Chicken and Broccoli Stir-Fry

I LOVE stir-fry!  It's just so yummy!!  I am constantly trying out new stir-fry recipes, and this one is a keeper for sure!  A few great things about this recipe:  It was really quick and easy to make....took about 20 minutes, I had everything on hand, and it has great restaurant flavor!  

I found it on www.foodnetwork.com.  I typed in chicken stir-fry and LOTS of recipes came up!  This one had 5 stars and 265 reviews, so I figured it must be good!  One person even reviewed that her hubby thought it was leftovers from PF Chang's!

Mmm! I love it garnished with toasted sesame seeds and green onion! Adds a nice little crunch!

These aren't the greatest pictures, but unfortunately my camera got a little water on it at the beach and it is no longer functioning. :(  This is the best I could do with my phone!

CHICKEN AND BROCCOLI STIR-FRY

• Marinate the chicken while you prepare the rest of the ingredients 

• 1 pound chicken breast (about 2 breasts), cubed
• 3 scallions, whites only, thinly sliced on an angle
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1-inch piece peeled fresh ginger, minced
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon, plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 1 tablespoon dry sherry
• 1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
• About 1/3 cup water
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 5 to 6 cups broccoli, trimmed sliced stalks and medium florets (keep the 2 cuts separate)
• 3/4 to 1 teaspoon red chili flakes, optional
• 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
• Garnish: toasted sesame seeds, optional
• Serving suggestion: Jasmine rice

Directions

In a medium bowl, toss the chicken with the scallion whites, about half the garlic and ginger, the soy sauce, sugar, 1 teaspoon of the cornstarch, 1 teaspoon of the salt, the sherry, and the sesame oil. Marinate at room temperature for 15 minutes. Mix the remaining cornstarch with 1/3 cup water.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil and heat. Add the broccoli stems, and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add the florets and the remaining garlic, ginger, 2 tablespoons of water, and season with 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper. Stir-fry until the broccoli is bright green but still crisp, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate.


Get the skillet good and hot again, and then heat 2 more tablespoons oil. Add the chicken and chili flakes if using. Stir-fry until the chicken loses its raw color and gets a little brown, about 3 minutes. Add the hoisin sauce, return the broccoli to the pan and toss to heat through. Stir in the reserved cornstarch mixture and bring to a boil to thicken. Add more water if need to thin the sauce, if necessary. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if you like. Mound the stir-fry on a serving platter or divide among 4 plates and garnish with sesame seeds; serve with rice.


Notes: The garlic and ginger can be chopped together in a minichopper to save time.
Scallion greens can also be used to garnish, if you like that extra onion-y flavor and you want to use up the scallions.

The broccoli stems are used (love all that fiber) to add textural contrast and also to help bulk up the dish, and why waste them?

I reduced the amount of broccoli and added some thinly sliced carrots (I cut them into coins).  I added them with the broccoli stems and they came out great!  I also reduced the amount of salt and used pineapple juice instead of dry sherry.  You could also use orange juice if you prefer.  I just did a sprinkle of crushed red pepper and that gave it the perfect kick. And definitely use Jasmine rice! It is so tasty! 

Corny Chicken Wraps

Some days, there just isn't enough time to plan for dinner!  Then 4 o'clock comes around and you need to think of something quick!  Try this out next time that happens! (I am NOT the type of cook who plans menus ahead weeks in advance! I just can't do it!  I have tried.  So there are days when I have the "what should I make for dinner?" problem!  I know there are some of you that do plan ahead, and I marvel at that, but it's just not me!!)

 

I love these wraps! They are flavorful, very fast to prepare, and they don't call for a long list of ingredients!  You actually may have every ingredient in your house right now!

In a pan heat up frozen corn, black beans, salsa, taco seasoning and pre-cooked chicken.  I used the meat from a rotisserie chicken.

This is my favorite grocery store salsa.  The brand is La Mexicana and it is found in the produce department.  I don't know if they have it in your area, but look for it! It is excellent!

On a tortilla, put on the chicken mixture, shredded cheese, sour cream, and salsa.  You can even mix the sour cream right into the chicken mixture right before serving. It is great both ways!

