Quick and Easy Mandarin Orange Chicken
Some of my favorite things to order at Chinese restaurants are the dishes I won’t make at home, basically anything battered and fried. I’m not lazy, I just don’t enjoy cleaning up the splattery mess I always seem to make when frying. Orange chicken is one of my favorites, but I always save it for eating out.
Helen Chen’s new book, Easy Chinese Stir-Fries, has a modified recipe that turns the classic battered and fried dish into a quick stir-fry. Some Chinese restaurants ruin orange chicken by making it overly sweet, but Chen’s version gives you orange flavor without all the sweetness. After tasting it the first time we decided we wanted more orange flavor in the sauce and started adding orange zest. I also like to use slivered fresh red jalapeno and used it as colorful garnish at the end rather than the dried chiles. Read more
Strawberries and Cream with Macaroons
Strawberries are coming in season, one of my favorite food times of the year. Here in northern Virginia we have to wait a few more weeks, but warmer areas of the country are already basking in the glow of the beautiful fresh red fruits. My boys are always excited when we come home with strawberries, and they eagerly watch and try to sneak a few nibbles as I wash and trim the fresh berries for salads, ice cream, granita, pies, tarts, or just eating out of hand.
This recipe for strawberries and cream comes from The Military Wives Cookbook, by Carolyn Quick Tillery. (You can read my full review of the cookbook at Andrea’s Reviews.) It’s an easy dessert that’s elegant enough to serve to guests. We loved the flavor and think the macaroons lend even more taste and texture. Read more
Ideas for a Cinco de Mayo Party or When You Just Want Some Mexican Food
If you are planning to have a Cinco de Mayo party or just want ideas for making Mexican food at home, here are some of our favorites.
Roasted Green Tomatillo Salsa Read more
Arancello (Orange Liqueur)
March 4, 2009 by Andrea
Filed under Beverages, Italian foods
Last year Michael had a business trip that took him to Naples, Italy for the very first time. Needless to say he was very excited about the trip and sought all sorts of advice on local foods to try, and everyone familiar with the area told him he could not leave Naples without trying the limoncello. He came home from his trip enthused about all the different foods he enjoyed and he was stoked about the limoncello and arancello, but his favorite was the arancello. Listening to him describe the food made me feel a little bit envious, but hopefully someday I’ll have an opportunity to visit the famous city and other parts of Campania.
Arancello/limoncello is a traditional liqueur from Southern Italy, and it’s easy and inexpensive to make, requiring only citrus fruit, vodka or a neutral grain spirit such as Everclear or Gem Clear, sugar, and water. You shave the peel off the oranges and soak them in the alcohol for seven days, strain, then mix with the sugar syrup. The liqueur is usually stored in the freezer but the alcohol content prevents it from freezing solid, so it’s drinkable. The higher alcohol content in neutral grain spirits draws out more of the orange oils than vodka, imparting more flavor to the liqueur; however, neutral grain spirits are not sold in some states and might even be illegal in your state, so check your state’s liquor laws before having a friend run it across the state line for you.
With citrus in season, this is a great time of year to make arancello or limoncello. We keep several bottles on hand in the freezer, and though we enjoy it straight out of a shot glass, our favorite way to sip is with a little half & half poured in, which makes it taste like a very adult Creamsicle. We also tried it with eggnog at Christmas and really enjoyed that combination, and we even made a champagne cocktail with limoncello for New Years Eve. Read more
German Apple Pancake
Mommy: Do you know what day it is?
Chorus: No.
Mommy: It’s Pancake Day.
Chorus: Pancake Day! Wow! Can we have pancakes?
Mommy: We’re going to have an apple cinnamon pancake.
Chorus: Yay! Yummy!
Top Gun: Mommy, we need more than one pancake!
Mommy: We are only making one pancake.
(Chorus silent. Probably planning how to get the most bites for themselves because obviously one pancake will not be enough to share.
Later, while watching Mommy pour the batter over the cooked apples.)
Chorus: Mommy, that’s not how you make a pancake! Read more
Spiked Orange Cranberry Fondue
For something seasonal, skip the chocolate fountain and serve a colorful fruit fondue for your New Years Eve party. This spiked fondue lends some beautiful color to a New Years Eve buffet and and is an easy and fun dessert. For dippers, set out apple wedges, dried pineapple slices, panettone or fruit cake chunks, or madeleines.
Other Fondue Recipes for New Years Eve
