pandabites

[pandabites]

Easy Difficulty

Cheesy Spinach Dip!

You Will Need: 1 tbsp of olive oil (divided), 1 small onion (finely chopped), 2 cloves of garlic (minced), 2 (10oz) packages of spinach (chopped), 1/2 cup of milk, 6 oz of cream cheese, 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese (divided), 1/2 cup of shredded cheddar cheese, 2 dashes of Worcestershire sauce, salt and ground pepper to taste.

(1) Preheat your oven to 425 degrees, and grease your baking dish.

(2) Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook and stir your onion and garlic until lightly browned.

(3) Add your spinach (gradually if you dont have the room) until they're hot and wilted. Drain any liquid remaining at the bottom, put the mixture aside in a secondary bowl.

(4) In your newly empty pot, pour in your milk. Melt your cream cheese into the milk, and stir continuously until they're well mixed.

(5) Return spinach to the pot, mix in 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese, and 1/2 of cheddar cheese. Stir thoroughly.

(6) Season with your salt, pepper, and Worcestershire sauce. Mix, then pour mixture into your baking dish. Top with remaining Mozzarella cheese.

(7) Bake until bubbly and golden brown on top, about 20-25 minutes.

Grab your sturdy chips and enjoy!

#pandabites #snack #dip #party #food #foodporn #cheesy

[pandabites]

Easy Difficulty

Bourbon Chicken

You Will Need: 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cut into bite sized pieces or slices), 1-2 tbsp olive oil, 1 crushed garlic clove, 1 tsp of ginger, 3/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, 1/4 cup of apple juice, 1/3 cup of light brown sugar, 2 tbsp ketchup, 1 tbsp cider vinegar, 1/2 cup water, and 1/3 cup of soy sauce.

(1) Cook all your chicken in the oil!

(2) Remove chicken from the pan!

(3) Add remaining ingredients into the pan, heat and mix until everything is dissolved!

(4) Put the chicken back in; bring to a hard boil!

(5) Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes!

ENJOY!

#pandabites #food #foodporn #asian #bourbon #tasty #yum

[pandabites]

Hard Difficulty

General Tso's Chicken!

You Will Need: 4 Cups of Vegetable Oil for Frying *, 1 egg, 1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into cubes or slices, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp white sugar, 1 pinch white pepper, 1 cup cornstarch, 2 tbsp of vegetable oil, 3 tbsp chopped green onion, 1 minced clove of garlic, 6 dried whole red chilies OR 1 fresh red bell pepper (sliced), 1 strip orange zest, 1/2 cup white sugar, 1/4 tsp ground ginger, 3 tbsp chicken broth, 1 tbsp rice vinegar, 1/3 cup soy sauce, 2 tbsp sesame oil, 2 tbsp peanut oil, 2 teaspoons cornstarch, and 1/4 cup of water.

** You can skip this ingredient and make this dish healthier by air frying the chicken instead.

(1) Beat your egg in a mixing bowl. Add the chicken, sprinkle with salt, 1 tsp sugar, and pepper. Mix it well! Mix in 1 cup of cornstarch gradually until the chicken is well coated.

(2) Fry your chicken in your preferred method, in batches if needed. Allow to cool. Make sure they're a golden brown color. Drain on a paper-towel lined plate.

(3) Heat 2 tbsp of vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet on high heat. Stir in your green onion, garlic, peppers, and orange zest. Cook and stir until the garlic has turned a light brown, maybe only 2 minutes. Add 1/2 cup sugar, the ginger, chicken broth, soy, vinegar, sesame oil, and peanut oil. Bring to a boil and cook for 3 minutes.

(4) In a separate cup, dissolve 2 teaspoons of cornstarch into your 1/4 cup of water. Mix it well, then add it into your boiling sauce and mix again. Cook until the sauce thickens and is no longer cloudy.

(5) Add your chicken into your sauce, coating the meat thoroughly and simmer for 5 minutes or until the meat absorbs some of the sauce.

Enjoy!

#pandabites #asian #spicy #yummy #dinner #lunch #food #foodporn

[pandabites]

Medium Difficulty

Sweet Cabbage Stir Fry

You Will Need: 1 head of cabbage, 12 oz of sweet Italian sausage, 1/2 of a sweet onion, 1/2 of a red bell pepper, 2 tbsp oil, 3 tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce.

This is medium difficulty just for how much babysitting and effort it requires.

(1) Cook your sausage, breaking it into crumbles. Do not drain.

(2) Add your oil to a deep, high-wall skillet.

(3) Shred/slice/tear apart your cabbage to your preference. I did mine in shreds.

(4) Dice or slice up your pepper and onion. I did slivers of onion, and chopped up my pepper, but it doesn't matter how you do it.

(5) Add all your ingredients to the high wall skillet. Top with your soy sauce, and mix everything together.

(6) Cook on medium-low heat until your cabbage wilts and gets to your liking. This could take at least 30 minutes, or all the way to an hour! Feel free to increase the heat for faster cooking, but make sure you watch it so that it doesn't burn. Stir frequently.

