They Don't All Have to be Homemade - Mandarin Orange Chicken

If you know me, you know my LOVE for Trader Joe's.  I am there all the time, we know the workers, they all know and love Naomi, it is a bit ridiculous.  I will do a post on "my favorite things" from there.  Then I can feel famous like Oprah.  Maybe I will even do a giveaway or something!?

So tonight for dinner we had Mandarin Orange Chicken - from Trader Joe's.  I saw it yesterday and thought for $4.99 this might be worth a try.  It was WELL worth the try.  We made it for dinner tonight added a few green onions, made some brown rice and garlic green beans to go along with it and wah-la dinner was served.  I could have told Ken that it was from our local take-out place, it was that good.  So, if you have a Trader Joe's nearby try it out, if you don't like it they will give you a refund!

Mandarin Orange Chicken and Garlic Green Beans

To prepare this meal, you just need a package of Mandarin Orange Chicken (I would say it would serve 3 adults) some of their frozen French cut green beans (I am telling you they are the BEST) and some brown rice.  I prepared the brown rice in my rice cooker, basically just steamed it.  For the chicken, saute it in some olive oil in the pan until heated through.  Heat the sauce in a saucepan or in the microwave and then mix it all together.  For the green beans, heat a small amount of oil in a pan.  Add some green beans, salt, pepper, and some crushed garlic.  Cook for about 5 minutes.  

This dinner was together in a snap.  All I had to do was put the rice on earlier so it would be ready with our meal.  Enjoy!!!  

Be on the lookout tomorrow for the best pot roast ever with easy homemade cheddar biscuits.  

Funfetti Cookies, Who Doesn't Love These?

I honestly do not know what it is about these cookies that people love, but they LOVE them.  It is so simple and whoever thought of making cookies using a cake mix?  These featured cookies were made with a box of Pillsbury Funfetti Cake Mix for a friend's birthday.  Keep in mind you can make any kind of cake mix cookie with the same recipe.  I have made chocolate chocolate chip, I have used a white cake mix and rolled the cookies in cinnamon and sugar, you can use lemon and white chocolate - I am telling you endless possibilities.  I guess I could use a permutation and figure out the number of possibilities, but who wants the boring math stuff?  Onto the recipe!

Funfetti / Cake Mix Cookies

Ingredients:
1 box of cake mix
2 eggs
1/3 cup oil
1 can of frosting and some sprinkles (optional)

Directions:
Heat oven to 375 degrees.  Mix all ingredients together well and drop in one inch round balls on a cookie sheet.  On the box it tells you to squish them down before you bake - but I don't do that and they turn out much more chewy.  Bake for 8-10 minutes or so and let cool before you move them or frost them.

Like I said, I don't know why these are always a hit, but they are!  Try a new flavor today and let me know how you like it!