Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Yummy Shish Kebabs

Slice up green and red (red are optional) peppers.
Clean some mushrooms
Clean a few cherry tomatoes
Cut a chicken breast into strips

Skewer all items on the kebab and cook for somewhere in the 10 minute range (get the pepper cooked all the way through) Coat with pepper (lots – mmm) and some salt. Dip in previously mentioned ranch dressing or whatever you want, or just eat plain.

Side Dish/Mushrooms

Clean a bunch of mushrooms. Put one layer of mushrooms on the grill and cook for 10-12 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste, and dip in some sort of dip (or just eat them plain) I use fat-free ranch dressing – it tastes good.

Black Bean Burger

Go to the organic/health food section of the grocery store. Locate the frozen veggie burgers. Find Morning Star Farms Vegetable Burgers with spicy black beans (I’m sure other brands make something similar, but I’ve never had anything but the morning star farms). Buy a package.

Throw one black bean patty on the George Foreman Grill.

Cook for about 5-7 minutes
While cooking, prepare bun by placing a slice of pepper jack cheese on the bottom ½ of the bun. Prepare the condiment by spooning a few scoops of sour cream (regular, light or fat-free – it really doesn’t matter – I use fat-free and it’s quite good) Pour some salsa over the top and mix together until it is a colorful red sauce that is a decent consistency. (not too thin)
When the patty is done cooking, place it on the ½ of the bun with cheese.
Top with sour cream/salsa mixture and put the top ½ of the bun on. SO good!

Hunan Beef

2 cups broccoli florets
2 tablespoons cooking oil
2 teaspoons minced garlic
4 small dried red chilies
1 teaspoon cornstarch dissolved in 2 teaspoons water
Marinade:
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
3/4 pound flank steak, thinly sliced across the grain
Sauce:
3 tablespoons Chinese black vinegar or balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons chili garlic sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1. Combine marinade ingredients in a bowl. Add beef and stir to coat. Let
stand for 10 minutes.
2. Combine sauce ingredients in a bowl.
3. Place broccoli in a large pot with 1 inch of boiling water. Boil until
tender−crisp, 2 to 3 minutes; drain.
4. Place a wok over high heat until hot. Add oil, swirling to coat sides. Add
garlic and chilies and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 10 seconds. Add
beef and stir−fry until no longer pink, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes.
5. Add broccoli and sauce to wok; bring to a boil. Add cornstarch solution
and cook, stirring, until sauce boils and thickens.

General Tsao's Chicken

Sauce:
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup water
1+1/2 tsp minced garlic
1+1/2 tsp minced ginger root
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup cooking wine
1+1/2 cup hot chicken broth
1 tsp monosodium glutamate (optional)
Meat:
3 lbs deboned dark chicken meat, cut into large chunks
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tsp white pepper
1 egg
1 cup cornstarch
Vegetable oil for deep−frying
2 cups sliced green onions
16 small dried hot peppers
Mix 1/2 cup cornstarch with water. Add garlic, ginger, sugar, 1/2 cup
soy sauce, vinegar, wine, chicken broth and MSG (if desired). Stir until
sugar dissolves. Refrigerate until needed.
In separate bowl, mix chicken, 1/4 cup soy sauce and white pepper.
Stir in egg. Add 1 cup cornstarch and mix until chicken pieces are
coated evenly. Add cup of vegetable oil to help separate chicken pieces.
Divide chicken into small quantities and deep−fry at 350 degrees until
crispy. Drain on paper towels.
Place a small amount of oil in wok and heat until wok is hot. Add onions
and peppers and stir−fry briefly. Stir sauce and add to wok.
Place chicken in sauce and cook until sauce thickens.

Moo Goo Gai Pan

4 chicken breast halves, skinned, boned and sliced
salt and pepper
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups water
1 tb cornstarch
5 tb corn oil
8 oz. fresh mushrooms, sliced
4 lb. bok choy or Chinese white cabbage, chopped
2 tb sugar
4 tb soy sauce
6 scallions, chopped
1. In a bowl, toss chicken with the salt and pepper, garlic and cornstarch
mixture. Set aside.
2. Heat 3 tablespoons of corn oil in a wok and stir in mushrooms, bok
choy/cabbage and sugar for 2 minutes. Cover and cook for 5 minutes.
Remove from wok.
3. Heat remaining corn oil in wok. Stir−fry chicken for 2 minutes over high
heat. Add soy sauce and mix well. Cover and cook for about 6 minutes,
or until the chicken is thoroughly cooked.
4. Mix in the cooked vegetables and scallions. Stir fry together for about 1
minute. Serve hot with rice.

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Shrimp Toast

12 fresh uncooked large shrimp
1 egg
2 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
Pinch pepper
3 slices sandwich bread
1 hard−cooked egg yolk
1 slice cooked ham (about 1 ounce)
1 green onion
2 cups vegetable oil
1. Remove shells from shrimp, leaving tails intact. Remove back veins
from shrimp. Cut down back of shrimp with sharp knife. Gently press
shrimp with fingers to flatten.
2. Beat 1 egg, cornstarch, salt and pepper in a small bowl until blended.
Add shrimp to egg mixture and toss until shrimp are completely coated.
3. Remove crusts from bread. Cut each slice into quarter. Place one
shrimp, cut side down, on each bread piece. Gently press shrimp to
adhere to bread. Brush or rub small amount of egg mixture over each
shrimp.
4. Cut egg yolk and ham into 1/2 inch pieces. Finely chop onion.
Place one piece each of egg yolk and ham and a scant 1/4 teaspoon
chopped onion on each shrimp.
5. Heat oil in wok over medium−high heat until it reaches 375F.
Fry 3 or 4 shrimp−bread pieces at a time in the hot oil until golden,
1 to 2 minutes on each side. Drain on absorbent paper.