Chicken and Broccoli Stir-Fry

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I love stir-fry. Great for those nights when you’re not quite sure what’s on the dinner docket, stir-fries are quick and easy. My neighbor Janie gave me a printout of an article that was in Food Network magazine a few years ago, in which they broke down stir fry – listing meats, veggies, and sauces that then you could mix-n-match and do your own thing.

I treasure that printout, because a few months later we lost Janie to a brain tumor. The best neighbor anyone could ask for – I always enjoyed chit-chatting about vegetable or flower gardening with her in the backyard, or asking her advice on a certain variety of hydrangea. Needless to say, I think of her often this time of year, and of course when I pull out my trusty stir-fry sheet. I know she’d really take delight in all the tasty things I’ve been whipping up in my kitchen these past few years!

One of my favorite things to order from Chinese takeout is chicken and broccoli. But, as most take-out would have it – something that is seemingly healthy is laden with calories and fat. That’s why we do it at home, kids! Pieces of tender chicken, and plenty of broccoli that still has a bite to it. I also had some carrots to use up, so I threw that in too. We all devoured it, especially the boys! William will choose a green veggie over a piece of meat any day of the week. If you’re looking for a way to try to get your little ones to eat more veggies, stir-fries are a great place to start!

Chicken & Broccoli Stir-Fry

3/4 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, thinly sliced
2 cups broccoli florets
1 cup sliced carrots
1/2 cup sliced onion
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 scallions, chopped

For the sauce:
3/4 cup chicken broth
1 Tbsp cornstarch
2 Tbsp Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar

Combine soy sauce, veggie oil, garlic, and scallions in a Ziploc bag. Add chicken to bag and toss to coat. Let marinade 30 minutes while you prep the rest of the veggies and sauce.

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. In a large bowl, combine 1 cup of ice and 2 cups of water. Toss broccoli florets into the boiling water for 2 minutes. Remove, and place in the ice bath to set the color and stop the cooking process. Drain, and place florets on a clean kitchen towel to dry.

Drain the excess marinade from the protein. Place your sauce, vegetables and protein near the stove.

Heat 1/4 inch vegetable oil in a wok or skillet over medium heat. Add the protein; stir slowly until almost opaque; about 1 minute. Transfer to plate; discard the oil and wipe out the pan.

Heat the pan over high heat; 1 to 2 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons oil and add the vegetables, starting with the carrots – then the broccoli and onions. Stir-fry until crisp-tender.

Add the protein and sauce and stir until the sauce is thick and the vegetables and protein are cooked through, about 3 minutes. Think with chicken broth, if needed. Garnish with sliced scallions, peanuts, sesame seeds, or cilantro.

Grilled Baby Bok Choy

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Grilled bok choy is one of my favorite vegetable side dishes. I usually cook it when we’re putting something on the grill anyways – steak, chicken, kabobs.  Often I’ll just keep the seasoning simple – olive oil, salt, and pepper. But, whenever I want something a little more special,  I made a wonderful spicy Asian vinaigrette to go on top before grilling.

Some people steer clear of bok choy because it falls under the cabbage category. If you think you don’t like cabbage, give this recipe a try. I too, was a “cabbage hater”, but bok choy really brought me around. It’s a very mild flavor, so it’s a great place to start. Feel free to play around with the flavorings in the vinaigrette too. I like the flavors that the soy sauce and Sriracha lend, but just most things in the kitchen, the possibilities are endless! I like to use  baby bok choy if I can find it, because it cooks so quickly and is tender. Large heads of bok choy will work as well, but you should quarter them before grilling.

Grilled Baby Bok Choy

4 heads of baby bok choy (or 1 head of full-sized)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon Sriracha
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat for 15 minutes, and lightly oil the grate.

In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, sesame oil, Sriracha, and black pepper. Slice the bok choy in half, lengthwise. Brush the cabbage with the soy sauce mixture on the cut side, letting the vinaigrette fall into the grooves.

Lay the bok choy on the preheated grill, cut side up. Cook until the stalks show grill marks and the leaves are crisp at the edges, about 2 minutes. Turn the bok choy, brush with remaining soy mixture, cover, and grill the other side for about 2 more minutes. Remove to platter and serve.

Yakitori

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I believe that there are probably close to a million ways to marinade and skewer chicken. That being said, I’d say that yakitori (or, Japanese skewered chicken) would have to be near the top of the  list for me. I’ve mentioned before that I took an International cooking class at my local community college a couple of years ago, and this delicious chicken was one of the dishes I familiarized myself with during the course.

I couldn’t find the original recipe that I jotted down from class, but this version was very close to what I remembered. I used boneless chicken breasts this time, but I think they’re even better with boneless, skinless chicken thighs. With a bit of steamed rice and broccoli, it’s a wonderful (and healthy!) weeknight meal to add to your menu soon.

Yakitori

3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons mirin
2 tablespoons sake
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs (cut into 1″ pieces)
1 bunch scallions (cut into 1 inch long pieces)

Mix the soy, mirin, sake and sugar and marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes.  Skewer the chicken and green onions in alternating order.

Grill the skewered chicken, over medium-high heat,  basting it with the marinade until the chicken is cooked – about 15 minutes.

Source: adapted slightly from Closet Cooking

Sesame Noodles

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Sesame noodles are one of my very favorite things in this world. They’re great on their own for lunch, or you can toss it with any number of meats or veggies to make a more substantial meal. I’ve always loved the pre-packaged sesame noodles that I could buy in the deli of a local grocery chain. But, as with most things, I knew a homemade version had to be much better.

For December, its been unseasonably warm here in Maryland. In all honesty, I’m ready for that cold snap – but it hasn’t come yet. It feels so odd to be hunting for our Christmas tree in 65 degree weather! I normally wouldn’t be hungry for a cold pasta dish in December. But, last week I had about a half pound of pasta leftover from a meal – so I halved the recipe and took some pictures. They made a delightful side dish for a roasted pork loin that I made later in the week.

I like to add a smidgen of peanut butter, for a Thai twist. Also, some Sriracha for a little kick of heat. I used a thicker pasta noodle for this batch, but usually use a thin spaghetti. I usually like to add a bit of diced roasted red pepper as well, but I didn’t have any handy. No matter, it’s still perfect. A great dish to enjoy for lunch throughout the week!

Sesame Noodles

12 ounces, thin spaghetti, cooked and drained
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons sugar
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
3 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon Sriracha or chili pepper flakes
2 teaspoons peanut butter
4 tablespoons canola oil
1 tsp black sesame seeds
3 green onions, thinly sliced

In a large bowl, combine soy sauce, sugar, garlic, rice vinegar, sesame oil, canola oil, Sriracha, and peanut butter. Whisk to combine. Taste and adjust ingredients as needed. Pour sauce over warm noodles and toss to coat. Add sesame seeds and green onions,  toss to combine. Refrigerate and let flavors meld for at least 1 hour before enjoying.

Source: adapted from The Pioneer Woman