My Take on Orange Chicken

Have you ever gone to a Chinese restaurant and had something that you crave every time you go there or even think about Chinese food. I do! About 2 years ago I went to a local Chinese restaurant and absolutely feel in love with this dish! So, the other night I tried to come up with a easier and cheaper way to make it at home. So here it is..My take on Orange Chicken.






Orange Chicken
2 pounds boneless chicken pieces, skinned (i didn't use all of it, i saved some for another mean this week)
1 egg
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
White pepper
Oil (for frying)
1/2 cup cornstarch PLUS"PLUS" means this ingredient in addition to the one on the next line, often with divided uses
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 cup flour
1-2 tablespoon crushed red pepper (depending how spicy you like it)
1 tablespoon rice wine
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon sesame oil

The Sauce:
1 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoon water
5 tablespoons sugar
5 tablespoons white vinegar


Cut chicken pieces into 2-inch squares and place in large bowl. Stir in egg, salt, pepper and 1 tablespoon oil and mix well. Stir cornstarch and flour together. Add chicken pieces, stirring to coat. Heat oil for deep-frying in wok or deep-fryer to 375 degrees. Add chicken pieces, small batch at time, and fry 3 to 4 minutes or until golden and crisp. Remove chicken from oil and let it drain on paper towel. You may want to add grated zest of 1 orange to the sauce! It's not that hard, I just through it all together... and it didn't taste too bad. Work with it, but at the end it's all worth it!! I served with white rice as well. Yummy!! Enjoy!

4-5 servings

Mama Mast Potato Salad

This isn't your everyday Potato Salad. Here's what you do...

First, depending on how much potatoes you will be using hard boil your eggs. Good tip is to do them the day before and have them already cooled off. But its up to you.

Then boil your Potatoes, let them rest for about 1-2 hours till they cool off enough for you to handle, then peel the skin. Once you peel the skin, grate your Potatoes - I use a box grader.


Just be careful you don't grade your fingers and hand!



The eggs that you boiled either the day before or a few hours before cut them into pieces looking like this:



Then throw them with your already graded potatoes. Also, a good key is to make sure you do all of this all together, if you grade your potatoes way before hand they will start turning brown and that's not pretty for anyone to eat. If it does, its okay - still taste the same, just doesn't look the same.



And again, I hardly measure...but once all this is down than you add your salad dressing. It just has a different taste to it, again, you can use whatever you have in your frig. I also, add about 1/2 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar. But again, if you do not like that then don't add it.


This is a mustard free potato salad. Enjoy and tell me what you think.

Baked Potatoes, Carrots and Onions Side Dish

This is another side dish that I throw together it a hurry. Nothing special, just shows you that you can take another you have, through it together and presto..you got half your dinner!

Stuffed Pork

This is one of my favorite ways to stuff pork or chicken. It's the best!! Here are a few pictures when I used Pork instead of Chicken this time.







...Can't you tell it's my favorite with all the pictures that I take of it! lol...

Cookies!!

I just had to post these wonderful cookies that I make yesterday! Oh-man, and they were GOOOOOOOD! I have already posted the recipes before, so check them out and surprise your family with a "pre holiday treat" Baking cookies defiantly puts me in the Christmas mood! lol...now I just have to get through Thanksgiving first. hahaa

Beautiful Blooming Onion

This Beautiful Home style Blooming Onion was the best! This again, was something that I was playing with in my little coffee kitchen. I just love to mix up spices...a dash of this with a pinch of that and throw it together and have a ball!! lol..Well, kind of like that.



I took a large onion and cut not quite to the core. Make sure its all together and that you DO NOT cut through the onion. Then I dipped it in some organic butter milk (let it set for about 10-15 minutes). After soaking in butter milk, then toss it in your flour mixture. I use: flour, corn flour, paprika, salt and pepper. Make sure the whole onion is cover - check in between each layer as well. The key is to coat EVERYTHING. Then fry your onion - right side up. Make sure the layers are spread apart. (I use organic peanut oil - but you can use whatever you have in your pantry)

Then once it starts to float to the top its done. Take out - very carefully, and let it rest on a cooling rack (covered with paper towels) to soak up the remaining oil.

Throw Together Casserole

This was a all in one pot, Throw Together Casserole. And boy, was it just thrown together. lol..



