Sweet and Sour Chicken

I originally posted this about three years ago, but I've changed the recipe since then, so I thought i'd update it!

When I was a kid and we would go to a Chinese restaurant, the only thing I would ever order was Sweet and Sour Chicken.  Years ago, when my brother and sister-in-law lived in Hawaii, they got me a Hawaiian cookbook.  I was delighted to find this recipe in it, which is a more Hawaiian version of sweet and sour chicken.  Their directions were terrible and their quantities and cooking times were also pretty off, so I revamped the recipe a few times, until I came up with this version. I love it!

Sweet and Sour Chicken

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken (breasts, tenders, thighs, whatever you prefer)
1 cup flour
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 T oil
1 red or green bell pepper, sliced in 1/4"-thick rings
1 (10 oz) cans of pineapple in juice (rings or chunks), drained, reserving juice
OR 6-8 fresh pineapple rings

Sauce
3/4 cups pineapple juice
3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 T corn starch
1 t ground ginger
1 cup sugar
1 cube of chicken bullion

Preheat the oven to 350F. Cut the chicken into 1" cubes.  Place flour, salt, and pepper in a large Ziplock bag.  Add chicken and toss to coat.  Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add floured chicken and cook about 5 minutes, turning once, or until very lightly browned.  Remove chicken from pan and place in a 9"x13" pan.  Arrange peppers and pineapple on top of chicken and put in oven for 25-30 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the sauce.  Put all ingredients in medium saucepan.  Heat over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil.  Boil for 2 minutes, still stirring, until sauce has thickened slightly. Remove from heat and pour over already-baking chicken.  Continue to cook chicken with sauce until fully cooked.

Serve over rice.

Serves 6.

Beef with Bok Choy

Beef and Bok Choy. Sorry for the phone photo, I couldn't find the real camera.

As promised earlier, my kids and I are trying new vegetables this year.  I now present our first one: Bok Choy!  Ta-Da!  I have eaten bok choy before at various Asian restaurants, but had never cooked it myself.  However, it was easy to cook and got good reviews from my kids (more about those later).  The recipe I was looking at was only for the bok choy itself, so I added to the recipe to include some beef.  You could just as easily use chicken or pork and not change anything else, so feel free to substitute. 

First, about buying bok choy.  There are a few varieties of bok choy, but the major difference you need to know about is the difference between regular bok choy and baby bok choy.  The baby kind is small (about 6-inches tall) while the regular bok choy is much bigger (mine was about 15-inches!).  For this recipe you'll want to buy the big kind.  If you buy the little kind you won't have anything to cut off and it will cook totally differently.

And with that, the recipe...

Beef with Bok Choy
Recipe adapted from Cook's Illustrated

Ingredients:
1 lb steak, chicken, or pork
1/2 cup soy sauce, divided
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon sugar
3 tablespoons peanut oil (or you can use canola or vegetable oil)
1 medium head bok choy (1 1/2 - 2 lbs)
1 tablespoon peeled and minced fresh ginger root

First, to prepare the meat, slice against the grain into 1/4-inch-thick slices.  In a ziplock bag combine all but 2 tablespoons of soy sauce with the minced garlic; add meat and let marinate about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the bok choy.  Chop off the bottom inch of the bok choy, then separate and wash all the leaves.  Pat each leaf dry, then cut the green leafy part away from the white stalk part.  Slice each stalk in half lengthwise, then crosscut into 1/4-inch thick pieces.  Set aside.  Pile all the green leaf parts on top of each other and cut into 1/2-inch wide strips.  Cross cut if desired.  Keep the chopped greens and stalks separate.

In a small bowl, combine remaining 2 Tbs soy sauce with 1 tsp sugar and set aside.

