Week 62, Recipe 1: Quick Fried Rice

NOTES

• Make your rice the night or day before you want to make fried rice. Freshly cooked rice is too wet. 
• This is quick, flavorful and makes great leftovers so double the recipe below to have lunch for the next day!

INGREDIENTS

• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 cups cooked leftover rice, white or brown
• 1 1/2 c. frozen mixed diced vegetables (or just corn & peas or whatever you have on hand), cooked according to package directions
• 1 bunch green onions, chopped
• 3 tbsp soy sauce, more to taste (I like the Tamari brand)
• 1/2-inch chunk of ginger, grated
• 3 cloves garlic, minced or grated
• Splash (1-2 tsp) sesame oil

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat a skillet to medium-high heat and add a tbsp of oil. Add rice, making sure all grains are coated with a little oil then spread into a thin layer across the bottom of the pan. Let the rice cook for a few minutes then stir and spread out again. Continue until rice is starting to brown a bit. 

2. Push rice to the sides of the pan and spray a little oil or add a little oil to the center of the pan. Pour in eggs and let cook 30 seconds before stirring. Let sit again and stir, until just barely scrambled. Mix them into rice.

3. Add soy sauce, ginger, and garlic then stir. Add the cooked diced veggies, cooking until they are warmed through. Stir in the green onions and a tsp or 2 of sesame oil.

4. Taste and add more soy sauce if needed before serving.

Week 59, Recipe 2: Better than Take Out Chicken Stir Fry & Veggies

NOTES

• I combined 3 different recipes to come up with this and then added the veggies I had on had. It was delicious! I would double the recipe below if you want any leftovers.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 - 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs (I think they're tastier than breasts in stir-fry but chicken breasts will work), chopped into bite-size pieces
• For marinade:
• 2 tsp fresh ginger juice (grate a chunk of fresh ginger then squeeze it between your fingers to get the juice)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp white cooking wine + 1 tsp sugar (or 2 tbsp Japanese sake)
• For stir-fry sauce:
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 3 teaspoons sesame oil
• 1 tablespoons brown sugar
• 3 teaspoons cornstarch
• For stir-fry
• Grated ginger, about 2 tsp
• Grated/minced garlic, about 2 cloves
• Cut veggies of choice - I used broccoli, diagonally sliced carrots, green pepper and green onion
• Hot, cooked rice (jasmine is my favorite for stir-fry) - we usually cook about 1 1/2 - 2 c. which is enough for dinner, not leftovers. Cook at least 2 c. if you want enough for leftovers.
• Chopped green onions, for topping

DIRECTIONS
1. Mix marinade in a large container and stir-fry sauce in another. Be sure to grate enough garlic and ginger for marinade and then about 2 tsp grated ginger and 2 cloves garlic for the stir-fry.
2. Add chopped chicken to the marinade and let sit for at least 30 minutes, up to all day in the fridge.
3. Heat a large sauce pan or wok with about 1 tbsp canola oil over medium heat. Remove chicken from marinade spread out evenly in pan/wok. Cook, undisturbed for about 5 minutes (or until starting to brown on the bottom) then stir and cook another 3-5 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Remove to a plate/bowl.
4. Add a little more oil if necessary and stir-fry grated ginger and garlic until fragrant (about 30 seconds), then add veggies - start with broccoli and carrots first then add peppers, mushrooms, etc. after a few minutes. Stir fry until just crisp tender (about 5 minutes or so). Add chicken back in along with stir fry sauce. Bring to a light simmer and cook for a minute or so until sauce has thickened. Serve over rice and sprinkle with green onions.

