Amish White Bread

Oh my!!  This is the best bread.  I make some each week.  This bread is good for sandwiches but is so amazing toasted with butter, and it makes the best grilled cheese!  I hope you like this as much as I do!  This recipe is adapted from Bakerette.  I do use the instant yeast which does require the yeast to be activated at 120 - 130 degrees.

Ingredients

• 1 cup warm water (110 degrees F)
• 1 cup warm milk (110 degrees F)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast
• 5 1/2 to 6 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted

Instructions

1. In a large mixing bowl, mix together sugar, yeast, milk and water. Cover and allow the yeast to activate and foam for about 5 minutes.
2. Mix in salt and oil into the yeast.
3. Using an electric mixer with a dough hook, slowly add flour one cup at a time mixing well after each addition. Tip: Spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level off. Don't scoop or pack it in.
4. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for five minutes until dough is smooth and elastic or continue to use the mixer to knead the dough until smooth and elastic.
5. Place in a well-greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a lightly warmed place for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
6. Punch down the dough and divide into two equal pieces. Shape into loaves and place in 2 greased 9 x 5-inch loaf pans. Cover and allow to rise in a warm place for 30 mins or until dough has risen 1 inch above pans.
7. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from pans and with a pastry brush, lightly brush melted butter immediately after so the crust stays nice and soft.

Chow Mein

This is such a versatile, easy and tasty dish.  You are not tied to these vegetables, use what you have.  This is another great recipe from Ree Drummond.

Ingredients:

8 ounces of thin lo mein noodles
1 Tbsp oil
1 carrot, julienned
1/2 - 1 head napa cabbage, sliced thin
1/2 onion, sliced
1/4 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil (optional)
Sliced green onions for topping

Directions:
Cook noodles according to package directions.  Drain and set aside.

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the carrots, cabbage and onions and cook for 1 minute.  Add the chicken broth, soy sauce and sesame oil, then toss in the noodles.  Top with green onions.

Cream Cheese Wontons

This is an easy and delicious recipe.  You can keep them plain like this (they have a slight spice kick to them) or you can add other flavors to them.  You can fold them anyway you like.  I fold mine like a triangle, then pinch all corners together.  You can fry them but I bake them.  Thanks Ree Drummond for this recipe.

Ingredients:

8 ounces of softened cream cheese
1 Tbls Sriracha or other hot sauce (this amount does give it a kick - you may want to adjust for your tastes)
2 green onions, green parts only, chopped
Water
Wonton wrappers

Directions:

In a bowl mix Sriracha, green onions and cream cheese.  One at a time, assemble the wontons:  place about 1/2 tsp of mixture in the middle of the wrapper.  Use your finger to dip in water then "paint" the edge and seal together.  Fold as you wish.

Bake at 400 degrees for 7-9 minutes.  Watch for leaking of contents and overbrowning.

Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken

I just love good food that is easy to fix.  This is a great dish that is both.  The hardest part is to get all of the chicken fried up, which really isn't that hard.  This paired up with the Baked Wontons and Chow Mein are better than take out!  Hope you enjoy it!  Thanks Carlsbad Cravings for the recipe.

INGREDIENTS

• Chicken Breading
• 3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (1 ½ pounds), cut in bite-size pieces)**
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1 1/3 cup cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ginger powder
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 
  Sweet and Sour Sauce
• 1/2 cup pineapple juice (from 20 oz. pineapple tidbits can below)
• 1 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 ½ cups sugar
• 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons ketchup (6 tablespoons)
• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger powder
• 
  Vegetables/Pineapple
• 1 (20 oz) can pineapple tidbits
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 cup carrots, sliced as THIN as possible (2-3 carrots)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Add "Sweet and Sour Sauce" ingredients to a medium/large saucepan, stir and bring to a boil then reduce to a gentle simmer. Allow to simmer while you prepare the chicken and dice the vegetables, stirring occasionally (turn off if longer than 20 minutes). Note, the sauce will notthicken, simmering is to soften the onions and blend flavors.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
3. Whisk eggs together in a large bowl, set aside. Add ½ cup flour to a large freezer bag; set aside next to eggs. Whisk cornstarch, garlic powder, salt, pepper, ginger powder and onion powder in medium bowl; set aside next to flour.
4. Add chicken to eggs and coat, then remove, allowing excess to drip off, then add to freezer bag with flour. Toss until evenly coated then discard any extra flour. Add cornstarch/spices to the chicken in the freezer bag and shake until evenly coated.
5. Over high heat, heat enough oil (any kind) to generously cover the bottom of a large skillet until hot and rippling. Add chicken and cook 1-2 minutes per side, or until browned but not cooked through. (You may need to cook in 2 batches depending on size of your skillet). Transfer chicken to prepared 9x13 baking dish.
6. Add carrots pineapple and peppers to the sweet and sauce and mix until well combined. Pour sauce over chicken and stir until sauce/chicken/vegetables are evenly combined. Cook, uncovered for 50 minutes or until sauce, stirring occasionally.
7. Serve over rice.