Orange Julius

Gimme Some Oven

• 4 fresh oranges, peeled
• 2 cups ice (or use frozen bananas)
• 1/3 cup milk (your preference – regular, soy, coconut, etc.)
• 1-2 tablespoons honey (or agave or your desired sweetener), if needed
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, store-bought or homemade
• Protein powder- pea protein
• top with whipped cream or coconut cream

DIRECTIONS:

Combine all ingredients in a blender, and blend until smooth.  Add more ice if you would like.

PANDA EXPRESS ORANGE CHICKEN (COPYCAT)

Definitely a winner, loved it!!!

Dinner Then Dessert

FOR THE CHICKEN:

• 2 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1" pieces
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 pinch black pepper
• 2 tbsp oil divided, plus more for frying
• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• 1/4 cup flour
• cook brown rice separately

US Customary - Metric

FOR THE SAUCE:

• 1 tablespoon corn starch
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 10 tablespoons sugar (I used honey)
• 10 tablespoons white vinegar (didn't use)
• zest of 1 orange
• 1 sliced onion

US Customary - Metric

TO FINISH: (I actually forgot to add this stuff and still tasted wonderful)

• 1 1/2 tablespoons ginger root minced
• 2 teaspoons garlic minced
• 1/2 tsp hot red chili pepper crushed

INSTRUCTIONS

Note: click on times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer while cooking.To coat the chicken add the egg, salt, pepper and 1 tablespoon oil into a bowl and whisk together in a large bowl.

1. To make the sauce combine the 1 tablespoon cornstarch, rice wine, water, sesame oil, soy sauce, sugar, white vinegar and orange zest.
2. In a separate bowl, add 1/2 cup corn starch and flour and mix well.
3. In a large frying pan or a wok, heat oil in a wok 375 degrees.
4. Dip chicken pieces in the egg mixture, then dredge in the flour mixture.
5. Fry the chicken for 3 to 4 minutes or until golden and crisp.
6. Transfer to a cooling rack and repeat with remaining chicken.
7. When you are done with the chicken, saute the onions (tender crisp) in the oil
8. Add the ginger, garlic and crushed red peppers, cooking for about 10 seconds.
9. Add the orange sauce and bring to boil.
10. Turn off the heat, and add cooked chicken and stir until well mixed.

Turkey Brine

Pioneer Woman

1 10-15 lb turkey

2 chopped onions

2 chopped apples (or 1-2  cups Apple Juice Or Apple Cider)
4 cups of boiling water, 4 c cold water
2 T powdered Rosemary  (or 4 Tablespoons Fresh Rosemary Leaves)
5 cloves Garlic, Minced
1 cup Kosher Salt
1 cup white sugar  (or Brown Sugar), next time do a 1/2c
1/2-1T powdered pepper (or 3 Tablespoons Peppercorns)
5 whole Bay Leaves
Peel Of 2 Large Oranges

Combine all ingredients in a large pot. Stir until salt and sugar dissolve. Bring to a boil, then turn off heat and cover.

Allow to cool completely, then pour into a large brining bag or pot. (I didn't allow mixture to cool completely, I just put the bird in the hot water and put it in the fridge and went to bed.)

Place uncooked turkey in brine solution, then refrigerate for 16 to 24 hours.

When ready to roast turkey, remove turkey from brine. Submerge turkey in a pot or sink of fresh, cold water. Allow to sit in clean water for 15 minutes to remove excess salt from the outside. 

Discard brine. Remove turkey from clean water, pat dry, and cook according to your normal roasting method.

TO COOK TURKEY

11/13/18 next time use a turkey cooking bag. Otherwise it was good.
Preheat oven to 275.

If you brined your turkey, rinse it well under cold water. Fill the sink with fresh cold water and allow the turkey to soak for 15 to 20 minutes to remove any saltiness (i forgot to do this and it turned out good). Pat the turkey dry and place it on a roasting rack, breast side up. Cross the legs and tie them together with kitchen twine. Cover the whole pan with heavy aluminum foil, tucking it underneath the pan. Roast for the first stage for about 10 minutes per pound (so, for a 20 pound turkey, about 3 1/2 hours.
After the first stage of cooking, remove the turkey from the oven and remove the foil (turkey will still be pale.) Smear the butter mixture all over the skin, in crevices, etc so that it's totally covered. Insert a meat thermometer into the thigh, increase the oven temperature to 350, and return the turkey to the oven, basting every 30 minutes. Continue roasting the turkey until the thermometer reads 165 to 168, then remove the turkey from the oven. Possibly cooking 1 and 1/2 hours more depending on size of turkey. Cover loosely with clean aluminum foil until you're ready to carve!

