Chinese Five-Spice Chicken

I'll admit it - I run out of dinner ideas and sometimes just don't want to cook dinner.  These are the times that I go to my library of cookbooks and see what inspires me.  Tonight I really didn't know what to make for dinner and with the clock showing 4:30pm, I decided that I better hurry up and decide!  I grabbed my "Looneyspoons" cookbook and  happened to have everything for this recipe in my fridge and pantry.

CHINESE FIVE-SPICE CHICKEN

Ingredients:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 1" cubes

1 tsp of Chinese five-spice powder*

1 cup trimmed and halved snow peas

1 cup thinly sliced sweet red pepper

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp grated ginger root

3 cups low-sodium, reduced-fat chicken broth

1 1 /2 cups uncooked long grain white rice

1/2 cup chopped green onions

2 tbsp lime juice

2 tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce

1 tbsp honey

2 tsp sesame oil

1/4 tsp each crushed red pepper flakes and black pepper

• Combine chicken and five-spice powder in a large bowl.  Toss or stir to coat chicken evenly with spice.
• Spray a large saucepan with non-stick spray.  Add chicken and cook over medium-high heat, stirring often, until no longer pink.
• Add snow peas, red pepper, garlic and ginger root.  Cook and stir over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes.
• Add all remaining ingredients and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium-low.  Cover and cook for 20 to 25 minutes, until liquid is absorbed by rice and chicken is very tender!

*Five-spice powder is a seasoning commonly used in Chinese cooking.  It is a blend of cumin, cloves, fennel, Szechuan peppercorns, and star anise.  You can find it in most supermarkets and of course, Asian specialty stores!
 

Cabbage Roll Casserole

Years ago when I used to hold a giant Easter Egg Hunt at our place, Alison Roberts made this dish for her potluck contribution and it was an instant hit with everyone!  My children loved it so much that it is a staple in our house ~ and since cabbage season is soon approaching and green cabbage should be appearing in our CSA box from Cooper's CSA Farm & Maze, I thought I would post this quick and delicious casserole!

CABBAGE ROLL CASSEROLE

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs of ground beef

2 medium onions, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

 1 tsp kosher salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 14oz can of tomato sauce

14oz water

1/2 cup long grain rice, uncooked

4 cups cabbage, shredded

• Preheat oven to 350F.
• In a large skillet over medium high heat, brown the beef, onions, garlic, salt, and pepper.  Once the beef is browned, add the tomato sauce and bring to a boil.
• Once boiling, stir in the rice, reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 20 minutes.
• Place 2 cups of the shredded cabbage (I chop mine using my food processor as it is faster!), in a greased 9"x13" lasagna dish.  Cover the cabbage with 1/2 the rice mixture and repeat the layers.
• Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake in the oven for 1 hour.
• Remove from the oven and let sit for 10 minutes before serving.  Serve with sour cream.
• ENJOY!   

Long Grain & Wild Rice with Pecans and Craisins

I have had a bag of wild & long grain rice sitting in my pantry for quite a number of months, so I decided today was the day that I was going to use it up! This is a delicious and deceptively simple rice that looks and tastes like a gourmet dish.

LONG GRAIN & WILD RICE WITH PECANS AND CRAISINS

Ingredients:

1 cup uncooked long grain rice

1 cup uncooked wild rice

2/3 cup craisins (or dried cherries)

1 large carrot, finely diced

1 rib of celery, finely diced

1 small red onion, diced

2 tbsp butter

5 cups chicken broth (or use vegetable broth)

1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted

• In a large saucepan, saute celery, carrot and onion in butter until tender, over medium-high heat. Stir in the broth and the wild rice. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 25 mins.


• Add long grain rice; cover and simmer 20 mins. longer. Stir in the craisins; cook 5 mins longer or until the liquid is absorbed. Just before serving, stir in the toasted pecans (to toast them you can either dry fry them in a skillet, or place them on a baking sheet under the broiler...just make sure you keep turning the nuts so that they don't burn!)