Roasted Vegetables with Rice

Source- Me!

I did have an inspiration for this recipe, but it called for cooking the tomatoes in an aluminum foil pouch on a grill.  Since I don't have an indoor grill or outdoor grill I decided that I'd cook them in the oven, and then I also added a zucchini and squash.  I was making pork loin and knew I needed some sort of side to go with the vegetables, so I opted for rice.  That is how this whole thing came together.

Ingredients

• 1 zucchini, chopped
• 1 yellow squash, chopped
• 2- 12oz bags of cherry tomatoes with stems removed
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• seasoning salt
• pepper
• 3 cups uncooked brown rice
• water for rice, or chicken stock/broth

Preparation

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Cover a cookie sheet with aluminum foil.
• Place vegetables in bowl.
• Add oil, salt and pepper
• Mix until vegetables are well coated.
• Pour onto covered cookie sheet.
• Bake in oven about 20 minutes, or until vegetables are well cooked and tomatoes start to pop.  
• While vegetables are roasting, cook rice according to package directions.  I used minute rice so that I didn't have to wait so long.
• After rice has finished cooking and set, pour into large mixing bowl.  
• Add vegetables and any juices that have accumulated.
• Mix well and serve hot.

Review & Changes- I am a genius!  OK, maybe not really but this recipe was great.  I've never cooked with zucchini or squash but knew that I liked them because of trying them at restaurants in a mixed vegetable medley.  I'm glad I included the rice.  It made the vegetables a little bit more without overpowering them.  Plus having roasted veggies and brown rice as a side instead of a potato made me feel that we were eating healthy.

I'm sure you could change up the veggies or even add in different seasonings, but they aren't necessary.  After this success I will be using zucchini and squash again!

Pineapple Fried Rice

Source- Stephanie Cooks

Ingredients

• 1 tsp. canola oil
• 1/2 small yellow onion, diced small
• 1 bell pepper, diced small 
• 3 ounces chicken, diced small
• 2 cups cooked white rice, day old is best
• Soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/4 cup cashew nuts
• 1/4- 1/2 cup pineapple chunks- diced small

 
Preparation

• Pour the oil in a nonstick skillet. Heat over medium heat.
• Add the onion and peppers, stirring well to soften, about 5 minutes.
• Stir in the diced chicken. Stir regularly, until cooked.
• Remove the chicken/veggie mixture to a dish.
• Add the rice to the skillet. Allow to heat. Do not stir.
• After about 3 minutes, stir, and allow to sit again for about 3 minutes.
• Add the soy sauce to taste (use less, you can always add more, you want it to coat but not soak the rice). 
• Add the garlic powder. Stir well.
• Add in the cashews and the pineapple. 
• Return the chicken/veggies to the pan. 
• Stir well and allow to heat together for about 4-5 minutes.
• Serve hot.

Review & Changes-  This was really good.  Simple ingredients that go well together.  Not much else to say.  Definitely would make this again.

Santa Fe Chicken

Source- Messy Bessy Cooks

This recipe is from a fellow Nestie that I've known for years, and finally started her own blog.  This is the first recipe of hers that I've made, but after the success here it won't be the last.

No picture since I forgot to take one.  :(

Ingredients

• 24 oz (1 1/2) lbs chicken breast
• 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes with mild green chilies 
• 15 oz can black beans
• 8 oz frozen corn
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro  (omitted)
• 14.5 oz can fat free chicken broth 
• 3 scallions, chopped
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper (to taste) (used 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes) 
• salt to taste
• 2 cups brown rice

Preparation

• Combine chicken broth, beans, corn, tomatoes, pepper garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, cayenne pepper and salt in the crock pot. 
• Season chicken breast with salt and lay on top. 
• Cook on low for 10 hours or on high for 6 hours. 
• Half hour before serving, remove chicken and shred.
• Return chicken to slow cooker and stir in. 
• Adjust salt and seasoning. 
• Serve over rice.

Review & Changes-This turned out really good, and I would make it again.  Especially since everything gets thrown together in a slow cooker.  Can't get much easier than that!

