Jalapeno Poppers

My friend brought these delicious cheese stuffed Jalapeno Poppers to our Neighborhood BBQ and they disappeared instantly!  I craved them for a week before I finally called and got her recipe to make them for my family!  I was also thrilled to use the gazillions of jalapeno peppers in my garden!  I learned something too.  Red jalapeno peppers are hotter than green ones.  I have some red jalapeno peppers because I left them on the plant too long.  We did a taste test. . . actually I made my husband do the taste test.  Yep - the red ones are really hot!  I let him eat those :)

25 jalapeno peppers
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 cup cheddar cheese
5 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

Put on gloves!!  If you don't you will burn your hands!  Wash the jalapeno peppers and cut off the stem.  Slice peppers in half, take the seeds out, and place on a cookie sheet.  In a small bowl, mix the cream cheese, garlic powder, cheese and bacon pieces.  Spoon into the peppers so it's a heaping amount in each pepper.  (I put in as much as I can, mounding it on the pepper.)

Bake at 450º for 10 - 15 minutes, until hot and bubbly.

Orange Chicken

When we get take-out my husband occasionally picks up Panda Express for the kiddos.  The orange chicken smells divine!  I've been wanting to make a GF version of it, but kind of dreading the deep fried aspect of it.  I found this recipe of orange chicken that is tons healthier and delicious.  I changed it up a little and increased it to fit my family.  It was a hit at the table tonight!

2 oranges

1/2 cup orange juice

14-15 chicken tenders

1 tablespoon olive oil

4 cloves garlic

1/4 cup soy sauce

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

2 teaspoons sesame oil

3/4 cup chicken broth

2 tablespoons cornstarch

2 teaspoons grated ginger

1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce

7-8 green onions, sliced

Rice

Grate 2 tablespoons zest from the oranges, set aside.  Squeeze juice.  Set aside.

Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces and cook in olive oil.  Stir chicken occasionally.  While chicken is cooking, pour 1 cup orange juice into a medium bowl.  (Pour the fresh squeezed juice into a 1 cup measuring cup and then fill to the top with orange juice.  2 oranges is about 1/2 cup fresh squeezed juice.)  To the bowl, add soy sauce, brown sugar, vinegar, sesame oil, chicken broth and cornstarch.  Whisk ingredients together.

When the chicken is cooked through, stir in the garlic.  Pour the juice mixture into the chicken.  Stir in the orange zest, ginger and chili garlic sauce.  Cook until bubbly and thick.

Stir in the green onion.  Serve over rice.