CORNY CHICKEN WRAPS

1 cup fresh or frozen corn

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup salsa (or more if needed)

2-3 cups cooked chicken, diced
1/2-1 pkg. low sodium Taco Seasoning

Cheddar cheese, shredded

sour cream

salsa for topping 

tortillas

In a saucepan heat corn, beans, salsa, taco seasoning, and chicken until heated through.  Warm tortillas in oven wrapped in foil for 10 minutes at 350 degrees.  On each tortilla layer chicken mixture, cheese, sour cream, and salsa.  

Serve with some green beans and dinner is ready! (Probably in less than 15 minutes too!)

Irresistible Double Chocolate Muffins

My husband loves chocolate muffins.  Especially the ones at the Costco Bakery.  Because he likes them for breakfast, I am always looking for ways to make them healthier.  And believe it when I say that those Costco muffins are just flat out bad...in more ways than one! I found this recipe online.  I admit, I was quite skeptical at how they would taste.  Or I should say, how I thought he would think they would taste!  

The reviews for the recipe were great, so I decided to give them a whirl.  Of course I didn't tell my hubby until AFTER he ate one exactly just how healthy they were!  I didn't want any preconceived notions in his head affecting the taste!  He loved them!  I was thrilled!  

Mission accomplished.

Who knew healthy could look so lovely?

Ready for baking!

Go ahead, have one or two!  

IRRESISTIBLE DOUBLE CHOCOLATE MUFFINS

 1 cup whole wheat flour

3/4 cup ground flax seed

1/2 cup wheat germ

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1/2 cup miniature semisweet chocolate

chips

1 cup low-fat buttermilk

3/4 cup pumpkin puree

1 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1.	Preheat an oven to 400 degrees. Grease 12 muffin cups, or line with paper muffin liners.
2.	Combine flour, flax seed, wheat germ, baking soda, baking powder, cocoa powder, cinnamon, and chocolate chips in a large bowl. In another bowl, beat the buttermilk, pumpkin puree, brown sugar, egg, and vanilla until smooth. Gently stir the wet ingredients into the dry, mixing just until combined. Spoon equal amounts of batter into muffin cups.
3.	Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean, about 20 to 30 minutes.

 The only thing I changed on this recipe is I did 1 cup of milk chocolate chips instead of 1/2 cup semi sweet chips.  --My husband prefers milk chocolate...my personal motto is the darker the better! I just can't convince him of that though! (And believe me I have tried!)

Blue Ribbon Blueberry Buckle

Hello! I hope each of you had a fabulous summer!  I sure did!  Summer is by far my favorite season of the year!  I love all of the fresh fruits and vegetables that actually taste like they are supposed to.

  I guess you could say I took a sabbatical from blogging.  I have lots of recipes to write about though because I definitely didn't stop cooking!  So keep checking back...I promise I won't ever take that long of a break again! :)

Many of my upcoming recipes will be focused on summer's bounty....I sure wished I could have gotten these recipes on here when your garden was still producing, or the berries were actually still in season, but sometimes life just doesn't go like you want it to! :)

The following is one of my favorite ways to use blueberries:

This cake is thick, moist, and so flavorful!  It is simply fabulous!  It isn't too thick, so it doesn't dry out during baking.  It practically melts in your mouth.  And if that weren't enough, it is filled with antioxidant rich blueberries!  I can't even describe how delicious it is, so you just might have to make it!

This picture is all about the glaze!! Look at how shiny and beautiful! If you can't tell, I love a basic glaze!  In fact, you could probably glaze a shingle and it would be tasty!! :)

Thanks to my dear mother who passed this recipe down to me!  She made it throughout my childhood and we always gobbled it up!  Somehow though it tastes better today than it ever has!  (Maybe cuz I am a grown up now!!?)



BLUE RIBBON BLUEBERRY BUCKLE

1/3 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 cup milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
(if using frozen berries, thaw and drain)

In a bowl beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.  Add egg, milk, and vanilla and mix well.  Add dry ingredients and beat on low speed for 30 seconds.  Beat for 2 more minutes on medium speed scraping sides of bowl occasionally.  Spread half of batter in a greased 9x13 pan (for cakes I prefer metal over glass).  Sprinkle with 1 cup of blueberries.  Pour the rest of the batter over top.  Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup blueberries.  Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted near middle comes out clean.  Drizzle warm cake with glaze. (Recipe below)


Glaze for Blueberry Buckle:

1 cup powdered sugar
2 T. milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Mix together in bowl with wire whisk.  Drizzle over cake using a spoon.