Mocha Truffles

You’ll love these easy to prepare mocha truffles, chocolate covered creamy treats that are perfect for eating or gift giving! Recipe makes 5 dozen!You'll love these easy to prepare mocha truffles, chocolate covered creamy treats that are perfect for eating or gift giving!
I LOVE to make truffles for our family and friends to enjoy any old time of the year. One of my “traditions” is to make Mocha Truffles each year at Christmas time, along with a couple other kinds of truffles.

I found this amazingly simple truffle recipe in one of my old “Taste of Home” magazines almost 20 years ago. They taste wonderful, and are surprisingly easy to make.

I’ve made good old mocha truffles countless times over the years, and they always are a big hit! Here’s how to make them.

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Do You Enjoy Truffles Or Bon Bons?

Do you enjoy truffles or bon bons? We sure do, and I try to make a new flavor every year at Christmas!

You can find all of my truffle and bon bon recipes in the Recipe Index at the top of the page. A few favorites include chocolate orange truffles, peanut butter bon bons, and maple cream bon bons.

Mocha truffles are some of my absolute favorite decadent treats! The rich chocolate and coffee flavor combination is the reason I have made these truffles so many times over the years.

They are so good, and so creamy… sigh. If only they were calorie-free! Oh well, it’s a good thing they are so DELICIOUS!

Close up photo of a few of the mocha truffles.
 

Even though I don’t have photos of the “process” for making these truffles, it is a fairly simple process. Creamy chocolate mocha filling is mixed, shaped into balls, refrigerated, then dipped into chocolate to cover. That’s basically it! Anyone can make mocha truffles… really!

I hope you will give these mocha truffles a try. They are great ANY time of the year, and are a wonderful “sweet” gift to give a friend or colleague. Trust me. Have a wonderful day!

Looking For More CHRISTMAS GOODIES?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have lots of recipes for yummy treats, especially Christmas Goodies, including:

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Original recipe source: Stacy Abell, via Taste of Home Magazine, Dec./Jan. 1995 issue, pg. 25
 

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes
Mocha Truffles
Prep Time
2 hrs
Cook Time
0 mins
Total Time
2 hrs
 
You'll love these easy to prepare mocha truffles, chocolate covered creamy treats that are perfect for eating or gift giving! Recipe makes 5 dozen!
Category: Candy, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: mocha truffles
Servings: 60 truffles (approx.)
Calories Per Serving: 122 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 2 packages (12 oz. each) semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
  • 3 Tablespoons instant coffee granules
  • 2 teaspoon water
  • 1 lb. dark chocolate confectionery coating * (see note at end of recipe)
  • White confectionery coating for decorative "drizzle" (Optional)
Instructions
  1. To make the truffles: Melt the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl (or in a double boiler). Add cream cheese, coffee granules and water to the chocolate and mix well. Cover bowl and refrigerate until chocolate is firm enough to shape.

  2. Shape the chilled chocolate mixture into 1 inch balls (Scoop chocolate out of bowl with spoon; use your hands to roll them-yes...it is a bit messy, but fun!). Place the chocolate balls onto a wax paper lined baking sheet, then refrigerate for 1-2 hours or until very firm.
  3. To make the chocolate coating: Melt the chocolate confectionery coating in a microwave-safe bowl or double boiler. Dip the truffles, one at a time in the chocolate to completely cover and then place covered truffle on waxed paper to let the chocolate harden. *I usually use a toothpick inserted into the chocolate ball to dip them. When dipped, I remove the toothpick and cover the hole where the toothpick was with additional chocolate. Once finished dipping and "drizzling" the truffles, let harden on waxed paper. Once hardened, I love to place them in individual mini-candy papers for a festive look! Keep the finished truffles refrigerated!
  4. **If desired, you can melt the white confectionery coating to decoratively "drizzle" over the truffles, or you can drizzle additional chocolate coating or sprinkles.
Recipe Notes

**Recipe creator says these truffles may be frozen for several months BEFORE dipping in chocolate. Thaw un-dipped truffles in the refrigerator before dipping.
**Chocolate or white confectionery coating can be found in the baking section of most grocery stores. Sometimes it is called "almond bark" or "candy coating". If you can't find it, a great substitute would be 1 cup semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips, plus 1 TBSP shortening, melted together (can double this amount). (I have done this...works like a charm!)

Nutrition Facts
Mocha Truffles
Amount Per Serving (1 truffle)
Calories 122 Calories from Fat 63
% Daily Value*
Fat 7g11%
Saturated Fat 5g31%
Cholesterol 4mg1%
Sodium 15mg1%
Potassium 78mg2%
Carbohydrates 11g4%
Sugar 9g10%
Vitamin A 55IU1%
Calcium 11mg1%
Iron 0.7mg4%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!You'll love these easy to prepare mocha truffles, chocolate covered creamy treats that are perfect for eating or gift giving! Recipe makes 5 dozen!

 

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Sky High Biscuits

Sky High Biscuits are made in 30 minutes, using a combination of whole wheat and all purpose flour. Yummy and easy on the budget!Sky High Biscuits are made in 30 minutes, using a combination of whole wheat and all purpose flour. Yummy and easy on the budget!

I was looking through a bunch of my old “taste of Home” magazines recently (I’ve kept them all), and came across this “ribbon-winning State Fair recipe” for sky high biscuits. I’ve been wanting to try it ever since, so this morning I made a batch for breakfast.

While the biscuits baked, I sat down, drank some hot coffee and read this Bible verse: “I trust in Your unfailing love. I will rejoice because You have rescued me. I will sing to the Lord because He has been so good to me.” (Psalm 13:5-6). PERFECT! I’ve experienced firsthand God’s unfailing love over the course of my life, and have been changed for the better because of it. I can easily lift my heart’s song to Him in thankful response to His unconditional love. It changes everything. And now…back to my regularly scheduled recipe… ♥

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Making Sky High Biscuits

If you’ve ever made biscuits before you will know that it is fairly easy to cut cold butter into flour, and other ingredients using a hand held pastry blender. You can also use a food processor, if that is easier. The dough is then rolled out, and the biscuit shapes are cut out before baking. It’s not hard at all to make homemade biscuits!

These are really tall, flaky, and delicious biscuits! The recipe as written includes a cup of whole wheat flour, but recipe reviews indicate that others have made them using only all-purpose flour and the results were just as fantastic! You can see from the dough photo below the chunks of cold butter that impart great flavor to the sky high biscuits. YUM.

A ball of dough ready to roll out to make sky high biscuits.

I will definitely make these again, and will try the recipe with only all-purpose flour and then compare the two tastes. This was a very easy recipe, and the sky high biscuits came together quickly.

Baked biscuits on a baking sheet.

It’s also an “easy on the budget” recipe AND from start to finish it took under 30 minutes to pull 12 gorgeous hot, sky high biscuits out of the oven!

Lots of buttery layers in these sky high biscuits!

Delicious With Jam OR Gravy!

I tried the biscuits with jam AND even tried a biscuit with gravy. Both passed the taste test! After that, I even wrapped a few up and put them in our freezer for another time we have a craving for good, homemade biscuits! I sure hope you will give them a try!

Biscuits topped with gravy, and other biscuits (on the left) topped with jam.

Hope you enjoy these tasty sky high biscuits! You might also enjoy my recipes for Southern buttermilk biscuits (they’re my “go to”), and Southern Bacon Gravy For Biscuits! These and ALL of my recipes can be found in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. Have a great day.

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do soIf you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:
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Author's signature

Recipe Source: Ruth Burrus, Taste of Home Magazine, June/July 2001 issue

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

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Sky High Biscuits
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
30 mins
 

Sky High Biscuits are made in 30 minutes, using a combination of whole wheat and all purpose flour. Yummy and easy on the budget!