Ginger Spicy Chicken

Source- Campbell's Kitchen

Ingredients

• 1 can (about 20 ounces) pineapple chunks in juice
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 1/2 cup Pace® Picante Sauce
• Vegetable cooking spray
• 2 medium green peppers or red pepper, cut into strips (about 3 cups)
• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into strips
• 4 cups hot cooked rice, cooked without salt
• Fresh parsley for garnish (omitted)

Preparation

• Drain the pineapple, reserving the juice. 
• Stir the cornstarch, sugar, ginger, soy, picante sauce and reserved pineapple juice in a small bowl until it's smooth. Set the mixture aside.
• Spray a 10-inch skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium heat for 1 minute. 
• Add the peppers and stir-fry until they're tender-crisp. Set them aside.
• Remove the pan from the heat. 
• Spray it with cooking spray and increase the heat to medium-high. 
• Add the chicken in 2 batches and cook until it's well browned and cooked through, stirring often. Set the chicken aside.
• Stir the cornstarch mixture and add it to the skillet. 
• Cook until the mixture boils and thickens, stirring constantly. 
• Stir the pineapple in the skillet. 
• Return the chicken and the peppers to the skillet and heat through. 
• Serve over the rice. Garnish with the parsley.

Review & Changes-This had amazing flavor.  You may be skeptical considering you're adding picante sauce which is like salsa to an Asian dish, but it just works.  Leftovers did not last long in our house!!  Make this!

Taco Stuffed Peppers

 Source- Lauren's Kitchen

I've never had stuffed peppers before.  When peppers were on sale I decided to make my first attempt at making them.  I let H pick out the peppers, so you can see the variety of colors below.  And yes, the green pepper was huge compared to the others.  : )   

Ingredients

• 6 medium sweet bell peppers  (used 7)
• 1 Tbs salt
• 1/2 C cooked couscous (used brown rice)
• 2 Tbs olive oil
• 1 onion, diced (used 1/2 large onion)
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 14oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup frozen corn kernels
• 2 green onions, sliced
• 1-2 tablespoons taco seasoning
• 1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1/4 black pepper, plus more to taste
• 1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
• 3/4 C Mexican blend cheese
• tortilla chips, just a handful and more for serving if desired.

Preparation

• Preheat oven to 350. 
• Prepare peppers by washing, slicing tops off, and removing insides. 
• Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil and add 1 tablespoon salt. 
• Boil whole peppers for about 3-4 minutes, until they begin to soften. 
• Remove from water with tongs and place on paper towels to drain.
• Heat oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. 
• Add onions and garlic, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. 
• Add corn, beans, green onions, taco seasoning, kosher salt, and pepper. 
• Stir until corn and beans are heated through, about 5 minutes. 
• Place peppers in a baking dish. 
• Remove skillet from heat and add couscous, tomatoes, and 1/2 cup cheese. 
•  Stir to combine well and give it a taste. 
• Add additional salt, pepper, and taco seasoning to your liking. 
• Then evenly divide mixture between peppers. 
• Top peppers with remaining 1/4 cup cheese.
  Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes. Serve with tortilla chips and desired toppings (sour cream, avocado, cheese, etc...)

Review & Changes-This recipe was really good.  And I was happy with the slight changes I made.  I would be willing to make this again, but I think I'd rather try my hand at some different varieties. 

I have 2 other varieties bookmarked in my Google Reader that I want to try.  Mexican Stuffed Peppers and Stuffed Peppers.

Quick & Easy Chicken, Broccoli & Brown Rice Dinner

Source- WIC Spring 2011 Newsletter

It's hard to say that I'm proud that we receive WIC benefits for Baby Rebel,  but I can definitely say that we truly appreciate what we do get.  Every 3 months I head to the local clinic to get more benefits loaded on my card.  When there they have classes that focus on nutrition.  They also hand out their quarterly newsletter full of information, and recipes.  This is the first recipe that has immediately caught my eye.

Every ingredient on the list we always have on hand, so I knew that we'd like it.  The next time I made a menu I added this recipe to the list and got ready to make it. 

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp vegetable oil (used olive oil)
• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (used 1lb tenders)
• 1 (10.75 oz) can condensed cream of chicken soup
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1/4 tsp paprika
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1 1/2 cups uncooked instant brown rice
• 2 cups fresh or frozen broccoli flowerets

Preparation

• Heat oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat.
• Add chicken and cook until well browned on both sides.
• Remove chicken from skillet.
• Stir soup, water, paprika and pepper in skillet.
• Heat to a boil.
• Stir rice and broccoli in skillet.
• Reduce heat to low.
• Return chicken to skillet.
• Sprinkle additional paprika and pepper over chicken.
• Cover, and cook 5 minutes or until chicken is cooked throughout and rice is tender.