Week 56, Recipe 5: Red Curry with Chicken & Vegetables

My own photo coming soon...red curry pics didn't turn out. This one's from www.atasteoftahi.com

NOTES

• If you're not a curry fan or have never tried to make it, please do. You will enjoy it! The trick is buying good curry paste. Visit your local Asian food market for the good stuff.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 can unsweetened coconut milk (not the light kind!)
• 2-3 tbsp red curry paste (we like it spicy and use 3ish tbsp, use less for a milder taste)
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 lbs boneless chicken thighs (or breasts), cut into 1/2-inch strips or chunks
• salt and pepper
• 1 tbsp finely grated fresh ginger (peeled first)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced or grated
• 1/2 c. chicken broth
• 2 c. (dry) rice, cooked according to package directions (try Jasmine)
• Vegetables of choice - I like to use 1 bunch of green onions and at least two of the following: 1 sweet bell pepper, 1 lb of mushrooms, chopped bok choy, green beans, etc.
• Cilantro leaves and chopped peanuts for topping

DIRECTIONS

1. In a small bowl, whisk the coconut milk (save a little coconut milk to mix with 1 tsp soy sauce if making a separate pan for the kids) with the curry paste and soy until well combine. Cook rice according to package directions.

2. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add at least 2 tbsp oil and heat until beginning to smoke. Add chicken and cook in a single layer over medium high heat, turning once, until cooked (does not have to be completely cooked through).

3. Transfer chicken to a plate and pour off any oil/liquid. Saute veggies (start with veggies that will take the longest like bok choy or green beans then add others like mushrooms, peppers, etc. after about 5 minutes). Stir in the ginger and garlic and stir-fry 1 minute longer. Remove some veggies and set aside with some chicken if making a separate pan for the kids.

4. Add the chicken, curry mixture, and broth to the skillet with the veggies. Simmer 2-5 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. If making a separate pan for the kids, add the leftover coconut milk that you set aside, 1 tsp soy, veggies, 1/4 c. broth or water (or more if needed), chicken and 1 tsp curry powder to a skillet. Cook 2-4 minutes.

5. Serve in bowls with curry over rice and topped with cilantro leaves and chopped peanuts.

Week 55, Recipe 1: Chicken Sesame Stir-Fry

NOTES

• Use whatever vegetables your family likes - I like the flavor and color of a variety of veggies. This sauce is great! My new favorite stiry-fry recipe.
• I always double the sauce recipes for stir-frys and Asian dishes (the recipe below is doubled from the original).
• Original recipe from Simply in Season Cookbook
• Make the sauce ahead of time and refrigerate. Cut up veggies ahead of time and refrigerate for an easy dinner prep.

INGREDIENTS

For sauce (whisk together in a bowl and set aside):

• 1 1/2 c. chicken or vegetable broth
• 6 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 heaping tbsp ginger, peeled and minced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced or finely grated
• 1/2 tsp (or to taste) of hot sauce (I like the Asian Siracha brand)

For stir-fry:

• 1 lb chicken (boneless thighs or breasts), cut into strips or bite-size pieces
• 3-6 c. (approximately) of veggies. I used sugar snap peas (snow are good too), red cabbage, thinly sliced carrots, yellow bell pepper, mushrooms, and green onion. Other options: green beans, sliced onions, bell peppers of any colors, zucchini, broccoli, asparagus.
• Hot cooked rice (I like jasmine for stir-fry)

DIRECTIONS

1. Mix sauce ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
2. Cut up vegetables of choice and keep each type separated.
3. Start rice and cook according to package directions.
4. In a large skillet or wok, heat 1-2 tbsp oil and cook the chicken, without disturbing, until lightly browned on bottom side. Stir to mix up and cook 3-5 minutes longer or until no longer pink. Remove from skillet.
5. In the same skillet, stir-fry whatever vegetables you're using in this order: carrots first for a minute or two, then add broccoli, sliced (not green) onions, bell pepper strips, asparagus, cabbage and stir fry for a minute or two. Then add mushrooms and stir fry 1 minute or so.
6. Add chicken back to skillet/wok and add sauce, bringing to a boil and stirring. Reduce heat and simmer about 3 minutes or until sauce thickens.
7. Turn off heat, sprinkle with green onions and serve immediately over rice.



Week 54, Recipe 1: Pork Egg Rolls

Not the best picture, but you get the idea!

NOTES

• I've never made egg rolls before so wasn't sure what I was getting into. They turned out really good!
• You can make the filling ahead of time then just roll and fry. This would make it a quick 15-20 minutes prep when you're ready to eat.
• I would have used a deep fat fryer (yikes!) if I had one but frying them on one side in a large skillet then turning them to fry on the other side worked well.
• Original recipe from Martha Stewart
• I haven't tried, but the original recipe said you can freeze the egg rolls. I froze them after frying them and then just plan to reheat in the oven. Not sure if I'll thaw them partially or completely before reheating. I think you could also freeze them before frying. I would then thaw them in the fridge overnight then fry.

