Category — Recipes

I was overjoyed when a Panda Express restaurant was built near my home. There were two main reasons for my delight: their names were chow mein and orange chicken. This version of orange chicken has helped me resist the siren’s call of the panda more than a few times. Maybe they’ll save a few bucks for your family as well. Although this recipe is simple, frying the chicken in batches will take a bit of time. To use your time better, you may want to double this recipe and tuck half of the cooked chicken in the freezer to be heated up again the next time the urge for take-out hits.

Panda Style Orange Chicken

Serves 6
Prep Time: 40 minutes

2 pounds skinless boneless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into bite-size cubes
1 egg
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Vegetable oil for frying
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon peeled and minced or grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon minced garlic
Dash of red pepper flakes
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon sesame oil

Orange Chicken Sauce:
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/4 cup orange juice concentrate
1/4 cup water
Grated zest from 1 orange

1. Place the cubed chicken in a large bowl. Stir in the egg, salt, black pepper, and 1 tablespoon oil. Mix well. Stir 1/2 cup of the cornstarch and the flour together in a large shallow bowl. Add the chicken pieces, a handful or two at a time, and stir to coat evenly. Tap off any excess.
2. Pour about 1 inch of oil in a wok or deep, heavy skillet and heat to 375 F. If you don’t have a thermometer, heat the oil until it starts to ripple in the pan. Add the chicken pieces, a small handful at time, and fry until golden and crisp, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the chicken from the oil with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Set aside. When cooking the next batch, you will probably need to turn the heat down to keep the chicken from cooking too fast and possibly add a bit more oil.
3. Once all the chicken is cooked, reserve a couple tablespoons of the oil remaining in the wok in a separate bowl. Clean the wok. Combine the sauce ingredients in a large measuring cup and whisk until the sugar dissolves.
4. Heat the wok for 15 seconds over high heat. Add the reserved oil back into the pan. Add the ginger, garlic, red pepper, and green onions and stir-fry for a couple minutes. Add the sauce and bring to boil. Add the cooked chicken, stirring until well mixed. Combine the remaining 1 tablespoon cornstarch and mix until smooth. Stir into the chicken and heat until the sauce is thickened. Stir in the sesame oil. Serve with rice or chow mein.

One night when I was watching TV very late, I came across a cooking show with Mark Bittman, where he described the easiest bread recipe ever.   Google sent me to this post at Steamy Kitchen.   I tried the recipe and loved it, and thought you might like it too.    The trick is to use a heavy oven-safe container with a lid.  I use a cast iron Dutch oven that is 10 inches in diameter and about 4-5 inches deep. Other people use enamel-covered pots or deep casserole dishes with lids.  (Check thrift stores before you buy a new pan.)

Below you’ll find amounts for a double recipe, which makes one big loaf and is a good amount for my pan.  My family can finish it off in one meal.  A smaller family would get a couple meals at least out of it.

Easiest Bread Ever

4 cups white flour

2 cups wheat flour

1 teaspoon yeast

1/2 tablespoon salt

3 cups warm water

Mix together flour, yeast and salt.  Add warm water.  Mix again til well combined.  It will be a very wet sloppy-looking dough.  Let rise in a covered bowl for 8-24 hours.  Dump dough out onto a floured counter and knead with wet hands just until top of dough is smooth.  Don’t try to incorporate lots of flour– one of the reasons that this recipe works so well is because of the high water content in the dough.  Re-wet your hands if dough starts to stick to you.

Once the top of dough is smooth, flop the blob onto a floured tea towel.   (If you only have terrycloth towels, use a pillowcase).  Set the dough, tea towel and all, into a tall narrow bowl to rise for 1-2 hours. It will still be very loose and jiggly– DON’T worry!! It will work anyway!

Near the end of the rise time, rub the inside of your pot with a little shortening and place it into the oven set on 500 degrees.  Preheat pot and oven for at least 10 minutes– you want it to be good and hot.  Once oven and pot are hot, lift dough out of the bowl –carry it using the tea towel like a little ‘hammock’.  Flip it over into the pot, removing the tea towel.  Don’t worry if it looks blobby and ugly.  When it is baked, it will be a lovely rustic-looking loaf.

Put the lid on the pot.   Bake, covered, in a 500 degree oven for 40 minutes.   After 40 minutes, remove the lid, and continue to bake for an additional 10 minutes. Remove when the top is a nice golden brown.   Loaf should sound hollow when thumped.  If you’re not sure if it is done, you can bake it for a few minutes more without hurting anything.  This is a very forgiving recipe.  Last time I made this, I forgot to remove the lid, and baked it 25 minutes too long, and it still turned out beautifully.

