10 Top Recipes of 2017

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Happy New Year!

2017 was a full packed year but it seems that it went so fast that it was a blur.  This was a years full of variety.  The dishes made were an array for down home cooking to international fare.  

I gathered the most popular dishes from 2017 in one spot for you to reference and enjoy!

Enjoy all the precious moments that 2018 will bring.  We only live once!

10 TOP RECIPES OF 2017

10.
StonefireGrill’s Roasted Cauliflower with Tahini Sauce



9.
Greek Style Lemony Chicken and Orzo Soup

8.
Brown Sugar-Sour Cream Banana Bread



7.
Slow Cooker Guinness Irish Beef Stew



6.
One Pot Meat Lovers Pizza Ravioli Bake



5.
Herbed Ricotta and Parmesan Spread

4.
Spicy Szechuan Chicken and Vegetable Stir Fry



3.
Chicken Teriyaki Stir Fry



2.
Healthier Slow Cooker Orange Chicken

1.Lemon Pepper Butter Chicken Breasts





There are plenty of dishes to come in 2018.  Lots of comfort food, weeknight meals, stir frys, southern dishes, and easy restaurant style meals.  Enjoy a prosperous holiday and I am so grateful for all of my followers.  I wish you the best in 2018 and will be talking to you in the new year!

Jamaican Jerk Chicken Stir Fry

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I have a friend that vacations in Jamaica every single year.  She loves the people, culture, beach, and of course the food.  She even got married there a few years back!  She had the perfect destination wedding.  I love to sit and listen to all her stories and adventures of Jamaica as I've never been there, but it's definitely on my bucket list.  

When she comes home she always brings me back something special.  I've gotten quite a bit of rum, which I totally LOVE! But I have to say that I'm extremely grateful that she brought me back some Jamaican jerk seasoning.  I love Jerk Chicken, and this spice blend is heaven, and it's what we are featuring today in my Jamaican Jerk Chicken Stir Fry.

The one that she brought me back is available here.  The Spice Hunter also make a good blend that you can find here.

JAMAICAN JERK CHICKEN STIR FRY

This recipe was adapted from my Caribbean Pork Stir Fry dish.  The basis is similar but I chose to use chicken instead of pork, and create a Jamaican jerk chicken flavored stir fry.  What a hit this was!  MGG practically inhaled this dish, having 2nds and wanting thirds!  This dish carries a little heat from the spices, but you can tone it down if you want by adding less seasoning.  It is also a little sweet from the plum sauce, so this brings you that sweet and spicy combination that everyone loves!

The combination of flavors, veggies, and spices is absolutely a winner In our books.  We will be making this dish often.  So why not add a little spice from Jamaica in your life.  This will be one dish the whole family will love.

Enjoy!




Jamaican Jerk Chicken Stir Fry

serves 4

2 tablespoon canola oil
3/4 lb of boneless chicken breasts, cut in to 1" pieces
1/3 cup cornstarch
2 - 3 teaspoons Jamaican jerk seasoning
3 of each color, red, yellow, and orange, mini bell peppers, cut into strips or chunks

1/2 medium onion, sliced

1 large zucchini, halved lengthwise, and sliced

1/4 cup of whole unsalted cashews (or peanuts)

1/2 cup bottled plum sauce

hot cooked rice 

In a wok or large skillet heat oil over medium-high heat.

In a pie pan add cornstarch and then dredge chicken pieces in the cornstarch until covered.  Add chicken to hot skillet and sprinkle with Jamaican jerk seasoning.  Cook for about 5 minutes or until no longer pink, stirring often.  Remove chicken from the skillet to a pan.  

Add the bell peppers, onion, and zucchini to the skillet.  Cook for 5-7 minutes until crisp tender.  (add additional canola oil if needed).  Add cashews to the skillet and stir until toasted, about 1 minute.  

Return chicken and any juices back to the skillet.  Add plum sauce to the skillet and toss to coat and sauce is heated through.  Serve over hot cooked rice.  

