Mandarin Chicken Salad

2 - 3 Chicken Breasts (Boneless & Skinless)
1/2 cup Asian Sesame Dressing
6 cups Salad Greens of your choice
2 cans Mandarin Oranges
1/3 cup Sliced Almonds
1/4 cup Green Onion (thinly sliced) (optional)
1 can Water Chestnuts (optional)
3 cups Chinese Noodles

1. Cook chicken breasts and cut into bite-sized chunks. Place the chicken chunks in a bowl and cover with enough dressing to coat, stirring gently. Set aside in the refrigerator to chill.
2. In a large bowl, gently combine the salad greens, mandarin oranges, sliced almonds green onion and water chestnuts. Stir in the remaining dressing as you gently toss.
3. Add the chicken pieces and toss gently.
4. Top each serving with chinese noodles.

Adjust all amounts to taste.

(Don't know why it turned my picture sideways!)

Stir-Fried Asian Beef and Noodles

Betty Crocker’s Cookbook
6 servings
Ingredients:
1 lb. Beef boneless sirloin or round steak cut into 2x1/4-inch strips
1 Tbl. Vegetable oil
1 tsp. Cornstarch (1 ½ Tbl. Cornstarch)
½ tsp. Soy sauce
1 pkg. (6 oz.) Rice stick noodles (Omit)
1 Tbl. Vegetable oil
1 Tbl. Finely chopped gingerroot (1 tsp. ground ginger)
1 clove Garlic, finely chopped (Omit (Blake’s allergic))
1 bag (16 oz.) Frozen broccoli, carrots and cauliflower
1 Tbl. Vegetable oil
¾ cup Beef broth
1/3 cup Rice or cider vinegar
1/3 cup Honey
3 Tbl. Soy sauce
1 tsp. Sesame oil
¼ tsp. Crushed red pepper
4 med. Green onions, sliced (1/4 cup)

Directions:
1. toss beef, 1 Tbl. Vegetable oil, the cornstarch and ½ tsp. soy sauce in glass or plastic bowl. Cover and refrigerate 20 minutes. Soak noodles in cold water 5 minutes; drain. Just toss in oil and soy sauce (be generous), omit cornstarch on this step
2. Heat 12 inch skillet or wok over med-high heat. Add 1 Tbl. Vegetable oil; rotate the skillet to coat with oil. Add gingerroot and garlic; stir-fry 30 seconds. Add vegetables; stir-fry until crisp-tender. Remove vegetables from skillet. Omit the gingerroot and garlic step.
3. Add 1 Tbl. Vegetable oil to skillet; rotate to coat. Add beef; stir-fry about 5 minutes or until brown. Remove beef from skillet. Begin with a hot pan and really sear the outside of the meat. Bottom of the pan will get a little dark from the meat, leave it, it adds flavor!
4. Add broth, vinegar, honey, 3 Tbl. Soy sauce, the sesame oil, 1 ½ Tbl. Cornstarch, and red pepper to skillet. Stir in noodles; heat to boiling. Cook over medium heat about 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until noodles are tender. Stir in beef, vegetables and green onions; cook and stir 1 minute. Omit noodles step, I didn’t have any. Just add liquid with the meat, whisk off dark bottom of pan. Once the pan is clean, add the veggies and cook until slightly thick. If you want it thicker add some more cornstarch to cold beef broth and then gradually add in.

NOTE: I adjusted this recipe so all of my changes are shown in purple. I didn't have any gingerroot or noodles. I also added some chow mein noodles on top and it tasted really good with it. This recipe is easier then it sounds, promise. I had it prepped and cooked in about 30 minutes--it was a last minute dinner decision one Sunday night. I don't know why my picture is not displaying right side up--Sorry

1 serving (1 cup): 295 calories

Asian Pork Roast

Pork Loin or Bottom Roast
1 can cream of coconut (coco lopez)
1 can plum sauce

Roast in the oven on 325 for 3 or 4 hours. Put in oven with water for the majority of the time. Combine sauces. Drain off water and fat and add sauce for the last 5 min - an hour.

(Find cream of coconut by the specialty drinks and the plum sauce in ethnic foods by asian foods)

Sweet and Sour Chicken

Ingredients:
1 Onion, chopped
1 Tbl. Vegetable oil
3 Tbl. Sugar
1 ½ Tbl. Cornstarch
1 Tbl. Cider vinegar
1 Tbl. Soy sauce
½ tsp. Salt
2 ½ Tbl. Ketchup
½ cup Pineapple juice reserved from can
8 oz. Can Pineapple chunks (I use a 20 oz., remember to reserve the juice, if you don’t have quite ½ cup add some water)
Veggies
Of choice chopped into bite size chunks. I usually use carrots, celery, and a variety of green, red, yellow, and/or orange bell peppers

Directions:
Stir-fry the onion and chicken in 1 tablespoon of the oil (or I prefer a nonstick spray like Pam) until done. Add desired vegetables and stir until tender crisp.

In another pan mix sugar and cornstarch together. Add the vinegar, soy, salt, ketchup and pineapple juice. Cook over medium heat until thickened. Add pineapple chunks. Thicken a bit more. Pour over chicken mixture.

* I double the sauce recipe and add 1 whole green and red pepper and about 3 or 4 carrots. This makes enough for my family of four and then some. I add even less sugar and you can add more cider vinegar to your liking. I usually measure out 2 cups of dried rice and then cook it. You’ll have a little extra rice, but we eat it up. It's a delicious and nutritious meal!!