Ham Fried Rice

Story:

I love Chinese food. Even when it's not "real" Chinese food... Americanized versions work just fine for me. And the fried kind is especially good!

I found a basic ham fried rice recipe in "The Domestic Diva's Party Cookbook." That's basically what I use, just tweaked a little.

Ingredients:

2 T butter

2 ribs celery, diced

1/2 C chopped onion

1 C frozen peas

2 C diced ham

6 C cooked rice

soy sauce

Directions:

Melt butter in a large frying pan; add celery and onion and cook until tender, but not brown. Add the ham, the rice, and the frozen peas. Stir until blended. Add soy sauce until mixture is a light brown, or to taste. Heat through.

Note:

The original recipe didn't call for the peas; I added those. I've also added shredded carrots before, mostly just for color. I am not real strict with the measurements of anything. I usually add more celery and onions... just 'cause I love 'em.

The recipe also said to use 6 cups of refrigerated cooked rice. I've never done that... so I don't know if that would improve the texture or something... But I just always do some up in my rice cooker and just add it to the skillet when it's ready.

Lemonade Specialty

Story:

Sarah E. gave me this recipe. If I remember correctly, she made it for me for a party or something at my house once. (Sarah, was it for Ben's 30th surprise party? I can't remember.) Anyway, it is delicious.

Ingredients:

5 quarts water

3 C sugar

2 T lemon extract

1 T citric acid

slushy ice

Directions:

Mix first four ingredients in a punch bowl. Add ice, and serve.

Cowboy Caviar

Story:

Another one from good ol' Sarah E. In our Utah neighborhood, we would try to have little outside dinner parties with other families now and then. She brought this to Zak & Kelly's one time, and I thought I was in love! I had found a new favorite. Sarah called it Black Bean Salsa; Kelly dubbed it "Cowboy Caviar." Great summer treat (when tomatoes are a'growin'!) to take to a BBQ or something.

Ingredients:

1 can black beans

1 can shoepeg corn

1 can diced green chilies

4-5 tomatoes, diced

2-3 avocadoes, chopped

chopped red onion (to taste)

chopped cilantro (to taste)

lime juice (about 1 lime)

2 T white wine vinegar

salt (to taste)

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Sample. Add onion, cilantro, salt, or lime juice to taste. Sample again. Adjust. Sample some more.

Serve with tortilla chips.

Lisa's Sweet Chicken Fingers

Story:

Another good one from sweet Lisa P. I got it through my friend Heather D., though. She posted it on our ward's recipe blog: Sharing Is Love. She posted it, I tried it, and it's a hit. I've had some chicken tenderloins in the freezer that need to be used, so I'm making this tonight.

Ingredients:

Chicken tenderloins (as many as it takes to fill the tummies)

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 C flour

1/2 C cornstarch

1/2 t garlic salt

1 T oil

1 1/2 C sugar

1/2 C water

1/2 C ketchup

2 T soy sauce

1 t salt

Beat the eggs in one bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch, and garlic salt.

Dip the chicken in the eggs. Then roll in the flour mixture. Coat the chicken well and then fry in a lightly-oiled skillet until browned on both sides. (Add extra oil as you go, or in between batches.) Place the chicken in a 9x13 baking dish.

Whisk the ketchup, water, sugar, soy sauce, and salt together in a saucepan. Simmer until warm. Pour over chicken and bake for 45 minutes at 350. (Heather recommends making extra sauce or save some to pour over your rice or egg rolls.) Serve with white rice.

Notes:

As I've noted before, some things tend to be "too sweet" for Ben. The first time I made this, he was surprised by just how sweet is was. The next time I cut the sugar by a third. Still too sweet (for him). The third time I cut the sugar in half, and he liked it better, though it wasn't quite sweet enough for me to still be able to call it "Sweet Chicken Fingers." So depending on the intensity of your sweet tooth, adjust accordingly.

Moroccan Chicken

Story:
Ben and I were able to have a week-long getaway in April. It was great! Ben, being the patriot that he is, has really wanted to go to Washington DC. Neither of us had ever been there, and we know it's a "must see." One of the biggest highlights of the week, however, was that we got to stay with my life-long friend Becky, her husband Mark, and their cute, cute little boy, Abram. They were excellent hosts and excellent company. They even had dinner ready for us every night when we got back from our adventures, regardless of the time. Mark cooked a few times, and this is one of the meals he prepared. I LOVED it.

