Hoisin Chicken Stir Fry

 

I mentioned last week that I've been working pretty long hours, so by the time I get home, the last thing I want to do is sit in front of my computer.  Some nights I get home so late, I don't even want to cook dinner.  And the night I made this, was one of those nights.  I was trying to get my post for that day written and was having a major mental/creative block, but once the words started flowing, it was hard to stop them, so it was very late when I looked up and thought about making dinner.  Not wanting to put any thought or effort into dinner, I decided to scratch what I had planned and to just throw together something fast and fairly light.  When I think of fast and light, I always go right to stir fries.  This stir fry has all the usual ingredients I have on hand, so feel free to change it up a bit if you prefer different flavors/ingredients.  This is one of those canvas recipes I always talk about :)

Hoisin Chicken Stir Fry
Created by Jenn's Food Journey
Printable Recipe 
Ingredients:
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken (breasts or thighs), cut into bite size pieces
1 small zucchini, slice thin
1 red pepper, stem and seeds removed, thinly sliced
2 teaspoon vegetable oil
1/4 cup hoisin
1 Tablespoon rice vinegar
1 Tablespoon Sriracha (you can use less if you want it to be less spicy)
2 teaspoons low sodium soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon sesame oil

Directions:
In a small bowl, mix together the hoisin, rice vinegar, sriracha, soy and sesame oil; set aside.

In a wok or a deep skillet, heat the vegetable oil over medium high heat.  When the wok/skillet is hot, add the chicken and stir fry for 5 minutes.  Add the red pepper and continue to stir fry for 3-4 minutes.  Add the zucchini and stir fry for 2 minutes.  Add the sauce mixture and stir to coat everything.  Once the sauce starts to boil and thicken, remove from the heat and toss, again, to coat.  Serve over rice.  Enjoy! 

One Year Ago:  Pass it On Week 4:  Chicken Pesto Pizza

Hoisin Chicken & Red Pepper Stir Fry

And yet another simple, speedy, week night meal idea!  Woohoo!  Ok, if you aren't a fan of stir fry this will not make you go woohoo, but if you are...go ahead.... give it a shot.... it feels good.... WOOHOO (In my best Homer Simpson impersonation)!!!  

Hoisin has become another ingredient I've been using a lot lately.  My theory is, if you have it on hand, use it...so I do.  And believe me, if I didn't love it, I wouldn't have it on hand!  It just brings this wonderful sweet, salty, flavor to dishes.  Now I have heard that some people think hoisin is very overpowering...and I guess it can be, in a way, but I never use it by itself, it's always diluted with other ingredients.  If you are unsure of it, add a little at a time.  That's always the best way to handle ingredients you are unsure of.  (because, class, what have I said before??  you can always add more, you can never take it away!!) 
   

Hoisin Chicken & Red Pepper Stir Fry
Ingredients:
For Marinade:
2 Tablespoons Hoisin sauce
1 Tablespoon rice vinegar
1 Tablespoon Sriracha hot chili sauce

For sauce:
3/8 cup fat free, less sodium chicken broth
3 Tablespoons Hoisin sauce
2 Tablespoons raspberry preserves (you can use apricot too)
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips or chunks)
1 red pepper, sliced
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil

Directions:
Combine ingredients for the marinade in a small bowl.  Place cut up chicken in Ziploc bag, pour marinade over, seal, and rub chicken to coat.  Marinate in refrigerator for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Combine sauce ingredients together in a small bowl; set aside.

Heat vegetable oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium high heat.  Add chicken and stir fry 2 minutes.  Add the red pepper and stir fry for 3 more minutes or until the chicken is no longer pink in the middle.  Reduce heat; carefully stir in the broth mixture.  Simmer for 2-3 minutes or until the sauce has thickened, stirring to coat.  Serve over rice.  Enjoy!

