Chicken Lo Mein

I love Chinese food! It isn’t something that I’ve always enjoyed....it took some getting used to and a little trial and error, but eventually I liked it and now even crave it from time to time. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I'm a gal from the midwest and, while growing up, our meals consisted mostly of meat and potatoes so Chinese food was not something that fit in with our meal plan. I remember the first time I tried Chinese food, I hated it....wouldn't, couldn't even finish my meal. But after a few times of going to Chinese restaurants and trying different dishes, I finally found a few that I liked. Now, after several years, I have a large list of dishes that I enjoy.

I have three favorite restaurants that I frequent but lately all of them have failed me. The last three or four times I’ve been to these restaurants the food has been horrible! So, I decided to take matters into my own hands and attempt to prepare one of my favorite dishes myself. Chicken Lo Mein is a recent addition to my favorite Chinese dishes and hoping that it would be easy to make, I went online and searched until I found one that looked good and easy.

Chicken Lo Mein
Print Recipe

1/2 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast
Marinade
2 teaspoons light soy sauce
1 teaspoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry (I used Mirin - sweet cooking rice seasoning)
1/4 teaspoon sesame seed oil
1 teaspoon cornstarch
Sauce
3/4 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon oyster sauce
3/4 teaspoon sugar
Other
1/2 pound Chinese noodles
1 cup thin carrot strips (about 1 carrot)
1-8 ounce can straw mushrooms (I'm slicing these next time)
3 tablespoons vegetable or peanut oil for stir-frying, or as needed
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1/4 teaspoon salt
Salt and pepper to taste, if desired

Cut the chicken into thin strips about 2 inches long. Add the soy sauce, rice wine or sherry, sesame oil and the cornstarch. Marinate the chicken for 20 minutes.

While the chicken is marinating, prepare the other ingredients: Combine the sauce ingredients in a bowl and set aside.

Cook the noodles in boiling water until they are cooked al dente (tender but still firm). This will take about 3 minutes for fresh noodles, and 4-5 minutes for dried. Drain, rinse with cold water, and drain again.

Cut the carrot into thin strips to match the chicken. Rinse the straw mushrooms under running water to remove any "tinny" taste. Drain Thoroughly.

In a large frying/saute pan or wok, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium high to high. Add the garlic, stir-fry for a few seconds until aromatic, then add the chicken. Stir-fry the chicken until it changes color and is 80 percent cooked. (If you need more oil, try adding 1 tablespoons water). Remove the chicken and clean out the pan.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil and the salt in the wok. Add the carrots and mushrooms. Stir-fry for 1 minutes, then add the chicken. Add noodles, stirring to mix in the other ingredients. Add the sauce into the pan, mixing with the other ingredients.

Cook for 2 more minutes. Taste and add salt or pepper if desired. Serve hot.

Yield: 4 servings

Notes:
Spaghetti or linguini can be used instead of the Chinese noodles.

If you don't like the whole straw mushrooms, slice them. If you don't want or can't find the straw mushrooms just use a can of regular. Can also use fresh mushrooms.

Sliced boneless skinless chicken breast - 1/2 pound.

Ingredients for marinade.

The Marinade: soy sauce, Chinese rice wine (Mirin), sesame seed oil and cornstarch in a bowl...I used a pie pan.

Chicken combined with the marinade.

Remaining ingredients...except for the noodles.

Oyster sauce.

The Sauce: chicken broth, oyster sauce and sugar.

I wanted to use authentic Chinese Lo Mein Noodles so I drove (about a 40 minute drive) to Jungle Jim's International Market  (a favorite place to shop) in order to buy some. Had to laugh when I found them in their Asian section and saw, in the lower right hand corner, the words, Made in the USA. I guess we still do make a few things here, just surprised that it's Chinese noodles.

  These are the "authentic" Chinese noodles, if you can't find them, substitute spaghetti or linguini.

Boil noddles for 4-5 minutes. Should be tender but firm (al dente).

Straw mushrooms....I've never seen these before. If you can't find them, substitute regular canned mushrooms or fresh. When using canned, rinse and drain well.

I forgot to take a picture of this, but you need cut carrot into thin strips.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium high to high heat. Add chopped garlic, stir-fry for a few seconds.

Add marinated chicken and stir-fry until almost completely cooked. Remove from pan and clean out pan (wipe with a clean cloth or towel). 

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil, add salt. Add the carrots and mushrooms. Stir-fry for 1 minute. 

Add the chicken. 

Then add the noodles and stir to mix in. Add the sauce, stirring to mix in with the other ingredients. Cook for 2 more minutes. Taste and add salt and pepper if desired.

