Tag: cashews

Breakfast

Santa’s Nutola

cathysmahaLeave a comment

My dear friends, Mr. & Mrs. Santa, often visit me for summer holiday to escape the North Pole cold. During one visit they brought Santa’s delicious Nutola to have for breakfast. Wow! It was almost as magical as the reindeer on Christmas Eve. It’s wonderful with yogurt or as a snack. I made a batch and froze much of the batch to enjoy later.

Thanks, Santa and Mrs. Claus, for sharing this wonderful recipe with me

Santa’s Nutola

INGREDIENTS:
  • 1 lb. flaked coconut
  • 1 lb. chopped pecans, chopped and whole
  • 1 lb. cashews, salted & roasted (or raw)
  • 1 lb. almonds shaved, slivered and whole (1/3 each)
  • 1 lb. walnut pieces
  • 1 lb. hazelnuts (pound them in a bag to smash)
  • 1 lb.  sunflower seeds, raw or roasted
  • 1 lb. pumpkin seeds, raw or roasted
  • 1 cup honey (heat to melt)
  • 1-2 tablespoons vanilla
  • 1/2 cup maple syrup (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon cinnamon
  • dash of kosher salt
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Roast coconut on a large cookie sheet until light brown.  Watch closely.  Cool.
  3. Combine all nuts.  Sift before roasting.
  4. Using two cookie sheets, roast nuts about 10-15 minutes, until warm. Pour nuts into large mixing bowl.
  5. Heat honey.  Remove from heat. Add vanilla and maple syrup.
  6. Coat nuts and toss.
  7. Sprinkle with cinnamon and kosher salt.  Toss again until thoroughly mixed.
  8. Pour into the two cookie sheets.  Roast again for 10-15 minutes.
  9. Cool completely in the pans.  Break apart and store in air tight container. Note: It freezes well.

Recipe from My good friends the Portwoods/aka Dallas Santa

Asian Dishes · Book Club · New Favorite · Poultry

Slow Cooker Cashew Chicken

cathysmaha1 Comment

Our book club met at my home for our March review of Do Not Say We Have Nothing by Madeleine Thien. I must admit I did not care for the book and did not finish it. Others had the same difficulty, finding it complex and hard to follow, especially in the beginning. However, for those that finished the book, they thoroughly enjoyed it finding the Chinese Cultural Revolution to be similar to world experiences today.

Our potluck cuisine was Asian and my Asian recipe file is devoid of recipes.  I found this wonderful Slow Cooker Cashew Chicken recipe online and will definitely make it again and again.  Very flavorful and wonderful with rice and stir fry vegetables.

SLOW COOKER CASHEW CHICKEN

2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon canola oil
1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
4 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
4 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons sweet chili sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 cup cashews

  • Combine cornstarch and pepper in resealable food storage bag. Add chicken and shake to coat with cornstarch.
  • Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Brown chicken about 2 minutes on each side. Place chicken in slow cooker. (Frankly, next time I make it I will skip this step)
  • Combine soy sauce, vinegar, ketchup, sweet chili sauce, sugar, garlic, ginger, pepper flakes, and cashews in small bowl; pour over chicken. (Optional: If you like the cashews to be softer, you can add them during the cooking process.  If you like more crunch, add them right before serving.)
  • Cook on LOW for 3 to 4 hours.
  • Service over rice. Optional: Garnish with chopped scallions.
  • Makes 4-6 servings.

Recipe slightly adapated from therecipecritic.com