Category: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Keyword: sky high biscuits
Servings: 12 biscuits
Calories Per Serving: 238 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup whole wheat flour (or can use all-purpose)
  • 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 4 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ¾ teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup COLD butter (1 1/2 cubes)
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup milk
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
  2. In a large bowl, mix together the flours, sugar, baking powder, cream of tartar and salt.
  3. Slice the butter into small chunks and cut it into the flour mixture with a pastry blender (or pulse several times in your food processor) until butter is about the size of a pea. If using a food processor, pour the mixture back into the large bowl once butter has been cut in.
  4. Mix the egg and milk together with a fork and stir in to the flour mixture only until dough is fully moistened.
  5. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and form into a ball. With a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the dough out to a 1 inch thickness. Brush any extra flour off the top of the dough, using a pastry brush. Cut with a biscuit cutter (mine was about 2 inches across). Roll up the extra dough, roll it out again and cut it into additional biscuits. You should have 12 biscuits when done (but that depends on the size of the biscuit cutter used).
  6. Place biscuits an inch apart on a greased baking sheet.
  7. Bake at 450 degrees for 10-15 minutes, or until golden brown on top. (Mine took 15)
  8. Remove biscuits to a wire rack.
  9. Serve with jam, gravy, honey...or whatever you like! These would be great breakfast sandwich biscuits, also. ENJOY!
Recipe Notes

Recipe Source: Ruth Burrus, Taste of Home Magazine, June/July 2001 issue

Nutrition Facts
Sky High Biscuits
Amount Per Serving (1 biscuit)
Calories 238 Calories from Fat 108
% Daily Value*
Fat 12g18%
Saturated Fat 7g44%
Cholesterol 46mg15%
Sodium 214mg9%
Potassium 245mg7%
Carbohydrates 26g9%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 3g3%
Protein 4g8%
Vitamin A 405IU8%
Calcium 100mg10%
Iron 1.5mg8%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Sky High Biscuits are made in 30 minutes, using a combination of whole wheat and all purpose flour. Yummy and easy on the budget!

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Kiwi Mango Sorbet

Five simple ingredients are the only ingredients needed to make absolutely delicious Kiwi Mango Sorbet! It’s a refreshing frozen treat on hot summer days!Five simple ingredients are the only ingredients needed to make absolutely delicious Kiwi Mango Sorbet! A refreshing frozen treat on hot summer days!

A couple of years ago I was fortunate enough to receive a Cuisinart ice cream maker. Guess what I did over summer vacation? Most of the summer I tried out a large variety of ice cream recipes, including this one for Kiwi Mango Sorbet.

I dubbed it my “Summer Ice Cream Experiment” and am slowly adding the various recipes I experimented with to this blog. It is almost Spring and I find myself longing for warm and clear summer nights, sitting out on our deck with family and friends. We really enjoy these nights when we can- talking, laughing and enjoying a dish of homemade ice cream or sorbet until late in the evening. What a simple pleasure, but so wonderful!

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Made A Slight “Tweak” To Another Recipe To Make Kiwi Mango Sorbet

This deliciously refreshing recipe originally was for mango sorbet, but I decided to tweak it slightly by using kiwis as the major component. Of course, I still threw in a fresh mango for good measure, and the sorbet results turned out even better than I had hoped for!

A bowl, with the kiwi mango sorbet in it.

Does It Take A Long Time To Make Kiwi Mango Sorbet?

The entire recipe from start to finish took about 35 minutes to make, and that’s not bad! Then I firmed the sorbet up some in our freezer before serving. This recipe makes a fairly small amount of kiwi mango sorbet, but it can be easily doubled or tripled!

An “inside” ice cream machine been a great addition to our home! (NO…I am not a spokeswoman for this company…I just love this product!) I know this recipe for kiwi mango sorbet would also work in any ice cream maker. This recipe could be doubled easily, for a larger ice cream freezer!

This is the ice cream maker I used to make the sorbet.Kiwi mango sorbet has great flavor, and truthfully is so easy to make with an indoor ice cream machine. Hope you enjoy this delicious frozen dessert! It’s really good! Have a great day.
 

Looking For More ICE CREAM Or SORBET Recipes?

You can find all of my ice cream or sorbet recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. A few of our favorites include:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do soIf you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

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Author's signature

Recipe adapted from: Cuisinart Instruction and Recipe Booklet

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes
Kiwi Mango Sorbet
Prep Time
35 mins
Cook Time
0 mins
Total Time
35 mins
 
Five simple ingredients are the only ingredients needed to make absolutely delicious Kiwi Mango Sorbet! A refreshing frozen treat on hot summer days!
Category: Ice Cream/Sorbet
Cuisine: American
Keyword: kiwi mango sorbet
Servings: 6 small servings
Calories Per Serving: 250 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 1 ripe but firm mango , peeled, pitted and cubed
  • 7 kiwis , peeled and cubed
  • 2/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup corn syrup
  • 6 Tablespoons fresh lemon or lime juice (I used lemon)
Instructions
  1. Place the mango and kiwi cubes, sugar, corn syrup and lemon juice in a food processor or blender that has been fitted with a metal blade. Pulse to chop the fruit up, then continue to process (or blend) until the mixture is thick and smooth. If necessary, use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the blender canister or work bowl.
  2. Pour fruit puree into freezer canister and freeze per manufacturer's instructions. Ready in about 25-30 minutes.
  3. I recommend putting the finished sorbet in a covered container in the freezer for a couple of hours to "ripen" and firm it up.
Recipe Notes

*This fruit puree can be made up to a day ahead. If making it this way, cover the bowl and keep refrigerated until ready to freeze. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts
Kiwi Mango Sorbet
Amount Per Serving (1 small serving)
Calories 250
% Daily Value*
Sodium 21mg1%
Potassium 392mg11%
Carbohydrates 64g21%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 57g63%
Protein 1g2%
Vitamin A 390IU8%
Vitamin C 114.3mg139%
Calcium 43mg4%
Iron 0.4mg2%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Five simple ingredients are the only ingredients needed to make absolutely delicious Kiwi Mango Sorbet! A refreshing frozen treat on hot summer days!

 

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Shredded Pork Smothered Burritos

You’ll love these amazing shredded pork smothered burritos, covered in a homemade red sauce. They taste just like you ordered them at a Mexican restaurant!You'll love these amazing shredded pork smothered burritos, covered in a homemade red sauce. They taste just like you ordered them at a Mexican restaurant!
I love Mexican food… it’s my FAVORITE! Recently my son and his girlfriend got me “hooked” on Shredded Pork Smothered Burritos at a local restaurant!  When I saw a recipe on Pinterest for a recipe that looked similar, I was determined to try and make them at home!

A few days ago I made them! I ended up merging 2 recipes together, added a few tweaks of my own – and let me tell you…they were fantastic! Our oldest son joined us for dinner and we all agreed these were absolutely “restaurant quality” burritos!

My cooking experiment was a bit time-consuming, because I also made a homemade mole sauce (an ingredient in the sauce) instead of going to the store and purchasing it. I made enough of both sauces used in this recipe (mole and red) to make another batch of these delicious burritos in the future. My time investment will pay off next time I make these…and there will definitely be a next time!

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Tips To Save Time When Making These Burritos

If you want to make this meal quicker and easier to prepare:

  • Buy a can of mole sauce in the Hispanic section of your grocery store.
  • Use shredded rotisserie chicken or leftover pork or shredded roast beef, and it will shave down your prep time, with the same great results!
  • Prepare the red sauce ahead of time, then these will be really quick to prepare! 

Making Homemade Red Sauce For Shredded Pork Smothered Burritos

Melt vegetable shortening in large pan on medium heat. Sprinkle in flour and continue whisking while the shortening and flour melt together and slightly begin to bubble. Add the mole sauce. Here is a link to my recipe: DIY Mexican Mole Sauce.

