A couple of months ago at work we had a potluck and a co-worker brought in this salad. This salad is pretty similar to a traditional salad but instead of lettuce this one contains cabbage. The thickness of the cabbage makes the salad crunchy and also helps keep the salad fresh for several days.
This has got to be my new favorite salad. Although the flavors are not necessarily strong, there is just something about this that I love. This lasted for three days in my fridge before it was gone and was fresh and delicious the entire time. I even think it would have been ok a day or so more. At first the noodles are crunchy but after sitting for a day they become soft and the salad tastes great either way. I strongly recommend trying this salad sometime soon. It was a hit at my Memorial Day cookout, even with the guys that do not typically like salad. This recipe is definitely a keeper! I am already craving it again.
Oriental Chicken Salad
Adapted from a recipe given to me by Sonya G., a co-worker
Salad Ingredients
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1 package Ramen noodles
1 small head cabbage, shredded*
1/3 cup carrots, julienned*
4 green onions, chopped
2 cups cooked chicken breast, diced
Dressing Ingredients
1/2 cup canola oil
2 tablespoons vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 seasoning packet from Ramen noodles
Directions
Toast sesame seeds and almonds in a 350 degree oven for 5-10 minutes; set aside to cool.
Place the cooled sesame seeds and almonds in a large bowl. Crumble the Ramen noodles into the bowl and add the cabbage, carrots, green onions, and chicken. In a small bowl mix together all of the dressing ingredients and stir well. Add the dressing to the salad ingredients and toss to coat.
*Time saving tip - Substitute two bags of cole slaw mix for the cabbage and carrots.
When I came across these amazing looking rice krispie treats in Annie's blog a few weeks ago I knew that I had to make them. I had a few friends over for a cookout this past weekend and thought that it would be the perfect time to make these treats.
These rice krispie treats take a few additional minutes to make than the originals but are totally worth the extra time. The oreos mixed in and the white chocolate on top really make these crunchy treats delicious. All of my guests really enjoyed these and I will definitely be making them again.
Cookies and Cream Rice Krispie Treats
As seen on: Annie's Eats originally from Cast Sugar
Ingredients
1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
4 tbsp. unsalted butter
10 oz. marshmallows
1 tsp. vanilla extract
6 cups Rice Krispies
20 Oreo cookies, coarsely chopped
4-6 oz. white chocolate, chopped
Finely chopped Oreos, for topping
Directions
Place bittersweet chocolate in a small microwave safe bowl. Microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until completely melted. Set aside. Grease a 9×13″ pan.
Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the marshmallows and stir until melted and well combined. Turn off heat and stir in the melted chocolate and the vanilla extract. Gently stir in the Rice Krispies and coarsely chopped Oreos, and mix to coat evenly. Press the mixture into the prepared pan, leveling the top. (I like to use a piece of plastic wrap over my fingers and press it down with my hand.) Allow to cool completely.
Once cooled, cut into squares. Place white chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, and stir until completely melted. Place the finely chopped Oreos in another bowl. Dip the top of each square into the white chocolate and then the finely chopped cookies. Set aside to cool and let the chocolate set completely. Store in an airtight container.
My best friend's birthday was the same day as my Dad's so I decided that while I was in the kitchen making the Reese's Cup Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake for my dad I would bake up some cupcakes for my friend. I wanted to make these funfetti cupcakes because I had made them before and really loved the flavor of them plus they are very festive for a birthday celebration.
This is one of the easiest and best tasting cake recipes I have ever made. Minimal ingredients and a few seconds of mixing and you have gorgeous cupcakes that are both beautiful and delicious. I used a basic buttercream frosting recipe and my favorite new icing tip. :)
Happy Birthday Stacy, I hope you enjoyed our fun day of bowling and your cupcakes.
I have to give props to my King Arthur Flour cupcake liners. They are really thick (greaseproof)and durable and absolutely adorable! I might have to order more just so I never run out.
Funfetti Cake
As seen on: Annie's Eats
Ingredients
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
3 large egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup rainbow sprinkles
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour the sides of two 5-inch round cake pans, and line the bottom of the pans with parchment paper.
2. In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir together and set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg whites to the bowl and beat until combined. Add in the vanilla and almond extracts and mix until incorporated. Mix in the dry ingredients in three additions, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix just until incorporated. Fold in the sprinkles with a spatula.
3. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean (about 30-40 minutes?) I baked my cupcakes for 20 minutes and they were perfect. Allow to cool in pans 10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely. Frost cooled cakes as desired.
Now that I have finally graduated college I am planning on spending more time in my favorite room of the house, the kitchen. To start things off I decided to bake a cake for my dad for his birthday. I have had this recipe on my list of things to make for the longest time and was glad that I finally got the chance to make it. The cake baked up tall and beautiful and the frosting whipped up nicely.
The cake was rich and moist and the frosting was shockingly good. It tasted like a creamy smooth whipped peanut butter. It was quite perfect and accented the richness of the cake perfectly. The chopped Reese's between the layers added extra deliciousness to the cake and the halved Reese's around the edge created the perfect touch to the outside of the cake.
As soon as I delivered this cake to my Dad he wanted to cut right into it and try a piece. I am glad he offered so that I could taste to determine if I liked it and wanted to make it again or not. I think I would make it again just for the peanut butter frosting, that was my favorite part.
Reese’s Cup Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake
As seen on: Annie's Eats
Ingredients
For the cake
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled (optional)
For decorating
1 ½ – 2 batches peanut butter frosting
Miniature Reese’s cups, halved and/or chopped
Directions
1. For the cake, center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350°. Butter two 9×2” round cake pans, dust the insides with flour, tap out the excess and line the bottoms with rounds of parchment paper. Place the pans on a baking sheet.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
3. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until soft and creamy. Add the sugar and beat for about 2 minutes, until thoroughly blended into the butter. Add the eggs and yolks one at a time, beating for one minute after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the vanilla. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk; add the dry ingredients in 3 additions and the buttermilk in 2 (beginning and ending with the dry ingredients). Mix each addition only until it is blended into the batter. Scrape down the bowl and add the melted chocolate, if using, folding it in with a spatula. Divide the batter between the prepared cake pans. 4. Bake for 26-30 minutes or until the cakes feel springy to the touch and start to pull away from the sides of the pans. Transfer to wire racks to cool for about 5 minutes, then run a knife around the sides of the cakes, unmold them and peel off the paper liners. Invert and cool to room temperature right side up.
5. To assemble the cake, place one cake layer on a cardboard circle covered in foil. Spread peanut butter frosting on top of the cake layer. (If desired, sprinkle with chopped Reese’s cups.) Place the second cake layer on top of the frosting. Frost the top and outside of the cake with remaining peanut butter frosting. Decorate with halved and chopped Reese’s cups as desired.