Items I used to make this dish:

• Island Spice Jerk Seasoning
• Lodge 10" cast iron skillet
• Dynasty Plum Sauce
• Argo Cornstarch
• Cashews

Other items you may like:

• Joyce Chen carbon steel wok
• The Spice Hunter Jamaican Jerk Blend
• Stir Fry Utensils
• Stir Fry Cookbook

This post contains affiliate links of items I use and recommend.  Should you choose to purchase an item a nominal fee is provided to me at no additional cost to you.

Garlic Chicken Stir Fry

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Whenever I need a quick dinner I turn to stir frys. As you may know, this seems to be quite often as I have a lot of stir frys on the blog! A lot of which you all seems to love such as Spicy Beef, Snow Peas, Mushroom, and Carrot Stir Fry, Chicken, Green Bean & Mushroom Stir Fry, and Caribbean Pork Stir Fry.

We recently moved to a new home and in the midst of unpacking we needed to stop and have dinner. The nerve, having to eat during the middle of unpacking! LOL!  So I turned to the refrigerator and found some chicken breasts just begging to be turned into a fabulous meal.

Using vegetables that I already had, mushrooms and broccoli, made the ingredient list. Now for a sauce. A simple use of garlic sounded really good and easy to pull together with pantry items, so Garlic Chicken Stir Fry was born!

GARLIC CHICKEN STIR FRY

This dish is perfect for a weeknight meal when you want to make something quick.  20 minutes is all you need to have a great meal on the table that is 1000x better than take out!  If you make stir frys then you will most likely have all the ingredients on hand.  I love being able to pull together stir frys in a snap, changing up the vegetables and sauce.  Have a stocked pantry makes this really east to accomplish.

Juicy tender chicken breast chunks are browned and coupled with crisp vegetables, and cashews.  All of this is then bathed in a warm garlic sauce that flavors all the ingredients and brings this all together.

Enjoy!

Note: Shared on The Country Cook's Weekend Potluck

Garlic Chicken Stir Fry

serves 4

1 lb chicken breasts cut into bite size chunks
1/3 cup cornstarch
2 Tbls canola oil
8 oz baby bella mushrooms, sliced
small head of broccoli, stemmed and cut into florets
1/3 cup whole cashews
4 cloves of garlic, minced

¾ cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons sesame oil
2 teaspoons cornstarch

hot cooked rice

On a plate toss the chicken with the cornstarch.

In a small bowl, add the chicken broth, soy sauce, sesame oil, and cornstarch.  Stir until well combined.  Set aside.

Heat the canola oil in a large skillet.  Add the chicken and cook on medium-high until browned on all sides, about 2-3 minutes on each side.  Remove chicken from the pan to a plate, and turn the heat up to high.

Add in the mushrooms and cook until they start to brown.  Add the broccoli and allow to cook 2-3 minutes more. Add the cashews and stir and cook until lightly toasted.  Add the garlic and cook/stir for 30 seconds.

Return the chicken and any juices back to the skillet.  Add the sauce and toss to coat.  Serve with hot cooked rice.

Spicy Beef, Snow Peas, Mushroom, and Carrot Stir Fry

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We are having a heat wave here in Southern California.  In a time where we usually have June gloom we are having 100 degree weather for a week straight and no end in site.

The last thing I want to do is spend time heating up the kitchen to get dinner on the table.  Nope...not gonna do it.  So one can never have enough 30 minutes meals on hand for days like this, and because this is way BETTER THAN TAKEOUT there's no need to call out for food!

Today, let's talk about a one skillet meal full of beef and vegetables coated with a spicy sauce.  With one skillet (or wok) you can have dinner on the table in less than 30 minutes.  Can't beat that in this heat!

