Cooking to feel good/ Chicken Stir Fry

Hard day today.  Nothing bad happened.  I'm just making some changes in my life right now and I come home tired and a little overwhelmed.  So I could finish wrapping Christmas presents.  I could working on Christmas decorations (still not even started).  But no, I'm going to cook to feel good.  Something about cooking straightens me out, gives me perspective, makes me happy.  So here gos

The sauce
3T. Soy Sauce
2 T. Rice Vinegar
2 T. Hoisen Sauce
1 T. Honey
2 T. White Wine
2 gloves Garlic. 
1/2 t. fresh grated ginger

Take the time now to smell it.  Yummy.
The chicken

About a 1 1/4 pounds boneless chicken breasts.  These are tenders, but regular ones that have been cut into slices would be fine.  I could use a utencil, but no, I pick each one up with my fingers and hold it.  Soft and pretty.  What a lovely thing, and yes, I'm weird.  But I'm starting to feel better already. 

1/2 of the sauce into the chicken.  Turn the chicken in the sauce with your fingers to coat.  You could use tongs if you want.  Let it set at least 15 minutes.  Longer if you have it.  Turn the chicken in the sauce from time to time and remember to enjoy yourself.

The vegetables..

This is chopped onion, brocolli, snap peas, carrots and shredded red cabbage.  But use any combination of vegetables you like.  I use stir fry as an opportunity to clear out the vegetable bin.

Add a Tablespoon of my favorite sweet chili sauce to the remaining sauce. 

A Tablespoon of canola or peanut oil in the pan and heat it to medium high.  Start laying the chicken pieces in the oil.  But this time use the tongs.  If you've ever put cool stuff in hot oil, you know why.  Cook the chicken, turning them, for 5 - 10 minutes depending on the size of pieces until just cooked.  Remove them to a bowl. 

Add another T. oil and the vegetables.

Starting to feel pretty good.
Add the reserved sauce and cook until vegetables are just slightly crisp.  Go ahead and pick one up with your fingers and put it in your mouth. 

The husband calls down to me "something smells pretty good!"

Now you need some rice.  Some people have trouble cooking rice in a pan.  You don't need a rice cooker.

2 cups water and 1 t. salt in the pan and bring it to a full rolling boil.  That means when you stir, you can't stir it down. 

1 cup of rice and spring for the good stuff in a 5 lb sack.

Add the rice to the boiling water and stir it just enough so that all the rice is wet.

Slam on the lid and immediately turn down the heat to low. 

Now don't peak, don't touch it, stay away from it.  Cook on low for 15 minutes.  Lift the lid and fluff the rice with a spoon.  Add a Tablespoon of butter and close the lid again until you are ready to eat.

 I promise you perfect rice every time if you do this.

Husband comes in with a happy look on his face, sniffing the air.  Seems like something was wrong before, but I can't remember what.