Chicken, Green Bean & Mushroom Stir Fry

Yum

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas filled with fun, laughter, and LOTS of great food! 

As I am completely beefed and turkeyed out, I thought I’d share something today that contains simple ingredients, totally non-Christmas related.  Also, because I would like to take a little break in cooking, this dinner is all in one pan!  On top of that, you can have this on the table in 16 minutes!

CHICKEN, GREEN BEAN & MUSHROOM STIR FRY

If you haven't noticed I love stir frys.  They are simple to make, and they a quick to cook.  I use the same formula every time.  (cook the meat, remove from pan, cook the vegetables, add flavors/nuts, add back the meat, add the sauce...done!)  Once you have this down you can make a gazillion variations of stir fry. 

Most times I make my own sauce, but on days like today where I want to save even more time, I use a bottle stir fry sauce that I find works well as a base.  I use this one here.  This sauce along with a couple of flavor add-ins works perfectly with this stir fry combination of chicken and vegetables.  I chose green beans and mushrooms, as both were on hand from our Christmas dinner.  You can certainly change up the vegetables to fit what you have on hand.  Bell peppers, carrots, celery, and zucchini, are all good ones to choose from.

So if you are trying to slow down after the holiday, do yourself a favor and forget the takeout.  Make this wonderful stir fry at home tonight.  It tastes 1000 times better than takeout, and you can control what goes in the food (mainly sodium ) and make this a healthy meal for your family. 

Chicken, Green Bean & Mushroom Stir Fry is a favorite in our house, and hopefully will be a favorite of  yours too!  Remember, another celebration weekend is around the corner.  We'll be taking a look at some great New Year's Eve ideas in the next several days.

Enjoy!






Chicken, Green Bean & Mushroom Stir Fry

Serves: 4 servings

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized chunks
1/4 c cornstarch
2 Tbls canola oil
1 Tbls sesame oil
8 ounces crimini mushrooms, sliced
30 French green beans, cut in half
1 tsp garlic, minced
2 tsp minced ginger
1/4 c stir fry sauce

On a plate toss the chicken with the cornstarch.

Heat the canola and sesame oil in a large skillet.  Add the chicken and cook on medium-high until browned on all sides, about 2-3 minutes on each side.  Remove chicken from the pan, and turn the heat up to high.

Add in the mushrooms and cook until they start to brown.  Add the green beans and allow to cook 2-3 minutes more. .Add the garlic and ginger and cook/stir for 30 seconds.  Return the chicken and any juices back to the skillet.  Add the stir fry sauce and toss to coat.  Serve.

Weeknight wonder: Caribbean Pork Stir Fry

A couple of weeks ago we had 3 days of rain straight.  Boy did we ever need it!

I don't think I heard one person complain about the rain because of the dire need of water to ease the drought. Rain is a precious thing in Southern California.  All hail to the rain!

But with rain comes cold weather, dark evenings, and the need for comforting food. All on a weeknight.

My version of a Caribbean Pork Stir Fry will satisfy your comfort food craving along with being a quick weeknight dinner that you can make in 30 minutes or less. Guaranteed!

I had a few pork chops on hand so was ready to go when our hunger started to hit. It was raining outside and we were ready to eat and watch a movie.

This dish takes the flavors of the Caribbean, specifically Jamaica, and throws them together in a stir fry.  You get spicy jerk flavored pork along with the depth of bell peppers and onions, and throw in some plum sauce for a little sweetness.  That hot and sweet thing is totally going on here and tastes amazing! 

Lots of compliments were flying, which is always nice to hear. Now you don't need rain or snow to crave comfort food.  This is good anytime!  Make it tonight and see them rave about your cooking.  
Enjoy!




Caribbean Pork Stir Fry

serves 4

3 Tablespoons canola oil, divided

4 1" thick boneless pork loin chops

2 tsp Jamaican Jerk seasoning

1/2 onion, sliced

1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced thin  

1 orange bell pepper, seeded and sliced thin  

1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and sliced thin 

1/4 peanuts 

1/2 cup plum sauce

hot cooked rice

Remove all fat from the pork chops and slice into long thin strips.  

Heat 2 Tablespoons of canola oil in a large skillet or wok over medium heat.  Add chicken and make sure they are in a single layer.  Sprinkle with jerk seasoning.  Stir meat, cooking until done about 5 minutes.  Remove to a plate.

Add the additional 1 Tablespoon of oil to the skillet and add the sliced onions and bell peppers.  Stir and allow to cook about 5 minutes until vegetables are slightly tender.  Add peanuts and stir to roast, about 1 minute.  Return the pork and any accumulated juices to the skillet.  Add the plum sauce and stir to coat all the ingredients.

