Sunday, August 28, 2011

Garlic Chicken Stir Fry


David and I are in love with this dish!!  It's simple, healthy, and delicious.  Plus, you can make a HUGE batch to have for lunches all week!

Garlic Chicken Stir Fry


2 large chicken breasts (roughly a pound), cut into 1 inch chunks
4 cups fresh broccoli florets
1 medium red pepper, cut into strips
1 medium orange pepper (yellow is great too!), cut into strips
1/2 cup carrots, cut into slices
1 medium onion,  cut into slices
1-2 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated (roughly 1 teaspoon ground ginger powder)
6 large garlic cloves, minced
1 cup low-sodium chicken stock, divided
1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce, divided
3 tablespoons teriyaki sauce, divided
1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
1/2 tablespoon rice vinegar (optional)
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (or however hot you like it)
1-2 tablespoons cornstarch with equal parts of water
olive oil for frying

Combine all cut vegetables and rinse.  Set aside.

In a very large skillet (or even pot), heat up oil over medium-high heat.  Add chicken and cook until completely white.  Add 1 tablespoon of minced garlic, 3 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon teriyaki, and 1/2 cup chicken stock.  Stir, cover pot with lid, and let simmer on medium for 5-10 minutes.  With a slotted spoon, remove chicken.  Set aside.

Add vegetables to liquid mixture in pan along with the remaining minced garlic, freshly grated ginger, 5 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoons teriyaki,  1/2 cup chicken stock, worcestershire, rice vinegar, and crushed red pepper flakes.  Coat vegetables in sauce, reduce heat to medium-low and let simmer until tender, 10 minutes.

Add chicken back to pot, combine and cook another 5 minutes.  Increase heat to medium-high.  Mix cornstarch with equal parts water (1 tablespoon of each for thin sauce; 2 tablespoons of each for thick sauce).  Once liquid in pan is boiling, add cornstarch/water mixture and stir constantly until it thickens.  Let cook for an additional 2 minutes.  Remove from heat.

Serve with rice.  Makes 4-6 servings.

Enjoy!

Sunday, August 14, 2011

Couponing: A Game


It's a game to me.  It really is.  I gear up before it even starts.  Carefully, looking through every add.  Clipping coupons that I think will be able to use--and get a great deal doing so.

As I drive to the grocery stores, I think of my game-plan.  How I'll hit every sale, using every coupon possible.  Doubling.  Stacking.  You name it, I'll do it.  One coupon from the store.  One from the manufacturer.  Oh, sweet joy!

I've come out quite a champ many times with my crazy couponing, but it really REALLY isn't easy.  Unfortunately, I live in a metropolis.  Right on the border of one of America's largest, thriving cities.  The extreme-couponing you see on television is impossible here.  Only one store I know of doubles coupons with a maximum of 5 coupons per purchase.  Don't even think about tripling coupons here.

Yet, I have found ways around the system to maximize my coupons to whatever I can get for the smallest amount possible.

Surprisingly, some of my greatest bargains have been on the healthiest foods!  Organic canned tomatoes totaling in at 15 cents.  Two-percent brand-named (and local!!) milk at 4 cents.  Cage-free all natural eggs at 75 cents.  Whole, all natural chicken at $3.00 each.  They are few.  They are far between.  But, my dear Minnesotans, do not dismay.  They are out there.



My Best Resources:
Star Tribune Sunday Paper
Rainbow Foods