Orange Chicken

Joan Sessions came for 2hours after the baby was born to come hold him so I could sleep. She made this Delicious and easy recipe


3 chicken breasts cut up 
1 pkg onion soup mix
1 cup Russian or Catalina dressing 
1 cup orange marmalade 
rice

Mix soup, dressing & marmalade together in a measuring cup, set aside. 
Brown and Cook your chicken (I make sure that most of the chicken juices have all been evaporated other wise your sauce is a bit runny) 
Then add your sauce and heat thoroughly. 

WINTER FRUIT SALAD

https://therecipecritic.com/2017/01/best-winter-fruit-salad/

• 1 large apple peeled and sliced
• 1 pear, sliced
• 2 large bananas, peeled and sliced
• 3 kiwi fruit, peeled and sliced into rounds
• 3 clementines, peeled and separated
• ½ cup pomegranate seeds
• 1 Tablespoon Honey
• 3 Tablespoons Lime Juice
• 1 Tablespoon poppy seeds
• 1 Tablespoons fresh mint, chopped

In a large boel combine apple, pear, bananas, kiwi, clementines, and pomegranate seeds. Lightly toss.
In a small bowl whisk together honey, lime juice, poppy seeds, and mint. Drizzle over fruit and toss until coated. Serve.

Pork Carnitas

RecipeTin

I made this before we left camping, then reheated it when we were gona eat it.

Pork Carnitas (Mexican Slow Cooker Pulled Pork)

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

6 hr

Total Time

6 hr 15 mins

 

{Recipe video below, scale recipe using Servings slider} Pan frying to get the golden brown crunchy bits after the pork is cooked and shredded is not optional! Broiling/grilling will not produce the same results as it dries it out and defeats the purpose of wonderfully moist slow cooked pork. My other "must do" step is to pour the juices in the slow cooker over the pulled pork - this adds so much flavour and makes it even juicier! This makes a lot of pulled pork - enough for 10 to 12 servings. Use the pork for tacos, nachos, enchiladas, burritos, quesadillas - the possibilities are endless!

Course: Slow cooking

Cuisine: Mexican

Servings: 10 - 12

Author: Nagi | RecipeTin Eats

Ingredients

• 5 lb / 2.5 kg pork shoulder (pork butt), skinless, bone-in (4lb/2kg without bone) (Note 3)
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 jalapeno, deseeded, chopped
• 2 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 oranges, juice only (or sub with 3/4 cup fresh orange juice)

Rub

• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Instructions

1. Rinse and dry the pork shoulder, rub in salt and pepper.
2. Combine the rub ingredients then rub all over the pork.
3. Place the pork in a slow cooker (fat cap up), top with the onion, jalapeño, minced garlic (don't worry about spreading it) and squeeze over the juice of the orange.
4. Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or on high for 6 hours (or 1h 30 m in an electric pressure cooker on high. If using stovetop pressure cooker, please see notes).
5. The meat should be tender and falling off the bone. Remove from the slow cooker and let cool slightly. Then shred the pork using two forks.
6. Skim off the fat from the juices remaining in the slow cooker and discard the fat. Then if you are left with a lot more than 1 1/2 to 2 cups of juice, then reduce it (either in the slow cooker on the sauté setting with the lid off, or in a saucepan). The liquid will be SALTY, it is the seasoning for the pork. Set aside.

To Serve

1. Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a large non stick pan over high heat. Place shredded pork into the pan, drizzle over some juices. Wait until the juices evaporate and the bottom side is golden brown and crusty. Turn and just briefly sear the other side - you don't want to make it brown all over because then it's too crispy, need tender juicy bits.
2. Repeat in batches (takes me 4 batches) - don't crowd the pan.
3. Remove pork from skillet. Drizzle over more juices and serve immediately (if you are using defrosted carnitas, this is not applicable as the juices are already on the meat - see Note 4c).
4. If you are reheating the carnitas (Note 4), then flip and cook the other side briefly just to warm through. I really recommend only making one side crusty and leaving the other side juicy and moist.

Recipe Notes

1. If you are using a piece of pork that is not the size I use, you MUST reduce the salt accordingly. If your pork is more than 1 lb / 0.5 kg larger or smaller than the prescribed size, ensure you adjust the other ingredients accordingly as well, not just the salt. 

2. To make this in the oven, add 1 cup of water to the braising liquid. Place in 325F/160C oven for 2 hours, covered, then roast for a further 1 to 1.5 hours uncovered. Add more water if the liquid dries out too much. You should end up with 1 1/2 to 2 cups of liquid when it finishes cooking.

If you make this recipe in the oven, you could skip the pan frying step because you will get a nice brown crust on your pork.

3. Use pork with the skin removed but leaving some of the fat cap on. The fat adds juiciness to the carnitas!

4. Taco Fixing suggestions: Diced avocado or make a real proper Guacamole, Pico de Gallo or Restaurant Style Salsa or even just sliced tomato, grated cheese, sour cream. Sliced lettuce or pickled cabbage / red onions would also be great, but unlike other tacos, you don't need it for the texture because the carnitas have the crispy bits!

