On The Menu: Ethnic Flavors #chinese #mexican #creole #awriterslife

I don’t know about ya’ll but even with the time change I feel like there is never enough time in the day. I get up tend to the pets, do my writing work for a few hours, go to my personal trainer three times a week, then home to clean or whatever. I took on the task of not one but two temperature blankets so I have to fit in a row on each of those every day, two rows the last day of the month since i decided to show where the months end. I also started a baby blanket I need by May and am considering a quilted afghan. Its time to start decluttering again and of course getting the yard cleaned up from fall and gardens to plant. Over achiever much? Needless to say half the list is falling to the wayside since my disabilities remind me at times I cant work from morning till dark anymore. I did some gardening helping a friend Thursday and brought home some Cannas Lilies and lots of mint to plant. I still had to clean the guinea pigs, sweep and replant all that. I got up Friday barely able to move and it hurt even to set up. So I was down in my back all weekend and fell further behind. Oh well it is what it is.

I did manage a few good meals last week. Sunday my daughter in law called and her freezer was out so we had to work her stuff into mine. Which we do most of the cooking here anyhow. She had a big bag of chicken mostly thawed that we planned to use Wednesday but I decided to use Monday and not refreeze.

I made Cashew Chicken, Sesame Chicken (this is what you get when you ask them all what they want some say cashew some say sesame and since I needed to cook the whole bag I decided on both and have leftovers for lunch. We like the tempura battered chicken then you just add the sauce so it was pretty easy. We cooked all the chicken then divided it into two bowls and sauced it. I had leftover rice (cold rice is a must for fried rice) so I made fried rice and we had stir fried veggies from a bag.

My recipe for the chicken only sounds hard it is really so easy.

ingredients for the chicken: Oil for frying ( you can use a large flat skillet or a deep fryer I prefer the skillet I can cook more at one time. I alos use canola oil.)

Chicken we usually do 3.5 for one type of chicken for making both batches we used 5 lbs rince and pat dry. your batter wont stick to wet cicken

cornstarch 1 cup

flour 1 cup

very cold water 3/4cup but use 1/2 and check your consistency (how it sticks to the chicken)ypu want like a pancake batter thin but not runny , jsut so it clings to the chicken.

1 egg beaten well

salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder; about a half teaspoon each

To make. Cut the chicken in bite size chunks rinse and pat dry. While oil heats, mix all dry ingredients add the egg and mix then stir the water in slowly. 3/4 worked for us the other night but you don’t want a really thick batter if it looks like cake batter or cookie dough you need more water. Dip the chicken in the batter a piece at a time and drop into the hot batter carefully. I have a pair of tweezer-like tongs that work perfectly or any small tongs should work. Fry in batches until a light brown and all pink is out of the chicken. cook in batches and keep warm. While chicken cooks make your sauce (or sauces)

Cashew sauce. I use two bags of brown gravy mix and fix according to the package. Add about 1/4 cup soy, a 1/4 cup cashews and a hand full of chopped green onion. Pour over chicken and toss to coat. If you like more cashews add more also put a dish of them and green onions to garnish.

Sesame sauce. 1/4 cup soy sauce. 1/4 cup Rice vinegar 1/2 cup brown sugar 1 TBS cornstarch 1/3 c water 2 tsp Sesame oil 4 TBS sesame seeds toasted and divided. Mix ll wet ingredients in a saucepan and whisk. add Brown sugar and whisk until smooth. cook on medium heat until it boils, turn down to simmer. Mix cornstarch with a little water and a little of the warm liquid to make a slurry and slowly stir in whisking constantly. Simmer sitting for two minutes or until thickened. turn off heat stir in two TBS of the sesame seeds and drizzle with the sesame oil. Pour over chicken sprinkle with the last two TBS of sesame seeds and garnish with green onions or scallions

Here is both dishes. I left off the green onions extra nuts and seeds for everyone to top as they wished

Even Bayliegh enjoyed it.

Wednesday I made a Taco Bar. I learned a long time ago this was the easiest way to serve tacos. I make the meat and set all the fixings n the table and let everyone make their own since some like soft some like hard shell and Kara and I like the taco bowls.

Saturday we had to go to the DR to pick up some prescriptions and it was a long wasted day. It stormed all day but we did pick up a few groceries at Aldis. If you are near one they really save lots of money. I made a chicken fiesta soup. It was good and hubby loved it , That’s not an easy feat for him to actually tell me how good something is.

Ingredients: 3-4 chicken breasts. Thaw out an extra one or two to saute for lunches during the week. Season with creole seasoning. Saute in a little olive oil. while that sautes put two cans of chicken broth and a can of water in a stockpot or large pan, add 1 can fire-roasted tomatoes, I bag of frozen corn (no need to defrost), 1 can each kidney beans and black beans drained and rinsed well. add 1 tsp each garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper, 1 tablespoon cumin. stir and taste add more seasoning to your taste ( you can add more creole seasoning here as well.) I added more cumin. Add the chicken saute a small onion add that and bring all to a boil turn down and simmer 30-45 minutes. 30 if you like it soupy and 45 if you like it thicker like the picture above. let cool about 10 minutes it’s very hot!

Serve with sour cream, guacamole or avocado slices, chopped green onions, or shallots for a garnish. there are tortilla strip made for salads that are really good here too or make your on by cutting thin strips of a tortilla seasone as you wish and bake or fry.

with the extra sauted chicken Sunday I had a yummy wrap and have enough for one more wrap or a salad.

Do you ever cook extras for another meal or your lunch? Whats your favorite cook once eat twice recipe?