INGREDIENTS

• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon light-brown sugar
• 6 cups (48 ounces) vegetable oil
• 1 napa cabbage (about 2 1/2 pounds), thinly sliced
• 4 medium carrots, coarsely grated
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1 pound ground pork
• 6 scallions, thinly sliced
• 16 egg-roll wrappers (6 to 7 inches square)
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten and place in a small bowl or shallow cup

1. In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, vinegar, and sugar. In a large skillet, cook pork until it is no longer pink then add cabbage, carrots, garlic, and ginger. Season with salt and pepper and cook, tossing, until vegetables are tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Raise heat to high and cook, tossing, until liquid has mostly evaporated (3 to 5 minutes),

2. Mix in scallions. Transfer mixture to a plate to cool then drain any excess liquid. 

3. Lay wrappers flat on a work surface. Brush beaten egg on edges with a pastry brush. (There should be instructions on the egg roll package but if not, place it on the counter with a corner at bottom. Place filling just above that bottom corner then fold in bottom corner up over filling, tucking corner under the filling. Then fold in side corners toward center of wrapper then roll up tight from bottom to top corner).

4. Cover the bottom of a skillet with 1/2-inch of oil and heat over medium-high heat. Fry egg rolls, in batches of 4, until lightly browned. Turn over using a tongs and fry on the other side. Remove to a paper towel lined plate.

Week 54, Recipe 3: Green Curry with Chicken & Veggies

NOTES

• We love curry. Visit an Asian grocery store to get the curry paste. It's inexpensive and much better than what you can find in your regular grocery store. If you don't like it spicy, add less paste. I usually add 3 tbsp of paste in our curry dishes but we like it spicy.
• I have some powdered yellow curry powder that I use for the kids' curry. It's not too much extra work, just a second small saucepan.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 red pepper
• 1 bunch green onions
• Other veggies of choice - chopped bok choy, green beans, etc.
• 2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1 can coconut milk (not regular)
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled & grated or minced
• 1 tbsp ginger, peeled & grated
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1-3 tbsp green curry paste
• 2 tbsp flour
• 1 c. chicken broth
• cooking oil
• 2 tbsp soy sauce, divided
• 1/2 c. chopped cilantro, for topping
• Crushed peanuts, for topping
• Hot, cooked jasmine rice

DIRECTIONS
1. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and chop into bite-size pieces. Top with 1 tbsp soy then 2 tbsp flour (in a ziplock bag).
2. Heat oil and cook chicken, without disturbing, until browned. Remove to a small bowl.
3. In a small bowl, whisk 1 tbsp soy, coconut milk, and curry paste.
4. In the same skillet, saute pepper, green onions, and any other veggies you're using (if any).
5. Add ginger and garlic and saute 30 seconds more.
6. Return chicken to pan, add potatoes, coconut mixture and broth.
7. Simmer 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Serve over jasmine rice and top with crushed peanuts and/or chopped cilantro.

Week 38, Recipe 3: Shrimp & Snow Pea Stir-Fry

Photo from Cooking Light by Randy Mayor; Bob Gager

NOTES

• This recipe came together very quickly and had lots of flavor.
• Recipe modified from Cooking Light, November 2004

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar
• 2 tsp sugar
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 small red bed pepper, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 small red onion, cut into 8 wedges
• 1 c. snow peas, trimmed (usually found in the fresh veggies in a package)
• 1 1/2 lbs peeled and deveined shrimp
• 2 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted (to toast, place in a hot, dry skillet for 3-5 minutes or until lightly toasted, stirring several times)
• Hot cooked rice

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat.

2. Combine the ginger through the garlic and stir with a whisk. Set aside.

3. Add the bell pepper and onion to the skillet and stir-fry 2 minutes or until crisp-tender. Add snow peas and shrimp. Stir-fry 3 minutes or until shrimp are done.

