General Tso's Chicken

In my last post I was getting ready to go to my book club meeting and we were doing cheese tasting due to the book we just read and I promised to share my favorite cheese of the night.  There were so many good cheeses that I just have to share several with you, if you are looking for yummy french cheese try: Port Salut, Spo Ovalie Cendree Herve Mons, and Florette Goat Brie.  Onto the recipe, I recently found and adapted this recipe and was very pleased with the outcome.  It is a healthy and simple version of the ever so tasty General Tso's Chicken.  I also added roasted broccoli and served it over brown rice.  This was a perfect quick weeknight meal.

Serves 4

The Ingredients
1 tsp sesame oil
1 egg white
5 tbls soy sauce, divided
5 tbls corn starch, divided
1 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bit size pieces
2 tbls olive oil
1 cup chicken stock
2 tsp chili garlic sauce
1 1/2 tbls sugar
2 cloves garlic, pressed
2 tbls ginger, grated
2 green onions, thinly sliced
Rice, cooked

The Process

In a bowl combine sesame oil, egg white, 1 Tbls soy sauce, 4 Tbls cornstarch. Whisk until smooth (make take a minute). Add the chicken, tossing to coat. Let sit for 20 minutes.

In a liquid measuring cup mix together chicken stock, ginger, chili garlic sauce, sugar, 4 Tbls soy sauce, 1 Tbls cornstarch, and garlic. Whisk until combined. Set aside.

In a large skillet heat 2 Tbls canola oil over high heat. Slowly add the chicken. Cook for about 3 minutes aside, until cooked through. Remove from pan, cover with foil, and set aside.

Add the soy sauce mixture to the pan, heat for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. It should start to chicken, and turn glossy. Add the chicken back to the pan. Stir until coated. Remove from heat. Serve over white rice, garnish with green onions.

Read more at http://dinnersdishesanddesserts.com/general-tsos-chicken/#GWVRO6l8uug4OvK

1.) In a bowl combine sesame oil, egg white, 1 Tbls soy sauce, 4 Tbls cornstarch. Whisk until smooth (make take a minute). Add the chicken, tossing to coat. Let sit for 20 minutes.

2.) In a liquid measuring cup mix together chicken stock, ginger, chili garlic sauce, sugar, 4 Tbls soy sauce, 1 Tbls cornstarch, and garlic. Whisk until combined. Set aside.

3.) In a large skillet heat 2 Tbls canola oil over high heat. Slowly add the chicken. Cook for about 3 minutes aside, until cooked through. Remove from pan, cover with foil, and set aside.

4.) Add the soy sauce mixture to the pan, heat for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. It should start to chicken, and turn glossy. Add the chicken back to the pan. Stir until coated. Remove from heat. Serve over brown rice, garnish with green onions.

• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 egg white
• 5 Tbls soy sauce, divided
• 5 Tbls cornstarch, divided
• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bit sized pieces
  Recipes
• 2 Tbls canola oil
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 2 tsp chili garlic sauce
  Recipes
• 1½ Tbls sugar
  Recipes
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 Tbls ginger, grated
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced
• White Rice, cooked

Read more at http://dinnersdishesanddesserts.com/general-tsos-chicken/#GWVRO6l8uug4OvKb.99

1 tsp sesame oil

1 egg white

5 Tbls soy sauce, divided

5 Tbls cornstarch, divided

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bit sized piece

Read more at http://dinnersdishesanddesserts.com/general-tsos-chicken/#GWVRO6l8uug4OvKb.99

1 tsp sesame oil

1 egg white

5 Tbls soy sauce, divided

5 Tbls cornstarch, divided

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bit sized pieces

Recipes

2 Tbls canola oil

1 cup chicken stock

2 tsp chili garlic sauce

Recipes

1½ Tbls sugar

Recipes

1 clove garlic, minced

2 Tbls ginger, grated

2 green onions, thin

Read more at http://dinnersdishesanddesserts.com/general-tsos-chicken/#GWVRO6l8uug4OvKb.

• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 egg white
• 5 Tbls soy sauce, divided
• 5 Tbls cornstarch, divided
• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bit sized pieces
  Recipes
• 2 Tbls canola oil
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 2 tsp chili garlic sauce
  Recipes
• 1½ Tbls sugar
  Recipes
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 Tbls ginger, grated
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced
• White Rice, cooked

Read more at http://dinnersdishesanddesserts.com/general-tsos-chicken/#GWVRO6l8uug4OvKb.99

• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 egg white
• 5 Tbls soy sauce, divided
• 5 Tbls cornstarch, divided
• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bit sized pieces
  Recipes
• 2 Tbls canola oil
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 2 tsp chili garlic sauce
  Recipes
• 1½ Tbls sugar
  Recipes
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 Tbls ginger, grated
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced
• White Rice, cooked

Read more at http://dinnersdishesanddesserts.com/general-tsos-chicken/#GWVRO6l8uug4OvKb.99

Beef Stroganoff

I have found there are many different versions of this dish and to this day I don't believe I have ever had the version with tomato paste.  I've always had the creamy onion and mushroom heavy versions, ranging from healthy to heart clogging recipes.  This version isn't the healthiest but also isn't the most fattening, I would call it a happy in between.  During this cold fall with a quickly approaching winter I have found myself making hearty and seasonal dishes, I found this recipe here.  In other news I am more than excited because tonight I am going to my monthly book club meeting, but this time it is extra special because it is focused around French cheeses!  We all just finished reading the book The Whole Fromage, a wonderfully written exploration through France and its cheeses written by a journalist.  I can tell you I will never look at cheese the same way again.  I already had much love for cheese but now it feels as if I am romantically involved with cheese.  I will report back on my next blog with my personal favorite cheese that I try.  Enjoy!

Serves 4

The Ingredients
1 lb top sirloin, trimmed of fat and sliced into thin strips

2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp olive oil

8 oz mushroom, sliced

1/2 onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup dry white wine

1 cup beef broth

1 cup sour cream, low fat

1 tbsp flour (if needed)

1 tbsp flat leaf parsley, chopped
salt and pepper

12 oz  egg noodles, cooked

The Process

1.)Heat a heavy skillet over medium high heat until hot.  Add 1 tbsp of olive oil and as soon as it melts and before it starts to brown add steak slices.  Toss, then cook without stirring for a minute or two or until well browned on one side.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

2.) Flip steak pieces over and brown the other side, about one minute.  Remove steak to a plate.

3.) Repeat with 1 tbsp of olive oil and sliced mushrooms. Sprinkle mushrooms with salt and pepper.  Reserve to the plate with the steak.

4.) Turn heat down to medium and the last 2 tbsp of butter.  Add onions and garlic and saute until soft.

5.) Add white wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up the browned bits in the pan.  Once wine has cooked off add sour cream and beef broth, stir and heat until smooth.

6.) If the sauce seems too thin you can thicken it by removing a 1/4 cup of sauce and stirring in 1 tbsp of flour and adding it back in.

7.) Add steak and mushrooms back into sauce. Stir and simmer until hot. Boiling the sauce heavily will result in the sour cream curdling but it isn’t so fragile that you can’t bring it to a nice simmer.

8.) Taste and add salt and pepper.  Stir in chopped parsley.  Serve over egg noodles.
 

Tomato Orange Soup

As a 90% Portland native I can barely remember what life was like without Elephant's Tomato Orange soup.  It really became an addiction when I began working a half a block away from their Fox Tower location. This is when I started eating the soup 4 days a week for an undetermined (embarrassing) amount of time.  I will say that I do believe I love soup more than the average Joe, but nonetheless this soup is so full of amazing and developed flavors!  This was the first time I made it (and adapted it from this recipe) and we had large bowls of it with grilled cheese sandwiches to celebrate Halloween this year.  I am already fighting the urge to make it once a week, so beware!

Serves 4

The Ingredients

1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick)

1/2 medium onion, diced

2 (14 1/2 ounce) cans diced tomatoes

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1 cup orange juice

1/2 cup half n half

The Process
1.) In a saucepan, melt butter; add onion and saute until translucent. Add tomatoes, salt, pepper, baking soda and thyme. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered about 15 minutes or until slightly thickened.

2.) Puree in a food processor or blender.  Return to saucepan and stir in orange juice. At this point, the soup can be refrigerated until ready to serve.

3.) At serving time, add the half n half and heat gently, stirring constantly, bringing to a simmer and adjust seasonings if necessary.

Enjoy!