SPICY BEEF, SNOW PEAS, MUSHROOM, AND CARROT STIR FRY

A nice sirloin steak cut into thin strips will give you nice tender beefy bites.  Make sure to cut it across the grain so that it isn't tough when you bite into it.  For the veggies I chose ones that cook quickly and compliment the beefy flavor.  Shredded carrots lend a touch of sweet, while mushrooms (baby bella or white button will both work) lend a earthy meaty flavor.  The snow peas lend crunch and texture and a pop of green to the dish.  Oh, and lets not forget to add in some cashews for a little crunch.  I love them and add them to all my stir frys.

The sauce carries the heat with the addition of chili garlic sauce.  You can adjust that up or down depending on if you want it super spicy or leave it out if you don't want the kids to have it.  The sauce is easy to throw together, but make sure to do this first, as stir frys come together quickly and you want it ready to put in a finish the dish off.  

So dinner is done in 30 minutes and the kitchen stayed cool.  But, it's still hot outside so I think a mojito is calling me while I sit and watch the sunset!

Enjoy!

Spicy Beef, Snow Peas, Mushroom, and Carrot Stir Fry

serves 4

Sauce:
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons dry sherry
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
2 teaspoons chili garlic sauce (such as Lee Kum Kee)
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 tsp garlic, minced

Stir Fry:

2 Tbls canola oil
3/4 lb beef sirloin, thinly sliced against the grain into strips

1 cup carrots, shredded

1 1/2 cups snow peas

8 oz baby bella mushrooms, sliced

1/3 cup cashews, whole

Basic Steamed White Rice

In a small bowl mix together the soy sauce, sherry, sugar, cornstarch, rice vinegar, chili garlic sauce, ginger, sesame oil, and garlic.  Set aside.

Heat a skillet over medium high heat.  Add oil and allow to heat.  Add sirloin and cook about 5-7 minutes until cooked to about medium well.  (cook less for medium doneness).  Remove from the skillet to a pan.  Add carrots, mushrooms, and snow peas to the skillet.  Cook about 5-7 minutes until mushrooms have let out their moisture and the veggies are crisp tender.  Add the cashews and stir to lightly toast.  

Add back the beef, stir the sauce and pour over the beef and veggies.  Mix to coat thoroughly.  Place on a serving platter and serve with hot cooked rice.

Chicken Teriyaki Stir Fry and a Product Review

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You know how much I love my stir frys.  Some of my favorites are my Chicken, Green Bean & Mushroom Stir Fry , Chicken, Brussels Sprouts & Noodle Stir Fry, and my Cashew Chicken.  And those are just the chicken ones!

So imagine my delight when I was browsing the fresh vegetable section in the grocery store the other day and I came across a Stir Fry Kit from Taylor Farms.  Yes! Jackpot!  This was a stir fry kit with all the veggies, chopped, and washed and ready to go, along with a sauce as well!  Now this is fresh cooking, convenience style.  They did most of the work for you so that you can take a 20 minutes stir fry and turn it into 10-15 be skipping all the chopping and sauce mixing steps.  Now that's a good deal!

You may have heard of Taylor Farms.  They are the ones that have those wonderful chopped salad mixes in bagged salad section.  Well they now have a line of stir frys.  I think there was 4 flavors to choose from but I gravitated immediately toward the Teriyaki Stir Fry Kit. 

The kit includes broccoli, Brussels sprouts, kale, carrots, red cabbage, snow peas, and it includes the  teriyaki sauce as well.  All good stuff for you.  All you need to do is add the protein and anything additional that you want.  I chose to make it with chicken (my go to protein) and added some cashews to the mix for some extra crunch.  Actually, I add cashews to a lot of things....that's my confession for the day!

This couldn't have been much easier since most of the work is done for you.  I used my usual method of cutting the chicken in bite size pieces, dipping in cornstarch, and then cooking that first.  Removing that to cook the veggies which cooked up quickly, then adding the cashews, chicken and the sauce.  BAM! you're done!  Serve alone or with rice and you have an easy, quick, and tasty dinner.

This isn't any kind of sponsored post, I just happen to run into this product and I love to share them with you when I feel they are healthy, helpful in the kitchen, and taste fresh and delicious!  This one is a winner, and I can't wait to try another version.  Hope you can find this in your store...and if you happen to come across it, try it.  You won't be disappointed!