You can add more soy sauce to your taste preferences, too! Enjoy!

Will be trying to re-do this dish in the future as a baked dish to see how it turns out.

#pandabites #attempt #cabbage #stirfry #tasty #yum!

[pandabites]

orange chicken · clean foodie cravings

[pandabites]

The Art of Fish: Baking

I always have a light coat of oil on my fillets before I season them. I personally think it holds the flavor on better and keeps the fish from being chewy.

Honestly? Any seasoning works, don't let anybody tell you otherwise! The picture above has garlic herb, and white wine. But I've done chipotle, a variety of BBQ flavors, bourbon, and so many more. If you like the taste, go for it.

I always bake my fillets for at least 30 minutes on 350. You can tell when your fish is done if it flakes easily with a fork. Sometimes, I tear it up and throw it back in the oven for an additional 10-15 minutes, just in case.

#pandabites #fish #baking #garlic #dinner #supper

[pandabites]

Easy (medium) Difficulty

Slippery Pot Pie!

(For this recipe, you can either make your own dumpling noodles or buy them frozen like we did.)

You Will Need: About 2 pounds of ham (shredded), six sheets of Annie's dumplings, 8 medium potatoes, 2 cups of water, and 2 quarts of ham broth

Pre-prep: Put your ham into the oven, this gets your meat done and gives you the broth you need

(1) Dice your potatoes, peel if desired

(2) Lay out your noodle sheets, and break them apart to your desired size

(3) In your pot, add in your shredded ham, potatoes, and noodles. Gently pour broth over top, then add your water. Mix well.

(4) Boil until your potatoes are tender. Check this using a fork to stabby-stab one.

Add less water if you desire a stronger ham flavor. You can also add pork bouillon to make it stronger, as well. We like to add/top ours off with diced/shreds of onion and a cap of vinegar. Enjoy!

#pandabites #pork #ham #soup #tasty

[pandabites]

Easy Difficulty

Cheddar Broccoli Soup!

You Will Need: 2 heads of broccoli, 4 tbsp of butter, 1/2 an onion (diced), 4 tbsp of flour, 2 cups of half and half, 2 cups of vegetable stock, 1/2 cup shredded carrots, 2 tsp of salt, 1 tsp of pepper, 1/3 tsp of nutmeg, 2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese.

(1) Get yourself a decently sized pot. Melt your butter on the bottom at low-medium heat.

(2) Put in your onion, and cook for about 2 minutes.

(3) Add your flour, and mix thoroughly.

(4) Add in your half & half. Then your vegetable stock. Mix well.

(5) Break apart/chop the heads off your broccoli, or made them as small as you like. Add them into the pot.

(6) Add in your carrots and seasonings. Stir, then bring to a boil.

(7) Simmer for 15 minutes, or until your vegetables are to your liking for tenderness.

(8) Add in your cheese, and stir until it's all melted and mixed.

If you desire meat in your soup, a lot of people like to add ham! Bacon bits are a great topper.

Enjoy!

#pandabites #soup #cheesy #tasty #dinner #snack

[pandabites]

Medium Difficulty

Penne Beef Bake! (Moderately healthy!)

You Will Need: 1 box of whole wheat penne pasta (12 oz.), 1lb ground beef (90% lean), 2 medium zucchini (diced), 1 green bell pepper (cored and diced), 1 small onion (diced), 1 jar (24oz) of your chosen spaghetti sauce, 1 1/2 cups (roughly 12 oz) reduced fat alfredo sauce, 1 cup shredded cheese (low or reduced fat) divided, 1/4 tsp of garlic powder. (Minced parsley optional.)

(1) Boil and cook your penne pasta as directed on its box.

(2) Simultaneously (or not, no pressure!) Mix together your ground beef, pepper, onion, and zucchini. Break the beef into crumbles, and cook in your skillet until no longer pink. Drain.

(3) Put your meat mixture into a baking dish. Drain your pasta, then add it in as well.

(4) Add spaghetti sauce, alfredo, and garlic powder. Add 1/2 cup of your cheese. Mix thoroughly!

(5) Cover and bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes.

(6) Sprinkle remaining cheese on top, then bake, uncovered, until cheese is melted.

We substituted the wheat penne with the vegetable penne, and it tastes just as good.

Enjoy!!!

#pandabites #beefy #healthy #chopchop #baking

[pandabites]

Easy Difficulty

Balsamic Raspberry Chicken

You Will Need: 1tsp vegetable oil, cooking spray, (Optional: 1/2 cup chopped red onion), 1/2 tsp dried thyme, `1/2 tsp salt divided, 4 (4oz) boneless, skinless chicken, 1/2 cup seedless raspberry preserves, 2tbsp balsamic vinegar, 1/4 tsp pepper, goat cheese crumbles

(1) Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. (Optional: add your onions and sauté them for 5 minutes.)

(2) Combine your thyme with 1/4 tsp of salt. Sprinkle over your chicken.

(3) Add chicken to skillet. Cook thoroughly.

(4) In a small saucepan, add your raspberry preserves and vinegar. Add remaining salt and pepper. Cook on medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until preserves are entirely melted.

