Fresh Herbs in the Kitchen

I LOVE fresh herbs in the kitchen!!! I got this cute
herb basket for my Birthday from Safeway!
It has Rosemary, Thyme, and Sage and it smells
incredible!!! I've already been using the herbs in
my cooking this week and I'm excited to do more!

Who loves Brownies?!

OK, This one is sooooo easy!
The other night, John and I were watching a movie (BabyMama if you must know! pretty hillarious!) and we decided to make these for a movie treat! They were so good right out of the oven all gooey and chewy! And they were also really good the next day for a treat in the lunches!

All you need is:
1. a box of Duncan Hines Chewy Fudge Family-Style Brownies
2. a half bag of Guittard real semi-sweet chocolate chips
3. about a cup of chopped walnuts

I love the Duncan Hines Family-Style Brownies Chewy Fudge Box (cost about $1) Every time I make it and take it to events, people ask me for my secret recipe!

These chocolate chips are just so extra gooey and chocolaty and the walnuts on top are always so good!

Kung Pao Chicken

Last year I was on the lookout for great oriental food recipes, and found a few that my family and I really like, and cook often! Marsie sent this recipe to me and it has been a huge hit ever since and one of my most requested dinners! Here is my own slight variation:

Kung Pao (Chicken and Cashew Stir Fry)
makes about 6 servings (I always double it and sometimes triple it because it makes great leftovers and great lunches for my hubby and I always make extra to share with the in-laws!)
takes about 20 to 45 minutes to accomplish depending on your prep time

canola oil for wok or nonstick pan

1 pound raw boneless skinned chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 Tbsp cornstarch
(Toss Chicken in cornstarch in a big bowl and set aside)

4 Tbsp white vinegar
4 Tbsp soy sauce
4 tsp. sugar
(Mix in a small bowl and set aside)

3 green onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2-1 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
(Mix in a small bowl and set aside)

1 cup zucchini, cut into bite-sized pieces (optional)
3/4-1 cup cashews

serve over calrose rice (sticky rice)

Start Rice cooking (I don't know what I ever did without my rice cooker! If you don't have one I highly recomend one! It is soooo handy and hassle free!!! I think mine cost around $20 and it cooks great rice!)
Heat oil in Wok or nonstick pan on medium-high heat (don't even try it in a pan that is not non stick- I speak from experience!!!!)
chop chicken into bite-sized pieces (if I plan ahead, I will do this when I come home from the grocery store with the chicken I got on sale and freeze it in a zip-lock bag labeled with "1 pound chopped chicken" until I need it, and this saves so much prep and clean up time!)
Toss chicken pieces in cornstarch (slightly frozen chicken works great)
Stir fry chicken about 5-7 minutes until cooked tender
Remove chicken from pan (I like to put it in the same bowl I am going to serve in to save me from doing extra clean-up)
Heat oil in pan and add green onion, garlic, red pepper flakes, and ginger. Stir fry for 15 seconds!
Add vinegar mixture, cooked chicken, zucchini and cashews. Stir to coat chicken, cooking about 2 minutes. Serve over rice!

Warning!!! This is a HOT dish! If you don't think you or your kids can handle the HEAT, go with little or no red pepper flakes! My friend Ching made it for her family without the red pepper flakes and she said it was delicious!

Pumpkin Rolls

My Mom has been making these Pumpkin Rolls for quite a few years now! John and I, and our kids LOVE them! John starts asking for them every year as soon as we see the first signs of Autumn!

PUMPKIN ROLLS
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup pumpkin
1 tsp. lemon juice
3/4 cup flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. ginger
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup chopped walnuts
powdered sugar as needed

1. preheat oven 375
2. cut parchment paper and place in jelly roll pan so it overlaps a little, and set aside.
3. Beat the eggs on high speed in a mixer for 5 minutes. Gradually beat in the sugar. Stir in the pumpkin and lemon juice.
4. In another bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, spices and salt. And slowly mix into the egg mixture.
5. Fold into the parchment paper lined jelly roll pan.
6. sprinkle with chopped walnuts
7. Bake at 375 for 15 minutes
8. Remove from oven and turn onto a towel that has been sprinkled with powdered sugar. Start at the narrow end and roll the towel and cake together.Let cool
9. Unmold and spread filling. Re roll and chill in fridge or freezer until set. slice and serve.

Filling
1 cup powdered sugar
4 Tbs. butter
6 oz. cream cheese
1/2 tsp. vanilla
Beat until smooth

Here's Allie baking with my Mom last Thanksgiving!