Sweet & Sour Chicken Meatballs

Sweet & Sour Chicken Meatballs

Definitely An Americanized Version With Chinese Roots.

Difficulty: Easy

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cooking Time: 45-60 minutes

Ingredients 

Meatballs

1 1/2 - 2 lbs. ground chicken 85/15 fat content

1 cup Panko bread crumbs

1 tsp grated ginger

3 garlic cloves, finely minced

1 tsp sesame oil

2 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp Mirin

1 tsp onion powder

black pepper

1 egg

avocado oil or vegetable oil for frying

Cooking Tools

Medium mixing bowl

Non-stick frying pan

Directions

Place first 10 ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix.  Shape into meatballs, if the mixtures is too wet, just add more panko.  Drizzle some oil in non-stick pan and just brown on all side, no need to cook through and set aside.

Ingredients

Sweet & Sour

3 large carrots, peeled & cut on the diagonal 

1 green pepper, cut into medium chunks

1 red pepper, cut into medium chunks

1 onion, cut into medium chunks

2 cup fresh Shitake mushroom, sliced

2 cups fresh pineapple chunks

1 small can sliced bamboo shoots (drained)

1 small can sliced water chestnuts, (drained)

1/2 can baby corn, cut & drained

3 cups chicken broth

1 cup pineapple juice

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup Mirin

1 cup ketchup

1/2 cup sweet chili sauce

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tsp sesame oil

1 tsp grated ginger

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 heaping tbsp corn starch + 1/2 cup chicken broth (slurry)

salt

pepper

cooked hot rice

Cooking Tools

Deep wok with lid

Directions

Place 3 cups of chicken broth and bring to a low boil, add in carrots first to cook for 5 minutes before adding the rest of the ingredients except the corn starch and chicken broth slurry ( this will be at the end to thicken the sauce). Once all ingredients are in the wok, mix and cook until vegetables are slightly tender. Add in the meatballs and submerge into the liquid to finish cooking on medium-low heat with lid on (approximately 30 minutes). Mix in the slurry throughout and stir gently until sauce starts to thicken, lower temperature and adjust seasonings. Place lid back on and cook for additional 5-10 minutes.  Serve with hot rice.

Serves 6

Lasagna

Lasagna

This is Our Go To Recipe, Everyone Has Their Own Twist On This Traditional Italian Dish!

Difficulty: Easy

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cooking Time: 1 hour+

Ingredients

1 box dried Lasagna noodles, cooked

1  32 oz. container of whole milk ricotta cheese

1 large jar + 1 small jar of marinara sauce or Passata

3 cups shredded Italian blend cheese

1  1/2 lbs. ground beef

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup onions, small dice

1 tsp dried Italian seasoning

1/2 cup red wine

1 tbsp tomato paste

parmesan cheese

minced chives or parsley for garnish

Cooking Tools

Large pot

Large pan

Deep lasagna pan

Directions 

Pre heat oven to 350 Degrees F. In a large pot, boil water with salt and cook the lasagna noodles according to box directions, if you use fresh noodles, cook al dente. Once the noodles are cooked, drain and place on dry cloth to absorb any cooking water off the noodles. While the noodles are cooking, start on the meat sauce.  In a large pan, brown the ground beef, drain off any excess fat. Add in onions and garlic until soften, pour in red wine to deglaze. Pour in the Marinara sauce and tomato paste, Italian seasoning and stir until nice and bubbly, place on simmer until ready to layer. In a lasagna pan, spread a light layer of sauce and place lasagna noodles to fit ( It will depend on the size of your lasagna pan will dictate how many layers your Lasagna will be, mine was two noodles wide with six layers). On top of the noodles, ladle more sauce, dollops of ricotta cheese down the noodles and spread Italian cheese blend evenly, then add another layer of noodles and repeat until layers are complete.  Make sure you have enough sauce for the top layer. Do Not put the last of the cheese on top until the last 15 minutes of cooking or it will burn. Bake in total about 45-50 minutes of cooking uncovered. Remove from oven and let rest for about 20 minutes before slicing and serving. garnish with minced parsley, chives and grated parmesan cheese.

Serves 4-6

Fondant Potatoes

Fondant Potatoes

Melt In Your Mouth Potatoes! 

Difficulty: Easy

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cooking Time: 50 minutes

Ingredients

3-4 Idaho baking potatoes, peeled, cut into 1.5"-2" slices

6 cloves garlic, whole

2-3 sprigs Rosemary stems

3 cups chicken broth

1/2 stick butter, cubed

olive oil

salt

pepper

Cooking Tools

Cast iron skillet

Directions

Preheat oven 375 Degrees F. In a cast iron pan, preheat pan on medium- high, add olive oil to coat bottom of skillet, Salt & pepper, both sides of peeled, sliced potatoes. Sear potatoes on one side for several minutes to get golden brown or until the potatoes naturally release from the bottom of the skillet. Flip potatoes and sear for additional few minutes.  Pour in chicken broth or stock, add in the additional ingredients: rosemary, garlic and add cubes of butter onto each potato slice. Bake in oven for 45 minutes, the potatoes will absorb the broth while cooking. Serve as a side dish for your favorite proteins.

Serves 4