Sweet and Spicy Stir Fry Noodles

A quick and tasty side dish for Asian dishes.

Sweet and Spicy Asian Stir Fry Noodles

Ingredients
1/3 cup water
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon sesame seeds, toasted
8 ounces spaghetti or rice noodles, cooked
Cilantro, for garnish
Green onions, for garnish

Directions
In a medium size bowl combine water, soy sauce, maple syrup, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, toasted sesame seeds, cayenne and corn starch.  Mix sauce until corn starch dissolves.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the sauce. Mix in noodles and stir to combine. Cover with a lid for 1 to 2 minutes to heat noodles and sauce.  Stir to separate the noodles. Cook until the sauce is thickened and coating the noodles.

Garnish noodles with toasted sesame seeds cilantro and green onions.

Sweet Asian Chili Ribs

The seasoning on the ribs pairs well with the sweet and spicy glaze.

Sweet Asian Chili Ribs

Ingredients
2 to 3 pounds pork baby back ribs
i peaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon Chinese five spice powder
1/2 cup sweet chili sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinega1 tablespoon honey
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
1 teaspoon sesame oil
Chili flakes

Directions
Preheat over to 325. 

Season ribs with salt, pepper, garlic powder and Chinese five spice. Wrap ribs in foil an dplace on a baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 90 minutes until tender.

Mix sweet chili sauce, soy sauce, hoisin, rice vinegar, honey, garlic, ginger and sesame oil. Brush sauce over ribs and broil 5 to 8 minutes until sticky and caramelized. Sprinkle with ribchili flakes and serve.

Peach Cobbler Martini

A flavorful dessert cocktail that is not too sweet with complex flavors

Peach Cobbler Martini

Ingredients
4 ounces vanilla vodka
4 ounces peach schnapps
2 ounces cinnamon schnapps
2 ounces Irish cream
1 ounce simple syrup
1/2 ounce bourbon
1 ounce peach nectar
Crushed graham crackers, for rim
Caramel, for rim
Whipped cream, for garnish
Peach slices, for garnish
Cinnamon, for garnish

Directions
Brush rim of 4 martini glasses with caramel. Dip into crushed graham crackers. Chill.

Add vanilla vodka, peach schnapps, cinnamon schnapps, Irish cream, simple syrup, bourbon and peach nectar to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake until well chilled. Strain into chilled martini glasses. Garnish with whipped cream, peach slices and cinnamon.

Milk of the Poppy Cocktail ·

Creamy, sweet and smooth

Milk of the Poppy Cocktail ·

Ingredients
2 ounces vanilla vodka ·
1 ounce coffee liqueur·
1 ounce Irish cream ·
1 ounce heavy cream ·
Nutmeg, for garnish
Cinnamon stick, for garnish
Poppy seeds, for garnish

Directions
Combine vodka coffee liqueur, Irish cream and heavy cream in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake until well chilled. Strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a pinch of nutmeg, a cinnamon stick and poppy seeds.

Shepherd's Pie

The bright orange crust makes a pretty visual for this tasty entree.

Shepherd's Pie

Ingredients
For cheese-and-carrot mashed potatoes
1 pound baby carrots
3 tablespoons butter, divided use
1 1/2 pounds potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

For filling:
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 cup onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup peas
4 teaspoons beef bouillon
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon flour
1 14 ounce can stewed tomatoes
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

Directions
Place carrots and potatoes in a large pot of salted water. Boil until very soft. Drain.

Stir in butter. Mash carrots and potatoes until smooth with a potato masher. Add milk, cheese, thyme, salt and pepper. Mix until well blended.

Preheat oven to 400. Brown beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring often, 10 minutes or until meat is no longer pink. Remove ground beef from skillet using a slotted spoon; Reduce heat to medium.

Sauté onion and garlic in beef fat over medium heat 10 to 11 minutes or until tender. Stir in ground beef, peas, beef bouillon, thyme, salt and pepper. Sprinkle flour over meat mixture. Increase heat to medium-high, and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in tomatoes, bay leaf and vinegar. Break up large tomato pieces with a spoon. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring often until slightly thickened. Remove bay leaf. Transfer mixture to a lightly greased 9x13" baking dis. Spoon cheese and carrot mashed potatoes evenly over meat mixture, smoothing with back of spoon.

Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Baked Parmesan Risotto with Lemon Garlic Shrimp

Light and tasty rice with bright shrimp makes an easy and delicious dinner.

Baked Parmesan Risotto with Lemon Garlic Shrimp

Ingredients

For the risotto:

1 cup Arborio rice

3 cups chicken broth

1/2 cup onion, finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 cup Parmesan, grated

2 tablespoons butter

For the shrimp:

6 tablespoons butter

1 pound large shrimp, deveined and peeled

1/2 teaspoon salt 

1/2 teaspoon pepper

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons parsley, chopped

Directions

 Preheat your oven to. lightly grease a 9 x7 inch pan.

In a saucepan, simmer chicken broth over medium heat. Combine the rice, onion, garlic powder, salt and pepper in the prepared pan. Pour the hot chicken broth over the rice mixture and stir well. Cover the dish with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the rice is cooked and creamy. Stir in the Parmesan and butter until well combined.

In a skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the shrimp, salt, pepper and garlic. Cook the shrimp for 2 to 3 minutes on each side until pink and cooked through. Stir in lemon juice and chopped parsley.

Serve the shrimp over the risotto. Garnish with additional parsley and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

Baked Scallops with Cheddar Crust

The caramelized cheese and crispy panko make a flavorful crust for the tender scallops.

Baked Scallops with Old Bay Cheddar Crust

Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds large sea scallops, patted dry
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 cup panko
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 1/2 tablespoons Old Bay seasoning
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Parsley, for garnish
Lemon wedges, for serving

Directions
Preheat oven to 400, Lightly grease a baking sheet.

Pat the scallops dry with paper towels and arrange them in a single layer on the prepared baking dish.  Season the scallops lightly with salt and pepper.

In a small bowl, mix mayonnaise, garlic, Old Bay, paprika and cayenne pepper. Brush or spread a small amount of the mixture lightly over the top of each scallop.

In another bowl, combine cheddar cheese, panko, melted butter and a pinch of sPress the cheddar-panko mixture firmly onto the top of each scallop, creating a thick, visible crust that covers the scallop completely.

Bake in preheated oven for 10-20 minutes, until the scallops are opaque throughout and cooked through, and the cheddar-panko crust is melted and golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool for 1-2 minutes. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve with lemon wedges.