5. MAKE AHEAD: 
a) For overnight or up to 3 days, the best option is to shred the meat without pan frying, keep the juices separate, refrigerate, then pan fry to make it golden and reheat the meat, pouring juices over while it is browning per recipe.

b) To brown the meat ahead, the meat actually holds up pretty well in terms of staying crispy. It's even pretty good refrigerated overnight - but a) is definitely better. Keep the juices separate and pour it over just before reheating the pork. You can reheat in the microwave, quickly reheat in the pan or if you have loads, in a foil covered roasting pan in the oven at 180C/350F for around 8 - 10 minutes.

c) To FREEZE: This holds up great in the freezer. Pour the juices over the pulled pork (pre browning) and store in ziplock bags or airtight containers. Freeze in small batches for convenience. To use, defrost completely before following the recipe to brown the pork.

6. STOVETOP PRESSURE COOKER - use a rack to elevate it from the base OR add 3/4 cup of water. Then once the pork is cooked, remove it then simmer to reduce to around 2 cups of liquid.

Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas recipe video! NOTE: My Slow Cooker (Breville Fast-Slow Cooker) is multi-functional and is also a pressure cooker, hence why it looks like a pressure cooker with the twisting top. The slow cooking function is no different to any standard slow cooker.

HERB AND CITRUS OVEN ROASTED CHICKEN

Comfort Cooking

1/4 cup olive oil

4 cloves of garlic, minced

2 tablespoons sugar

2 whole lemons, one juiced and one sliced

2 whole oranges, one juiced and one sliced

1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

10-12 pieces (about 4 1/2 lbs.) bone-in chicken parts (thighs and legs are best), pat dry

1 medium onion (any kind), thinly sliced, I sauteed it b/4 adding to dish

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 tablespoon dried rosemary

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

I mixed everything the night before and put in a 9x13pan.  In a small bowl whisk together olive oil, garlic, sugar, lemon juice, orange juice, Italian seasoning, paprika, onion powder, red pepper flakes, sliced onion, thyme, rosemary and salt and pepper.

Place chicken in a rimmed 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Place parts skin side up and spread them out evenly in the pan. Pour olive oil mixture all over chicken, turning pieces to coat all sides. (If you marinated the chicken in this mixture, still add it all in). Arrange slices of lemon, orange and onion around and under the chicken. 

Bake uncovered for about 1 hour, or until chicken is cooked and juices run clear. Remove parts to a serving platter and garnish with additional chopped fresh herbs, if desired.

Enjoy!

Roasted Potatoes and a salad with Sesame Ginger Dressing

Roasted Beet salad

The Busy Baker


For the salad:
8-10 cups organic mixed greens of your choice (I like a combination of arugula, baby kale, spinach and whatever other organic greens I have on hand) 
4 beets
2 tsp olive oil (for roasting the beets)
A pinch or two of salt 
2 carrots
1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese (I use low-fat) 
1/3 cup raw sunflower seeds
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup chopped green onion 


For the vinaigrette:
3 tbsp honey
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
Juice and zest of one large orange
salt and pepper to taste 


Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. While the oven is preheating, line a small baking dish with parchment paper. Wash the beets and cut off the stems. Place them in the parchment-lined baking dish and toss them in 2 tsp olive oil and a pinch of salt.


There's no need to peel the beets at this time. Once they've roasted they'll be very easy to peel. Keeping the peel on while they cook also helps prevent them from bleeding.

Roast the beets at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 45-50 minutes.
After 45-50 minutes, remove the beets from the oven and let them cool in the pan for about 5-10 minutes. They'll still be very warm after this time, but you'll be able to handle them without burning yourself.

While you're waiting for them to cool, measure the greens into a large bowl.

Grate the carrots, chop the green onions, and measure out the goat cheese, walnuts and sunflower seeds. 

Remove the skin from the beets using a vegetable peeler, and chop the beets into bite-sized chunks.
Sprinkle the carrots over the salad greens, then add the beets, the goat cheese, walnuts, sunflower seeds, and green onions.

Set the salad aside while you prepare the dressing.

To a medium mason jar, add the honey, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and Dijon mustard. 

Using a microplane zester (you can find the one I use here), zest the orange and add the zest to the mason jar. Be careful not to grate to deeply...it's a good idea to avoid grating any of the white pith because it can be very bitter. Squeeze as much juice as you can out of the orange after it's been zested and add the juice to the mason jar as well.

Add a pinch or two each of salt and pepper. Close the lid of the jar tightly and shake until all the ingredients are combined. The mustard in the dressing not only adds flavour but also acts as an emulsifier (prevents the oil and vinegar from separating).

Drizzle the dressing over the salad (to your taste), toss gently and serve! 

Cranberry sauce

2 bags of fresh/frozen cranberries
1c sugar
1t cinnamon
1/2t ginger
2 whole oranges squeezed and 1 orange zested

Combine everything into pot, boil 8-10min.
Optional- Can add dried cranberries, cherries or raisins