EASY GENERAL TSO'S CHICKEN

General Tso's Chicken is so popular in North American Chinese restaurants.  General Tso was famous in the Hunan Province of China.  The dish was created in the 1950s by a famous Chinese cook, Peng Chang-kuei, and brought it with him to the states in 1973.  The proper way to pronounce this dish is "General Sow", the T is silent...just like Tsunami "su-nami" and Tsawwassen "sah-wassen" Ferry terminal near Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Sauce

¼ cup soy sauce

¼ cup rice vinegar

¼ cup hoisin sauce

½ cup chicken broth 

1 t sesame oil
1-inch piece of ginger, grated

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 t Sriracha sauce

4 dried chile peppers, left whole or ½ t red pepper flakes

1 T tomato paste

3 T honey

2 T cornstarch

1 lb boneless, skinless breasts or thighs, cut into ½-inch cubes
¼ cup cornstarch
2 T avocado or coconut oil, divided

1 T toasted sesame seeds, for garnish

2 scallions, thinly sliced, for garnish

To Make the Sauce

In a 2 cup measuring pitcher, add the above sauce ingredients and whisk to combine.

Set aside while cooking chicken.

In a medium bowl, combine the chicken and cornstarch.

Toss to combine and set aside.

Heat a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat half of the oil and add the chicken pieces.

Cook half of chicken for 3 to 4 minutes.  

Flip chicken over and cook an additional 3 to 4 minutes.

Transfer chicken to a bowl and add the remaining oil to skillet or wok and cook the second batch of chicken.

Transfer chicken to the bowl with the rest of the chicken.

Pour sauce into the skillet or wok and and bring to a boil.  

Let simmer about 2 minutes to thicken.

Add the chicken and heat through.

Remove chile peppers, if desired.

Sprinkle with the green scallions and sesame seeds.

Serve with cooked rice.

Serves 4 

MEATLOAF WITH BOURBON-MAPLE GLAZE

Almost everyone loves a good meatloaf, especially a Southern one with a bourbon and maple glaze. Make the glaze first and then set it aside while preparing the meatloaf. If you prefer making your meatloaf with some pork and veal, add ¼ lb ground veal, ¼ lb ground pork, and 1½ lbs ground beef.

Glaze

½ cup ketchup

¼ cup chili sauce

¼ cup pure maple syrup

3 T Kentucky bourbon (optional)

2 T brown sugar

1 T dry mustard

1 t hot sauce (optional)

Place the above ingredients in a saucepan and whisk to combine.
Heat to a low boil, then turn down heat and simmer for 5 minutes, until it thickens slightly.
Set aside.

Meatloaf

1 T avocado oil

½ medium yellow onion, finely diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 lbs ground chuck beef

½ cup plain dry bread crumbs or (crushed Ritz crackers - very Southern)

2 T dry mustard

½ cup chili sauce

½ cup ketchup

2 T Worcestershire sauce

2 eggs, beaten

1 t fresh thyme leaves or ½ t dried thyme

1 t sea salt

½ t finely ground black pepper
2 slices thin bacon, cut in half

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. 

Add the onion and sauté over very low heat for 10 minutes. 

Add the garlic and sauté for 2 more minutes. 

Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly.  

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, add the ground beef, bread crumbs, mustard, chili sauce, ketchup, Worcestershire, beaten egg, thyme, salt, and pepper.

Mix all ingredients together gently by hands.

Form and pat into a firm loaf shape. 

Place in a large cast-iron skillet or on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet.

Spoon some of the glaze on top of the meatloaf. 

Arrange cut pieces of bacon on top and brush with a little more glaze, saving the rest for later.

Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees then increase temperature to 375 degrees F.

Brush with the rest of the glaze and bake another 30 minutes or until the center registers 165 degrees F with an instant-read thermometer.

Let meatloaf rest on a platter for 10 minutes before slicing.

Serves 6

THE BEST SWISS FONDUE

Fondue is a Swiss, Italian, and French dish of melted cheese in wine. It is made and served in a caquelon or fondue pot. It was promoted as a Swiss national dish in the 1930s. 

Kitchen Tips: 
Gruyère is a hard yellow whole cow's milk cheese named after the French speaking area of Switzerland known as Gruyères. 
Swiss Emmentaler another whole cow's milk cheese and is made in Emmental, Switzerland. 
Appenzeller is the top of the line and is also a whole cow's milk fruity cheese, also made in Switzerland. 

Fontina is an Alpine cheese originating in Italy
Kirsch is a colorless, dry brandy. It is made from the fermented juice of black morello cherries.

P.S. Gruyére and Fontina are easier to find in the USA. You can make the fondue with these two cheeses and it will still be delicious.  Just make sure you use 24 ounces of cheese in this recipe.

1 large clove garlic, peeled and cut in half

8 oz Swiss Appenzeller cheese 

8 oz Swiss Gruyère cheese

4 oz Swiss Emmentaler cheese 

4 oz Italian Fontina 

2 cups dry white wine

1 T cornstarch

1 t fresh lemon juice

3 T kirsch brandy

¼ t nutmeg 

Pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)

Paprika for garnish, if desired

Rub fondue pot with the garlic clove and discard clove.

