Mango Habanero Sauce

Disclosure: Some links in this post may be affiliate links, meaning that at no additional cost to you I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

Need something to spice up your next chicken recipe? I personally have a hard time finding things that are spicy enough. My wife will be red in the face and crying while I shrug and say, “Eh…Its good. I just wish it was spicier…”

This sauce, though, brought it all for me. Full of sweet flavor and plenty of heat, I loved smothering our fried chicken strips in this sauce, but its great as a dipping sauce as well!

You’ll need to grab some habanero hot sauce, and we found the one we bought locally on Amazon! Its yummy on its own, and is a must have to add any sort of heat to your favorite sauces! Yellow Bird has a lot of other flavors I would love to try as well!

Mango Habanero Sauce

Sauce, Spicy, Uncategorized

Mango Habanero Sauce

Ingredients

2 cups mango nectar
Habanero hot sauce (to taste)
1 TBS corn syrup
1/4 cup cayenne pepper sauce
1/3 cup melted butter

Instructions

Combine mango nectar, corn syrup, and Habanero hot sauce to taste in a medium sauce pan. Heat through over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
Once ingredients are well combined and heated through, add cayenne pepper sauce and melted butter.
Cook through until combined again. Reduce heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until desired thickness.

Try this on fried chicken (or air fried chicken if you’re looking for a healthier twist) . Need something not so hot? Try our Zesty Asian sauce!

April 25, 2019April 29, 2019

Zesty Asian Sauce

Summer time means warm nights and fun times! One of our go to recipes for big parties is chicken. Every year we have a combined birthday party (all three of our birthdays are within a week) and this last year we had 20 lbs of fried chicken strips with a wide array of sauces. One of those was a copy cat recipe from our favorite wing joint! (The original sauce may or may not rhyme with PAsian Ping…)

Its great hot or cold, coated all over the chicken or used as a dipping sauce.

Need something to put it on? Try out our Fried Chicken Strips or make them air fried for a healthier twist.

Zesty Asian Sauce

Chinese, Dinner, Meat, Sauce

Zesty Asian Sauce

Ingredients

2 tsp corn starch
4 tsp rice wine vinegar
1/2 cup corn syrup
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup Sriracha
1 TBS soy sauce
1 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp salt

Instructions

In a medium sauce pan, combine all ingredients except for sesame seeds.
Cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally. Cook through until thoroughly combined and desired consistency.

To coat chicken in sauce:

Place chicken you want to coat in a large mixing bowl. Pour sauce into bowl.
Cover bowl with plastic wrap – make sure it is tight! Holding the bowl in both hands, toss chicken and sauce using a circular motion. If chicken and sauce are hot the plastic wrap may expand due to steam.

We also suggest adding sesame seeds to give it that final touch.

Not spicy enough for you? Try our Mango Habanero sauce for a sweet and spicy kick!

April 25, 2019April 29, 2019

Deep Fried Chicken Strips

Disclosure: Some links in this post may be affiliate links, meaning that at no additional cost to you I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

My wife worked for a chicken fast food joint for the first 2 years of our marriage. They let her take home leftovers, so for a long time we had free chicken – old, dry chicken, but everything free is good, right?

Since she quit we’ve been craving fried chicken, and we’ve found a recipe that is nice on the wallet and great with a wide array of dipping sauces! (Including our Zesty Asian and Mango Habanero sauces)

If you want that extra crispy crust we definitely recommend deep frying! If you are looking for a healthier twist check out our Air Fried Chicken Strips recipe.

Deep Fried Chicken Strips

Chicken, Comfort Foods, Dinner, Fried, Meals for a Crowd, Meat

Deep Fried Chicken Strips

Ingredients

2.5 lbs dark meat chicken strips (cut strips from thighs – you should get about 4 from each thigh)
Hot sauce
5 cups flour
1/4 cup onion powder
1/4 cup garlic powder
1/4 cup black pepper
1/4 cup cayenne pepper or to taste
10 eggs
1/4 cup milk

Instructions

Marinade chicken strips in hot sauce for up to 24 hours.
In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, onion powder, garlic powder, and black pepper. Add cayenne pepper to make spicy tenders, or leave it out for a milder breading.
In a shallow bowl combine eggs and milk.
Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper. Remove chicken from marinade and pat dry.
Dredge strips in flour mixture first – shaking off excess flour. Then dip the strip into the egg mixture, and again into the flour mixture. Lightly shake off excess flour.
Place strips in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Place all breaded strips into the freezer for at least two hours for flour to stick to chicken.
Heat deep fryer to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Fry chicken strips in hot oil until golden brown – about 8 minutes.

