My Recipe Stash

Sangria is a wine punch typical of Spain and Portugal.

This recipe is most like Applebee’s version of the Red Apple Sangria.

Ingredients

1/3 cup Sutter Home Cabernet Sauvignon
1 1/4 oz Apple Liquer (99 Apples is best and easiest to find)
1/2 oz Grenadine
1 1/2 oz Ocean Spray Cranberry Juice
1 1/2 oz Dole Pineapple Juice
1 1/2 oz Sierra Mist (7up/Sprite works fine)
Red Apple Balls
Orange Wedge
Lime Wedge
Maraschino Cherry

Directions

Fill 16 oz wine glass with ice.

Add red wine, apple liquer, grenadine, cranberry juice, and top off with Sierra Mist.

Use the small end of the melon baler to scoop 2 balls out of the red apple. Pierce the apple ball with a toothpick. Drop all garnishes into the drink and servewith a straw.

Ingredients Tip: DO NOT USE Apple Pucker. It will not come out the same.

Serving Tip: To make a pitcher of the Red Apple Sangria, simply do 6 (or more) of each ingredient.

Serving Tip #2: If you need to sweeten it up a bit, simply add more Sierra Mist to each glass, that is how I prefer to serve it.

Take a look at how mine turned out:

I first saw this recipe on Simply Delicioso with Ingrid Hoffmann. I’ve tried it and liked it, so I am recommending it. It’s very easy to make and pretty fun too. This is a perfect recipe for kids to help out on!

Snowball Potato Recipe

Makes about 10 potato balls. That should serve 3-4 people.

Ingredients

4 medium russet potatoes, peeled
1 tablespoon salt
2 ounces Oaxaca or any other soft white cheese, cubed. We used Monterey Jack
1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
Salt and pepper for taste
[Aluminum Foil]

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Put potatoes in a large pot and fill with water until potatoes are just covered. Add the 1 tablespoon salt. Bring to a boil and cook until potatoes are very soft, about 40 minutes. For faster boiling time, cut potatoes in halves or fourths.

Mash potatoes in a bowl, make sure they are pretty smashed, use whichever tools you want. Let sit for a few minutes until just cool enough to handle.

Cut the white cheese in 1/2-inch cubes.

Prepare a baking sheet with foil and coat with vegetable spray or rub with oil.

Put bread crumbs in a small bowl.

While mashed potatoes are still warm, form into 2-inch balls and insert 1 cheese cube in center, then roll into bread crumbs and place on cookie sheet.

Cooking Tip: Wash hands and dry after every third ball so the potatoes will form evenly and not stick to the bread crumbs in your hand.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, serve immediately.

This dish is perfect for appetizers, or as a little fun side dish.

This recipe I saw Rachael Ray do on one of her shows and I thought it was great. Eating chicken is a great way to eat protein, but still eat healthy. Here is a fun way to eat chicken with tons of flavor. Healthy flavor.

Lemon Garlic Herb Chicken

Make as much as you want, serve 2 chicken breasts per person.

Ingredients

5 cloves garlic, peeled
Salt
Black pepper
2 lemons, zested
1 teaspoon fennel seed
5 to 6 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves stripped and finely chopped
3 to 4 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves stripped and finely chopped
A handful flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
1/2 to 2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
4-8 boneless skinless chicken breasts

Directions

Heat grill or grill pan to medium-high.

Grate the garlic onto acutting board and add a couple teaspoons salt, mash into paste with the flat of your knife. Alternatively you can finely chop the garlic and leave out the salt. Without salt it still tastes great!

Reserve 1/5 of the pasted garlic, about 1 clove and add the rest to a shallow dish. To the garlic, add the lemon zest, fennel seed, chopped thyme, rosemary, parsley and about 1/4 to 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil and some black pepper. Stir with a fork to combine then add chicken pieces and coat evenly. It will get a bit messy!

Grill chicken 12 to 15 minutes until juices run clear.

Remove chicken from the grill and squeeze the juice of 1 of the zested lemons down over the meat while still hot.

[source Rachael Ray]

I made this meal and it turned out great. It was pretty simple to cook. I didn’t use the cabbage, you don’t have to either.

Cooking Tip: I strongly recommend having everything set out first and cut.

Pad Thai Recipe

Serves 4

Ingredients:

8 ounces dried Thai rice stick noodles
1/4 cup fish sauce
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons cane sugar
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
1 red jalapeno chile, minced
2 large garlic cloves, minced
12 ounces uncooked large shrimp, peeled, deveined, halved lengthwise (any size is fine)
6 cups thinly sliced Chinese Napa cabbage
3 cups bean sprouts
2/3 cup (lightly packed) fresh cilantro leaves
Lime wedges to serve

Directions:

Soak the rice noodles in a large bowl of warm water until just pliable and almost tender, about 20 minutes. Drain noodles well.

Stir the fish sauce, vinegar and sugar in a small bowl until the sugar dissolves. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a large wok or nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ginger, chile and garlic and sauté for 1 minute or until the garlic and chile softens and the mixture is fragrant.

Add the shrimp and stir-fry until they are pink and opaque in the center, about 2 minutes.

Add the cabbage, 2 cups of bean sprouts, and half of the cilantro. Add the fish sauce mixture. Stir-fry for 2 minutes or until the cabbage begins to wilt.

Add the noodles and toss until the noodles are tender.

Transfer to 4 plates, mounding slightly and dividing equally. Arrange the shrimp around the noodles. Top with the remaining bean sprouts and cilantro.

Serve with the lime wedges.

[Source Take Home Chef]