Fajita Marinade

I love fajitas and, although there are over 10 Mexican restaurants in my small home town, I only like the fajitas at one!! Needless to say I am particular about my fajitas. I thought that this marinade had way too much vinegar taste for "authentic" fajitas, so I won't be keeping it. I didn't grill the chicken, rather I sliced it when raw and marinated the slices. I cooked them in a frying pan with the marinade. My mom makes fajitas at home and she slices up onions and bell peppers in them, I always pick the chicken out of the mix for my fajitas. I also feel the lime and cilantro overpowered this marinade. I think my favorite restaurant uses lemons or oranges, and perhaps wine. I will have to experiment with other recipes next time!!

Fajita Marinade

1/2 c. Italian dressing
1/2 c. salsa
1 t. finely shredded lime peel
2 T lime juice
1 T snipped fresh cilantro
1/4 t. bottled hot pepper sauce

1. For marinade, in a small mixing bowl stir together ingredients.
2. Pour the marinade over beef or chicken in a plastic bag in a large mixing bowl and seal bag.
3. Marinate in the refrigerator about 4 hours for chicken or overnight for beef, turning bag occasionally.
4. Remove meat from the bag, reserving marinade.
5. Grill meat, brushing occasionally with reserved marinade.
6. Slice to serve meat as a fajita filling. Enough for 1-2 pounds of meat.

Orange Chicken

I had some orange juice to use up, and couldn't find a recipe to try in my boxes. So I searched the Internet for a recipe for Orange Chicken that used a lot of orange juice. This one sounded good, and it was pretty good. I don't have a deep-fryer so I often just use a frying pan with about a 1/2-inch of oil. Sometimes this works, other times it doesn't work so well. This was one time it didn't work so well. The chicken didn't cook evenly and was either too "done" or not "done" enough. I liked the taste, despite all the soy sauce. I cut the recipe down by 3/4, except the sauce since there is rarely enough sauce!! This time I was wrong, if you cut this recipe down cut the sauce down, too. I didn't add the cooked chicken to the sauce, perhaps that would have improved it? I also served over rice, not on the side. I don't think I will keep this recipe, since I am trying only to keep the outstanding recipes from now on.

Orange Chicken

2 lb. chicken breast, cut unto 1-inch cubes
3 c. oil for frying
1 c. cornstarch (for coating chicken)
1 t. sesame seeds
some chopped green onions for topping

For the marinade:

1 c. orange juice
2 t. light soy sauce
a few drops sesame oil
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. baking soda

For the sauce:

1 1/2 c. chicken broth
1/4 c. orange juice
1/4 c. lemon juice
1/3 c. rice vinegar
a few drops sesame oil
2 1/2 T soy sauce
1 T orange zest (grated)
1 c. packed brown sugar
1/2 t. fresh ginger minced (can use powdered)
1/2 t. minced garlic
3 T cornstarch [with some water]
salt to taste

1. Combine marinade ingredients.
2. Add chicken and marinate for 15-20 minutes.
3. In a small to medium-sized pot add chicken broth, a few drops of sesame oil, lemon juice, orange juice, rice vinegar, and soy sauce.
4. Blend well over medium heat for a few minutes.
5. Stir in brown sugar, orange zest, ginger, and garlic.
6. Stir in cornstarch and water mixture until sauce thickens, then season with salt to taste.
7. Check sauce for the desired thickness. If it is too runny for you then you can add a bit more corn starch and water.
8. Set sauce aside and keep warm.
9. Take chicken out of marinade, shaking off the excess and toss cubes in the 1 cup cornstarch.
10. Shake of the excess cornstarch and place on a plate.
11. Heat up the 3 cups oil in a pot or wok.
12. When oil just begins to smoke, add the first batch of chicken cubes and deep-fry until cooked through, about 4-5 minutes.
13. Remove chicken with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
14. Repeat with the rest of the chicken cubes.
15. Reheat orange sauce and add fried chicken cubes.
16. Mix until well coated.
17. Place the chicken servings on two plates and sprinkle sesame seeds and green onion on top.
18. Serve with side of white rice and vegetables.