Heat 1 Tbs oil in large nonstick skillet over medium high heat.  Add meat, discarding the remaining marinade, and stir-fry until just cooked, about 3-5 minutes.  Remove meat into serving bowl and wipe skillet with a paper towel.  Pour remaining 2 Tbs oil into skillet and heat until almost smoking.  Add the bok choy stalks and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes.  Add the ginger and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Add the leafy part of the bok choy, meat, and the soy sauce mixture and cook, stirring frequently, until leaves are wilted, about 1 minute.

Serve immediately, over rice or noodles.
Serves 6.

My husband and I liked this dish pretty well. 
My kids rated this dish as follows:
E (age 7): Bok choy stalks, 9/10;  bok choy leaves, 10/10; meat, 10/10; everything together, 10/10.
J (age 6): Bok choy stalks, 19/20; bok choy leaves, 19/20; meat, 18/20; everything together, 19/20.
E (age 4): Bok choy stalks and leaves, yuck; meat, good; everything together, no thank you.
G (age 2): Chocolate, please?

Beef and Broccoli

This is a quintessential Chinese dish, found at every Chinese restaurant in America.  I've tried several different recipes for Beef and Broccoli over the years, and stopped looking when I found this one.  It came from my good friend Ie Li, who once told me that she spent a good portion of her growing up years playing under the table at Chinese restaurants.  That's all the qualification I needed to trust her Asian faire.

Beef and Broccoli
Recipe by Ie Li Zachrison

Ingredients:
1 lb flank steak, sliced across the grain into strips 2 inches long and 1/4 inch thick
3 Tbs soy sauce
2 Tbs chicken broth
2 Tbs oyster sauce
1 Tbs brown sugar
1 tsp sesame oil
1 Tbs cornstarch
6 cloves garlic, mined
1 Tbs minced fresh ginger
3 Tbs vegetable oil
1 lb broccoli florets
1 small red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and diced
3 medium scallions (green onions), cut on the diagonal into 1/2" pieces

Combine the beef and soy sauce in a medium bowl; cover and refrigerate for at least 10 minutes or up to 1 hour.  Meanwhile, whisk chicken broth, oyster sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, and cornstarch in a small bowl.  Combine the garlic, ginger, and 1 1/2 tsp of vegetable oil in a separate small bowl.

Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons of vegetable oil in a nonstick 12-inch skillet over high heat until smoking.  Drain the beef and discard the liquid.  Add the beef to the skillet and break up the clumps.  Cook without stirring for 1 minute, then stir and cook until the beef is brown around the edges, about 30 seconds.  Remove the beef to a serving bowl.

Add 1 tsp oil to the empty skillet and heat until smoking.  Add broccoli and stir-fry until tender-crisp, about 2 minutes.  Transfer into the bowl with the beef.

Add the remaining oil to the empty skillet and heat until smoking.  Add the bell pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until lightly browned, about 1 1/2 minutes.  Clear the center of the skillet and add the garlic and ginger mixture, mashing with a spoon until fragrant, about 15-20 seconds.  Stir the mixture into the peppers, then return the beef and broccoli to the pan, stirring to combine.  Pour the sauce over everything and stir and cook until the sauce is thickened, about 30 seconds.  Transfer to the serving bowl, sprinkle with scallions, and serve over steamed rice.

Serves 4.

Vietnamese Barbecue Tacos

This recipe comes from the April issue of Southern Living.  I must admit that generally when I get any magazine the first thing I do is flip to the recipes.  I saw lots of great recipes in this one, but none of them flipped my wig enough to add it to my weekly meals.  My husband picked it up later and marked this recipe.  I put it on the weekly menu, but I was hesitant about it.  I thought the picture looked weird, and that the ingredients seemed like an odd combination.  However, I reasoned, I do love Asian food, and I love tacos, so I may as well try them.

After cooking the meat and getting excited by the amazing smell of the marinade, I knew I was going to love the meat.  But I still wasn't sure about the toppings and dipping sauce.  Luckily I have kids, so I put on a brave face and put a taco together to demonstrate to them how to eat it.  I piled on the toppings and dipped it in the sauce.  It was like an amazing explosion of deliciousness.  I was in heaven.  I forgot the kids and hastily finished my taco, reveling in every single bite.  And then I went for more.

