Joey's Orange BBQ Chicken

 Many years ago, my family was obsessed with a specific chicken recipe called Honey Chicken. We had it for EVERY big family event, and everyone always loved it. It was also super easy to make... bake it low and slow in the oven for an hour, and then baste it with sauce for another hour..... the chicken always turned out perfectly tender and delicious. Well, ever since then, I always wondered if I could do the same cooking method, but use a different sauce....
  My first thought was to do a BBQ sauce, but that's kinda boring. Anyone can open a bottle of BBQ sauce and pour it over some chicken. Still, it seemed like I was on the right track. Hmmm.. I'll mentally set it on the back burner, and maybe one of these days something will inspire me.
And then one night, I ordered Chinese take out orange chicken. Inspiration strikes! This was my ah ha moment! As I was eating my dinner that night, I thought THIS is how I want my oven BBQ chicken to go! Great! Now it's time to come up with an orange sauce.
  I knew I wanted it to be sweet, sticky, salty, savory, and spicy.  So I stirred together a few Asian-inspired ingredients, and this is where I landed. The orange flavor definitely comes through, and so does the slight heat from the fresh ginger and the crushed red pepper flakes. Perfect! And, once again, the chicken turned out every bit as tender as it was when we made the honey chicken, just as I had hoped it would be.
 If you're looking for a different BBQ experience, you should give this one a try. I'm so pleased with how it turned out. Also, you should keep lots of napkins at the ready! Just sayin'!



4 chicken legs, bone-in and skin on
4 chicken thighs, bone-in and skin on
salt and pepper
1/2 cup orange marmalade
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tbs lemon juice
3 tbs butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbs grated fresh ginger
pinch crushed red pepper flakes

sesame seeds or sliced scallions for garnish (optional)



Heat oven to 300ºF.
Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Place chicken pieces on tray, leaving space between them. Pat chicken pieces dry with paper towels. Season well with salt and pepper. Place tray in oven for 1 hour. Now it's time to make the sauce.
In a small sauce pot, combine remaining ingredients. Bring to a low simmer over low-mediumn heat. Let the sauce reduce until syrupy, stirring often so that it doesn't burn. Remove from heat and set aside until you're ready to use it.
Brush the chicken pieces with the sauce until they're well coated. Place the chicken back in oven for another hour, periodically brushing with more sauce. At this point, you could place them under the broiler for a little char, or finish them off on the grill, but it's really not necessary. Remove chicken from oven and top with sliced scallions or sesame seeds, if desired.



Tips:
Taste the sauce to make sure it's what you want. Is it sweet enough? Add more honey or even some brown sugar. Salty enough? Add another splash of soy sauce. Is it bright enough? Add more lemon juice or some grated orange zest. Can you taste the ginger and garlic? Feel free to adjust it to how you like it!
If your sauce becomes too thick, you can thin it down with a tablespoon or two of orange juice.
I like to use the bone-in chicken with the skin still on. It gets nice and crispy and it keeps the chicken moist. With this method, you definitely don't want to use boneless chicken breasts. They just don't need that long to cook and will come out dry and overdone. If you'd still like to use boneless chicken, then just grill the chicken and brush with sauce as you normally would, instead of the low and slow method.

Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef

 Several years ago, I went to dinner at P.F. Chang's (which is a Chinese food restaurant chain). OMG it's SO delicious. I had the Mongolian Beef, and it quickly became one of my all time faves. I order it literally every time I go back, which is not often enough, btw. (Anyone wanna go?)
 Ever since then, I've been on the lookout for any recipes or restaurants that could even come close. The tender beef, the sweet/salty sauce, no one else's seemed to compare. Well, until NOW!
OK ok, well maybe it's not EXACTLY as good, but so far this one comes closest to the mark. It's from a blog called The Recipe Critic and I tweaked it ever so slightly. It's super easy too, especially since you make it in the crock pot! So, if you want the BEST Mongolian Beef EVER, then you need to go to P.F. Chang's, but in the meantime this one will definitely satisfy your craving. Now all I need to do is get the recipe for their Orange Peel Chicken...  mmmm.



