Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken with Fried Rice

Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken

The chicken coating:

3-4 boneless chicken breasts

salt + pepper

1 cup cornstarch

2 eggs, beaten

1/4 cup canola oil

The sweet and sour sauce:

1 cup sugar

1/3 cup ketchup

1/3 cup distilled white vinegar

2 TB soy sauce

1 tsp garlic salt

       Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees. Rinse your chicken breasts in water and then cut into cubes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Dip chicken into the cornstarch to coat then dip into the eggs.  Heat your 1/4 cup oil in a large skillet and cook your chicken until browned but not cooked through. Place the chicken in a 9x13 greased baking dish. Mix all of your sweet and sour sauce ingredients in a bowl with a whisk and then pour evenly over the chicken. Bake for 35 minutes.

Fried Rice                                                                                             

3 cups cooked white rice (day old or leftover rice works best!)

3 tbs sesame oil

1 cup frozen peas and carrots (thawed)

1 small onion, chopped

2 tsp minced garlic

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1/4 cup soy sauce

      On medium high heat, heat the oil in a large skillet or wok.  Add the peas/carrots mix, onion and garlic. Stir fry until tender. Lower the heat to medium low and push the mixture off to one side, then pour your eggs on the other side of skillet and stir fry until scrambled. Now add the rice and soy sauce and blend all together well. Stir fry until thoroughly heated!   **You could really play around with this rice too! Try adding some diced ham, or green onion :) Yum! 

Double Crunch Honey Garlic Pork Chops

Here is yet another Pinterest recipe.  We had this the other night, and it was to die for!

What you will need:
6 center loin pork chops, well trimmed

Sift together:


1 cup flour
2 tsp salt
2 tsp black pepper
1 1/2 tbsp ground ginger
1 tbsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp ground thyme
1 tsp ground sage
1 tbsp paprika
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper


Make an egg wash by whisking together:


2 eggs
4 tbsp water


Season the pork chops with salt and pepper, then dip the chops in the flour and spice mixture. Dip the chop into the eggwash and then a final time into the flour and spice mix, pressing the mix into the chop to get good contact.


Heat a skillet on the stove with about a half inch of canola oil covering the bottom. You will want to carefully regulate the temperature here so that the chops do not brown too quickly on the outside before they are fully cooked on the inside. I find just below medium heat works well. I use a burner setting of about 4 1/2 out of 10 on the dial and fry them gently for about 4 or 5 minutes per side until golden brown and crispy.

Drain on a wire rack for a couple of minutes before dipping the cooked chops into the Honey Garlic Sauce. Serve with noodles or rice.

Honey Garlic Sauce

In a medium saucepan add



2 tbsp olive oil
3 – 4 cloves minced garlic


Cook over medium heat to soften the garlic but do not let it brown. Add:


1 cup honey
¼ cup soya sauce
1 tsp ground black pepper


Simmer together for 5-10 minutes, remove from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes. Watch this carefully as it simmers because it can foam up over the pot very easily.

Honey Spiced Glazed Chicken

I found this recipe on Pinterest and it was SO GOOD.
* I used what chicken I had, which was boneless skinless chicken breast and it was great.

Ingredients:

1 package boneless skinless chicken thighs (you should get about 8 thighs per package)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1/2 cup honey
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

Directions:

Mix spices together and set aside.
Mix honey and cider vinegar and set aside.
Un-tuck chicken thighs so they are flat. Cover both sides in seasoning, set flat onto sheet pan. When all chicken as been seasoned put under broiler* (I put mine on low just so I don't worry about burning the chicken)
Cook for 5-7 minutes on one side and flip. Cook for a 5-7 minutes on other side. Flip again and then baste the chicken in honey/cider mixture. Be sure to really get the chicken covered. Add to oven again and let it cook under the broiler for a few minutes until the honey starts to thicken up and glaze. It may smoke a little but this is completely normal.
Take chicken out of oven and let rest for a few minutes before devouring. You don't want to burn your mouth with all that hot honey glaze!

Quinoa Mac and Cheese

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups quinoa, rinsed and drained
• Veggies of your choice (optional)
• good pinch of salt
• a few grinds of seasoning salt
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup soy milk or non-fat milk
• 1 1/2 cups grated Cheddar cheese, more for sprinkling
• Optional- Crushed Red Pepper, Panko Bread crumbs for topping
• Toppings (optional)- salsa, hot sauce, sour cream, scallions

1. Lightly saute any veggies you would like in this dish. 
2. Cook quinoa to packaged instructions until fully cooked. (About 15 minutes)
3. Preheat oven to 350 F. Coat 13x9 inch dish( or 8 individual ramekins) with cooking spray.Whisk together eggs and milk in large bowl. Fold in quinoa mixture and cheese. Add garlic, salt, and seasoned salt.  Mix in veggies and other ingredients if desired.  Stir very well and let some of the cheese melt.  Transfer to prepared baking dish and if using Panko Crumbs or Bread crumbs add now and bake 30-35 mins, until bread crumbs are browned.