(Nutritional info: (does not include rice) 186 calories; 6g fat; 26g protein; 7g carbohydrates; 66mg cholesterol; 526mg sodium)

Chicken Stir Fry with Hoisin Pineapple Sauce

I really wanted to make this stir fry on the grill tonight.. a little peer pressure (ok, there was really no pressure, it just sounds good) from Chris at Nibble Me This could have been the reason... but, wouldn't you know it, the wind picked up and I have nowhere to hide from it, so I decide to use the boring old stove.  Next time, Chris, next time....

This is yet another simple stir fry packed with a lot of flavor.   You could even use pork or beef with this sauce if you wanted to - although I would recommend the pork over the beef - pork just goes so much better with pineapple.  Either way... simple and tasty... it's a must try!

Chicken Stir Fry with Hoisin Pineapple Sauce
Created by Jenn's Food Journey
Printable Recipe 
Ingredients:
1 1/2 Tablespoons Sriracha
3 Tablespoon Hoisin
1 1/2 Tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
3 Tablespoons pineapple juice
2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips or bite size chunks
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups sugar snap peas
1 large orange pepper, thinly sliced
1 large garlic clove, finely minced

Directions:
In a large measuring cup, mix together the Sriracha, Hoisin, soy sauce and pineapple juice until well combined; set aside.

In a wok or deep, non-stick skillet, heat the oil over medium high heat.  Add the chicken and quickly stir fry 4 minutes.  Add the snap peas and pepper and continue to cook for another 4-5 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.  Add the garlic and stir fry 1 minute.  Stir in the sauce mixture and bring to a boil.  As soon as the sauce starts to thicken, remove from heat, stirring to make sure everything is combined.  Serve over rice or noodles.  Enjoy!

 

One Year Ago:  Pulled Pork BBQ Pizza 
Two Years Ago: Chicken Tortilla Pizza

Spicy Cashew Chicken Stir Fry

If you've been reading my blog for at least the last two months, you have probably figured that I love making stir fry.  I always talk about the ease, but I also love it's versatility.  Stir fry possibilities are endless!  This is my take on the well known dish refereed to as cashew chicken.  Hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

Spicy Cashew Chicken Stir Fry
Created by Jenn's Food Journey
Printable Recipe 
Ingredients:
2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into chunks or bite size pieces
2 Tablespoons sweet chili sauce
2 Tablespoons Sriracha
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 Tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon fish sauce
1/8 teaspoon sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons cornstarch
pinch of ground ginger
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1-2 cups broccoli florets
1/4 cup dry roasted cashew nuts
1 teaspoon vegetable oil

Directions:
Place cut up chicken in a resealable bag.  Mix the sweet chili sauce and Sriracha together.  Pour over chicken, toss to coat.  Seal bag and place in refrigerator for 1-2 hours.

In a bowl or measuring cup, add the chicken broth, soy, fish sauce, sesame oil, brown sugar, red pepper flakes, cornstarch and ginger.  Stir until well combined; set aside.

In a wok or deep, non-stick skillet, add the vegetable oil and heat over medium high heat.  Add the marinated chicken and quickly stir fry for 3-4 minutes.  Add garlic and stir fry 1 more minutes.  Add the broccoli and stir fry another 2 minutes.  Add the sauce and allow to thicken, stir constantly.  Remove from heat and stir in the cashews.  Serve over rice or noodles.  Enjoy!

One Year Ago:  Baked Hoisin Tilapia with Hot Mustard Sauce 
Two Years Ago:  Pass it On Week 3:  Brava Steak

Sweet & Spicy Chicken Stir Fry

I have to giggle as I post this...I have made more stir fry recipes since I started this blog then I have in the past two years!  I actually love stir fry recipes because of their ease and quickness.  They are a perfect meal to throw together after a long day at work.  I haven't made them up until now because I thought Chris would not eat them!  Long story short, when we first started dating, Chris told me he very much disliked Asian food.  I immediately threw all the stir fry and/or Asian style recipes to the back of the recipe file and basically forgot about them.  A few months back I decided that I was going to make at least a simple stir fry and Chris would just have to deal with it.  Lucky for me it was good, he loved it, now I can try as many as I want!!!

This is another one of my creations.  The original recipe was a bit too sweet, so I changed a few things around and it should be fine now.  Hope you enjoy it as much as Chris and I did!

