Slow Cooker Asian Garlic Chicken

       Since the arrival of Hudson in our lives . . . I have been cooking with either the phone (i.e. takeout) or the slow cooker. :) I think instead of giving traditional baby gifts . . . I am going to start giving new moms a crock pot! (Somehow I don't think that will go over super well ;) haha

       This is a MUST TRY recipe. I only share recipes that we love on the blog and I would never recommend a recipe that we didn't think was amazing, this recipe is in a bit of a league of it's own. It's right up there with Lee's favorite Beef Bourguignon, and my favorite key lime pie.
But what makes this recipe extra amazing is that it is so fast and so easy, seriously 5 minutes of prep! We like to serve ours over rice, but it would be equally good over noodles, (maybe even better), and for a vegetable I just chopped up some red peppers on the side.

Asian Garlic Chicken 

      4 boneless skinless chicken breast (or substitute chicken thighs)
      1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
      5 cloves minced fresh garlic
      1  1/2 cups brown sugar
      3 tablespoons soy sauce
      1/2 cup gingerale (you can substitute sprite, 7 up)
      1/2 tsp - 1 tsp red pepper flakes (*optional, adjust to personal tolerance for spice)

      2 tbsp water
      1 tbsp cornstarch

1) Combine vinegar, garlic, sugar, soy, pepper flakes and gingerale in crock pot. Mix until sugar has dissolved (this doesn't take more than 1 minute).
2) Now, place chicken into crock pot with liquid.
3) Turn crock pot to high and cook for 4 hours! (You can also turn the crock pot to low and cook for 8 hours),
4) When the chicken in ready (after 4 hours on high) pull the chicken out and cut into chunks. Take the liquid from the crock pot and pour it into a small sauce pot on the stove. Bring liquid to a boil. Mix water and cornstarch together and pour into liquid. Heat until the sauce is thickened (feel free to add more cornstarch and water if you would like your sauce thicker).
5) Eat!
6) Come back and let us know if you loved it as much as we do!!!

Fish Tacos

I try to work fish into our meal plans at least once a week, some weeks we do really well and eat fish three even four times a week, and sometimes we don't do as well.
But currently we have a freezer bursting at the seams with Fish. My dad had a very successful "Salmon September" as we like to call it and we ordered a box of halibut steaks from a local fish monger (I actually giggled when I wrote 'monger' haha).
Here is one of our favorite fish recipes. You can use Tilapia, or Cod, or really any white fish.

Fish Taco: 
1 lb (454 g) tilapia fillets or catfish fillets        
1 tbsp (15 mL) vegetable oil                            
1 tsp (5 mL) chili powder
1/2 tsp (2 mL) dried oregano
1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt
1/4 tsp (1 mL) pepper 
Mix all the ingredients together and let sit a couple minutes. Then fry up in a pan until fish is cooked. Remember Fish cooks fast! 

Flour Tortillas 

1 Red pepper
1 Green pepper
1 Onion
Cut into stripes, and saute in the pan with oil. 

1 Avocado
1/8 cup diced red onion
1 jalapeno
Juice of half a lime
Salt and Pepper
Mash all ingredients together in a bowl, you're making a very basic guacamole.
 
Salsa
Shredded Cheddar Cheese
Sour Cream

This recipe is so simple but so yummy and very healthy! 

I hope you'll come back tomorrow, I'm so excited to show you our latest DIY/Ikea Hack/ Charity Auction Donation. We've been working hard on a donation to a local charity auction hosted by one of my favorite local stores The Passionate Home! I can't wait to share!

Homemade Vegetarian Lasagna

In case you were wondering where the blog went yesterday??? GO DADDY went DOWN, and since we host our domain name with go daddy our site went down too!!! Boo-urns! 

We've been trying to eat vegetarian meals more often, so I devised a plan to adapt a recipe I'd seen on Pinterest HERE and make it vegetarian. Rolling up the lasagna noodles makes this so much better and I have no idea why!!! I tried so hard to think of a way to explain it but I can't, it just makes it better!!!

