Sweet and Sour Chicken

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Sweet and Sour Chicken

Sweet and Sour Chicken

I have to admit to loving all things sweet and sour. Sometimes the color of commercial sweet and sour sauce is off putting to me. I like my own better. It’s not hard to make. With Chinese New Year here I seem to be making more Asian meals lately. I made this chicken for dinner the other day and made extra sauce to take to an Asian dinner last night.

Sweet and Sour Sauce

1/2 c. vinegar

1/2 c. sugar

1/2 c. pineapple juice

3 T. ketchup

2 T. soy sauce

2 T. cornstarch

1 t. dried minced garlic

1-t. fresh grated ginger

Hot pepper flakes to taste

In saucepan combine all ingredients. Cook over medium heat, stirring as mixture gets hot, until sauce begins to bubble. It will also get much clearer. Boil gently 1 minute, stirring constantly before removing from heat. Makes 1 1/2 c. Keeps in the fridge for a couple of weeks.

                Sweet and Sour Pork or Chicken

1-2 lbs. boneless pork or chicken

1 egg

1 t. cornstarch

1/4 t. salt

1 t. soy sauce

Additional cornstarch for dredging

2 T. oil

1 medium onion, chopped

1 medium carrot, peeled and sliced thin

1 sweet green pepper, seeded and chopped

1 sweet red or yellow pepper, seeded and chopped

1 20 oz. can pineapple chunks, drained, reserving juice for sauce

1/2 c. almonds, optional

1 recipe sweet and sour sauce (see note)

 Cut meat into cubes and place in bowl. Combine egg, 1-t. cornstarch, salt and soy sauce and pour over the meat, stirring to coat. Allow marinating at least 1 hour in fridge.

When ready to cook, heat 1T. oil in large skillet or wok. Sauté onions on high until tender. Add carrots and stir fry 3 minutes. Add peppers and sauté 3 minutes more. Remove to bowl and stir in pineapple. Dredge the meat in additional cornstarch and sauté in remaining oil until browned and when juices run clear when pierced with a fork.

Meanwhile, combine sauce ingredients in a saucepan and heat to boiling. Return vegetables to pan with meat and almonds, if adding, and add sauce to desired amount.  There is usually extra sauce for a later use. Serve over rice, makes 4-6 servings.

Note: If you make the sweet and sour sauce ahead of time it will get runny when reheated if made with regular cornstarch. Either use modified cornstarch (Clear Gel ) or make sauce just before using. You may also want to use only some of the sauce and save the rest for another use.

Sweet and Sour Sauce

Sweet and Sour Sauce

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Spinach and Mushroom Quiche

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Spinach and Mushroom Quiche

Spinach and Mushroom Quiche

The cold winter this year has really got me craving comfort foods. Also have a real taste for some childhood favorites. My mother used to make some really good quiches. Always a home made crust. I used what I had on hand the other day to whip up this quiche. Thought of her when I made it.

 

Spinach and Mushroom Quiche

1 unbaked pie crust

1 T. oil

1 small onion, chopped

8 oz. sliced mushrooms

salt and pepper to taste

1 (10 oz.) package frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

4 oz. diced Swiss Cheese

2 T. flour

1 c. milk or half and half

3 eggs, beaten

In skillet saute onion in oil until tender. Add mushrooms and cook about 5 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the spinach and set aside. In 9-inch pie pan place the crust. Toss cheese with the flour and place in crust. Add the spinach mixture. Combine milk with the eggs and pour over the spinach mixture. Place pan on a baking sheet to collect any drips and place in a preheated 400 degree oven. Bake for 30 minutes then turn down over to 325 and continue baking until quiche is firm near the middle, about 25-30 minutes more. To test for “doneness” insert a butter knife about an inch from the center of the quiche. If it comes out clean the quiche is done. Serves 4-6.

Spinach and Mushroom Quiche

Spinach and Mushroom Quiche

 

 

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Lamb Ribs

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Lamb Ribs

Lamb Ribs

If you haven’t tried these before, lamb ribs are a fun and easy dish to make. They are often a lot less expensive than other cuts of lamb. They are frequently labeled as lamb riblets.  A slab of lamb riblets run about 2 pounds and will feed two. You can treat them a lot like other ribs. I marinated these in a little apple cider vinegar for a couple of hours. To cook them I rubbed them all over with Ethiopian seasoning-recipe follows- and I added some pink salt. I started them out at 400 degrees for about an hour and then turned them down to 300 for 30 minutes more. They were juicy and pretty tender.

Ethiopian Seasoning

1 T. paprika

1 t. each cayenne pepper, cumin, garlic powder and ginger

1/2 t. allspice

1/4 t. cinnamon

You probably won’t need all of the seasoning for 1 rack of ribs. Refrigerate the rest for later use.

