Heka

I'm not sure where this recipe originates from.  It is a stir fry with ground beef as a base and soy sauce for flavor. The recipe came from my friend Kristen a long time ago.  It is for me and my fellow cabbage-lovers!  I'm still working to convert some of my household to the appreciation of this vegetable.  It is a process that consists of putting it on the table in front of them as often as I think they will let me! Go, cabbage!

Heka
1 lb. hamburger
1 med. onion, sliced
2 c. carrots, sliced
2 c. celery, sliced
2 c. cabbage, sliced thin
1/3 c. soy sauce
1/2 c. water
2 Tbsp. sugar
pepper to taste

Chop all the veggies.  Brown hamburger and onion together in a skillet, do not add any salt, but pepper to taste.  Add remaining vegetables.  Mix soy sauce, water and sugar together and pour over vegetables and hamburger.  Reduce heat to simmer, cover and simmer 15 min. or until veggies are tender. Serve immediately. I like to serve this with bread, rolls or biscuits.

Notes: The original recipe calls for 1/2 c. soy sauce and 1/3 c. water.  I think it makes it a little over-salty, so I use a bit less, but keep the liquid ratio the same.  You can do as you like.

Jenny

Meatballs for Freezing

With the holidays in full swing, I wanted to post this recipe which is helpful as a quick dinner item or nice to have on hand for making appetizers for company or to take to the holiday parties.  The meatballs take very little time for the payback. Ideas for using them are listed after the recipe.

Meatballs for Freezing
4 lbs of ground beef
2 eggs
2 c. dry bread crumbs or rolled oats
1 onion, chopped very fine
1 Tbsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
2 c. milk

In a large bowl, with a strong wooden spoon, or using clean hands, mix all ingredients together until evenly combined.  Using a scoop or your hands, form meatballs about the size of a walnut and place on a baking sheets.  You can crowd on as many meatball as you can, they actually shrink a little as they bake. Bake meatballs in a preheated oven at 375 degrees for 25-30 min. until browned.  Let meatballs cool.  Remove from pan with a spatula and transfer to large freezer bags in groups of about 20 meatballs.  I usually get about 4 bags. Squeeze out the air and freeze for up to 3 months.

To Use Meatballs:  You can thaw meatballs in the fridge or in the microwave.  They are ready to add to marinara for spaghetti, or for meatball sandwiches.  You can use them for Swedish meatballs or sweet and sour.  I like to add a package of meatballs to Mandarin Sauce and serve it over rice.  For appetizer meatballs, try one of these combinations in a crock pot:

My friend Emily buys a Smucker's Red Currant Jelly, empties the jar into the crock pot, fills the jar with yellow mustard, and dumps that in too.  Heat and stir to combine.  When the jelly is melted and everything is an even color, add meatballs and heat on low for an hour or two. Yum!

A similar method but different taste is accomplished by using equal parts grape jelly and barbecue sauce.

Notes:  Your meatballs will look much better than mine because you will pay attention to what you are doing and chop your onions very fine.... :) Don't stress about any grease that accumulates in the bottom of your pan, you are going to lift the meatballs out of that.  You can use lean ground beef if you like.

Jenny

Apricot Chicken and Rice

I first tasted apricot chicken in Australia when I was on a youth exchange--my host mother was such a good cook! She told me that she only made a few dishes, seven or eight things sticking with what she did well.  It was a good strategy and her apricot chicken was wonderful. Traditionally this dish is a sauce poured over chicken pieces and baked, but here we have a yummy skillet version, served over rice.  My kids loved this.

Apricot Chicken and Rice
1 onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 tsp. sesame oil
3 c. chopped, cooked chicken
1 1/2 c. apricot preserves
2 c. chicken broth
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1/2 tsp. seasoning salt
pepper to taste
tiny pinch of chipotle flakes (optional)

In a large skillet, heat olive oil.  Cook onion and garlic in oil until onion is tender.  Add remaining ingredients, stir to combine and simmer for 10 min.  (If sauce is thin, you can thicken it with about 2 tsp. cornstarch in 2 Tbsp. water to a gravy consistency.)  Serve over rice.

Notes:  I served this at a meal when we weren't all home.  I will need to make a bigger batch next time.  I used homemade apricot jam. You could also add peppers to this...

Jenny

Beef Stir Fry

This is a simple stir fry that "cheats" by using an Au Jus packet for making the beef sauce.  We really like it. 

