Peanut Chicken & Lemon Rice

My daughter, Kim, spent about six years living and teaching English in China. She loved trying  new and different foods China living had to offer.  Kim would try scary and unidentifiable foods at least once! I remember seeing a photo of a chicken foot floating in the soup pot.  Brian and Victoria Rice taught at the same university with Kim and several other Americans.  This became a little family away from home and  Victoria would make sure they celebrated American holidays together and had their favorite American foods.  This Peanut Chicken recipe came from Victoria. Kim kept telling me how delicious it was so she made it for us when she came back home.  I don't think it's a genuine Chinese dish but I'll always associate it with Kim, the Rices and China.

Peanut Chicken 

1 cup peanut oil*

1/2 cup white wine vinegar*        *see note

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup lemon juice

12 cilantro sprigs

8 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 tsp. crushed red pepper

1 cup chunky peanut butter

6 whole chicken breasts

Mix ingredients together in large bowl. Add chicken to sauce and marinate in refrigerator 2-3 hours or overnight. Remove chicken and broil 10 minutes on each side. Check for doneness.

*This is how the original recipe was given to me. I cut the amount of oil to 1/2 cup and the vinegar to less than a 1/4 cup.

Notes:

Set aside some of the sauce before adding raw chicken.  It's good on white rice.

Chunky peanut butter works the best.

Finely chopped cilantro would taste good on the finished chicken.

I didn't marinate chicken. I put everything in a crock pot and cooked on High for about 3 hours.

Notes from Victoria:

• Add the following ingredients to above recipe: 1 tbsp. Hoisin sauce, 4 tsp. fresh & finely chopped ginger, & 1 tbsp. (not tsp.) crushed red pepper.
• There's also a Lemon Rice that goes along with the Peanut Chicken.

Lemon Rice (serves 6)

Combine:

3 1/2 c. water                                                                                                                                             2 c. long grain white rice

1/2 c. lemon juice

1 tsp. salt

2 tsp. butter

Bring all ingredients to a boil, simmer 20 min. Add 2 tsp. fresh lemon rind and 1/2 c. angel flake coconut.

Sweet & Sour Chicken

I cut this recipe out of a magazine many years ago.  The first time I tried it my family declared it a winner. The bread is Udi's Multi Grain gluten free bread.  I found it in Kroger's bakery.  It has become my new favorite bread.

 Sweet & Sour Chicken (4-5 servings)
1 lb boneless chicken breasts, cut into cubes
2 tbsp oil
2 cups broccoli florets
1/2 cup red pepper strips
1 cup matchstick carrots (or strips)
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tbsp cornstarch
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 - 8 oz can tidbit size pineapple in juice
3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
3 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp ground ginger
Brown chicken in hot oil in large skillet or wok.  Add vegetables and garlic. Cook and stir 1-2 minutes. Mix cornstarch with soy sauce; add to pan with pineapple and juice, vinegar, sugar, and ginger. Bring to a full boil.
Serve over white rice.

Notes:
Double the soy sauce and cornstarch for more sauce.
Fresh pineapple works well but don't omit pineapple juice.
Fresh grated ginger works but start with small amount. Add more to taste.
Have all ingredients prepped before cooking begins.

Both my daughters love this recipe. Kara made it for her family the same day I posted this recipe. :D

Kim started craving this dish and made it the next day. :D



White Chili and Cornbread Muffins

I've made this White Chili recipe for years. It's so easy and feeds 10-12 people. Cornbread and chili go together in my book. I've tried many gluten free cornbread recipes looking for a slightly sweeter muffin that resembles the "Jiffy" box kind.  I finally combined several recipes to come up with my own version.  I included the little "honey bear" in the photo. Annibee Honey goes great on cornbread.  Annalie is my neice and she and her family have bee hives and sell honey. Check them out if you live in the Elkhart, IN area.



White Chili

2 lbs skinless, boneless chicken breasts

2 - 14 oz cans chicken broth

Cut up raw chicken in very small pieces and cook in broth until done.

Add:

1 - 48 oz jar Great Northern beans

1 - 16 oz jar mild or medium salsa

1 - 8 oz pkg Monterrey Jack or cheddar cheese, grated

1 1/2 tsp chili powder (or to taste)

salt & pepper (to taste)

Mix and heat.

Cornbread Muffins  (makes 12)

1 1/4 cup yellow cornmeal

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 cup sugar

Combine above ingredients together and set aside.

1 egg

Beat egg in large bowl.

Add:

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup sour cream

1 1/2 tbsp Crisco shortening, melted

1/2 cup canned creamed corn

Add dry ingredients and combine until smooth.

Scoop into well-greased 12 muffin pan (or use foil liners)

Bake in 400 degree preheated oven for 22-25 minutes. Check with toothpick for doneness.

Leftover muffins are best stored in refrigerator.

Rootbeer Pulled Pork

Thanks to a friend that raises hogs, we have lots of pork in our freezer. I saw this recipe on "A Year of Slow Cooking" blog and wanted to try it.  I've followed this blog for some time now and even bought her first cookbook. Years ago I made Coke pork chops that were delicious so I thought rootbeer might be even better.  The pork was so yummy! I added a little barbeque sauce to it. Kevin (husband) really liked it.

Veggie Lo Mein

I found this recipe on the Three Many Cooks blog and it was also in the CookSmart section of USA Weekend. When I watched the "how-to" video I really thought I could smell this wonderful dish!  I followed the recipe except I used gluten-free brown rice noodles for the spaghetti.  I still have mixed thoughts about tofu but I'm glad I included it in the recipe.  The vegetables should have been crispier but I accidentally overcooked them.  Shrimp would be a great addition next time.

Welcome to Seasoned Celiac

I clearly remember the call from my doctor.  He told me that tests results showed I had celiac disease. He had to spell the word because I had never heard of it before.  It was such an emotional roller coaster ride at first. I was so happy to FINALLY have a diagnosis, but I also felt so devastated with  the radical life style change I would have to make for the rest of my life.  Information about celiac disease was difficult to find.  Gluten free food was almost nonexistent.  That was December, 1990. Twenty years later, I've become a "seasoned celiac".  After several "melt downs" in the beginning, I made the decision to focus on the food I could eat and not despair about the long  list of foods that were now poison to me. It's been a challenge in the kitchen, but I have learned so much and thought it was time to share.