Lamb Riblets fresh out of the oven

Lamb Riblets fresh out of the oven

 

 

 

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Peanut Soup

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Peanut Soup

Peanut Soup

I taught a vegetarian cooking class yesterday at the Nature Center for the University of Mount Union. One of the dishes we had was a peanut soup. Rich and flavorful it was a big hit with the students. I think you will like it, too. A different way to eat peanut butter for a lot of us. You could use almond butter or cashew butter instead of the peanut butter, if you like.

Peanut Soup

2 c. chopped onions

1 T. oil

cayenne pepper to taste

1 t. grated fresh ginger

1 c. chopped carrots

1 c. chopped sweet potatoes

1 c. chopped white potatoes

5 c. vegetable stock or water

1 c. tomato sauce

1 c. smooth peanut butter

1 c. chopped green onions

Sauté onions in oil until tender. Add seasonings and carrots and sauté 3 minutes more. Add potatoes and stock and simmer until vegetables are tender. Puree soup in blender in batches until smooth. Return to pot and add tomato sauce and peanut butter. Warm gently and serve with green onions on top. Serves 6-8.

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Pea Sprout Stir Fry

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Pea Sprout Stir Fry

Pea Sprout Stir Fry

I’ve been sprouting seeds and loving it. Made a tasty stir fry with some pea pods I had in the freezer, onions, sweet peppers and pea sprouts. It ended up tasting pretty darn good. I find when I stir fry veggies I eat more of them. More than a side dish, I can almost make a meal out of them served over rice or pasta.

 

Pea Sprout Stir Fry

2 T. oil

 1 onion, sliced thin

1 garlic clove, chopped

2 c. pea pods, fresh or frozen

2 c. pea sprouts*

1 c. sliced sweet pepper

1 T. soy sauce, or to taste

 1 T. hoisen sauce

1 t. sesame oil

hot pepper sauce to taste

In skillet or wok heat oil and stir fry onion over high heat until wilted. Add garlic and pea pods and stir fry 2 minutes longer. Add pea sprouts and peppers and stir fry a few minutes longer, just until sprouts are tender. Add seasonings and serve. I like this over rice. 3-4 servings.

* If you don’t have fresh pea sprouts, mung bean sprouts would also work in this dish.

Fresh Pea Sprouts

Fresh Pea Sprouts

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Peanut Dipping Sauce

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Peanut Dipping Sauce

Peanut Dipping Sauce

I had a special request for this recipe. We were doing an Asian dinner for  Chinese New Year and needed an assortment of dipping sauces. This one is super easy and requires no cooking. I made a single batch but should of made more as it went fast. 

 Peanut Dipping Sauce

1/3 c. peanut butter

1/3 c. coconut milk

1/2 t. crushed red pepper

1-2 cloves garlic

1 t. fresh grated ginger

1 t. soy sauce

Dash hot red pepper sauce

Salt and pepper to taste

 Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor until smooth.

Note: If you want to use this sauce on pasta thin it with 1/3 cup of vegetable stock.

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Won Ton Appetizers

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Won Ton Appetizers

Won Ton Appetizers

For a recent Chinese New Year dinner I was in charge of appetizers. I ended up using won ton wrappers for 3 different dishes. I made Sesame Spinach, Honey-Ginger Chicken and Crab Rangoons. I wrapped each of them up differently so they would look nice on the platter and be easier to identify. Serve with assorted dipping sauces and soy sauce.

 

 

Sesame Spinach Triangles

oil

1 small onion, chopped fine

12 oz. fresh spinach, cooked, chopped  and drained or 1 (10 oz.) box frozen spinach, thawed, cooked and drained

1/2 c. chopped water chestnuts

2 T. oyster sauce

2 t. sesame oil

1 t. hot sauce

won ton wrappers

Heat oil in skillet and cook onion until tender. Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining ingredients, except won ton wrappers. Adjust seasonings, if needed. Allow mixture to cool. Place 1 tablespoon of the filling in the center of a won ton wrapper. Moisten edges with a little water and fold over to form a triangle. Press to seal edges. Place filled triangles in 375 degree oil and fry for about 2 minutes or until golden.

Honey Ginger Chicken Won Tons

1 c. cooked diced chicken- I used thighs

1/4 c. minced celery

1/4 c. mayo

2 T. honey

2 T. dried minced onion

1 T. hoisen sauce

1 t. fresh grated ginger

salt and hot sauce to taste

won ton wrappers

Combine all ingredients, except the wrappers,  and mix well. Place 2 teaspoons of filling in the center of each won ton wrapper. Moisten edges with a little water. Fold in 2 corners to meet in the middle. Starting at one of the remaining corners fold up and over and form into a roll. Press to seal edges. Fry in hot oil ( 375 degrees) for 1-2 minutes or until golden brown.