This is what I added:
Pork, Peas, Onions, Carrots, Homemade Bread Crumbs, Cheese and of course...Salt and Pepper to taste

Rice Noddles w/Vegetables and Pork

Here is a fast dinner that I just whipped up in minutes. And really it was minutes. Quinn was on his way home from work and needed to leave again less than 45 minutes after for a meeting. So I didn't have much time. But it tasted very good to say the least. If I can do it...so you can you! Try it and let me know what you think.

This is what I used and did:

First thing is I boiled water and then soaked my rice noddles for about 7 minutes and then let them drain.

- Scramble eggs, I use organic as always, but you can use whatever you have. Set aside for later use.

- Cut and fry your pork, you can also you beef, chicken or shrimp
- Cut onions
- Peas
- Carrots and little baby corn

Stir fry them all together, throw some soy souce, salt and pepper to taste. Then throw in your noddles, let them merry together for a little bit and then serve for some goodness!

It was that easy!

Smores Anyone?

The other night we all were so hungry for some smores. Since it was so last minute, we thought that we could try to microwave them and see how they would turn out. Needless to say, they were very yummy!!

Fast Kid Friendly Fun Lunches

This is one of my fast fun kid friendly lunches that I did for Mckayla, Garrett and one Mckayla's friends that lives next door. They enjoyed it to say the least!

Unbeleivable Amazing Fish Dinner by my Unbeleivable Amazing Husband

Quinn made this unbeleivable amazing fish dinner the other night. It was truly amazing and wonderful to have him make dinner. I just love it when he makes dinner...cleaning up the dinner is another story. lol...

I don't even remember/know the kind of fish he used or how he made this. But doesn't it look awesome!?

Plain Breakfast Egg Burrito

Here is a very yummy plain breakfast egg burrito that I made for the kids. They both loved them! lol... it was so fun to watch Connor attach the whole thing at once. lol..he's our growing boy!

For ONE:
1 egg
1 tablespoon of milk
1/2 cup of cheese
1 soft taco
salt & pepper to taste

Preperation/Cooking Time: 5-10 minutes total

Lady Bug Cupcakes

I just a can't get enough of these adorable cups cakes! I got the idea from a place in Chesapeake called the Bergey's Break Basket the last time we were down there to see my family. After, Mckayla said that she wanted to have them for her birthday...and so we did!

I just used the normal confetti cup cake mix. 1 1/4 cup of water, 1 Tbsp. of vegetable oil, 3 eggs and 1 package of confetti cup cake mix. I also used about 2 Tbsp (if not more) of red food coloring to color just the pain while icing that you can buy. Normal size chocolate chips of the back dots on the wings and black icing for the wing line (to seperate down the middle). Save about 1/2 cup of the white icing for the eyes and mouth. To add more details I also used the small chocolate chips for the eyes. An Oreo for the head and your ready to take your first flight to some amazing Lady Bug fun!

Hope you enjoy! They taste great and your kids will love them - at least ours did!

Mini Bears Faces

Aren't these just adorable!?! I have to give all the credit to my wonderful and dear friend Jen for these cute Bear Faces that she did for Connor's 1st birthday party. I just couldn't get over how cute they were so I had to take a picture and post them! Wonderful job Jen!!

It's a bird! It's a plane! No, it's...

...A hot dog bird! It's this just the cutest thing you have ever seen?! Well I think so. I was looking around online and found this very interesting little bird online. So I thought that I would try it out. Does it look like a little bird?






Cut the hot dog into three slices at an angle. With two at the same size smaller than the third one. We used mustard for the eyes and a piece of cheese for it's beak. The wings are held together with toothpicks. but make sure they are removed before your kids take a bit!

It's Mckayla!!

...well not really. But have the kids make their own little person with food! They'll have a blast eating it too!








This is what Mckayla used to make her little "Mini Me"

- Body: banana
- Arms, Legs and Eyes: Hot Dog
- Mouth: piece of a Pretzel
- Nose: Mustard
- Hair: Cheddar Cheese

Tic-Tac-Toe ?

When growing up, didn't you Mom ever say, "Honey, stop playing with your food." lol...I don't think this helps. =) But never the less it was fun to put together! And no, it wasn't a real game...Mckayla wasn't into playing, but more into eating it!



You can use really whatever is around the house or whatever your kids will eat. Here is what we used:

- 1 cooked hot dog (sliced to make lines)
- 4 round slices of bannas
- 4 squares of sliced cheese

Try something different and post your favorite things your little ones enjoy! But have fun with your little one... and see who wins your Tic-Tac-Toe game.