Notes

It makes it easier to bread the chicken if you use one hand for removing the chicken from the flour mixture and one hand for removing it from the wet mixture. If you don’t then you will coat your fingers in breading. After freezing chicken can be placed in freezer safe bags and kept for up to three months.

April 25, 2019December 5, 2019

Air Fried Chicken Strips

Disclosure: Some links in this post may be affiliate links, meaning that at no additional cost to you I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

We got an Air Fryer from my in-laws for Christmas and we have been cooking up a storm. One thing we’ve made plenty of is our freeze ahead chicken strips! When we are feeling naughty we deep fry them (see that recipe here), but we’re both trying to eat healthier.

With the air fryer you get all the crisp with a lot less oil!

Pair these with our Zesty Asian sauce or Mango Habanero Sauce for a spicy kick!

Air Fried Chicken Strips

Air Fryer, Chicken, Comfort Foods, Dinner, Fried, Meals for a Crowd, Meat

Air Fried Chicken Strips

Ingredients

2.5 lbs dark meat chicken strips (cut strips from thighs – you should get about 4 from each thigh)
Hot sauce
5 cups flour
1/4 cup onion powder
1/4 cup garlic powder
1/4 cup black pepper
1/4 cup cayenne pepper or to taste
10 eggs
1/4 cup milk

Instructions

Marinade chicken strips in hot sauce for up to 24 hours.
In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, onion powder, garlic powder, and black pepper. Add cayenne pepper to make spicy tenders, or leave it out for a milder breading.
In a shallow bowl combine eggs and milk.
Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper. Remove chicken from marinade and pat dry.
Dredge strips in flour mixture first – shaking off excess flour. Then dip the strip into the egg mixture, and again into the flour mixture. Lightly shake off excess flour.
Place strips in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Place all breaded strips into the freezer for at least two hours for flour to stick to chicken.
Preheat air fryer. Just before placing in fryer basket, lightly coat tenders in oil using a oil mister or brush. Cook in single layer at 380 degrees Fahrenheit for 6 minutes. Open fryer and flip strips. Cook for an additional 6 minutes.

Notes

April 22, 2019April 22, 2019

Pork & Veggie Stir Fry

Disclosure: Some links in this post may be affiliate links, meaning that at no additional cost to you I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

The few times we get carry out, we have a favorite Chinese place we go to. Their family combos are to die for, and we always add on an extra order of their crispy cream cheese wontons.

Since we can’t get out as often as we would like, we’ve found its cheaper to make our favorite Asian inspired dishes ourselves. This pork stir fry gives you all the umami you’d expect from your favorite place with the ease of staying in home while you whip it up hot in your own wok!

We cook up our rice in our pressure cooker to make it fast and fluffy! No need to get a single function rice cooker!

We used a bag of frozen veggies from Costco to make ours. You can always substitute fresh produce in, but we find it is often cheaper to grab these veggies frozen – especially when they aren’t in season.

Pork & Veggie Stir Fry

Chinese, Comfort Foods, Dinner, Meat, Pork, Splurge

Pork & Veggie Stir Fry

Ingredients

3 TBS olive oil, divided
3 lbs pork, cut into bite sized pieces
2 1/2 lbs frozen stir fry vegetables**
1 TBS garlic powder
2 tsp powdered ginger

For the Sauce

3 TBS corn starch
6 TBS cold water
1 tsp chicken base
3/4 cup water
6 TBS soy sauce
3/4 cup honey
3 TBS toasted sesame oil
2 tsp or to taste crushed red pepper flakes

Instructions

Make the Sauce:

In a medium bowl, whisk corn starch and cold water. Add remaining sauce ingredients, mixing as you go. Set aside

Start the Stir fry:

Add 1 1/2 TBS olive oil to deep skillet or wok and heat over medium high heat. Add pork, cook in batches if necessary, and add salt and pepper to taste as cooking. Cook for 5 minutes or until cooked through. Remove from pan.
Add remaining oil and reduce heat to medium. Add frozen vegetables to pan, stirring occasionally until heated through but not soggy.
Add garlic powder and powdered ginger and cook for a minute. Add pork back into pan, stirring to combine.
Mix sauce again in case of separation. Our over meat and vegetables, stirring gently to coat.
Increase heat and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Let boil for a minute.
Remove from heat. Serve hot over rice.

Notes

**The frozen bag of vegetables we use includes: broccoli, sugar snap peas, green beans, carrots, mushrooms, red bell peppers, water chestnuts and yellow onions. You can use 2 1/2 lbs of whatever fresh vegetables you like. When cooking, cook vegetables until cooked through but still a little crisp.

April 18, 2019April 15, 2019

Slow Cooker Loaded Baked Potato Soup

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We are potato lovers in this house! When my wife was pregnant that is all she craved (then she ironically developed gestational diabetes, so no more for her!)