Almond Chicken

This recipe tricked me into thinking it was Asian because the name of the recipe was in Chinese next to the English!! I liked the taste of this chicken, in fact when I finished half of it I immediately ate the other half. However, it was not easy to execute. Although the recipe called for "paper-thin" slices of chicken, I just sliced it thin and when I got to the thick part I just cut it through the length to make two thin patties. I cut those patties up into smaller pieces. Also, it was really difficult to get the almonds to stick to the chicken. They kept coming off in the oil and I ended up using them as garnish. I fried them in about a quarter-inch of peanut oil. I made up some rice and the taste combination was great. I think next time I try this recipe I will use the larger sized slices and I will chop up the nuts a bit before I dip the chicken in them.

Follow-up: I tried this recipe with smaller-sized almonds and larger-sized chicken. There was just too much almond proportionally, which leads me to think that perhaps all the almonds were not intended to stick to the chicken. I ended up cutting up the left-overs and stirred them into some rice. I will NOT be keeping this recipe, after all.

Almond Chicken

2/3 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 1/2 T cornstarch
1/2 T cooking wine or sherry
1 t. sugar
1/2 t. salt
dash of pepper
1 egg white
1 1/2 c. sliced almonds
oil for frying

1. Cut the chicken into paper-thin slices and place in a bowl.
2. Whisk together all but almonds and oil. Place chicken in sauce and marinate for 20 minutes.
3. Place almonds in a dish and coat each slice of chicken with almonds.
4. Heat the oil over medium heat and deep-fry the chicken for 1 1/2 minutes. When it is cooked, the slices of chicken will rise to the surface. Remove and serve.

Sweet and Sour Sauce

So, I am always hoping to find a recipe for the take-out Chinese restaurant-style sweet and sour sauce. You know, the bright red unhealthy sauce in those packets!! I have never been able to find any brand at the grocery stores that compares. They are too savory for my tongue!! So, here are three recipes that I tried out with my wontons yesterday. The bright red one is a recipe I crafted using some red food coloring. It tasted horrible and was too thick. The one on the right is actually from McDonald's. I searched recipes online and found many recipes to replicate the McDonald's Sweet and Sour Sauce, so it must be popular. The ingredients list apricot jam, an unusual ingredient for sweet and sour sauce, but obviously Americans love it!! Today I found a jug of the red sauce at Smart and Final, didn't buy it but I took a pic of the ingredients and will work on another created recipe.

This is the best of the three I tried. I still can't believe that ketchup is an ingredient in sweet and sour sauce, but it is in most of them as well as an ingredient on the packages of sauce. This sauce was still a bit savory, but I will keep it in case it is the best I can find!! I might add a drop of red food coloring next time.

Sweet and Sour Sauce

1/4 c. pineapple juice
1/4 c. distilled white vinegar
3 T firmly packed brown sugar
1 1/2 T ketchup
1 t. cornstarch dissolved in 2 t. water

1. Combine juice, vinegar, brown sugar, and ketchup in small pan.
2. Bring to simmer over medium heat.
3. Add cornstarch solution and cook, stirring, until sauce boils and thickens.
4. Let cool before serving.

I find it ironic that this is called "Red" sweet and sour sauce, since it is so brown!! This sauce was too tomatoey for me, which could be due to the fact that I used some sun-dried tomato paste from a tube rather than plain tomato paste. I suspect it would still have been too tomatoey even if I had used the plain tomato paste. I used cornstarch. I won't be keeping this recipe.

Red Sweet & Sour Sauce

3/4 c. white sugar
3 t. tapioca starch or cornstarch
1/3 c. white vinegar
3/4 c. water
1/2 small can tomato paste

1. Mix the sugar and starch together, add the rest.
2. Cook, stirring constantly, until clear and thickened.

This sauce was way too thick, and much too savory. It might be good as a dip for meatballs, but I won't keep this recipe.