Making homemade mole sauce in large pan, to add to shredded pork smothered burritos.

Once the mole sauce has been incorporated, add the beef stock and whisk until sauce is smooth. Add in the rest of the spices and mix again. Whisk in the milk.

Beef stock and milk are added to mole sauce for shredded pork burritos. It cooks until thickened.

Mexican spices are added to mole sauce in large pan, for burritos.
 
Pour in the tomato sauce, tomato paste and the water. Whisk sauce until completely smooth; cover pot and let simmer for about an hour. Make sure to stir the sauce about every 10-15 minutes to make sure it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan. Reheat the sauce when you are ready to assemble the shredded pork smothered burritos.
 
Homemade red sauce for shredded pork smothered burritos is complete after adding tomato paste and sauce to pan.

To Cook the Pork (or Chicken) For Burritos

For the sake of this recipe, I am going to start with the assumption that you already have cooked pork (or chicken or roast beef). I cooked a pork roast recently and found it easy to use the leftover pieces for this recipe. I threw the pieces of pork back into a crock pot with a little bit of water and salsa and let it cook for a couple extra hours to be tender enough to shred.

If you don’t have leftovers, then plan ahead! Put a small seasoned pork roast or chicken breasts in a slow cooker with some water and salsa early in the morning. Let it cook…all day, in order to be “shred-able” when you are ready to build the burritos.

Seasoning The Shredded Pork

Saute the onions and peppers in a teaspoon of oil in a large skillet, then add the shredded meat, onions, peppers, taco seasoning, and 1/4 cup water. Cook over medium high heat until water has cooked away and meat is thoroughly seasoned.

Cooked pork and onions are shredded for burrito filling.

Add 3 ladles of the red sauce to the meat; mix well to combine. Stir in precooked rice. Heat to serving temp, then keep heat on low, while assembling the burritos.

Homemade red sauce is added to shredded pork burrito filling in skillet, to season.
Assemble The Shredded Pork Smothered Burritos

Preheat your oven’s broiler. (Make sure your plates are oven-proof– just sayin’). Warm the tortillas. Place a tortilla on each serving plate. Spread 2 heaping teaspoons of beans down the middle of each tortilla (don’t spread the beans all the way to the edges!).

Place 2-3 large spoonfuls of pork mixture on top of beans. Sprinkle with a bit of the cheese (not a lot – most of the cheese will go on top!) Roll the burrito up. Make the first fold shown in the photo below. Fold both side edges up; finish rolling forward, then carefully flip the burrito over, seam side down onto serving plate.

Flour tortilla is folded over the shredded pork filling.

Ladle red sauce over the top of burrito; sprinkle with a good amount of cheese. Place the ovenproof plate a few inches from the broiler and heat until cheese has melted. Carefully remove plate (remember it will be HOT!).

Shredded Pork Smothered Burrito is covered with red sauce, then grated cheddar and jack cheese before heating.

 Garnish And Then EAT!

Garnish the top of each of the shredded pork smothered burritos with shredded lettuce, dollops of guacamole and sour cream, and cilantro.

Shredded Pork Smothered Burritos are garnished with sour cream, guacamole, lettuce and cilantro for serving.

Serve (remember plates are hot) and ENJOY! These shredded pork smothered burritos are truly wonderful! They taste like they were ordered in a restaurant. The homemade red sauce tastes very authentic and awesome! It’s really worth the extra effort to make!

A look at the inside of shredded pork smothered burritos! YUM.
I really hope you enjoy these delicious shredded pork smothered burritos. Have a great day, and come back soon.

Looking for More MEXICAN FOOD Recipes?

You can find ALL my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have some delicious Mexican food recipes you’ll enjoy, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do soIf you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe! 

There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest:
The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram:
jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signature
 
Recipe adapted from: http: www.nutmegnanny.com/2013/05/03/smothered-burritos-tortilla-land-giveaway/
 
0 from 0 votes
Shredded Pork Smothered Burritos
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
3 mins
Total Time
33 mins
 
You'll love these amazing shredded pork smothered burritos, covered in a homemade red sauce. They taste just like you ordered them at a Mexican restaurant!
Category: Entree
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: shredded pork smothered burritos
Servings: 6 burritos
Calories Per Serving: 1012 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
For Homemade Red Sauce
  • 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
  • 3/4 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 Tablespoon mole sauce (heaping Tablespoon) (found in Hispanic section)
  • 4 cups beef stock
  • 2 Tablespoons chili powder
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon oregano
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4-1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 16 ounces tomato sauce (two 8 oz. cans)
  • 6 ounces tomato paste
  • 2 cups water
For Burritos
  • 3 cups precooked pork , shredded (can substitute shredded chicken or beef if you prefer)
  • 1 envelope taco seasoning
  • 1/2 medium onion , chopped
  • 1/2 green pepper , chopped
  • 1 1/2 cups cooked white rice
  • 16 oz. can spicy refried beans
  • 3 ladles prepared Red Sauce
  • 6 flour tortillas (burrito size)
  • 2 cups Pepper Jack cheese , grated
  • 2 cups Cheddar cheese , grated
  • 1/2 cup guacamole (for garnish)
  • 1/2 cup sour cream (for garnish)
  • 1/2 cup shredded lettuce (for garnish)
  • 1/4 cup Cilantro , chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
To Make Homemade Red Sauce:
  1. Melt vegetable shortening in large pan on medium heat. Sprinkle in flour and continue whisking while the shortening and flour melt together and slightly begin to bubble. Add the mole sauceOnce the mole sauce has been incorporated, add the beef stock and whisk until sauce is smooth. Add in the rest of the spices and mix again. Whisk in the milk.
  2. Pour in the tomato sauce, tomato paste and the water. Whisk sauce until completely smooth; cover pot and let simmer for about an hour. Make sure to stir the sauce about every 10-15 minutes to make sure it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan. Reheat the sauce when you are ready to assemble burritos.
For Burrito Filling:
  1. For sake of this recipe, I am going to start with the assumption that you already have pre-cooked pork (chicken or beef). If not, then throw a small seasoned pork roast, beef roast or chicken breasts in the crock pot with some water and salsa...and let it cook...all day, in order to be "shred-able".

  2. Saute the onions and peppers in a tsp. of oil in a large skillet, then add the shredded meat, onions, peppers, taco seasoning, and 1/4 cup water. Cook over medium high heat until water has cooked away and meat is thoroughly seasoned.
  3. Add 3 ladles of the red sauce to the meat; mix well to combine. Stir in precooked rice. Heat to serving temp, then keep heat on low, while assembling the burritos.
To Assemble Burritos:
  1. Preheat your oven's broiler. (Make sure your plates are oven-proof). Warm the tortillas. Place a tortilla on each serving plate. Spread 2 heaping teaspoons of beans down the middle of each tortilla (don't spread the beans all the way to the edges!). Place 2-3 large spoonfuls of pork mixture on top of beans. Sprinkle with a bit of the cheese (not a lot - most of the cheese will go on top!) Roll the burrito up. Make the first fold like this (see below), then fold both side edges up; finish rolling forward, then carefully flip the burrito over, seam side down onto serving plate.

  2. Ladle red sauce over the top of burrito and sprinkle with a good amount of cheese. Place the ovenproof plate a few inches from the broiler and heat until cheese has melted. Carefully remove plate (remember it will be HOT!).

  3. Garnish the top of burrito with shredded lettuce, dollops of guacamole and sour cream, and cilantro. Serve (remember plates are hot) and ENJOY!

Recipe Notes

NOTE: The estimated caloric calculation does not include the optional garnishes of sour cream, guacamole, shredded lettuce, and cilantro. NOTE: The prep time does not include time to cook/shred pork. 

