Chicken Fajitas

(I apologize for the low quality photos- camera has been dropped one to many times by kiddos and finally died, so I resorted to iPod photos)

I love this recipe. My mom has been making it since I was a teenager and it is easy and fabulous. I love food that is visually appealing and colorful.This is gorgeous. Most everything in this is a pantry/fridge staple. So you just have to pick up the veggies and you are set! If you don't have time to marinate for the full hour, don't worry! It will still taste great!

Ingredients:
1/4 cup(60ml) lime juice
1/4 cup(60ml) Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup(60ml) oil
1/4 cup(60ml) salsa (if you have it- I usually don't so I just add 1/4 cup of pico de gallo instead; tomatoes, cilantro, onions)
1 tsp(5ml) liquid smoke
2-3 tsp(10-15ml) garlic
1-2 chicken breasts ( I usually use 1 but you can use two if you like your fajitas meatier)
1 each yellow, red and green bell peppers, sliced
1/2-1 onion, sliced
1 tbsp(15ml) cornstarch
2 tbsp(30ml) water
salt to taste ( about 1 tsp/5 ml)

 Directions:

Add lime juice, Worcestershire sauce, oil, salsa(or Pico de gallo),liquid smoke  and garlic to a bowl.

Cut chicken into matchstick like strips.

Add to marinade.

Mix to combine. Let sit for 1-2 hours in the fridge.

Cut peppers and onions into thin strips.

Heat a wok over medium/high heat. Add marinade and chicken and cook for 3-4 minutes.

Add peppers and onions.

Stir to combine.

Cook an additional 5 minutes, stirring every minute so that the vegetables cook evenly.

Turn off heat. Make a well in the middle of your chicken pepper mixture.

Add cornstarch mixed water. Stir to combine.

Turn heat back on and cook for an additional minute.

Serve in tortillas with cheese, salsa/pico de gallo, and/ or sour cream

Rising to the Occasion

For lack of an actual post this week, check out my first Food File column for Shanghai Family Magazine!

Here is the link:
http://www.shfamily.com/articles/2013/03/10/rising-to-the-occasion/

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

*This one is for my sister who has been begging me for the recipe for the past few months.
If you don't have poppy seeds- no worries- just do without. My boys love, love, love these muffins! It makes a nice change from just oatmeal or pancakes. They are really quick to make, so even on school mornings I can have them ready for breakfast in just over a half hour.


Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups(180g) flour
3/4 cup (150g) sugar
2 tsp(10ml) baking powder
1/2 (2.5ml)tsp salt
1 tbsp(15ml) poppy seeds (this is one of the things that I bring back from the States, although I have seen huge bags of them at the wholesale food market)
1/3(80ml) cup oil
1 egg
1/2+(120+ml) milk
1 tbsp(15ml) lemon extract (Click here for a recipe to make your own extract)
2-3 tsp(10-15ml) lemon zest(optional- but your muffins will rock if you add it)

Directions:

Add together flour, sugar, baking soda and salt.

Add poppy seeds.

Whisk together until well blended.

Measure out oil, add egg and then add milk until it gets to the 1 cup(240ml) line.

Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix until well combined.

Add lemon extract and lemon zest (if using)

Stir until combined.

Fill muffin liners half full.

Bake at 200 C for 20-25 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean.

Cake Pan Coating

This pan coating is a great little baking tip. It works so much better than just regular cooking spray for coating cake pans. The cakes come out so well, and when I use it, I've never had trouble with part of the cake still being stuck in the pan. It is especially great for pans that have lots of texture like a bundt pan, a character pan or like this giant cupcake pan I have.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup (80 ml) shortening
1/4 cup (80 ml) oil (I always use 100% corn oil here in China- it imports the least amount of flavor. I've found that a lot of the blended oils contain sunflower seed oil which I do not like. It gives the bread a certain taste, almost peanuty and I do not care for the taste in the majority of things I bake)
1/4 cup(30g) flour

Directions:
Mix all ingredients until smooth. Use your fingers or a paper towel to smooth coating over the entire surface of your cake pan. Fill as normal. When cakes are fully baked, let them cool for 5-10 minutes then remove from pans.(Letting the cakes rest will help them firm up slightly; but make sure to take them out before they start to sweat or else the cakes may stick to the pan.)

