Chicken Lo Mein

Ingredients:

• 1/2 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast
• Marinade:
• 2 teaspoons light soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
• 1/4 teaspoon sesame seed oil
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch

Sauce:

• 3/4 cup chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon oyster sauce
• 3/4 teaspoon sugar

Other:

• 1/2 pound Chinese noodles (thin or thick noodles are fine)
• 1 cup shredded carrots (about 1 carrot)
• 1 8-ounce can straw mushrooms
• 3 tablespoons vegetable or peanut oil for stir-frying, or as needed
• 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Salt and pepper to taste, if desired

Preparation:

1. Cut the chicken into thin strips about 2 inches long. (It’s easiest to do this if the chicken is slightly frozen). Add the light soy sauce, rice wine or sherry, sesame oil and the cornstarch. Marinate the chicken for 20 minutes.

2. While the chicken is marinating, prepare the other ingredients: Combine the sauce ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
Cook the noodles in boiling water until they are cooked al dente (tender but still firm). This will take about 3 minutes for fresh noodles, and 4 - 5 minutes for dried noodles. Drain, rinse with cold water, and drain again.

3. Cut the carrot into thin strips to match the chicken. Rinse the straw mushrooms under running water to remove any “tinny” taste. Drain thoroughly.

4. Heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium high to high heat. Add the garlic, stir-fry for a few seconds until aromatic, then add the chicken. Stir-fry the chicken until it changes color and is 80 percent cooked. (If you need more oil, try adding 1 tablespoon water). Remove the chicken and clean out the wok.

5. Heat 2 tablespoons oil and the salt in the wok. Add the carrots and mushrooms. Stir-fry for 1 minute, then add the chicken. Add the noodles, stirring to mix in with the other ingredients. Add the sauce into the wok, mixing with the other ingredients.

6. Cook for 2 more minutes. Taste and add salt or pepper if desired. Serve hot.

Spicy Ground Chicken and Eggplant (PF Chang's)

Ingredients:
1 pound eggplant (Chinese preferred)
4 tablespoons oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 tablespoon ginger, minced
2 scallions, chopped fine
4 ounces ground pork
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons chili paste with garlic
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/4 cup chicken stock

Directions:

Slice eggplant diagonally into 1-inch slices. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in wok until very hot.

Stir-fry eggplant about 5 minutes or until soft. Set aside.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in wok. Stir-fry garlic, ginger, and half the scallions on low heat until aroma comes, about 30 seconds. Add pork.

Turn to high heat. Stir-fry until meat changes color. Add soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, and chili paste with garlic. Stir-fry 30 seconds.

Pour eggplant into meat mixture. Add remaining scallions and stock. Cook and stir about 3 minutes. Stir in sesame oil.

Salmon with Red Curry Balsamic Vinegar Reduction

• 4 salmon fillets
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup chopped scallions
• 2 tsp Thai red curry paste
• 2 tsp brown sugar
• 2 cups orange juice
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup soy sauce (adjust to taste)
• 2 tbsp canola oil
• (all portions approximate -adjust to taste)

1. Heat the canola oil in a shallow frying pan on medium heat. Add salmon fillets skin side down and brown for about 2-3 minutes. Then turn salmon over and brown the other side for another 2-3 minutes or less, depending on thickness. Be careful not to overcook the salmon. If in doubt, use a knife and fork to gently part flesh (without breaking fillet) to make sure it's moist inside, but not raw.

2. Set salmon aside in a dish and cover. Add scallions and red curry paste to the same frying pan with the salmon drippings on medium high heat, and stir until scallions are wilted and red curry paste is well mixed in.

3. Add orange juice, balsamic vinegar and brown sugar to the frying pan and stir. Simmer on medium to low heat. As mixture reduces, taste and adjust ingredients according to personal preference. Splash in some soy sauce to round out the flavor, again adjusting the amount according to taste.

4. When mixture has reduced to a thick sauce, lower heat. Put salmon on serving dishes with sides (suggested sides: white rice and a steamed vegetable). Pour reduction over salmon, serve and enjoy!