Nutrition Facts
Shredded Pork Smothered Burritos
Amount Per Serving (1 burrito)
Calories 1012 Calories from Fat 477
% Daily Value*
Fat 53g82%
Saturated Fat 23g144%
Cholesterol 125mg42%
Sodium 3632mg158%
Potassium 1087mg31%
Carbohydrates 87g29%
Fiber 9g38%
Sugar 31g34%
Protein 48g96%
Vitamin A 3100IU62%
Vitamin C 24.9mg30%
Calcium 744mg74%
Iron 7.2mg40%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!You'll love these amazing shredded pork smothered burritos, covered in a homemade red sauce. They taste just like you ordered them at a Mexican restaurant!

 

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Spring Greens with Citrus Vinaigrette

You will enjoy this light and refreshing spring greens salad, with oranges, cranberries and feta, and a citrus vinaigrette dressing!You will enjoy this light and refreshing spring greens salad, with oranges, cranberries and feta, and a citrus vinaigrette dressing!
 
I am always on the lookout for new salad dressings and salad ideas, and recently found a recipe for a delicious sounding salad dressing, so I paired it along with some other ingredients to make Spring Greens with Citrus Vinaigrette!
 
You can use any type of fresh lettuces for this lovely salad, which makes it very convenient to prepare. With some flavorful additions and topped with an amazing orange citrus vinaigrette, this will be a tasty salad I’m sure you’ll enjoy! Here’s how to make it!
 
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I Love To Grow Lettuces And Other Spring Greens!

I love to grow vegetables and a few fruits in raised beds and containers in our backyard. Last year was a bumper crop for my Garden Of Eatin’ (as I like to call it!).
Our little beds produced tasty, leafy greens, including red leaf lettuce, romaine lettuce, rainbow chard, mustard greens, spinach, oakleaf lettuce, and kale.

By the time our lettuce beds are fully mature, my husband and I are eating salads with just about every meal. We are also giving away salad greens to our sons, neighbors and friends by the bagful! I feel so blessed to usually have “more than enough” to share with others.

Our backyard raised beds full of lettuces and spring greens.

A while ago I found a recipe for a salad dressing in one of my old “Taste of Home” magazines for an orange juice vinaigrette, and it really piqued my interest.

This interest led to me playing around with the recipe a bit. Eventually I came up with this delicious spring greens salad and dressing “recipe”.

Use Any Variety Spring Greens!

Basically you can use any types of spring lettuces available (romaine, iceberg, red leaf, bibb, etc.) and make a big salad with them.

Whether you grow them yourself or purchase them at the store or farmer’s market, there are so many different types of colorful lettuces available to choose from! Use your favorites!

Spring greens growing, to use in salad recipe.

For this particular salad, I like to pair it with a citrus based salad dressing, I add crumbled feta cheese, red onions, dried cranberries, and sliced almonds to the chilled spring greens. This really helps to kick up the colors and flavors a notch!

Then the spring greens are topped with beautiful juicy orange slices, and an amazing tasting citrus vinaigrette was drizzled over the top, to serve!

Make A Citrus Vinaigrette Dressing For The Spring Greens

This salad dressing is an easy to make “light and fresh” tasting vinaigrette. The orange flavor shines and compliments just about any green salad nicely! Making it is as simple as whisking the ingredients together… easy peasy!

The citrus vinaigrette, used to dress the salad.

Serve The Spring Greens With Citrus Vinaigrette

Place chilled salad greens in a serving bowl. Top with feta cheese, dried cranberries, red onion, sliced roasted almonds, and top with round orange slices.

To serve the Spring Greens With Citrus Vinaigrette, give the vinaigrette a quick stir, then drizzle over the chilled salad, using as much as you prefer. Toss ingredients until the vinaigrette has been distributed well, then serve!

This really is a refreshing and delicious spring greens salad, and we enjoyed it VERY much!  Hope you will give it a try, and trust you’ll enjoy it as much as we do!

Thanks for stopping by, and I invite you to come back soon for more family-friendly recipes. Take care, may God bless you, and have a wonderful day!

Looking For More SALAD Recipes?

You can find all of my salad recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have quite a few, including

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc..
Would you like to join our growing list of subscribers?

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Author's signatureRecipe adapted from: Kristin Bataille, Taste of Home Magazine, Feb/March 2012 Issue

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

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Spring Greens with Citrus Vinaigrette
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
0 mins
Total Time
15 mins
 
You will enjoy this light and refreshing spring greens salad, with oranges, cranberries and feta, bursting with fresh flavor from a citrus vinaigrette dressing!
Category: Salad
Cuisine: American
Keyword: spring greens
Servings: 4 servings
Calories Per Serving: 151 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
For the vinaigrette:
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 Tablespoons fresh squeezed orange juice
  • 1 Tablespoon white wine vinegar
  • 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon orange zest (approx.amount from 1 orange)
  • dash salt
  • dash pepper
For the salad:
  • 4 cups fresh spring greens (I used mixed variety and romaine)
  • 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
  • sliced red onion (to taste-I use 2 thin slices, chopped into smaller pieces)
  • 10-15 roasted almonds , sliced lengthwise
  • 1/4 cup dried cranberries
  • 1 small orange (cut from top to bottom all around the outside to remove peel and white "pith" completely). Once peeled, slice horizontally
Instructions
  1. Make vinaigrette: In a small bowl, whisk together the vinaigrette ingredients until fully blended. If making vinaigrette ahead of serving time, cover and chill until ready to use.
  2. Place chilled salad greens in serving bowl.
  3. Sprinkle salad greens with feta, red onion, sliced almonds,cranberries and top with orange slices. When ready to serve, whisk the vinaigrette well to mix, then drizzle over salad, and toss to coat. Enjoy!
Nutrition Facts
Spring Greens with Citrus Vinaigrette
Amount Per Serving (1 serving)
Calories 151 Calories from Fat 90
% Daily Value*
Fat 10g15%
Saturated Fat 2g13%
Cholesterol 8mg3%
Sodium 125mg5%
Potassium 162mg5%
Carbohydrates 13g4%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 9g10%
Protein 2g4%
Vitamin A 585IU12%
Vitamin C 31.6mg38%
Calcium 71mg7%
Iron 0.4mg2%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!You will enjoy this light and refreshing spring greens salad, with oranges, cranberries and feta, and a citrus vinaigrette dressing!

 

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DIY Mexican Mole Sauce

Learn how to make a traditional Mexican mole sauce (used to enhance a variety of Mexican food dishes), with a few common kitchen ingredients!Learn how to make a traditional Mexican mole sauce (used to enhance a variety of Mexican food dishes), with a few common kitchen ingredients!
I must admit, I had no clue what Mexican mole sauce was when I saw it listed in the ingredient list for a recipe I tried recently for Shredded Pork Smothered Burritos (amazing!). The recipe included a homemade red sauce that included mole (NOT the animal!) as one of the ingredients.

Hmm… I had heard of mole sauce and knew it had cocoa in it. I’d seen it listed as an ingredient in Mexican recipes, but had never made it. My husband LOVES the chicken mole enchiladas at our local Mexican restaurant. This deep dark Mexican mole sauce always looks amazing!

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What IS Mexican Mole Sauce?

Here’s how Wikipedia defined it: “Mole: (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈmole]; Spanish, from Nahuatl mōlli, “sauce”) is the generic name for a number of sauces originally used in Mexican cuisine, as well as for dishes based on these sauces. Outside of Mexico, it often refers specifically to mole poblano.”

I looked up WHAT it was, AFTER I made the Mexican mole sauce. I figured since I already had the ingredients, I could make it quicker and cheaper than getting in my car, driving to the grocery store and buying a can of pre-made sauce.