Review & Changes-  What an easy and good for you meal.  However, there wasn't a lot of flavor.  After my first small plate, I added a little salt and garlic powder to the next serving.  What a difference it made!  I didn't want to add seasoning to the rest of the dish before I had tasted my serving.  While I don't like to add a lot of salt to my dishes, the seasoning salt I used is 30% less sodium.

I'd add 1/4 tsp of both seasoning salt and garlic powder to the whole dish next time.

Honey Crunch Chicken

Source- Bella's Bistro

We've really got into Asian foods at our house.  We've done plenty of stir-frys, but I like branching out into a little bit different stuff.  Everything gets cooked together so it isn't that different, but the chicken is dredged in cornstarch giving it a light breading and crunchy texture. 

Ingredients

• 1lb. Boneless, skinless chicken breast tenders
• 2 Egg whites (used 2 whole eggs)
• 1/3C. Cornstarch (or flour – for dredging)
• 1C. Broccoli florets
• 1/2 Red pepper, thinly sliced (used 1 small whole green pepper)
• 3/4C. Sugar snap peas 
• 1/2 medium onion, sliced 
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 3T. Olive oil
• 1T. Soy sauce
• 1/4C. Honey
• salt and pepper to taste
• Rice, for serving

Preparation

• Prepare and slice all veggies – feel free to add whatever you would like. 
• In 2 separate bowls, add the egg whites (lightly beaten) and the cornstarch or flour. (The cornstarch will yield a “crispier” chicken). 
• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon olive oil. 
• Add veggies with a sprinkle of salt and pepper and saute for about 5 minutes, until softened. 
• Add in soy sauce and garlic and stir so veggies are coated, about 60 seconds. 
• Remove from skillet and set aside in a bowl.
• Cut chicken into 1-inch pieces and season with salt and pepper.
• Heat the same skillet (or you can use a different one, I just use the same to make it easier) over medium-high heat and add remaining olive oil. 
• Dip chicken pieces in egg whites and then lightly dredge in cornstarch. 
• Add to the skillet and let brown for 2-3 minutes, then flip. 
• Continue with remaining chicken pieces, and do so in batches if needed.
• Once chicken is cooked, add veggies back in the skillet. 
• Add honey and thoroughly mix to combine. 
• Taste and season with salt, pepper, additional honey or soy sauce. 
• Serve with rice.

Review & Changes- This was pretty good.  Different from the normal stir frys I make.  The honey gave this a hint of sweetness, but wasn't overwhelming.  I really liked the variety of vegetables.  Dredging and cooking the chicken was the most time consuming, but luckily my husband was home and was willing to play assistant for me. 

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

Source- Lauren's Kitchen

I've never had Chicken Cordon Bleu.  For some reason I always assumed that it had bleu cheese, and I don't think I'd like it.  But when this recipe popped up in my Google Reader I thought the pictured looked so good that I at least had to check out the ingredients. 

Turns out I liked everything that you use, so I had to make this eventually.  Eventually became this past week when I added it to the weekly menu.  It uses ham, and I still have some left in the freezer. 

Ingredients

• 2 T EVOO
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 bell pepper, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 lb diced ham
• 2 c cooks, shredded chicken breast (used 2 fairly large chicken breasts)
• 4 T butter
• 1/4 c flour (had to use cornstarch)
• 1/2 t salt
• 1/4 t pepper
• 14 oz can chicken broth
• 3 cups cooked rice (I used brown)
• 1 c shredded cheddar
• 1 c shredded mozzarella or swiss (used 2 cups mozzarella)

Preparation

• Preheat oven to 350.
• I cooked the chicken on our George Foreman. Then I shredded from there.
• Heat oil in a large, rimmed skillet over medium heat. (used Dutch oven)
• Add the onions and peppers and cook for about 5 minutes, until tender.
• Then add the garlic, chicken and ham and cook for another 5 minutes until heated through.
• Add the butter until it is melted, then stir in the flour, salt and pepper until combined.
• Slowly stir in the chicken broth, then mix in the rice.
• Transfer mixture to a 9x13 baking dish and sprinkle the top with your cheese.
• Bake for 20-25 minutes.