Sweet & Spicy Chicken Stir Fry
Ingredients:
3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
2-3 large mushrooms, sliced
1 small jalapeno pepper, cut into thin strips
1 orange bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1 small zucchini squash, cut into strips
2 cloves of garlic, minced
For the Sauce:
2 Tablespoons Hoisin Sauce
2 Tablespoons sweet chili sauce (recommended: Maggi)
1/2 Tablespoon Sriracha hot chili sauce
1 Tablespoon soy sauce

Directions:
In a small bowl, mix all the sauce ingredients together.  Set aside.

Heat oil in a large skillet or wok, over medium high heat.  Add the chicken and quickly stir fry for 3 minutes.  Turn heat down to medium and add the jalapeno and orange peppers.  Stir fry for 2 minutes.  Add the mushrooms and stir fry another 2 minutes.  Add the zucchini and continue stir frying for another 2 minutes.  Add the sauce mixture to the pan and bring the sauce to a boil.  Stir to combine.  Let simmer for 1-2 minutes or until the veggies are cooked to the desired doneness.  Serve over rice.  Enjoy!

Kung Pao Chicken

Velveting.  Does it really make a difference?  This cook says, Yes, I believe it does!

Let me back up just a minute...Velveting is a technique in Chinese cuisine for preserving the moisture of meat while cooking.  Additionally, it provides soft or "velvety" texture to the meat of any entree.

When I first saw this technique showcased on Andrea The Kitchen Witch's site, I was skeptic.  I mean, what does this technique really do to make such a difference in a simple stir fry?  Andrea raved about how tender the chicken is..how velvety it truly was.  I trust Andrea's judgment, so it was time to find out for myself.  Am I sold?  Yes I am!  The chicken was so smooth and tender and melt in your mouth good.  It was just as velvety as Andrea claimed!  I loved it.  I hate to say it, but I will not be doing stir fry another way from here on out.  Oh, and let's not forget the completed product.....it was delicious! I loved the simplicity of the sauce.. I might add just a touch of hoisin next time, but otherwise: simple, delicious, a must try!

Kung Pao Chicken
Adapted from Andrea the Kitchen Witch
Printable Recipe 
Ingredients:
1 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 sweet onion, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1-2 Tablespoons oil (I used vegetable oil)
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1/3 cup cashews
Velveting Marinade -
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 Tablespoon chicken stock
1 egg white
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
1 Tablespoon oil (I used vegetable oil)
The sauce - 
4 teaspoons Sriracha
6 Tablespoons chicken stock
2 Tablespoons water
1 Tablespoon sugar
4 Tablespoons soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon cornstarch

Directions:
Placed the cut up meat in a large bowl.  Sprinkle with salt and add chicken stock, stirring to combine.  Add the egg white and gently mix to coat each piece of chicken making sure not to froth the egg.  Sprinkle in the cornstarch and toss to coat.  Add the oil and stir one last time.  Let the meat marinate for 30 minutes.

While the chicken is marinating, prepare the other ingredients and the sauce.  You want to have everything ready, once the stuff goes in the skillet/wok, things are going to move fast.  In a small bowl, mix together all the ingredients for the sauce and set aside.

When chicken is done marinating; bring a pot of water with one tablespoon of oil to a boil.  Once it starts to boil, lower the heat to maintain a very gentle simmer.  Scatter in the marinated chicken, stir to separate and keep stirring gently until the coating turns white.  Remove the chicken pieces quickly with a slotted spoon or strainer.  Set chicken aside.

Heat a skillet or wok over medium high heat.  Once it is hot, add 1 tablespoon of oil.  Add the onions and stir fry for about 3 minutes, or until just starting to brown.  Add the red pepper and continue cooking another 2 minutes.  Add the garlic and the red pepper flakes and stir fry 1 minute.  Add the chicken and stir fry 1-2 minutes, or until chicken is done.  Add the sauce and let simmer about 1 minute or until the sauce thickens.  Add the green onions and the cashews; stirring to combine.  Serve over rice and enjoy!

