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.

Almond Chicken

This wasn't my ideal recipe for Almond Chicken. I have so many to try out and this one just didn't make the cut. Some changes I made were to use pea pods and water chestnuts rather than mushrooms and bamboo shoots. I also used way too many carrots and peanut oil rather than vegetable oil. I would have preferred additional almonds, and there was hardly enough sauce (I had to make more at the last minute. Finally, I didn't appreciate the taste of the wine in this dish.

Almond Chicken

1 1/2 c. water
4 T dry sherry
2 1/2 T cornstarch
4 t. soy sauce
1 t. instant chicken bouillon granules
4 whole chicken breasts
1 egg white
1/2 t. salt
1 large carrot
6 green onions
3 stalks celery
8 fresh mushrooms, sliced
3 c. vegetable oil
1/2 c. blanched whole almonds (about 3 oz.)
1 t. grated fresh ginger root
1/2 c. drained, sliced bamboo shoots

1. Combine water, 2 Tablespoons of the sherry, 1 1/2 Tablespoons of the cornstarch, the soy sauce, and bouillon in small saucepan. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture boils and thickens about 5 minutes. Keep warm.
2. Remove skin and bones from chicken. Cut chicken into 1-inch pieces. Combine remaining 2 Tablespoons sherrt, 1 Tablespoon cornstarch, egg white, and salt. Mix in chicken pieces.
3. Peel carrot and dice. Cut onions into 1-inch pieces. Cut celery diagonally into 1/2-inch slices.
4. Heat oil in wok over high heat until it reaches 375ºF. Add chicken pieces, one at a time, to hot oil (cook 1/3 of the pieces at a time). Cook until light brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain on absorbant paper. Repeat with remaining chicken.
5. Remove all but 2 Tablespoons oil from wok. Stir-fry almonds in the oil until golden, about 2 minutes. Drain.
6. Add carrot and ginger to wok. Stir-fry 1 minute. Add all remaining vegetables. Stir-fry until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Mix in chicken, almonds, and sauce. Stir-fry until hot. Makes 4-6 servings.

Heavenly Peas with Mashed Potatoes

I couldn't believe how GREEN this dish was, it made me think of the Grinch!! I am trying to be really frugal these days and I had all the ingredients for this recipe. I like the consistency and taste of these potatoes, but this recipe is not for those who loathe peas!! I think I would keep out just the peas next time so that all the onions get puréed. I made the mistake of preparing this dish before my main meal was ready, and it should be prepared right before you serve or it will be too cold. I also could have mashed the potatoes a bit more, it would have been better if there were no chunks.

Heavenly Peas with Mashed Potatoes

1 10-oz. pkg frozen peas
1/4 c. chopped onion
1 T utter
1/4 t. salt
1/8 t. pepper
2 T chicken broth
1/2 c. dairy sour cream
4-5 c. prepared hot mashed potatoes

1. Cook peas and onion in butter for 5 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and stir in the salt and pepper. Remove 1/2 cup of the pea-onion mixture and set aside.
2. Place remaining pea-onion mixture in a blender container or food-processor bowl along with the broth. Cover and blend or process until smooth. If necessary, add an additional tablespoon of broth to make the mixture whirl in the machine.
3. Stir together puréed peas and the reserved 1/2 cup whole pea-onion mixture. Set aside.
4. In a large bowl stir sour cream into hot mashed potatoes. Add the pea mixture to potatoes. Fold gently to combine. Makes 8 side-dish servings.

Fluffy Meat Loaf

It is raining cats and dogs so I thought I'd whip up some comfort food. This was the meatloaf of leftovers!! I had some ground veal and ground pork left over from my last meatloaf, I had some saltine crackers for the cracker crumbs, I had an onion that was almost "overdue", and some half-and-half to use up. I enjoyed this recipe, it wasn't as greasy as my grandmother's meatloaf recipe. I used three of my vintage half-loaf-pan sized refrigerator dishes, and the meat went almost to the top. I will have the leftovers from this meatloaf warmed up or in sandwiches for the rest of the week!!