Review & Changes-  This recipe was really good.  I really, really liked it.  And it makes lots, so you get lots of leftovers to enjoy it longer. 

I wouldn't change anything. 

Meatball with Peppers and Pineapples

Source-The Pioneer Woman

Some recipes just look really good.  Of course The Pioneer Woman maximizes this by taking photos of every step, and then making the final product look first class.  This recipe had so many of the right notes.  Meatballs, which H loves.  Peppers which we both love.  And pineapple, which I love.  Can't go wrong!

Ingredients

• 1-¼ pound Ground Beef
• ½ whole Onion, Diced Very Finely
• 1 whole Egg
• ½ cups Panko Bread Crumbs (or Regular Breadcrumbs)
• 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Taste
• ½ teaspoons Crushed Red Pepper, More To Taste
• ¼ cups All-purpose Flour
• Canola Oil, For Frying
• 2 whole Green Bell Peppers, Seeded And Diced Roughly
• 1-½ cup Fresh Pineapple Chunks
• 2 cups Beef Stock Or Broth
• 2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
• ½ cups Sherry Or White Wine Vinegar
• ⅓ cups Sugar
• 1 Tablespoon Cornstarch
• Salt To Taste
• Crushed Red Pepper, To Taste
• Extra Beef Stock If Needed

Preparation

• Combine ground beef, diced onion, egg, salt, pepper, breadcrumbs, and crushed red pepper. 
• Mix with hands until combined. 
• Roll meat mixture into small balls and place on a cookie sheet. Freeze on the pan for 15 minutes to firm.
• Mix together beef stock, soy sauce, sherry (or vinegar), sugar, and cornstarch.
• Heat canola oil over medium-high heat. 
• Roll meatballs in flour, then fry in two batches until nice and brown, about two minutes per batch. 
• Remove meatballs and set aside on a separate plate.
• Pour off oil from pan and return pan to medium high heat. 
• When pan is hot, throw in the chopped green peppers and cook for one minute. 
• Add pineapple to pan and cook for one minute, stirring gently. 
• Pour in stock/soy sauce mixture, then add meatballs. 
• Stir gently to combine and allow to cook and bubble for a few minutes, or until sauce is thickened. 
• Add salt and crushed red peppers to taste. (Hint: this dish is yummy if it’s a little spicy.)
• Serve over cooked brown or white rice.

Next Time- This recipe was OK.  The meatballs were excellent.  My problem was the flavor the white wine vinegar gave was overwhelming.  I've never cooked with it before so I didn't know this could happen.  My H really liked the flavor.  I'd say next time I'd cut down the amount, or even omit it.  If I leave it out I'd cut down on the sugar. 

Hamburger Vegetable Soup

Source- Money Saving Mom

This recipe is from a new blog that I follow.  It is actually a blog about saving money, and I imagine that with the amount of food that this recipe makes you can save money since it makes enough for a meals for a few days. ;)

This is a hearty soup that is full of vegetables and flavor.  H actually said after tasting it that it was a perfect cold weather meal.  And with our weather dipping into singles digits with the wind chill, we certainly qualify for that cold weather! 

picture courtesy of Money Saving Mom

I'd advise having some sort of hearty, crusty bread to serve with this.  We didn't have any, and had to settle for cornbread muffins, which were still really good. 

I've changed the directions below since I made this in my slow cooker.  The big pot I have for the stove just wasn't big enough for all this food.  Heck, my slow cooker was filled to the brim as it was.  So be advised to have a BIG stockpot to make this soup!!

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. ground beef
• 2 cups chopped onion
• 2 cups peeled and diced potatoes
• 2 cups sliced carrots
• 2 cups shredded cabbage
• 4 (14.5-oz) cans diced tomatoes
• 1/2 cup brown rice, uncooked
• 6 to 10 cups water (only used 4 cups)
• 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 Tablespoons salt  (didn't  use nearly this much)
• pepper, to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon basil
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme
• 2 bay leaves

Preparation

• Brown ground beef and onion together until meat is lightly browned. Drain off excess fat. 
• Transfer to slow cooker.
• Add all remaining ingredients and stir.
• Cover and cook on high for at least 4 hours.
• Makes 18 to 20 cups of soup. Can be stored in the refrigerator for up to four days.