Cooking the homemade mole sauce in a large skillet.

I was right. Since the recipe I was making (for the red enchilada sauce) only called for a small amount of mole, I now have the leftover sauce in my freezer, waiting to be used again. Perfect! So in case you ever need to know how to make a quick Mexican mole sauce, here ya go. Enjoy! Have a great day.

Looking For More HOMEMADE SAUCE Recipes?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have a variety of sauce recipes you might want to check out, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do soIf you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!

There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:
Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signature

Recipe Source: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Mexican-Mole-Sauce/

0 from 0 votes
DIY Mexican Mole Sauce
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
15 mins
 
Learn how to make a traditional Mexican mole sauce (used to enhance a variety of Mexican food dishes), with a few common kitchen ingredients!
Category: Sauce
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: Mexican mole sauce
Servings: 5 (1¼ cups TOTAL)
Calories Per Serving: 64 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
  • 1 Tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried cilantro
  • 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder (or dried minced garlic)
  • 10.75 ounces condensed tomato soup (1 regular sized can)
  • 4 ounces chopped green chiles (1 small can)
Instructions
  1. Heat oil in skillet. Add onion and cook till tender (a couple minutes).
  2. Add the remaining ingredients; bring to a boil and reduce heat to low. Cover skillet and simmer for 10 minutes.

  3. That's it! Enjoy!
Nutrition Facts
DIY Mexican Mole Sauce
Amount Per Serving (1 (¼ cup serving))
Calories 64 Calories from Fat 18
% Daily Value*
Fat 2g3%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Sodium 313mg14%
Potassium 390mg11%
Carbohydrates 11g4%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 5g6%
Protein 1g2%
Vitamin A 260IU5%
Vitamin C 15.9mg19%
Calcium 20mg2%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Learn how to make a traditional Mexican mole sauce (used to enhance a variety of Mexican food dishes), with a few common kitchen ingredients!

 

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Starbucks Lemon Loaf

You’re gonna LOVE this copycat version of the famous Starbucks lemon loaf, bursting with flavor! It’s EASY to make it yourself (8 slices) and save money!You're gonna LOVE this copycat version of the famous Starbucks lemon loaf, bursting with flavor! It's EASY to make it yourself (8 slices) and save money!

Here’s another great “Copycat” recipe of a very popular item at the famous coffeehouse. I made this Starbucks Lemon Loaf last week after finding it in one of my cookbooks.

Seriously, folks…this Starbucks lemon loaf is so very easy to make, in the comfort of your own kitchen! Wonderfully delicious and full of bright, lemony goodness, I highly recommend this tasty treat! Grab a cup of coffee from your own coffeemaker and make this Starbucks lemon loaf, with a glazed lemon icing on top…stat!

Why not go crazy? Invite a few hundred friends to come lounge around on your chairs and couches with their laptops and smartphones while you eat this delicious treat! Then you will at least THINK you’re at that coffeehouse, spending a lot more of your hard earned cash for this Starbucks lemon bread than it costs to make!

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A slice of Starbucks lemon loaf (copycat version), with the rest of the loaf behind it.
Making Starbucks Lemon Loaf At Home Will Save You Money

Just think, if you bought 8 slices of this Starbucks lemon loaf at the local “famous coffee place”, it would cost you around $24 dollars. Let me assure you that you can make 8 slices of this delicious Starbucks Lemon Loaf in a very short amount of time, for a fraction of that price!

The whole Starbucks lemon loaf, with lemon icing dripping off sides.

This recipe for Starbucks Lemon Loaf freezes well, too. That will also help to save you some of your hard-earned money in the long term!

If you wrap the Starbucks lemon loaf slices very well, place in airtight bags in freezer, you can enjoy a piece whenever you want, by simply thawing it out!  *And there you have it- my money-saving tip for the day, folks!

Slices of Starbucks lemon loaf, with glazed lemon icing on top.Interested In Other Sweetened Bread Recipes For Breakfast?

If you enjoy loaves of sweet bread similar to this lemon loaf with lemon glaze, I am confident you will enjoy several of my other recipes. These include Starbucks Gingerbread (copycat recipe), Apple Cinnamon Bread, Carrot Zucchini Bread, or Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread, to name a few. YUM!

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. Have a great day, and try to make each moment count, in this day you’ve been given!

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do soIf you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe! 

There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest:
The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram:
jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signatureRecipe adapted from the book “Top Secret Recipes Unlocked”, by Todd Wilbur, pages 211-213, Published in 2009 by The Penguin Group

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

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Starbucks Lemon Loaf
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
45 mins
Total Time
55 mins
 
You're gonna LOVE this copycat version of the famous Starbucks lemon loaf, bursting with flavor! It's EASY to make it yourself (8 slices) and save money!
Category: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Starbucks lemon loaf
Servings: 8 slices
Calories Per Serving: 412 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
For the lemon loaf:
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons butter , softened
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon lemon extract
  • 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
For the lemon icing:
  • 1 cup plus 1 Tablespoon powdered sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons milk
  • 3/4 teaspoon lemon extract
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.

  3. In a separate bowl (or the base of a stand mixer), beat the eggs, sugar, butter, vanilla extract, lemon extract and lemon juice until thoroughly combined.

  4. Add the dry ingredients, a little at a time, to the egg mixture; beat till smooth. Add oil and mix well. Pour batter into a well-greased 8½" x 4½" loaf pan.

  5. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick (stuck in the middle of the loaf) comes out clean. Remove loaf from oven and cool completely on a wire rack. Remove loaf from pan when cooled.
  6. While loaf is cooling, make the icing: Combine icing ingredients in a small bowl. Mix on low with an electric mixer or whisk till all the lumps have disappeared. When the lemon loaf has cooled, frost the top of the loaf with the icing. Wait for the icing to "set up", then slice into 8 - 1 inch slices. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

Recipe adapted from the book "Top Secret Recipes Unlocked", by Todd Wilbur, pages 211-213, Published in 2009 by The Penguin Group

Nutrition Facts
Starbucks Lemon Loaf
Amount Per Serving (1 slice)
Calories 412 Calories from Fat 162
% Daily Value*
Fat 18g28%
Saturated Fat 13g81%
Cholesterol 69mg23%
Sodium 265mg12%
Potassium 88mg3%
Carbohydrates 59g20%
Sugar 40g44%
Protein 4g8%
Vitamin A 175IU4%
Vitamin C 4mg5%
Calcium 28mg3%
Iron 1.4mg8%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!You're gonna LOVE this copycat version of the famous Starbucks lemon loaf, bursting with flavor! It's EASY to make it yourself (8 slices) and save money!

 

 

 

 

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P.F. Chang’s Ginger Chicken With Broccoli

You’ll love PF Chang’s Ginger Chicken with Broccoli (a copycat recipe), with chicken breasts, broccoli, and an amazing Asian inspired stir fry sauce!You'll love PF Chang's Ginger Chicken with Broccoli (a copycat recipe), with chicken breasts, broccoli, and an amazing Asian inspired stir fry sauce!
Oh my goodness…this copycat recipe for PF Chang’s Ginger Chicken With Broccoli was so good! The Asian inspired ginger sauce tastes amazing with the broccoli and chicken breasts!

I found this recipe in one of my cookbooks called “More Of America’s Most Wanted Recipes” and decided to fix it for my husband and I last night for dinner. WOW! We both loved it! It’s a “copycat” recipe of a beloved PF Chang’s China Bistro entree.