Let me know if you try this recipe.  I’d love to hear how it works for you.

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Related links

This bread is wonderful with Confetti Pepperoni Soup

Or try it with Homemade Grape Jelly

The other evening I didn’t know what to make for dinner. Christine mentioned that a friend of hers was having Mexican crab cakes (she didn’t mention til later that the friend was eating at a restaurant!)   I was intrigued and googled a recipe.   Last evening I adapted the recipe to be more affordable  (imitation crab works WONDERFULLY, thankyouverymuch!) and to use vegetables I had on hand.  Here is what I came up with.  My family agreed it was the best thing I’ve cooked in quite awhile.

Mexican Crab Cakes

Makes: 12- 15 patties
Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

1 pound imitation crabmeat
2 large eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
1-2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
2 carrots, grated
2 cups coarsely chopped fresh spinach
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup dried bread crumbs
1/2 cup oil, for frying
1 tablespoon butter, for frying

Sour cream and salsa (optional)

In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs lightly. Add the sour cream, chili, grated carrot, chopped spinach, salt, and pepper. Toss together until well mixed. Add bread crumbs.  Add the crab, shredding it into approximately 3/4 inch chunks. Mix until well combined — mixture will start to stick together.  Divide the mixture into 12-15 cakes, shaping them into patties about 3/4 inch thick and 2-3 inches in diameter.

In a large heavy skillet, heat butter and oil over medium high heat, until a drop of water added to the oil sizzles and pops.  Saute 5-6 crab cakes at a time, for 2-3 minutes on each side, until golden brown on both sides.  Turn carefully so that they don’t fall apart.   Remove to a paper towel to drain after cooking.  You may need to turn down the heat a notch after the first batch if cakes start cooking too fast.

Serve with sour cream and salsa.   Good side dishes include rice, baked potatoes, or polenta.

I’m riffing off this post at Cheap Eats this busy morning. One of my favorite affordable meals has got to be potato soup, topped with a dab of crumbled bacon and a sprinkle of cheddar cheese.  Yum.  What’s your favorite cheap meal at home?

I am doing a happy dance over here. I just emailed the very LAST chapter of my cookbook to my editor. I have just a little editing still to do, but the vast majority of this book is now done! To celebrate, I’m sharing the following recipe, and then I’m going to eat some ice cream.

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Hot Fudge Sauce

Makes: about 3 cups
Preparation Time: 15 minutes

This hot fudge sauce is a real treat. When poured hot over ice cream, it makes a nice shell, and is incredibly chocolaty and delicious.

1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup cocoa powder
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup corn syrup
1/4 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla

Melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Add sugar, corn syrup, cocoa powder, salt, and water and heat slowly, stirring frequently, until sugar crystals have dissolved and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat and add vanilla. You can serve it immediately over ice cream—yum!—or refrigerate it until you need it.

Homemade Marshmallows

Makes: 40-50

Did you know that you can make your own marshmallows in less than an hour? They’re a fun project to do with kids. The finished product is yummier than store bought. You can even make them in different colors if you want.

3 packets (about 3 tablespoons) unflavored gelatin
1/2 cup cold water
1 -1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup water
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
powdered sugar, for dusting

Directions:
Combine gelatin and 1/2 cup cold water in a medium sized heat-proof bowl. Let it sit for 20 minutes.
Combine granulated sugar, corn syrup, salt, and 1/3 cup of water in a small heavy saucepan. Stir over low heat until sugar has dissolved. Turn stove to high and heat until mixture comes to a very brisk boil, stirring occasionally. Let boil for about 2 minutes. If you have a candy thermometer, the temperature should reach about 240 degrees.

Take pan off heat and very carefully pour contents into the bowl containing gelatin. Add vanilla extract. Set timer for 10 minutes. Using an electric mixer, beat mixture on high speed for at least 10 minutes. When the mixture becomes very thick and white and has at least doubled in size, it is done.

Using a rubber spatula, scoop mixture into a 9×12 casserole dish that has been generously dusted with powdered sugar. Let marshmallows sit at room temperature, uncovered, for at least 4 hours, or overnight. Don’t panic if they look incredibly sticky at first. They will thicken up as they cool. Cut into squares. They’ll still feel quite sticky as you cut them, but cut them as cleanly as possible with a wet knife. Then dust cut edges with additional powdered sugar, and they will feel like ‘real’ marshmallows.
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Note: For marshmallows with different colors and flavors, add a small amount of unsweetened kool-aid powder to the mixture on the stove as you are heating it.

