Orange Chicken and Brown Rice

I wanted unhealthy food. Orange Chicken!!

I wasn't going to panko-bread the chicken pieces, but then I was like, nope, if I'm going unhealthy Imma do it right.

So after cornstarch-ing the chicken pieces, I egged them and then panko-ed them. Then sauteed them until crispy.

Made the sauce, some brown rice, tossed the chicken in the sauce and put it on the rice. NOM.

Here's the recipe: Orange Chicken

Lemon Honey Chicken and Israeli Couscous

I wanted to try this new lemon honey chicken recipe and my mom had learned this couscous recipe recently (posted in December), and I had never tried the couscous so we put them together.

I used this recipe HERE.

Super easy, just mix the lemon, honey, rosemary, and garlic and pour over the chicken in a baking dish, add lemon slices on top and bake for 30 minutes.

And the couscous was delicious. We added some steamed asparagus to finish the meal off.

CHRISTMAS COOKIE EXTRAVAGANZA

Every year my mom and I make christmas cookies. LOTS of them.

Our repertoire includes:
- M&M cookies
- Sugar cookies (the ones the dough has to sit in the fridge for hours)
- Press sugar cookies (the ones you squeeze out the little cookie tool)
- Toffee cookies
- Peanut butter hershey kiss cookies (not pictured this year)
- Russian tea cakes

I guess that's it. But we make at least 2 dozen of each.

Anyhow, since I've been away at school, I only get to help out with about 1/2 of these since I usually arrive just before Christmas time and there wouldn't be enough time if my mom doesn't already start without me.

I have been arranging the cookies on the tray for Christmas eve and Christmas day ever since I can remember, and I am ever so talented...haha. So here you go:

Tortillas for Breakfast Burritos!

My mom wanted to make breakfast burritos one morning over Christmas break.  We didn't have any tortillas left, but I said I'd made them before and also, homemade tortillas are 1000000X better than store bought ones.

They require very basic ingredients: flour, milk, oil, salt, and baking powder.

The recipe I've been using for a few years is this one HERE.

Never had a bad batch and they are SO GOOD. They taste buttery, but only have 2 Tbs of vegetable oil in them for 8 tortillas.

Chicken in a Veloute Sauce

I made my first veloute sauce, chicken stock, a roux, some white wine and lemon juice and salt and pepper.  All of my favorite things. I loveeeee lemon-butter sauces.  I lightly floured the chicken and then sauteed it and sauced it.

I made some edamame on the side, not really in the same style of cooking but it's what I had in the fridge!

Also, baked some potato slices and sprinkled them with some mozzarella and parmesan cheese.  Easiest potatoes: slice or wedge potatoes, drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper, then bake until crispy. NOM.

Beef Tenderloin Tip Mountain

Mountain of steak and potatoes. Nom. Haha.

Kevin constructed this delectable dish with roasted brussel sprouts on the side, sliced mushrooms in a pan sauce on top of pan seared tenderloin tips and a mountain of mashed potatoes.