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!

Chicken Divan

I made this recipe for dinner the other night. David loved it a LOT. I have to share it, of course!



Chicken Divan

1 large head of broccoli- tips cut off and large stems discarded
3-4 chicken breasts
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
salt and pepper, to taste
1/4 cup butter
1/3 cup flour
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup milk
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup Swiss cheese
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
dash paprika

Cook broccoli (either steamed or boiled) until just tender. About 5 minutes. Be careful not to over cook, or broccoli will become mushy. Drain and place in the bottom of a 12"x8" baking dish.

Sprinkle salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder over chicken breasts. Fry in a large pan over high heat to sear breasts and lock in moisture. About 3 minutes each side. Place breasts in baking dish on top of broccoli.

To make sauce:
In a sauce pan over medium heat, melt butter. Add flour and nutmeg. Whisk into butter, forming a paste-like consistency. Add milk and chicken broth all at once. Whisk until smooth and no lumps are visible. Increase temperature to medium-high. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Let boil 1-2 minutes, take off heat and stir in Swiss cheese.

Pour cheese sauce over the chicken breasts and broccoli. Sprinkle the Parmesan and paprika on top.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

Enjoy!

Cajun Slow Roasted Pork

I made this a couple weeks ago and was incredibly pleased with the outcome. My husband said it was the best pork roast I have ever made. I went off a recipe I found in a magazine. But, you all know me... I have to add my own stuff to it! Don't be fooled by the list of the ingredients- this dish is NOT spicy.

Another quick note-
This recipe is GREAT for a busy schedule! You can saute the veggies the night before you serve it and throw it all in the crock before you head out the door in the morning. Or, if you are an early riser (unlike me!), you can do it all in about 30 minutes the morning of.



Cajun Slow Roasted Pork
1 small onion
1 celery rib
1 small green pepper (half of large)
3 tablespoons of butter (I used half butter/half olive oil)
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1 boneless pork loin roast (about 4 lbs)

The night before-
Finely chop veggies. In a large skillet, heat butter/oil. Saute veggies until tender. Add garlic and cook for a couple minutes longer. Stir in all seasonings and pepper sauce. Let cool and refrigerate in an air tight container over night.

On the day of serving-
Place roast in crock pot. Cut several deep slits in roast. Heat up veggie mixture in the microwave until warm. Using your fingers and a spoon, open slits and stuff with veggie mixture. Dump remaining mixture on top of the roast, trying to cover any bare areas on the top and sides. Cover and cook on low for about 8 hours.

Transfer roast to a serving plate and keep warm. Pour roast juices from the crock to a small sauce pan.

Combine:
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons cold water

Whisk with fork until smooth. Stir into sauce pan. Bring to a boil and cook 2 minutes longer until thickened.

For me, my roast didn't produce that much juice. Maybe 1/2 a cup at the most. So, I ended up adding about 1/2 a cup of chicken stock to the sauce pan. You could also use water. If you just want to use the pork juices, I would reduce the water/corn starch mixture by half or it will be very very thick.

Serve with Roast.

Enjoy!