Chinese chicken salad

This was so  much better than I expected it to be!  I must say I out did myself tonight!  

Ingredients:

1 bag cole slaw mix

2 cups shredded cooked chicken

1/2 cup sunflower seeds

1/2 cup sliced almonds

1 bunch green onions, sliced on the diagonal

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/2 red pepper, slivered (I added this for color)

In a large bowl, mix all ingredients and top with:

The dressing that ROCKS this salad:

2 TBL sesame oil

2 TBL soy

4 TBL rice wine vinegar

2 TBL vegetable oil

2 TBL ketchup

2 garlic cloves
(2) 1- inch pieces fresh ginger
juice of 1 lime
1 tsp chili pepper flakes
3 TBL sugar

Directions:
In a food processor, mince garlic and ginger.  Add the rest of the ingredients and blend until it thickens a little and is smooth.  Pour over chicken/slaw mixture and let marinate for about an hour.   YUM!

Chicken & dumplings

This recipe adapted from The Pioneer Woman.  Its was full of flavor, easy to make, and hearty.  I added sage to mine because I love the taste of sage with any chicken dish.

Ingredients:

2 TB unsalted butter

2 TB olive oil

1 cup all purpose flour

1 whole chicken, cut up

1/2 tsp sea salt, pepper and paprika

1 cup celery, chopped

1 cup carrots, chopped

1 cup onions, chopped

1/2 tsp thyme

1/2 tsp rubbed sage

6 cups chicken broth

1/2-1 cup apple cider

1/2 cup heavy cream

Dumplings:

1 1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup cornmeal 

1 heaping TB baking powder

1 tsp sea salt

1 - 1 1/2 cup buttermilk (or half & half)

Directions:

Mix flour, sea salt, pepper and paprika in a large mixing bowl.  Dredge chicken in flour.  Heat olive oil and butter in a large stock pot.  Brown chicken in oil/butter.  Remove from pan and set aside.  Brown celery, carrots and onion in the same oil/butter you used for the chicken.  You should have some crispy goodness floating around in the pan by now.  I never peel my carrots, just wash them thoroughly.  Stir, and let cook for about 8 minutes.  Add the chicken back into the pan and add chicken broth, thyme, sage, apple cider and heavy cream.  Let simmer, covered, for about 20 minutes.  While the chicken is cooking, make the dough for the dumplings.  Mix together dry ingredients, then add buttermilk a little at a time.  Don't over mix.  The dough should be moist, but not wet.  Remove the chicken from the pan and pick the meat off with two forks, or just use your hands like I do.  You have to remember to let it cool a little first!  Ouch!  Put the shredded chicken back into the pan, and drop in the dumplings making them tablespoon size.  Or you can just use your hands (again) like I do and just pick out little balls of dough and drop it in the pan.  Let simmer for 15 minutes.  Complete goodness!

Chicken cacciatore stew

E-A-S-Y

Ingredients:
2 chicken breasts, cut into chunks
2 chicken thighs
2 chicken legs
1 onion, sliced
2 red AND green peppers, sliced
2 stalks celery, chunked
2 whole carrots, unpeeled and chunked
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 large cans chopped tomatoes, plus juice
8 oz chicken stock, plus a little extra
3 TB flour
2 TB oregano
sprinkle of sea salt and fresh ground pepper

Directions:
Layer everything, except flour, in the crock pot starting with the vegetables.  If you have 2 crock pots, it's easier to cook the chicken in a separate pot so you don't have to sift through the bones.  Cook on low for 4 hours.  Take the skin and bone off of the thighs and legs, and pull apart the meat.  Add the meat to the vegetable crock pot.  Add the flour, mixed with a little chicken stock, and cook on high for another 3-4 hours.  It will thicken as it cooks.  Serve over barley or noodles.

    

Hot/sweet sauce

This sauce is so versatile.  It's great for pork, ribs or chicken.  It's got some kick and after kick as well, so beware!

Ingredients:
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 jalapeño, chopped with seeds
1 chili pepper, chopped with seeds
1/4 cup soy
1/4 cup red wine
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 TB dijon mustard
2 tsp cornstarch
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
olive oil, for sautéing

Directions:
Chop garlic and peppers, and sautee in olive oil for about 5 minutes.  Add soy, wine, vinegar, mustard and brown sugar and mix well.  When sauce comes to a boil, add cornstarch and whisk well.  Sauce will thicken.
**optional**  Add chives for looks.
**optional**  Make is asian by using rice wine vinegar instead of balsamic, and add 2 tsp sesame oil at the end, and/or add 1tsp minced ginger.

Chicken pesto lasagna

Ingredients:

2 grilled chicken breasts

1/2 cup pesto

1 1/2 QT tomato sauce

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 med onion, sliced

1 TB olive oil

homemade ricotta (or 1 container store bought)

1 cup shredded provolone

5 lasagna noodles, broken into thirds

1 TB agave nectar, or sugar

Directions:

Make ricotta according to directions.  (Or you can use store bought, probably one container)  While the ricotta is firming up, broil or grill 2 chicken breasts.  Saute onion and garlic in olive oil.  When it starts to brown, add agave nectar (or sugar).  Cook a few minutes more and turn off heat.  Set aside.  Slice chicken thin after it's cooked.  Start layering items.  No need to cook the noodles ahead of time!  (yay!)  Start with tomato sauce on the bottom of the crock pot.  Just toss in broken noodles, a handful of chicken, handful of provolone, and dot with pesto, onions and ricotta.  Keep layering till crock pot is almost full,  making the top layer cheese and pesto.  Cook on low for about 1 1/2 hours, or until noodles are cooked.