You'll need: 
1 large egg
1 (15oz) container of Ricotta Cheese
1/4 tsp Black Pepper
1/4 tsp Salt
1/4 cup fresh parsley (optional)
1 box of lasagna noodles (approx a dozen noodles)

1 onion, diced
1 medium Zucchini or 2 small, diced
1 red pepper, diced
5 small button mushrooms, sliced

1 cup Mozzarella Cheese (or more if you'd like), grated
1/3 cup Parmesan Cheese, grated

Marinara Sauce: You can either make your own using the following recipe, or use a store bought sauce (Trader Joes sells a really good marinara sauce). You'll need 2 jars of sauce if you like your lasagna saucy!!! We've made it both ways, with homemade sauce and with trader joes marinara sauce and it was really great either way!

Here's my recipe for marinara sauce:
1/4  cup Olive oil
2  large garlic cloves
2 teaspoons dried oregano   
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
1/2  teaspoon  Salt
1/2  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper 
2  tablespoons fresh parsley
1 tsp chili pepper flakes 
1 teaspoon dried basil

Step 1: Boil water and cook lasagna noodles until they are flexible remove them from the water and lay out on some parchment paper (see here for a picture).  
Step 2: In a bowl combine ricotta cheese and egg with salt and pepper. Spread over lasagna noodles evenly. 
Step 3: Roll up lasagna noodles! 
Step 4: Start Marinara, Dice up all vegetable, and fry in pan until softened. Add ingredients for marinara sauce or jarred marinara sauce. Bring to a simmer for 5 minutes! 
Step 5: Scoop two big spoonfuls into the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan. Place rolled up lasagna noodles side by side in the pan. 
Step 6: Pour the rest of the sauce over the noodles and top with 1 cup (or more if you like) mozzarella cheese and 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese. 

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes!!! 

This recipe makes a HUGE batch of delicious lasagna and I promise you won't even miss the meat!!!

Mini Manor's Vegetarian Chili

This was one of those dishes that you make because it's "healthy" but then it turns out so yummy that you crave it like it was bacon.
I started making vegetarian chili because chili has always been a favorite of ours, but with ground beef it wasn't a super healthy thing to be eating frequently. We tried Turkey chili, but it wasn't fabulous. So I took one more crack at "Healthy Chili" this time Vegetarian . . . and it was AH-MAZING! We both enjoyed so much, way more then regular beef chili!
I know your scoffing at that last sentence, but honestly I've been making vegetarian chili once a week for the last 3 or 4 months! We NEVER made beef chili that often!  I Hope you'll give it a try it's truly delicious!!!!

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 large yellow onion, peeled and finely diced
1 large carrot, peeled and diced
1 rib Celery, diced
1/2 large red bell pepper, seeds and ribs removed, diced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 jalapeno sliced into large rounds (seeds and all). 
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili flakes (we like spicy chili so feel free to omit this if you don't)
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 – 28-ounce can diced tomatoes with their juice
1 can of Corn
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 – 14-ounce can white kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 – 14-ounce can Red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
Big pinch coarse salt

 1)   Heat the olive oil in a medium soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery, bell pepper, garlic, chili powder, cumin, and black pepper. Cook, stirring, for 15 minutes, or until the vegetables are softened. Stir to combine. 

2)    Turn the heat up to high, add the tomatoes and their juice, crushing them a bit with your wooden spoon, add beans, corn and salt, bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 40 minutes.

3)    Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 10 more minutes.

Top with a bit of sour cream, some shredded cheddar cheese and some sliced scallions!! YUMM!

So Yummy!!! Anyone else have an amazing vegetarian recipe?? We're always searching around for great veggy recipes!!

White Bean Soup

This is one of our FAVORITE winter soups! White Bean soup with carrots, corn, celery and Bacon!

4 slices of bacon
2 14oz cans of White Kidney Beans
3 or 4 spring carrots
1 or 2 stalks of Celery
1 or 2 cloves of Garlic
1 Onion
1 Can of Corn
1 or 2 tbsp Tomato Paste
Small Pinch of Dried Thyme
1 Box (1 liter) Chicken Stock

Dice up bacon and fry large stock pot or dutch oven.
When the bacon is browned add the onions, celery and garlic . . . saute for 5 minutes.
Add Carrots and thyme to the pan and saute for another 2 minutes.

Add Beans, Corn, and chicken stock, whisk in Tomato Paste and salt and pepper to taste!
Cook on low for 45 minutes! 

