Saucy Asian Meatballs

Printable Recipe

Saucy Asian Meatballs

Meatballs:
1 1/2 lb ground beef
1/2 lb ground pork
2 tsp sesame oil
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
3 tsp minced garlic
1/2 cup thinly-sliced green onions

Asian Sauce:
1 1/3 cup hoisin sauce
1/2 cup rice vinegar
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tsp sesame oil
2 tsp ground ginger

optional garnish: toasted sesame seeds and sliced green onions

Preheat oven to 400. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray. In a large bowl, mix together meatball ingredients until well-combined. Shape into 1 inch meatballs and place on  prepared baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking time.

In a large skillet, combine all ingredients for the sauce. Heat through. Pour the sauce over the cooked meatballs. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and green onions. Serve as an appetizer or serve as a main dish over rice.

Serves 8

Recipe adapted from Gimme Some Oven

Past Recipes:
One year ago: Avalanche Bars
Two years ago: Chicken Enchiladas with Roasted Tomatillo Salsa
Three years ago: Chicken with Italian Dressing

M&M Coconut Blondies

I made these yummy bars for Valentine's Day but you could make them any time. Just use different colored M&Ms and they're perfect for any time of the year.

Printable Recipe

M&M Coconut Blondies
10 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups sweetened flaked coconut
1 1/4 cups M&Ms
extra M&Ms

Preheat oven to 350. Line an 8x8 baking dish with foil and spray with cooking spray.

Heat butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until it browns and starts to smell nutty. (Do not let it burn.) Let the butter cool until just barely warm.

In a large mixing bowl, combine browned butter and sugars. With a wooden spoon, stir in egg, vanilla, and salt. Stir in flour, coconut, and M&Ms until mixed well.

Pour the batter in prepared pan and smooth on top. Sprinkle additional M&Ms on top. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Let cool before cutting into squares.

Makes 16 bars

Recipe adapted from Six Sisters' Stuff

Past Recipes:
One year ago: Red Velvet Brownies with White Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
Two years ago: Sesame-Grilled Asparagus Rafts
Three years ago: Crock Pot Chicken

Kung Pao Chicken

My family loved this recipe. It had a little bit of a kick to it but it wasn't too spicy. If you want more heat add more crushed red pepper but this was the perfect amount of heat for my kids. The only complaint I had is there weren't any leftovers. Maybe next time I'll double it.

Printable Recipe

Kung Pao Chicken
1 1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
1 Tbsp cornstarch
2 tsp sesame oil
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
4 green onions, chopped
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1-2 tsp fresh ginger, grated
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
3 Tbsp seasoned rice vinegar
3 Tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
1/2 cup roasted peanuts
cooked white rice

Combine chicken with cornstarch in a medium bowl and toss until evenly coated. Combine the vinegar, soy sauce, and sugar in another bowl and set aside.

Heat a large skillet or wok with sesame oil and vegetable oil over medium high heat. Once the pan is smoking hot add the chicken and stir fry for 5-6 minutes or until no longer pink inside. Remove chicken and set aside.

Add the green onions (leaving a few for garnish), garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes to the wok and stir fry for 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add the vinegar/soy sauce mixture to the pan along with the chicken and peanuts. Coat evenly with sauce and heat through. Serve over rice and top with remaining green onions.

Serves 4-6

Recipe adapted from For the Love of Cooking

Past Recipes:
One year ago: Chicken Tikka Masala
Two years ago: Lindt Truffle Chocolate Cupcakes
Three years ago: Chicken Roll-Ups

Mexican Chicken Lime Soup

My kids aren't usually big on soup but for some reason, they went nuts over this soup. They couldn't get enough! There are a lot of chicken tortilla soup recipes out there but this one is a little different because of the chipotle chiles. It gives it a unique flavor and it's so delicious!

Printable Recipe

Mexican Chicken Lime Soup
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 onion, finely chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
2-3 Tbsp canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, minced
6 cups chicken broth
2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
juice of 2 limes
salt and pepper to taste
1 avocado, thinly sliced
crushed tortilla chips

In a large pot, heat oil over medium  heat. Add chicken and season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes. Add onion and garlic and cook until tender and chicken is cooked through. Stir in chipotle chiles, then stir in the chicken broth and black beans. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in the cilantro and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Place avocado slices in each bowl and pour the soup on top. Top with crushed tortilla chips.

Serves 6

Recipe adapted from Rachael Ray

Past Recipes:
One year ago: Southwest Avocado Bean Dip
Two years ago: Andes Mint Brownies
Three years ago: Oven Fried Chicken