Pineapple Sweet and Sour Sauce

juice from a 4 oz. can of pineapple chunks or rings
1/4 c. tomato ketchup
1/4 c. distilled white vinegar
1/4 c. brown sugar
1 1/2 T cornstarch
1 T Worcestershire sauce
1/2 t. garlic powder
1/4 t. mustard powder
1/2 t. ground ginger

1. Place all of the above ingredients together in a saucepan.
2. Mix together and cook over a medium-high heat, stirring continuously, until the sauce comes together and thickens.

Crispy Chicken Wontons

I appreciate that this recipe enabled me to learn how to hand-fold wontons, but this was the only thing this recipe was good for. I was unable to find a 16-ounce container of wonton skins, so I had a lot of filling left over. The filling was missing the texture and flavor of the wontons you find in restaurants, and the texture of the baked wonton was wrong. These might be better if deep-fried or boiled. I froze the extra wontons so I can try those preparations next time. The fact that the recipe called for you to bring the corners together didn't strike me as the proper way to fold a wonton, although it is certainly less time-consuming. I definitely recommend covering the pan of folded wontons with a damp towel while you fold the remaining wontons, otherwise they will dry out. Also, remove only a portion of the wonton skins at a time from the package or they will dry out.

Crispy Chicken Wontons

3 c. finely chopped cooked chicken
1/2 c. shredded carrot
1/4 c. finely chopped water chestnuts
2 t. cornstarch
1 T water
1 T soy sauce
1/2 to 1 t. ground ginger
16-ounce package of wonton wrappers
2 T butter, melted
1 t. vegetable oil
plum or sweet and sour sauce

1. In a bowl, combine chicken, carrot, and water chestnuts.
2. In another bowl, combine cornstarch, water, soy sauce, and ginger until smooth. Add to chicken mixture and toss to coat.
3. Spoon 1 teaspoon of filling in the center of each wonton wrapper. Moisten edges with water. Bring opposite points together and pinch to seal. Place on greased baking sheets.
4. combine butter and oil and brush over wontons.
5. Bake at 375º for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with plum or sweet and sour sauce. Makes about 4 dozen.

Cashew Chicken

I was very happy with this recipe, with the exception of the fact that the cashews were not as crunchy as I hope for. I replaced all of the vegetables with celery, carrots, peas, chopped water chestnuts, and chopped green onions. I used more chicken than the recipe called for, and would have liked slightly more sauce. I pretty much used this recipe more for technique than ingredients. I am not big on soy sauce so I cut it down to 1 teaspoon. I also used salted cashews, so I cut back on the salt in the recipe. I did use the MSG, since I don't have trouble, and don't know if that affected the final taste or not. I will keep this recipe for sure, perhaps I will substitute almonds next time.

Cashew Chicken

1 1/2 boneless chicken breast halves
1 t. cornstarch
5 T peanut oil, separated
3/4 c. unsalted cashew nuts
1/2 t. salt
1/2 c. chicken stock
1/2 c. button mushrooms, sliced
3/4 c. bamboo shoots, sliced
1 c. snow peas, stringed
dash pepper
1/2 t. Accent, optional
1/2 t. sugar
2 t. soy sauce
2 t. cornstarch dissolved in 2 t. water

1. Cut chicken into thin slices or 1 1/2-inch squares. Mix thoroughly with 1 teaspoon cornstarch and 1 Tablespoon peanut oil.
2. Saute nuts in 1 Tablespoon peanut oil until they are slightly brown. Remove from pan.
3. In an extremely hot frying pan, add 3 Tablespoons peanut oil and salt. Add chicken and saute over high fire until chicken meat turns white.
4. Add stock, mushrooms, bamboo shoots, and snow peas. Cover and cook 1 minute before adding pepper, Accent, sugar, soy sauce, and cornstarch mixture. Stir gently until sauce thickens.
5. Pour in nuts and mix slightly.
6. Serve piping hot with rice. Serves 4.