It's truly delicious! and super easy to make!
I really hope you try this on the next rainy day!!!

Yam and Balsamic Salad

Happy Chinese New Year!!!! We are Exhausted from yesterday's festivities, 10 dishes in 4 hours!

In Chinese New Year tradition you feast on New Years Eve and go vegetarian on New Years Day, a small attempt to counteract all the heavy food from NYE.

So for Dinner tonight we are having Garden Salad, topped with Yams, and a balsamic dressing.
This is our GO TO quick weekday meal! I would eat it every night if I could, even Lee likes it!
I find that by adding the yams it fills you up, WAY more than a regular salad.

2 or 3 small yams (or One HUGE yam)
a drizzle of olive oil
Salt and Pepper to taste.

Toss Diced yams with olive oil, salt and pepper, roast in a 400 degree oven for anywhere from 30 minutes to 45 minutes depending on how large your dice is!

For the salad we add:
1 head Romaine Lettuce
1/4 of a red onion, thinly sliced
1 Red Pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 a Cucumber
a couple radishes

Just your basic run of the mill garden salad.

Balsamic Dressing: (make lots!! You won't regret it)
3 parts olive oil to 1 part Balsamic Vinegar
Salt and Pepper to taste!!

Pull your yams out of the oven and let cool slightly, meanwhile compile your salad. Top Salad with warm Yams, drizzle everything with your Balsamic Dressing!

It's seriously the BEST salad!!!

Thai Coconut Curry Soup

We've been trying to add more healthy meals to our weekly schedule, this one was GREAT and vegan.
Lee's a sucker for any form of Thai food so his review of this might be slightly bias but He did give it two thumbs up!

1Tbsp Olive Oil
3 Cloves Garlic
1 can of drained corn or about a cup of frozen corn
4-5 Green Onions
1 med Red Pepper
2 15 oz cans of Coconut Milk
1  1/2 cups Rice Milk
2 tsp good Curry Powder
1/4 tsp Red Curry Paste (not really necessary but it you have some it's good to add)
1 tsp Salt
1/2 cup Minced Cilantro (I don't like cilantro so I cut it out of mine)
This is great for a starter soup but if it's for dinner:
I add a few nugget potatoes and a couple of florets of cauliflower.

Add oil and garlic to a soup pot, fry up a bit until the garlic is fragrant, add the white part of the green onions and the red pepper. Cook in pot for a couple minutes.

Add all the milks, corn, curry powder, curry paste, and salt.

Cook until the potatoes are done, or if your not using potatoes cook until it's all heated through.

At the last minute throw in the cilantro and green parts of green onions and serve.

Very Yummy!!

Meal Plan Monday: Sticky Pork

THIS IS YUMMY!!
Lee asked me what I was going to post today, and I said STICKY PORK recipe, and he said "OOOOooooo . . . . Can we have that for dinner tonight, that was really good"

It's delicious over Broccolini, but it's also great as a Lettuce wrap :) We've done both their equally good!

1 tbsp Oil (peanut or vegetable)
300gr Ground Pork
3-5 cloves garlic (depending on your tastes)
1/2 cup fried shallots, sliced
1-4 thai red chilies, sliced (depending on your taste)
1 tbsp Lime Juice
1/2 tsp brown sugar
2-4 tbsp hoisin sauce (we call it asian ketchup here, you can find it in any Asian food store, or the asian isle at the grocery store)
2 tsp soy sauce

1) Pour Oil in pan, fry shallots, hot peppers and garlic until crispy. Remove from pan.
2) Add  a bit more oil to the pan, fry up ground pork, when almost cooked add the remaining ingredients (brown sugar, lime juice, soy sauce and hoisin sauce, fried shallots, garlic and hot peppers from step 1).
3) Serve over steamed broccolini, or rinse some iceberg lettuce, and put some of the pork mixture inside and serve like a lettuce taco! YUM!!!


We found our winner from our Nashville Wraps Giveaway . . . Kim Dongall. Please contact us to claim your Prize!! Thank you to everyone who entered and THANK YOU to Nashville Wraps for sponsoring the Giveaway.

