{Asian Salad}

Another summer favorite. It has a lot of flavor and is really easy to make. Sometimes I will add chicken too, either way it's still good!

For The Salad:

1 Package of cabbage slaw mix (In the produce section by the bags of salad)
2 Tbs toasted sesame seeds
1/4 cup sliced almonds
3 green onions, chopped
1 package chicken flavored Ramen Noodles, crushed. (Reserve the seasoning packet)

Throw all of these ingredients into a large bowl.

For the Dressing:

2 Tbs Vegetable Oil
3 Tbs white wine vinegar
2 Tbs sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 chicken flavored Ramen noodle packet.

Whisk together and pour over salad and mix till combined.

{Honey Sesame Chicken} Slow Cooker

This was a big hit at my house. Everyone loved it! I loved it because it literally took me five minutes to prepare and 4-5 hours later I had a delicious meal to feed my family.

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 
Salt and pepper
1 cup honey
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup diced onion
1/4 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons vegetable oil (could also use olive oil or canola oil)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes 
4 teaspoons cornstarch dissolved in 6 Tablespoons water
Sesame seeds


Season both sides of chicken with lightly with salt and pepper, put into crock pot. (I just add mine in frozen) In a small bowl, combine honey, soy sauce, onion, ketchup, oil, garlic and pepper flakes. Pour over chicken. Cook on low for 3-4 hours or on high 1 1/2 – 2 1/2 hours, or just until chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken from crock pot, leave sauce. Dissolve 4 teaspoons of cornstarch in 6 tablespoons of water and pour into crock pot. Stir to combine with sauce. Replace lid and cook sauce on high for ten more minutes or until slightly thickened. Cut chicken into bite size pieces, then return to pot and toss with sauce before serving. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve over rice or noodles.






Recipe Source: Six Sisters Stuff

{Chinese Chicken Salad with Sesame Dressing}

This salad is packed with so many yummy flavors, and as long as you watch the portion control it leaves you feeling pretty guiltless. If you are craving an asian salad, make this one. You will love it!

12  wonton skins, sliced into 1/4″ strips
1/4 cup canola or corn oil for frying
4 cups chopped romaine lettuce
1 chicken breast, shredded
2 green onions, chopped
1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted lightly
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
2 cups cooked fusilli or spiral pasta noodles, cooled

dressing
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable or grapeseed oil
6 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame oil (add more to taste if you prefer a strong sesame taste)
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons light soy sauce
2 tablespoon sesame seeds
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt

Heat canola or corn oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. When oil starts to shimmer, fry wonton skins in batches of 5-7 strips for 30 seconds each side or until lightly browned, working quickly so they don’t burn. Remove from oil and drain on paper towels until cooled.

In a large bowl, combine lettuce, chicken breast, green onion, almonds and pasta.

Combine dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Whisk well until sugar dissolves. Dress lettuce mixture with 2-3 tablespoons of sesame dressing and top with sesame seeds and wonton strips and serve.

Recipe Source: Foodie Crush

{Asian Beef with Snow Peas}

This is a really simple and delicious Asian meal. Everytime I make it my husband loves it :) Who needs take out!

Sauce ( I double this)

3 Tbs soy sauce

2 Tbs rice wine

1 Tbs brown sugar

1/2 tsp cornstarch

1Tbs sesame oil

1 Tbs minced fresh ginger

1 Tbs minced fresh garlic

1 lb round steak cut into thin strips

8 ounces of snow peas

*You can throw in some sliced carrots and sliced almonds too that would be yummy!

In a small bowl combine soy sauce, rice wine, brown sugar and cornstarch. Set aside.

Heat oil in a wok or skillet over medium heat. Stir fry ginger and garlic for about a minute. Add the steak and fry for about 2 minutes or until browned. Add the snow peas and other veggies you want and fry for about 3-5 minutes. Add soy sauce mix and bring to a boil. Stir constantly. Lower the heat and simmer until the sauce begins to thicken. Serve with rice or Asian noodles

{Ham Fried Rice}

One of my friends made this for us and it was so yummy I just had to get the recipe. Now we make it anytime we have any asian style meal and it is great! Better than most restaurant style rice.

2 c. uncooked long-grain white rice
4 c. water
2 tsp. sesame oil
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil 
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1-2 c. cubed ham 
3 eggs, beaten
soy sauce

Cook rice according to package directions. (I use 2 cups rice and 4 cups water) Heat sesame oil and vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and stir in onion. When onions become clear and light brown, add garlic. When garlic is lightly browned, add ham and cook for about 3-4 minutes or until ham is nice and hot. Stir in beaten egg and cook until egg is scrambled and firm. When rice is done, add to skillet and mix in thoroughly. Stir in soy sauce ( add just enough to get it light brown, don't want to add to much... remember, you can always add more later when it's on your plate.