Now you're ready to serve!

This was very good! Michael and I both agreed that it was better than any of the Chinese meals that we’ve had in a long time.

Now that my first attempt at making Chinese is a success, I’ll be looking for more dishes to try. Anyone have a good egg roll recipe?

The Barefoot Contessa's - Perfect Roast Chicken

One of my favorite Food Network hosts and cookbook authors is Ina Garten…. I really enjoy watching her show, The Barefoot Contessa. Most of her recipes look very good and I find her to be knowledgeable and her on air personality to be, entertaining and calm, and she doesn’t grate on my nerves like so many of the newer hosts. I think I have almost every one of her cookbooks but am embarrassed to admit that as much as I like her, her program and cookbooks, I’ve only prepared one of her recipes. Years ago I made a brownie recipe and it was fabulous!

I’ve wanted to roast a chicken and wanted to do something a little different than my usual way and had been looking at her Perfect Roast Chicken for about a year or so. I think the thing that kept me from using her recipe was the fact that it called for fennel…I have had no experience with this vegetable…ever. I had no idea what to look for, how to prep this vegetable or whether I would even like it….but part of my cooking experience is to try something new, at least once in a while. How am I to grow as a cook if I don’t try different foods and recipes and techniques….and I have been stuck in a rut lately. So, I pulled out some cookbooks and looked on line to read up on fennel, went to the supermarket and bought one, along with the rest of the ingredients for this recipe and went to work.

Perfect Roast Chicken
by Ina Garten - Barefoot Contessa
Print Recipe

1 roasting chicken (5-6 pounds)
Kosher Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 large bunch fresh thyme, plus 20 sprigs
1 lemon, halved
1 head garlic, cut in half crosswise
2 tablespoons butter (1/4 stick) melted
1 large yellow onion, thickly sliced
4 carrots cut into 2-inch chunks
1 bulb fennel, tops removed, and cut into wedges
Olive oil

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Remove the chicken giblets. Rinse the chicken inside and out. Remove any excess fat and leftover pin feathers and pat the outside dry. Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the chicken. Stuff the cavity with the bunch of thyme, both halves of lemon, and all the garlic. Brush the outside of the chicken with the butter and sprinkle again with salt and pepper. Tie the legs together with kitchen string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the chicken. Place the onions, carrots, and fennel in a roasting pan. Toss with salt, pepper 20 sprigs of thyme, and olive oil. Spread around the bottom of the roasting pan and place the chicken on top.

Roast the chicken for 1 1/2 hours, or until the juices run clear when you cut between a leg and thigh. Remove the chicken and vegetables to a platter and cover with aluminum foil for about 20 minutes. Slice the chicken onto a platter and serve it with the vegetables.

I’ve never cooked with or eaten fennel before….it reminds me of anise…has a mild licorice flavor. I thought, especially after it was roasted and became caramelized that it was quite tasty. I rinsed it off then removed the green tops and just used the bulb.

Salt and pepper the inside of the chicken then stuff with thyme, lemon and garlic.

Brush with melted butter. I love these silicone brushes!

Salt and pepper, tie legs together and tuck under wing tips.

Toss carrots, fennel, onion and thyme in olive oil.

Place chicken on top of vegetables, place in oven and roast for 1 1/2 hours...or until the temperature (taken in breast) reaches 165 degress F.

Place chicken and vegetables on a platter, cover with aluminum foil for about 20 minutes then slice chicken and serve.

The chicken was delicious....it was moist, tender and I could definitely taste the thyme. The roasted vegetables in the bottom of the pan were nicely roasted and caramelized. There were plenty of drippings in the pan for gravy...I just chose not to make any. I decided to serve the chicken with some recently purchased fresh green beans that I cooked in the slow cooker.

Texas White Chili

The first time I had this chili was several years ago when my cousins, Jayne and Jill and I got together for a day of catching up....which of course, also included food. Jill provided the house, bread and drink, I baked my famous Turtle Brownies and Jayne made this delicious chili. I had never had a white chili before so was happy to have the opportunity to try it. It was so good that I asked Jayne for the recipe so that I could make it...unfortunately, I just now got around to it...a few years later. The November Challenge on BakeSpace  was soup and bread so I decided this was the perfect time to make this chili...I also made a copycat version of Red Lobster's Cheddar Biscuits.

