Chicken Pillows

I am 99.9% sure that everyone in Utah (if not the entire US) has a recipe for Chicken Pillows. So I guess that makes this a classic. Some of you may roll your eyes and say "Chicken Pillows" . . . seriously . . . but they are delish . . . so here they are.
I like a little crunch in mine so I always add either toasted chopped pecans, diced celery or green onion or all of the above when I have them on hand. Then I roll them in either panko crumbs, cracker crumbs, crushed corn flakes, crushed stuffing or croutons or whatever other brilliant ingredients that I have on hand. I top off my chicken pillows with homemade chicken gravy, but you can also use cream of mushroom or cream of chicken soup thinned out.
I have been distracted from posting due to family reunions (had SOOOO much fun!!!) and my new obsession with geneology!!! I made a "spring cake" and "fall cupcakes" for a Relief Society Enrichment dinner and of course had to share more pics!
Chicken Pillows
Recipe by: Emily

1 Tube Crescent Rolls
2 cups Roasted Chicken, diced or shredded
1 8oz Cream Cheese, room temperature
2 Green Onions, chopped
1/4 cup Celery, chopped fine
1/4 cup Pecans, chopped and toasted
Salt
Pepper
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 1/2 cups bread crumbs, cracker crumbs etc.

1. Combine the cream cheese, chicken, green onions, celery, pecans and salt and pepper together.
2. Unroll crescent rolls and evenly divide the chicken mixture onto each unrolled roll.
3. Roll or fold the crescent roll dough over the filling, making sure that all of the filling is enclosed in the dough, it will look "something like a pillow."
4. Roll the dough pillows in the melted butter and then in the crumbs. Place on a baking sheet and bake in a 350 degree preheated oven for 14- 17 minutes or until golden brown. Top pillows with gravy to serve! Enjoy!

German Meatballs with Buttermilk Gravy

On Sunday evening I browsed the many cookbooks that I brought back with me from Germany and made a list of recipes that I want to make . . . . so I will hopefully be posting more German recipes here within the next few weeks/months. I love German food! It is VERY hearty. I especially love the Knoedls and Kloese that accompany so many meals. I am definitely going to be making some in the near future.
German Meatballs with Buttermilk Gravy
Recipe by: Emily
2 lbs Lean Ground Beef
1 Egg
1/4 cup Milk
1/3 cup FRESH Bread Crumbs
1 Small Onion, diced small
2 tsp Spicy Brown Mustard or Regular Yellow Mustard
1 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Black Pepper
1 Tbsp Vegetable or Canola Oil
1 Medium Onion, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1/4 cup Flour
2 cups Buttermilk
1 tsp Brown sugar
2 Tbsp Butter

1. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter to the pan, melt together. Add the 1 teaspoon of light brown sugar to the melted butter/oil, add the chopped onion and cook for 5 minutes stirring occasionally until onions begin to brown. Lower heat to medium low and continue to cook onion stirring occasionally until softened and caramelized, about 15-20 minutes.
2. While the onions cook, mix the egg, bread crumbs, milk, salt, pepper, and mustard together in a bowl. In a medium bowl add the ground beef, diced onion and bread crumb mixture together. Mix gentle until the onions and bread crumbs are evenly incorporated. Shape into walnut sized meatballs. After the onions are caramelized add 1-2 tablespoons of water to the onions to deglaze the pan. Remove the onions from the skillet and set aside. Add 1 -2 tablespoons of oil to the skillet and fry the meatballs on each side over medium heat until browned.
3. Remove meatballs from the skillet and add 2 tablespoons of butter to the skillet, add the flour and cook for 1 minute. Whisk the buttermilk into the flour, continue whisking until the gravy is smooth. Taste gravy and season with salt and pepper if needed. Add the caramelized onions and meatballs back to the skillet and allow to simmer for 2-3 minutes or until the gravy has thickened. Serve over hot spaetzle noodles. Enjoy!

