Stir Fried Chicken and Vegetables

I could eat Chinese food every day.  Well, what I like is probably not authentic Chinese.  I love beef and brocolli, sweet and sour chicken, orange sesame anything.  Just keep it coming.  I love the smell of it, the way the air feels, the sizzle, it makes me warm and happy.

Husband had a little upset stomach yesterday and didn't eat much lunch today.  So I wasn't really sure whether to cook.  But I started pulling out things and decided that if he didn't want any, we'd have good left overs.  And I'm glad I did.  At dinner time, he came down sniffing the air and said that he was glad I had cooked because he was hungry.  And I got my kiss on the neck, so all is good.

Stir Fried Chicken and Vegetables.

3 boneless chicken breasts, sliced into bite size pieces.

Merinade for chicken

1/4 t. minced fresh ginger

3 T. Soy sauce

1 T. white wine.

Combine merinade and chicken pieces in a shallow bowl or pie plate and set aside.  With a fork, turn the pieces of chicken over to coat every 10 mintutes.  Merinade for at least 30 minutes.  This is a good base to any chicken dish that has an
Asian feel.  Lots of flavor.  This advice about Asian food comes for the daughter of a couple of Oklahoma farmers, so take it for what it's worth.

Stir Fry Sauce

1/2 c. beef broth

1 1/2 t. hoisen sauce

1/4 t. sugar

1 t. corn starch. 

1 t. sweet chili sauce

This is my standard stir fry sauce.  Combine ingredients and set aside.

Any one who has a really good basic stir fry sauce, please e-mail it to me, but this is a pretty good one.

4 small carrots peeled and cut into match sticks

8 oz pkg snap peas

3/4 lb crimini mushrooms cleaned and quartered

7.25 oz pkg of good Asian style noodles.

Now in a large skillet, heat 1 T. canola oil. Add the chicken a piece at a time with tongs, then carefully add the marinade.  Cook on medium temp turning the chicken pieces to cook on all sides.  As the chicken gets mostly cooked, add the vegetables and continue cooking. 

When vegetables are mostly cooked, add the stir fry sauce and noodles.  My currently favorite noodles are soft and come in the refrigerated section of the store. 

If you are using a dry noodle you may need to cook them separately.  See the package.  If your noodles come with a seasoning packet, throw it away.  Don't cook with powder.  It isn't food.

My stir fry sauce will thicken only after it comes to a boil.  So bring everything back to a boil, stiring gently to combine.  When the sauce is thickened.  Serve.

Remember to create little comforts for those around you.  

Marinated Pork Roast

I've always worked.  I've heard of such a thing as men who cook, but I don't know any.  In my world, men fix cars, hunt, build things, and make things.  I mean that in the nicest way, dear. 

So the things I make are either things that go together fast or make ahead or weekend dinner that makes good leftovers.  I'm a natural born planner so I'm usually thinking a few days in advance. 

Marinating is a good way to get extra flavor, but it means you have to plan ahead.  There are a ton of summer things that I marinate, then grill outside when I get home, but we aren't there yet.  This is a recipe I've had very long time and made just forever. 

Marinated Pork Roast

1 boneless center-cut pork roast, 3 to 3 1/2 pounds.

6 garlic cloves garlic, minced

2 cups white wine

1/2 c. dark brown sugar

1/2 c. soy sauce
2 T dry mustard
1 t. sweet chili sauce, optional

With a sharp knife or skew, poke holes all over the roast.  Place in a glass container.  Combine the remaining ingredients and pour over roast.  Allow to marinate in the frig 1 to 2 day, turning occasionally. 

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Drain pork and reserve marinade.  Place in a roasting pan.  I like to line it with foil and place a small rack on top of the foil.  That way the roast doesn't sit in its juices as much. 

Roast at 425 degrees for 20 minutes turning

several times to brown all sides.  Reduce temp to 375 and cook for 30 - 40 minutes or until internal temp is 160 degrees. 

You get a crisp outside and a moist roast.  

While roasting, simmer the marinade until it reduces to about a cup.  While cooking strain off any fat that accumulates on the surface.  You can strain it to get a clearer sauce if you want.

 

It should rest for a bit, then transfer it to a platter and slice.  It's good with the roast potatoes (see http://dinnerattheosbornes.blogspot.com/2010/01/roasted-potatoes.html).  or rice.  It needs something to soak up the sauce.

I occurs to me that the only recipes I share are meat, but we really eat a lot of variety and I want to start showing that.  I'm working on a brocolli and califlower au graten recipe but it isn't quite right yet. I'll show it later. 

Remember to have experiences and be present.