Serve over hot rice.  Enjoy!

Weeknight Wonder: Cashew Chicken and Simple Vegetable Stir Fry

I love easy 20 minutes meals, don't you?

I work hard and really don't want to cook a major dinner during the week. Something quick, tasty, and hearty sounds good so I often turn to stir frys. My blog is full of stir fry recipes so be sure to search for them. I just love that I can throw together a quick meal in 20 minutes. A little help from a convenience item once in a while doesn't hurt either! In this case I used Kikkoman's stir fry sauce, which is very good.

This keeps the meal down to 20 minutes, and you can get a hot, healthy dish on the table in no time.  

The vegetables used are simple everyday veggies from your refrigerator.  Carrots, celery, and green beans.  Items I usually have on hand all the time, but you can use whatever veggies you have.  No fancy veggies this time, which should save you a trip to the store.  Meals like this are great for leftover items you need to use up so grab what you have!

Try this delicious meal soon.  It's the perfect weeknight meal, and better than takeout!

Enjoy!

Cashew Chicken and Simple Vegetable Stir Fry

1/4 c stir fry sauce
1/4 c water
½ 1b boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
¼ c. cornstarch
2 T. canola oil
1/2 c shredded carrots
2 stalks of celery, sliced
8 oz. green beans, trimmed
1/3 c roasted, unsalted cashews
White or brown rice, cooked


Combine stir fry sauce, and water in a small bowl. Set aside.

Place the cornstarch on a plate and dredge the chicken in it to coat.

Heat oil in a wok or skillet. Add chicken and stir fry over medium high heat about 5-7 minutes until chicken is cooked through. Remove from skillet to a plate. Add carrots, celery, and green beans. Stirring until crisp tender, about 8 minutes. Add chicken and cashews and stir until cashews are toasted. Add stir fry sauce and toss until ingredients are covered.

Serve over hot cooked rice.

Mongolian Beef

Everyone loves Chinese food don't they?  I know we do, and by the popularity of the stir fry dishes I've posted I'm going to take a leap and say that you do too.  Even better is that it's a great take-out dish. It's easy to order and pick up on the way home.  Well let's just say that making your own "take-out" is just easy.  Don't believe that?  Well just read on.

Mongolian Beef is a favorite dish of mine to order when we go to a certain Chinese restaurant in our neighborhood.  I just love the spicy and deep flavors the brown sauce lends to it.

I've been craving some lately and we just haven't had time to stop by the restaurant to pick some up, so I set out on a mission to recreate my own version of this dish. Let's forget the take-out and have take-in instead!

If you plan on making Chinese stir frys at home it is best to invest in some pantry items that you have on hand whenever the craving strikes.  Items such as soy sauce, hoisin sauce, ginger, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, and sriracha sauce are some of the ingredients I use regularly and try to always keep on hand.  These items are easily picked up at your local grocery store in the Asian section and I've even seen them at Trader Joes.   Tip:  make sure to keep the sesame oil in the refrigerator as it WILL go rancid if left out (speaking from experience...) yuk!!! You don't want to ruin your dish.

Mongolian Beef is our quest today.  It's a classic Chinese-American dish that has no reference to Mongolia except for the name. But who cares!  When you put a gingery-garlicky brown sauce together with strips of beef and vegetables I'm in heaven.  You will be too!

I took a nice sirloin steak and sliced it thinly and added some vegetables (onion and mini bell pepper mix) for some texture and crunch.  Make the wonderful sauce first so that you are ready to add it at the end when it's almost done.  Stir frys cook very quickly in a hot skillet or wok.  Having your items all ready to go prior to cooking is very helpful in these fast paced dishes.  No one wants to be frantic when cooking, and you've forgot to make the sauce!

Serve this mildly spiced dish over rice or wide rice noodles to catch all the sauce. I served it with rice and my Asian Cucumber Salad.  Great for a summer evening.  

Enjoy!



Mongolian Beef

serves 4

2 T low-sodium soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp cornstarch
2 tsp dry sherry
2 tsp hoisin sauce
1 tsp rice vinegar
2 tsp sriracha sauce
2 tsp oil
1 T minced ginger, fresh
1 T garlic, minced
1 pound sirloin steak, cut across grain into thin slices
1/2 yellow onion sliced thinly
2 bell peppers, julienne sliced (mixed colors, red, yellow, and orange)

To make the sauce,  combine the soy sauce, sugar, cornstarch, sherry, hoisin sauce, vinegar, sriracha sauce in a small bowl.  Whisk until smooth. 