Beef Stir Fry

1 lb. beef, cubed

2 c. chopped carrots

1/2 c. chopped onions

1/2 c. chopped celery

3/4  c. shredded cabbage

vegetable oil for frying

Sauce ingredients:

2 Tbsp. soy sauce

1 tsp. Asian seasoning

1 packet (1 oz.) Au Jus mix (we used Western Family brand)

2 Tbsp. cornstarch
2 c. cool water

1 Tbsp. oyster sauce (opt.)

Prepare vegetables and set aside.  Mix sauce ingredients in a small bowl with a whisk and set aside.  Heat oil in a wok or skillet and stir fry vegetables for a few minutes, then add the beef and stir fry until it is cooked through.  Add sauce to the pan and heat and stir until sauce thickens.  Serve over rice or noodles.

Notes:  I use Pampered Chef's Asian seasoning.  If you don't have any, you could substitute some garlic powder and ground ginger, or, you could serve this over plain ramen noodles and use part of the seasoning packet in place of the Asian seasoning. Taste for saltiness.  Add more or less soy sauce to taste. You can vary the vegetables to suit your taste too.  I think it would be easy to use a bag of California mix frozen vegetables with this.

Jenny

Mandarin Sauce

I tried this recipe two years ago, while facing a huge crop of tomatoes that I had bottled until I was out of ideas--then my aunt posted this recipe on our family web site.  I have found it a handy thing to have on the shelf.  See notes after the recipe for ideas on using this.

Mandarin Sauce
9 c. tomatoes, peeled, chopped and drained
4 c. onion chunks
4 c. green pepper, chopped
2 (20 oz.) cans chunk pineapple and juice
6 c. sugar
8 Tbsp. soy sauce
3 c. vinegar
1 c. water
1 1/4 c. cornstarch

Peel tomatoes, squeeze them to remove some of the juice and seeds, coarsely chop.  Cut onions and green peppers into chunks.  Mix sugar with cornstarch in a bowl and stir together. Combine tomatoes, pineapple and juice, onions, and peppers in a large pot.  Add soy sauce, vinegar, water and bring to a boil, stirring constantly.  Slowly add sugar/cornstarch mix while stirring and boil until thickened.  Put in pint jars, leaving 1/2 inch head space and process immediately in a boiling water bath for 35 min.  Makes 12 pints.
To serve: Brown boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pour sauce over and bake in 350 oven for about 45 min.  or put this in a crock pot.  Serve over rice.

Notes:  This is a bit of an old-fashioned recipe for canning, as it calls for cornstarch.  Most new publications will not publish recipes with cornstarch because the resulting food product deteriorates in appearance over time.  It is perfectly safe to use, it will just separate, causing a clear liquid to gather on top of the food in the jar.  This may not happen for a year or more, but if it does, don't be alarmed, just use as is.  Alternately, you could make this without the cornstarch and thicken it before you use it each time.

I use the food processor to coarsely chop my vegetables.  To peel tomatoes, cut a small x in the bottom of the tomato. Put tomatoes into boiling water for 30 seconds then plunge into cold water.  The skins will begin to curl and you can pull them off easily with your hands.

My favorite way to use this sauce is over a pork roast in the crock pot.  When the meat is tender, I shred it back into the sauce and serve over rice.  This is also yummy over meatballs.

Jenny

Lettuce Wraps

We tried these recently and my family loved them!  I'm adding them here as we will definitely be making them again.  The kids called them Chinese burritos.

Lettuce Wraps
Sauce: (to pour over wraps)
1/4 c. sugar
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 c. warm water
2 Tbsp. ketchup
1/8 tsp. sesame oil
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. cornstarch

Combine ingredients in a small saucepan, or microwave safe dish and heat until thickened.  Keep warm.

Stir fry:
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. sesame oil
1 lb. ground pork or chicken  breast (you can grind the raw meat in your food processor)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 can (8 oz.) water chestnuts, drained
1/2 c. mushrooms
3 green onions
1 can (8 oz.) bamboo shoots, drained

Stir fry sauce:
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1/2 tsp. rice wine vinegar (or white vinegar)
2 Tbsp. brown sugar

Make both sauces and set aside.  In the bowl of a food processor, combine water chestnuts, mushrooms, onions and bamboo shoots and chop fine.  In a skillet or wok, heat oils, add pork and garlic and cook through.  (If there is a lot of grease at this point, spoon off, leaving only about 2 Tbsp.)  Add chopped vegetables and stir fry a couple of minutes.  Add the stir fry sauce and stir to coat.  To serve, wrap stir fry in iceberg lettuce leaves and spoon serving sauce over the top.

Notes:  This sounds a bit intense, but if you measure out and set aside the sauces first, the stir fry takes only a matter of minutes.  We used pork that I ground in my food processor.  It was delicious!  I used the left over dipping sauce as a stir fry sauce with lo mein noodles.  You can skip the dipping sauce and serve them with Plum Sauce if you like.