Nothing is better on a cool almost spring day than a hearty bowl of potato soup! This classic recipe brings everything you love about a baked potato into a bowl with creamy texture you will love to scarf down!

To make this the ultimate soup, you could really use an immersion blender. It makes is so easy, and saves you the hassle of having to blend it in batches in your standard stand blender. (Though if you love a classic blender, might we recommend Ninja?)

Slow Cooker Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Cheese, Comfort, Comfort Foods, Dinner, Meals for a Crowd, Potatoes, Soup

Slow Cooker Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Ingredients

8 cups of water
4 TBS chicken base
4 lbs red potatoes, chopped into 1″ pieces
1/2 sweet onion, chopped
1 lb bacon, chopped, cooked, divided – reserve grease
1 1/2 cups of sour cream, plus more for garnish
1 lb cheddar cheese, shredded for garnish
1 bunch of green onion, chopped for garnish

Instructions

Mix water, chicken base, potatoes, onion, 1/2 of cooked bacon, and reserved bacon grease in a 6 QT slow cooker.
Cook for 3 hours on high, then 3 hours on low for a total cook time of 6 hours, stirring occasionally.
Using an immersion blender, blend soup until slightly chunkier than desired texture (we like it a little chunky).
Add in 1 1/2 cups of sour cream and blend to desired texture.
Garnish with remaining bacon, green onion, cheddar cheese, and sour cream.

Want to elevate this soup? We love this “Deluxe” version filled with Parmesan!

April 18, 2019April 15, 2019

Slow Cooker Deluxe Potato Soup

Disclosure: Some links in this post may be affiliate links, meaning that at no additional cost to you I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

As spring gets closer, some of those blustery in between days can get pretty chilly. We’ve had such whiplash between sunny weather and rain/snow that we aren’t ever sure what to prepare.

A good fall back is some soup to warm the soul in the slow cooker so you don’t warm up the house! The ultimate comfort food is the potato, and this soup celebrates it in an elevated way!

We have loved our immersion blender, and jump at any opportunity to use it! I couldn’t find ours available anymore, but this one on Amazon is a great price!

Slow Cooker Deluxe Potato Soup

Cheese, Comfort, Comfort Foods, Dinner, Meals for a Crowd, Potatoes, Soup

Slow Cooker Deluxe Potato Soup

Ingredients

8 cups of water
4 TBS chicken base
4 lbs red potatoes, chopped into 1″ pieces
1/2 sweet onion, chopped
1 lb bacon, chopped, cooked, divided – reserve grease
1 lb Parmesan cheese, shredded, divided
1 bunch of green onion, chopped

Instructions

Mix water, chicken base, potatoes, onion, 1/2 of cooked bacon, and reserved bacon grease in a 6 QT slow cooker.
Cook for 3 hours on high, then 3 hours on low for a total cook time of 6 hours, stirring occasionally.
Using an immersion blender, blend soup until slightly chunkier than desired texture (we like it a little chunky).
Add in 1 1/2 cups of shredded Parmesan and blend to desired texture.
Garnish with remaining bacon, green onion, and more Parmesan.

Notes

Make this Vegetarian friendly by not adding bacon and using Vegetable Bouillon instead of chicken base.

A little to indulgent? Check out our classic Loaded Baked Potato Soup for a simpler take!

April 15, 2019April 12, 2019

Slow Cooker Taco Soup

Disclosure: Some links in this post may be affiliate links, meaning that at no additional cost to you I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

Spring is in the air – but if you live anywhere like we do, April still has a chill in the air. Around here that means soup time!

One of our heartiest and budget friendly soups is our Taco Soup! Filled with lots of protein and brimming with flavor, we can never have enough!

You can make this recipe even simpler if you want to use canned beans instead of soaking your own. Or make it faster by using a pressure cooker to cook up your beans!

Garnished with tortilla chips, sour cream, and green onions for a fiesta in a bowl!

Slow Cooker Taco Soup

Comfort, Comfort Foods, Dinner, Meals for a Crowd, Meat, Mexican, Pork, Soup

Slow Cooker Taco Soup

Ingredients

3 lbs pork shoulder, cut into bite sized chunks
1 1/2 cups dried pinto beans
1 1/2 cups dried black beans
1 1/2 cups dried kidney beans
5 TBS Taco Seasoning
2 cans of diced tomatoes
1 can of corn
7 cups of water
2 TBS of chicken base powder
2 medium Anaheim peppers, finely chopped and separated
1 bunch of green onion, chopped
1 lb of cheddar cheese, shredded
Sour cream
Tortilla chips

Instructions

Mix dried beans in a large bowl or pot. Fill bowl with enough water to cover the beans. Soak overnight. Drain beans.
Mix beans, pork, 4 TBS of the taco seasoning, diced tomatoes, 3 cups of water, 1 TBS chicken base and corn in a 6 QT slow cooker. Cook on high for 2 hours.
Add 1/2 of a medium Anaheim pepper. Cook for another 5 hours on high.
Add remaining water, chicken base, and taco seasoning. Cook for an additional 2 hours, bringing the total cook time to 9 hours.
Garnish soup with tortilla chips, remaining Anaheim peppers, green onions, cheese, and sour cream.