The meal is described as “Chicken Served Cantonese-Style On A Bed Of Steamed Fresh Broccoli”. It sure sounded good to me, so into the ol’ kitchen I went yesterday afternoon to give it a test run.  YES! -this is an amazingly delicious entree! The flavors are phenomenal and the directions are very easy to follow. This will be a recipe we enjoy…often! Hope you like it, too! Here’s some picture to show how to make this great dish:

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How To Make PF Chang’s Ginger Chicken With Broccoli

Slice boneless, skinless chicken breasts into thin strips before being marinated.

Chicken breast slices, with knife on red cutting mat.

Mix up the very simple “marinade” for the chicken. The chicken will need to marinate in the refrigerator for for 3 hours. Plan ahead!

Marinade for P.F. Chang's ginger chicken, in metal bowl

Chicken breast slices for P.F. Chang's ginger chicken, marinading in metal bowl

Make The Delicious Asian Sauce

Make the simple Asian stir fry sauce for PF Chang’s ginger chicken, by blending ingredients together in a bowl. It’s so quick and easy! When done combining the ingredients, set the sauce aside until later.

Stir fry sauce for P.F. Chang's ginger chicken.

Drain the chicken breast slices after marinating.

Chicken pieces for P.F. Chang's ginger chicken drains after marinating.

Cooking The Chicken And the Broccoli

The chicken pieces are cooked in chicken broth mixture until they are 2/3 of the way done. Remove the chicken from the broth and drain on paper towels. Save the broth in the skillet.

Cooking boneless chicken breast slices in broth, for P.F. Chang's ginger chicken.

Cooked chicken, draining on paper towel.

Cook the broccoli florets in the reserved chicken broth.

Broccoli florets for P.F. chang's ginger chicken with broccoli are cooking in broth.

Preparing the Sauce

Cook minced garlic, green onions, and ginger in oil in a large skillet. Boy does it smell good while they are cooking! Add the Asian stir fry sauce to the skillet.

Garlic, green onions and ginger, cooking in skillet for P.F. Chang's ginger chicken.

Asian stir fry sauce for P.F. Chang's ginger chicken cooking in skillet.

Place the marinated chicken pieces  back into the skillet with the green onions and stir fry sauce. Cook the chicken for several minutes until it is fully cooked through.

Mix up the cornstarch mixture that will help to thicken the stir fry sauce for PF Chang’s ginger chicken and broccoli. Once fully mixed, add it into the skillet with the chicken and sauce. Stir until all the cornstarch slurry is fully blended with the stir fry sauce. The sauce will thicken as it cooks.

Mixing up cornstarch in measuring cup to make thickened sauce for P.F. Chang's ginger chicken.

To Serve PF Chang’s Ginger Chicken with Broccoli

Once the sauce has thickened and is heated through, PF Chang’s Ginger Chicken and the sauce are ready to be served. Arrange the cooked broccoli in a ring around the outside of a serving dish. The steaming hot ginger chicken and sauce is then piled into the middle. Serve this delicious dish up, and enjoy!

P.F. Chang's Ginger Chicken With Broccoli, on serving platter.

Here is my version of PF Chang’s Ginger Chicken with Broccoli, served steaming hot, on top of a bed of white rice. It is DELICIOUS!

P.F. Chang's Ginger chicken and broccoli are served on top of white rice.

Hope you will give this recipe for PF Chang’s Ginger Chicken with Broccoli a try! It tastes fantastic!  Have a great day, and please come back again soon.

Looking For More Asian Inspired Chicken Recipes?

You can find many more chicken recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. A few Asian inspired chicken recipes are there, including these favorites:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do soIf you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest:
The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram:
jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signatureRecipe Adapted from the book: “More of America’s Most Wanted Recipes”, by Ron Douglas, page 215 (published 2010)

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

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PF Chang's Ginger Chicken With Broccoli
Prep Time
3 hrs
Cook Time
25 mins
Total Time
3 hrs 25 mins
 

You'll love PF Chang's Ginger Chicken with Broccoli (a copycat recipe), with chicken breasts, broccoli, and an amazing Asian inspired stir fry sauce!

Category: Entree
Cuisine: Asian
Keyword: P.F. Chang's ginger chicken
Servings: 4 servings
Calories Per Serving: 377 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
For the Chicken:
  • 2 large eggs , beaten
  • 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
  • 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 large boneless , skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced
For the Stir-Fry Sauce:
  • 1/2 cup soy sauce
  • 2 Tablespoons rice wine vinegar
  • 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth
For the rest of the recipe:
  • 3 cups chicken broth
  • 8 oz. fresh broccoli florets
  • 3 Tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 2 Tablespoons minced , peeled fresh ginger
  • 2 Tablespoons minced green onion (green and white parts)
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1/4 cup cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil (found in Asian section of most grocery stores)
  • Steamed rice , for serving
Instructions
  1. At least 3 hours ahead of serving time: Marinate the chicken: Combine the eggs, cornstarch, salt, pepper, and vegetable oil in a bowl. Add the chicken slices; mix well to coat. Cover the dish and refrigerate the chicken for at least 3 hours. When ready to use, drain the chicken well (I used a sieve-dump the chicken in it over a bowl to drain...don't rinse...just drain as much of the slimy egg mixture as you can off of the chicken).
  2. Combine the ingredients for the stir-fry sauce, cover and set aside until ready to use. Sauce can be made ahead.
  3. Place the 3 cups of chicken broth in a large skillet (or wok); bring to a rolling boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to simmer. Add the well-drained pieces of marinated chicken to the broth; cook until chicken is almost done (about 3/4 of the way done - just a couple minutes). Before the chicken is cooked all the way through, remove the pieces from the pan using a slotted spoon, and drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Keep the chicken warm.
  4. After removing the chicken, but while the broth is still simmering, add the broccoli florets. Cook these until crisp-tender (just a few minutes!). Once done, remove the broccoli with a slotted spoon and arrange it on a serving platter in a ring. Keep the broccoli warm. Once you have removed the broccoli from the pan, discard the broth. Wipe the skillet clean with a paper towel and put it back on the stove top.
  5. Heat the skillet again and add 3 TBSP vegetable oil. Once oil is hot, add the ginger, green onion, and garlic... saute for just a few seconds. Add in the stir-fry sauce and simmer for a few minutes.
  6. Add the chicken slices back into the sauce; cook all the way through, approximately 3-4 minutes. In a small bowl, mix 1/4 cup cornstarch with 1/2 cup water until smooth. Add this mixture to the chicken and sauce in the skillet. Stir in the sesame oil. Simmer for a minute or two while the sauce thickens.
  7. Arrange the broccoli into a ring shape around the perimeter of serving platter. Once the sauce has thickened and is hot, pour the stir-fry into the center of the broccoli ring. Serve with steamed rice. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes

Please take note that the long prep time is inactive prep time. The length of prep time includes 3 hours of marinade time for the chicken.

Nutrition Facts
PF Chang's Ginger Chicken With Broccoli
Amount Per Serving (1 serving (without rice))
Calories 377 Calories from Fat 198
% Daily Value*
Fat 22g34%
Saturated Fat 15g94%
Cholesterol 118mg39%
Sodium 2078mg90%
Potassium 654mg19%
Carbohydrates 25g8%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 7g8%
Protein 19g38%
Vitamin A 520IU10%
Vitamin C 66.4mg80%
Calcium 58mg6%
Iron 2.1mg12%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!You'll love PF Chang's Ginger Chicken with Broccoli (a copycat recipe), with chicken breasts, broccoli, and an amazing Asian inspired stir fry sauce!

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No Knead Bread

No Knead Bread is an artisan loaf of bread, delicious, and “crisp on the outside, chewy on the inside”, with no kneading or much effort needed.
No Knead Bread is an artisan loaf of bread, delicious, "crisp on the outside, chewy on the inside", with no kneading or too much effort needed to make it.

