Crockpot Orange Chicken

This is a super easy Saturday afternoon meal.  J loves it!  But what doesn't he love to eat?  Not at all authentic and probably not all that healthy, but it definitely hits the spot!

Crockpot Orange Chicken
Modified from The Pursuit of Happiness

• 1 bag of popcorn chicken
• 1/2 T salt
• 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
• 3 T ketchup or barbecue sauce
• 6 oz. frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
• 4 T brown sugar
• garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes to taste
• broccoli

In your crockpot, combine the orange juice, brown sugar, vinegar, salt, ketchup, and spices.  Heat to a simmer on high (about an hour).  If you don't mind soggy chicken, toss in the whole bag of frozen chicken and cook on high for 45 min or low for 1.5-2 hr.  If you'd like the chicken to be crispier, cook accordingly to the manufacturer's instructions and toss in the crockpot 15 minutes before serving.  Add the broccoli to the sauce about 30 minutes before serving.  Serve over rice or quinoa. 

I apologise for the vague nature of this recipe.  I don't usually measure the spices or pay attention to the time each step takes in the crockpot.  The times above are merely estimates.  I just kind of eyeball it.

Sweet and Spicy Bacon Chicken

Here's a recipe discovered in my pinterest browsing.  After eating only a bite or two, my sister asked why J and I hadn't dropped out of school to open a restaurant.  While it does sound like a great option, that would be silly.  I like being a medical student most days. 

 

 

Sweet and Spicy Bacon-Wrapped Chicken

from Diary of a Recipe Addict

• thawed chicken breasts
• bacon slices
• salt and pepper to taste
• garlic powder
• chili powder
• brown sugar

 

Cut each breast into 3 strips, season all the chicken with the spices, then wrap a bacon slice around each piece, roll in brown sugar and place into an oven proof dish

 

Grill to perfection!

 

Alternate oven instructions: Place bacon-wrapped chicken pieces in an oven proof dish prepared with nonstick cooking spray or olive oil.  Bake at 400 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and bacon is nice and brown and crispy.  

 

Cappuccino Chip Cupcakes

I got this recipe from the wonderful Sara Anderson. Almost every time someone eats one of these cups of deliciousness, I have to give out the recipe. My brothers have declared it to be the best cupcake recipe of all time, and want me to bake them each time I'm home! Of course, I happily oblige :)

They're just that good. And super easy to make! Sara's icing is amazing, but in a pinch, I use my short cut mocha buttercream icing (see veeery bottom of page).

Enjoy!

 

Cappuccino Chip Cupcakes

• 24 paper lines for cupcake pans (2 1/2-inch size)
• 1/3 cup water
• 4 teaspoons instant coffee granules
• 1 package (18.25 ounces) plain yellow cake mix
• 1 package (3.4 ounces) vanilla instant pudding mix
• 3/4 cup milk
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips,
• Mocha Buttercream Frosting

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 24 cupcake cups with paper liners. Set the pans aside.

Place the water and instant coffee in a small glass liquid measuring cup and microwave on high power for 40 seconds. Remove and stir until the coffee is dissolved. Set it aside to cool for 5 minutes.

Place the cake mix, pudding mix, milk, oil, eggs, and coffee in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low for 30 seconds. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat 2 minutes more, scraping down the sides again if needed. The batter should look thick and well combined. Fold in 1 cup of the chocolate chips. Spoon or scoop 1/3 cup batter into each lined cupcake cup, filling it three quarters of the way full. Place the pans in the oven.

Bake the cupcakes until they spring back when lightly pressed with your finger. 18 to 20 minutes. Run a dinner knife around the edges of the cupcake liners, lift the cupcakes up from the bottom of the cups using the end of the knife, and pick them out of the cups carefully with your fingertips. Place them on a wine rack to cool for 15 minutes before frosting.

Meanwhile, prepare the Mocha Buttercream Frosting.

Place a heaping tablespoon of frosting on each cupcake and swirl to spread it out with a short metal spatula or the back of the spoon, taking care to cover the tops completely. Garnish with the chocolate chips or roasted cracked cocoa beans. The cupcakes are ready to serve.


Mocha Buttercream Frosting

• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 heaping teaspoon instant coffee granules
• 8 Tablespoons (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
• 2 ounces milk chocolate, grated
• 3 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar, sifted
• 1 Tablespoon water, if needed

Place the milk and instant coffee in a small glass liquid measuring cup. Plan in the microwave oven on high power until the milk is hot enough to dissolve the instant coffee, 30 to 40 seconds. Remove and stir until the coffee is dissolved. Set aside to cool.

Place the butter in the large mixing bowl and add the coffee and grated chocolate. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed until the mixture has softened, 30 seconds. Stop the machine and add the confectioners' sugar. Blend with the mixer on low speed until the sugar is incorporated, 1 minute. Increase the speed to medium and beat until light and fluffy, 1 minute more. Blend in up to 1 tablespoon water if the frosting seems too stiff.

Use to frost the cupcakes of your choice.

or...

Catherine's Short Cut Mocha Buttercream Icing

Dissolve 2 tsp of instant coffee granules into 2 tsp of hot water. Blend dissolved coffee and 2 tsp of baking cocoa into a can of cream cheese icing.

Mini Cheesecakes

These are the little cheesecakes that we made for our wedding.  300+ of them!  Guess what?  I'm still not tired of them! 

Mini Cheesecakes Modified from Martha Stewart's Cupcakes
makes 30 cupcakes

• ~30 vanilla wafers
• 2 lbs cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 cup Greek yogurt (or sour cream)

Add-in ideas

• For a Mocha Cheesecake: 1/4 cup instant espresso powder and 1/2 cup baking cocoa
• For a Chocolate Chip Cheesecake: 1 cup mini chocolate chips
• For a Cookies and Cream Cheesecake: 12 coarsely chopped Oreos (and replace the vanilla wafers with Oreos!)

Preheat the oven to 275 degrees.  Line muffin tins with foil liners, and place one vanilla wafer in the bottom of each cup.

With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat the room temperature cream cheese until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.  Gradually add the sugar, and beat until smooth.  Beat in the vanilla, then add in the eggs.  When well combined, mix in the Greek yogurt.  Stir in the desired add-ins.

Divide the batter evenly among the muffin tins, filling each one almost to the top.  I like to use an ice cream scoop for ease in dividing the batter!  Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until the filling is just set, about 22 minutes.

Transfer the tins to wire racks to cool completely, then refrigerate at least 4 hours.  Remove from tins just before serving.

Enjoy!