Chicken & Basil Stir Fry

 

There is a Thai restaurant out here that serves a killer dish called Crispy Basil Chicken.  It has these crispy little bite size pieces of chicken that have been tossed in a molasses and garlic sauce and it's served over flash fried basil.  It is scrumptious!  I actually haven't been there in years, but, oh how I remember it's sweet crispiness!  It was the first time I'd actually had Thai basil and I fell madly in love with it.  Thai basil has more of a licorice or mint flavor then say sweet or lemon basil.  When I came across this recipe, I immediately thought of that dish.  It's not the same dish of course, but it's got the same basic flavors.  Next time I make it I might change the sauce up a bit, but for now, it was the perfect way to fill the void that the crispy basil chicken had left :)   Don't worry if you can't find Thai basil, any variety of basil will actually work for this dish.

One thing before I leave you... I'm going to try and start adding nutritional information after each recipe.  I can't guarantee it will be with every recipe, but when I can add it, I will.  The nutritional info that goes with this recipe is for the chicken only, rice is not included.

Chicken & Basil Stir-Fry

Adapted from My Recipes.com 
Ingredients:
1 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into bite size chunks
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 red pepper, julienned or chopped into bite size pieces
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes
2/3 cup chicken broth
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons hoisin sauce (optional)
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 cup lightly packed fresh Thai basil, rinsed and chopped (if you can't find Thai basil, any basil will do)

Directions:
In a small bowl, mix ginger, chili flakes, broth, soy sauce, hoisin, and cornstarch until smooth.  Set aside.

In a large skillet or wok, heat the oil over medium high heat.  Add the chicken and stir fry until almost cooked through, about 3-4 minutes.  Add the red pepper and stir fry for 1 minute.  Add the garlic and stir fry another minute.  Add the sauce mixture to the pan and stir until the sauce starts to boil, about 1-2 minutes.  Add the basil and cook just until wilted, about 30 seconds. Serve over rice or noodles. Enjoy!

(Nutritional Info:  202 calories (25% from fat), 5.7grams fat, 30grams protein, 6.5grams carbohydrates)

Simple Chicken Stir Fry

This stir fry is a bit sweet, a bit salty, and a bit spicy....Oh, yes, and let's not forget SIMPLE!  I was in the mood for a good stir fry, but didn't want to put a lot of thought into it... so I opened the fridge and came up with this idea.  Now these are ingredients I always have on hand...this may not be the case for you...so go ahead and change it up.. use what inspires you when you open up your fridge!

****Don't forget to stop by Chris's website and vote for your favorite cover song in his 2nd Annual Great Cover Song Challenge***

****Also, stop by Bo's Bowl and Pam's Midwest Kitchen for some really great cookbook giveaways!****

Simple Chicken Stir Fry
Printable Recipe 
Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons Hoisin
2 Tablespoons sweet chili sauce
1 Tablespoon Sriracha hot chili sauce
1 Tablespoon chicken broth
1 teaspoon lime juice
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1 lbs. chicken breasts, cut into strips or bite size pieces
salt and pepper
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
1 bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 small zucchini, thinly sliced

Directions:
In a small bowl or measuring cup, mix together the hoisin, sweet chili sauce, sriracha, chicken broth, lime juice and garlic clove until well combined; set aside.

In a wok or large deep skillet, heat vegetable oil over medium-high to high heat.  Add the chicken and quickly cooking until almost done, about 3 minutes.  Add the pepper and cook another 2 minutes.  Add the zucchini and cook another 2-3 minutes or until the veggies are done to your liking.  Turn heat down to medium and slowly add the sauce mixture.  Stir to combine.  Let simmer for 1 minute.  Serve over rice.....and enjoy!