Heat the oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add ginger, garlic, and beef and cook about 4 minutes or until beef is browned. Remove beef from the skillet to a plate. Set aside.  

Add the onion and peppers to the skillet and cook, stirring often about 3 minutes until crisp tender.   Add your meat and any collected juices back to the skillet and stir. Add the sauce mixture to pan. cook 1 minute stirring constantly, or until thickened. Serve over rice or noodles.

Garlic Ginger Chicken Asparagus Stir Fy - Recipe and Product Review

It's been a long time since I've done a product review, but when I find an outstanding product that will save you time in the kitchen I feel I must tell you about it...like now!

I just happened to be walking by my favorite store (Williams-Sonoma) and a display of stir fry cookware and food stopped me dead in my tracks. I love a good stir fry, don't you? I've posted many recipes that prove this such as Tangerine Beef and Bok Choy, Cashew Chicken, and Chicken, Brussels Sprouts and Noodle Stir Fry.  

What's not to love? Great flavors, quick meals, and a wonderful weeknight dinner is served!


I quickly told myself it wouldn't hurt to just pop in the store and take a look at the display. Get some ideas of inspiration for a new dish. Hmmm....yea right.

30 minutes later I exit the store with said bottle of Garlic Ginger Stir Fry Sauce in hand. I surprised I had the control and only bought one item as the whole display was so tempting....pans, woks, tools, and the sauces and spices...oh my! To be honest I'm sooooo glad I bought this sauce. It's amazing.

Photo source: Williams-Sonoma.com

Filled with good stuff like, ginger and garlic with peppery chilies, toasted sesame and rice vinegar.  You can purchase yours here.  

I quickly went home and made this wonderful stir fry filled with chicken, asparagus, summer squash, cashews, and of course the garlic ginger sauce.  Oh man...this is some good stuff! (and the recipe is awesome too.)

Note: this is not a sponsored post, just my love of good products.

Garlic Ginger chicken Asparagus Stir Fry

serves 4

2 Tbls. canola oil
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/3 c cornstarch
kosher salt and pepper
1 bunch of thin asparagus, trimmed
1 summer squash, halved and sliced
1/3 c roasted cashews
1 8.5 oz jar of Garlic Ginger Stir Fry Sauce

Cut chicken in to bite sized pieces. Place cornstarch on a plate and dredge chicken, covering all sides.

Heat oil in a wok or skillet. Add chicken and stir fry over medium high heat about 5-7 minutes until chicken is cooked through. Remove to a plate and set aside.

If necessary add another tablespoon of canola oil to the skillet. Add asparagus and squash, stirring until crisp tender; about 3-4 minutes. Add cashews and stir 1 minute until toasted brown. Return chicken to the skillet and add the stir fry sauce. Stir constantly until all items are coated and sauce has thickened. Serve over rice or noodles.

Honey Lemon Chicken Stir Fry

What a busy week!

My laptop was dying a slow death and I finally decided to wipe it clean and allow MGG to install a different operating system, Ubuntu.  

I was so hesitant to do this cause I've always been a Windows girl and going to a Linux based platform was so opposite, plus I'm possessive of getting rid of things that are familiar.  So, I took the leap and spent most of the week getting used to the new format.  Finding and loading new applications so that I can continue to blog, format pictures etc...  

They say change is good....so far, so good, but we're not quite at the comfortable stage.  So the verdict on this 'change' is still being debated.

Which leads me to today's post.  I had mentioned that I was on an Asian kick lately.  Which is true.  Needing a dinner that was quick to make, yet tasty was a must (since I spent most of my time formatting the laptop).

Stir frys are one of my quick go-to meals.  I love the ease of them.  You can make them simple or complex.  It's your choice.  Using what's on hand is perfect for making this dish.  Just chicken, cashews, some lemon, and honey.  Items I always have on hand.  Mixed together they are outrageous!!

This is a basic recipe that you can tweak and enhance by adding your choice of veggies.  Served over fluffy rice this is a crowd pleaser, and a simple weeknight meal!  Perfect for the Chinese New Year holiday coming up soon and a 1000x better than takeout!

Why not give it a try!  Enjoy!


Try another great takeout recipe:   Teriyaki Beef and Sugar Snap Stir Fry



Honey Lemon Chicken Stir Fry

serves 4

Honey Lemon Chicken Stir Fry


1 Tbls. canola oil
1 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
1/3 c cornstarch
kosher salt and pepper
1/3 c roasted cashews
Honey Lemon Sauce (recipe below)
Honey Lemon Chicken Stir Fry

Toppings:  sesame seeds, chopped scallions, minced cilantro (optional)

Honey Lemon Sauce:

3/4 c chicken stock
1/4 c fresh lemon juice
3 Tbls. honey
2 Tbls. cornstarch
zest of 1 lemon
1 tsp ginger (I use this ginger)
1-2 tsp Siracha sauce

Heat canola oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.
 
