Sweet & Sour Chicken and Broccoli

This recipe is adapted from a Pinterest find.  I’m totally addicted to Pinterest, but hadn’t actually done much of anything with any of my pins…until the last few weeks.  I have projects going all over the house now, which means it’s a disaster ‘round these parts.  I really need to start making more of the recipes I’ve pinned, though.  So here’s the first one I’m sharing.  Like I said, I adapted it some…broccoli wasn’t part of the original recipe, but seemed like a good addition to me!  I also adjust some of the measurements from the original and added Sriracha (just because I love it).  As you can tell from the photo, I didn’t have much broccoli in the house, or I would have put in a lot more (which is also why I didn’t put any measurement/amount on the broccoli, you decide).

Anyways, like I said, I haven’t actually made many of the recipes I’ve pinned.  I have a feeling a lot of them are not really winners, they just sound good in theory.  But this one is definitely a winner, and a great alternative to Chinese take-out!

Sweet & Sour Chicken and Broccoli

Ingredients

²/₃ cup white sugar

4 tbsp ketchup

½ cup white vinegar

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tsp garlic powder

dash (or more) Sriracha hot pepper sauce (optional)

~1.5 lbs boneless chicken breasts

salt & pepper

1 cup cornstarch

2 eggs, lightly beaten

¼ cup canola oil

broccoli, cut up into bite-size pieces

Instructions

1) Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

2) Mix together sugar, ketchup, vinegar, soy sauce, garlic powder and Sriracha.  Set aside.

2) Cut up chicken into bite-size pieces, season with salt and pepper to taste.  Dip chicken into eggs to coat, then dip in cornstarch until well coated.

3) Heat oil in a large skillet and drop chicken in, cook just until slightly brown, but not cooked through.

4) Place the chicken and broccoli in a lightly greased 9”x13” baking dish, and pour the sauce over all it.  Cook for 45-60 minutes, turning chicken about every 15 minutes.

Enjoy!

 ~ j

Sriracha-Lime Popcorn

This is delicious.  I'm not sure where I got this one from, so if you've seen it somewhere else, let me know and I'll give credit where it's due.  No measurements, I just can't do it.  I think I'm going to start posting the stuff I make with no measurements.  That is, honestly, the only thing holding me back from posting more recipes.  I'm incapable of measurement.  I make all sorts of great dishes and take photos of them, and then I don't know how to write them up because I just don't measure.

ANYHOW...here is a delicious mix of stuff to put on your popcorn.  Please don't use pre-packaged microwave popcorn, that stuff is poison and you're just killing yourself with it.  I have a Stir Crazy popper that my sis-in-law gave me for Xmas, and I love it!

Ingredients

popcorn

butter

Sriracha amazing hot chili pepper sauce (as much or as little as makes your mouth happy)

lime juice (you don't need a lot...experiment with it to your liking)

salt (optional)

If you know how to make a bowl of popcorn
look exciting and photogenic, let me know.

Instructions

1)  Pop your popcorn.

2)  While the corn is popping, melt the butter using whatever method you like.

3)  Whisk the Sriracha and lime juice into the melted butter.

4)  When the popcorn is done, pour the butter mixture over the top a little bit at a time, stirring the popcorn around with each pour.  Shake salt on top if you'd like.

enjoy!

 ~ j

Spicy Cauliflower

It's been a while since I've posted.  I've been in a food rut. UGH.  Been making a lot of my old standby's and pantry meals.  We are moving soon and we are trying to use up a lot of what is in our pantry so we don't have to move it.  So I'm pulling this one out of the vault.  I made it a few weeks ago and forgot to post it.  Don't forget to email us your favorite recipes to try and post here at hayjucook@gmail.com

A side dish. This might be the first side we have posted.  I love cauliflower, but struggle with ways to make it 'more fun'.  Don't get me wrong, I like it raw, steamed, plain, or with a little butter, but sometimes you wanna spice things up a bit.  So for this easy recipe, I added a few asian-esque things and served it with pan seared venison that also had an asian-inspired sauce (yes, we eat a lot of venison in this house).

What you need:
1/2 head of cauliflower- steamed
2 teaspoons sesame oil
4 cloves garlic- minced
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (we like sriracha brand)

What you do:
Heat oil up over medium or medium high heat.  Add garlic to infuse into the oil.  After about 30 seconds add pre-steamed cauliflower and saute for a few minutes adding in the hot sauce at the last minute.  Easy as pie!

Enjoy!
-hayden

note: I thought I had a picture saved of this, but I wiped my computer last week and must have only saved the blog folder that contained the recipes. Hopefully they are still on my camera.  Whoops.  Use your imagination for now!