(5) Spoon raspberry sauce over your chicken, and top with goat cheese crumbles.

It's as sweet as candy, and just as addicting. Goat cheese is optional.

#pandabites #so good #delicious #tasty #new favorites

[pandabites]

Medium Difficulty

Garlic Beef Enchiladas!

You Will Need: 1lb ground beef, 1 medium onion (chopped), 2tbsp of flour, 1tbsp chili powder, 1tsp salt, 1tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp ground cumin, 1/4 tsp rubbed sage, 1 can (15oz) stewed tomatoes (cut up)

For the Sauce: 1/4 cup butter, 4-6 garlic cloves (minced), 1/2 cup flour, 1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce, 1-2 tbsp chili powder, 1-2 tsp ground cumin, 1-2 tsp sage, 1/2 tsp of salt

10 flour tortillas, (6in.) warmed, and two cups of shredded cheese of your choice

(1) Preheat your oven to 350.

(2) In a large skillet, cook your beef and onion until beef is cooked. Break into crumbles, drain.

(3) Put back into skillet. Add tomatoes. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

(4) In a saucepan, melt butter on medium heat. Add garlic, cook and stir until tender. Stir in flour (1.2 cup) until well blended.

(5) Gradually whisk in your beef broth to your saucepan. Bring to boil and cook until it thickens slightly. Add in tomato sauce and seasonings; heat thoroughly.

(6) Pour 1 1/2 cups of the sauce onto the bottom of an ungreased baking dish. Place about 1/4 cup of your beef mixture into the tortilla wrap, top with cheese. Place into dish, seam side down.

(7) Repeat until all your wraps are used or the dish becomes full. Pour remaining sauce on top. Baked, covered, for 30-35 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining cheese, then bake uncovered until the cheese is melted.

Messy, but delicious!

#pandabites #tasty #saucy #cheesy #beef

[pandabites]

Beef and broccoli stir fry

[pandabites]

Easy Difficulty

Velveeta Noodle Mix!

You Will Need: 1 Value Size box of Velveeta shell mac n cheese, 1 can (15 oz) of corn, 1 can (15 oz) of peas, and 2 cooked, shredded chicken breasts (or the rough equivalent)

This is a very very easy recipe!

(1) Open your cans, and drain the corn/peas.

(2) Follow the box instructions with boiling water. Then add your noodles, but then also add your peas/corn!

(3) Cook them noods.

(4) Drain once your noodles are cooked. Add back to your pot, add your chicken, and cheese packet. Mix and enjoy!

Seriously, this one is super cheap, and super easy. And very delicious!

#pandabites #cheesy #pasta #chicken #mix

[pandabites]

Easy Difficulty

Rueben Sandwiches!

(It's like a complex Grilled Cheese.)

You'll Need: 8 slices of Rye Bread, 8 slices of deli sliced corned beef, 8 slices of Swiss Cheese, 2 tbsp of butter, 1 cup of sauerkraut (drained), and 1/2 cup of thousand island dressing.

You will want to make these in either a skillet or on a griddle.

(1) For each slice of bread, you're going to butter the outside.

(2) You'll want to use a butter knife to put a spread of thousand island dressing on the inside of each slice.

(3) Putting the ingredients in a specific order doesn't truly matter, however the given order is: Swiss Cheese, 2 Slices of Rueben, a Layer of Sauerkraut, Swiss Cheese.

(4) Grill the sandwiches on a medium heat, to your toast liking. Careful not to burn them!

The full line-up order: Butter, bread, thousand island, swiss, rueben, sauerkraut, swiss, thousand island, bread, butter.

Enjoy!

#pandabites #sandwich #cheesy #beef #tasty

[pandabites]

Easy Difficulty

Baked BBQ Chicken Thighs

You Will Need: One pack of chicken thighs, bone-in. A small or large bottle of your chosen BBQ sauce, depending on if you want some to dip.

(1) Put your thighs into a baking pan.

(2) Drizzle the BBQ sauce overtop. Flip them over. Drizzle more on top. Make sure they're thoroughly coated!

(3) Set your oven to 350. Bake them for 30 minutes.

(4) Turn them over. Bake for about 15-30 more minutes, or until to your preferred skin crispness. Remember, they're not done until the juice runs clear without blood.

That's it! All done! Yummy, baked thighs to tear into!

#pandabites #tasty #dinner #chicken #BBQ

[pandabites]

Quick and Easy Beef Rice Bowl

[pandabites]

Easy Difficulty

Creamy Pork Chops

You Will Need: A Crockpot/Slow Cooker, 6 boneless pork chops, 1 (family size) can of Cream of Chicken, 1 (family size) can of Cream of Mushroom, and 1 pack of dried ranch seasoning.

(1) Open both your cans and put them into the crockpot. Add your ranch seasoning, then mix. Add your pork chops.

(2) Slow cook for 5-6 hours on low or 3-4 on high. They're done when the pork chops are fall-apart tender.

Remember to occasionally stir it!

Enjoy

#pandabites #creamy #tasty #food #foodporn #dinner