4. Add the sauce mixture and cook 1 minutes. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve over hot rice.

Week 35, Recipe 3: Chicken with Peanut Curry Sauce

NOTES

• Yes, I know, this is the second curry recipe in two weeks. I've had this Thai red curry paste I've been needing to use up so we made this and it's delicious!
• This isn't that spicy (ok for kids) but you could spice it up by adding more curry paste.
• Recipe modified from the Food Network - Sandra Lee

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tbsp canola oil
• 1 1/2 lb chicken breast or thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
• Salt and pepper
• 8 oz frozen green beans, thawed
• 8 oz frozen pepper strips, thawed
• For sauce:
• 1 1/2 c. coconut milk (not light kind)
• 1/2 c. chicken broth
• 1-3 tbsp (depending on spice level you want) Thai red curry paste
• 1/3 c. chunky peanut butter
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tbsp lime juice, plus wedges for garnishing
• Cilantro sprigs for garnishing
• Cooked rice

DIRECTIONS
1. Heat oil in a frying pan over medium0high heat. Add cut up chicken, season and saute until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add green beans and pepper strips and continue cooking for 3 minutes.
2. While chicken cooks, start the peanut curry sauce. In a medium bowl, whisk together all ingredients for the sauce. Pour sauce into a frying pan over the chicken and veggies and stir to combine.
3. Turn heat up to high and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat and simmer until sauce thickens slightly, about 6-8 minutes. Serve over cooked rice.

Week 35, Recipe 4: Sesame Soba Noodles with Veggies

NOTES

• I made this ahead of time so it made for a quick dinner and GREAT lunch leftovers.
• You serve it cold or at room temp.
• Recipe modified from Annie's Eats

INGREDIENTS

• For the dressing:
• 1/4 c. reduced sodium soy sauce
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp canola oil
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar (or rice wine vinegar)
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/4 c. chopped cilantro
• 3 green onions, chopped
• For the salad:
• About 12 oz of soba (buckwheat) noodles, found in the Asian food section
• 1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced thin
• 1 c. shredded red cabbage
• 1 carrot, peeled & shredded
• 1 c. edemame (soybeans), shelled & cooked (look for this in the frozen veggies)
• toasted sesame seeds for topping (optional)

DIRECTIONS
1. Combine the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and whisk to blend.
2. Cook the soba noodles until just al dente (a minute shy of package directions). Drain well and rinse with cold water.
3. Transfer the noodles to a large mixing bowl and add the veggies.
4. Pour the dressing over the top and toss so noodles and veggies are evenly coated with dressing.
5. If sprinkling with sesame seeds, toast a handful of seeds in a dry saucepan over medium heat until fragrant and just starting to brown.

Week 34: Recipe 2: Basil Chicken in Coconut Curry Sauce

NOTES

• This was really tasty! If you're not comfortable with cooking a curry, or have never tired to cook one, let this be your first!
• If you're cooking for your family and you've got some not-so-spicy fans, substitute the jalapeno for one half green bell pepper (although the jalapeno we used was not hot so we added red pepper flakes to kick up the heat).
• Recipe modified from Simply Recipes
• Mix the spices together and store in an airtight container the night/morning before to save on prep time

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp chili powder
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• 1 lb skinless, boneless chicken thighs (or breasts but thighs are good here)
• 1 large red onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1-2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
• 2 Tbsp oil
• 1 14-oz can coconut milk
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 3 Tbsp fresh basil leaves, chopped
• 1 Tbsp finely chopped fresh ginger
• Hot cooked rice of choice (use 1 1/2 - 2 c. dry (or 3/4-1 c. per person) to have some for leftovers

DIRECTIONS
1. In a small bowl, mix the salt and the rest of the spices through turmeric. Set aside.
2. Rinse chicken and pat dry. Cut into 1-inch pieces. put into a bowl and sprinkle the spice mix over the chicken pieces. Coat well and let sit for 30 minutes at room temperature.
3. In a large skillet, heat 1 tbsp of oil on medium high heat. Add onions and jalapenos and cook for 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute longer. Remove the vegetables from the pan and place in a bowl.
4. In the same pan, add 1 tbsp oil and heat to medium high heat. Add the chicken pieces (doing it in two batches if necessary), spreading them out on the pan so they are not crowded. Brown for a few minutes on each side. When cooked through, add to the bowl with the onions.
5. Add the coconut milk (all but a few tbsp) to the empty skillet. In a small bowl, mix the remaining coconut milk with the corn starch to dissolve the corn starch. Add the corn starch mixture back to the skillet with the coconut milk. Cook on medium heat and stir until thick and bubbly. Mix in the Worcestershire sauce, chicken mixture, basil and ginger. Cook 2 minutes or until heated through. Season with extra salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste.
6. Serve over hot cooked rice.

