Mix it Up! V

Orange Chicken
I found this recipe at Cheap Dinner Date . I know the sauce has a long list of ingredients, but it is very easy. The next time I make it, I will add a little less orange, as requested by my children. I think it's very flavorful.

2 lbs. of chicken, cut up
1 1/2 c. flour
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
2 eggs beaten
Sauce:
1 1/2 c. water
1/4 c. lemon juice
2 T. orange juice
1/3 c. rice vinegar
2 1/2 T. soy sauce
1 T. finely grated orange peel
1 c. brown sugar
1/2 t. ginger root
1/2 t. garlic
2 T. finely chopped green onion
1/4 t. red pepper flakes
3 T. cornstarch
1/4 c. water

Combine the flour, salt and pepper. Dip the chicken in the eggs, then in the flour mixture and fry in oil until it's cooked through. In a saucepan, combine the 1 1/2 cups water, lemon juice, orange juice, rice vinegar, and soy sauce. Stir and cook over medium heat for a few minutes. Stir in the brown sugar, orange peel, ginger, garlic and onion. Bring to a boil. In a separate bowl, combine the cornstarch and 1/4 cup water. Pour into sauce and stir until it thickens a little. Pour over the chicken.

Chicken Broccoli Penne Bake
Quick and easy! I didn't grill my chicken this time, but I have before and it makes it extra special.
8 oz. penne pasta, cooked
4 oz. alfredo sauce
3 oz. steamed broccoli
1 oz. diced tomato
2.5 oz grilled chicken breast
3 oz. mozzarella cheese
Shredded Parmesan Cheese

Preheat oven to 350°. Place cooked penne in individual oven baking dish with the penne pasta hot. Pour alfredo sauce evenly over the hot pasta. Place broccoli evenly on top of the alfredo sauce, followed by chicken, diced tomatoes and then mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle a pinch of shredded parmesan cheese over the entire entree. Bake at 350 degrees until cheese is completely melted and light brown, about 20 minutes.

Italian-Sauced Pasta Cake
I first made this when I was a newlywed from a cookbook from my parents. Sabrina won't eat pasta except in this and she eats a lot of it. I don't go by these measurements since we have to multiply it for us. My family prefers me to make individual servings on their plate and microwave them separately. Whatever works for you. The photo is before I microwaved it. 1 (7-oz.) pkg. uncooked angel hair pasta
3 T. oil, divided
1 clove garlic, minced
1 t. parsley flakes
1 c. spaghetti sauce
1 oz. sliced fully cooked pepperoni
1 c. shredded mozzarella

Prepare pasta as directed on package. Rinse and drain. Place pasta in large mixing bowl. Add 1 tablespoon oil. Toss to coat. Set aside. Heat remaining oil in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic, parsley and pasta, pressing into an even layer. Cook for about 4 to 5 minutes, or until golden brown. Invert onto 12-inch round serving plate browned side-up. Spread sauce over top of pasta cake to within 1 inch of edge. Arrange pepperoni evenly over sauce. Sprinkle with cheese. Microwave at 70% (MEDIUM-HIGH) for 6 to 8 minutes, or until pasta cake is hot and cheese is melted, rotating the plate twice. Serve in wedges.

Potato Spinach Soup
I didn’t make it with the cheese, but it was good without. I think it would be good with some mushrooms thrown in too. Or you could crumble a little bit of bacon on top. I mashed some of the potatoes with a potato masher.
1/4 c. butter
1 lg. onion
2 stalks celery, cut fine
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 c. flour
3 c. chicken broth or water
2 c. potatoes, cubed
2 t. salt
1 c. spinach, chopped
1/2 c. cream
Swiss cheese or parmesan cheese, grated

Melt butter in a pan. Add onions and celery. Cover and cook until tender, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and stir. Blend in flour, and add potatoes, water and salt. Stir constantly until boiling. Simmer 30 minutes. Add spinach cook 2 minutes. Then add cream and mix well. Top with grated cheese.