1 1/2 pounds flank steak
1/4 cups cornstarch
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/2 tsp minced fresh ginger root
3/4 cups soy sauce
3/4 cups water
3/4 cups brown sugar
1 cup grated carrots
sliced green onions, for garnish



 Cut steak into thin strips. In a ziploc bag add steak pieces and cornstarch. Shake to coat.
Add olive oil, minced garlic, soy sauce, water, brown sugar and carrots to slow cooker.
Stir ingredients. Add coated and steak and stir again until coated in the sauce.
Cook for high 2-3 hours or on low 4-5 hours until cooked throughout and tender.
Serve over rice and garnish with green onions.



Tips:
I wasn't able to find flank steak, so I used a Top Round (London Broil) steak.
I was also just shy of 3/4 cup of soy sauce, so I added a little Worcestershire Sauce to make up the difference. Worked perfectly well!

Asian Chicken and Veggies

  Are you looking for a dish that comes together in just a few minutes?? If so, I think I've found the perfect thing for you! Lately I've been in the mood for take-out Chinese food, but then I thought "Well, I have a wok, I can just make it myself!!" And frankly I could be enjoying a delicious dish LONG before the food would arrive anyway. So here we go!
 I found (and ever so slightly tweaked) a recipe for Sauteed Asian Broccoli, but then I wound up adding chicken and a few other veggies. Actually, I swapped out a couple sauce ingredients and changed a few of the amounts too. Wait, actually, I didn't cook it the same way either. Anyway, this is where I landed! And honestly, it turned out so perfectly, I immediately made another batch, just so I would have leftovers! It's SO tasty!!! And seriously, it cooks so quickly, it's literally ready in less time than it takes to cook the rice. Now that's what I call a perfect week night meal! Even if you don't have a wok, give this recipe a try. Just use a big saute pan! For an even speedier time, you can prep the chicken and veggies the night before!
Hope you like it!


2-3 cups stir fry veggies of your choice (broccoli, peppers, snap peas, carrots, etc)
2 tbs vegetable oil
1/4 cup water, plus a few splashes
2 pc boneless chicken breast, VERY THINLY sliced into small pieces
3 tbs soy sauce
1 tbs cornstarch
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 garlic cloves, finely minced or grated
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
 toasted sesame seeds for garnish


Heat the oil in a large pan or wok over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the veggies and stir to coat in the oil. Add a few splashes of water. Cover and let the veggies steam for about 3 minutes, or unto most of the water has evaporated. Add the chicken and frequently give everything a good stir.
In a small bowl, mix 1/4 cup water, soy sauce, cornstarch, brown sugar, and garlic. Whisk to combine. Immediately add to the wok and stir to coat everything for about two minutes or until sauce thickens. Drizzle with toasted sesame oil. Serve over rice. Top with a sprinkle of sesame seeds and serve.


Tips:
The original recipe called for crushed red pepper flakes. I wasn't feeling the spice, so I omitted it, but if you're all about the heat, go for it!
Be sure to use just a TINY drizzle of toasted sesame oil. It's only meant to be used as a flavor enhancer, and a little goes a very long way!
If you like a lot of sauce, just double all of the sauce ingredients!
For extra delicious rice, saute a small chopped onion in a little bit of oil, then add your rice to the pot. Instead of adding water, add chicken broth. Then cover and finish cooking as directed. You won't believe how delicious white rice can be!