Brownie Delight

Makes a 9×12 pan
Preparation Time: 45 minutes

If you like your brownies rich and fudge-like, this recipe is for you! Melting the butter and sugar on the stovetop before stirring it into the batter is one thing that makes this recipe extra yummy.

Ingredients:
2 sticks butter (1 cup)
2 cups brown sugar
1/4 cup good baking cocoa
2 cups semi-sweet or dark chocolate morsels
4 eggs
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine the butter and sugar in a pan, and heat until simmering, but not quite boiling. Sugar crystals should be all dissolved. Remove from heat and add chocolate chips, stirring until chocolate is melted. Let cool a few minutes.

In a bowl combine flour, baking cocoa and salt. Add vanilla and eggs and mix til combined. Then add melted chocolate mixture and mix well. Pour into the greased 9×12 pan. Bake for 28-30 minutes at 350 degrees. You want this gooey, but set. Let cool, and enjoy!

Homemade Donuts with Orange Glaze

Makes 1 dozen

This evening my 10 year old son made this recipe for us. It is not difficult and results in donuts with a crispy outside and a lovely soft interior. I did help him with the frying of the donuts, as I didn’t want him to get hurt by hot grease. If you’ve never made home made donuts, give this recipe a try. You may be surprised at how easy it is!

1 tablespoon yeast
1/2 cup warm water
1/2 cup buttermilk (or make your own with a scant 1/2 cup milk and 1 tablespoon vinegar)
3 tablespoons shortening, melted
1/4 cup sugar
3 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
vegetable oil, for frying (at least 2-3 cups)

For Glaze:
2 -1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon of freshly grated orange zest

Dissolve yeast and in warm water in a large bowl. Stir and let sit for 5 minutes. If you are making your own ‘buttermilk’, mix milk and vinegar and let it sit 5 minutes also. Into a bowl measure 2 cups flour and mix with baking powder, sugar and salt. Add buttermilk, yeast mixture, and melted shortening and mix well. Add enough remaining flour to make a soft dough.

Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead for a minute or two. Roll dough to 1/2 inch thick and cut with a donut cutter. If you don’t have a donut cutter, use a large glass tumbler to cut the outside of the donuts and a small lid (like on the top of a bottle of cooking oil) to cut the hole in the center. Place doughnuts on wax paper or on a lightly floured counter. Let rise about an hour. (Donuts will puff even more during cooking.)

Fill a medium sized deep pot about 2-3 inches deep with oil. I chose a pot that would just fit 3 donuts at once, so I didn’t have to use so much oil. Heat oil over medium heat to 325 or 350 degrees. If you don’t have a thermometer, let oil heat 3-4 minutes and trial the temperature by frying one donut. One side of the donut should get a nice medium brown in about a minute, at which point you should carefully flip the donut and cook for another minute on the other side. If the donut gets dark brown before the time is up, the oil is too hot, and you should turn the burner down.

The oil will get hotter the longer it heats. After your first batch, you’ll need to turn the burner a little cooler so that the donuts don’t cook too fast, which results in dark outsides and doughy centers. If needed, you can also add a bit more oil to cool the temperature down even more. However don’t let the oil cool too much or the donuts will cook too slowly and be overly greasy. Cook donuts about 2 minutes each or until lightly golden in color, turning once. Drain well on paper towels.

For Glaze:
Combine 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar with 1/4 cup milk and 1 teaspoon orange zest. Stir until smooth. using a knife, spread glaze over the tops of donuts while still hot, allowing extra glaze to drip off. Cool or serve warm. Or do like I did and make a double batch, half to eat warm and half to eat later. Enjoy!

Cut all juicy parts out of oranges and cut skins into slices.

Blanch in boiling water, then simmer in sugar water for 30-60 min.

Drain and bake on a drying rack in a 200 degree oven for an hour.

Here the oranges are all dry and crystal-sugary wonderful.

Oranges cooling after being dipped in melted chocolate

A detailed version of this recipe is here.

I started making this bread recipe years ago. It is a wonderful moist bread with a lovely color and flavor.

Dry Ingredients:
3-2/3 cups flour
1-1/2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cloves
3/4 cup chopped walnuts

Wet Ingredients:
1 16-oz can whole berry cranberry sauce
1 16-oz can pumpkin
2/3 cup oil
4 eggs

Mix all dry ingredients together in a large bowl. In a second bowl mix together all remaining ingredients until well mixed. Add pumpkin mixture to flour mixture and stir until all ingredients are well moistened. Pour into two well-greased loaf pans. Bake at 350 degree for one hour, or until bread tests done with a toothpick. Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then remove from pan.

Orange Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup undiluted orange juice concentrate
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

In a small bowl mix together all glaze ingredients until smooth. Drizzle over cooled bread.