Crab Rangoons

1 clove garlic, minced

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese

1 (6 ounce) can crab meat, drained and flaked

2 green onions with tops, thinly sliced

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon light soy sauce

won ton wrappers

 Combine all filling ingredients and chill until ready to use. Place 2 teaspoons of filling onto the center of each wonton skin. Moisten the edges with water and bring 2 corners together. Bring the other 2 corners up and press all together to seal. Press all seams to seal. It should look like a little bundle.  Fry in hot oil until golden brown, about 1-2 minutes.

Sesame Spinach Triangles

Sesame Spinach Triangles

Honey Ginger Chicken Rolls

Honey Ginger Chicken Won Tons

Crab Rangoons

Crab Rangoons

 

 

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Curried Coconut Sauce

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Curried Coconut Sauce

Curried Coconut Sauce

Since I had some leftover coconut milk from making peanut sauce the other day I wanted to use it in a sauce. I looked around my fridge and pantry to see what was available and came up with this sauce. I had some carrots and other veggies and added them to the mix along with some curry powder. I ended up having some of the sauce with roasted chicken. Very tasty.

 

 

Curried Coconut Sauce 

2 T. oil

1/2 c. chopped shallots

1 1/2 c. sliced carrots

1 c. chopped sweet pepper

2 cloves garlic, sliced

1 qt. vegetable stock- or use whatever you have

1 1/2 c. coconut milk

2 tablespoons curry powder

salt to taste

Heat oil in a medium saucepan and saute the shallots until tender. Add the veggies and cook a few minutes more. Add the stock and cook on medium high heat until most of the liquid has cooked off. Add the coconut milk and curry powder and puree until smooth. Add salt, if needed.  Serve sauce with pasta, rice, meats or cooked veggies.

Chicken with Curried Coconut Sauce

Chicken with Curried Coconut Sauce

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Pepperoni Pizza Bread

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Pepperoni Pizza Bread

Pepperoni Pizza Bread

I had a special request from my brother for this bread. He was going to watch the Super Bowl with some friends and wanted to bring this Pepperoni Pizza Bread. I was happy to make it for him. It may be too late to make this for the Super Bowl but it’s always a good time for pizza, right? I made a double batch of the dough so I would have 2 loaves. Here is the recipe.  

Pepperoni Pizza Bread

3 ¼ c. flour

1 T. sugar

1 t. salt

1 package quick-rising yeast

1 c. hot water

1 T. oil

Extra oil for brushing on the dough

1/2 c. marinara sauce

6 oz. mozzarella or provolone cheese

2 oz. sliced pepperoni, about

Set aside 1 cup of the flour. Combine remaining flour with the other dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Stir in water and oil and gradually stir in enough flour to make a soft dough. Turn onto lightly floured surface and knead until dough is smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Roll dough into a rectangle about 16 x 8. Brush with oil down center middle of dough. Top with sauce, cheese and pepperoni. Cut one-inch wide strips of dough from filling to edge on both sides. It will sort of look like fringe.  Alternating sides, fold strips up and over the filling at an angle.  Carefully lift loaf onto greased baking sheet and place at an angle. Cover with a towel and place sheet on top of a roasting pan half-filled with simmering water for 15 minutes. Bake in a preheated 400-degree for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool slightly before slicing. Serve warm and refrigerate leftovers. Makes one loaf.

Fold dough over fillings

Fold dough over fillings

Note: The variations for this bread are almost endless. Some favorite combinations are ham and Swiss with mustard, roast beef and cheddar, chicken, broccoli and cheese, spinach with ricotta or feta and onions, curried veggies . You get the idea. Use your imagination and have fun. Just be careful not to overfill, or the bread will be hard to move, use fillings that aren’t too runny and always use cold fillings.

If you want to use regular yeast use warm, rather than hot water.  After kneading cover dough and let rise 45 minutes. Punch down and assemble as in original recipe. Cover with a towel and let rise until dough looks puffy, about 40 minutes. Bake as directed above. These breads can also be frozen. 

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Won Ton Soup

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Won Ton Soup

Won Ton Soup

Still in the mood for Chinese food so I made  a version of Won Ton Soup. I had some leftover won ton wrappers so I filled them with chicken. Simmered them in chicken stock and added spinach at the last minute. Not a traditional Won Ton Soup, but I had to work with what I had. It tasted good so that is what matters in the end.

Won Ton Soup

24 Won ton wrappers

1 c. cooked chicken

1/4 c. minced celery

1 t. soy sauce

1 t. sesame oil

4 c. chicken stock

4 c. fresh spinach

Combine chicken with the celery, soy sauce and sesame oil. Place 1 teaspoon of the chicken mixture in the center of a won ton wrapper. Moisten edges and fold in half to form a triangle. Press edges to seal. Repeat with remaining filling and wrappers. Heat stock and add the wrappers and spinach and cook until heat through and spinach is cooked, about 5 minutes. Serves 2-3.

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