Joey's Hoisin Chicken with Cashews

 This is one of those recipes that I made and then tucked away for sharing at a later date. I honestly have no idea where I got the original recipe, but I probably didn't follow it very closely anyway. So here is MY version! I'm pretty sure this was one of my so-called "throw together" meals because I didn't write down any quantities. I just threw in a handful of this and a splash of that. If you're planning to cook for a crowd, use A LOT of chicken tenders and A LOT of veggies. Just cooking for yourself? Add just enough for a serving or two. That's really the beauty of it. The method doesn't change, just the quantities. If you don't have a wok, just use a wide shallow pan. But I highly recommend getting one. It makes things SO easy when you want to just throw a few things together for a quick stir fry. I recently bought a new one, and this was the first meal I made. It's SO light and fresh, which is usually how I roll during summer months.
 And one more thing... People always ask me how I cook when I'm not following a recipe word for word. TBH, it's not really something I ever set out to learn. I just DID IT. It's how my Mom cooked, it's how I grew up! You just see what's fresh, you add what you like, if you like a lot, add a lot, and you cook it until it's done. This recipe gives you an outline of what I added, but that doesn't mean it has to be what YOU should add. Would you rather have snow peas or string beans instead of sugar snap peas? Go for it! Don't like onions? Leave 'em out! Or maybe use scallions if you want a milder onion flavor. Before you know it, you'll be a pro because you'll be cooking the way YOU like it!
Boom.



chicken tenders
corn starch
1 large red bell pepper, sliced into strips
1 medium onion, sliced
1 or 2 cloves garlic, minced
big handful of fresh sugar snap peas
soy sauce
toasted sesame oil
rice vinegar
a couple tbs Hoisin sauce
Big handful of cashews


Cut the chicken tenders into bite sized pieces. Dredge in a couple tbs of cornstarch until evenly coated. Crank your wok up to high heat, and working in batches, saute the chicken in a few tbs oil. Cook each batch of chicken until just almost cooked through, but not completely. Remove each batch to a separate bowl as you go. After you finish cooking the chicken, add the veggies and garlic. Stir fry over high heat until you reach your desired level of doneness. If you like crisp veggies, just go a few minutes. If you like your veggies to be a little more tender, then go a little longer. Add a few splashes of soy sauce, a good splash of rice vinegar, and a drizzle of sesame oil. Stir for a minute or two, then add the chicken back to the wok along with the Hoisin sauce. Toss everything together, continuing to stir fry until the chicken is cooked through. Add cashews and give a final toss. Serve over rice, if desired.


Tips:
When it comes to stir frying, you want to have all of your veggies prepped before you even start. It goes pretty quickly because you're cooking at a really high heat.
When using toasted sesame oil, think of it more as a condiment than an oil. You want to just drizzle some in toward the end of the cooking.

Classic Egg Rolls

 No matter what I order from a Chinese menu, whether it's Beef and Broccoli, or Sesame Chicken, or any number of other classic Chinese American entrees, there is always ONE thing that I will order. EGG ROLLS! It's true! I literally order egg rolls 10 times out of ten. Not even kidding. Tbh, it's how I decide whether or not a Chinese food restaurant is good enough. Well, dumplings too, but that's another story for another time.
 A few months ago, I invited the gang over to make home made Chinese take out. We made our own Beef and Broccoli, and of course we had to make our own egg rolls too. They were DELICIOUS!  I LOVE when we have days like that, with everyone getting involved with the cooking. Lots of laughs, great food, and good friends, usually ending with the dishes piled to the ceiling by the time we're done. LOL Well, like my friend Kelsie said to me recently "Happy kitchens rarely see a clean day!" Hmm.... I wonder if she read that in a fortune cookie somewhere...
 Anyway, if you've never made you're own egg rolls, invite a few friends over, get everyone involved and have an egg roll making party. I bet you there won't be any left when you're done!

1 pound ground pork

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 quart peanut oil for frying

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons water

1 bag cole slaw mix

8 (7 inch square) egg roll wrappers

 Season pork with ginger and garlic powder and mix thoroughly. Heat mixture in a medium skillet, stirring, until pork is cooked through and is no longer pink. Set aside. 
In another large skillet heat oil to about 375F or medium high heat. While oil is heating, combine flour and water in a bowl until they form a paste. In a separate bowl combine the cabbage, carrots and reserved pork mixture. Mix all together. 
Lay out one egg roll wrapper with a corner pointed toward you. Place about a 1/4 to 1/3 cup of the cabbage, carrot, and pork mixture on egg roll wrapper and fold corner up over the mixture. Fold left and right corners toward the center and continue to roll. Brush a bit of the flour paste on the final corner to help seal the egg roll. 
Place egg rolls into heated oil and fry, turning occasionally, until golden brown. Remove from oil and drain on paper towels or rack. Serve with plum or duck sauce, and top with sesame seeds or chopped spring onions, if desired.