Stir-Fry Velvet Chicken with Almonds

I am happy with this recipe, although I think I will try to stir fry the chicken to make it a bit less "velvety". I substituted carrots and celery for the bamboo shoots and mushrooms. I like that the green onions and water chestnuts were minced, they mixed better into the recipe. I had to put some sesame oil into the sauce mixture because I didn't have any oyster sauce. I might have to purchase some, since that might be the ingredient that would make my Almond Chicken taste more like a restaurant's recipe. At first I thought this was a bit too "soy saucy" but the flavor died down a bit as the dish sat on my plate for a bit, or perhaps my tongue just got used to it. I will keep these recipes and may end up combining some of the other chicken preparation techniques with the ingredients from this recipe.

Basic Velvet Chicken

ice water
1 1/2 lb. chicken breast, skinned, boned, and cut according to recipe (about 2 c.)
1 egg white, slightly beaten
2 T cornstarch
2 quarts water
1 t. soy sauce
1/2 t. salt

1. Pour ice water into a large bowl and set aside.
2. In a small bowl mix chicken with egg white and cornstarch. Set aside.
3. In a saucepan, bring 2 quarts water, soy sauce, and salt to a boil. Have a colander ready.
4. Add chicken to boiling water and stir gently to separate pieces. As soon as the water comes to a boil, remove pan from heat at once. Let chicken stand for 1 minute in hot water. Quickly drain in a colander and immediately plunge chicken into ice water. Remove and drain thoroughly.
5. Use as directed in recipe and cover well and refrigerate until ready to use. Refrigerated velvet chicken will keep up to two days. Bring to room temperature before using in recipe. Makes 2 cups.

Stir-Fry Velvet Chicken with Almonds

2 c. diced Velvet Chicken
1 t. cornstarch
2 T chicken broth or water
1 1/2 T soy sauce
1 T oyster sauce
1 T Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
1/2 t. sugar
1/2 c. green peas, fresh or frozen
1 clove garlic, smashed and minced
2 slices ginger root, smashed and minced
1/2 c. diced bamboo shoots
1/2 c. diced mushrooms, canned or fresh
4 water chestnuts, diced (about half a can of sliced)
1/4 c. chicken broth or water
1 green onion, minced or 1 T cilantro, minced
1/4 c. blanched almonds, stir-fried or canned (I used more)
peanut oil
sesame oil

1. Have prepared velvet chicken at hand.
2. In a small bowl, dissolve cornstarch in 2 T broth and add soy sauce, oyster sauce, wine, and sugar. Set aside.
3. If using fresh peas, blanch them for 1 minute; if frozen peas, defrost them.
4. On a platter, arrange prepared peas, garlic, ginger, bamboo shoots, mushrooms, and water chestnuts. Set aside.
5. Have other ingredients ready to add as needed.
6. Heat wok and add 2 1/2 T peanut oil. With spatula, swirl oil around to coat sides of wok and heat until oil just begins to smoke. Add ginger and garlic; stir-fry until golden brown.
7. Add bamboo shoots, mushrooms, and water chestnuts; stir-fry until heated through, about 1 to 2 minutes.
8. Spread vegetables in a thin layer in wok. Add 1/4 c. broth and bring to a simmer. Lay velvet chicken on top of vegetables, cover and steam for 1 minute. Remove cover, add peas and stir-fry to combine.
9. Make a well and add soy sauce mixture. Stir-fry until all ingredients are glazed. Add a few drops of sesame oil and top with green onions or cilantro. Remove to a serving plate and garnish with almonds. Serve at once.

Mandarin Chicken

Another in a seemly endless supply of Almond Chicken recipes to test!! I thought this recipe was a bit too salty for my taste. That is probably why I don't use recipes with too much soy sauce very often. This recipe also called for additional salt when stir-frying. I won't be keeping this recipe, my quest for the perfect Almond Chicken remains elusive. I substituted peas and carrots for the mushrooms and bamboo shoots. The sauce never thickened up very well, and I should have added the peas and green onions at the end when the dish was being heated through.

