CHICKEN MEATBALLS WITH SWEET PEANUT SAUCE

I had half a package of ground chicken in the refrigerator, left over from another recipe, and I thought these Chicken Meatballs would be a fun and tasty way to use it. They were a success, and enjoyed by everyone in our family.

CHICKEN MEATBALLS WITH SWEET PEANUT SAUCE

1 pound of ground chicken
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 cup dried breadcrumbs
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
1/4 cup peanut butter
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
chopped peanuts for garnish

Mix chicken, cilantro, breadcrumbs, onion, garlic, salt and pepper. Roll into 1 tablespoon balls. In a medium skillet, heat oil over medium heat.
Add meatballs and cook through, 6 to 8 minutes. Meanwhile, mix peanut butter, soy sauce, sugar, and sesame oil, in a bowl, and warm in microwave.
Sprinkle cooked meatballs with peanuts, and serve with the dipping sauce.
Enjoy!

CHERRY SCONES and SWEET CINNAMON BISCUITS and CHEESE BLINTZ HOT CAKES

All of this icy, snowy, freezing weather, resulting in the kids being home from school, makes me want to cook a warm, delicious, breakfast for them. Not having to rush out the door to school enables us all to have an easy, relaxing, nurturing morning, and to eat well.

CHERRY SCONES

1 1/2 cup self-rising flour
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 stick butter, cut into pieces
10 candied cherries, cut into halves
3/4 cup almond milk
Double Cream (recipe follows)

Heat oven to 400F.
In a large mixing bowl, stir together flour, cream of tartar and sugars. Cut in butter. Stir in cherries. Add milk and stir to form a sticky dough. Fold dough over a few times on a floured surface until just combined. Flatten to about 1/2 inch thick. Cut with a round biscuit cutter and place on cookie sheet.
Bake for about 12 minutes. Serve with Double Cream.

DOUBLE CREAM

4 ounces cream cheese
1 tablespoon sugar
1 pinch salt
1 cup cream

In a medium bowl, beat together cream cheese, sugar and salt. Beat in cream until stiff peaks form. Chill until serving.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from The Arkansas Democrat Gazette, February 2007
www.arkansasonline.com/news/.../food/‎

SWEET CINNAMON BISCUITS

2 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup buttermilk
8 tablespoons butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Combine flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl and mix well. Stir in vegetable oil. Add buttermilk and stir just until blended.
Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth. Roll dough into a 15 by 8 inch rectangle.
Heat the oven to 400F.
Grease a 9-inch round baking pan.
Spread butter over the dough. Combine sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and mix well.
Sprinkle over butter. Roll up rectangle, jelly roll fashion, starting from one long side. Gently pinch the seam to seal.
Cut the roll into 1 1/2 inch slices. Arrange the slices, cut side up, in prepared baking pan. Bake until lightly browned, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven.
Enjoy!

CHEESE BLINTZ HOT CAKES

2 eggs
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup milk
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup Cottage cheese
2 tablespoons butter
jam and confectioners sugar to serve

In a blender, mix eggs, flour, milk, sugar and baking powder for 10 seconds. Add cottage cheese, blend until just incorporated. Heat butter in a skillet, over medium heat. Spoon batter by 1/4 cupfuls into the skillet. Cook, flipping once, until golden, 5 minutes. Repeat with remaining batter. Top with jam, dust with sugar.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Rachael Ray, January/February 2014
www.rachaelray.com/‎

CHICKEN FINGERS WITH HONEY MUSTARD SAUCE

My husband and I arrived back in the country, on a Sunday night, at 2am in the morning. Then I cleaned all that day in anticipation of family arriving the day after, so needless to say, I hadn't given dinner much thought. I joked we would be having chicken nuggets, then remembered I had this recipe for chicken fingers - perfect for kids, and yummy enough for adults.
My daughter wanted to help me cook, and once I had cut up the chicken, and set up the bowls with the buttermilk and breadcrumbs, and the cooking sheet, she was able to do the rest.

CHICKEN FINGERS WITH HONEY MUSTARD SAUCE

3 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut across into 3/4 inch slices
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs
salt
pepper
honey mustard sauce (recipe below)

Heat the oven to 400F.
Combine the chicken and buttermilk in a shallow dish, turning the chicken once to coat with the buttermilk. Cover and chill for 15 minutes (I completely missed this step, but the dish still turned out ok).
Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray or foil.
Combine breadcrumbs, salt and pepper in a shallow dish. Dip each piece of chicken in the crumbs to fully coat and arrange on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until cooked through about 16 minutes. Serve with the mustard sauce.

HONEY MUSTARD SAUCE

1/4 cup dijon mustard
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons honey

In a small bowl, stir together the mustard and mayonnaise until smooth. Stir in the honey.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from USA Weekend, August, 2012
www.usaweekend.com/section/FOOD