June 25
· Filed under Recipes · Tagged asian, chicken
Mandarin Chicken was actually my first exposure to orange marmalade, but WOW… what a great way to try it!
This recipe is from Food That Says Welcome by Barbara Smith (mother of artist Michael W. Smith). I love the idea behind the book: “Simple recipes to spark the spirit of hospitality.” I would certainly make this dish for company.
The picture doesn’t really do it justice, but the Mandarin Chicken was wonderful. Just the right amount of sweetness and a bit of crunch from the almonds. Great tasting, and pretty good for ya, too!
1 1/2 lbs chicken tenders
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp butter
2 tsp olive oil
1 cup orange marmalade
2 tsp cornstarch
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp dry mustard
1 11-oz can mandarin oranges
1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted
rice
Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Heat butter and oil in a large skillet. Add chicken and cook 4 minutes on each side until lightly browned. Remove from skillet and set aside.
Combine marmalade, cornstarch, lemon juice, and mustard in a small bowl, stirring mixture well with a whisk. Gently stir in oranges. Add mixture to skillet. Cover and cook 6 minutes on medium heat or until sauce slightly thickens. Spoon over chicken and sprinkle with almonds. Serve with rice.
June 14
· Filed under Recipes · Tagged asian, chicken, grilling
It’s grilling season. Hooray!
Grilling season can be a bit hard to navigate for the diet-conscious, with all the burgers and brats. This recipe, though, is both tasty AND good for your body. A mix of chicken, veggies, and pineapple, these kabobs are bursting with flavor, due in large part to… you guessed it… the delicious five spice.
Note: We found that these cooked way more evenly on our indoor grill, so you might try that. (And, hey! That way, you can make them all year ’round!)
1/4 cup frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
2 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1/4 tsp five spice powder
dash ground ginger
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast halves or thighs
1 cup (8-oz can) fresh pineapple chunks
1 medium green sweet pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 medium red sweet pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 cups hot cooked rice
For glaze, in small bowl combine orange juice concentrate, honey, soy sauce, five spice powder, and ginger. Set aside.
Cut chicken into 1-inch pieces. On 6 long metal skewers, alternately thread chicken, pineapple, green sweet pepper, and red sweet pepper, leaving a 1/4-inch space between pieces.
Charcoal grill: Grill kabobs on rack directly over medium coals, uncovered for 12 to 14 minutes or until no long pink, turning and brushing with glaze up to the last 5 minutes of grilling.
Gas Grill: Preheat grill; reduce heat to medium. Place kabobs on rack over heat. Cover and grill as above.
Serve with hot cooked rice.
Recipe courtesy Better Homes and Gardens Cook Book
July 21
· Filed under Recipes, Uncategorized · Tagged asian, chicken, one-bowl, pasta, salad
I made this for dinner for the two of us and then took the leftovers to a friend’s house. Everyone loved it — the mix of flavors and textures is really fun. You’re welcome to alter the ingredients to your taste. The only thing I will change the next time is to up the amount of soy sauce in the recipe. It was fairly plain-tasting until I added a bit more.
(recipe courtesy of Pillsbury’s “Family Gatherings” Classic Cookbook)
1 1/2 c uncooked rotini
3 c fresh snow pea pods, trimmed and cut in half crosswise
3 c cubed cooked chicken (or turkey)
3/4 c sliced green onions
1 8-oz can sliced water chestnuts, drained
3/4 c mayonnaise (or salad dressing)
2 tsp soy sauce
1/4 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp ginger
1/3 c toasted slivered almonds
lettuce
Cook rotini to desired doneness, adding pea pods during last 1-2 minutes of cooking time. Drain; rinse with cold water to cool.
In a large bowl, combine cooked rotini and pea pods, chicken, onions, and water chestnuts. In a small bowl, combine mayo, soy, pepper, and ginger; blend well. Pour over salad; mix well. Cover; refrigerate at least 3 hours or until serving time.
To serve, line serving bowl with lettuce leaves. Spoon salad over lettuce. Sprinkle with almonds.
Makes 8 1-cup servings.
