Barbecued Chinese Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Submitted by Kathaleen Thorup

Kathaleen did a wonderful job demonstrating this recipe from Rachael Ray. It is really yummy!

• 2 Cups, (4 handfuls) fresh shiitake mushrooms
• 1 1/3 to 1 1/2 pounds thin cut chicken breast or chicken tenders
• 2 TB lightly colored oil, such as vegetable oil or peanut oil
• coarse salt and coarse black pepper
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 inch ginger root, finely chopped or grated, optional
• 1 orange zested
• 1/2 red bell pepper, diced small
• small tin, 6-8 ounces, sliced water chestnuts, drained and chopped
• 2 scallions, chopped
• 3 TB hoisin, Chinese barbecue sauce (available on Asian foods aisle)
• 1/2 large head iceberg lettuce, core removed, head quartered
• wedges of navel orange--platter garnish

Remove tough stems from mushrooms and brush with damp towel to clean, Slice mushrooms. Chop chicken in small pieces.

Preheat a large skillet or wok to high.

Add oil to hot pan. Add chicken to the pan and sear meat by stir frying a minute or two. Add mushrooms and cook another minute or two. Add salt and pepper to season, then add garlic and ginger. Cook a minute more. Grate zest into pan, add bell pepper bits, chopped water chestnuts and scallions. Cook another minute, continuing to stir fry mixture. Add hoisin sauce and toss to coat the mixture evenly. Transfer the hot chopped barbecued chicken to serving platter and pile the quartered wedges of crisp iceberg lettuce along side. Add wedged oranges to platter to garnish.

To eat, pile spoonfuls into lettuce leaves, wrapping lettuce around fillings and squeeze an orange wedge over.

Egg Roll

Submitted by Julie Twitchell

We had this at our R.S. meeting this week.

• 1 pkg. coleslaw mix (by the salad mix in the grocery store)
• 15 egg roll wrappers
• 2 Cups cooked chicken, small cubed (I usually just use rotisserie chicken)
• 1/4 Cup stir fry sauce
• 2 tsp. canola oil, plus more for brushing on tops

1. Put a large skillet pan on stove at medium/high heat. Pour in canola oil. Once the oil is heated, add the coleslaw mix. It will seem like too much, but it will reduce down. Make sure to keep stirring. Once it is cooked, add the chicken and stir fry sauce. Make sure the sauce is evenly distributed. Take off stove. Let cool for about 5 minutes.
   
2. Then you will take an egg roll wrapper and follow these instructions.
   
3. At this point, you can fry them or bake them. I baked mine. I brushed more canola oil on top and baked at 420 for 15-20 minutes. If you fry, make sure the oil is at 375 degrees. It should only take a few minutes. I serve mine with rice, and more stir fry sauce.

Cook's Note: You could add more to the filling--like garlic, green onions, etc. And we have used different sauces: Thai peanut sauce, and garlic black bean. They were all good. Have fun!

Printable Version

Choo Choo Train Fried Rice

Submitted by Stacey Hutchings

Here's what we do with left-over ham. Eggs we devil and they never last long.

3 eggs
1/2 tsp. red wine vinegar
2 TB minced onion
4 TB cooking oil (I use coconut oil or extra light olive oil)
4 Cups cooked rice
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 Cup ham
1/2 Cup green peas

Beat eggs with vinegar.

Pour oil in hot skillet or wok over medium high heat. Stir in minced onion and the beaten eggs. Scramble the eggs into small pieces. Add rice, ham and peas, and stir constantly for 8-10 minutes or until the ingredients are well blended and heated.

Cook's note: We always at least double this recipe for our family. I'm told the name comes from rice they traditionally serve on trains in China.