Fluffy Meat Loaf

1 lb. ground beef
1/2 lb. ground lean pork
2 c. cracker crumbs
1 egg, beaten
1 1/2 c. milk
4 T minced onion
2 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
1/4 t. dry mustard
1/8 t. sage

1. Moosh all the ingredients together in a large bowl and press into one large loaf pan or 6 individual loaf pans.
2. Bake at 350ºF for 1 1/2 hours (large pan) or 45 minutes (small pans).

Fettuccine Alfredo

I had several similar recipes for pasta Alfredo, this time I decided to use tortellini rather than fettuccine. This is a really simple recipe and it tasted good. I toasted some chopped almonds and placed those on top, normally I use pine nuts but they are so expensive right now!! This is a keeper recipe, and I don't think I have any more Alfredo recipes to test.

Fettuccine Alfredo

12-oz. fettuccine noodles
1 c. half-and-half
4 T butter
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper

1. In a saucepot, prepare fettuccine as label directs. Drain pasta and return to saucepot.
2. Over medium-low heat, heat fettuccine, half-and-half, butter, cheese, salt, and pepper. Stir to make sure pasta is evenly covered with sauce. Makes 4 main-dish servings.

General Tso's Chicken

There were so many ingredients in this recipe, but I decided to try it out anyway. I bought some dried chiles in the Mexican food aisle for a buck, and I had all the other ingredients. I served this dish over rice. I have to say I was a bit apprehensive about those chile peppers, since I don't like spicy dishes. But, it turned out just spicy enough for me!! Don't eat the pods, I didn't even eat the green onions!! The technique of getting the chicken ready to deep-fry was weird, but I guess it ended up working out OK. When I added the oil so the chicken wouldn't stick together it didn't really work. I used peanut oil and only put a bit in the bottom of a small frying pan, turning the chicken once the bottom side was golden brown. I didn't find that the soy sauce or wine taste overpowered the dish, as can sometimes happen, and I used chicken breasts rather than thighs. I will definitely keep this recipe. In fact, after eating one serving I almost want another right now!!

FOLLOW-UP: I ate the leftovers a couple of hours after the first taste and it was WAY more spicy!! I don't know if it was because I left the peppers in the container in the fridge or if the spices just "matured", but my mouth is burning right now. Other people won't notice it as much, but I am super sensitive to spicy heat!! Next time I will try to remove the pepper before I store the leftovers and see if that helps keep the heat down for me.

General Tso's Chicken

2 T cornstarch
1/2 c. water
1 t. garlic powder
1 t. ground ginger
1 c. sugar
1/2 c. soy sauce
1/4 c. white vinegar
1/4 c. dry white wine
1 1/2 c. hot chicken broth
3 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into chunks

1/4 c. soy sauce
1 t. white pepper
1 egg
1 c. cornstarch
1 c. oil
oil for deep frying
1 t. oil
16 small dried hot peppers
2 c. sliced green onions

1. Whisk together 2 Tablespoons of cornstarch with water. Add garlic powder, ginger powder, sugar, 1/2 cup of soy sauce, vinegar, wine, and chicken broth together until the sugar dissolves.
2. Mix together in separate bowl chicken, 1/4 cup of soy sauce, and white pepper. Whisk in egg. Add 1 cup of cornstarch and mix until chicken is coated. Add 1 cup oil to separate chicken pieces. Divide the chicken into batches and deep fry at 350ºF until crispy and browned. Drain on paper towels and keep warm.
3. Heat 1 teaspoon of oil in a wok or large skillet and heat on high until nearly smoking. Add hot peppers and green onions and stir-fry briefly.
4. Stir reserved sauce and add to wok with pepper and onion. Add reserved cooked chicken and lower heat to medium-high. Cook until sauce is bubbling hot and thickens. Makes 8 servings.