Mandarin Orange Chicken (gluten and dairy free)

Hello, friends! It's been a while!

These days my kids are all grown up, and life looks a little different than it did when I first started this blog. Even so, I still find myself in the kitchen several nights a week, trying to get a delicious dinner on the table. And after all these years, this little corner of the internet is still the first place I go when I'm looking for a recipe I know my family loves.

Lately I've been collecting some newer favorites that deserve a permanent home here—not only so I can find them again, but so I can share them with you, too.

This Mandarin Orange Chicken is one of those recipes. My friend Jen made it for us years ago, and after one bite I knew it was a keeper. It's become a regular in our dinner rotation because it's simple, flavorful, and everyone loves it.

One of my favorite things about this recipe is how easy it is to adapt for food allergies. It's naturally dairy-free, and the only ingredient containing gluten is the soy sauce. Simply substitute gluten-free soy sauce or coconut aminos, and you'll never miss the gluten. You can also adjust the sugar to your family's taste—add the full amount for a sweeter sauce or reduce it if you prefer something a little less sweet.

I hope your family enjoys this one as much as ours does!

Click here for printable recipe.   

Mandarin Orange Chicken 
Makes 6 servings

The ingredients:   

CHICKEN
1-1/4 lbs fresh boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into chunks

1 Tbs.  paprika

1/2 tsp pepper

1 tsp salt 

3 Tbs. neutral oil (I usually use avocado oil)

ORANGE SAUCE

1 lg. (29 oz) can mandarin orange juice (reserve fruit for later in the recipe)

1 clove garlic, minced

1cup  beef broth

1/2 of a 12 ounce container  frozen orange juice concentrate

2-3 Tbs. cornstarch

2 Tbs. soy sauce (NOTE: soy sauce contains gluten, so look for coconut aminos or a gluten free soy sauce if you are making this for someone avoiding gluten  )

1 tsp. ginger
2 Tbs. sugar (optional)

ADD AT THE END

1 can  coconut milk

reserved mandarin oranges
2 cups sliced almonds, sautéed in a little oil
3-4 cups hot cooked rice

 

GETTING STARTED:   Preheat oven to 400-degrees.   Start rice cooking. 

CHICKEN DIRECTIONS:    In a medium bowl, toss fresh chopped chicken with oil, paprika, salt, and pepper.

Spread in a single layer onto a foil lined cookie sheet. 

 Bake at 400-degrees for 20 minutes, stirring once in the middle. 

SAUCE DIRECTIONS:   While the chicken is cooking, saute the garlic with a little oil. 

Then combine the juice drained from the can of mandarin oranges,

minced garlic, beef broth, and the orange juice concentrate in a large sauce pot.

 Cook over medium-high heat for about 15 minutes. 

In a small bowl whisk together cornstarch and soy sauce or coconut aminos, then slowly whisk into the orange sauce.  Add ginger and sugar (if desired) cook until thickened. 

  

TO SERVE:   Add the cooked chicken,

coconut milk,

 and reserved mandarin oranges to the sauce. 

  Serve over rice and top with the sautéed almonds.  

Roasted veggies is a perfect side with this!  

Enjoy!  

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Orange-Zucchini Loaf with Orange Glaze

One thing I love about summertime is the abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables.  Although my zucchini plant has not started producing yet, I found a bag of shredded zucchini in my freezer that has been pushed around since last year.  Since I will soon be overwhelmed (hopefully) with the need for freezer space, I needed to use it up.  When I saw this recipe, I knew that this is what I would make with it.  Unfortunately, after going to the store I realized I forgot the lemons.  I improvised and used an orange instead and I think it turned out really well!  It was late at night when I made it and I forgot to take pictures until it was done, but it was so delicious I wanted to share it now.  I think next time I will add more zucchini...


Recipe Source: Nancy Creative

Click here for printable recipe.

Posted by Katie.

Ingredients:

Bread-

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

2 eggs

1/2 cup canola oil

2/3 cup sugar

1/2 cup buttermilk (go here to find out how to make buttermilk with just milk and vinegar)

Juice of 1/2 orange (or 2 Tbsp.)

Zest of 1/2 orange

1 cup shredded zucchini

Glaze-

1 cup powdered sugar

Juice of 1/2 orange

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.  Grease and flour a loaf pan and set it aside.

In a large bowl, blend together flour, baking powder and salt.  Set aside.

In a medium bowl, beat 2 eggs well.  Add canola oil and sugar and blend well.  Add the buttermilk, orange juice and zest and blend it all together.  Add in the flour mixture and zucchini and stir until everything is well blended, but don't over-mix.

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake at 350 for 45 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.  Cool in pan 10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack and cool completely.  

Once loaf is completely cool, prepare the glaze:  Just mix the powdered sugar and orange juice until smooth.  Pour glaze evenly over loaf and let sit until set.

Enjoy!

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Fruit baskets

When I was younger, I remember watching my dad make cute baskets out of oranges. I was always impressed that my dad could make these. (because he wasn't usually very present in a kitchen). But, when it came to getting ready for a dinner party, my dad would get out his knife and cut away. He's also pretty handy with a saw, so perhaps it came naturally for him to carve out fruit. You can also do this with watermelon, cantaloupe, or any round type fruit. (although the orange peel is easier to cut through). I decided to try my hand at these for our Easter dinner. You could even add some green coconut on top to look like grass or grapes for the "eggs". I may consider wrapping a licorice "bow on the handle just to make it more enticing for my kids.

