breaks


Curaçao



North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii




Maya Beach, Koh Phi Phi Leh, Thailand



Anse Intendance, Seychelles



Makalawena Beach, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii





Apple Walnut Cinnamon Roll Cupcakes




Ingredients


Cinnamon Roll Ingredients:
  • 2 cups 2% milk
  • 1 tablespoon (.5 oz) active dry yeast
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 6 ½ cups all-purpose flour, divided
  • 2 eggs
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
Filling Ingredients:
  1. ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
  2. 1 cup sugar
  3. 1 cup brown sugar
  4. 3 tablespoons cinnamon
  5. 1 cup loosely chopped walnuts, toasted
  6. 2 cups finely chopped tart apples
  7. Apple Cider Glaze Ingredients:
  8. 1 cup powdered sugar
  9. 2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon apple cider



Instructions
  1. Heat the milk in a microwave safe bowl in the microwave for about one minute.
  2. Add the yeast followed by the sugar, and stir to dissolve.
  3. Now add two cups of flour and the salt and beat for a full two minutes.
  4. Add the softened butter and eggs and 4.beat until the mixture is well combined.
  5. Add the rest of the flour, half a cup at a time, and beat thoroughly after each addition.
  6. Remove the dough from the bowl and place it on a floured surface. Knead the dough for five minutes, until it has become soft and elastic.
  7. Put the dough in a large bowl, cover it with a kitchen towel, and let it rise in a warm area for 40 minutes. It will double in size.
  8. Now turn the dough onto the counter and roll it out 1/4” thick into a rectangular shape. Use a pastry brush to spread half of the butter over the surface.
  9. Now make the filling: Combine the sugars, cinnamon, pecans, and apples in a large bowl.
  10. Spread this mixture over the dough, leaving a 1” border all around.
  11. Carefully tuck the dough over the filling and roll into a long log, starting on one of the long ends.
  12. Cut the log into 24 pieces and place each inside one of the cups of a muffin tin lined with paper liners.
  13. Cover the cupcakes with a towel and let them rise in a warm place for an additional 40 minutes.
  14. Preheat the oven to 350°. Brush the remaining butter evenly on the tops of the cupcakes and bake for 20 minutes. 15.The tops will be a light golden brown.
  15. Make the glaze: In a small bowl, stir to dissolve the powdered sugar in the apple cider. Drizzle this glaze over the cupcakes.


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