Tips:
You can usually find ready-made egg roll wrappers in the produce section of your grocery store.
I like to serve the egg rolls with duck sauce. I tried a recipe for home made duck sauce, but it wasn't quite what I was looking for. One of these days I'll get around to finding the right recipe. And when I do, I'll be sure to pass it on!

Classic Beef with Broccoli

 If there is ONE kind of take out food I could eat several times a week, it would absolutely Chinese food. Actually, I could probably eat it every single day and not get tired of it. From Sesame Chicken to Egg Rolls to Chicken with Garlic Sauce to Lo Mein, I love it all. One of my all time go-to favorites is absolutely, hands down, your classic beef with broccoli. It's the tender beef, it's the stir fried broccoli, yes. But for me, it's all about the savory delicious oyster sauce. OMG I could pour that sauce over anything. It's just so good! Marinate the beef in it with a few other ingredients, throw it into a wok, and in less time than it takes to have it delivered to your door, you're enjoying fabulous beef and broccoli. Simple, right? Serve it with your choice of rice, and you're good to go.
 I made this for the gang a few months ago and everyone loved it. Definitely gonna need to make this again soon! You should give it a try too!

1/3 cup oyster sauce

2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

1/3 cup sherry

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon white sugar

1 teaspoon cornstarch

3/4 pound beef round steak, cut into 1/8-inch thick strips

3 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more if needed

1 thin slice of fresh ginger root

1 clove garlic, peeled and smashed

1 pound broccoli, cut into florets

	Whisk together the oyster sauce, sesame oil, sherry, soy sauce, sugar, and cornstarch in a bowl, and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Place the steak pieces into a shallow bowl, pour the oyster sauce mixture over the meat, stir to coat well, and marinate for at least 30 minutes in refrigerator.
	Heat vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat, and stir in the ginger and garlic. Let them sizzle in the hot oil for about 1 minute to flavor the oil, then remove and discard. Stir in the broccoli, and toss and stir in the hot oil until bright green and almost tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove the broccoli from the wok, and set aside.
	Pour a little more oil into the wok, if needed, and stir and toss the beef with the marinade until the sauce forms a glaze on the beef, and the meat is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Return the cooked broccoli to the wok, and stir until the meat and broccoli are heated through, about 3 minutes.

Tips:
You'll find bottled oyster sauce in your grocery store in the international foods aisle.
Don't have a wok? Use a big skillet!

Joey's Hawaiian Chicken

I recently invited a few friends for dinner, but wasn't really in the mood for a huge project in the kitchen. I just wanted something that was quick and easy, but still deliciously comforting and satisfying. Based on a few of the ingredients I already had on hand, I Googled a few recipes, made a few changes and here we are!
 I must say this recipe FAR exceeded my expectations. It turned out perfectly! Just the right amount of sweet and savory and garlic and soy sauce and colorful vegetables. And it was ready in a snap!!!
 It doesn't happen all the time, but this one was perfect right on the first try. It's just the thing for a warm summer day when you don't feel like turning on the oven. You should definitely try this one!!


1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into chunks
flour for dredging 
salt and pepper
a few glugs of peanut oil (or other nut oil, or regular vegetable oil)
1 (20-oz) can pineapple chunks in pineapple juice 
2 tbs soy sauce 
2 tbs honey 
2 tbs brown sugar
2 tsp fresh ginger,grated
2 tsp fresh garlic, minced 
pinch crushed red pepper flakes 
drizzle of toasted sesame oil
1 bunch of broccoli, cut into florets 
1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
2 tbs corn starch
2 tbs water
Scallions and sesame seeds to garnish, optional

  Place flour in a bowl with a little salt and pepper. Dredge chicken in seasoned flour until lightly coated. Shake off excess. Heat oil in a large skillet or wok over medium high heat. Working in batches, add chicken to the skillet. Cook until slightly browned on all sides, but not cooked all the way through. Remove to a plate.
In the meantime, combine pineapple chunks and juice, soy sauce, honey, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, pepper flakes, and sesame oil in a medium bowl. Set aside.