Spicy Cashew Chicken

 

Is anyone else a bit shocked that it's already July?  Where the heck did the time go?  It's hard to believe that there was ever a time when I thought time moved to slow.  And trust me, there was a time (like when I was a kid in school) - but alas, those days are LONG gone!  I only say this because I turn 40 this year - Yep, that's right 40 - and it's getting closer and closer and closer to that day.... not that I'm worried.  I'm not going to freak out or anything, I mean it's just a number, right?  The funny this is, I don't feel like I'm turning 40.  I guess I've always had this idea of what I would feel like and where I would be in my life when I turned the big 4-0, but now that it's on it's way, I don't feel much different than I did when I turned 30 and that didn't feel much different than when I turned 25, which only felt different than turning 21 because ... well... it was 21!!

Anyway.. enough rambling.. let's get to the food!!  I like cashew chicken, but always feel as if it's missing something.  So, I put this little number together to give it some much needed oomph!  This was actually inspired by the Sriracha Honey Cashew Chicken that Mary (Barefeet in the Kitchen) posted a while back (too bad mine doesn't look even half as lovely as hers does) - So thank you once again Mary!!!  I highly recommend trying her recipe first, if you haven't already, that one blows this one away!!

A word of caution:  if you don't like a lot of heat, don't toss the chicken with the Sriracha and cut back at least 1/2 tablespoon in the sauce...remember, start small - you can always add more - you can never take away!!

Spicy Cashew Chicken
Created by Jenn's Food Journey
Printable Recipe 
Ingredients:
3 Tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons fish sauce
1/4 teaspoon granulated sugar
2 teaspoons mirin
1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon hoisin
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 Tablespoons Sriracha, divided
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite size chunks or thinly sliced
1 red pepper, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 - 1/2 cup unsalted cashews
2-3 green onions, chopped or sliced (optional - I remembered mine AFTER we had already eaten, of course!!!)
1 teaspoon vegetable oil

Directions:
Place the chicken chunks in a shallow dish and toss with 2 tablespoons Sriracha.  Cover and allow to rest in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

In a small bowl or measuring cup, add the soy, fish sauce, sugar, mirin, sesame oil, hoisin, red pepper flakes and remaining 1 tablespoons of Sriracha; stir until well combined and sugar has dissolved.

In a wok or deep, nonstick skillet, heat 1 teaspoon vegetable oil over medium high heat.  Add the chicken and quickly stir fry for 5 minutes or until the chicken is just starting to cook through.  Add the red pepper and stir fry for 1 minute.  Add the garlic and stir fry for one more minute.  Stir in the soy mixture and stir to coat everything.  As soon as the sauce thickens, remove from the heat and stir in the cashews and green onions.  Serve immediately and enjoy!

One Year Ago:  Pina Colada Grilled Chicken
Two Years Ago:  Shrimp Lettuce Wraps with Serrano Mint Sauce
Three Years Ago:  Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Simple Shrimp Stir Fry and the Giveaway Winner!!

Ok.. I know it's not "Halloween" food, but honestly, we have been so busy getting ready to move into a new house that we have sort of conveniently forgotten about Halloween.  I know, it's sacrilegious, right?  I'm sorry, but sometimes life even gets in the way of my favorite holiday...it's sad but true.  The great thing about this stir fry, is it can be perfect for Halloween night.  I mean it's ready in less than 20 minutes.  And everyone knows you don't get a lot of time in the kitchen on Halloween because you are either taking the kids out trick or treating, or you are handing out candy.  So, it might not be orange and black, but it sure does give you something you need on this hauntingly busy night!!  (And, of course, you can use chicken instead of shrimp - it would be just as tasty!)

Ok... I know you are all waiting for it... the winner of the cookbook giveaway is......

#7 is - Michael Tao: "I am very excited for Stephen's cookbook. Great review as well Jenn. I like cookbooks with witty stories and instructions.  My favourite cookbook is How To Eat by Nigella Lawson." 

Congrats to Michael - I will get your winnings out to you as soon as possible!  And thanks to everyone for commenting!

Simple Shrimp Stir Fry
Created by Jenn's Food Journey
Printable Recipe 
Ingredients:
3 Tablespoons hoisin sauce
3 Tablespoons Sambal Oelek (chili paste)
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon mirin
3/4 lbs 61/70 count frozen shrimp, thawed and tails removed
1/4 cup cooked chicken, chopped (optional - I had some chicken I needed to get rid of, so I used it, it's not necessary, so don't sweat it)
sesame oil
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
2 sweet bell peppers (I used yellow and orange), chopped or diced

Directions:
Mix together the hoisin, chili paste, honey, and mirin until well combined; set aside.  In a bowl, toss together the shrimp, chicken, and about 3-4 drops of sesame oil.