So I hope that you'll give this a try, even if it seems unfamiliar.  I promise that the sauce, while it looks like it should be really spicy, really isn't.  And the toppings, while they seem like an odd combination, are actually amazing together.  Try it.  You'll like it.  You might just love it.

As a note, the meat need to marinate for at least 8 hours, so plan ahead accordingly.

Vietnamese Barbecue Tacos
Recipe by Southern Living Magazine, April 2012

Marinade/Meat Ingredients:
2 1/2 pounds beef steak (strip steaks, flank steaks, tri-tip steaks, or any other nice piece of meat you can get your hands on.  I used sirloin.)
1/4 cup fish sauce
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
2 Tbs grated fresh ginger (or 1 1/2 tsp ground dried ginger)
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbs sugar
2 Tbs honey
1 Tbs sesame oil
1 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/2 medium-sized red onion, sliced

 Dipping Sauce Ingredients:1/2 cup water
1/4 cup fish sauce
1/4 cup white vinegar
3 Tbs sugar
2 Tbs fresh lime juice
2 cloves garlic, mined
1 Serrano or Thai chili pepper, seeded and sliced (if you want your dipping sauce spicy, you can leave the seeds)

Topping Ingredients:
Thinly sliced red cabbage
Matchstick-sized or coarsely grated carrots
Thinly sliced red onion (use the rest of the onion from above)
Chopped fresh cilantro
Chopped fresh mint
Thinly sliced cucumbers
Small (8-inch) flour tortillas

For the meat:  In a bowl combine fish sauce, vinegar, ginger, garlic, honey, sugar, oil, and pepper.  Stir well.  Pour into a ziplock bag and add onions.  Add meat.  Seal bag and refrigerate 8-24 hours.

For the dipping sauce: In a small bowl whisk together water, fish sauce, vinegar, sugar, lime juice, and garlic.  Stir in chili pepper.  Can be made ahead and refrigerated in an airtight container for up to a week.

To assemble:  Grill meat over medium-high heat for 3 minutes per side.  Turn heat to low and cook an additional 1-2 minutes per side, or until desired degree of doneness.  Cover with foil and let stand for 10 minutes before cutting into thin strips across the grain. 

On a flour tortilla, place some meat and desired toppings.  Roll into taco and serve with dipping sauce.

Serves 6-8.

Pad Thai

Several years ago I traveled to Thailand, and as a Thai food lover, I was very excited to eat there.  The first thing I wanted to try was authentic Pad Thai.  I was very disappointed to hear that Pad Thai is actually not a traditional Thai dish, but rather something that was invented in China, and is the Chinese way of making Thai-style noodles.  I did eat a lot of other fantastic food on that trip, and I still love Pad Thai even though it's not officially Thai. 

This recipe is one I got several years ago online, and I've modified it over the years to make it easier to make while still retaining the flavor of real Pad Thai.  There are so many recipes out there for Pad Thai, and most of them are terrible, but I promise you this one is very very good. 

In most Thai dishes there are a few ingredients that really make it taste Thai.  This recipe utilizes three of those key ingredients, namely fish sauce, tamarind paste, and lime.  Fish sauce and lime are easy to come by in any grocery store; tamarind paste is a bit trickier.  I have found it in my local Wegman's grocery store, in the Asian food aisle.  I have found it at our Asian grocery store, H-Mart,  though it was very difficult to find because of the communication barrier.  Probably the easiest place to get it would be to go to an Indian or Middle Eastern or Asian market, a little store where it won't take you an hour to walk every aisle, and get it there. 

Once you have tamarind paste (it's also sometimes called tamarind concentrate, or tamarind juice, even though it's a thick paste (the thickness of peanut butter)), you can keep it practically forever in your refrigerator and it's used in LOTS of Thai recipes.  You can also thin it with water and make it into a juice, but I personally think it tastes terrible!  I guess it's an acquired taste.

