General Tso's Chicken

Saturday, July 31, 2010
If you're a fan of Asian food like Orange Chicken or Sesame Chicken, this version of General Tso’s Chicken is a Chinese-American dish of fried chicken pieces that are floured and tossed in a spicer tangy sauce.

So many of the Chinese foods you try are similar to this one and in this dish, it’s the sauce that makes each dish different from the rest.

These unique flavors are made up of chili paste, rice wine vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, and other blends of Asian flavors using fresh ginger, garlic, and more.

This chicken is bursting with a delicious sticky coating, a tad bit spicy in flavor, and super easy to make at home.

Our version for this Asian meal is a real classic Chinese takeout dish that comes together in 20 minutes on the stovetop, with an outer coating that makes the crispiest chicken served with tender veggies coated in a flavorful homemade sauce.

For printable step-by-step instructions, follow the recipe card below hit print to avoid the ads and adapt away with our basic recipe for the marinades and sauce.




17

Grilled Fresh Florida Seasoned Redfish with Lime Butter Sauce

Monday, July 26, 2010
Sciaenops ocellatus, better known around Florida as the “Redfish.”


They are members of the drum family and are close cousins to the sea trout, black drum, and croake


The Acadian redfish is a rockfish that is sometimes marketed as "ocean perch" or red drum as previously mentioned.


This delicious fish is not oily and has a mild sweet flavor with large flakes.


It's terrific blackened, fried or with this delectable lime butter sauce with a cajun flair.


If you can't find redfish or get a good catch of the day, try others similar with this recipe like red snapper, black drum, haddock, cod or another mild white fish fillet.


This fish is great served with steamed vegetable, any kind of salt potatoes and a starch like pasta or rice.


Scroll down to the printable recipe card for this fabulous tasting redfish recipe!

grilled redfish with lime butter limes and Italian parsley


27

Baked Mini Tomato Southern Cupcakes

Sunday, July 25, 2010
These are little tomato quiche Southern style in flavor baked in a cupcake tin or you can make one whole pie.

The perfect grab and go finger food for breakfast, brunch, or lunch and since they freeze perfectly great for any busy lifestyle.

Tomatoes, mayonnaise, and some herbs and spices make this delectable little mini quice, cupcakes or pie a winner.

For smaller families, the muffin tin is a great time saver, especially for an afterschool healthier snack before dinner.

Actually, any meat or another vegetable can be added to the recipe, but this is the Southern-style tomato pie many folks love here in tropical Florida.

Scroll down to the recipe card for this easy recipe to bake this pie in pie or muffin tins you're family will love it.



southern style mini tomato pies


Best Buckwheat Pancakes

Saturday, July 24, 2010
These griddle cakes are a vintage Best Buckwheat Pancake recipe mom made when I was a kid and have very fond memories of eating these for breakfast on the weekend.

These all-made-from-scratch buckwheat pancakes are much heartier than just regular all-purpose flour these have a combination of both with a nutty taste to them

This basic buckwheat pancake batter is perfectly served plain or with any fruit on top and of course good old traditional butter with maple syrup on top.

The best part of making these from scratch is they really are quick and easy with a lighter texture than any boxed brands.

Two bowls with separate dry and wet ingredients, mixed with buttermilk and griddled to perfection, just watch for the bubbles on top before flipping them.

Try adding some fruit to the batter if you like whole red raspberries, chopped cherries, or even dried raisins and cranberries to have a variety.

We love this recipe and big breakfast, sometimes these accompany Baked Pancake Casserole or our Simple Baked Bacon and Egg Cupcake Quiche the kids absolutely love both, and if you're not in a hurry try our Simple Homemade Pork Breakfast Sausages!

Scroll down to our recipe card for these easily printable instructions.


a plate of buckwheat pancakes


29

Mocha Coffee No Churn Ice Cream

Saturday, July 17, 2010
A creamy basic frozen homemade Mocha Coffee No Churn Ice Cream is super basic and easy.

The creamy texture tastes better than any gourmet branded ice cream I was truly shocked.