(Note to my dinner group: I haven't actually MADE this meal yet, so I have no special "tips" to give you. Good luck!)

Ingredients:
1/2 t olive oil
2 lbs boneless, skinless thighs (or breasts)
2 C thickly sliced yellow onion
1 T fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1 t ground cumin
1/2 t salt
1/2 t ground coriander
1/2 t ground cinnamon
1/2 t black pepper
4 cloves minced garlic
1 1/2 C chicken broth
1 (15.5 oz) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 (7oz) package dried apricots, halved (about 1 1/3 cups)

Directions:

Heat olive oil in a large dutch oven (I'll just use a skillet, I guess) over medium-high heat.

Add half of the chicken to the pan and cook for 5 minutes, browning on all sides.
Remove chicken from the pan and repeat with the remaining chicken.

Add onion to pan; saute for 3 minutes or until tender.Add ginger and next 6 ingredients (through the garlic).  Saute for 30 seconds or until fragrant.
Stir in broth, scraping the pan to loosen the browned bits.
Return chicken to pan; bring to a simmer.
Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 1 hour, or until chicken is tender.

Remove chicken from the pan with a slotted spoon; cool slightly.

Cut chicken into bite-sized

pieces.  Add chicken, chickpeas, ad apricots to the pan.  Cover and simmer 10 minutes or until thoroughly heated.  Serve with couscous.

(Yield 8 servings, about 3/4 C each)

Amazing Sandwich

Story:
Have any of you ever been invited to do one of those "recipe exchanges"? It's like one of those good ol' fashioned chain letter things that you used to get invited to do as a kid... only this one you forward on a recipe on to one person and then you get like a zillion recipes from other people. I'm not very good at following through on these kinds of things, but if I get one when my mood is just right, I try to do it.
Well, this recipe came from one of those recipe exchanges a few years ago. The gal didn't put her name on the recipe card, so I have no recollection of who sent it to me. But, man!, this is a yummy sandwich. Now that my kids are getting older and eating more, I usually do two loaves... or just one if I have a side dish to go with it. We all like it a lot.

Ingredients:
1 or 2 Pillsbury French Bread Loaves (refrigerator section)
Guacamole (I like Wholly Guacamole... so good!)
Turkey (deli meat)
Monterey Jack cheese, sliced
Tomatoes, sliced
Olives, sliced
Lettuce

Directions:
I think it's pretty obvious... but bake the loaves according the instructions on the package. Then layer on all the ingredients. Be sure to spread the guacamole on generously.

Sarah's Best Chicken Pasta Salad

Story:
I've mentioned Sarah E. before on this blog. I love Sarah! She lived across the street from me in UT and we were great buddies. This is her recipe. I remember I first had her chicken salad at a baby shower that she hosted in her home.... and, sadly enough, I remember this salad more than anything else from that morning! I made it when we had lots of family over after Gretchen received her baby blessing. I also made it for a Relief Society Birthday Dinner (when I was the enrichment leader.) Basically, it makes quite a bit and it's been a hit every time. So I hope you like it too...

Ingredients:
4 C cooked and salted shredded (or cubed) chicken
3 C (uncooked) medium pasta shells: Cook, drain, and chill
2 C red grapes (I usually slice 'em in half)
2 C diced celery
2 C diced red apples
1 small can crushed pineapple
1/4 C sliced green onions
1 1/2 C cashews (bits or whole)
1 C mayonnaise
1 C coleslaw dressing (Sarah's aunt says that it's best with Best Foods or Hidden Valley brands)

Directions:
Start with cooking the chicken and the pasta.
Then just add to a big bowl: the cooked chicken, the cooked pasta shells, grapes, celery, apples, pineapple, and onions-- and mix all that up. (It's best to do this the night before, and keep it in a ziploc bag in the fridge overnight... gives the flavors a chance to blend. Also, the juice from the pineapple keeps the apples from browning.)
Then, before serving, mix (in a separate bowl) the mayo and the coleslaw dressing. Add the mayo/dressing and the cashews to the chicken/salad mixture right before serving.
It would look pretty served on a lettuce leaf, but I usually serve it up in a big fat croissant to make a chicken salad sandwich! Yum!

Note:

• I have started putting the chicken in the crockpot the day that I'm going to make this salad... and then I just shred the chicken. It's easier for me than baking and cubing it... especially if I'm making a double batch. Also, I usually make it in the summer, and this way I don't have to turn on my oven.
• I'm not a big "nut" fan, but these cashews are great in it! And Sarah said that she's forgotten them before, and the salad isn't quite salty enough.
• Kentucky Friends: For anyone here in my neck of the woods, the only grocery store I've found that carries the HV brand of coleslaw dressing is Crestwood Supermarket. Let me know if you find it cheaper than $3.99 anywhere else!

