Audrey’s Oriental Chicken

• 1/4 cup Firmly packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons Cornstarch
• 1/4 cup Vinegar 1 tablespoon Soy sauce
• 1 each 15 oz. can pineapple chunks
• 1 cup Strips — green pepper
• 1 cup Thin onion rings
• 1 tablespoon Oil
• 2 each Boneless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips.

In a medium bowl, combine sugar and cornstarch.
Gradually stir in vinegar and soy sauce.
Stir in pineapple, green pepper and onion, set aside.
Heat oil in wok.
Add chicken and stir fry, just until tender, and chicken has turned white.
Add pineapple and vegetable mixture; stir until well mixed.
Cover and simmer over low heat 15 minutes.
Serves 4.

Baked Herb Chicken

• 3 pounds Chicken — cut into 8 pieces
• 1 teaspoon Thyme — dried
• 1 teaspoon Basil — dried
• 1/4 teaspoon Garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon Salt & pepper — freshly ground
• 1/2 cup Parsley — chopped
• 2 large Spanish onions — sliced

Wash the chicken pieces and dry them very well with paper towels. Combine all the other ingredients except the parsley and onions, and rub the mixture into all sides of the chicken.
Put half the onion slices in a 9 x 12 ovenproof baking dish.
Lay the seasoned chicken pieces over the onion slices and sprinkle with half the parsley.
Tuck the rest of the onion slices between the chicken pieces and cover the dish tightly with foil.
Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes at 350 deg. F.
Remove the foil and increase the oven temperature to 400 deg. F. Bake 15 minutes longer or until chicken is lightly browned.
Sprinkle with remaining parsley.

Heavenly Cheese Cake

• 2 c. fine crumbs
• 1/3 c. plus 1 tbsp. butter
• 1/4 c. sugar
• 2 (8 oz.) pkgs. cream cheese
• 5 eggs
• 1 c. sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 1/2 pt. sour cream
• 6 tbsp. sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Combine “crumbs” (graham cracker or cookies), butter and 1/4 cup sugar.
Pack into bottom of springform pan.
Bake at 300 degrees for 10 minutes. Gently mix cream cheese and eggs.
Beat after adding eggs individually.
Slowly add 1 cup sugar and vanilla.
Pour into pan.
Bake 60 minutes.
Allow to cool for 10 minutes.
Then combine sour cream, 6 tablespoons sugar and 1 1/2 teaspoons
vanilla.
Top with mixture.
Bake at 300 degrees for 15 minutes longer.
Allow to cool slowly at room temperature and then refrigerate.
Remove springform pan
sides.

Brownie Sheet Cake

• 2 cups flour, all-purpose
• 2 cups sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 sticks margarine
• 1 cup water
• 3 tablespoons cocoa
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix flour, sugar and salt;  set aside.
In small saucepan, bring margarine, water and cocoa to a boil.
Pour onto flour mixture and beat with mixer until well mixed.
Add soda, eggs, buttermilk and vanilla; mix.
Pour into a long baking pan or a jelly roll pan.
Bake 20 minutes at 350 degrees.

Big Calphalon Sale on Amazon

Amazon’s got some Calphalon pots, pans and sets on sale FOR CHEAP right now. At more then 50% off, these prices are seriously good!

This Calphalon Commercial Nonstick 10-Inch International Griddle/Crepe Pan is usually $85.00 and is on sale for $29.99! I want to get this one!

This Calphalon Commercial Hard-Anodized 2-1/2-Quart Shallow Saucepan with Lid is usually $119.00 and is on sale for $29.99!

This Calphalon Commercial Hard-Anodized 12-Inch Everyday Pan with Lid
is usually $168.00 and is on sale for $39.99! I think  I’m getting this one.

If you got some Christmas cash or want to replace a whole set, this Calphalon Commercial Hard-Anodized 9-Piece Cookware Set is usually sold for $492.00 and is on sale for $249.99!

All of my pots and pans except for one are old and really beat and could stand replacing. The only pot I have that’s a really good one is my giant stock pot so the set would be really good for me. I still have two pots from a super inexpensive set that we got in 1986 when we got married. My big skillet is destroyed, the teflon disappeared long ago. I recently got silicone utensils so the next pots and pans should wear a lot better. How are your pots and pans holding up?

Bronx Brownies

• 1/4 cup shortening
• 1 ounce semisweet chocolate
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 egg — beaten
• 1/2 cup flour — sifted
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup nuts — chopped

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
Melt shortening and chocolate together in medium saucepan over medium heat.
Add maple syrup, vanilla, sugar and beaten eggs.
Sift flour, baking powder and salt, then add nuts.
Add this to first mixture.
Pour into a shallow pan which has been lined with well-greased wax paper.
Bake at 300 degrees F. for 45 minutes or until done.
Cool and cut into 12 pieces.