Mandarin Chicken

1 chicken breast, skinned, boned, and cubed
salt
2 t. cornstarch
1/2 egg white, slightly beaten
1/2 c. diced bamboo shoots
1/2 c. quartered water chestnuts
1/2 c. quartered fresh mushrooms, or a 4-oz. can mushrooms, well drained
1 rib celery, sliced diagonally into 1/2-inch pieces
3 green onions, minced
2 t. Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
1/2 c. oyster sauce or soy sauce
1/2 c. chicken broth or water
1/2 t. sugar
1/2 c. blanched almonds, stir-fried
peanut oil
water

1. In a small bowl, combine cubed chicken, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon cornstarch and egg white. Set aside for 15 to 20 minutes. On a platter, arrange prepared bamboo shoots, water chestnuts, mushrooms, celery and green onions. Set aside. Have wine measured and ready to add as needed. In a small bowl, combine oyster sauce, broth, 1 teaspoon cornstarch, and sugar. Set aside. Have cooked almonds, peanut oil, water, and sale ready to add as needed.
2. In wok heat 1 1/2 cups oil to 375ºF or until a cube of bread dropped in oil rises to the surface and browns quickly. Add chicken and stir gently with spatula to separate pieces. Cook until all pink color is gone. Remove and drain chicken on paper towel. Set aside.
3. Remove oil from wok and wipe wok with a paper towel. To wok add 1 Tablespoon oil and heat until oil just begins to smoke. Add celery and a pinch of salt. Stir-fry briefly. Sprinkle 1 Tablespoon water down the sides of wok and stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes. Add bamboo shoots and water chestnuts. Add a pinch of salt and stir-fry until vegetables are heated through. Remove from wok and set aside.
4. T wok add 1 Tablespoon oil and heat until oil just begins to smoke. Add mushrooms and a pinch of salt. Sprinkle 1 Tablespoon water down the sides of wok and stir-fry until mushrooms are heated through, about 30 seconds.
5. Return cooked vegetables to wok and drizzle with wine. Stir-fry briefly and return chicken to wok, stir-frying to combine. Make a well and add oyster sauce mixture. Stir-fry to heat through. Add green onions and stir-fry to combine. Remove to a serving platter and garnish with almonds. Serve at once. Serves 2 to 3 people.

3-Citrus Hollandaise Sauce

This recipe was a big FAIL, the lesson I learned is that one should never make hollandaise sauce in the microwave!! The concept of multiple citrus tastes was fine, but the execution was horrible. I couldn't even bring myself to eat the asparagus!!

3-Citrus Hollandaise Sauce

2 T butter
1 1/2 t. fresh lime juice
1/2 t. fresh lemon juice
pinch salt
1 large egg yolk
dash hot red pepper sauce
1 1/2 t. fresh orange juice

1. Place butter, lime juice, lemon juice, and salt in medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on HIGH power until butter melts, about 1 minute. Whisk to cool slightly.
2. Add egg yolk and whisk until well blended. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave on MEDIUM (50%) 15 minutes. Whisk until blended. Repeat twice until sauce is thickened. Whisk in red pepper sauce and orange juice. Serve warm with salmon.

Chocolate Mousse

This mousse was good, even though I was nervous that it would be too "flat". I had trouble folding the whipped cream into the chocolate and thought that I might have "flattened" the mousse. This recipe has a bit of coffee in it so it takes the edge off the sweetness. I will keep this recipe as a variation of the standard chocolate mousse.

Safety note: Studies have shown that there are possible health risks to using raw eggs. Instead, substitute a pasteurized egg product.

Chocolate Mousse

8 oz. semisweet chocolate
3 T powdered sugar
3 T strong brewed coffee
2-3 egg yolks
1 1/4 c. whipping cream
additional whipped cream for garnish

1. Melt chocolate in a double boiler.
2. Add sugar, coffee, and egg yolks, one at a time. Stir until mixture has thickened. Remove from heat. Let cool.
3. Whip cream. Add to slightly cooled chocolate mixture.
4. Spoon mousse into individual serving dishes. Cover. Let cool in refrigerator for 1 hour.
5. Garnish each serving with a spoonful of whipped cream.