Becky's Chicken & Black Beans

Story:
When I lived in UT, my good friend Becky D. and I used to go to the LDS cannery on a regular basis. We were making good progress on our food storage and having a few little adventures while we were at it ... like when the lid wasn't on tight and we sent "potato pearls" flying through the air! Good times.
When canning black beans one time, we got to talking about recipes, and she shared this one with me... one of her favorites, and now, one of ours.
It is served like a casserole, though Ben likes to roll it into a tortilla with sour cream to make a burrito. It makes a really tasty burrito! It's full of fresh ingredients, which I love and it has a great flavor. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
2 chicken breasts, cooked & shredded (I use the Cafe Rio chicken in here... yum!)
2 medium tomatoes
1 medium avocado
2 T cilantro or parsley, chopped - (I always use cilantro and I usually use more than 2T)
1 (15oz) can black beans
1 (12oz) jar of salsa (1 1/3 cups)
1 (8oz) pkg Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
4 flour torillas

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400.
Dice tomatoes and coarsely mash avocado.
Set aside 1 teaspoon of the chopped cilantro and 1/2 cup of the cheese.
In a large bowl, stir together the chicken, tomatoes, avocado, black beans, salsa, remaining cheese, and remaining cilantro.
Put mixture in a 9x13 (or a shallow 2 1/2 qt casserole dish). Cut tortillas into quarters and arrange over the chicken mixture.
Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.
Remove from oven and set oven to broil. Remove foil and sprinkle the remaining cheese and cilantro over the top.
Broil for 3 minutes or unil top is crisp and golden.

Chicken & Pasta Stir Fry

Story:
When we first moved into our house in Crestwood, a cute little magazine came in the mail for the previous owner or "current resident." Well, I was the new current resident, so I kept it. It's one of those "Food and Family" magazines put out by Kraft to try to sell their products. Most of their stuff seems highly processed, but I've come across a few good recipes in there and we like this one. They called it "Speedy Chicken Stir Fry," but that sounds too cheesy. Nonetheless, it's one of the kid's faves... which is nice, because it is pretty easy.

Ingredients:
8 oz. angel hair pasta
2 C broccoli florets
2 C sugarsnap peas
1/2 C shredded carrots
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips
1/2 C Kraft Asian Toasted Sesame dressing
2 T soy sauce
1/4 t ground ginger
1/4 t garlic powder
1/4 t crushed red pepper
1/3 C dry roasted peanuts

Directions:
Cook pasta as directed on package, adding the veggies to the boiling water for the last 3 minutes of the cooking time.

Spray a skillet with cooking spray; heat on medium-high heat. Add the chicken, cooking 6-8 minutes or until cooked through (stir occasionally). Then stir in the dressing, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, and crushed red pepper. Cook and stir for 1 minute.

Drain the pasta mixture into a large bowl. Add the chicken mixture and mix lightly. Serve in bowls and sprinkle the peanuts on top.

Note:
The original recipe just called for the broccoli. I added the sugarsnaps and carrots--the sugarsnaps are actually my favorite part of the dish, and the carrots are really just for color. You can add whatever other veggies you want or have on hand.

Ranch Broiled Chicken

Story:
Looking back, I don't know what Ben and I ate the first year or so we were married. Honestly, I vaguely remember that "Chili Mac" was on the menu! (Eew.) Needless to say, this was about the time of my life that I started perusing magazines here and there for ideas.
I remember sitting at my in-laws house one afternoon and looking through one of LuAnne's magazines when I came across this recipe on a Ranch dressing advertisement. It sounded easy enough... and I discovered (for the first time!) the beauty of broiling meat.

Ingredients:
1 packet (1 oz) Hidden Valley Original Ranch dressing mix
2 T olive oil
1 T red wine vinegar
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I use 4 frozen breasts)

Directions:
Combine the dressing mix, olive oil, and vinegar in a plastic bag. Add chicken; shake and work mixture into the meat. Marinate for at least one hour.
Broil chicken 10-14 minutes total, turning once.

Notes:
This is a quick and easy fix with a box of couscous and a salad. Keep in mind that you can grill this meat in the summer... oh, and leftover chicken is always good sliced up on salads.