In a wok or large, deep skillet, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat.  Add the pepper and stir fry for 3 minutes.  Add the shrimp and chicken and cook for another 3 minutes or until the shrimp and chicken are heated through.  Stir in the hoisin mixture, making sure to coat everything.  Once sauce is heated, remove from heat and serve over rice.  Enjoy!

One Year Ago:  Halloween - Our Tradition

Hoisin Peanut Butter Grilled Chicken

Ok, Ok, I charred the hell out of this chicken.  I didn't mean to.  Honestly.  I blame it on the hoisin peanut butter glaze.  Yea... that's it... the glaze attracted the fire and caused ghastly burns.  Yea, that's what happened.  It just couldn't have been that I broke a big rule when it comes to grilling:  I walked away from the grill and left it unattended.  I know, I slapped my own hands, so no need to send over the rulers!!  The great thing is, it still tasted amazing!!  But still... It sure doesn't make for a good photo. :)

Despite how charred and burned this chicken looks, the final outcome was delicious.  The chicken was moist (thanks to brining of course) and so incredibly flavorful.  Though, I will admit, I am a sucker for anything with hoisin and/or peanut butter in it!

If you really want to see a good picture... something that truly does this chicken justice.. Check out Victor's site - Random Cuisine - plus he gives you a way to bake the chicken, just in case you don't want to make this on the grill.

Hoisin Peanut Butter Grilled Chicken
Adapted from Random Cuisine
- Serves 2 -
Printable Recipe 
Ingredients:
1/2 a whole chicken
2 cups water
1 1/2 Tablespoons kosher salt
1 1/2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
1 Tablespoons Aleppo peppers (or red pepper flakes)
1 large garlic clove, finely minced
3 Tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 Tablespoons creamy peanut butter
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 Tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon Sriracha

Directions:
Mix together the water, salt, sugar, garlic, and Aleppo peppers.  Place the chicken in a resealable bag inside a large bowl.  Pour the brine over the chicken, seal the bag, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.  Remove chicken from brine and thoroughly rinse under cool water.  Pat dry and place in shallow dish.

Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine the garlic, hoisin, peanut butter, ginger, soy, sesame, lemon juice, and Sriracha.  Reserve half of the sauce.  Pour the other half of the sauce over the chicken and allow to marinate for 4 hours.

Preheat grill to 375 degrees.  Rub oil on the grill grates.  Shake off any access marinade from the chicken and place skin side down over direct heat.  Grill for 8 minutes.  Turn the heat off directly under the chicken, or move to indirect heat, and continue to grill another 10 minutes.  Flip the chicken, baste with 1 Tablespoon of the reserved sauce.  Let the chicken cook another 15-20 minutes or until the chicken reaches a temperature of 160 degrees F in the breast and 180 degrees F in the deep thigh.  Remove from grill and allow to rest 5 minutes.  Serve with any remaining sauce.  Enjoy!

One Year Ago:  Spicy Beef Stir Fry

Hoisin Pork Stir Fry

Well, there was a split decision on this meal:  I loved it... Chris not so much.  Chris said it was due to the texture of the pork I used, but I thought the fact that I used tenderloin made it so incredibly tender.  The flavor he liked, so I guess that we did agree on that part at least :)

Don't let Chris' opinion stop you though (sorry baby!!), I think it was a fantastic stir fry and perfect for a quick week night meal!

Hoisin Pork Stir Fry
Created by Jenn's Food Journey
Printable Recipe 
Ingredients:
3 Tablespoons hoisin
1 Tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup chicken broth
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
1 Tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon Sriracha
drop of sesame oil
1 garlic clover, finely minced
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 lbs. pork tenderloin, cut into bite size chunks or strips
1-2 cups snow peas
1 red bell pepper, chopped or cut into strips
1 teaspoon vegetable oil

Directions:
In a measuring cup or small bowl, mix together the first 9 ingredients (everything except the pork, snow peas, pepper and oil) until well combined.  Set aside.