No Knead Bread is crusty on the outside…and incredibly soft and perfect on the inside!  The best part is there are only a few ingredients and it is really EASY to make! Get it? You don’t NEED to KNEAD it., because it’s no knead bread!
 
A few years ago I found this recipe for no knead bread in an article in our newspaper’s Food Section. “Wow!”, I thought to myself… “I sure wish I could bake bread like THAT!” So I tried the recipe and the picture of the bread (above) is my very first effort! This bread is amazing!
 
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How I Found This Recipe For No Knead Bread

The article was originally published in the New York Times in 2006, then re-published in The Oregonian, March 13, 2007, which is where I found it.  Here’s a quote from the article about this recipe:
 
“Once mastered in it’s basic form, this bread recipe, originally published in the New York Times, is ripe for adaptation.  You can try different flours, though for best results, substitute whole-grain flour for no more than half of the white (and use even less rye flour, which tastes great, but is heavy).  Fold fresh herbs or olives into the dough as desired, or enjoy it as it is.”   -Leslie Cole
 
 
No-Knead Bread / The Grateful Girl Cooks!
This is one of the most delicious and easy recipes for no knead bread I’ve ever used. Really. It only takes a couple of minutes to mix up the ingredients;  you let it rest overnight (so plan ahead!), then the magic happens the next day! The best part is there is NO kneading…yay!

Make The Batter For The Bread The Day BEFORE Baking

You DO need to mix the dough up in a LARGE bowl THE DAY BEFORE you want to bake the bread, so PLAN AHEAD.  The mixture looks like just a shaggy mound of dough after combining the ingredients.
 
Once it has been mixed, cover the dough and bowl with plastic wrap. Leave it sitting out on your kitchen counter in a warm place (with no drafts) for 15-18 hours.
 

After a good night’s rest (15-18 hours), the dough will have dramatically increased in size, and its surface will be dotted with air bubbles. This is how you can tell the no knead bread dough is ready. Can you see the bubbles on the surface and how much it has risen in the bowl?

Getting The Bread Dough Ready To Bake

Turn the dough out on a lightly floured work surface; sprinkle dough with a little more flour; put some flour on your hands to keep dough from sticking to you, and fold the dough over on itself once or twice (that’s it!). Cover the dough loosely with plastic wrap and let dough rest another 15 minutes, Honestly, this dough must be really tired, because it rests so much.

Using just enough flour to keep dough from sticking to work surface or to your fingers, gently and quickly shape dough into a ball.  Generously dust a cotton kitchen towel (not terry cloth – it will stick like crazy!) with flour, wheat bran or cornmeal; put dough, seam side down on towel and dust the dough with more flour, bran or cornmeal.

Let The No Knead Bread Dough Rise Again

Cover with another kitchen towel and let rise for 2-3 hours (Can you believe how tired this dough is AGAIN?).  When it is ready, the no knead bread dough will be more than doubled in size and will not readily spring back when poked with a finger.

No-Knead Bread / The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Baking No Knead Bread

At least 30 minutes before the dough is ready, preheat your oven to 450 degrees.  Put a heavy, covered pot or dutch oven in the oven as it heats. (*Note: Use cast iron, enamel, Pyrex or ceramic – anywhere from 3.5 quarts. to 6-8 quarts.) 

When the dough is ready, carefully remove covered pot from oven (remember, the covered pot will be blazin’ HOT).  Slide your hands under the dish towel, take aim, and turn dough over into pot, seam side up; it may look like a mess, but that’s OK. Some of the dough may even stick to the dish towel. Don’t freak out. Just get as much of that dough ball into the pan as you can, as quickly as you can.

NOTE:**(Cleaning the tea towel up if the dough sticks a bit is really the “hardest” thing about the entire recipe…Just soak it to get some of the dough off, then throw it in the washing machine. I know this from personal experience! ☺)

Shake the pan once or twice if dough is unequally distributed; it will straighten out as it bakes. Trust me. I’m a grown-up.  Cover with the lid and bake for 30 minutes, then remove the lid and bake for another 15-30 minutes, or until loaf is nicely browned. (Keep an eye on it…mine usually takes about 15 minutes).

Look At The Finished Loaf Of No Knead Bread!

Remove the bread from the oven, and transfer it from the hot pan to a wire rack. Let the bread cool a bit before attempting to slice. You can also use a pastry brush to brush off a little of the flour that might still be on the top of the loaf (but is not necessary).

Loaf of no knead bread cooling on wire rack

After the bread has cooled down a bit, use a serrated knife to cut the loaf into slices. Here’s a peek at the inside of the no knead bread loaf!

No-Knead Bread / the Grateful Girl Cooks!

Enjoy. Seriously…grab a knife and slather some softened butter on a warm piece of this bread. Take a bite…a BIG bite. This bread will more than likely make your eyes roll back in your head, it’s so good! Have a great day, and please come back soon.

Looking For More BREAD Recipes?

You can find ALL my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have a nice variety of delicious bread recipes you might want to check out, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do soIf you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:
Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Have a blessed day!

Author's signature

Recipe Adapted from Jim Lahey, Sullivan Street Bakery, New York City

0 from 0 votes
No Knead Bread
Prep Time
2 hrs 30 mins
Cook Time
45 mins
Resting Time For Dough
15 hrs
Total Time
18 hrs 15 mins
 
No Knead Bread is an artisan loaf of bread, delicious, "crisp on the outside, chewy on the inside", with no kneading or too much effort needed to make it.
Category: Bread
Cuisine: American
Keyword: no knead bread
Servings: 10 slices (1 loaf)
Calories Per Serving: 257 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 3 Cups bread flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon instant yeast (such as Fleischmann's Rapid Rise Yeast) Note: Use INSTANT yeast!
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 1/2 Cups , plus 2 Tablespoons tepid (lukewarm) water
  • Cornmeal or wheat bran as needed (optional-I didn't need it)
Instructions
  1. In a large bowl combine flour, yeast and salt. Add the water and stir until blended; dough will be "shaggy" and very sticky. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rest at least 12 hours, preferably about 18 hours (I typically rest mine 15-18 hrs.- the longer the better!), at warm room temperature, about 70 degrees. After a good night's rest, the dough is ready and its surface is dotted with bubbles.

  2. Turn the dough out on a lightly floured work surface; sprinkle dough with a little more flour; put some flour on your hands to keep dough from sticking to you, and fold the dough over on itself once or twice (that's it!). Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let dough rest another 15 minutes.
  3. Using just enough flour to keep dough from sticking to work surface or to your fingers, gently and quickly shape dough into a ball. Generously dust a cotton kitchen towel (not terry cloth - it will stick like crazy!) with flour, wheat bran or cornmeal; put dough, seam side down on towel and dust the dough with more flour, bran or cornmeal. Cover with another kitchen towel and let rise for 2-3 hours. When it is ready, dough will be more than doubled in size and will not readily spring back when poked with a finger.
  4. At least 30 minutes before the dough is ready, preheat your oven to 450 degrees. Put a heavy, covered pot or dutch oven in the oven as it heats. (*Note: Use cast iron, enamel, Pyrex or ceramic - anywhere from 3.5 qts. to 6-8 qts.) When dough is ready, carefully remove covered pot from oven (remember, the covered pot will be blazin' HOT). Slide your hands under the dish towel, take aim, and turn dough over into pot, seam side up; it may look like a mess, but that's OK. Some of the dough may even stick to the dish towel...don't freak out. Just get as much of that dough ball into the pan as you can, as quickly as you can.
  5. Shake pan once or twice if dough is unequally distributed; it will straighten out as it bakes. Cover with the lid and bake for 30 minutes, then remove the lid and bake for another 15-30 minutes, or until loaf is nicely browned. (Keep an eye on it...mine usually takes about 15 minutes). Cool the bread on a wire rack.

