Cashew Chicken

After a long day yesterday, I did not feel like spending an hour making dinner. But, I had already taken chicken breasts out for dinner, so I wanted to make something instead of going out. I did what I do every time I need to find something to make for dinner...searched my Google Reader!

Luckily for me, last weekend I went through all my starred recipes and labeled them so it's much easier for me to find what I need. I was really looking for a recipe using ingredients I already had on hand, and this one fit the bill. I had everything at home already, except for the green onions, which is why I left them out. I also didn't feel like waiting around for the chicken to marinate for 30 minutes like the recipe says, so I didn't. This meal was great served with rice. I've never actually tried cashew chicken at a Chinese restaurant, so I don't have anything to compare it to. But now that I have this recipe, I won't even need to get it at a restaurant!

Cashew Chicken
from Milk & Honey, written as I made it

Ingredients:
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1" pieces
2 tbsp. dry sherry
1 tsp. ground ginger
3 1/2 tsp. cornstarch, separated
pinch of kosher salt
1/2 c. chicken broth
2 tbsp. soy sauce
1 tbsp. rice vinegar
2 tsp. sugar
1 1/2 tbsp. vegetable oil, separated
2 garlic cloves, minced
2/3 c. cashews

Mix sherry, ginger, 1 1/2 tsp. cornstarch, and salt in a small bowl. Toss chicken with the mixture and set aside. In another bowl, mix chicken broth, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, and 2 tsp. cornstarch.

Heat 1 tbsp. vegetable oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Cook chicken until it starts to brown, or about 8 minutes. Remove chicken from the pan and set aside. Add 1 tsp. oil, garlic, and cashews to the pan. Cook until garlic softens, or about 1 minute. Add chicken back to the pan, whisk the chicken broth mixture, and add sauce to pan. Cook until sauce starts to bubble and thicken (about 3 minutes). Serve over rice.

Potstickers with Sesame Soy Dipping Sauce

I've never actually tried potstickers until about a year ago. Actually, I think what I first tried was a dumpling (I always get them steamed from restaurants). Whatever they were...when I finally did try them, I was disappointed that I waited so long! They have quickly become one of my favorite foods. About 6 months ago, I got curious and decided to try my hand at making them. I was pretty impressed with myself, I must say. These are so much better than the ones I've tried from restaurants.

These would be great for an appetizer (that's what we order them as from Chinese restaurants), but usually Mr. Z and I eat about a million of them as a meal by themselves. These are pretty simple to make, but extremely time consuming, compared to most meals I make. I have made them several times since the first time I tried them, but every time, Mr. Z helped me. I wouldn't dare try them by myself! I usually prepare the mixture and make the potstickers, and Mr. Z cooks them in the pan. These should definitely be on everyone's "must try" list! I read through at least 10 different recipes and mixed and matched them to come up with my own recipe.

Potstickers with Sesame Soy Dipping Sauce
Original Recipe, adapted from several recipes

Potstickers
Ingredients:
1 lb. ground pork or chicken (I used chicken)
4 Napa cabbage leaves, minced
3 stalks green onions, minced
7 shitake mushrooms, minced
1/2 c. bamboo shoots, minced
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
3 tbsp. soy sauce
2 tbsp. sesame oil
2 tbsp. corn starch
1 pkg. wonton wrappers (~48)
oil (vegetable or canola) for frying

Mix all ingredients except wonton wrappers in a large bowl. Place a heaping teaspoon of mixture in the center of wonton wrapper. Brush edges of the wrapper with water and pinch closed. Heat 2-3 tbsp. of oil on medium high heat. Place potstickers in oil, fry 8 minutes (flipping halfway through), or until golden brown. Add 1/2 c. water and cover. Turn burner on high and cook until water has boiled away. Uncover, reduce heat to medium, flip potstickers, and cook for 2 more minutes.

Sesame Soy Dipping Sauce
Ingredients:
4 tbsp. soy sauce
2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
a few drops of sesame oil

Combine ingredients in a small bowl. Heat in microwave for about 1 minute.

Chicken Lo Mein

Here we go again with my Chinese food obsession. I just can't help it! I've been wanting to make lo mein for a little while now, but have had little luck finding lo mein noodles in the grocery stores around me. Then, three days ago, I happened to walk through the Oriental aisle of the grocery store and whaaaat? Lo mein noodles!