{General Tso's Chicken}

This is what my husband orders every time we get Chinese food. So when I found this recipe I was really excited to make it at home, because I'm assuming it is a lot healthier and less money. We were both really pleased with the outcome. It seems more difficult than it really is. It has a lot of ginger flavor, so I added a little more garlic to even it out a bit. It was a really tasty dish!

For the Chicken:
1 1/2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
1 large egg white
 1 tablespoon soy sauce
 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken beasts, trimmed of fat and cut into 1 1/2" pieces
 canola, peanut or vegetable oil for frying

  For the Sauce:
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh ginger root
3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 cup chicken broth or stock
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon Chinese chile-garlic sauce
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon peanut, canola or vegetable oil

  For Serving:
4 scallions, thinly sliced
Steamed broccoli Fresh
hot cooked white rice

Prep your chicken:
 In a mixing bowl, stir together the sesame oil, soy sauce, egg white, and 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons of cornstarch until a thick slurry forms. It will look gummy but smooth. Add the chicken pieces and stir until all are evenly coated. At first it may appear that it will not come together but it does! Set aside, covered lightly with plastic wrap, at room temperature for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Begin the sauce: Add the tablespoon of oil to a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan over high heat. Stir the garlic and ginger into the oil and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. In a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining sauce ingredients until smooth. Pour into the garlic and ginger, stirring, until thick and shiny. Keep over a low burner partially covered to stay warm. To fry the chicken: Heat 1/2-inch of oil in a heavy-bottomed, high-sided frying pan or skillet over high heat. When the oil is shimmering, add one piece of chicken at a time, taking care not to crowd the pan. Cook for 4 minutes on each side, or until deep golden brown and crisp on both sides. Transfer the chicken to a paper towel lined plate and repeat the process until you've cooked all the chicken. Slide all the chicken into the prepared sauce and toss to coat. Sprinkle with sliced scallions and serve immediately over white rice.


*Adapted from Foodie with Family

{Foil-Baked Asian Style Chicken}

This is a meal my husband makes actually! He also likes to cook dinner or help me do it, and I love that we have that in common. This is a recipe that he found and has made a few times because we all love it. The flavors are very tasty, and there is just enough sauce to serve it over rice and be a perfect meal. :)














6 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup Soy Sauce
1/4 cup Hoisin Sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
2 Tbs minced ginger
2 cloves garlic, chopped
6 (12-inch square) pieces aluminum foil
1 cup cooked brown rice
2 scallions, chopped


Cut chicken into 1-inch-square pieces. In a mixing bowl, combine cornstarch, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, sugar, cilantro, ginger and garlic. Add chicken and toss to coat. Refrigerate, covered, at least 30 minutes.
Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Fold each piece of foil in half twice to make a 6-inch square. Place a spoonful of chicken in the center of each piece of foil, dividing it equally. Fold foil squares on the diagonal; fold edges to seal. Place on a nonstick baking sheet and bake 25 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink in the center. Garnish with chopped scallions

{Chicken Egg Rolls with Sweet and Sour Sauce}

I have only made Egg Rolls one other time a really long time ago. I like this recipe better. I prepared the chicken earlier in the day so that it had plenty of time to marinate which I think is the key to the great flavor these have.













For the filling:
4 tbsp. soy sauce, divided
3 cloves minced garlic, divided
4 chopped green onions, divided
4 tbsp. vegetable oil, divided
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
¾ head green cabbage, shredded thin
3 carrots, peeled and shredded


To finish:
24-30 egg roll wrappers
1 tbsp. cornstarch mixed with 3 tbsp. water
Canola or peanut oil, for frying

Directions:
To make the filling, combine 3 tablespoons of the soy sauce, 1 clove of minced garlic, half of the green onions, and 1 tablespoon of the oil in a resealable bag; shake well to combine. Place the chicken in the bag, press out the excess air, and seal. Refrigerate and allow to marinate at least 30 minutes or up to 3 hours.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. When the oil is very hot, add the chicken pieces to the pan and cook, stirring constantly, until the chicken is cooked through and lightly browned. Remove to a plate and set aside.

Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the pan. Add the shredded cabbage and carrots, and the remaining tablespoon of soy sauce. Stir to toss the vegetables. Cook over high heat for about 2 minutes. Toss in the remaining garlic and green onions and cook for 1 minute more. Remove from the heat.

Dice the chicken breasts and add them to the vegetable mixture. Let the filling cool for 30 minutes before filling the wrappers.