So, without any more delays, here is the recipe for Pad Thai.  I hope you love it as much as I do.

Pad Thai

Ingredients:
1/2 lb dried thin (1/8" wide) rice noodles (also called "Oriental Style Noodles," gkuay dtiow in Thai, or ban pho in Vietnamese)
3 Tbs fish sauce
3 Tbs tamarind paste
2 Tbs brown sugar or palm sugar if you have that
4 tsp peanut oil (or you can use vegetable oil)
1/3 lb fresh shrimp, shelled, deveined and butterflied, OR 1/2 lb boneless chicken, cut into 1/2" cubes
3/4 cup firm pressed tofu, cut into thin strips about 1"x1/2"x1/4"
4-5 cloves garlic, minced (that's at least a tablespoon of minced garlic.  I usually put in 2 T)
1/2 medium onion, chopped, or 3 shallots, chopped
2 T soy sauce (if you can get dark sweet soy sauce it's better)
1 tsp ground dried red chilies, or 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
3 eggs
3 cups fresh bean sprouts
1 cup garlic chives, cut into 1-1/2" long pieces
2/3 cup chopped unsalted roasted peanuts (for garnish)
1 lime, cut into 4 or 8 wedges (for garnish)
Cilantro springs (for garnish)
4 green onions, root trimmed and top cut back until the onion is about 4-5" long (for garnish)

Soak the dried noodles in a large bowl of lukewarm water for about 40 minutes, until the noodles are limp but still firm to the touch.  While the noodles are soaking, combine fish sauce, tamarind paste, and brown sugar in a small bowl.  Prepare all other ingredients so they will be close at hand while cooking, as the cooking process goes very quickly.

When the noodles have softened, drain and set aside.  Prepare a large wok by heating over medium high heat until smoking.  Add 2 tsp oil and stir-fry the shrimp or chicken until cooked through.  Remove from pan and place in serving bowl.  Drizzle just a little bit of fish sauce over the meat.

Add another tsp oil to the wok, and swirl it around to coat the surface.  Wait 20 seconds or so until it is hot, then add the tofu, frying and turning for a few minutes until they begin to brown.  Add garlic and stir-fry for 15 seconds, then add onion and cook another 15 seconds.  Add soy sauce and ground chilies, stirring to combine everything.

Add the noodles in, and toss well with everything in the wok.  Cook for about 2 minutes, until noodles have softened and are nearly cooked.  Push the whole mass of everything up on the top sides of the wok so you have a free cooking surface at the very bottom.  Add the last tsp of oil to the bottom, wait for it to heat for a few seconds, then crack the eggs in that spot.  Scramble them as they cook, and when they're set, cut them up a bit with your spatula and mix them into the noodles.

Pour the tamarind mixture over the whole thing, stirring to make sure everything is evenly coated.  If the noodles are still too firm, you can add a little water (1-2T) and let them cook for a few more minutes.  You may need to add more tamarind, sugar, and fish sauce if you do this. 

When everything is cooked and well-mixed, toss in the meat, bean sprouts, chives, and half of the peanuts.  Stir just until the vegetables are partially wilted, then transfer to a serving dish.  Arrange green onions, lime wedges, and cilantro on top, and sprinkle with remaining peanuts. 

Serve immediately, squeezing some lime juice onto it before eating.
Makes 4 servings.

Homemade Fortune Cookies

I was looking around the Internet for some fun and easy things to do for Valentine's Day and saw this one on the ourbestbites.com blog.  It isn't too difficult but does require a little time.  Since I loved the look of it and had all the ingredients on hand, I thought I'd give it a try.  The first batch disappeared in no time, so the next day I made another double batch and packaged them up to give to the kids teachers  and some special friends for Valentine's Day.  I even had the kids help me write the fortunes and do the dipping and sprinkling.  You could, of course, do this for any event, since you write the fortunes!  You could dip them or not, as you like.