Gingerbread Cream Cheese Spread

I've been in a serious cooking mood this week. Maybe it's because my ayi is gone and I don't have to worry about getting in her way or feel guilty for making too many dirty dishes for her to wash. 

On the other hand, I do have to wash all those dishes myself.....sigh.

In any case I've been baking some of those things that I haven't had time to make in a while, like my recipe for pumpkin bagels. As I also had a lot of cream cheese that needed to be used, I decided to finally experiment and create a recipe for that gingerbread cream cheese I've been wanting forever. A quick Google search offered no help on similar recipes, so I was on my own as far as ingredients and quantities, but I'm happy to say that my experimenting paid off. This cream cheese spread would be amazing on any plain bagel but on a fresh baked pumpkin bagel, it is heaven!

I thought about adding fresh ginger to this spread because I love the intense flavor of fresh ginger, but in the end ,I wanted the smoother consistency that ground ginger gave me. If you like you can sub fresh grated ginger for the ground ginger; probably 1 tbsp (15ml).

Ingredients:

8oz(227g) cream cheese

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 tbsp (15ml) molasses

1-2 tsp(5-10ml) ground ginger (I opted for 2 tsp because I love ginger, but it had a really strong flavor)

dash of ground cloves

3/4 tsp (4ml) ground cinnamon 

Directions:

 Let your cream cheese sit at room temperature for 1-2 hours. In a large mixing bowl add cream cheese.

 Beat until smooth. Add 1/2 cup powdered sugar not shown) and beat until smooth and well mixed.

 Add molasses, ginger, cloves and cinnamon and beat again until cream cheese spread is light and fluffy.

Serve on a warm toasted bagel and enjoy!

Rice Cooker BBQ Chicken

When I was growing up it seemed like not a week went by where my mom wasn't using a crockpot for at least one meal, usually Sunday dinner. I guess it just made sense to be able to come home from church and have dinner ready and on the table within minutes.

When I first got to China I didn't really look for a crockpot. For me, it was kind of low on the list what with the challenges of learning a new language, how to get around on the subway with a baby and a toddler, and figuring out what I could cook using local ingredients (we came to China for a start-up which didn't work out and then found a job with a local Chinese company so back then buying anything imported just wasn't financially possible).

My awesome friend Cami clued me in on first using a rice cooker as a kind of crockpot substitute. Now, I guess the point of a crockpot is for things to cook slow and unattended, which you can't exactly do with a rice cooker. But this recipe for BBQ chicken does require less watching than on the stove so I guess its a  bit of a happy medium between the crockpot and the stovetop.

This BBQ chicken recipe is easy and relatively quick ( 60 minutes-ish) and it is super easy. I usually like to make homemade rolls, but sometimes I'll pick up rolls at Carrefour if I'm in a hurry.

Ingredients:
1 bottle ketchup
1/4 cup(50g) brown sugar (I usually use the dark Chinese kind because I like the molasses flavor it adds to the sauce- if you use imported light brown sugar add 2 teaspoons of molasses
1 (5ml)tsp garlic powder (sometimes hard to find - I've found it at Metro and Tesco. You can substitute 3 cloves crushed fresh garlic if you prefer)
few dashes of paprika
fresh ground pepper to taste
1(5ml) tsp salt
few dashes of liquid smoke (I've seen this at City Shop, although it is one of the things that I bring from the States. It's tiny and lasts forever)
3(45ml) tbsp chicken bouillon
1 (240 ml)cup water
4-5 chicken breasts

Directions:

 Place ketchup, brown sugar(and or molasses), garlic powder, paprika, pepper, salt, liquid smoke, and chicken bouillon in rice cooker.

 Add water and stir until combined.

 Add chicken breast.
Push down cook button and cook 30-40 minutes.

