Chocolate Fondue

At work we celebrate all the birthdays in one given month, and this month was my assignment to do the "treats".  I have been thinking about chocolate covered strawberries and suddenly remembered the chocolate fondue from my "hay days" and went for it for the party.  I found a recipe online and it was easy, chocolately and creamy, so am passing it on.  You can have whatever you like for "dippers".  I had pretzels, almond biscotti, marshmallows, fresh pineapple, strawberries, raspberries, clementine sections, and bananas, but angel food wedges, pound cake, and whatever else you like is an option. I also added some sliced almonds, coconut and sprinkles for adding onto the chocolate.  It seemed like everyone liked it and it was a good conversation dessert.  We were so busy eating that we forgot the birthday song! 

Here is the fondue recipe:

in a heavy saucepan-medium sized, combine the following ingredients:
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 Tablespoons butter
1 (14 ounce sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated milk)
2 Tablespoons water

Over medium heat melt the above, then add 1 tsp vanilla. 

Serve warm..store leftovers in the fridge.  can be used over ice cream or cake also.

Mongolian Beef Noodle Bowl

One of my coworkers has a daughter who enjoys cooking a lot and sent this recipe to her to try because she liked it so much.  I finally tried it tonight and agree that it's as good as any takeout from a restaurant...very flavorful and pretty fast to bring together.  I makes a family sized portion, or lots of leftovers for lunches and you could substitute the beef for thin sliced chicken or pork and it would be just as good. 

Here is how I made it:

8 ounces of either rice noodles, pad thai noodles or bean thread noodles (I used the bean thread noodles because I had them).  Prepare per package directions. set aside

In a small bowl mix:
1/2 cup low sodium Tamari or soy sauce..I used half and half because I had both.
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup water
1/4 teaspoon red chili pepper flakes
and set aside.


Heat a wok or a large skillet with 1/2 Tablespoon of vegetable oil.  add fairly small portions of
1 lb of stir fry meat, or a flank steak sliced very thin against the grain, lightly salt and pepper and brown and remove from skillet. Then add 1/2 Tbsp more of oil and do more batches, until all is browned and a little underdone.  set aside.

Add 1/2 Tablespoon  of oil again and 5 green onions that have the green parts chopped into 2 inch pieces and the white parts into 1/2 inch pieces.  Then add 3 cups of coleslaw mix and stir until cabbage is starting to wilt.  Add 3 minced garlic cloves and about 1/4 tsp powdered ginger or 1/2 tsp freshly grated ginger.  Stir fry another 30 seconds. 

Add the prepared sauce, meat and prepared noodles.  I cut mine a little for easier eating, but not too small.  sprinkle a little more chopped green onion on top for a garnish or even crushed peanuts would be good.

Porcupine Meatballs

Joe requested I make porcupine meatballs for supper tonight and I was glad for the suggestion.  I had a pound of hamburger thawed and sort of in a dead zone in my mind what to make with it.  I found this recipe a lot of people liked and just changed it by adding an egg as some people said they kind of fell apart for them.  Don't overcook them..the sauce will all disappear and that is good with the potatoes..(I made mashed potatoes and peas and carrots and some segmented grapefruit to go with them)  Here is the recipe: I will definitely made them again.

PORCUPINE MEATBALLS:
1/2 cup uncooked long grain rice (I used white)
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1 lb ground beef (I used lean)
1 egg

Mix these ingredients together.  In a large fry pan, heat 2 Tablespoons of canola or vegetable oil up on medium high.  Form the meat mix into 1-1/2 inch meatballs (I used a small cookie scoop).  The mixture will be wet, but the meatballs will be fine)..brown on one side and then flip them over with a Tablespoon carefully to the other side and brown lowering heat if too hot. 

In a medium sized bowl mix together the following ingredients:
1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
1 cup water
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

Pour over the meatballs and slowly simmer for 1 hour. 

Homemade Bird Treat

Dave cut out an article on making a homemade bird treat because he knows how I like to watch the birds outside my kitchen window and other critters that come to the feeder.  It was in the Minneapolis newspaper.  I decided to make it today, but only half a batch to see if they actually like it and it doesn't go to waste.  It's got a lot of kind of non-cheap ingredients.  It's in the freezer right now.  I froze my half batch in 3 takeout style coffee cups that filled them about half full and I'm going to cut slots down the sides once they freeze and punch holes in the top with a string to hang them on the feeder with.  I will post a picture once I've got one of them up.  Here's the recipe:

HOMEMADE BIRD TREAT:
(full recipe as written by the Star Tribune)

1 cup butter or lard-I used butter because I didn't have lard in the house
1 cup peanut butter
1-1/2 cups sunflower seeds-whole
1-1/2 cups chopped nuts-I used peanuts and broke them up
1-1/2 cups cornmeal
1-1/2 cups quick oats
1/2 cup sugar

Mix dry ingredients and set aside.  Melt shortening/butter and peanut butter together, stirring until combined.  Pour melted mix into dry mix and stir until combined.  Press into containers and freeze for 2 hours before filling feeders, then refreeze the rest.  (This is a deluxe mix, so you might want to portion it out slowly)