Meat Pies

2 pre-made pie crusts
1 1/2 lb ground meat
1 potato (peeled and cubed)
Olive oil
Salt & Pepper

1. Cook potatoes in olive oil and salt & pepper
2. Add ground meet and brown.
3. Season with salt & pepper to taste
4. Cut pie dough into 4 quarters
5. Fill a quarter of dough with meat mixture and fold up the dough into a ball
6. Bake for 20 min at 425 degrees

Chicken Chipulas

Ingredients

• 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
• 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
• 2 cups shredded, cooked chicken meat
• 1 (4 ounce) can diced green chiles
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 1 (8 ounce) container sour cream
• 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
• 8 (10 inch) flour tortillas

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Combine the soups, chicken, green chiles, onion and sour cream in a medium size bowl. Set aside.
3. Rip tortillas into bite size pieces and layer 1/3 onto the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Layer chicken mixture on top, then a layer of cheddar cheese. Repeat two additional times, making sure to end with cheese on the top layer. Bake in preheated oven for about an hour and serve.

Salsafied Chicken and Rice

Ingredients

• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cubed
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth
• 1 (8 ounce) jar salsa
• 2 cups instant rice
• 8 ounces shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions

1. In a large skillet over medium high heat brown the cubed chicken in oil, salt and pepper until cooked through and juices run clear. Add the broth and salsa and bring to a boil.
2. Once the liquids are boiling, turn off the heat and stir in the instant rice. Sprinkle all of the cheese on top. Cover and let sit for 5 minutes, then serve.

Matzo Meal Pancakes/ Fried Matzo

1/2 cup (about) Manischewitz® Matzo Meal
3/4 teaspoon salt, if desired
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup cold water
3 eggs
Matzo - broken in half

-Combine matzo meal, salt and sugar.
-Separate the eggs.
-Beat yolks slightly and combine with water.
-Add to the dry ingredients.
-Allow to stand for 1/2 hour.
-Beat the egg whites until stiff. Fold them into the matzo meal mixture.

For Pancakes:
-Drop by tablespoon onto a hot, well-greased frying pan or griddle and brown on both sides.

For Fried Matzo:
-Rinse matzo in warm water and then coat in matzo meal mixture.
-Fry on griddle

Sweet & Crunchy Salad

Ingredients

• 2 (3 ounce) packages chicken flavored ramen noodles
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/3 cup white wine vinegar
• 1 (16 ounce) package shredded coleslaw mix
• 1 (11 ounce) can mandarin oranges, drained and sliced
• 1 (8 ounce) can water chestnuts
• 1 bunch green onions, chopped
• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
• 1/2 cup cashews

Directions

1. Place noodles in a bowl of warm water and soak for 15 minutes or until soft.
2. Whisk together the oil, sugar, vinegar and seasoning packs.
3. Drain the noodles and combine in a large bowl with the coleslaw, oranges, water chestnuts, green onions and sunflower seeds.
4. Pour dressing over salad and toss to coat evenly. Refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours. Add cashews before serving.

Quesadilla Suiza Stacks

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• Salt and black pepper
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), divided
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 8 medium tomatillos, rinsed and chopped
• 1/2 cup cilantro, removed from stems (approximately 1 small handful)
• Juice of 1 lime
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 12 8-inch flour tortillas
• 1 1/2-2 cups shredded Swiss cheese
• 1 1/2-2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Preparation

Heat the broiler to high. Place the poblanos under the broiler and char until blackened on all sides, 10-12 minutes. Leave the door of the oven cracked to allow the steam to escape. Place the peppers in a bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Allow the peppers to cool until cool enough to handle. Switch the oven to low, about 225°F.

While the peppers char, place the chicken in a single layer in a small pan and add enough water to come up to the top of the meat but do not submerge completely; season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer and poach for 10-12 minutes, or until cooked through. Flip the chicken breasts during the last 4 minutes of cooking.

While the chicken is poaching, prepare the Suiza sauce: heat 2 tablespoons EVOO, two turns of the pan, in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook to soften, 5 minutes.

While the onion and garlic cook, place the tomatillos, cilantro and lime juice in a food processor. Peel and seed the poblano peppers and add them to the food processor, along with the onion garlic mixture. Process until an almost smooth sauce forms, about 30 seconds. Pour the sauce into a skillet, add in the honey, season with salt and pepper and simmer over low heat for about 10 minutes, stirring every couple minutes.

Shred the cooked, poached chicken with two forks and reserve. Pour the Suiza sauce over the chicken and mix to combine.

Spread some Swiss and Monterey Jack cheese on two of the tortillas. Place a large handful of the chicken mixture on one tortilla and spread to evenly coat. Make quesadilla stacks, starting with a cheese topped one, then chicken, then cheese and top with a plain tortilla to seal it up. Repeat with the remaining tortillas, alternating the filling the same way as before and topping with a plain tortilla to make three Quesadilla Suiza Stacks.

