Cashew Chicken

This recipe can be used with Almonds or Cashews.  I'm using with cashews tonight. The recipe is from the book Chinese Cookery by Rose Cheng & Michele Morris.  My uncle gave me this book many years ago.  I believe it's out of print.  ISBN 0-89586-088-0. It's a wonderful book full of great recipes.

This recipe is 8 WW Points Plus per serving (4 servings per recipe), it was only 5 WW Points Plus, but then the cashew added in 3 points.

The recipe calls for 1 cup of vegetable oil.  With my heart problems and my attending WW, that's SOOOO not happening here, so I'm using cooking spray and 2 T of olive oil.


Cashew Chicken (or Almond Chicken if you use almonds)


1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast

Marinade
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 egg white

1 cup vegetable oil (hahaha, ok 2 T olive oil and some cooking spray)
5 slices fresh ginger root
3 green onions chopped into 1 inch lengths
1 green pepper, chopped into 1 inch pieces
1/2 cup diced whole bamboo shoots

Seasoning sauce:
1 Tablespoon rice vinegar or white vinegar
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
1 Tablespoon rice wine (Mirin) or dry sherry
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch

1/3 cup Crisp Almonds (or Cashews) or toasted almonds or cashews

Dice chicken into 1-inch cubes. Combine marinade ingredients in a medium bowl. Add diced chicken; mix well. Let stand 30 minutes.

Heat oil in a wok over high heat 30 seconds. Add chicken to oil. Stir-fry 30 seconds until very lightly browned. Remove chicken with a slotted spoon, rain well and set aside. Remove oil from wok except for two Tablespoons, Reheat oil over medium heat 30 seconds. Stir-fry ginger ginger slices 30 seconds, remove and discard. Add green onions, green pepper and bamboo shoots to oil. Stir-fry 1-2 minutes until vegetables are crisp-tender.

Combine ingredients for seasoning sauce in a small bowl; mix well and add to wok. Bring to boil. Add chicken to boiling sauce. Stir-fry until chicken is coated with sauce. Add almonds (or cashews), mix well and serve hot.

Makes 4 servings

CRISP ALMONDS (or Cashews)

I will be toasting the nuts in a small frying pan with cooking spray.

However, the recipe calls for the following:

4 cups oil for deep frying
1 cup blanched almond halves (or cashew pieces)

Heat 4 cups oil in a wok over medium heat to 350 degrees (175 C). Add nuts and stir 2-3 minutes until golden brown. Remove from hot oil and drain well on paper towels. Let stand 5 minutes before using. Make about 1 cup.

Crisp Cashews: Substitute 1 cup blanched cashew halves for the almond halves.

Easy Fried Rice

This fried rice recipe is from Weight Watchers Getting Started book from fall 2010. It's a wonderful fried rice recipe.

Easy Fried Rice
Serves 6 at 4 WW Points Plus per serving or
serves 4 at 6 WW Points Plus per serving


2 sprays cooking spray
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup carrots, shredded
1 cup scallions, sliced divided
3 cups cooked white rice
1/2 cup frozen green peas, thawed (I substitute another vegetable here, we strive for a pea free live)
1/4 cup soy sauce

Coat a large nonstick pain with cooking spray. Warm pan over medium-high heat. Add eggs, tilt pan so that eggs cover bottom.

When eggs start to set, break them up into pieces with a heatproof spatula or wooden spoon.  Cook until eggs are cooked through, about 1 minute more; remove them from skillet and set aside.

Off heat, recoat same skillet with cooking spray, set over medium-high heat. Add carrots and all but 2 tablespoons scallions, saute until carrots are crisp-tender, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Stir in cooked rice, peas (or other vegetable) and soy sauce; cook until heated through, stirring once or twice, about 1 minute. Gently stir in cooked egg and remaining scallions; heat through.

Yields about six 3/4 cup servings (or 4 just over one cup servings)

Honey Garlic Chicken in the Crockpot

I found this in my Google Reader today. It's what's for dinner. I'm about to start it now. This recipe from: A Year of Slow Cooking: http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/

Honey Garlic Chicken

1 1/2 to 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (4 or one thigh per family member)
3 garlic cloves, smashed and chopped
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 cup  soy sauce (La Choy or Tamari wheat-free are gluten free)
1/2 cup ketchup
1/3 cup honey


The Directions.

Use a 4-quart slow cooker (if using a 6-quart, this will cook faster. Check after 3 hours on high, 5 hours on low).
Put the chicken into your cooker. In a small bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients, then pour evenly over the top.
Cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3-4 (I'd go with low---).
Serve with basmati rice and steamed and/or roasted vegetables. Tonight it will be broccoli and zucchini

Pork Roast a la Jan

Pork Roast a la Jan

about 1.5 pound of pork roast

sprinkle roast with Pampered Chef rosemary herb seasoning on it

fresh broccoli and baby carrots

2 potatoes cut into about 8-10 chunks each

2 garlic cloves

couple stalks of celery chunked up

half medium onion chuncked up.

about 1 cup of boxed vegetable broth (whatever was left in the box we had in the fridge)

about 1/4 cup Tastefully Simple's basil balsamic dipping oil

salt, pepper, rosemary and oregano to taste (maybe 1/2 t salt, 1/4 t pepper and 1 t each of the herbs)

Put veggies in Pampered Chef Deep Covered Baker (or covered roaster or deep pan that you can cover with foil). Put vegetables in DCB (Deep Covered Baker). Toss with herbs and oil. Put roast on top, cover with some seasoning. Put lid on Put in oven for an hour and check to see if it's done.

Serve with steamed fresh green beans (I'm a bit veggie heavy cause I have a bunch of stuff to use up, plus I like vegetables anyway and It's WW friendly).

If I wasn't being lazy today, I'd have browned the roast in some olive oil and sauteed the onions, carrots and garlic and celery in there too. And then put it in the baker. BUt I'm doing homework and just didn't bother today. However, that DOES give it color and depth of flavor that's YUMMY!