Spaetzle with Caramelized Onions

I love spaetzle . . . I love to make it and use it in SO many dishes . . . plus my skills at making it have improved drastically over the years. One of my favorite ways to eat it is also incredibly simple. It just takes a little time . . . but is worth it in the end!
I love the look, shape and texture of the noodles. They look homemade, have perfect curves and shapes for cradling gravies and sauces . . . plus if you go to your cupboard and are out of pasta or noodles you can make a batch of spaetzle faster than you can hit the grocery store.
Spaetzle with Caramelized Onions
Recipe by: Emily

2 cups Flour
2 eggs
3/4 cup of Milk
1 tsp Salt
Dash of Nutmeg
1 Large Onion, sliced
1 tsp Brown Sugar
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
3 Tbsp Butter
Salt
Pepper
Chopped Parsley (optional)

1. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter to the pan, melt together. Add the 1 teaspoon of light brown sugar to the melted butter/oil, add the sliced onion and cook for 5 minutes stirring occasionally until onions begin to brown. Lower heat to medium low and continue to cook onion stirring occasionally until softened and caramelized, about 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. While the onions cook mix the flour, nutmeg and salt together in a medium bowl. Mix the eggs and milk together in a separate bowl then add to the flour mixture. Whisk together until no lumps are left in the dough. Allow the dough to rest for 15 minutes.
3. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Place a colander or course sieve over the boiling water, scrape the spaetzle dough through the colander holes using a scraper or spoon allowing the dough to drop into the boiling water like teardrops. Boil the spaetzle for 6-8 minutes or until all of the noodles float to the top, stirring gently to separate noodles if needed. Drain noodles in a colander and rinse with water.
4. Add the remaining butter to the onions, add the spaetzle noodles to the onions and cook for 3-5 minutes, season with salt and pepper. This makes a great side dish for any German fare or alone. Enjoy!

-You can also toast fresh bread crumbs and sprinkle over the top or your favorite shredded cheese.
- Spaetzle is a great sub for macaroni noodles in mac and cheese or in soups!

Over the Top Stuffed French Toast with Strawberry-Rhubarb Buttermilk Syrup

This french toast is over the top! If you need a breakfast that is just going to brighten your day and tickle your toes you have found it! I LOVE this french toast!!! The syrup is D-E-L-I-S-H as is the cream cheese filling . . . second best part is that it is super fast and easy to make! YUM-O!!! At girls camp our amazing cook made buttermilk syrup and added a container of strawberry yogurt to it =wonderful stuff so thanks for the ideas Colleen!Over the Top Stuffed French Toast with Strawberry-Rhubarb Buttermilk SyrupRecipe by: Emily

1 loaf White Bread or Brioche
5 Eggs
1 cup Milk
1/3 cup Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla
8 oz Cream Cheese, room temperature
1/3-1/2 cup Brown Sugar
Butter

1. Mix the cream cheese and brown sugar together using a fork. Set aside. Beat the eggs, milk, vanilla, and sugar together in a shallow bowl or pie plate. Set aside.
2. Cut the bread into thick 1 inch slices. Make a pocket in the bread by slicing into the top in the middle. (Or you can use two regular slices of bread and spread the cream cheese between the two slices.)
3. Stuff the bread pocket with 1-2 tablespoons of the cream cheese mixture, dip the stuffed bread into the egg mixture coating well on both sides.
4. Heat a griddle or frying pan over medium-low to medium heat. Lightly butter the pan and fry the french toast on both sides until golden brown. Serve with Strawberry-Rhubarb Syrup. Enjoy!

Strawberry Rhubarb Buttermilk Syrup

1 cube Butter (or margarine)
1 cup Sugar
1/2 cup Buttermilk
1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1/3 cup Strawberry-Rhubarb Jam

Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the sugar, buttermilk, and vanilla. Cook and stir until thick. Add the baking soda, stir, add the jam. Serve warm and enjoy!

Za-Zoom Meatballs

I hope that everyone had a wonderful July 4th weekend! We celebrated today by going out to breakfast and then by watching our towns Independence Day Parade. It was a good day. The hubs and I were too tired to go out and watch the fireworks . . . but we heard them. We will have to do that on the 24th for sure.
My hubby and I were out of town last week . . . so I have been trying to cook "real food" the past few days and hence this little jem of a recipe. He was on a golf getaway with his amazing Dad and I was chewing dust and squealing over bugs in the mountains with the girls in our ward . . . it was wonderful and a day! Za-Zoom Meatballs
Recipe by: Emily

Meat Balls:7 Tbsp Soy sauce, low sodium
6 Tbsp Sugar
1 teaspoon Garlic salt
2 Tbsp Water
3 Scallions, diced
1 tsp Ginger
2 lb Ground beef
1 cup Bread crumbs, I love panko for this!
1 tsp Black Pepper, freshly cracked