Italian Sausage in Tomato Sauce

• 2 pounds Italian Sausage
• 2 tablespoons Olive oil
• 2 cups Tomato sauce
• 1 teaspoon Oregano
• 1 cup Chablis wine
• 1 pound Mushrooms — fresh and sliced

Saute Italian sausage for a few minutes in olive oil - just long enough to seal it or firm it up.
Remove sausage and let cool.
Cut into bite-size pieces.
Mix the rest of the ingredients in the skillet.
Bring to a boil.
Add sausage and cook for 1 hour on low heat.
Serve as a hot appetizer.

Happy New Year!

I hope all of you have a safe and Happy New Year!

Bachelor Pork Chops

• 6 thick rib pork chops (2 1/2 lbs.)
• 1 tablespoon & 1 tsp. salt
• 1 teaspoon basil
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1 (#2 1/2) can Italian tomatoes
• 2 medium onions — thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons parsley — chopped
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Trim chops of all excess fat.
Combine salt, basil and oregano, rub this herb-salt seasoning into the chops thoroughly.
Remove as many seeds as possible from tomatoes.
Remove the whole tomatoes from the liquid, then strain the juice to clear it of seeds.
Place the tomatoes and juice in shallow baking pan, (13 x 9 x 2\ inches).
Add layer of onions.
Place the seasoned chops on top.
Drip olive oil over the chops.
Place pan in 350 degree oven for 1 1/2 hours.
Remove fat from sauce.
Serve with corn, sweet potatoes, baked noodles, baked apples and salad.

Onion Roasted Potatoes

• 1 env. Lipton onion recipe soup mix
• 2 lb. all-purpose potatoes, cut into lg. chunks
• 1/3 c. olive or vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
In large plastic bag, add all ingredients.
Close bag and shake until potatoes are evenly coated.
Empty potatoes into shallow baking or roasting pan; discard bag. Bake, stirring occasionally, 40 minutes or until potatoes are tender and golden brown.
Garnish, if desired, with chopped parsley.
Makes about 8 servings.

Chicken in a Pot

• 2 each Chickens, frying — quartered
• 1/2 cup Olive oil
• 1 each Onion, lg — minced
• 1 each Clove garlic — minced
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 3/4 teaspoon Pepper
• 1 each Tomato, med — chopped
• 1/2 cup White wine — dry

In Dutch oven or heavy kettle, brown 2 (2-1/2 lb ea) chickens in olive oil until golden brown.
Add onion, garlic, salt and pepper.
Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
Add tomato and wine and simmer for 30 minutes longer or until chicken is tender.

Crockpot Mexican Potato Corn Chowder

• 14 sm. potatoes, peeled and diced
• 1 can (17 oz.) cream style corn
• 1 can (12 oz.) whole kernel corn-do not drain
• 2 tbsp. chicken bouillon powder
• 1 can (4 oz.) diced green chilies
• 1 tbsp + margarine
• 1 lg. onion (brown), diced fine
• 1 green pepper, diced fine
• 2 c. medium Cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1 1/2 c. Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

Seasonings

• Lawry’s season salt, garlic powder, dash of Worcestershire sauce.

Cover potatoes with water and boil gently, uncovered until you can pierce them easily with a fork.
Add sauteed onion and green pepper.
Stir in corns, chilies and seasonings
Heat until bubbly.
Place in large (5-6 qt.) crockpot on high until it bubbles again and then turn to low.
Stir in shredded cheese.
Simmer on low for at least 1 hour.

Apricot Chicken Bake

• 6 chicken breast halves
• 1 cup apricot nectar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup apricot preserves

Have the chicken breasts skinned and boned.
Place the chicken in an ovenproof pan large enough that the chicken will not be overlapping.
Combine the next 5 ingredients and pour over the chicken, turning the
chicken to get the marinade over all parts.
Cover tightly and refrigerate overnight or at least 8 hours.
Remove from refrigerator and let stand for 30 minutes.
Cover tightly with foil and bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 30
minutes.
Uncover, drain and discard liquid from chicken, and keep warm.
Heat apricot preserves and brush over chicken.
Bake, uncovered, 20-30 minutes longer, basting with preserves another 2 times.
Remove to serving platter or serve over rice.

Site update

In case you haven’t noticed I’ve given Fun, Crafts and Recipes a makeover. I upgraded Wordpress. (It was running on 2.3.)  That means gravatars will now appear! I removed dofollow and added Lucia’s LinkLove. I changed the archive. I updated the theme. Made the colors quite a bit lighter. I’ll be trying to make posts look a little more attractive. I’ll be adding in some additional things now and again - good deals, coupons, specials, etc.  Also a feature called Winning Wednesday, where I’ll post contests relevant to cooking and food. An area for featured posts will be up top for topics that regularly appear but change, such as deals and FFOF questions. That’s right FFOF players,  no more hunting for the week’s questions!  So. What do you think?