Texas White Chili
Print Recipe

1 lb. dried Great Northern white beans -rinsed and picked over
2 lbs. boneless -- skinless chicken breasts, diced
5 T olive oil
2 medium onions -- chopped
4 large cloves garlic -- minced (I add a bit more)
1 T ground cumin
1 t dried marjoram
1 1/2 t dried oregano leaves
1 T jalapeno peppers -- chopped, with juice
1/2 t cayenne pepper
6 C chicken stock
3 C shredded white cheddar cheese (12 oz.)
Garnishes: sour cream -- tomato salsa, chopped fresh cilantro

Place beans in large pot. Add enough cold water to cover by 3 inches and soak overnight. Heat 3 T of the oil in large pot over medium high heat. Add the chicken and sauté for 5 minutes. Remove chicken with a slotted spoon to a side dish, cover and reserve. Add remaining oil to pot. Stir onions, garlic, jalapenos, cumin, marjoram, oregano and cayenne and sauté 5 minutes. Add beans and stock and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 2 hours, or until beans are very tender. Check and stir occasionally. Add chicken and 1 C cheese and stir until cheese melts. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with remaining cheese, sour cream, salsa and cilantro to sprinkle over the top.

Pre-soaked Great Northern Beans...covered with water.

After soaking overnight

Chopped chicken....the next time I make this, I'm cutting the chicken up a little more.

 Oregano, Cumin, Cayenne and Marjoram

Brown chicken then remove from pan

Add onion, garlic, jalapeno and spices...saute 5 minutes

Add beans and stock, bring to boil then simmer for 2 hours or until beans are tender

Add chicken and 1 cup white cheddar.....cook until cheese has melted.

Season to taste and enjoy.

I already knew that I liked this chili but wanted another opinion so made this while I was visiting Michael. Once I was able to drag him away from his recliner and the TV, where he had been "coaching" his beloved Ohio State Buckeyes, he finally gave it a try.....he gave it a thumbs up. He told me he actually preferred this over our regular chili. So looks like I'll be making this again.

Chicken Salad

I love chicken salad! I love it as a salad with grapes or apples, pecans or almonds, and love it as a sandwich....my favorite way to eat it. I make it using lefover chicken, I'll buy a rotisserie chicken in order to make it and I've even, in a pinch, use canned chicken, but my favorite way to make it is with grilled chicken breasts. I don't really have a recipe and the way I make it is very basic...nothing fancy. All you really need in order to make chicken salad is chicken and some type of dressing....the rest is up to you.

Ingredients:

Chicken (I prefer skinless chicken breasts)

Mayonnaise (I use light mayo....never fat free)

Onion

Seasoning (my seasoning of choice...Poultry Magic, Magic Seasoning Blends by Chef Paul Prudhommes

Celery (adds a nice fresh crunch....I don't add it anymore because Michael doesn't like celery)

As I said my recipe is very basic.

I don't have any measurements here because I don't measure anything. Depending on how much chicken I have, I either use more or less of each ingredient. I add the mayo until it's to the consistancy I like....moist. I don't like it too dry and I don't like it runny, everything else I add to taste.

My grill...the Lean, Mean, Grilling Machine.  I actually have two...this is my small one. When I grill more than one thing, I use the larger....I was too lazy to drag it out so grilled the chicken one piece at a time on this one.  I don't have a gas grill because I prefer a charcoal grill....and yes, I do have a charcoal grill but it's in a box in my garage...haven't put it together yet. So, my trusty George Foreman gets used, almost daily. Can't beat it for speed....chicken is done in 8-9 minutes (depending on size and thickness) and fish is ready in approximately 3 minutes. It's great to use when I get home from work tired and hungry and want to eat almost immediately.

I season the chicken with the above mentioned poultry seasoning, then grill.

When it comes to chopping the chicken, I usually use a chefs knife and cutting board and chop it into bite size pieces (especially if making a salad) but lately I've started chopping it up in my food processor, using the pulse button. It just seems to work better as a sandwich that way and the seasonings get mixed into the chicken really well....I think it tastes better.

I'm wimpy when it comes to chopping onions so usually use my food processor....keeps the tears down to a minimum. I do a few pulses to get them diced up. If I'm at Michael's he chops the onions for me.(he doesn't like to see me cry....you can tell we aren't married)...being a bachelor, he doesn't have a food processor. It's the funniest sight I've ever seen...here is this big man using a little cutting board and small pairing knife. He cuts the onions a piece at time, with a  look of concentration on his face....he takes onion chopping seriously. I've tried to get him to use a chefs knife and large cutting board but he prefers to do it this way. Even though it takes forever, I'll continue to let him chop onions, at least I'm not doing it.

Sorry about that little detour....now back to business.

Once the chicken and onion is chopped, I combine the two.

Add mayo to desired consistancy....as I said before, I like mine moist...not too dry or too runny. Sometimes if I make chicken salad the night before I use it, I have to add a little more mayo.

That's it....can't get much easier than that.