Za-Zoom Sauce:1 cup Brown sugar
2 Tbsp Soy Sauce
1 1/2 cups Water
1 teaspoon Ginger, mashed and minced1 1/2 cups Catsup
1/3 cup Pineapple Juice
1/3 cup Vinegar
Salt & pepper to taste

1. Whisk all the sauce ingredients together in a medium bowl and set aside.

2. Mix all of the ingredients together except for the ground beef and bread crumbs. Let sit for 10 minutes.

3. Place the beef in a large bowl and make a well in the center. Put the crumbs in the well and pour the soy sauce mixture over crumbs. Blend beef and crumb mixture together thouroughly with your hands.

4. Shape ground beef mixture into balls and brown in oil.

5. Place the browned meat balls in an oven safe baking dish; pour the sauce over them and bake at 300 F. for one hour. Serve over rice or alone. Enjoy!

L.A. Lakers Cake

My nephew turned 7 years old this week and requested for me to make an L.A. Lakers birthday cake for him . . . so we went off of his favorite player . . . "The Black Mamba" . . . Kobe Bryant. Yes I realize that Odom's # is 7 . . . by "Big T" turned 7 so we had to put that on his jersey . . . but made a black mamba snake as a reference to Bryant. I won't lie . . . I am NOT an L.A. Laker fan . . . Oh the things an aunt is willing to do for her nieces and nephews . . .

Sun Dried Tomato, Roasted Garlic, and Caramelized Onion Marinara

Pasta is a labor of love for me . . . I love to eat it and make it! I especially LOVE homemade marinara sauce!!! I don't mind simmering pasta sauce on the stove half the day while I clean house and fold laundry . . . those are the best days to make it because after working all day you can sit down to a plate of heaven!!! This time around I really cooked my sauce down and made it thick and rich. The sugar from the tomatoes caramelized . . . everything in the sauce melted together and became rich, and oh so tasty! I love this recipe!Sun Dried Tomato, Roasted Garlic, and Caramelized Onion MarinaraRecipe by: Emily

1 large red Onion, chopped
4 14 oz cans diced Tomatoes
5-6 cloves roasted Garlic, minced
1/3 cup chopped Sun dried Tomatoes in oil
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
2 Tbsp Tomato Paste
2 tsp Brown Sugar
2-3 tsp Sugar
1 tsp dried Basil
1 Tbsp White Vinegar
Freshly Cracked Black Pepper
Salt

1. Heat the Olive oil in a medium sauce pan over medium high heat. Add the chopped onion and 2 teaspoons of brown sugar. Cook onions for 4-5 minutes or until they begin to lightly brown. Lower heat to medium low and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Add the diced tomatoes with juice, sun dried tomatoes, 2-3 teaspoons of sugar, 1 tablespoon of vinegar, minced roasted garlic, 1/2 teaspoon of pepper, 1 teaspoon of salt, dried basil and tomato paste to the onions. Lower heat if needed and simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

3. After simmering for 2 hours taste sauce and season with salt and pepper. Serve over your favorite pasta! Enjoy

-This sauce is thick and has a rich sweetness that I love and really brings out the roasted garlic and sun dried tomoato flavors.
-You can also add fresh basil at the end if you like and or parsley.
-If you want the sauce to be less chunky use a potato masher and mash down the sauce half way through cooking, or puree 2 of the cans of diced tomatoes.

Sesame, Orange, Wasabi Noodles with Crispy Fried Tofu

I was on a bit of a Tofu kick while my hubby was away for a few days . . . he was glad to have missed my little experimentation with tofu in the kitchen . . . poor boy doesn't know what he is missing!
I promised him when we got married that he would never have to eat tofu AND that I would never "sneak" it into anything that I made. I have held to that promise . . . even though he may not fully believe me . . . anyways I like tofu, I may never crave it but I think it is fun to experiment with. I really liked it in this dish . . . with a crispy texture on the outside and the soft middle inside. It was pretty tasty! The cilantro and green onion add a great flavor and texture as well . . . I wouldn't bother making this dish if you don't have the fresh herbs and scallions!
Sesame, Orange, Wasabi Noodles with Crispy Fried Tofu
Recipe by: Emily
1-2 packages Udon noodles (or any favorite Asian noodle)
1 block Firm Tofu
1/2 cup Corn Meal
Pinch of Cayenne Pepper
1/2 cup Canola Oil (you can also use peanut or vegetabel oil)
1 Red Pepper, seeded and julienned
1/4 -1/3 cup Wasabi Soy Dipping Sauce
2 tsp Canola Oil
2-3 Tbsp Orange Juice
1/2-1 tsp Orange Zest
1 tsp Toasted Sesame Oil
1 1/2 tsp Sugar
2 Green Onions, diced
1 handful Cilantro, torn or chopped
Toasted Sesame Seeds to garnish