In a wok or large, deep non-stick skillet, add the oil over medium high heat.  Add the pork and stir fry for 4-5 minutes or just before the pork is fully cooked.  Add the snow peas and bell pepper and stir fry for another 2-3 minutes or until the pork is cooked through and the vegetables are just starting to soften.  Add the sauce mixture and bring to a boil.  Stir to combine everything, remove from heat as soon as the sauce starts to thicken.  Serve over rice.  Enjoy!

One Year Ago:  Tilapia with Lemon Vinaigrette

Teriyaki Chicken over Fettuccine

 

First... I should have used a more tubular pasta...the Fettuccine was just too much for the fork.  Second... I doubled the sauce thinking that we needed more, that there would not be enough of the sauce to "cover" the noodles, but I was wrong (the recipe I've written here has NOT been doubled).  A little of the sauce goes a long way, this is definitely not red sauce :)

With that said...this was pretty good.  Really, it's just a teriyaki chicken over pasta instead of rice.  I used basically the same recipe as with the Teriyaki Hoisin sauce, but left the hoisin out, of course.  I think it would have been even better had I kept the hoisin in it.  This sauce was much sweeter then the hoisin sauce.  Oh, well...you live and you learn, right?

Would I make it again?  Yes, but this time I'd leave it as a stir fry and serve it over rice.

Teriyaki Chicken over Fettuccine
Printable Recipe 
Ingredients:
3 Tablespoons light brown sugar
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon grown ginger
1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
2 chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces or strips
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 red pepper, thinly sliced
1 yellow pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 - 3/4 lbs fettuccine pasta (I would use penne next time)
handful of fresh chopped parsley

Directions:
Cook pasta according to package directions.  Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water. Set aside.

In a bowl, mix together the first 8 ingredients until well combined.  Set aside.

In a large deep skillet or wok, heat 1 tsp vegetable oil over medium high heat.  When the skillet is hot, add the chicken and quickly stir fry for 4 minutes.  Add the red and yellow pepper and cook another 2 minutes.  Add the sauce to the pan and bring to a boil.  As soon as the sauce thickens, remove from heat, add the parsley and stir to combine.  If sauce is too thick, add the reserved pasta water a little at a time.  Spoon over pasta and serve immediately.  Enjoy!

One Year Ago:  Sriracha Chicken Strips

Mongolian Beef...My Way

I was not a big fan of Mongolian Beef when I was growing up.  There was just something about a meal that had that much onion in it that didn't appeal to me back then. Now, my tastes have changed a bit and I definitely enjoy it more.  Though, I still don't order it too often at restaurants because there is always a chicken dish I'd rather have.  After making this recipe, though, I may be more of a fan for it...at least at home!  (most restaurants still serve it with far too much onion for my taste.)  Most recipes I have seen for Mongolian Beef instruct you to deep fry the beef.  Since I'm still trying to keep things more on the healthier side, I decided to do things a little different.  I decided to marinate the beef and then just stir fry it quickly.  I was pleasantly surprised by the outcome.  Though it wasn't "crispy" beef, it was amazingly tender and flavorful.

Before I give you the recipe, I want to talk about a few of the ingredients used.  I'm going to give you suggestions on what to substitute, if you need to, but know that the flavors will not be exactly the same.

First...Rice Vinegar.  Rice vinegar is NOT rice wine.  I found that you cannot substitute one for the other in recipes.  If you do not have rice vinegar you can use white wine vinegar.  You can use apple cider vinegar too, but I'd dilute it with a bit of water.

Second...Hoisin sauce.  This is a Chinese marinating/dipping sauce.  It's sort of like a thick, sweet molasses, soy sauce.  If you can't find this, you could use a barbeque sauce, or for the marinating part of this recipe, you could just use soy sauce.