Add pepper slices and broccoli florets to the skillet and stir fry until crisp tender. Add pineapple mixture and chicken to the pan and turn to high heat. Give everything a good stir and bring it to a boil.

 Combine corn starch and cold water in a small bowl. Pour over chicken mixture in skillet. Toss everything to combine and cook until the sauce thickens to syrup-like consistency. Serve over rice. Sprinkle with chopped scallions and sesame seeds over top, if desired. 

 

Tips:

I served this over Jasmine rice, but you can choose any favorite rice. For extra flavorful rice, cook it with chicken broth instead of water! 

I think next time I make this, maybe I'll add some sugar snap peas. Just sayin!

If you're cooking for guests, get a head start before your guests arrive: Yes, partially cook the chicken as directed, but also do the same by steaming the vegetables for a bit, and also mixing the sauce ingredients. Just have everything at the ready until your guests arrive. Then you can just throw everything into a hot wok. By the time the sauce thickens, the chicken and veggies will be perfectly cooked!

Crock Pot Honey Sesame Chicken

 Here's an easy crock pot dish that I got from my niece, Katie, who got it from a blog called The Comfort of Cooking. (I love when people send me recipes!!) She had just made it in her crock pot and told me that "this one is a winner." Works for me! It's quick to prepare, it uses simple ingredients, and seriously, ANYONE can make it. Pretty awesome, huh? You just throw some chicken in, pour the marinade over it, and turn it on! I love recipes like this! And who doesn't love a crock pot recipe? It's perfect for a Sunday when you're running errands or doing laundry, etc. And frankly, I can never say no to Sesame Chicken. It's one of my all time faves!!  So give this one a try!
Thanx Kate!!


6-8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs or 4 chicken breasts (about 2 pounds)
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup diced onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup ketchup

1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons vegetable oil or olive oil
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
4 teaspoons cornstarch

1/3 cup water
2 packets minute rice, optional
1/2 tablespoon (or more) sesame seeds

3 scallions, chopped

 Place chicken in Crock Pot and lightly season both sides with salt and pepper.

In a medium bowl, combine onion, garlic, honey, ketchup, soy sauce, oil and red pepper flakes. Pour over chicken. Cook on low for 3-4 hours, or high for 2 hours.

Remove chicken to a cutting board, leaving sauce. Shred chicken into bite-sized pieces; set aside. Prepare rice according to package instructions.

In a small bowl, dissolve 4 teaspoons cornstarch in 1/3 cup water; add to crock pot. Stir to combine with sauce. Cover and cook sauce on high for ten more minutes, or until slightly thickened.

Add cooked rice to 4 plates, top with chicken and spoon sauce over top. Sprinkle evenly with sesame seeds and chopped scallions.

Enjoy!

Tips:

You can add some red bell pepper to it, if you like, or just make it as directed. This would also be great to serve with some steamed broccoli. But whatever you do, be sure to include the chopped scallions over the top.  Katie said that was the best part!

Joey's Easy Orange Chicken

 This is an easy and quick recipe to make for a mid week dinner. It only took me about a half hour to throw it all together, and it's REALLY flavorful! Actually, I must confess that the entire recipe isn't exactly mine. I found a recipe online and used it as a base, then I made a few additions and changed the amounts of a few things (as I often do!) and now here we are! So, I guess I can still call it mine, right? Kinda? Anyway, the most important thing is that you'll LOVE it! It has such a refreshing burst of orange flavor and the vinegar and soy sauce just balance everything out. I couldn't stop eating it!!  And Chris and Claire gave me the official "thumbs up" when I asked them to try it. Actually, "Slammin" was the word they used. Come to think of it, they say that for everything.... And btw,....Terri.... NO this is not too many ingredients.... it's just a couple things that you probably already have on hand.
So try it!!!