 Open the rice cooker, turn chicken breasts over. Continue cooking,checking and stirring every 5-10 minutes. (you need to stir every few minutes or the chicken breasts will burn on the bottom. Cook until the chicken is tender and the sauce has thickened.(You want it about the consistency of ketchup or BBQ sauce) Unplug the rice cooker. Let the chicken cool down and rest for 15-20 minutes.

Use two forks to shred chicken. Serve over rolls for sandwiches or use to make BBQ chicken pizza.

Chinese Chicken Salad with Ginger Sesame Dressing

I created this recipe for my fellow Shanghai Mamas. I'm re-posting the recipe and article I wrote for them here.

When I first arrived in China, cooking and feeding my family seemed like a big conundrum. What the heck was I supposed to make with only a two burner stove and a tiny toaster oven? Now over 2 ½ years later, cooking in China has become an exciting culinary challenge. Yes, there might be things that I miss here and there, but by in large it has been wonderful to reinvent my cooking style using a lot less packaged and processed foods. Learning to utilize all the fresh ingredients here has meant not only saving money, but feeding my family healthier meals.

 One thing I especially enjoy about China is the seasonality of the fruits and vegetables. Right now for example, the júzi or mandarin oranges are in the peak of season as evidenced by the truckloads of them on nearly every street corner. In Traditional Chinese Medicine the dried peel of the mandarin orange is supposed to aid in digestion, but I opt for using the juicy sweet inner sections of the fruit.

 While walking through my local wet market with my boys a few weeks ago I noticed that the place where we buy yóutiáo also sells fried wonton strips or yóu sàn zi in the afternoon. We bought some for a snack and my boys happily crunched on them for the rest of the shopping trip. I thought about them days later and how perfect they would be on a salad. That along with the plentiful mandarin oranges served as my inspiration to create this recipe. I also included sweet roasted almonds which add lovely color and additional crunch. If you haven’t tried the sweet roasted almonds this salad is the perfect excuse to go out and buy some. I promise you will be addicted! You can find them at any of your local nut shops, although the best ones I’ve ever had came from a Xinjiangese street peddler.

 The name of the recipe might be a misnomer as I’m not sure I know of any zhōngguórén who would actually try this salad. A fact that was further demonstrated to me as I had to buy the ingredients three different times because my darling ayi kept cooking the lettuce and peas! The ginger sesame dressing for this salad is tangy and sweet; almost a vinaigrette. This recipe takes some traditional Chinese flavors and ingredients that you might find in your average vegetable dish and gives them a light and fresh twist.

 Chinese Chicken Salad with Ginger Sesame Dressing

Ginger Sesame Dressing

Ingredients:
2 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp soy sauce
3 tbsp rice vinegar
½ tsp salt
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp grated ginger
2 cloves crushed garlic
2 tsp sesame seeds

Directions:
Combine all ingredients and mix until salt and sugar have dissolved.

Chinese Chicken Salad

Ingredients:
2 chicken breasts
1 tbsp oil
Salt to taste
2 heads of green leaf lettuce
½ cup snow or sugar snap peas
¼ cup sweet roasted almonds, chopped
4-5 peeled, sectioned, mandarin oranges
wonton strips or yóu sàn zi (found in local markets, or at Carrefour near the baozi)

Directions:
In a skillet on low/medium heat, heat 1 tbsp oil. When hot, add two chicken breasts. Pan fry for 5 minutes until slightly browned. Turn and pan fry on the other side until browned. The chicken will be done when the meat is no longer pink in the center. Cover and let the chicken breasts rest for 5 minutes. (When meat cooks the juices are pulled to the surface of the meat. Resting allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, resulting in your meat being juicier and less dry). After chicken has rested, chop up meat and sprinkle with salt. Shell and chop up the almonds. Wash and tear up lettuce. Wash the peas and remove the stems. Place lettuce, chopped chicken, peas, and almonds in a bowl and toss together. Add oranges and wonton strips and gently toss. Serve with Ginger Sesame Dressing.

*Alterations: if you have soy sensitivity, substitute ½ tsp salt for the soy sauce. If you want to make it vegetarian, just omit the chicken.