Boeuf Bourguignon

Okay . . . it's getting serious now! On Saturday Night I made what is now known as Lee's favorite Dish! All night I heard "oh my, that was the best recipe ever!", "Seriously, you can make that all week", "I wish there was more".
The I wish there was more comment made me laugh because the recipe should feed 6 and there was only the two of us.
Boeuf Bourguignon, I've made it a few times (different recipes) but it's never tasted as good as this recipe and I've never received such acclaim before. I also served new potatos pan fried in butter, and by the way . . . new potatos are AWESOME when they're pan fried in Butter! and to top it all off we ended the night with a french apple tart!

You'll need:

3 lb (1.5 kg) boneless beef cross rib pot roast
4 oz (125 g) thickly sliced bacon, chopped
3 tbsp (45 mL) vegetable oil
1 each onion and large carrot, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp (2 mL) each salt and pepper

1/3cup flour
1-1/2 cups (375 mL) red wine (such as Pinot Noir or Merlot)
1/2 cups (125 mL) beef broth
3 sprigs fresh parsley
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
1 pkg (10 oz/284 g) pearl onions
1 tbsp (15 mL) butter
3 cups (750 mL) button mushrooms

Trim fat from beef; cut meat into 1-1/2-inch (4 cm) cubes and set aside.

In Dutch oven or I use a oven safe pot with a lid. sauté bacon over medium-high heat until crisp; transfer to paper towel-lined plate.

Add 1 tbsp (15 mL) of the oil to pan (if the bacon didn't provide enough); brown beef, in 3 batches and adding remaining oil as necessary. Transfer to bowl. Drain fat from pan.

*remember Julia Child's tip, make sure your meat is dry . . . it brown better!

Add chopped onion, carrot, garlic, salt and pepper to pan; cook over medium heat until softened, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle with flour; cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

Add to pan wine and broth. Bring to boil, scraping up any brown bits.

Tie parsley, thyme  together with string, throw in 2 bay leaves. Add to pan  bacon, beef and any juices. Cover and braise in 325°F (160°C) oven until meat is fork-tender, 2-1/2 to 3 hours.

Peel and trim pearl onion. In skillet, melt butter over medium heat; brown pearl onions, about 5 minutes. Remove and place on plate.

Add mushrooms to skillet; fry until browned, about 5 minutes. Remove and place on plate

Pull pot out of oven:

With slotted spoon, remove beef to separate bowl. Add pearl onions, mushrooms to liquid in Dutch oven (or pot); bring to boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until thickened and onions are tender, about 25 minutes.

Discard herbs. Return beef to pan and heat through.

This really is the BEST Boeuf Bourguignon, I've ever had, and according to Lee the best meal he's every had. I hope you'll try it out. It's probably more suited to a cool fall evening, but our summer has resembled fall more than it's resembled summer, that's right while everyone is baking in the heat back east and down south . . . I've worn shorts a total of 4 days this summer and it's already 1 week into August :( but on the up side it's great weather for the trees we planted this Spring and cozy winter stews :)

Corn Chower Recipe!

Since this week's Meal Plan Monday, I have been completely overwhelmed with emails . . . from . . . two readers (hehe) for the recipe so here it is:
If you only try one recipe I put on here, let this one be the one :) It's that good!

4slices bacon, diced (* we use 6 hehe)
1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 cup diced carrot
1/2 cup diced celery
1/2 cup diced pepper (*we use red)
2tbsp all purpose flour
2 tbsp butter
2 cups chicken stock (*we use pacific brand organic chicken stock)
2 cups 2% milk (* we've used 1% it works just as well)
1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels (*we always add more)
2 tsp chopped fresh thyme (*we use 1/4 tsp dried)
1/2 cups peeled and diced Yukon Gold Potatoes

In a medium sauce pot, fry bacon until crispy. Remove bacon (save for the end), leaving fat. Add onion, celery and carrot and saute until onions are translucent, about 5 min. Add bell pepper and saute 3 more minutes. Remove vegetables from the pot and set aside.
Melt butter into pot and add flour. Stir constantly until a nutty aroma is noticeable about 5 in. With a whisk, stir in chicken stock a little at a time. Whisk in milk in a slow stream. Return vegetables to pot, add corn, thyme, and potatoes and bring up to a simmer. Cover and simmer soup until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. To serve, grate some cheddar cheese on top, and add the bacon bits to the top :)