Right away, I set out to find a good recipe for lo mein. After a little while spent searching, I picked up the box again and well, what do you know? A great recipe right there on the box! I really liked this recipe. It wasn't a difficult recipe, but I have a small problem multi-tasking in the kitchen. This sent me into a small frenzy because there are several things going on at once, but in the end, it came out good! Not the healthiest of recipes, although again, it has to be healthier than the lo mein from the Chinese takeout place!

Chicken Lo Mein
from the China Boy Lo Mein Noodle box, written as I made it

Ingredients:
1 lb. bonless, skinless chicken breast, cut into small chunks
1-8 oz. box of lo mein noodles
1 1/2 c. frozen stir-fry vegetables
1 tblsp. canola oil
4 oz. baby corn
2 tbsp. cornstarch
5 tbsp. soy sauce
4 tbsp. dark brown sugar
3/4 c. chicken broth
4 tsp. sesame oil
1 tbsp. minced garlic

Combine cornstarch, soy sauce, brown sugar, chicken broth, sesame oil, and garlic in a small bowl. Mix very well. Heat oil over medium-high heat. Stir-fry chicken until almost done. Add frozen vegetables and baby corn. Stir-fry until everything is hot. Meanwhile, in another pot, boil lo mein noodles until al dente, or about 4 minutes. Add cooked noodles to chicken and vegetables. Add sauce to pan; mix well until everything is coated in sauce.

Chicken Fried Rice

If I have not mentioned it before, Mr. Z and I LOVE Chinese food. Actually, truth be told, I may even be considered obsessed. It's really pretty bad. But it is definitely one of those things I can only eat every once in a while because of the insane amount of grease and calories. Luckily for me though, I am learning to make some things myself. That way, I get to eat it much more often! I have made Baked Egg Rolls, Beef with Broccoli, General Tso's Chicken, and Orange Chicken, although the latter three were prior to starting this blog.

Homemade Chinese food is still not the healthiest meal, but I am completely confident that my homemade versions of my take-out favorites have less than half the amount of calories than the real thing, while still being just (well, almost) as good. This recipe didn't come from just one place. When I first got married, I looked for a good fried rice recipe, but ended up mixing and matching to suit our taste.

Chicken Fried Rice

Original Recipe

Ingredients:

3 c. cooked rice, cooled (I used white this time, but usually use brown)

1 tbsp. olive oil

2 eggs

1/2 c. frozen peas

1/2 c. frozen carrots

1 tbsp. soy sauce

1 tbsp. oyster sauce

1 c. cooked chicken, cut into small pieces

Heat oil on medium-high heat. Saute rice for 2 minutes. Add soy sauce and oyster sauce and mix well. Push rice aside. Scramble two eggs and mix into rice. Add peas, carrots, and chicken. Cook for 5 minutes, or until vegetables are hot.

Baked Egg Rolls

Mr. Z and I are pretty big (okay, huge!) fans of Chinese food. If it didn't have so many darn calories, we would probably eat it several times a week. One thing I do not love, though, are egg rolls. I'll eat one every once in a while, but for the most part, I will pawn them off on Mr. Z, and he is more than happy to take them. There's just something about them that I just really don't like...maybe the grease that drips all over my chin and down my clothes every time I take a bite.

When I saw a recipe on Google Reader for baked egg rolls, I though that might solve my problem. And I was right! I loved them. Much better than the greasy fried ones we get at the Chinese restaurant down the street. Mr. Z thought they were really good too, but I think he secretly prefers the greasy, fried ones. But, these will definitely start coming up on our menu more often.

Baked Vegetable Egg Rolls
from Joyful Abode, written as I made it

Ingredients:
8 egg roll wrappers
1/2-16 oz. bag of coleslaw mix
1 can of mushrooms (I omitted)
1 tsp. minced garlic
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
splash of soy sauce
salt and pepper
olive oil cooking spray

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Put coleslaw mix in a microwave safe bowl. Cover and microwave for 3-6 minutes (mine was about 4). Add garlic, ginger, soy sauce, and salt and pepper; mix well. Spoon about 2 tbsp. of mix into each egg roll wrapper. Fold in two corners. Dab a little bit of water on the top corner. Starting at the bottom corner, roll tightly, tucking the mixture in as you roll. Repeat for remaining wrappers.

Place egg rolls on greased cookie sheet. Spray tops with olive oil cooking spray. Bake for about 10 minutes, turning egg rolls over half way through.