The recipe below is their recipe, but with all my comments and everything I learned while making so many of them!  Enjoy!


Homemade Fortune Cookies
adapted from Cooking Light

Ingredients:
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp almond extract (or you can use 1 tsp of vanilla and skip the almond)
2 egg whites (or you can substitute meringue powder, just follow directions on package)

Place all ingredients in food processor and blend to combine.  Place in container, cover, and chill for 1 hour or more.

Prepare fortunes, and have folded fortunes, a thin-edged metal spatula and a bowl close to the oven.

Preheat oven to 400F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat mat (or use a non-stick pan). Whatever you do to your pan, afterwords spray it lightly with cooking spray.  Believe me, this is essential. 

Using a teaspoon, spoon 1 teaspoon batter onto the baking sheet.  Spread into a 3-inch circle.  It will be very thin, almost like icing.  Repeat until you have 5 circles on a sheet (Even though you can fit more on your sheet, you won't be able to fold them fast enough before they get hard if you cook more than that at a time.  Trust me on this one!).  Bake at 400F for 4 1/2 to 5 minutes.  They should have brown edges but the middles should still be white.  Remove from oven and count to 15.  Using a sharp-edged spatula, carefully and quickly remove one cookie.  Flip over, place folded fortune in the middle, then fold cookie in half.  Hold edges together and pull the ends of the cookie down over the rim of a bowl to get the traditional fortune cookie look (see picture).  Hold for a few seconds until set, then move quickly on to the next cookie.  Repeat with remaining cookies.

You should really pinch with both fingers, but then I didn't have a hand to use the camera.

If desired, you can melt chocolate, almond bark, or candy melts and dip part of the cookie in.  Top with sprinkles, nuts, or bits of toffee for a more festive look.

Makes about 35 cookies.

Sesame Chicken with Broccoli

This is from the cookbook "Comfort Food Fix," by Ellie Krieger.  It's a new one that I got for Christmas.  The author basically takes her favorite comfort foods and health-ifies them.  Yes, I just made up that word. ;) 

This one is a great Chinese dish, with all the right balance of flavors.  Like most Chinese food it's easy and quick to put together, which is fantastic for a busy weeknight.  Serve over rice.

Sesame Chicken with Broccoli
Comfort Food Fix by Ellie Krieger

Ingredients:
5 Tbs reduced-sodium soy sauce
4 tsp toasted sesame oil
5 tsp honey
1 lb skinless boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch chunks
2 Tbs canola oil
2 scallions (green onions), thinly sliced, reserving 2 T greens for garnish
1 Tbs fresh ginger, grated or finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
4 tsp cornstarch
1 Tbs rice vinegar
1 tsp chili paste (I didn't have this so I substituted 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper)
1 head broccoli, cut into small florets, and steamed until tender-crisp (about 4 minutes)
2-3 Tbs toasted sesame seeds

In a medium bowl, whisk together 3 T soy sauce, 2 tsp sesame oil, and 2 tsp honey.  Add the chicken, toss to coat, and marinate for at least 20 minutes. 
Heat 2 tsp canola oil in a large nonstick skillet or wok over medium-high heat.  Remove chicken from marinade with slotted spoon and add to pan (discard remaining marinade).  Cook until browned and cooked through, turning as needed, about 6 minutes.  Transfer cooked chicken to a serving dish.  (Chicken can be cooked in two batches if needed).
While the chicken is cooking, in a small bowl whisk together the broth, 2 T soy sauce, 3 tsp honey, cornstarch, vinegar, and chili paste until the cornstarch and honey are dissolved.  Set aside.
Heat remaining 2 tsp canola oil in the skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the scallions, ginger, and garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.  Add the cornstarch mixture to the pan and cook, stirring, until the mixture is thickened and darkened in color, about 2-3 minutes.  Stir in the remaining 2 tsp sesame oil and remove from heat.
Pour the sauce over the chicken.  Surround chicken with steamed broccoli.  Sprinkle the chicken with the sesame seeds and reserved 2 T scallions.  Serve over rice.