Pre-heat a skillet over medium-low heat with a tablespoon of EVOO and place one stack into the skillet. Cook until brown on each side, about 2-3 minutes per side. When the first stack is done, pop it into the oven to stay warm while you brown the others.

To serve, cut each Quesadilla Suiza Stack into quarters using a serrated knife and serve with Avocado Sour Cream alongside.

Pot Pie Wedges

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
• 1 2/3-pound piece skirt steak or flat iron steak or chicken, thinly sliced on an angle and cut into pieces
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 8 white mushroom caps, sliced
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1/2 cup beef stock
• 1/2 cup frozen peas
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• Salt and pepper
• 1 package (2 pieces) prepared piecrust
• 1 egg, lightly beaten

Preparation

Pre-heat the oven to 425°F.

In a medium size skillet, heat the EVOO over medium-high heat. Add the steak and cook until browned, 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Add the butter to the skillet to melt, then add the mushrooms and cook for 2 minutes. Add the onion and garlic and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle in the flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Stir in the beef stock, peas and Worcestershire sauce. Return the meat to the pan and cook until the sauce thickens and the peas heat through, 2-3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper; remove from the heat.

Unroll the piecrusts and halve them. Divide the cooled meat among the four piecrust pieces, placing a mound on one side of each piece and leaving a small border. Brush the edges of each piecrust piece with some of the egg. Fold the pastry over to enclose the filling, pressing down on the edges; crimp with a fork. Brush the tops of the dough with more of the egg and transfer the pies to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake until golden-brown, about 10 minutes.

Taco Pasta Toss

• Salt and pepper
• 1 pound penne rigate pasta, regular or whole grain
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
• 1 pound ground beef sirloin
• 1 large onion, chopped, divided
• 1 large jalapeño pepper, halved, seeded if desired and thinly sliced crosswise
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons chili powder (about 2 palmfuls)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin (about 1/2 palmful)
• 1 tablespoon ground coriander (about a palmful)
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• One bottle beer (12 ounces) or 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
• 2 cups shredded cheddar, Monterey Jack or any Mexican semi-soft cheese
• 2 small plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• 1/4 head iceberg letuce or 1/2 small heart of romaine lettuce, chopped

Preparation

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain and return to the pot.

While the pasta is working, in a large skillet, heat the EVOO, one turn of the pan, over medium-high heat. Add the beef and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Add three-quarters of the onion, the jalapeño, garlic, chili powder, cumin and coriander; season with salt and pepper. Cook until the onion is softened, 6-7 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste for 1 minute, then stir in the beer.

Add the sauce to the pasta and toss. Spoon into a serving dish, top with the cheese and tent with foil to melt the cheese, about 1 minute. Top with the remaining onion, tomatoes and lettuce – just like tacos!

BLT Bowties

• Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), for drizzling, plus 2 tablespoons
• 12 slices good quality smoky bacon, cut into half-inch dice
• 1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs
• A handful of flat leaf parsley, chopped
• A couple generous handfuls of grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
• 1 small red onion, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped or grated
• A pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 pints cherry tomatoes
• Salt and pepper
• 1 pound bowtie pasta
• 4 cups arugula (a couple of bundles), coarsely chopped
• 1 cup fresh basil (about 20 leaves), torn or coarsely chopped

Preparation

Heat a drizzle of EVOO in a skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Add the bacon and brown until crisp. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Add the panko crumbs to the pan with the bacon drippings and toast until golden brown. Add the parsley and a couple handfuls of grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. Toss to combine, turn off the heat and reserve the crumbs.

Heat 2 tablespoons EVOO in a large skillet with tight-fitting lid over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook to soften, 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the red pepper flakes and cherry tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper, then cover the pan tightly with the lid. Cook, shaking occasionally, until the tomatoes begin to burst, about 8 minutes. Remove the lid and gently mash up the tomatoes a bit with a wooden spoon.

Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to a boil for the pasta. Salt the water and cook the bowties to al dente. Just before draining, add a cup of the starchy cooking liquid to the cherry tomato sauce. Drain the pasta.

Add the arugula and basil to the tomato sauce, along with the reserved bacon and drained bowties. Season with salt and pepper and toss to combine. Garnish the bowls of pasta with the seasoned breadcrumbs and serve.