Easy Kung Pao Chicken

I love Chinese Food, especially the spicy variety, but found making it time consuming. I have adapted this recipe to make it quick and easy without losing the flavor.

Ingredients:
1.5 pounds of chicken tenders cut into 1 inch pieces
1.5 tablespoons corn starch
3 teaspoons vegetable oil
3 tablespoons chopped green onions(include the light green part)
3 cloves of garlic,minced
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes( use more or less to suit your taste)
1.5 teaspoons of powdered ginger
3 tablespoons of white wine vinegar
3 tablespoons of reduced salt soy sauce
1/3 cup sriracha hot chili sauce
1/2 cup honey roasted peanuts.

Preparation:
Combine chicken and cornstarch in bowl and toss until chicken is coated
Heat oil in large non stick sauté pan(no wok needed)
Add chicken and stir fry for about 5 minutes over medium heat until chicken is cooked through
Remove chicken to small bowl and set aside
Return sauté pan to heat and add in green onions, garlic, red pepper, and ginger
Saute for 15 to 20  seconds
Add  this to bowl with set aside chicken
Combine vinegar and soy sauce in small bowl and stir well
Add to sauté pan with reserved chicken mixture and stir well
Add sriracha sauce and combine thoroughly
Add in peanuts
Heat thoroughly
Serve with brown rice

Serves 4
                         

Red Pepper Coulis Sauce

I had forgotten how easy this was to make and how yummy it is.

Ingredients:
3 red bell peppers
2 cloves of peeled, chopped garlic
½ cup chicken stock
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons basil, thyme or marjoram diced
Salt and pepper to taste
16 Sea scallops rinsed and dredged in 2 tablespoons of flour

Preparation:
Roast red peppers in oven at 400 degrees until skins are dark and peppers have collapsed, around one hour. Remove from oven and let cool. Remove skin carefully and remove seeds and stems. Do not rinse.

Add peppers, 2 tablespoons olive oil, chicken stock, garlic, and herbs to food processor and puree. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Cook dredged scallops in 2 tablespoons olive oil until scallops spring back when touched about 3 minutes a side. It is very easy to overcook scallops and if you do they become tough and chewy. Spoon coulis sauce onto each diners dish and place 4  scallops on top of the coulis sauce and serve.

Root Beer BBQ Sauce

Since the Super Bowl is only ten days away, I thought I might share my barbecue sauce recipe and my chicken rub. This is a multistep process and takes some time.The barbecue sauce can simmer while you prepare the wings.

Ingredients: 
1 cup Heinz ketchup
1 cup root beer
1/2 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar packed (if your brown sugar is hard, put it in the microwave for one minute to soften)
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder

Preparation:
Place all items in sauce pan, bring to a boil, and then simmer for 20 minutes.