To finish the egg rolls, heat about 3 inches of oil in a Dutch oven or large pan to 375˚ F. While the oil is heating, assemble the rolls. Lay an egg roll wrapper out on a work surface with one corner pointing toward you. Add a tablespoon or two of the filling to the center of the wrapper. Fold the corner closest to you up over the filling. Roll slightly away from you, fold the two corners pointing to the sides inward, and continue rolling the wrapper tightly away from you. Dip a finger in the cornstarch mixture and lightly brush inside the top corner of the wrapper to help adhere, and finish rolling. Repeat with the remaining wrappers and filling.

Fry several egg rolls at a time in the hot oil, without overcrowding, about 4-5 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer to a large pot or dish lined with paper towels and place the finished egg rolls vertically to help drain excess grease. Repeat with the remaining rolls. Serve warm.

For the Sauce

3/4 cup white sugar
1/3 cup white vinegar
2/3 cup water
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon ketchup
2 tablespoons cornstarch


Place the sugar, vinegar, water, soy sauce, ketchup and cornstarch in a medium saucepan, and bring to a boil. Stir continuously until the mixture has thickened.

{Orange Chicken with Broccoli}

This is a Weight Watchers recipe and it is so amazing! The orange flavor was pretty subtle but with all the ingredients it was very tasty and fresh. We love it served over brown rice.



















1 tablespoon canola oil
1 tablespoon minced or grated fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
Salt and peper
2 cups fresh broccoli florets
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup orange juice
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
1-2 teaspoons freshly grated orange zest
2 teaspoons cornstarch, dissolved in 1 tablespoon water

In a medium nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the ginger and garlic, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and add to the skillet. Saute until cooked through, about 5-6 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside. In the same skillet, combine the broccoli florets and the water, stirring to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Cover the skillet and cook until the broccoli is crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Return the chicken to the pan and stir in the broth, orange juice, soy sauce, sugar and orange zest. Add the dissolved cornstarch mixture and cook, stirring frequently, until the sauce boils and thickens slightly. Serve over hot, cooked brown or white rice.

{Lettuce Wraps}

I fell in love with Lettuce wraps when I first tried them at one of my favorite restaurants, PF Changs. These are really really good. And not too hard to make despite all of the ingredients that goes into it. They are worth it.


















8 Shiitake mushrooms
1 tsp cornstarch
2 tsp dry sherry (cooking wine)
2 tsp water
2 tsp soy sauce
salt and pepper to taste
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast
5 Tbs olive oil
1 tsp fresh minced ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 green onions, minced
8 oz can bamboo shoots, minced
8 oz can waterchestnuts, minced
1 pkg cellophane chinese rice noodles, prepared according to package

COOKING SAUCE:

1 Tbs hoisin sauce
1 Tbs soy sauce
1 Tbs dry sherry
2 Tbs oyster sauce
2 Tbs water
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp sugar
2 tsp cornstarch

*I double this sauce, I think its better.

A head of Iceburg lettuce for "cups"

Mince the mushrooms and set aside, Mix all the ingredients for the cooking sauce in a bowl and set aside. In a medium bowl, combine cornstarch, sherry, water, soy sauce, salt, pepper and chicken. Stir to coat chicken. Stir in 1 tsp olive oil and let sit for 15 minutes to marinate. Heat wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 3 Tbs oil, add chicken and cook about 4 minutes on each side. Set aside and either shred or dice to bite size pieces. Add 2 more Tbs oil to pan, add ginger, garlic and green onions, cook about a minute then add mushrooms, bamboo shoots and water chestnuts , cook an additional 2 minutes. Return the chicken to the pan. Add cooking sauce to the pan. Cook until thickened and hot. Break cooked cellophane noodles into small pieces and spoon the chicken mixture on top of the noodles and serve it in the lettuce cups.

{Wonton Chicken Salad}

This is a great salad to make for lunch or dinner, its pretty filling but also very healthy and very yummy!














4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/2 package of wonton wrappers

Dressing:
8 green onions, chopped
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup rice vinegar
1 cup olive oil

Salad:
1 head of iceberg lettuce, torn into bite size pieces
1 4 ounce can of water chestnuts, drained
1/4 cup of toasted sesame seeds
1/2 cup toasted sliced almonds
1 10 ounce can of mandarin oranges, drained


Place the chicken breasts in a bowl or freezer bag and pour teriyaki sauce all over them ( I just buy bottled) refrigerate for a couple hours. Then I usually grill the chicken breasts and then slice them into strips, but you can cook them on the stove too.
For the dressing combined all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth and refrigerate to ready to use.
In a large skillet heat oil for frying. Cut the wonton wrappers into strips and fry until crisp.
In a large bowl toss together all the salad ingredients, pour the dressing over and toss to coat. Top with the wontons and chicken strips.