Thursday, February 25, 2010

Mc Donald's Copycat Hot Mustard Sauce

Have you noticed that you can always find 20 different versions of sweet mustard for dipping but not hot mustard? Well, the crispy chicken strips I posted earlier use to require a trip to McDonalds because that was the only place I could find a hot mustard that I liked. McDonalds? Really? I make no apologies.. I love it ...Thank You Shawnajean for posting this on recipezarr. Now we can just make it at home. Try it, I think you'll be surprised.


McDonald's Copycat Hot Mustard Sauce
  • 6 tablespoons prepared mustard
  • 2 tablespoons dark corn syrup
  • 4 teaspoons dry mustard
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons white vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
  • 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/16 teaspoon tsp ground cayenne pepper

Directions

  1. Mix all of the ingredients together in a microwave safe container until it is one solid color.
  2. Microwave on high about 35 seconds, and mix again.
  3. Cover, and refrigerate at least 6 hours (to allow theflavors to meld) I like to let it sit overnight.
  4. Refrigerate until needed, and remember to refrigerate unused portions.
  5. This recipe makes a little more than 4 "packets" of hot mustard sauce. Double it or triple it as needed.

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Crispy Fried Chicken

I always give my kids the option of eating out or picking their favorite home cooked meal for their birthdays. This is on the menu for Josh's birthday next week along with THIS for desert. I think it is a favorite for all of us in the family. We usually make this crispy fried chicken using legs but also love chicken strips as well, either way it makes up a crispy delicious batch of chicken.


Crispy Fried Chicken

Ingredients:

2lbs cut up chicken,or strips
Oil (for frying)

Seasoning-

1 ¼ teaspoons ground black pepper
1 ½ teaspoons salt
¾ teaspoon garlic powder

Sauce-

4 eggs
1/3 cup water
1 cup hot sauce

Breading-

2 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt


Step 1: Heat oil in a deep fryer to 350 degrees. In a large bowl beat eggs and water. Add hot sauce and whisk together.
Step 2: In small bowl combine ground black pepper, salt and garlic powder. In another bowl or pie plate combine flour, baking powder and salt.
Step 3: Pat dry chicken pieces with a paper towel. Sprinkle chicken pieces generously on both sides with the seasoning mixture.
Step 4: Dip chicken pieces into the hot sauce mixture and coat thoroughly. One piece at a time, roll chicken pieces in the flour mixture and drop into the deep fryer. Don’t over load the deep fryer with chicken. Fry chicken until brown and crisp (dark meat will take about 14 minutes, white meat about 10 minutes). A good way to tell if it’s done is to pierce the deepest part of the bone with a fork, if the juices run clear, it’s done. Drain on paper towels. Repeat until all chicken is fried.

Just a note.. don't be shy about the amount of hot sauce it calls for in the recipe. When I first got the recipe I thought it was crazy because I don't like anything spicy. When I finally got the nerve to use the whole amount I realized that it really gives great flavor and doesn't add the heat like I thought it would.

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Modified English Tea Scones

I worked hard on this recipe. When I received the original it was ok but I really wanted this one to be good, not just good but Great! It just had so many possibilities. So a week and several modifications later the wait was over. Baby, it was worth it! This has to be my favorite sweet for breakfast. With so many options for filling, the possibilities are endless.. from tart and tangy strawberry rhubarb to rich chocolaty chip and don't forget streusel with pecans... or pineapple coconut.. or.. fresh peach.. or ...well, you get the picture... and even better? sshhhh don't tell.... it's really simple.


Modified English Tea Scones

2 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp Baking Powder
1/8 tsp salt
3/4 cup melted butter (not Margarine)
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
Filling such as jam, chocolate chips, fruit, nuts, etc...

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In medium bowl mix flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In a seperate bowl add melted butter eggs and milk. Whip to combine. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients all at once. With rubber spatula mix together until very soft dough forms. Divide dough into 16 pieces and roll into balls. Flatten 8 and top with 1-2 TBS filling of your choice. (jam, streusel, berries,etc...) flatten each remaining ball and place on top of filling. Seal edges. Bake 12-15 minutes or until deges are golden. Don't overbake or they may get a little dry. Sprinkle with sugar when still hot.

Sunday, February 7, 2010

Chocolate Oatmeal No-Bake Cookies

Here is an easy treat when you need something quick and simple. My 11 year old made these last night all by herself..



Chocolate Oatmeal No-Bake Cookies

1/2 C Butter

2 C Sugar
1/2 C Milk
4 Tbsp Cocoa
1/2 C Peanut Butter
3- 3 1/2 C Quick cooking Oats
2 tsp. Vanilla

Add butter, sugar, milk and cocoa to a saucepan. Slowly bring to a rolling boil, and boil for 1 minute. (cooking longer can cause dry cookies.) Take off heat. Stir in the peanut butter, oats and vanilla and drop onto wax/foil paper. Let cool until set.


Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Girl Scout Thin Mints

Oh Be still my heart. When my friend sent me this recipe to try it seemed too good to be true. The truth? After getting over all the angels singing... my mouth was very very happy.

Girl Scout Thin Mints


2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
6 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1/3 cup milk (any kind)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp peppermint extract

In a small bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, cocoa powder and salt.
In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar. With the mixer on low speed, add in the milk and the extracts. Mixture will look curdled. Gradually, add in the flour mixture until fully incorporated.
Shape dough into two logs, about 1 1/2 inches (or about 4 cm) in diameter, wrap in plastic wrap and freeze for at least 1-2 hours, until dough is very firm.
Preheat oven to 375F.
Slice dough into rounds not more than 1/4 inch thick - if they are too thick, they will not be as crisp - and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Cookies will not spread very much, so you can put them quite close together.
Bake for 13-15 minutes, until cookies are firm at the edges. Cool cookies completely on a wire rack before dipping in chocolate.

Dark Chocolate Coating
10-oz dark or semisweet chocolate
1/2 cup butter, room temperature

In a microwave safe bowl, combine chocolate and butter. Melt on high power in the microwave, stirring every 45-60 seconds, until chocolate is smooth. Chocolate should have a consistency somewhere between chocolate syrup and fudge for a thin coating.
Dip each cookie in melted chocolate, turn with a fork to coat, then transfer to a piece of parchment paper or wax paper to set up for at least 30 minutes, or until chocolate is cool and firm.
Reheat chocolate as needed to keep it smooth and easy to dip into.

Makes 3 1/2-4 dozen cookies.