Another Note:  I wanted lettuce wraps this week, but didn't have bamboo shoots or water chestnuts or even mushrooms on hand.  So I substituted carrots, potato and zucchini and they turned out wonderful.  Just play with what you have on hand!

Jenny

Plum Sauce

The first time I had lettuce wraps, my mouth was so happy!  But my favorite bit was the plum sauce the restaurant served alongside.  I found this recipe several years ago and I make a batch every fall for dipping egg rolls and won tons.  The recipe comes from the Ball Blue Book, and the spiced version is from Taste of Home.  My children hate the way it smells while it is cooking, I tell you as a warning not to make it when you have company coming. :)

Plum Sauce

4 lbs. plums
2 c. brown sugar
1 c. white sugar
3/4 c. chopped onion
2 Tbsp. mustard seed
2 Tbsp. chopped green Chile peppers
1 Tbsp. ground ginger
1 Tbsp salt
1 clove garlic, minced
1 c. cider vinegar
(Opt. for spiced sauce: add 1 tsp. cinnamon and 1/2 tsp. cloves)

Pit and chop plums. Combine remaining ingredients in a large sauce pot. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Add chopped plums. Cook until thick and syrupy, about 1 1/2 hours. Ladle hot sauce into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch head space. Adjust two piece caps. Process 20 min. in a boiling water canner Yield 4 pints. Note: when cutting or seeding hot peppers wear rubber gloves to prevent hands from being burned. (I prefer the spiced version with the cinnamon and cloves.)

Jenny

Ham Fried Rice

Leftover rice is sure to become this family favorite.

Ham Fried Rice
3 c. cooked rice
1 onion, chopped
2 c. ham, cubed
2 eggs, beaten
1 c. frozen peas, thawed
1 can water chestnuts, opt.
2 Tbsp. oil
2 Tbsp. soy sauce

In a large skillet or wok, heat oil and cook onion in it until the onion is tender.  Add rice, ham, peas, and soy sauce (and water chestnuts, if desired).  Stir and cook until heated through.  Move rice to the sides of pan, making a bare space in the center of the pan. Add a drizzle of oil and beaten eggs to center of pan, stir and cook the eggs until they set, then stir the rice and eggs together.  Serve with soy sauce. You can also add any random leftover veggies from the fridge to this.

Jenny

Vonda's Sweet and Sour Chicken

This one can be made with a whole, cut up chicken or like it is pictured here, with leg quarters.  It is a nice way to use an inexpensive cut of meat.

Vonda's Sweet and Sour Chicken

2 lb chicken

cornstarch

1 beaten egg

Sauce:

1 c. chicken broth

3/4 c. sugar

3/4 c. white vinegar

1/2 c. catsup

2 Tbsp. soy sauce

2 tsp. seasoning salt (Accent)

Wash chicken in cold water and blot dry (when using leg quarters, I like to skin them too.) Dip in cornstarch, then beaten egg.  Brown in oil in a skillet, then remove to a 9 x 13 pan.  Mix sauce ingredients and pour over chicken.  Cover.  Bake at 350 for 1 hour.  Serve with steamed rice, the sauce is thin, but delicious over rice.

Egg Foo Yong

This Chinese omelet is easy to make at home.  Use the sauce recipe provided, or serve with chicken or beef gravy.

Egg Foo Yong
4 eggs
1 can bean sprouts, rinsed and drained
1/2 c. chopped meat (we like pork, chicken or ham)
2 Tbsp. chopped onions
1 Tbsp. soy sauce

Beat eggs and stir in remaining ingredients.  Heat a little oil in a skillet. Pour 1/4 cup mixture at a time into hot oil.  Push cooked egg up over meat to form a patty. When patties are set, turn and brown other side.  Makes 2 large servings

Sauce for Egg Foo Yong
1 Tbsp. + 1 tsp. cornstarch
2 tsp. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vinegar
3 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 c. water
Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan.  Cook over medium heat until thick.

Notes: I usually make smaller patties to serve as a side dish, it will make quite a few of these.

Jenny

Chow Mein

Chow Mein
1/4 c. butter or margarine
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tsp. salt
dash of pepper
2 c. chopped celery
1 1/2 c. hot water
1 can bean sprouts or mixed Chinese vegetables
2 c. chopped, cooked chicken or 2 cans tuna, drained

Thickening:
2 Tbsp. cold water
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. sugar

Cook onion in melted butter for 2 min. Add salt, pepper, celery and water.  Cover and cook 5 min. Add meat and sprouts or vegetables.  Heat thoroughly.  Add thickening.  Stir lightly and cook until heated through.  Serve with chow mein noodles and season with soy sauce.

Notes: The photo shows this recipe made with cabbage instead of bean sprouts--I use this substitution often-and I added carrots for fun. I usually double the batch for my crew.  You can add more thickening if desired.
Jenny