Click here for printable recipe.

Posted by Jen.

The Ingredients:

Oranges (as many as people are going to be eating)

Strawberries (I used 8 strawberries for 4 baskets)

Pears (1 pear made 4 baskets)

Grapes (red or green)

other fruit you may like (ie, Kiwi, bananas, apples, pineapple, etc)

Directions:

Wash your fruit.

Use a small sharp knife and first cut down from the top , but only about a third of the way down. Don't cut right in the middle, but about 1/8 inch from the center. Now move 1/8 inch to other side of the center and cut straight down about one third of the way down. This will be your handle and it should be about 1/4 inch thick. (I'll get a better picture soon and put it up)

Next either cut a straight line across the middle of a zigzag. Do not cut all the way around. Make sure you stop where you cut the handle.

It should look like this: (but make your handle a bit skinnier than this one)Now proceed to cut around in the middle to get out the orange. You may need a spoon or a melon baller to help you get it all out. This will be juicy and potentially messy. Pour the juice into a bowl that you are going to mix your fruit salad in.

Cut up the orange pulp into pieces (without much rind). Cut up the rest of the fruit into smaller pieces. Add it all to the orange juice and mix. (the orange juice will help the pears to not brown)

Now scoop your fruit salad into your basket. You may want to arrange it so that a couple grapes are on top to resemble Easter eggs.

I added some green coconut to this to look like grass, but I'm thinking it's a bit too much. What do you think?

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Easter Bunny Buns (a cute Easter treat)

My ten-year-old discovered the recipe for these cute little bunny rolls in a children’s magazine that our church publishes.  She literally was jumping and down with excitement about them and insisted that I make them for the blog as soon as possible.  My six-year-old chimed in that I would probably be the first person on my Facebook to make them.  After I stopped giggling at my kids’ remarkably effective tactics at getting me to make a fun recipe, I decided to go ahead and give them a try.   

Not too surprisingly, these were quite a hit….with the kids and the adults!  I loved the subtle orange flavoring of these rolls and  the glaze added just a touch of sweetness that made them all the more fun for the kids, but without overpowering them with too much sugar.  It was only on a whim that I decided to try to make the faces using a container of ice cream sprinkles, but since those rolls were the first ones that got gobbled up by my little ones, I definitely think that they’re worth the trouble to add ( on at least a few of them)!    

These cute little bunny buns (or should I call them “rabbit rolls”?) have just become a fun new Easter tradition at our house!
Recipe Source:  Friend Magazine

Click here for printable recipe.

Posted by Lara. 

The ingredients:

BUNNY BUNS:

1 Tbs. active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
1 cup milk
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup oil
1 tsp. salt
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup orange juice (I just used the juice from the oranges that I zested for the peel)
2 Tbs. grated orange peel (it took about 2 small/medium oranges)
5-1/2 cups flour ( I used half white, half white whole wheat)
Ice cream sprinkles (optional for making faces)

GLAZE:
2 cups powdered sugar
2 Tbs. hot water
2 Tbs. orange juice (or 2 more tablespoons hot water for a plain glaze)
1 tsp. butter

Directions:  In a medium sized bowl, combine the yeast and the warm water.  Set aside.  In another bowl, heat milk in microwave for about 1 minute 20 seconds or so.  Milk should be hot, but not boiling.  Blend hot milk with sugar, oil, and salt. (NOTE:  Before adding the next ingredients, make sure your milk mixture is  warm to the touch, but not too hot to leave your finger in for a few seconds (110-120 degrees is perfect)).   Then add eggs, yeast with water, orange juice, and orange peel.  Add flour a few cups at a time to make a soft dough.  Knead for 5-10 minutes ( I let my Kitchen-Aid do the hard work for me).  Place dough in a lightly greased bowl, turning once to grease surface.  Cover bowl and place in a warm place.  Allow the dough to rise for 1-2 hours, or until double in size.  Punch dough down and let stand for 10 minutes.

On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a long rectangle 1/2-inch thick.  Cut dough into strips 1/2-inch wide and 14-inches long.  

Roll the dough to make rounded snake shapes.  Reserve 1-2 of the strips to cut into pieces about 1/2-inch long and roll into small balls (for the tails). 


Place one long piece of dough on a greased cookie sheet.  Place one end of the strip over the other to make a loop; bring the end that is underneath up and cross it over the other end.  Place a ball of dough on top of the bottom loop (to be the tail). 

(NOTE:  If you would like to make faces, now is the time.  Make an egg wash with one egg white and one tablespoon of warm water.   Brush over the tops of the bunny buns.   Using a combination of sprinkles, raisins, or whatever,  make a little face at the base of the "ears".  Proceed as directed.)

Cover bunnies and allow to rise in a warm place for 45-60 minutes, until nearly double in size.  Bake at 375 degrees for 12-15 minutes.  

(You can see that we made most of our bunny buns without faces.  They’re not quite as cute, but they were much easier to make and the kids loved them anyway!)

For the glaze, stir powdered sugar, water, orange juice, and butter together.  Frost bunnies with the glaze while still warm.  Makes about 20 bunny buns.  

Enjoy!

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