Homemade GingerAle

My little Colin was sick a few weeks ago with some kind of stomach bug and it was the perfect opportunity to try out a recipe I found for homemade gingerale. As the basic ingredients are all readilly avaliable and in my kitchen I thought it would be a fun experiment to try.
My 5 year old, Miles was particluarlly interested in the science aspects of this little project as I was explaining how the yeast ingests sugar and created gas bubbles the same way it does when you make bread.

Ingredients:
1 clean empty 2 liter soda bottle (do not use a glass bottle- it will explode under pressure)
juice from 1/2 lemon
3 tbsp grated ginger
1 cup sugar
1/4 tsp yeast
filtered water

Directions:

 Using a funnel, pour sugar into the 2 liter bottle.

 Add yeast.

 Finely grate ginger.

 Add to the bottle

 Juice lemon half.

 Add juice to bottle.

 Add filtered or bottled water.

 Leave 2 inch headspace at the top of the bottle. Screw on cap

 Shake until well combined.

The bottle should have give when you squeeze it.


Leave out at room temperature for 24hrs.
After 24hrs the yeast has ingested enough sugar to create carbon dioxide bubbles. The bottle will now feel taunt when you try to squeeze it.






This was so easy and fun I can't wait to try and make homemade rootbeer with the rootbeer extract I brought back from the States. I would also love to try vanilla soda with vanilla extract. really this recipe would work for anykind of soda- just change the flavoring.

Chicken Tikka Masala

It may sound crazy but this is my go-to meal when I don't know what to make for dinner. I always try to keep the ingredients on hand so that when I am stumped on an idea for dinner I can fall back on this. It is both of my boys (ages 3 and 5) favorite meal and if I gave them the option they would eat it pretty much every day. I can always count on them eating at least two helpings.

Although this meal is delicious it isn't very heavy on vegetables so I like to cut up cucumber and carrot sticks and serve them on the side with homemade hummus.

One nice thing about this dish is that you can vary the amount of spiciness by adding or subtracting the amount of cayenne pepper and la jiao you use. For me the quantities listed are just perfect. Just a bit spicy without being so spicy the kids won't eat it. But I know for my husband, he would like it just a bit spicier.

I used to make homemade nan bread to serve with this until I discovered that there was a Indian flatbread in the freezer section of my local Carrefour. Now a days I just keep some of that in the freezer so I can whip this meal quickly.


Ingredients:
Marinade:
2 chicken breasts cut into strips
1 cup plain yogurt (I just use two 100ml containers of plain yogurt)
1 tbsp (15ml). lemon juice
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp minced ginger
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (depends on your spiciness preference- can add more, but I think its plenty spicy without being too hot for the kids)
1 t. paprika

Sauce
2 T. butter
2 clove minced garlic
1 hot pepper (la jiao) diced
2 t. cumin
2 t. paprika
1 t. salt
8 oz tomato paste I just use one can of the Chinese tomato paste
1/2- 1 cup of extra water and a little sugar (1/2 tsp) to cut the acidity)
1 c. cream (or one 200- 250g container)
¼ c. chopped cilantro

In a small bowl add ginger and lemon juice.

Add spices and salt.

Add yogurt.

Dice up chicken (I prefer to cut it up into really small pieces for my little kids but you can go bigger if you would like.

Add chicken to marinade.

Set aside for 1 hr.

Next add butter to skillet or wok.

Add hot pepper,

and garlic and saute for 1 minute.

Add salt, cumin and paprika and fry for 1 more minute.

Add tomato paste.

Add one canful of water. Add sugar (not shown)

Stir until smooth.

Add cream.

Stir until smooth.

Add chicken mixture.

Cook for 10 minutes until chicken is thoroughly cooked and sauce has thickened slightly.  Stir occasionally so the bottom does not scorch.




Garnish with 1/4 cup of chopped cilantro(coriander).
Serve over rice with nan bread or chapti bread.

This is what the Indian flat bread I buy looks like.

Add oil to a saucepan and heat over medium heat.

Cook until golden on the first side and then flip.

Cook until the other side is done.

Cut into triangles and eat with the sauce and rice.

Enjoy!