Place the cornstarch in a flat bowl or plate and roll the chicken pieces in the cornstarch.  

Add chicken to the skillet and cook, stirring often, 6-7 minutes until cooked through and golden brown. Season with kosher salt and pepper.  Meanwhile make the Honey Lemon sauce.  To a small bowl add the chicken stock, lemon juice, honey, cornstarch, zest, ginger, and Siracha sauce.  Whisk until well combined.  Set aside.

Add cashews to the skillet and cook 1 minute until toasted.  Make sure to not burn the nuts!   Add the Honey Lemon Sauce and stir to coat.  Allow to come to a bubble and thicken. 

Serve over fluffy rice and top with any of the optional toppings or not!  Enjoy!

Teriyaki Beef and Sugar Snap Stir Fry

I've been on a Chinese food kick lately.

Just craving it...

So, instead of takeout I've been making some new stir frys. What's great about homemade takeout? Well you know what ingredients go in them for one. You can make them low calorie, but full of flavor. Who doesn't love that? They can be made in under 30 minutes, so they are perfect for weekday meals.

I would say these are 1000x better than takeout! You have to try these recipes. PLUS...Chinese New Years is coming up soon, Feb 19th I believe and it's the Year of the Sheep, and a perfect time to celebrate by making one of my great stir frys.

First up is a quick Teriyaki Beef and Sugar Snap Stir Fry. It's to DIE for! You start with a good cut of meat, sliced thin (I used flank steak). Whip up a quick teriyaki sauce and add some vegetables and you have a great dish to serve over rice. Dinner...done!

Remember, theses are easy dishes. Very forgiving too, if you want to swap the meat for another cut, do so. Same goes for the vegetables. Use what you like best, but the sugar snap peas along with the flavor of the peppers and the sweetness of the carrot is a combo like no other!

Enjoy!



Teriyaki Beef and Sugar Snap Stir Fry


serves 4


3 Tlbs  rice vinegar, divided
2 Tlbs low-sodium soy sauce, divided
1 (1-pound) flank steak, trimmed and thinly sliced across the grain
1 tsp sugar
2 tsp hoisin sauce
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
2 tsp toasted sesame oil, divided
1/2 c chopped onion
1 tsp ginger, minced
1/2 tsp garlic, minced
1 c red bell pepper, sliced
1/2 c carrots, chopped
8-oz pkg sugar snap peas
1/3 c roasted cashews


Combine 1 Tlbs vinegar, 1 Tlbs soy sauce, and beef in a large bowl. Toss to combine.  

For the sauce:  Add remaining 2 Tlbs vinegar,  1 Tlbs soy sauce, sugar, hoisin, salt, and crushed red pepper in a small bowl; stir with a whisk to combine.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tsp oil to pan.  Add beef and stir fry 3-4 minutes or until done. Remove beef to a bowl. Heat remaining 1 teaspoon oil in pan.  Add onion and saute 1-2 minutes. Add ginger and garlic and saute 15 seconds. Stir in bell pepper, carrot, and sugar snap peas,  saute 5 minutes until crisp tender. 

Add your meat back to the skillet.  Add the cashews and stir about 1 minute to roast (don't let them burn!).  Add your sauce and stir to combine.  Cook 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Remove from heat and serve over steamed rice.

The Best of 2014

It's almost time to end the year, and time to reflect on some recipes that you thought were the most popular this past year.

Taking a look back on the recipes that you liked most provides memories of the occasion, or time of year. Food is a good way to reflect on past memories and they bring you comfort.

In addition, they also tell me what types of food you are drawn too.  From this compilation of recipes I see that most of you like no fuss meals.  Ones that are easy to fix, comforting, can be put together during the week.  I also see that you like some great weekend breakfasts, as do I!  I'll keep all of this in mind during the upcoming year.

So on to the top 10 countdown of all time favorite recipes for 2014...


Tuscan White Bean Soup - this was last year's New Year's Resolution dish.  A perfect way to start off the new year!




Chicken Brussels Sprouts, and Noodle Stir Fry - A wonderful stir fry using winter vegetables that comes together quickly for a weeknight meal.




Lynn's Chicken Pasta Salad - Perfect for a spring lunch or wonderful as a potluck dish.  A classic that's a winner!




Caribbean Chicken Salad - This has to be my favorite salad this year.  I'm in love with fruit and when you combine these together with chicken in a zesty salad you had me at "Caribbean".




