Sweet and Sour Chicken With Green Beans

Ingredients:
1 c. white rice
1 T. cornstarch
1/4 c. sugar
1/4 c. soy sauce
1/4 c. white vinegar
1 T. vegetable oil
1 1/4 lbs. chicken breast, boneless, skinless, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 bell peppers, seeded and diced large
1/2 lb. green beans, trimmed and halved
5 green onions, thinly sliced
2 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced
2 T. chopped roasted peanuts (optional)

Directions:
Cook rice according to package directions. Meanwhile in a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together cornstarch, sugar, soy sauce, and vinegar. Set aside.
In a large skillet or wok, heat oil over high. Add chicken, bell peppers, and green beans and cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes. add scallions, ginger, and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are tender, about 4 minutes.
Whisk soy sauce mixture, add to skillet, and cook, stirring constantly, until sauce thickens, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Fluff rice with a fork. To serve, spoon chicken mixture over rice and top with peanuts if desired.

Makes 4 servings. Total time 25 minutes.
447 calories per serving.

Verdict:
Yum. I thought it was a little strange that this recipe called for white vinegar instead of the traditional rice vinegar but I liked the way it turned out. We will definitely be eating this one again.

Pulled Chicken Sandwich

For the Rub:
1 T. each garlic powder, brown sugar, and chili powder

For the Chicken:
1 boneless skinless chicken breast
4 chicken thighs, skin removed
2 T. olive oil
1 1/2 c. Barbecue sauce
4 kaiser rolls, toasted

For the Barbecue Sauce:
1 c. ketchup
1/3 c. cider vinegar
1/4 c. packed brown sugar
1 T. yellow mustard
1 T. lemon juice
2 t. Worcestershire sauce
2 t. soy sauce
1 t. cayenne pepper
1/2 t. each kosher salt and black pepper

For the Apple Cucumber Slaw:
1/2 c. mayonnaise
2 T. cider vinegar
2 T. sugar
2 t. prepared horseradish
kosher salt and black pepper to taste
1 c. thinly sliced cucumber rounds
1 granny smith apple, cored, quartered, and thinly sliced
1/2 c. thin cut strips red bell pepper
2 T. fresh parsley, chopped

For the Barbecue Sauce:
Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl.

For the Apple Cucumber Slaw:
Whisk together mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, horseradish, salt, and black pepper in a large bowl.
Toss with cucumber, apple, bell pepper, and parsley. Chill slaw until ready to serve, at least 30 minutes.

For the Chicken:
Preheat grill to medium high heat.
Combine garlic powder, brown sugar, chili powder, salt and thyme for the rub in a small bowl.
Place chicken breast and thighs on a large tray and toss with oil. Pat rub mixture on chicken until pieces are thoroughly coated.
Reduce heat on one side of the grill to low. Grill breast and thighs, covered, over low heat until chicken browns and crisps, about 10 minutes. Use tongs to flip chicken over. Continue grilling until chicken breast reaches an internal temperature of 165 and thigh reach an internal temperature of 175. Transfer chicken to a large bowl.
Shred chicken using two forks to pull apart meat while it's still hot, discarding bones from chicken thighs. Add barbecue sauce to bowl with shredded chicken; stir until chicken is coated. Divide meat evenly among four rolls. Top each sandwich with apple cucumber slaw.

Makes 4 sandwiches. Total time 45 minutes.

Verdict:
We ate these twice in a week. I used the short cut version though...Instead of cooking the chicken I used a rotisserie chicken. I pulled the chicken off of the bone and then put it into a pan and sprinkled it with the rub spices. Then I heated the chicken with the spices for a few minutes then added the barbecue sauce. Easy peasy and good.

Chicken and Basil Stir Fry

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut crosswise into 1/4 inch thick slices
1 T. cornstarch
coarse salt and pepper
6 t. vegetable oil
1 small onion, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/4 inch thick wedges
2 bell peppers, (red or green or mix) ribs and seeds removed, cut into 1/4 inch wide strips
6 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 c. water
2 T. rice wine vinegar
2 T. soy sauce
1 1/2 c. fresh basil

Directions:
Pat chicken pieces dry with paper towels. Toss chicken with cornstarch until completely coated; season generously with salt and pepper.
In a large skillet, heat 2 t. oil over medium high heat. Cook half of the chicken, turning once, until browned on both sides but not completely cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with another 2 t. oil and remaining chicken; transfer to a plate.
Wipe skillet clean with a paper towel. Add remaining 2 t. oil, along with onion and bell peppers; cook over medium high heat, tossing often, until vegetables begin to brown, about 3 minutes. Add garlic; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add the water, vinegar, soy sauce and chicken; cook, tossing, until chicken is cooked through, about 1 minute. Remove from heat. Stir in basil leaves. Serve over rice if desired.

Makes 4 servings. Total time 30 minutes.

Verdict:
Blake has been on an Asian kick lately so I figured that I would try to find some recipes to curb his cravings. I was somewhat surprised at how flavorful this was even though it didn't have that many ingredients. I am sure that you could leave out the basil and it would taste just as good.

Asian Chicken Soup

Ingredients:
3 cans (14 1/2 oz. each) chicken broth
1 T. fresh ginger, grated and peeled
1 garlic clove, cut into slivers
1/4 to 1/2 t. crushed red pepper flakes
2 c. water
4 oz. soba noodles
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast, thinly sliced crosswise
1 red bell pepper, ribs and seeds removed, cut into 1 inch strips
6 oz. snow peas, stem ends and strings removed, sliced diagonally into 1/2 inch pieces
1 to 2 T. lime juice
2 green onions, trimmed and thinly sliced

Directions:
In a large pot, bring chicken broth, ginger, garlic, red pepper flakes, and the water to a boil over high heat. Add noodles, and reduce heat to a simmer; cook until noodles are just tender, 6 to 8 minutes.
Add chicken, bell pepper, and snow peas; cook until chicken is opaque throughout, about 1 minute. Add lime juice and scallions, and season with salt.
Serve by dividing noodles among four bowls, then ladle the soup mixture over each.

Makes 4 servings. Total time 20 minutes.

Verdict:
When I got all ready to make this I was sure that I had soba noodles. Oops. I had somen noodles which cook a lot faster. So instead of using uncooked chicken I just used rotisserie chicken and added the ingredients accordingly. It worked out quite nice. I like the flavor of the soup and that it was light. I probably will try to see if I can find soba noodles and try it that way, at a later date, to see which one I like better.

Turkey Sausage Sandwich

Ingredients:
1 T. plus 1 t. vegetable oil
2 medium onions, halved, sliced 1/4 inch thick lengthwise
3 red or orange bell peppers (ribs and seeds removed), sliced 1/4 inch thick
4 spicy or sweet Italian turkey sausages
4 hoagie rolls or 1 loaf french bread (cut into 4 pieces), split and toasted
grainy mustard (optional)

Directions:
In a large skillet, heat 1 T. oil over medium high. Add onions and peppers; cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, about 7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and add 3/4 c. water; cover and simmer 3 minutes. Uncover and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft and liquid has evaporated, 2 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat 1 t. oil in a small skillet over medium. Add sausages and cook, turning occasionally, until browned and cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes. Place sausages and vegetables on bread and top with mustard if desired.

Makes 4. Total time 20 minutes.

Verdict:
I couldn't find turkey sausages in the store so I bought bratwurst. I like bratwurst, Blake does not. The topping on this was good though. Not anything out of this universe but not nasty either.

Philly Cheese Steak Sandwiches

Ingredients:

1 boneless beef round steak, trimmed of fat, cut into 1 inch thick slices

2 onions, sliced

1 T. garlic pepper blend

2 t. water

1 T. beef bouillon granules

2 large green bell peppers, cut into bite size strips.

6 slices American cheese, cut in half

6 hoagie buns, split

Directions:

Spray 3 to 4 quart slow cooker with cooking spray. In a medium bowl, sprinkle beef and onions with garlic pepper blend; stir to coat evenly, Spoon mixture into cooker.

In a measuring cup, stir water and bouillon granules until granules are dissolved. Pour over mixture in cooker.

Cover; cook on low heat setting 6-8 hours. About 20 minutes before serving, stir in bell peppers.

Place 2 cheese pieces on bottom of each bun. Using slotted spoon, spoon beef mixture over cheese. Cover with tops of buns. Beef mixture can be kept warm on low heat setting up to 2 hours.

Makes 6 sandwiches. Total time 6 hours 15 minutes.

Verdict:

I have never had a Philly cheese steak sandwich so I do not pretend to be and expert. With that said...I did not like these. I don't like fake cheese. The meat was OK but that was it. Just OK.

Huli Huli Pork with Pineapple and Peppers

For the sauce:
1/4 c. ketchup
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 Tbsp garlic, minced
1 Tbsp ginger, minced
1 Tbsp lime juice
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

For the pork:
4 boneless pork chops
2 red bell peppers, stemmed and seeded
8 pineapple slices
8 green onions

For sauce:
Combine all ingredients in small saucepan and simmer until sugar dissolves. Use some while cooking the pork and reserve some for serving.

For the pork:
Preheat grill.
Season pork with salt and pepper. Grill pork, basting meat with sauce while cooking. Cook until done. Grill peppers and pineapple until lightly charred, 2-3 minutes per side. Slice peppers when cool enough to handle.
Serve pork with peppers, pineapple, green onions and reserved sauce.

Makes 4. Total time 30 minutes.

Verdict:
We served this with rice. It was yummy. I liked the roasted peppers and pineapple. We used pineapple from a can and think that it worked out just fine. However, I am sure it would taste better with fresh pineapple. The sauce was good and had a slightly spicy flavor. Blake liked it and the kids didn't seem to mind.

Picture and recipe from Cuisine at Home grilling

Cubano Chicken with Mustard Sauce and Hot Mangos and Peppers

For the Marinade:
1/4 c. lime juice
1/3 c. olive oil
2 Tbsp. honey
1 Tbsp. red onion, minced
1 tsp. garlic, minced
1 tsp. kosher salt
4 boneless chicken breasts

For the Chicken & Sauce:
4 pieces of thinly sliced ham
1/2 c. grated Swiss cheese (I can't eat Swiss so I used extra sharp cheddar cheese)
1/4 c. milk
3 Tbsp. mustard
2 Tbsp. mayonnaise
1 Tbsp. dill pickle relish
4 slices of french bread
2 Tbsp. olive oil

For the hot mangos and peppers:
2 mangos, peeled and halved
1 each red, yellow and green peppers, halved, stemmed and seeded

For the marinade:
Whisk together lime juice, 1/3 c. oil, honey, onion, garlic, and 1 tsp. salt in a bowl. Set aside marinade reserving half for hot mangos and peppers.

For chicken:
Pound Chicken to 1/2 inch thickness. Place chicken in bowl and cover with half the marinade. Refrigerate for 15 min.
Preheat grill.
Grill chicken, for 4 min. Flip chicken and top all chicken with piece of ham and cheese. Grill for 4 more minutes so chicken is cooked through.

For sauce:
Whisk together milk, mustard, mayo, and pickle relish for sauce. Cook over low heat while chicken grills.

For hot mangos and peppers:
Toss mangos with reserved marinade. Place on grill and cook until softened and have grill marks.
Remove from grill when cooked and slice to eat with chicken.

Makes 4. Total time 30 min.

Verdict:
I really liked this. A lot. I think the extra sharp cheddar was a good trade off for the Swiss. I made some rice to go along with this which I think was a good mix. The peppers and mangos were good. I don't necessarily think that you have to grill them although it did add a good smoky flavor. This mustard sauce is alright but I would just pass on it. Blake quickly put the left overs in a Tupperware to take to work the next day. Laney ate a lot of the chicken and Gavin liked the mangos and rice.

Picture and recipe from Cuisine at Home grilling