You can even make other adult versions using our homemade Amaretto or Baileys or Kahlua instead of flavoring or add it instead of chocolate syrup.

Everyone enjoys homemade ice cream all year long but it sure is a simple dessert when it's no-churn and mixed in minutes!

I just love simple easy recipes like this one it takes from mixing to freezer around 6 hours total time.

The recipe for our favorite frappuccino made with Frangelico and mocha coffee ice cream is included in our recipe card.

For all our suggestions and flavors, just scroll down to the printable recipe card for this super easy recipe.

This is so super yummy you will never ever miss the supermarket or ice cream shop brands!





30

Italian Almond Paste Cake

Saturday, July 10, 2010
This Italian Almond Paste Cake has a symphony of flavors in every bite.

This vintage recipe is a masterpiece and the one I grew up on as a child with my 94-year-old grandmother watching her make this by hand, luckily we have improved with machines to make this an easier process.

The cake is rich in almond paste flavor and very versatile as it can be served plain, dusted with powdered sugar, or topped with an Amaretto Hot Fudge Sauce.

Our all-made-from-scratch tender cake is infused with a taste that is sure to make a lasting impression on anyone you serve this to.

This recipe uses flour, sugar, unsalted butter, salt, almond paste, and extract, and a simple delight in every bite.

Baked in a springform pan the beauty of this cake will captivate your guests and be perfect for hosting a dinner party.

For this entire recipe scroll down to our recipe card, hit print to avoid any ads, and check out the tips before you begin your cake-baking journey




36

Rainier Cherry Muffins or Cobbler Recipe

Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Rainier Cherry Muffins or Rainier Cherry Cobbler Recipe are two great additions to your recipe box for delicious muffins and cobbler desserts in season.

Other than making a good old-fashioned cherry-berry southern style buttery-crusted cobbler, these two recipes are perfect for cherry lovers!

Not around long, so every year when I see them I snatch them up in a hurry.

They freeze well in storage bags too!

If you haven't heard about these types of cherries and are a fan of sweet cherries your truly missing out on the best kind, rainier cherries.

A few years back a friend told me about these and said, she had tried these and never looked back at any other kind.

Always guaranteed sweet, firm, and absolutely delicious flavor cherries. A bit pricey but worth every penny.

If you're not a big cobbler fan, then just make muffins but these are the best eating cherries also on the planet!

The printable copy is available if you scroll to the bottom of the page otherwise I have them ready as you scroll down!







59

Firecracker Shrimp Recipe

Tuesday, July 6, 2010
This fiery Firecracker style buffalo drizzled shrimp recipe is a hot sauce lover's addiction, fried shrimp with a favorite hot sauce and dipped in a homemade dipping sauce of your choice if you want to cool it down a tad.

We love hot sauce, I usually use Frank's, however, we also like these fried and dipped in a yum yum sauce, so you have the best of both worlds here for a recipe.

In the recipe card below you will find the coating recipe for the shrimp and both recipes for the hot sauce and Japanese style yum yum sauces we like.

If you're not into a fiery heat drizzle just leave it off the shrimp fried alone is like eating popcorn and addictingly delicious!

Scroll down to the printable recipe card to get these easy recipes.





33

Grandma Italian Spongecake

Thursday, July 1, 2010
Grandma's Italian Sponge cake is one of the oldest recipe traditions our family still makes from the early 1960s when mom also learned how to bake the cake.


The cake has no fat or oil content and is predominately a whipped egg white and egg yolk light cake that absorbs flavored easily when served with fruits, drowned in liqueurs, or simply delicious with some jam.


A tender cake as it sounds due to its light texture, the cake is very sold in many bakeries


We prefer the cake with fresh berries and a dollop of whipped cream but the cake is great with a dusting of powdered sugar and has a fresh lovely lemony taste.


Only on a special birthday would Grandma split the layers and add an Italian homemade pastry cream to the layers, recipe is also included below.


Scroll down to get Grandma's vintage printable recipe.





this is a sponge cake dusted with powdered sugar and lemon twist with a sprig of mint on top




32