3-4 boneless chicken breasts, cut into small chunks
flour for dredging
olive oil
salt and pepper
6 oz frozen orange juice concentrate (thawed, not diluted)
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tbs balsamic vinegar
1 tbs soy sauce
1 onion
1 red bell pepper
1 green bell pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp fresh ginger, peeled and grated or minced
1 cup chicken broth (or water)

 In a small bowl, mix the orange juice concentrate, ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, and soy sauce. Set aside.
Dredge the chicken pieces in flour and shake off the excess. Add a few glugs of olive oil to a skillet and lightly brown the chicken on the outside, but don't cook it all the way through. Do this in batches so as not to overcrowd the pan, adding more oil as needed. Transfer the chicken to a bowl and set aside.While the chicken is cooking, roughly chop the onion and peppers. After browning the last batch of chicken, add the onions and peppers to the pan. Saute until softened. Add the garlic and ginger and saute for a minute or two longer. Add the chicken broth (or water) to deglaze the pan. Scrape up any remaining brown bits. Add the chicken back to the pan along with the sauce mixture. Give it a good stir. Reduce heat and let it simmer for about 20 minutes. Adjust seasoning if needed. Serve over rice.

Tips:
I could only find a 12oz container of frozen concentrated orange juice, so I just used half of it. It should be about 3/4 cup. If you're not sure what to do with the rest of the concentrated juice, just store it in the freezer, or make a double batch of the recipe......and of course you can still mix it up to make orange juice. Just simply use half as much water!
I didn't add anything spicy to the dish because I prefer things mild, but Chris thought it needed a little something hot. So, if heat is your thing, go ahead and add a few chopped red chilis, or sprinkle a few red pepper flakes. Add as much as you dare!

Chinese Bourbon Chicken

My friend Glenn is a fellow foodie who loves to try new dishes and then post photos of them on Facebook. As soon as I saw this one I immediately asked for the recipe, because, seriously, doesn't that look yummy???? I'm not sure where he got the recipe, but like I always say, he's the one who brought it to me, so he's the one who gets the credit! It's quick and easy and it's ready in little more time than it takes to cook a delicious bed of rice. Big thanx to Glenn for the recipe, and also for the photo!!!

2 lbs boneless chicken, cut into bite sized pieces
2 tbs peanut oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/2 tsp fresh ginger, minced
3/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup apple juice
1/3 cup light brown sugar
2 tbs ketchup
1 tbs cider vinegar
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup bourbon


Heat oil in a large skillet.
Add chicken pieces and cook until lightly browned.
Remove Chicken.
Add remaining ingredients, heating over medium Heat until well mixed and dissolved.
Add chicken and bring to a hard boil.
Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
Serve over hot rice.

Tip from Joey:
For extra flavorful rice, use chicken stock instead of water.

Egg Fried Rice

As I often say, I'm always watching cooking shows on TV. I love to watch and learn and try and experiment. I'm most particularly drawn to different types of cuisine with which I have the least amount of experience. Lately I've been watching The Cooking Channel like it's my job. I absolutely LOVE that they have so many new shows devoted to food from so many different countries and cultures. One of my new faves is Chinese Food Made Easy. I seriously want to try every single recipe! Well, even though I don't have a wok, I decided to try this one. It was SO quick and simple to make and it's absolutely delicious! The first time I made it, I brought some to my Dad, who is a huge fan of fried rice. He loved it! Then, with a few suggestions from my Jeanie, I added a few other ingredients to the recipe, and it's now one of my new favorite dishes. It's not exactly as I saw on the show, but it's how I make it, and I love it. If you like Chinese food, then you MUST try it.
I know you'll love it!

