Peanut Butter Oreo Icebox Cake

adapted from recipes by Cookies & Cups and Taste of Home

INGREDIENTS

2 packages Oreos

milk

12 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 cup CREAMY peanut butter

1.5 cups powdered sugar

12 oz tub Cool Whip

1 package instant chocolate fudge pudding mix

1 package Reeses Minis

DIRECTIONS

Prepare pudding according to package directions. Set aside.

In a mixer, beat the cream cheese, peanut butter, and powdered sugar until smooth. Carefully fold in the tub of cool whip. Set aside.

Pour some milk into a small bowl. Then give each Oreo a quick dip. We don't want to soak them, but we want to at least fully immerse them.

Then lay the Oreos flat, in a 13x9 pan until bottom is covered.

Once you have a layer of Oreos, spread half of the peanut butter mixture on top of the Oreos.

Repeat Oreo process. Top this Oreo layer with prepared chocolate fudge pudding, and some of the reeses minis, at your discretion.

Repeat Oreo process, and spread remaining peanut butter mixture on top. 

Garnish with crumbled Oreo cookies, and Mini Reeses Peanut Butter Cups.

Cover, and chill for at least 6 hours before serving. So the Oreos have plenty of time to soften up.

Fried Chicken Bites

INGREDIENTS
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 egg
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons pepper
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup flour
Oil

DIRECTIONS
Cut chicken into 2-inch pieces, and set aside.
In a mixing bowl, combine egg, salt, pepper, and 1 tablespoon oil and mix well; and add chicken.
In a separate bowl, combine the cornstarch, and flour.

Heat about 1/2 inch of oil in a skillet, over medium heat (to about 375* F).
Carefully dredge the egg covered chicken in the cornstarch/flour mixture, and shake off excess.
Add chicken in small batches, and fry 3 to 4 minutes or until golden and crisp.
Remove chicken from oil with slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
Then enjoy!

In high school, my favorite thing to get for lunch was 2 chicken tenders, and a 2 "potato logs" with lots of ranch from the LCL gas station. I'm 99% sure that they must have laced their ranch with heroin because I would just CRAVE those chicken tenders, and this is coming from a girl that hates breading on meat. I hate breading so much that I literally threw up the chicken parmesan a boyfriend spent hours making for a romantic dinner because I couldn't handle it.
Anyway, I was making Orange Chicken to celebrate the fact that we got custody of my niece, and as I was frying up the chicken for the Orange Chicken, I decided to taste test what I had so far, and I found the answer to my LCL chicken prayers, and these super simple Fried Chicken Bites were born.
Now all I need is some of that ranch in the tiny little cups, and my life will be complete!

Orange Chicken

adapted from Easy Restaurant Recipes

INGREDIENTS
(for the chicken)
2 pounds boneless chicken pieces, skinned
1 egg
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
White pepper
Oil
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon cornstarch, divided use
1/4 cup flour
(for the sauce)
5 tablespoons sugar
5 tablespoons white vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons water
Zest from 1 orange
1 tablespoon minced ginger root
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 dash crushed hot red chilies
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1 tablespoon rice wine
Juice of 1 orange
1 teaspoon sesame oil

DIRECTIONS
Cut chicken pieces into 2-inch squares and place in large bowl. Stir in egg, salt, pepper, and 1 tablespoon oil and mix well; set aside.
Stir 1/2 cup cornstarch and the flour together. Add chicken pieces, stirring to coat.
Heat about 1/2 inch of oil over medium heat, (to about 375* F)

Add chicken pieces, small batch at time, and fry 3 to 4 minutes or until golden and crisp.

Remove chicken from oil with slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Set aside.
In a medium sized bowl, combine the sugar, white vinegar, soy sauce, water, and zest of orange.
Then set aside.
In a frying pan, add 1 tablespoon oil. Add ginger and garlic and stir-fry until fragrant.

Add and stir-fry crushed chilies and green onions.
Add rice wine and stir 3 seconds.

Add pre-prepared mixture of sugar, orange zest, vinegar, water and soy sauce, and bring to boil.

Add cooked chicken, stirring until well mixed.

Whisk remaining 1 tablespoon cornstarch into orange juice until smooth.
Add to chicken and heat until sauce is thickened.

Stir in 1 tablespoon oil and 1 teaspoon sesame oil.
Serve over rice, and enjoy!