Makes 4 servings.

Honey Teriyaki Chicken with Rice Balls and Pineapple

This is a Rachel Ray recipe, and was pretty darn good. My kids loved it and asked for seconds. It was quick and delicious, although my house currently smells like a luau (and so do I). Only thing to watch is that your chicken doesn't get overcooked. You want to keep it nice and moist, so if your chicken is less than 1" thick, cut the cooking time by two minutes per side.

Honey Teriyaki Chicken with Rice Balls and Pineapple

Ingredients:
2 cups water
1 T butter
1 tsp salt
1 rounded cup white rice
4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup chicken broth
1-inch piece of ginger root, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup teriyaki sauce
1 T toasted sesame oil
4 scallions, thinly sliced
1 ripe pineapple

Bring water to a boil in a small covered pot. Add butter, salt, and rice to the pot once the water is boiling. Return water to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and replace cover. Simmer 18-20 minutes then remove rice from heat. Take the lid off the pot to cool rice a bit.

While the rice is cooking, preheat a grill pan or large griddle over medium high heat. Lightly coat the chicken with a little cooking spray (or veg oil), salt and pepper. Place chicken on hot grill and cook 6 minutes on the first side. While chicken is cooking, bring chicken broth and ginger to a boil in a small saucepan. Stir in honey. When honey has dissolved, add teriyaki and sesame oil, then reduce heat to a simmer.

Turn chicken and coat liberally with honey teriyaki sauce using a basting brush. Cook chicken 4 minutes, then turn again and baste liberally with sauce, then cook 2 minutes longer. Remove chicken to a plate and garnish with sliced scallions.

Peel and cut pineapple into 8 spears.  Remove core if desired.  Set spears in cold water for 1 minute to cut down on the acidity. Drain and set on a plate.

Scoop rice into balls using an ice cream scoop, two spoons, or wet hands. Serve with the chicken and pineapple.
Serves 4-6.

Asian Pork Wraps

This was the third recipe I made with the Shredded Pork.  The mixture of the sweet and hot flavors was delicious, and it took all of 10 minutes to prepare.  Delicious!

Asian Pork Wraps
(Recipe from Better Homes and Gardens)

Ingredients:
1 16-oz package frozen stir-fry vegetables
1 T olive oil
2 cups Pulled Pork (use recipe for Pulled Pork Sandwiches, but omit BBQ sauce)
1/2 cup hoisin sauce
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp garlic powder
8 10-inch flour tortillas, warmed
2 cups shredded napa cabbage or bok choy

In a large skillet, cook stir-fry vegetables in hot oil over medium-high heat for 4-5 minutes or until nearly tender.  Add shredded pork, hoisin sauce, ginger, and garlic powder.  Cook and stir until heated through.
Arrange meat and vegetable mixture along center of each tortilla.  Top with shredded cabbage.  Fold bottom edges of tortilla up and then fold opposite sides in, as for a burrito.
Makes 8.

Shredded Pork Big Bowl

I bought a recipe magazine produced by Better Homes and Gardens, and one section had shredded meat recipes that you then use to make several other things.  So you can cook the shredded meat on day one, and then make different dinners with it for the next three or four evenings.  I thought that sounded not only easy but delicious.  The first night (Sunday), I used the crockpot to cook the meat and we ate my own Pulled Pork Sandwiches.  Yesterday, with some of the leftover pulled pork, I made this recipe.  It was better than I thought it was going to be.  It was chock full of vegetables, and had a delicious flavor.  Two of my three kids loved it, and I'm sure the third one would have if I could have convinced him to try it!