Notes

If using canned beans use 3 15oz cans of beans, drained, for each variety. They will not need to be soaked. Reduce cook time by 1 hour and cook on low instead of high.

April 11, 2019April 11, 2019

Deep Fried Mozzarella Sticks

Disclosure: Some links in this post may be affiliate links, meaning that at no additional cost to you I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

With the NBA playoffs coming up (I say “Go Trailblazers!” and my wife is an unapologetic Jazz fan) we’ve been making up appetizers and finger foods. Nothing is better than a hot bit of deep fried cheese!

Sure, you can go to the frozen section of the nearest grocery store and grab a giant bag of frozen sticks. We prefer to make our own – you can mix up what cheese you use, and make up some fresh breadcrumbs if you want. You’ll always know you have the freshest ingredients and the best quality ingredients without all the preservatives or chemicals the store bought variety will have.

Deep Fried Mozzarella Sticks

Appetizer, Cheese, Comfort Foods, Fried, Sides, Vegetarian

Deep Fried Mozzarella Sticks

Ingredients

10 oz block of Mozzarella cheese
3 Eggs
2 TBS Milk
2 1/2 cups of seasoned breadcrumbs

Instructions

Cut cheese into 20 1/2″ square strips weighing about 1/2 oz each.
In a shallow bowl or dish beat together eggs and milk. Place breadcrumbs in another shallow dish.
Dredge cheese strips in breadcrumbs, then dredge in the egg mixture. Place back into breadcrumbs and coat thoroughly.
Preheat deep fryer to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Fry the strips in batches for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes or until crispy and golden. Drain on paper towels to remove excess oil.

If freezing for later:

After breading the cheese, place in a single layer on a baking sheet. Place in freezer for 2 hours.
Place in air tight bag or container. Freeze for up to 3 months.

Fried cheese not your thing? Start the party off right with our other appetizers like Fried Calamari or Homemade French Fries!

April 8, 2019May 20, 2019

Homemade French Fries

Disclosure: Some links in this post may be affiliate links, meaning that at no additional cost to you I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

The average American eats 30lbs of French Fries a year! (Source) I haven’t met a person who doesn’t love the fried potato-ey goodness that is the crispy french fry!

Everyone knows french fries are best when they are fresh out of the oil. Nothing is worse than when you get your food to go and get home to find your fries limp and cold. Making them yourself is the best way to combat this!

French Fries

Appetizer, Comfort Foods, Freezer, Fried, Potatoes, Sides, Vegetarian

French Fries

Ingredients

5lbs Russet potatoes
1 TBS Lemon Juice
Fryer oil of your choice
Salt and other spices to taste

Instructions

Cut potatoes into 1/4″ strips. Place them into a large bowl and cover with water – water should be a few inches over the potatoes.
Add of lemon juice to water and stir. Allow fries to soak for a minimum of 30 minutes. For best results fries should be soaked for 1-2 hours.
Preheat deep fryer to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
Drain water and remove potatoes from the bowl. Dab fries dry with a paper towel. **THIS IS IMPORTANT! Do not add wet fries to hot oil!
Deep fry handful-sized batches of fries for 3 minutes, shaking frying basket about every 30 seconds to keep fries from sticking together. Remove from oil and drain. Allow fries to return to room temperature.
Once fries have cooled, return to oil and fry again for about 5 minutes or until golden brown.
Remove from oil and drain. Sprinkle with salt and serve hot!

Make ahead fries for the freezer

After the first 3 minute cook time (see step 5 above), allow fries to cool to room temperature. Arrange on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. You can layer the fries with parchment paper in between.
Place in freezer for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.
Place frozen fries into freezer safe bags. Remove as much air as possible. Frozen fries can be stored in the freezer for up to 6 months.
When ready to eat, cook as instructed above for the second cooking time.

We serve ours hot next to our barbecue pulled pork sandwiches or smothered in chili and cheese.

Cason Cooks

Posts

Mango Habanero Sauce

Zesty Asian Sauce

Deep Fried Chicken Strips

Air Fried Chicken Strips

Pork & Veggie Stir Fry

Slow Cooker Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Slow Cooker Deluxe Potato Soup

Slow Cooker Taco Soup

Deep Fried Mozzarella Sticks

Homemade French Fries