Melinda's Chocolate Chip Cookies

3 sticks margarine
1 1/2 sticks butter flavor crisco
2 cups sugar
2 cups brown sugar
4 eggs
4 tsp vanilla
Mix well
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp salt
6 cups flour
Milk chocolate chip guittard brand
Bake at 350 for 12 mins

So you have to use the margarine and crisco. I know it sucks but its how it has to be. 😂

Baked Oatmeal

6 cups regular or quick oats
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup applesauce
4 Tbls. Butter, melted
2 cups milk
4 eggs
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. cinnamon


In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients together and pour into a greased 9x13 pan. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes, or until the center of the oatmeal seems firm and cooked. Serve oatmeal warm with milk, fresh berries and oatmeal crumble (optional).

Pressure Cooker Arroz con Leche (Perfected)

1/2 cup rice
3/4 cup water

Add to metal bowl smaller than pressure cooker and cover with foil. Place bowl in pressure cooker on a grill so it's not touching the bottom of the pot. Put 1 1/2 cup water in the bottom of the pot. Cook under pressure for 10 minutes. Cool immediately (under cold water).

2 cups milk (I use whole milk)
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp. vanilla
Pinch of salt
2" lime rind
1 stick cinnamon

Stir milks, vanilla, and salt into rice. Add rind and cinnamon. Wrap again in foil and place in cooker. Add water to pot if cooker is too dry. Cook under pressure for 35 minutes. Let cool on its own. Remove rind and cinnamon and stir to mix, then serve.

Pressure Cooker Arroz Con Leche

I faked it with some leftover rice we had, so I'm not sure about the measurements....

1/2 to 1 cup *cooked* rice (I just eyeballed it)
1/3 cup water
1 1/2 cups water
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 large can evaporated milk
1 stick cinnamon
strip of lime rind
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt

Put the rice and 1/3 cup water into a metal bowl smaller than the pressure cooker and wrap tightly with foil.
Put the 1 1/2 cups water in the pressure cooker.
Put a grate/grill on the bottom of the pressure cooker (it keeps the metal bowl from touching the bottom of the cooker) and place the bowl inside.
Cook under pressure for 3 minutes.
Run the cooker under cold water to cool immediately.  Do not pour the water out of the cooker.
Add milks, cinnamon, rind, vanilla, and salt to the rice and wrap with foil.
Cook under pressure for 20-25 minutes.
Remove from heat and let cooker cool on its own.
Remove the cinnamon and the rind and stir the rice to mix it all.

It's a bit sweeter than we're used to, but it's really good.  I'm going to try using milk instead of evaporated milk (we were low on milk) so that'll cut down on the sweetness.  I'll also get some more accurate measurements of the rice and times

Shelly’s Granola

Mix the dry ingredients and set aside:

5 1/2 C Oatmeal
1 C Almonds
1 C Wheat Germ
1/2 C Sunflower seeds
1/2 C Coconut

In a pan combine the following and heat on the stove:
1/2 C Honey
1/2 C veg oil
1/2 C brown sugar

When it starts to boil take it off heat and add:
2 tsp vanilla

Mix wet ingredients with dry ingredients. Spread over cookie sheet and put in oven at 225 degrees for 20 min.
If you want to add fruit like raisins add these after the granola has been baked.

Easy Baked Egg Rolls

I was feeling ambitious this week and made some egg rolls to go with the Orange Chicken. They were SO SO SO much easier than I thought they'd be!

1 lb ground pork
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp garlic
2-4 oz bean sprouts, finely chopped
1/2 c shredded carrots*
2 c cabbage, finely chopped*
*Note: You can get a bag of shredded carrot and cabbage slaw and just use that. You don't even need the bean sprouts if you really don't want them
2 Tbs oyster sauce

1 package egg roll wrappers
Sweet Chili Sauce


Cook pork with ginger and garlic. Once browned, add bean sprouts, carrots and cabbage. Cook for about 2 minutes. Add and mix in oyster sauce. Set aside in the fridge to cool.

Wrap mixture in egg roll wrappers. See here for directions. Make sure you wet the edges of the wrap to make it stick.

Place on greased cookie sheet. Spray egg rolls with non-stick cooking spray. Bake at 425 for 20 minutes.
You could also deep fry them if you'd like.

Serve with sweet chili sauce for dipping.

The Best Orange Chicken

This stuff is AMAZING! I usually double everything. It's not too orangey. Just plain delicious.


I combined a couple recipes together to come up with this one.


Marinade
½ tsp. salt
1 small egg white, beaten
1 Tbs. cornstarch
2 tsp. peanut oil
1 Tbs. Sherry wine
2 chicken breasts, diced

Let chicken marinade for about 30 minutes in the fridge. If you're short on time you can just let it soak for a couple minutes.

Coating
1 ½  cup cornstarch
You can also do a cornstarch/flour mixture.


Place the coating into a gallon Ziploc bag. Put marinaded chicken in the bag with the coating and shake it until each piece is well coated. You may need more coating mixture.

Frying

peanut oil or vegetable oil

Place chicken in a deep fryer until cooked through.

Note: This is a great place to stop and set aside some chicken to be used as chicken fingers.

Orange Sauce

• 1 ½ cups water
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 1/3 cup rice vinegar
• 2 ½ tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon ginger powder
• ½ teaspoon garlic, minced
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• ¼ cup water
• 2 tablespoons green onion, chopped (optional)

In a large saucepan combine 1 ½ cups water, orange juice, rice vinegar, and soy sauce. Blend well over medium heat for a few minutes. Stir in brown sugar, orange zest, ginger, garlic and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil.

Combine 3 tablespoons of cornstarch with 1/4 cup of water and mix thoroughly. Slowly stir cornstarch mixture into sauce until it thickens. Pour sauce over breaded chicken, and if desired garnish with green onions.