Pantry Chicken and Broccoli 'Lo Mein'

Feeling like takeout, but want to stay at home and save some money? This recipe is easy to execute and full of bold and delicious flavors from the Orient. These ingredients are probably in your pantry and freezer already. The Lo Mein in this recipe is actually spaghetti, left over from a spaghetti dinner I made on a Friday night, two weeks ago.  The uncooked spaghetti was in a large sealed zip bag, but I wanted to go ahead and rotate my pasta stock, so I built a dish around it. Buying the 2 lb. package really saves!  

Some thawed chicken breast, frozen broccoli, peas and carrot blend, and some baby corn come together and BOOM! you've got a delicious one dish meal with all the right moves! 

The black sesame seeds are an added plus, but not necessary, the plain will do just fine.  I used some liquid aminos in this recipe to supplement some of the soy sauce and shave the sodium, just a bit.  I don't worry too much about it in this dish, because the amounts are spread across at least 10 servings.  

Some water chestnuts are a  great inexpensive way to add mega crunch and texture, just a thought!

Recipe:

1 1/2 lb. boneless chicken breasts, cut into strips, then cut into 1 inch, bite sized pieces

1 lb. spaghetti noodles, cooked according to instructions, in salted water, just short of al dente, about 7 minutes.

1 lb. frozen broccoli, thawed

1 c. frozen peas and carrots, frozen

1/2 can baby corn, drained and cut into bite sized pieces

1/4 c. reduced sodium soy, plus 3/4 c. water or stock to make 1 cup.

1/3 c. liquid aminos 

1/4. c. pure cane sugar

3-5 cloves garlic, pressed or finely minced

1 to 2 tsp. Sriracha or to taste

2 tbs. cornstarch, plus 2 tbsp. water to make a slurry

1 tsp. black sesame seeds

1/2 tsp. ground ginger 

SPST

Olive oil for drizzling

Sesame Oil for garnish, optional

Instructions:

In a medium hot skillet drizzled with olive oil, brown chicken in batches.

SPST. (Salt and Pepper to Suit Taste)

While pasta cooks, add the thawed broccoli. After 7 minutes, drain and shock in cold water.

Add pasta and broccoli back to spaghetti pot and drizzle with scant amount of sesame oil and keep warm on the lowest setting.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine soy, water, aminos, sugar, ginger, garlic, Sriracha and corn starch, set aside.

 After the chicken is all browned, add back to skillet , add sauce ingredients from bowl and bring up to a boil

to thicken, then turn off heat.

Add peas and carrots and baby corn, stir.

Pour chicken mixture over pasta and broccoli.

Over medium low heat, fold until evenly coated and veggies/colors are distributed as evenly as possible. 

Check seasonings and adjust as desired. 

Sprinkle with sesame seeds and drizzle lightly with sesame oil.

Sliced Green onion will make an excellent garnish also. 

See and Slay: Italian Style Beef Short Ribs w/ Parmesan Cheddar Mash

The cool weather days at the cabin made for a deliciously decadent comfort food recipe.  I found some short ribs at the local grocer for a virtual steal and grabbed them up, just in case the opportunity arose for some soulful and hearty mealtime.  If the chance would not have presented itself, they simply would have been frozen and transported back home to our freezer there.  The temperatures at the lake plummeted around Tuesday, bringing cold, overcast and pain filled days, as my RA would not be still and all my rebuilt parts reminded me that it was only around 50*F out, even cooler in the wake of dawn.  So much so, that my hands felt like ice and were prickly when I came inside from having coffee on the deck.  Not really what I had mind for summer vacation initially, but every day is a good on vacation, right? I had some fresh herbs on hand and some fire roasted tomatoes and wine, plus the usual aromatics like onion and garlic, so I went forth and created this recipe, full of warm flavors and depth, comforting and soothing to my stomach and bones.  

The twins came over the next day, and I was able to share with them also, my brother in law too.  This made an awesome impromptu elevated lunch and I felt like the 'Belle of the Ball', with no leg work other than a masterful reheat and thoughtful service.  I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as my older sisters and I did.  My tween and teen were somewhat passé on the whole deal, but they did try it and liked it well enough.  This is 'grown folks food' I later went on to say, you guys wouldn't understand' and with a jovial laugh, I then proceeded to plan a more teen and tween friendly dish to accommodate the 'youngins', Bronwyn's Omurice.  

Recipe:

3 lbs. beef short ribs, bone in

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

2 green onions, trimmed and sliced, green and white parts

3 cloves garlic, smashed 

3 sprigs fresh thyme

1 sprig fresh rosemary

2 c. beef stock

1 cup full bodied red wine, I used a 2016 Malbec

1 15 oz. can diced fire roasted tomatoes with juices

1/4 c. fresh parsley, rough chopped plus more for garnish

2 tbs. butter, unsalted

1 tsp. Italian seasoning mixed with 2 tbs. ap flour

Olive oil for drizzling

AP flour

SPST (Salt and Pepper to Suit Taste)

In a heavy bottomed pan over medium high heat, drizzled with olive oil, a pat of the butter and the smashed garlic.

 Brown short ribs that have been SPST.

Brown in batches, as not to crowd pan, add the second pat of butter for additional batches.

After final batches browned, toss in fresh herbs and onions.

Cook to for several minutes until fragrant.

Transfer to a medium sized heavy bottomed saucepan and add stock and wine.

Bring up to a boil, for about 3 minutes to burn off alcohol, then reduce heat to medium and add tomatoes .

Simmer , covered for about 4 to 5 hours or until ribs are tender and ready to fall off bone and liquid is reduced.

Make a slurry with 2 tbsp. flour and 1 tsp. Italian seasoning and remove pot from heat and stir in.

Put back onto heat and simmer for an additional 5 minutes or until slightly thickened.

Adjust seasonings as necessary.  

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Parmesan Cheddar Mash

3 lbs. russet potatoes, cooked

1/4 c. 2 % milk

1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 c. shredded Sharp Cheddar

2 tbs. butter, unsalted

Olive oil for drizzling

SPST

Mash hot potatoes in a medium bowl, add milk, butter and cheeses.  Blend into rusticly smooth mash . Drizzle with olive oil and scallop the top for an interesting presentation.

Makes about 8 servings.

See & Slay: Deep Dish Pepperoni Pizza Puffs

Ingredients:

PEPPERONI, TURKEY OR REGULAR

1 lb. pizza dough, divided, I bought pre-made from deli

Sauce, homemade or store bought

A pair of muffin tins

Olive oil for drizzling

SPST (Salt and Pepper to Suit Taste)

425*F Oven.

Stretch one half of dough across olive oil drizzled muffin tin. Add sauce into each cup and sprinkle cheese.

Spread pepperoni across layer of cheese.

 Add more cheese.

Cover with second half of dough, drizzle with olive oil.

Cover with second tin and place on cookie sheet to bake.

Bake until golden and bubbly, about 12-15 minutes.

,

Invert onto surface to cool for 2 minutes.

Cut into 6 pieces.  Serve with extra sauce on side or as is.

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Best,
D. Smith :)