Next Time- I was happy with this cooking in my slow cooker.  The potatoes and carrots still had a bit of bite to them, but everything had blended together nicely.  Leftover heat up nicely, and there are plenty of them!

Spicy Szechuan Beef

Source: One Dish Meals Cookbook

This dish ends up being a fail. While it was edible and not completely horrible, I consider it a fail because I won't be willing to eat the leftovers, and I certainly don't plan on making this meal again. The problem was simply the Szechuan sauce. Pure heat, and that was using half of the amount the recipe called for.

As always, changes are in bold.

Ingredients

• 2 cups uncooked instant rice
• 2 cups water
• 3/4 extra-lean ground beef (used a full pound)
• 1 1lb pkg frozen broccoli florets, carrots and water chestnuts (the only mix I could find had cauliflower and no water chestnuts)
  
• 4oz fresh snow pea pods, trimmed (used frozen)
• 1/2 cup purchased Szechuan spicy stir-fry sauce (used about 1/4 cup)
• 3 Tb dry roasted salted peanuts

Preparation

• Cook rice in water as directed on package.
• In large skillet or wok, brown ground beef over medium-high heat until thoroughly cooked.
• Remove from skillet; drain on paper towels.
• In same skillet, combine frozen vegetables, pea pods, and stir-fry sauce; mix well.
• Reduce heat to medium; cover and cook 7-10 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender, stirring occasionally.
• Return beef to skillet; mix well.
• Cook until thoroughly heated.
• Stir in peanuts.
• Serve over rice.

Next Time- As I said there won't be a next time. The only thing that would make this meal re-doable is a different sauce. The spicy Szechuan sauce didn't give much flavor, just heat.

20 Minute Vegetable Beef & Rice Skillet

Source: Kraft Foods

Holy cow is this recipe easy. It comes together really fast.

Ingredients

• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 can (14-1/2 oz.) diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 can (10-1/2 oz.) condensed beef broth (used 14.5 oz)
• 1 cup frozen mixed vegetables, thawed
• 2 cups instant white rice, uncooked (added a bit more since I had more broth)
• 1/4 cup KRAFT Grated Parmesan Cheese

Preparation

• Brown meat with onion in large skillet on medium-high heat; drain.
• Add tomatoes with liquid, broth and vegetables; stir. Bring to boil.
• Stir in rice and cheese; cover.
  
• Remove from heat. Let stand 5 minutes.

Next Time- While this recipe was good, it needs a bit more flavor. It was kinda bland. So maybe some kind of herbs or minced garlic to add some flavor.

Tex-Mex Taco Dinner

Source: Kraft Spring '09 Magazine

H and I love tacos. We have our homemade tacos a couple times a month. So when I saw this recipe in the magazine I knew we'd like it.

Ingredients

• 1 lb extra lean ground beef
• 1/4 large onion, chopped
  
• 1 Tbsp chili powder
• 1 cup fat-free reduced sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup water
• 2 cups instant white rice, uncooked
• 1/2 cup Cheez Whiz Cheese Dip
• 2 cups shredded lettuce
• 1 large tomato, chopped

Preparation

• Brown meat in large skillet
• Add chili powder, broth, and water; stir.
• Bring to a boil.
• Stir in rice and Cheez Whiz; cover
• Simmer on low heat 5 minutes; stirring occasionally.
• Serve topped with lettuce and tomatoes

Extra- Sour cream makes a great topping for this dish.

Next Time- I added the sour cream to this, and it was great. There wasn't a lot of flavor in the rice/meat part of this. So I'm thinking either use a taco seasoning packet instead of the chili powder, or a nacho cheese dip instead of just plain cheese. Something to spice it up a bit and give it some more flavor. As is, this is still a good recipe, H and I are just used to a little more flavor.

