Kung Pao Chicken

It snowed all day Sunday.  Even though we got plowed at noon, my housemate still had to shovel at 5, and Matt and I had to shovel this morning.  On a day that cold and snowy, nothing feels better than staying inside.  And to keep warm, we spiced up the afternoon with some Kung Pao chicken.  The perfect Sunday food - and the take-out drivers will thank you!

Kung Pao Chicken

Served 2.

Leftover Potential:  Just as good if not better than the Chinese food that comes in a box.  Made 2 meals after the initial dinner.

1 lb chicken, cut into bite size pieces

salt, as needed

pepper, as needed

flour, as needed

1 Tbsp oil

1 onion, finely diced

3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1/4 cup mushrooms, thinly sliced

1 bell pepper, diced

1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced

1 Tbsp ginger, finely sliced

10 dried chilis, split, seeded, and cut in half

1/4 cup soy sauce

5 Tbsp rice wine vinegar

1 tsp sesame oil

1/4 cup water, or as needed

1.  Season the chicken with salt and pepper.  Dip lightly in flour.  Set aside.

2.  In a large pan or a wok, heat the oil over medium heat.

3.  Add the onions, and cook until translucent.  Add the garlic.  Stir fry for about a minute.

4.  Add the mushrooms, bell pepper, scallions, ginger, and dried chilis and stir fry over medium heat.

5.  Add the soy sauce, vinegar, and sesame oil.  Stir fry to create an even sauce.  Add the chicken, and stir fry until the chicken is tender and cooked through.  Add water as needed to thin sauce so as to coat the chicken.

6.  Serve in warm bowls with rice.

Healthy Wings? Well, Healthier...

I came upon the idea for this recipe on another food blog. Baked chicken wings. I have always thought of chicken ways in one way: grilled. I wasn't familiar with the concept of fried chicken wings until I came to college. My family likes to grill chicken wings before dousing them in sauce. For this reason, I tend to not eat lot of wings when I can't turn the grill on. Not to mention, the aparment kitchen (or the apartment back yard) currently doesn't have a grill. But baked? I can do that any old time. So when chicken wings went on sale this week at the grocery store, there was no doubt in my mind we were going to snatch them up.

We finished the chicken with a thick pineapple-soy glaze that was the perfect blend of sweet and spicy. It was really fast and we basked in the glow of each beautiful wing as though it was summer. Proving, you don't need 75 degree weather or a grill to have a good time. Especially if you add a cold beer to the mix.

Pineapple-Soy Glazed Wings  

Served 2. 

Leftover Potential: I'm not sure how these would re-heat because of the sauciness. Needless to say, we didn't have any leftovers.

Baked Chicken Wings 

3 pounds chicken wings 

salt, as needed 

pepper, as needed 

flour, as needed  

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Break down the chicken wings if need be. 

2. Season with chicken wings with salt and pepper. Toss the seasoned chicken in flour to coat. 

3. Spread the wings out on a baking sheet, spacing them as evenly as possible. 

4. Bake the chicken wings for 12-15 minutes before turning each wing and baking another 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown. 

5. Meanwhile, make the glaze.

Pineapple-Soy Glaze
1 can crushed pineapple 

3-4 Tbsp soy sauce, or more as needed 

1 tbsp rice wine vinegar 

1 tsp ginger 

1 clove garlic, finely minced 

1 tbsp crushed red pepper flakes *** 

1 Tbsp cornstarch 

1/2 cup water 

1 bunch scallions, finely sliced 

cilantro, chopped, for garnish 

lime wedges, for garnish  

1. In a small pot combine the pineapple, soy, vinegar, ginger, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a simmer over medium low heat. 

2. Make a slurry with the water and cornstarch. Add the slurry to the simmering pineapple mixture, and bring to a boil. 

3. Finish with 1/2 of the scallions. Taste the sauce for flavor, adding more ingredients as needed. 

4. Strain or puree the mixture. This gets rid of the chunks of pineapple, creating a smooth glaze for the wings. 

5. Toss the hot wings in the glaze to coat. Garnish with more scallions, cilantro, and lime wedges.

Vegetarian Red Curry with Brown Rice

I have several vegetarian friends and family members.  Often times, I want to make a dish that's vegetarian friendly that can also feed several carnivores as well.  In the past when I've faced this problem, I turn to Asian cuisines.  There are an array of Asian dishes that are classically vegetarian, but since there are so many stews or one-bowl dishes, the addition of meat is very simple.

A few years ago for a party, I made this dish: red coconut curry with an array of vegetables.  Then I cooked some seasoned chicken breasts in a different saute pan, and reserved some of the curry sauce so that people could assemble their plates as they wished: chicken and vegetables or just veggies.  Curry is fantastically simple if you buy pre-made curry paste, but you can certainly make your own.  

Any vegetables or meats could be added, so it's creative as well as easy - and it is very healthy.  That's why I chose to pair this curry with brown rice.  In the past, I've made flatbreads, basmati, lentils, or even saffron rice to pair with a classic curry like this.

Vegetarian Red Curry with Brown Rice

Served 2

Leftover Potential: Reheats very easily.  Provided 1 meal after the initial dinner.

Curry:

1 tbsp oil

1 onion, sliced

3 cloves garlic, finely minced

2 bell peppers, sliced

1 1/2 cups mushrooms, sliced

1 1/1 cups green beans, cut in half ***

3-4 Tbsp curry paste, or more as desired

1 can coconut milk, unsweetened

salt, to taste

pepper, to taste

chicken breasts, pork loin, etc. can be cooked separately and added as well.

