Orzo Pasta Salad

This is a great dish to bring for a pot luck or to take as a lunch for a family day. Make this dish a day ahead so the pasta soaks up the flavors. 

Ingredients:

16 oz Orzo Pasta cooked according to pkg directions

1 15oz can black olives drained and sliced

1 cup cherry tomatoes cut in half

3 tablespoons dried parsley

1-2 cups artichoke hearts marinated in oil quartered

Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup chopped chicken(if desired)

Directions:

Mix all in a large bowl; add oil from artichokes to mix easier. Top with feta cheese

Shoyu Chicken Long Rice

Ingredients

4 Chicken thighs or chicken breast with skin and bones removed, cubed
4 cups chicken broth 
1/2 cup shoyu
2 inch finger of fresh ginger, minced
2 garlic cloves minced
1 medium onion, minced
2 cups celery, sliced thin
2 carrots, julienned
1 oz. dried shiitake mushrooms
4 oz. long rice
6 green onions, cut 1 inch in length
 
Directions: 

Soak long rice and mushrooms for one hour in warm water. When finished slice mushrooms.
Pour chicken broth and shoyu into large pot, add chicken, ginger and garlic and simmer for five minutes.
Add onion, celery, carrots, mushrooms and simmer for another 4 to 5 minutes.
Drain long rice and cut into 3-inch lengths. 
Add green onions and long rice to pot and cook five minutes or until long rice becomes translucent. Salt and pepper to taste.

Garlic and Herb Monkey Bread

 For the Bread Machine.........

Ingredients for dough:

1/2 Cup water

1/2 Cup Sour cream

3 Cups all propose flour

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoon Butter

3 tablespoon Sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast

Garlic and Herb mix:

4 tablespoons melted butter

2 minced garlic cloves

1 teaspoon thyme

1 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon marjoram

*Note: If you don't have fresh herbs use 1/4 teaspoons of dried herbs....

Directions:

Add all dough ingredients to bread machine and put on dough setting. When finished turn dough out on to  a lightly floured counter top. Roll dough into a 2 foot rope.

In a bowl combine melted butter garlic and herbs.

Cut dough into 40 small pieces, then dip each piece in the herb and butter mixture.

Layer pieces into a buttered 9 inch round pan. Let rise in a warm oven for 30 to 45 minutes until doubled.

Bake in a 375 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes until brown.

Peppers and Beans

Ingredients

Handful of green or wax beans 
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 bell pepper sliced (I used half a yellow and red)
3 tablespoons Aloha shoyu or Kikoman for a stronger soy sauce taste
2 teaspoons sesame oil 
1 tablespoon sesame seeds

Directions

Cut ends of green beans and place in a skillet with a 1/4 cup lightly salted water. Cook for 5 minutes, then drain. Place the skillet back on stove and add vegetable oil. Heat pan over high and add beans peppers and cook for 2 minutes. Add the soy and sesame oil and transfer to a dish, let it sit for a minute to soak up the sauce. Garnish with sesame seeds and serve.

Banana Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients for Cake

 2 cups ripe bananas, mashed

2 teaspoons lemon juice

3 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons pumpkin spice

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup butter, softened

2 cups sugar

3 large eggs

3 teaspoons vanilla

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

Cream Cheese Frosting

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 (8 ounce) package softened cream cheese

1 teaspoon pumpkin spice

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 1/2 cups confection sugar

Directions for Cake

Preheat oven to 275°.

Grease and flour a 9 x 13 pan or Bundt pan

In a small bowl, mix mashed banana and lemon juice; set aside.

In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda,pumpkin spice and salt.

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

Beat in eggs, one at a time, then stir in vanilla.

Mix in  flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk.

Stir in banana mixture.

Pour batter into pan and bake for about an hour and 20 min, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Remove from oven and put straight into the freezer for 45 minutes. 

Directions for frosting

Cream the butter and cream cheese until smooth.

Beat in 1 teaspoon vanilla.

Add confection sugar and spice then beat on low speed until combined, Turn to high speed until frosting is smooth and slightly whipped.

Frost cake thick.