Third...Sriracha hot chili sauce.   I LOVE this sauce.  I use it a lot and just wanted to introduce you to it.  It is a bit spicy, so make sure to taste as you add.  If you don't want spicy, I would suggest using a sweet chili sauce.  You should be able to find either one these in the Asian food isle at your local supermarket.

Mongolian Beef (My Way)

Ingredients:

1 lbs. flank steak

2 Tbls. Hoisin Sauce

1 Tbls. Rice Vinegar

1 Tbls. Sriracha hot chili sauce

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

1 Tbls. minced garlic

3 green onions, sliced

Sauce:

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1/8 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup water

5 Tbls brown sugar

1 Tbls Hoisin

1 Tbls Rice Vinegar

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Directions:

In a small bowl, combine 2 T Hoisin, 1 T rice vinegar, and 1 T Sriracha.  Slice the flank steak against the grain into 1/4" slices.  Tilt the knife blade at a 45 degree angle to the top of the steak to get wider cuts.  Place steak slices and marinade into a Ziploc bag, seal, and rub the meat to make sure all pieces are coated.  Marinate for 1 hour.

In a bowl, combine the all the sauce ingredients; stir until cornstarch and sugar has dissolved.  Set aside.

In a large skillet or wok, heat vegetable oil over medium high heat.  Add the beef and stir fry until the beef is almost cooked, about 2-3 minutes.  Add the garlic and quickly stir fry 1 minute.  Add the sauce.  Stir to combine and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low and add green onions.  Cook 1-2 more minutes.  Serve over rice.  Enjoy!

Grilled "Hoisin" Marinated Pork Chops

We had such a lovely weekend, weather-wise, I am truly sorry it's time to go back to work.  Although all I really did outside was work (weeding and mowing the yard and washing my car), it was still so very pleasant.  And trust me, I'm very much enjoying this weather as it's about to turn summer here very, very, VERY quickly!

Of course, you know any beautiful weekend will find me next to the grill...... okay, okay, almost all weekends will find me next to the grill - the fantastic thing about living where I don't have to think about digging it out from under snow!!  And what better to grill than meat??  lol  Any meat will do, but two weekends ago, it was pork... mmmm!!!  Now, I stumbled across this recipe on my Grill-it! app and still am not quite sure why the author called it Hoisin marinated.  One, there is no hoisin in his original recipe and two, I couldn't even find a definition of hoisin that would make me understand the name....  Nonetheless, it was a pretty dang good pork recipe and is definitely worth sharing with you....     the sauce recipe... well that's mine... you know you gotta have a good sauce.. I mean, what if I over cooked the chops.... (as if.... ) :)

Grilled "Hoisin" Marinated Pork Chops
Adapted from Grill-It!
- Serves 2 -
Printable Recipe 
Ingredients:
2 boneless, pork loin chops
2 Tablespoons creamy peanut butter
2-3 Tablespoons soy sauce (depending on taste)
1 teaspoon Sriracha 
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
drop or two of sesame oil
For the sauce - (a Jenn's Food Journey Original)
3 Tablespoons sour cream
2 teaspoons Hoisin sauce
2 teaspoon Srircha
1/2 teaspoon lime juice

Directions:
In a small bowl or measuring cup, add the peanut butter and stir it around to help loosen it up.  Add the soy, a little at a time, stirring to incorporate into the peanut butter.  Add the Sriracha, rice vinegar and sesame oil; stirring to combine.  Place the pork in a shallow dish or resealable bag and pour the marinade over, making sure to cover both sides.  Place in refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

To make the sauce - in a small bowl, add all the ingredients and stir until well combined.  Cover and place in refrigerator until ready to use.

Preheat grill to 375 degrees.  Remove pork from marinade and place over direct heat.  Grill 4-5 minutes per side or until the pork reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees F.  Remove from grill and allow to rest for 5-8 minutes before serving.  Serve with hoisin sauce and enjoy!

One Year Ago:  Chicken Stir Fry with Hoisin Pineapple Sauce
Two Years Ago:  Pulled Pork BBQ Pizza
Three Years Ago:  Chicken Tortilla Pizza