Koren Chicken Salad

I really enjoy trying new and unusual recipes and I finally tweaked this recipe to my taste. Try it - you won't be sorry!

• 2 cooked chicken breasts, boneless & skinless - shredded
• 1 medium cucumber, seeded and thinly sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 medium white onion thinly sliced

Season the chicken with:

• 5 garlic cloves
• 2 ginger slices
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 tablespoon rice wine
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger powder
• Place the chicken in a zip lock bag and marinate overnight. The next day, dry the chicken with paper towel.

Prepare the dressing:

• 2 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon water
• pinch salt

Toss chicken, cucumber and thinly sliced onion with the dressing and enjoy! I like to eat it in lettuce wraps.

Asian Dipping Sauce

I'm always looking for ideas on how to use my Hot Pepper Jelly that I make every year around the holidays. I came up with this Asian Dipping Sauce quite accidentally and I have to tell you... it's fabulous!

• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons hot pepper jelly (store bought or homemade)
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger root
• 2 teaspoons sesame seeds
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil

Whisk together the soy sauce, vinegar, pepper jelly, garlic, ginger, sesame seeds, sesame oil in a bowl.

Enjoy with your favorite dumplings, spring rolls or jut about anything!

Baked Cinnamon Apples

Who doesn't love baked apples! This is an easy recipe inspired by Boson Market and serves 4.

• 
3 Apples

• 2/3 cup water

• 1/2 tablespoon flour
• 
1 teaspoon cornstarch

• 2 teaspoons butter, crumbled

• 1/2 cup brown sugar

• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1 dash salt



Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Peel and core the apples. Cut each one into 16 slices and arrange the slices in an 8"x 8" baking dish. In a small bowl, combine the water with the flour, cornstarch, and Butter Buds and stir until the dry ingredients are dissolved and not lumpy. Add the brown sugar and cinnamon and stir until smooth. Pour the cinnamon mixture over the apple slices, cover the dish with foil, and bake for 40 minutes. Stir the apples every 10 minutes.

The Perfect Pumpkin Cookie!

This is the perfect "old fashioned" style Pumpkin Cookie that is sure to please everyone. Not to sweet, but just sweet enough!

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Glaze:

• 2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 1 tablespoon melted butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, and salt into a  bowl.

In another medium bowl, cream together the 1/2 cup of butter and white sugar. Add the honey, pumpkin, egg, and 1 teaspoon vanilla to butter mixture, and beat until creamy. Mix in the dry ingredients. 

Drop on cookie sheet by tablespoonfuls; flatten slightly if batter doesn't spread on its own. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven. Cool cookies, then drizzle glaze onto the each cookie.

Basic Italian Tomato Sauce

You asked for it, you got it! Here's a basic Italian Tomato Sauce that will not disappoint...

• 2 (28 ounce) cans tomato puree 
• 1 (28 ounce) cans peeled plum tomatoes 
• 2 cloves garlic 
• 1 small onion, diced 
• 6 cloves garlic 
• 1 teaspoon basil 
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt 
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper 
• 2 tablespoons sugar 
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 
• 1/4 cup grated cheese 

Sauté onion and garlic in olive oil in a large pot. Empty plum tomatoes into large bowl and squash them with your hands or a potato masher tool. Add all ingredients (including any meatballs or sausage you want to add) to the pot and simmer for 3 hours.

Buffalo Chicken Meatballs

These meatballs are awesome! So flavorful and satisfying -easy to make, and the results are delicious. 

• 1 pound lean ground chicken
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup Italian breadcrumbs
• 1 stalk celery
• 2 green onions
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 ounce crumbled blue cheese
• 1 cup Hot Sauce, divided
• 2 tablespoons butter

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line a cookie sheet with foil and coat with nonstick spray or use non stick foil.

Pulse celery and green onion in food processor to chop into small bits. Combine the vegetable mixture, chicken, egg, breadcrumbs, garlic powder, salt, 1/4 the hot sauce and the blue cheese in a large bowl. Gently fold together but don't over mix.

Form the mixture into meatballs - you should get about 16 meatballs. Place the meatballs on the cookie sheet. Bake for 20 - 30 minutes until firm to the touch.

While the meatballs are baking, put the rest of the hot sauce and the butter into a microwave safe dish. Microwave about 30 seconds, until butter melts. Stir well to combine. Remove the meatballs from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes. 

Place the meatballs onto a dish and drizzle with butter/hot sauce mixture.

NOTE: You can double the sauce recipe if you like the meatballs swimming in sauce!