Grandma Landon's Strawberry Cake - This cake has been a family favorite for so many years. Everyone knows about Grandma Landon's famous strawberry cake.  Can't beat the family heirloom recipes.




Garlic Parmesan Chicken Strips - Another quick weeknight meal that the kids will just love.   So tasty and now healthier since you bake the strips.




Mediterranean Beef Stew - A great slow cooker meal.  Just toss it together and go!




Szechwan Beef and Vegetable Stir Fry - Another fantastic stir fry that showcases spicy beef.  I love this dish, and so did you!




Oatmeal Brown Sugar Pancakes with Banana Walnut Syrup - Love my breakfast items....and this one will make and Sunday morning special.  Great combination of flavors.




Apple Cider Waffles with Cinnamon Honey Butter - Another breakfast item that stands out based upon the flavors.  Apple cider works so well in waffles and when you top if with Cinnamon Honey Butter...oh my!

Let's enjoy these dishes one more time, and get ready to make some new favorites in 2015!

Beef & Noodle Slaw Stir Fry

I'm on an Asian kick lately.

this dish was born out of odds and ends that needed to be used up from the refrigerator.  I had some carrot juice, a small sirloin steak and a bag of broccoli slaw.  Hence the slaw in the title.  

So I decided to make another stir fry.  Since my last one using chicken and noodles turned out so well I decided to make this version with beef, and noodles, and broccoli slaw for the veggies.

The sauce is made from a mixture of a store bought peanut sauce (another item from the frig) and my leftover carrot juice.  Add in some Asian spices and my every present cashews and the rest is history!

Simple and easy....tasty too!

Enjoy this simple creation and come back and tell me how it turned out.


Beef & Noodle Slaw Stir Fry

serves 4

1/3 cup peanut sauce
1/3 cup carrot juice
1 tablespoon ginger, minced

6 oz multi-grain spaghetti
1 tablespoon olive oil

6 oz sirloin steak, thinly sliced
1 16 ounce package broccoli slaw
3/4 cup shredded carrots

1/3 c whole unsalted cashews

 In a bowl whisk together peanut sauce and carrot juice; set aside.  Break spaghetti in half and cook according to package directions.

Meanwhile in a wok or large skillet stir-fry beef until browned about 5 minutes.  Remove from the skillet. Add ginger and broccoli slaw and carrots. Cook and stir for 3 minutes. Add cashews and stir until slightly roasted.  Return beef to the skillet.  

Add peanut sauce mixture. stirring to coat. Cook and stir 2 minutes more. Add noodles. Using tongs, toss to coat. Serve warm.

Szechwan Beef and Vegetables

Time for a quick and easy meal?

When that's what I'm looking for I turn to stir frys instead of take-out.

Quick and easy to make you can have dinner on the table in about 20 minutes.  Don't you just love that?  And what's even better is this particular stir fry, Szechwan Beef and Vegetables has been made lighter to keep the waistlines in tact!

This dish carries a little heat, being Szechwan and all....so if you want to tone that down a bit to make it more kid-friendly just dial back on the amount of red pepper flakes you use.  Me? I'm all about the heat baby!

Using lean sirloin help keep the calories down and instead of frying this I marinated the meat to infuse flavor and tenderize the meat.  The result?  succulent beefiness...yum!  For veggies I used a combination of cut of bok choy, broccoli, and snap peas.  Lots of greens = lot of nutrients!

All this in a wonderful spicy szechwan sauce...heaven in 20 minutes.

Enjoy!

Szechwan Beef and Vegetables

serves 4

 

1 lb lean sirloin, cut into thin slices

1 T sherry

2 T low sodium soy sauce

1 t minced ginger

2 t cornstarch

2 T water

1 T oil

1 lb chopped mixed vegetables like bok choy, snap peas, broccoli

1/3 c whole cashews

1 t minced garlic

¼ c beef broth

2 t hoisin sauce

1/8 t red pepper flakes

Place meat in a bowl and add the sherry, soy sauce, and ginger.  Toss until well coated.  Set aside.

In another small bowl whisk together the cornstarch with 2 Tablespoons of water.  Set aside.

Heat a large skillet on medium high.  Add oil to the skillet.  Add half the beef and stir fry quickly until no longer pink.  Remove from skillet and repeat with remaining meat.  

Add vegetables to the skillet and stir fry until tender crisp.  About 4-5 minutes.  Add garlic and cashews, stirring to toast.  Add beef back to the skillet.  Add beef broth, hoisin sauce, and red pepper flakes.  Stir to coat.  Add cornstarch mixture and stir until sauce thickens.  

Serve over rice.