Week 33, Recipe 2: Garlic Ginger Chicken

NOTES

• This is one of our favorite chicken recipes and we haven't made it in awhile. I realized I've never blogged it so enjoy!
• I chop up the chicken breasts and mix the marinade ingredients the night before. Since this last time I made it I used brown rice, I made the rice the night before too (brown rice takes around 40-45 minutes). Then when I got home I set the chicken out to marinade for 1/2 hour, cooked it and reheated the rice.

INGREDIENTS

• About 1 lb chicken breasts or chicken thighs, cut into small pieces (like nugget size)
• 2 tsp fresh ginger juice (grate a chunk of fresh ginger then squeeze it between your fingers to get the juice)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbp white whine + 1 tsp sugar
• Flour for frying (approx. 1 c.)
• Canola oil for frying
• Rice - I estimate 1 1/2 - 2 c. dry to feed my family plus have some for leftovers

DIRECTIONS
1. Mix the ginger juice, garlic, soy and white wine, and sugar in a bowl.
2. Add chicken pieces and let marinate for 30 minutes.
3. Heat a large saucepan (or two) with a thin layer of oil on the bottom.
4. Dip chicken pieces in into flour, shaking off excess and fry in hot oil until browned on one side. Flip and brown the oil side.
5. Remove from oil and let sit on a plate covered with a paper towel. Serve with rice, extra soy sauce and a veggie/s of your choice.

Recipe 5, Week 32: Sesame Teriyaki Chicken & Rice

Photo from Rachael Ray website

NOTES

• Modified from Rachael Ray

• I actually used bone-in breast instead of legs because that's what I had (see my pic below). You could also use bone-in chicken thighs as well. The cooking time list is for legs. Up it to around 1 hour for bone-in breasts and make sure the thickest part reaches 165 degrees.

• Make the marinade the night or morning before you want to eat and keep in fridge. I also made the rice and cut up the veggies (including the garlic and ginger for the stir-fry) the night before.

INGREDIENTS

Chicken marinade:

• 6-8 chicken legs or 2 large bone-in breasts or 3-4 bone-in thighs

• 1 c. soy sauce

• 2 tbsp honey

• 2 tbsp cider vinegar

• 2 tbsp sesame oil (or 1 tbsp sesame, 1 tbsp canola)

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 tbsp freshly grated ginger

Stir-fry:

• Jasmine rice (1 1/2 c. dry, cooked according to directions)

• Stir-fry veggies (frozen pkg x2 or a mix of chopped fresh broccoli, carrots, peppers, green onions, mushrooms, etc.)

• 2 large cloves garlic, minced

• 1 inch ginger, peeled and grated

Other:

• Freshly ground black pepper

• Sesame seeds (about 3 tbsp)

DIRECTIONS

1. Mix marinade and place in ziplock bag with chicken. Marinate at least four hours or overnight (see NOTES for make-ahead tips).

2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place a cooling rack over a baking sheet covered in foil. Arrange chicken legs/breasts/thighs on cooling rack. Season chicken with coarse black pepper.

3. Cover legs with foil (spray inside of foil with oil) and roast for 20 (legs) to 60 (breasts) minutes. Uncover and roast an additional 10 or so minutes more the darken and crisp. Be sure that thickest part of chicken registers 165 degrees. Remove and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

4. While chicken cooks, make rice according to package directions (or make ahead of time - see NOTES above).

5. During the last 10 minutes that chicken is cooking, heat a large skillet or wok with 1 tbsp oil. Stir-fry veggies until crisp-tender, 3-5 minutes. Add garlic and ginger and stir-fry a minute longer.

6. Serve chicken with rice and veggies alongside.

Here's my pic of the roasted chicken breast: