Oriental Chicken

While traveling through airports this holiday season, I picked up a copy of Woman's Day (at least, I think that's the one I picked up). Inside the magazine I came across the recipe I'm going to share with you. As I blog, my chicken is marinating in the fridge, so pictures will be coming later this evening.

As you can see, here is the photo of the finished product! The sauce wasn't quite as glaze-y as I hoped, but it was still yummy!

Oriental Chicken and Rice

• 1 lb chicken breast, cut into small strips or cubes (I used 2 good sized chicken breasts)
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 3 Tbsp vegetable oil (I used canola)
• 2 Tbsp chili sauce
• 1/2 tsp ginger
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder (I also gave my mixture a shake or 2 of onion powder)
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 Tbsp cornstarch
• 4 cups cole slaw mix (I grabbed 1 bag and am calling it a day with that)
• 1 cup salted cashews (I have about 1/2 cup left over from our last trip to Whole Foods...)
• 3 cups cooked rice (the recipe says white rice, but I'm a fan of whole grains, so I'm using brown rice)

In a small bowl, mix together your honey, soy sauce, veggie oil, chili sauce, ginger and garlic powder (*Emily tip: If you pour your 3 Tbsp oil into your 1/4 cup measuring cup first and then use that measuring cup to measure your honey, the honey will slide right out into your bowl).

Place chicken pieces in a dish or large ziploc bag and coat with the mixture. Refrigerate for about an hour.

After an hour, mix together your broth and cornstarch until smooth and set aside.
Heat a large skillet over medium -high heat. Add your chicken pieces and marinade and bring it to a simmer. Simmer for another 5 minutes, until chicken is cooked. Remove your chicken and set aside.

Add your coleslaw mix to the skillet and cook, stirring until tender (about 4-5 minutes). Stir in broth mixture and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 minute, until sauce thickens. Add chicken back to the skillet to heat through. Stir in cashews and serve over rice. Yum!

Lo Mein

Was a hit!
I should start out by saying that Asian food really isn't my "thing" (cooking or eating wise), but I felt the need to make something different yesterday.
















Please excuse the leftovers and in tupperware picture, but I didn't get a pretty pic of it all piping hot because, amongst other errands, John took me to get these done:
















Nothing like a good pedicure for your stubby little chubby toes. :o) And nothing like a little feet talk to make you ready to try my recipes right....?

Anyway, here is how I created my own version of
Lo Mein:

• Meat essence of your choice, (I used chicken, you could use steak, tofu, or just leave it out) approximately 2-3 cups cubed
• Linguine (I used 1/2 a box, so 8oz.)
• Veggies of your choice (I shredded 1 carrot, and chopped 1/2 a white onion, 3 green onions, and half a green pepper, and then threw in some pole beans because I don't like snow peas)
• About 1/4 cup soy sauce (give or take depending on your soy preferences. I use the light/low sodium/no MSG soy sauce, so it tends to need a little more)
• 1 Tbsp. vinegar
• 1 Tbsp. ketchup (just trust me - it gives a little sweet without loosing the vinegar)
• 1 tsp. sesame oil
• 1 Tbsp. minced garlic
• some hearty shakes of ginger (I also season my chicken with ginger as well)
• 1 cup veggie broth

In a medium bowl, combine your soy sauce, vinegar, ketchup, sesame oil, and shakes of ginger. Set aside.
In a skillet/wok/cooking tool of your choice heat a little oil (I Y olive oil) and cook your cubed meat (if any) until it is cooked through. Transfer meat to a bowl/plate of your choice, leaving the skillet on and hot.
Meanwhile bring your broth and enough additional water to a boil and start cooking those linguine noodles. Now, in the same skillet you cooked your chicken in, add your minced garlic and veggies and saute until tender. By the time your noodles are done, your veggies will be too. Add the chicken and noodles to the warm skillet (turn off the burner), and then pour your sauce over the conglomeration. Stir until everything is coated and serve!
And because everyone loves pictures, here is one of the gorgeous boquet that resides on our dining table (a la John):




















And one of that chicken/pineapple pizza I was telling you about. Yum!

Happy day to you!

Honey Glazed Chicken

While my fabulous fiance is doing the dishes (he's amazing like that), I thought I'd sneak on over here and post this recipe for you. He loved it, I think it needs a little more honey. But hey, that's me.


















Honey Glazed Chicken:

• Chicken - cubed and uncooked (I used 2 chicken breasts)
• flour (enough to coat your chicken cubes)
• salt, pepper, etc. to taste (I threw in some garlic and onion powder)
• butter (about half a stick)
• 1/2 cup honey
• 5 Tbsp. soy sauce
• 3 1/2 Tbsp. lemon juice
• some hearty shakes of ginger

Mix together your flour and seasonings and coat each of your chicken cubes. Melt some butter in the bottom of a baking dish and place chicken cubes in it to cook (you want them in 1 layer, not piled on each other). Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes.
While that's cooking, bring 2 Tbsp. butter, your soy, honey, ginger, and lemon juice to a simmer on the stove. After chicken has baked 30 minutes, pull it out, flip each piece over, and pour this sauce over it. Put back in the over, crank that baby up to 375 and let it bake 20 or so more minutes. That simple.
I served mine with a carrot/garlic/pecan rice-couscous conglomeration and it went pretty well, but I'm sure you're far more side savvy that I am.
Enjoy!