Chicken Teriyaki Stir Fry

serves 4

1 lb boneless chicken breast, cut into bite sized pieces
1/4 c cornstarch
3 Tbls canola oil, divided
1 bag Taylor Farms Teriyaki Stir Fry Kit
1/3 cup cashews, roasted
Optional:  hot cooked rice

On a plate toss the chicken with the cornstarch.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the canola and in a large skillet or wok.  Add the chicken and cook on medium-high until browned on all sides, about 3-4 minutes on each side.  Remove chicken from the pan, and turn the heat up to high.

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of canola oil to the skillet.  Add all the vegetables and cook 4-5 minutes, until they are crisp tender.  Add the cashews and stir until slightly roasted.  Return the chicken and any juices back to the skillet.  Add the stir fry sauce from the kit and toss to coat.  Serve over hot cooked rice if desired.

Spicy Szechuan Chicken and Vegetable Stir Fry

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This is what I call a "pull from the frig" dinner, or a "use up all the veggies that are left" dinner.

Do you every have those types of meals?  It's really something I throw together from odd and ends from the frig, and the easiest dish to do that with is a stir fry.  I love stir frys and you may know since I've posted many variations of them such as this popular Chicken, Green Bean and Mushroom Stir Fry and this extra tasty General Tso's Chicken - Lighter Version.  When you make them yourself they are so much better than takeout.

Trust me.  You can complete a whole meal in about 20 minutes with prep, which is faster than delivery AND you control what goes in it....such as the sodium, and NO MSG.   Making your own food is so much healthier and it really is easier than you think.

SPICY SZECHUAN CHICKEN AND VEGETABLE STIR FRY

So since I was in between grocery store shopping I found an array of vegetable to use in my weeknight stir fry after we got home from the gym.  Lot of vegetables along with chicken as the protein are the great basis for this dish.  Use whatever vegetables you have on hand.  They pretty much all work together well.  I used a combination of edamame, broccoli florets, red bell peppers, onion, bok choy, water chestnuts, carrots, mushrooms, and zucchini.  Then I threw in some cashews for good measure! 

To make this even easier I used the help of two bottled sauces mixed.  I've found that this stir fry sauce is really tasty, and along with this Szechuan sauce, which is spicy and tastes amazing, make a great combination.  Using both tames the heat a little, but if you want it really spicy use the Szechuan sauce alone.

So the same method applies to all my stir frys.   Dredge the protein in cornstarch and cook it.  Remove it.  Cook the vegetables, add the cashews, then add back the protein.  Add the sauce and stir until well coated.  That's it!  Don't shy away from this, it truly is one of the easiest and fastest meals you can make.  This variation is no exception!!!  This sizzling, spicy, dish will have everyone asking for seconds.

Enjoy!

Spicy Szechuan Chicken and Vegetable Stir Fry

Serves: 4 servings

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
1/4 c cornstarch
3 Tbls canola oil, divided
4 oz mushrooms, sliced
1/3 cup edamame, thawed
1 zucchini, halved and sliced
1/2 red bell pepper, sliced
1 can water chestnuts, drained
1 cup bok choy, chopped
1/2 cup broccoli florets, chopped
1/4 onion, sliced
1/3 cup shredded carrots
1/3 cup whole unsalted cashews
1/4 cup stir fry sauce
1/4 cup Szechuan sauce
hot cooked rice

On a plate toss the chicken with the cornstarch.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the canola and in a large skillet or wok.  Add the chicken and cook on medium-high until browned on all sides, about 2-3 minutes on each side.  Remove chicken from the pan, and turn the heat up to high.

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of canola oil to the skillet.  Add all the vegetables and cook 4-3 until they are crisp tender.  Add the cashews and stir until slightly roasted.  Return the chicken and any juices back to the skillet.  Add the stir fry sauces and toss to coat.  Serve over hot cooked rice if desired.