vegetable oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 cup uncooked jasmine rice
2 cups chicken broth
1 red bell pepper, roughly chopped
3 large eggs
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp grated fresh ginger root
2 scallions, chopped
1 vine ripened tomato, seeded and diced
a few glugs of soy sauce
a few glugs of toasted sesame oil


In a small pot with a lid, saute chopped onion in a small amount of oil until softened. Add uncooked rice and continue to saute for just a minute or so. Add chicken broth, give it a good stir, place the lid on top, and reduce the heat to low. Let it cook until the rice is tender and all the broth is absorbed, about 15 minutes. In the meantime , prep all of your other ingredients.
In a large nonstick skillet or wok, place the bell peppers and a little oil. Saute quickly over high heat until slightly softened, but still crisp tender. Push the peppers off to one side of the pan.
 Add beaten eggs. Keeping them separate from the peppers, stir to scramble. Once the eggs are done, you're ready to put it all together. Add the cooked rice and continue to stir. Add the garlic and ginger along with the tomato and the scallions. Finish the dish with soy sauce and sesame oil. Stir fry everything well combined. Serve immediately.

Tips:
Once the rice has finished cooking, it really goes very quickly, so you should definitely have all of your other ingredients prepped before you start to assemble the dish.
The secret ingredient is the toasted sesame oil. Well, the soy sauce too, but more so the sesame oil. If I didn't have it, I'd probably choose to make something else. It's THAT important to dish. It's what gives it the authentic Chinese cuisine flavor.
If you'd like to add a little heat to the dish, add some chopped chilis to the pan as you saute the red bell peppers, or just sprinkle the dish with some crushed red pepper flakes.
This recipe can be easily adapted for vegetarians simply by using vegetable broth instead of chicken. If you're a vegetarian who chooses not to eat eggs, then by all means, omit them. It'll still be a wonderful dish!
You can find jasmine rice in any supermarket right next to any other kinds of rice, but feel free to use any long grain rice if it's what you have on hand.
For an extra added touch, sprinkle the final dish with toasted sesame seeds.

China - Sesame Chicken

This is my very favorite Chinese American food. When I order Chinese take out, nine times out of ten, I'll order this. Well, OK, ten times out of ten! I absolutely love it! Mitch has been asking me for months to make this, so this is for you, Mitch! I hope you like it! I made it for my family when we all got together to watch the Opening Ceremonies and everyone loved it! I think your family will love it too!




Chicken
4 chicken breasts, cut into cubes
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon sherry wine
pinch of Chinese five spice powder (optional)
2 drops sesame oil
cornstarch, to coat
vegetable oil or peanut oil (for frying)

Sauce
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 tbs toasted sesame oil
1 tsp ground ginger
2 ts chopped garlic
2 tbs brown sugar
1 dash red chili pepper flakes
2 tbs cornstarch (or more if you want a thicker sauce)

sesame seeds (to garnish)
sliced green onions (to garnish)

prepared rice
steamed broccoli


Combine chicken ingredients except cornstarch and let marinate for at least 30 minutes in the fridge.
Drain chicken, (discard marinade) and toss pieces of chicken in cornstarch until coated. Deep fry chicken in hot oil until cooked through. Remove from pan and keep warm in oven while making the sauce.
Combine all sauce ingredients EXCEPT cornstarch in a sauce pan and bring to a boil over medium heat.
Mix cornstarch with a little cold water in a cup until dissolved, then slowly add to the sauce mixture on the stove and heat until thickened to your liking. Gently toss chicken and steamed broccoli spears in sauce until everything is coated. Spoon over cooked rice. Garnish with a sprinkling of sesame seeds and chopped green onion.

Tips:
I like the sauce to be really thick and gooey, so I add extra cornstarch when I'm thickening the sauce.
Use the toasted sesame oil sparingly. A little goes a long way. If you add too much, it'll overpower the rest of the flavors. The same goes for the crushed red pepper flakes. You just want a little shake, even just a pinch.
When I made it, I didn't have any sherry wine, so I just used white wine in the marinade and it was great!