Sweet and Hot Pork and Pineapple Stir-fry

Source: One Dish Meals

Yet another recipe from the lovely One Dish Meals Cookbook. There certainly are some good recipes in that book. H and I have found that we love stir-frys, and really enjoy when pineapple is included. So when I saw this recipe I added it to the weekly menu.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups uncooked instant rice
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 4 T brown sugar (doubled)
• 1 1/2 tsp cornstarch (doubled)
• 1/2 tsp ginger (doubled)
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (doubled)
• 1/2 cup water (doubled)
• 3 T soy sauce (doubled)
• 1 20 oz. can pineapple chunks, drained, reserving 2 T liquid (doubled liquid, and added 8 oz. can of pineapple)
• 3/4 lb. boneless lean pork, trimmed of fat, cut into think bite-sized strips (had nearly 2 lbs of meat)
• 1 16oz pkg coleslaw blend (accidentally bought 8oz. bag)

Preparation

• Cook rice in 1 1/2 cups water as directed on package, omitting margarine and salt.
• In a small bowl, combine 3 T brown sugar, cornstarch, ginger, red pepper flakes, 1/2 cup water, soy sauce and pineapple liquid. Mix well.
• Spray 12-inch nonstick skillet with nonstick spray. Heat over medium-high heat until hot. Add drained pineapple chunks; sprinkle with remaining 1 T brown sugar.
• Cook 5 minutes, turning chunks occasionally.
• Remove skillet from heat, and remove pineapple from skillet. Set aside.
• Spray skillet again with cooking spray. Add pork and cook over medium-high heat for 2 minutes.
• Add coleslaw blend. Cook and stir 3 to 6 minutes until pork is no longer pink and cabbage is tender.
• Add pineapple and cornstarch mixture to skillet. Cook and stir 3 minutes or until pork is glazed and sauce is slightly thickened.
• Serve over rice.

Next Time- Definitely wish I had bought the correct size bag of coleslaw blend. Otherwise this dish really lived up to the title "hot" pork. That really was the only dominate flavor, that my tongue was on fire. So perhaps between cutting down a bit on the red pepper flakes and having a better portion of coleslaw this recipe will be better. Loved that there was plenty of sauce.

Bourbon Chicken

Source: May '08 Nest Cookbook

Another great find from my May Nestie Cookbook. An awesome recipe from Bella, who has her own food blog. I made this just before leaving for a weekend, so that H wouldn't starve. LOL! So I got like 2 bites before we had to leave. The bites I got were awesome!! Very good Chinese!!!

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces (used 2 large breasts, just over a lb.)
• 2 T olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, crushed (used garlic powder)
• 1/4 tsp ginger (used ground ginger)
• 3/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/4 C apple juice
• 1/3 C light brown sugar
• 2 T ketchup
• 1 T cider vinegar
• 1/2 C water
• 1/3 C soy sauce
• 1 T corn starch

Preparation

• Heat oil in large skillet.
• Add chicken pieces and cook until lightly browned.
• Remove chicken and set aside.
• Add remaining ingredients (mixing corn starch with water before adding to skillet), heating over medium heat until well mixed and dissolved.
• Return chicken and bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
• Serve over hot rice and Enjoy.

Next Time- The flavor for this was awesome. The correct amount of chicken would be better. The flavor was a bit hot, so cutting down slightly on the red pepper flakes would be better.

Chicken Fried Rice

Source: Bella's Bistro

I got this recipe from a fellow May Nestie. Some of her stuff is "out there" for H and I, but this recipe was right up our alley.

Ingredients

• 4C Cold prepared rice, loosened/crumbled (used brown rice)
• 4T Olive Oil
• 1Lb. Chicken, chopped into bite size pieces
• 1 Small White Onion
• 2C Veggies of your Choice (used a frozen stir fry veggie medley)
• 1t Sriracha Sauce (omitted)
• 3-4T Low Sodium Soy Sauce
• 3/4t Garlic Powder
• 2 Eggs, beaten (used 3)
• 3 Scallions, trimmed and chopped

Preparation

• In a hot non-stick wok, heat 1 Tbsp oil. Over medium-high heat, add onions and veggies and saute until softened.
• Add chicken and cook until mostly done (will still be a little pink the middle). This way, you don’t overcook the chicken.
• Add Siracha sauce to season veggies.
• Add crumbled rice and drizzle with remaining oil and soy sauce. Add garlic powder.
• Stir rice until even in color and all rice has soy sauce on it.
• Stir occasionally, while allowing rice to warm up.
• Make a well in the middle of your wok and pour in beaten eggs, scrambling the eggs while incorporating more and more rice.
• Add chopped green onions. Continue to heat rice until egg is fully cooked.
• Season with salt & pepper as desired.

Next Time- This turned out kinda blah. So after speaking to Bella, we agreed that it is most likely a combination of omitting the Sriracha Sauce and using brown rice. So I'm not writing this recipe off, I'll just have to stick closer to the original recipe.