Recipe Notes

Prep time does NOT include overnight resting of the dough time. Tip: I find that if I start the recipe in the late morning and let it rest overnight (we all need a good night's "rest", don't we?), I can get up the next morning and continue the process. With additional "resting times" for the dough, it can be ready for dinner.
Cleaning the tea towel up if the dough sticks a bit is really the "hardest" thing about the entire recipe...Just soak it to get some of the dough off, then throw it in the washing machine. I know this from personal experience! ☺

Nutrition Facts
No Knead Bread
Amount Per Serving (1 slice)
Calories 257 Calories from Fat 9
% Daily Value*
Fat 1g2%
Sodium 582mg25%
Potassium 70mg2%
Carbohydrates 51g17%
Fiber 1g4%
Protein 8g16%
Calcium 11mg1%
Iron 0.6mg3%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!No Knead Bread is an artisan loaf of bread, delicious, "crisp on the outside, chewy on the inside", with no kneading or too much effort needed to make it.

 

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Copycat Applebee’s Oriental Chicken Salad

Make a copycat version of Applebee’s Oriental Chicken Salad in the comfort of your own home. You’ll love this delicious main course salad!Copycat Applebee's Oriental Chicken Salad / The Grateful Girl Cooks!Applebee’s Restaurant describes their signature salad as “Crisp Oriental greens topped with chunks of crunchy Chicken Fingers, toasted almonds and crispy rice noodles, tossed in a light Oriental vinaigrette”.

Over the years I have enjoyed finding “copycat” recipes from restaurants and then challenging myself to see if I can duplicate the same thing at home. I have found that sometimes you can make the recipe for half the price of what a restaurant charges. This copycat recipe for Applebee’s Oriental Chicken Salad is a definite keeper! It’s so good, and I have made it countless times!

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

How I Got This Recipe

I love the “Top Secret Recipe” cookbook series, by Todd Wilbur. My sons gave me a couple of his books for Mother’s Day years ago. I’ve bought a couple of others, and they are wonderful. Basically, the author tries to identify what ingredients are in a restaurants food (he orders it, then “dissects” it in his lab to determine the ingredients.

Then he experiments to re-create the recipe until it is as close to the original as he can get. I love this because HE does all the dirty work, and I benefit from his efforts. Awesome! It works for me (heh heh heh)!

Making The Salad Is Fairly Simple

I have never taken a lot of photos of making this salad, unlike my other recipes. But the salad is fairly easy to make. An Asian-inspired salad dressing is whisked together, chicken is breaded, fried and cut into pieces, and the green salad is assembled, then topped with the chicken and the salad dressing..

Copycat Applebee's Oriental Chicken Salad / The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Making the delicious Asian-inspired salad dressing is easy!
Copycat Applebee's Oriental Chicken Salad / The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Cooking the chicken… easy!
Copycat Applebee's Oriental Chicken Salad / The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Grab a fork and dig in… you will LOVE the flavors in this salad!

I’ve Made This Applebee’s Oriental Chicken Salad SO MANY Times

This is a salad I have made MANY times over the past 15 years. I’ve made it for my husband and I, AND for as many as 25 hungry co-workers at a staff retreat, all with great results and compliments each time. Honestly, this entree salad is fairly easy to make. It just takes a bit of time to do the “prep” work. My tip: Do the prep work early, then after school or work, cook the chicken and throw it all together. Boom!

I hope you like it!  If you want to serve 4 with this recipe, just split all the ingredients into 4 smaller sized servings (including the chicken… just cut it into chunks and divide it on 4 salads!) We love this filling salad’s great flavor, and think you will, too! Enjoy!

Looking For More MAIN DISH SALAD Recipes?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have some delicious entree salads you’ll enjoy, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do soIf you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:
Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signatureRecipe Source: The book “Top Secret Restaurant Recipes”, by Todd Wilbur, published 1997, by The Penguin Group, pages 31-32

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes
Copycat Applebee's Oriental Chicken Salad
Prep Time
25 mins
Cook Time
5 mins
Total Time
30 mins
 

Make a copycat version of Applebee's Oriental Chicken Salad in the comfort of your own home. You'll love this delicious main course salad!

Category: Salad or Main Dish
Cuisine: Asian
Keyword: oriental chicken salad
Servings: 2 large servings
Calories Per Serving: 1431 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
For the Oriental Dressing:
  • 6 Tablespoons honey
  • 3 Tablespoons white vinegar
  • 8 teaspoons mayonnaise
  • 2 Tablespoons Grey Poupon Dijon mustard
  • 1/4 teaspoons sesame oil (find this in the Asian food section of the grocery store)
For the Chicken:
  • 1 cup vegetable oil , for frying (you want the skillet to have about 1/2 inch deep of oil)
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs (or you can substitute crushed cornflake crumbs)
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
  • 2 (3 oz.) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
For the salad:
  • 6 cups chopped romaine lettuce
  • 2 cups chopped purple cabbage
  • 2 cups chopped napa cabbage
  • 1 carrot , julienned or shredded (I grated mine)
  • 2 green onions , sliced (use entire stalk-green and white parts)
  • 2 TBSP sliced , toasted almonds (saute them on low in dry skillet for 3-4 minutes to toast-stir to prevent burning)
  • 2/3 cup chow mein noodles
Instructions
  1. Prepare the salad dressing and chicken: Using a whisk or an electric mixer, blend together the dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate until it is well chilled and you are ready to serve the salad.
  2. Preheat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. The temperature of the oil should be around 350 degrees before cooking the chicken (an electric skillet or a temperature gauge is helpful to get the oil at the right heat). The right amount of heat is necessary for a crispy brown crust!
  3. In a small bowl, mix together the eggs and milk until well combined.
  4. In another bowl, mix the panko crumbs (or cornflake crumbs) with the flour, salt and pepper.
  5. Cut the chicken breasts into 4 or 5 long strips. Dip each chicken strip into the egg mixture first, then into the flour mixture, coating each piece completely. Carefully place chicken pieces into the hot skillet (remember, you preheated it, right?) Fry the chicken fingers for approximately 5 minutes, turning and cooking until the coating on all sides has darkened to a golden brown.
  6. Assemble the salad: Prepare the salad by tossing the romaine lettuce with the purple cabbage, napa cabbage and shredded carrot. Place on individual serving plates.
  7. Sprinkle the green onions on top of the lettuce mixture.
  8. Sprinkle the almonds over the salad, then the chow mein noodles.
  9. Cut the chicken into bite sized chunks (that's the authentic way)...sometimes (like in the picture) I just leave the strips on top and let everybody cut up their own...whatever- I'm usually in a big hurry to eat the salad, and don't want to bother cutting it all up into chunks!) Anyways...back to the recipe: Place even amounts of the chicken on top of each salad, placing the chicken in a pile in the middle. Serve the salad dressing on the side. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes

You can easily make this salad into 4 smaller sized portions. Just cut the chicken into chunks, divide the chicken chunks and salad into 4 portions, and you're good to go!
Recipe Source: The book "Top Secret Restaurant Recipes", by Todd Wilbur, published 1997, by The Penguin Group, pages 31-32)

Nutrition Facts
Copycat Applebee's Oriental Chicken Salad
Amount Per Serving (1 large salad)
Calories 1431 Calories from Fat 405
% Daily Value*
Fat 45g69%
Saturated Fat 22g138%
Cholesterol 232mg77%
Sodium 3612mg157%
Potassium 1657mg47%
Carbohydrates 204g68%
Fiber 15g63%
Sugar 70g78%
Protein 56g112%
Vitamin A 19190IU384%
Vitamin C 82mg99%
Calcium 423mg42%
Iron 11.4mg63%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Make a copycat version of Applebee's Oriental Chicken Salad in the comfort of your own home. You'll love this delicious main course salad!

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