1. Slice the tofu in half lengthwise and then into 1/2 inch slices. Place the sliced tofu in a sallow dish and drizzle with the wasabi soy sauce, turn tofu over to coat both sides. Allow tofu slices to marinate for 1/2 hour.

2. Prepare noodles according to package directions and set aside.

3. Heat 1/2 cup oil in a large skillet or wok over medium heat. Mix the corn meal with a pinch of cayenne pepper in a bowl. Dip the tofu slices in the cornmeal mixture to coat on all sides, tapping away excess meal. (Be sure to save the wasabi soy sauce.) Fry the tofu in batches for 1-2 minutes on each side in the oil until lightly browned. Drain the tofu slices on a paper towel and set aside.

4. Remove the oil from the pan and wipe skillet with a paper towel. Add 2 tsp of oil back to the pan; add the red pepper to the skillet and stir fry for a few minutes to soften slightly. Add the reserved wasabi soy sauce, orange juice, sesame oil, sugar, and green oniont to the skillet. Cook for 1 minute; add the noodles and toss to coat. Plate the noodle mixture then top with crispy tofu slices, cilantro and toasted sesame seeds. Enjoy!

Hot and Sour Soup

I LOVE oriental food! I love spicy things and I love the back of the throat heat that is in this soup! Ironically I made this on the hottest day of summer that we have had so far and tonight I am freezing due to the weather change and the fact that our AC was blasting all day while we were out of town today . . . so I could really go for a bowl of this soup now to thaw my frozen toes!
Hot and Sour SoupRecipe by: Emily

1/2 cup dried Shitaki Mushrooms
1 tsp peeled and minced Ginger
1 tsp Red Chile Paste, such as sambal oelek (add more if you like it really hot)
1 Tbsp Oil
1/2 cup canned Bamboo Shoots, sliced
2 boneless Pork Chops, sliced into 1 inch strips
2 Tbsp Soy Sauce
2 Tbsp Rice Vinegar
Salt
Fresh cracked Pepper
1 tsp Sugar
1 Quart Chicken Stock
1 inch piece Ginger, peeled and quartered
1 Green Onion, cut into quarters
4 sprigs of Cilantro
1/2 square Firm Tofu, drained and sliced in 1/4-inch strips
6 tsp Cornstarch mixed with 2 Tbsp water
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Chopped green onions and cilantro leaves, for garnish

Directions

1. Steep the mushrooms in a small bowl and cover with boiling water. Let stand for 30 minutes until plumped. Slice the mushrooms and set aside.
2. Heat one quart of chicken stock over medium-low heat in a sauce pan, add the peeled and quartered ginger, quarted green onion, and 4 sprigs of cilantro to the pot. Allow chicken stock to steep for 1/2 an hour before using simmering lightly. Be sure to strain the ginger, green onion and cilantro from the stock.

3. Heat the oil in a wok or large pot over medium-high heat. Season the pork chops with salt and pepper, add to the wok. Cook for 3 or 4 few minutes until lightly browned. Add the minced ginger, chili paste, shitaki mushrooms, bamboo shoots; cook and stir for 1 minute to infuse the flavors. Combine the soy sauce, vinegar, salt, pepper, and sugar in a small bowl, pour it into the wok and toss everything together. Pour in the Chicken Stock, bring the soup to a boil, and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the tofu and cook for 3 minutes.

4. Dissolve the cornstarch in the water and stir until smooth. Mix the slurry into the soup and continue to simmer until the soup thickens. Remove the soup from the heat and stir in 1 direction to get a current going, then stop stirring. Slowly pour in the beaten eggs in a steady stream and watch it spin around and feather in the broth (it should be cooked almost immediately.) Garnish the hot and sour soup with chopped green onions and cilantro before serving.