Raspberry Almond Bars
These are rich.
½ c. butter
1 pkg. white chips, divided
2 eggs
½ c. sugar
1 c. flour
1 t. almond extract
½ c. seedless raspberry jam
¼ c. sliced or chopped toasted almonds

Preheat oven to 325º. Grease a 9-inch-square baking pan (or a 7 x 11-inch pan).Melt butter in medium, microwave-safe bowl for 1 minute; stir. Add 1 cup white morsels. Do not stir. Beat eggs in large mixer bowl until foamy. Add sugar, beat until light lemon colored, about 5 minutes. Stir in morsel-butter mixture. Add flour, salt and almond extract; mix at low speed until combined. Spread 2/3 of batter (about 1 cup) into prepared pan. Bake for 15-17 minutes or until light golden brown around edges. Remove from oven to wire rack. Heat jam in small, microwave-safe bowl for 30 seconds, stir. Spread jam over warm crust. Stir remaining morsels into remaining batter. Drop spoonfuls of batter over jam. Sprinkle with almonds. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until edges are browned. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars.

Drop Brownies
These are super easy and fudgy. Just be careful not to overbake them. They don’t really look done at first, but they are. They often stick for me, so I use my silicone baking mat or I grease the cookie sheets very lightly even though the original recipe said to use ungreased cookie sheets.2 c. semisweet chocolate chips
1 (14-oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
½ c. butter
1 c. flour

Preheat oven to 350º. Combine first 3 ingredients in microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 2 minutes, stopping half-way through to stir. Then stir until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Stir in flour.

Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls 2-inches apart onto baking sheets. Bake for 7 minutes. Cookies will be soft. Cool on baking sheets 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.


Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

I couldn’t find the extra serving size crust at the store so I made it with a regular one and had quite a bit of extra filling. I have since found the right crust so I’ll try it again the right way, but it was still very good and simple. I ran out of time to try it with the chocolate topping, but that can only make it better, right? I used fat-free cream cheese and no one seemed to notice or complain while they were inhaling their dessert. I found the recipe at Blogger Buffet , where it looks like you can contribute recipes if you’d like.
3 (8-oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
3/4 c. sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 c. mini semisweet chips
1 extra serving size (9 oz.) graham cracker crust
2 T. whipping cream

Preheat oven to 450º. Beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl until well blended. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Stir in 1 2/3 c. chocolate chips; pour into crust. Bake 10 minutes. Without opening oven door, reduce temperature to 250; continue baking 30 minutes or just until set. Remove to wire rack. Cool completely. Cover and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled. Place remaining 1/3 c. chocolate chips and whipping cream in small bowl. Microwave on high 20 to 30 seconds or just until melted and mixture is smooth when stirred. Cool slightly and spread over top of cheesecake. Refrigerate 15 minutes or until topping is set.

Fudgy Raspberry Brownies
Wow!!!! These are so good I couldn’t stop eating them so I had to give the rest away quickly.
1 c. butter
4 (1-oz.) unsweetened chocolate squares or 1/2 c. semisweet chocolate chips
2 c. sugar
4 eggs
1 t. vanilla
1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 t. salt
1/2 c. seedless raspberry jam
Glaze:
1/4 c. heavy whipping cream
4 (1-oz.) semisweet chocolate baking squares

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease 9x13-inch baking pan. Place butter and chocolate in medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on HIGH (100% power) for 1 minute; stir. Microwave 30 seconds; stir until smooth; set aside.

Combine sugar, eggs and vanilla extract in large bowl. Beat at medium speed, until well mixed. Add melted chocolate mixture; continue beating until well mixed. Reduce speed to low; add flour and salt. Beat just until mixed. Spread batter into greased pan.

Stir jam until smooth. Drop tablespoonfuls of jam evenly over batter. Swirl jam through batter using knife. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until set and brownies begin to pull away from sides of pan. (DO NOT OVERBAKE.) Cool completely.

Place whipping cream in 1-quart saucepan. Cook over medium heat just until cream begins to boil (1 to 2 minutes). Add semisweet chocolate; remove from heat. Stir with wire whisk until smooth. Spread over brownies.