Shredded Pork Big Bowl

Ingredients:
1 T minced garlic
1 T grated fresh ginger
1 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (or less to desired level of spiciness--this amount was a little spicy but not on fire)
1 T oil
1 14-oz cans chicken broth
1 14-oz can coconut milk (unsweetened)
2 cups shredded carrot
2 cups broccoli florets
1 medium red bell pepper, cut into 1" chunks
2 3-oz packages ramen noodles, coarsely broken
2 cups Pulled Pork (use recipe for Pulled Pork Sandwiches, but omit the BBQ sauce)
2 cups snow pea pods, cut in half
2 T soy sauce
1 T lime juice
1/2 cup sliced fresh basil
2 T chopped fresh cilantro

In a large cooking pot, saute garlic, ginger, cumin, and cayenne pepper in oil over medium heat for 30 seconds.  Stir in broth, coconut milk, carrot, broccoli, sweet pepper, and noodles (discard noodles' flavor packets).  Bring to boiling; reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 3 minutes.  Stir in shredded pork, pea pods, soy sauce, and lime juice.  Heat through.  Stir in basil and cilantro.  Serve in soup bowls.
Serves 6.

Beef with Sugar Snap Peas

I was in the mood for something Chinese and found this recipe in one of my old Cooking Light magazines.  It was very quick to make and tasted fantastic, and had the bonus of having both carrots and peas in it, which made me feel happy about eating it as well.  Serve it over brown or white steamed rice.

Beef with Sugar Snap Peas

Ingredients:
  
1 flank steak (about 12 oz)
2 T soy sauce, divided
3/4 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
2 t cornstarch
2 t sesame oil (can use olive or vegetable if you can't get sesame)
1 cup sliced onion (about 1 large)
2 t ground ginger
3 cups sugar snap peas (fresh or frozen)
1 cup shredded carrot (1-2 large carrots)

Cut steak diagonally across grain into thin slices, then cut into 2" lengths.  Combine stead and 1 T soy sauce; toss to coat.  Combine the remaining 1 T soy sauce with the chicken broth, hoisin, and cornstarch; stir well with a whisk. 

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add stead and saute 1 1/2 minutes, or until lightly browned.  Remove steak from pan.  Add onion and ginger to pan, saute 2 minutes.  Add peas and carrot, saute 2 minutes.  Stir back in steak and saute for 30 seconds.  Add broth mixture and bring to a boil.  Cook 1 minute or until slightly thick, stirring constantly.  Serve immediately over rice.  Serves 4.

Sweet and Sour Chicken

When I was a kid and we would go to a Chinese restaurant, the only thing I would ever order was Sweet and Sour Chicken.  Years ago, when my brother and sister-in-law lived in Hawaii, they got me a Hawaiian cookbook.  I was delighted to find this recipe in it, which is a more Hawaiian version of sweet and sour chicken.  Their directions were terrible and their quantities and cooking times were also pretty off, so I revamped the recipe a few times, until I came up with this version. I love it!

Sweet and Sour Chicken

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken (breasts, tenders, thighs, whatever you prefer)
1 cup flour
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 T oil
1 red or green bell pepper, sliced in 1/4"-thick rings
1 (10 oz) cans of pineapple in juice (rings or chunks), drained, reserving juice
OR 6-8 fresh pineapple rings

Sauce
3/4 cups pineapple juice
3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 T corn starch
1 t ground ginger
1 cup sugar
1 cube of chicken bullion

Preheat the oven to 350F. Cut the chicken into 1" cubes.  Place flour, salt, and pepper in a large Ziplock bag.  Add chicken and toss to coat.  Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add floured chicken and cook about 5 minutes, turning once, or until very lightly browned.  Remove chicken from pan and place in a 9"x13" pan.  Arrange peppers and pineapple on top of chicken and put in oven for 25-30 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the sauce.  Put all ingredients in medium saucepan.  Heat over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil.  Boil for 2 minutes, still stirring, until sauce has thickened slightly. Remove from heat and pour over already-baking chicken.  Continue to cook chicken with sauce until fully cooked.

Serve over rice.

Serves 6.