1.  In a large saute pan, heat the oil over medium heat.  Add the onion and saute until translucent.  Do not let brown.

2.  Add the garlic and saute until aromatic, about one minute.

3.  Add the peppers, mushrooms, and green beans.  Stir over the heat for about a minute.

4.  Add the curry paste, stir well.  Add the coconut milk and stir to combine.  

5.  Allow the mixture to come to a simmer.  Simmer until the vegetables are tender, but still slightly crisp.  Season with salt and pepper as desired.

6.  Serve in warm bowls with a scoop of brown rice.

*** Green beans can also be blanched (cooked in boiling water and then chilled to retain green color) prior to cooking if you prefer them to be softer.  

**** Other great vegetables to use are corn, asparagus, sweet potatoes, and various canned products, such as water chestnuts, baby corns, etc.

Brown Rice:

1 tbsp oil

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

1/2 cup brown rice ***

1 cup vegetable stock

1.  In a small pot, heat the oil over medium heat.  Add the garlic and saute until aromatic, about 1 minute. 

2.  Add the rice and stir to prevent sticking.  Add the stock and bring to a simmer.  Cover and cook as per instructions.  Different rices cook for different lengths of time.  Brown rice generally takes awhile longer.  When the rice is tender, fluff with a fork and serve with curry.

*** Any rice can be used, I chose brown rice due to the healthy qualities.

Spicy Szechuan Chicken

I'm a sucker for Chinese food..both classic and Americanized versions.  There's something especially comforting to me about the tastes and flavors.  Plus, I love any excuse to make things spicy.  Now, nothing will replace your combo of choice from your favorite Chinese restaurant, but it's just as easy to make some in your own kitchen.

So if you're feeling bold, try this recipe for a spicy chicken dish that will remind you of Sesame or General Tso's chicken.  It's quick...it takes even less time than waiting for the order you've called in!  

Spicy Szechuan Chicken

Served 3

Leftover Potential: reheats decently, but since it is fried it loses some of it's original texture. Provided one meal after the initial dinner.

For the batter:

3 Tbsp all purpose flour

3 Tbsp corn starch

salt, as needed

pepper, as needed

2 eggs

1 pound chicken breasts, cut into 1/2" cubes

oil, as needed for frying

1 onion, sliced

For the sauce:

1 Tbsp oil

3 cloves garlic, finely minced

2 Tbsp ginger, finely minced

1 cup chicken broth

1/2 cup tomato paste

1/2 cup crushed tomato

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 Tbsp sugar

1 Tbsp cornstarch

3 Tbsp water

cilantro, as needed, coarsely chopped

1. In a medium bowl, mix together the ingredients for the batter.  If the batter is too thick, thin it out with some water.  

2. Add the cubed chicken in the batter and toss to coat well.

3. Heat the oil to 375 degrees in a deep pan.  If you don't have a thermometer, use a piece of chicken as a tester.  If it sinks, the oil is not hot enough, but if it rises easily to the surface, the oil is ready to use.  

4. Fry the chicken in batches until golden brown.  Drain on paper towels.

5. Meanwhile, prepare the sauce.  Heat the oil in large pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and ginger, and stir fry until aromatic. 

6.  Add the remaining ingredients except for the cornstarch, water, and cilantro. Mix to combine and bring to a simmer over medium high heat.

7.  Make a slurry with the cornstarch and the water, and add to the sauce.  Simmer until the sauce thickens.

8.  Finish the sauce with the chopped cilantro, and add the chicken.  Toss the chicken in the sauce to coat, and allow to simmer for a few minutes until heated through.

9.  Serve in warm bowls with steamed rice and more cilantro on top.

Spicy Turkey Chili

As the weather gets colder, I get an ache in my bones for soup. One of the best things about this meal is it is ideal for The Apartment Kitchen. One big pot is all you need to be able to make any soup or stew. And not much sounds more warm and comforting to me than a deliciously hot, spicy chili.

So one particularly cold day here in Hyde Park, I headed to the grocery store and picked up all the ingredients for my perfect chili, which includes lots of great toppings and of course some cold beer. I use ground turkey, because I love the taste and flavor and it's much healthier. I also like to take a slightly Tex-Mex approach to my chili, topping it with good cheese, jalapenos, green onions, and some lime for acidity. And, as is typical with one-pot dishes it's incredibly easy and super cheap.




Spicy Turkey Chili

Served 2 plus leftovers
Leftover Potential: reheats perfectly, but keeping all the condiments makes it more difficult to re-assemble, provided 3 more meals after initial dinner.

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 jalapeno, seeds removed, finely minced
1 pound ground turkey
1 large or two small cans diced or crushed tomatoes*
1 can corn
1 can black beans
2 Tbsp chili powder
2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 pinch cinnamon
3 Tbsp cilantro, finely chopped
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste

green onions, chopped, for garnish
cheddar cheese, grated, for garnish
lime segments, for garnish
pickled jalapenos, for garnish

1. In a large soup pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and sweat until translucent, about 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic and jalapeno and cook until aromatic, about 1 minute.
2. Add the turkey, using a rubber spatula to break up pieces while it cooks. Cook until cooked through and brown.
3. Add the tomatoes, corn, and black beans. Reduce heat to medium and allow to simmer until whole soup is heated.
4. Begin adding spices, tasting the chili along the way to determine if it needs more spices/salt, etc. Reduce heat to low and hold while garnishes are prepared.
5. Chop green onions, grate cheese, if necessary, and cut some segments of lime. Set these ingredients on the table along with the jalapenos to allow diners to top their chili as they wish.
6. Serve the chili in warm bowls with a cold beer. Keep the leftovers in the fridge until you need to be warmed up again.

* This makes a very meaty chili, if you prefer a soupier product, you might want to add an additional 15 oz. can of tomatoes.