Grate the cheeses with a box grater into a large bowl and set aside.

Add the wine to the fondue pot and heat until it starts to bubble.

Add the cornstarch and whisk to smooth out any lumps.

Turn heat to low and slowly add the grated cheeses, a handful at a time, stirring with a wooden spoon until all the cheese is melted and the mixture is creamy and smooth.

This will take about 15 minutes.

Add lemon juice, brandy, nutmeg, and cayenne.
Stir for another minute.

Sprinkle with paprika and serve with chunks of crusty bread, carrot sticks, sliced apples, and a green salad.

Serves 4

THANKSGIVING GRAVY STARTER

Here is a foolproof way to have the perfect and most delicious turkey gravy for Thanksgiving or Christmas. I have been doing this for several years and my gravy is always a hit. Make this a couple of days or a week before Thanksgiving. 

Freeze it and bring it out to thaw in the refrigerator on Thanksgiving Eve.

3 stalks celery, coarsely chopped

2 carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped

1 large onion, peeled and coarsely chopped

3 to 4 fresh bay leaves

4 sprigs of fresh rosemary

2 sprigs of fresh thyme 

4 strips applewood smoked bacon, diced

12 chicken wings, separated at the joint

Avocado or olive oil

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

½ cup all-purpose flour

4 cups chicken broth or stock

2 cups boiling water

2 t chicken bouillon

½ t Kitchen Bouquet

1 T pure maple syrup 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a heavy roasting pan or a very large skillet, add the first set of ingredients. 

Sprinkle on the diced bacon and add the chicken wings

Drizzle with oil and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Place in oven a roast for 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Remove from oven and place on top of stove over medium-low heat and using a potato masher, mash the vegetables and chicken wings, to release their juices.

Scrape up the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.

Gradually mix in the flour and cook a couple of minutes.

Pour in the chicken broth and boiling water.

Turn up the heat to boil for 10 minutes until slighly thickened. 

Then turn down heat and simmer for 10 minutes. 

Remove chicken wings and let cool slightly. 

Strain the gravy through a sieve into a large heatproof measuring pitcher.

Gently mash the vegetables in the sieve to release the flavor. 

Discard the vegetables, (I take the meat off of the bones and put it in my dog's food).

Add the maple syrup.

Once it has cooled to room temperature, put into a container and freeze or if making a couple of days before Thanksgiving, you can store it in the refrigerator. 

Take out of the freezer to defrost in refrigerator on Thanksgiving Eve.

Gravy Finish

When the turkey comes out of the oven, use a carving fork to tilt the turkey over the pan to let the juices run out.

Place turkey on a carving board and cover with a tent of aluminum foil.

Pour pan juices into a gravy separator and pour dark part back into the pan and scrape up the flavorful bits up from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. 

Add:
½ t poultry seasoning  

½ t celery salt  

2 T flour and stir.

Stir in the pre-made Gravy Starter and 1 cup of turkey stock that you made with the neck and giblets. You can also just add a little more chicken stock.

Bring to a boil over medium heat, while stirring. 

Strain again through a sieve into a saucepan and keep hot until ready to serve. 

EASY HOMEMADE SANDWICH BREAD

Once in a while, we like plain old-fashioned white bread for grilled cheese or tuna salad sandwiches...even peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. This bread is so easy to make and is very moist because of the milk or buttermilk. Your house will smell amazing while this bread is baking.  It's also excellent to cut into thicker slices for Texas Toast.  

1 ¼ cups warm whole milk (microwave for 60 to 90 secs)

3 T granulated sugar or honey

1 T active dry yeast

3 to 3 ¼ cups bread flour

4 T unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly

1 t sea salt

In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the warm milk, sugar or honey, and yeast.

Gently whisk or stir and set aside for 10 minutes to proof.

Add the flour, melted butter, and salt to the bowl.

Attach a dough hook and mix until dough comes together.

Increase speed and mix another 3 minutes.

Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for another 2 minutes.

Lightly coat a large bowl with cooking spray and add the dough. 

Flip over to coat in oil on both sides.

Cover with plastic wrap, or a damp tea towel and let the dough rise in a warm location until doubled in size, about 1 ¼ to 1 ½ hours.

I turn my oven on and let it heat to 120 degrees F.

Turn it off, add a small pan of boiling water, and then put the bowl in oven.

You can also leave the oven light on 

Lightly coat a loaf pan with cooking spray and set aside.

Punch down dough and on a lightly floured surface, roll into a rectangle.

Roll up, tuck in ends, and place into the prepared loaf pan.

Let rise in a warm place for about 40 minutes, until the bread is about one inch (no more) above the rim of the loaf pan.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, 15 minutes before the bread has finished rising.

Bake bread for 30 to 35 minutes.

Remove loaf pan onto a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes. 

Release from loaf pan and cool bread directly on wire rack until completely cool.

Makes one delicious loaf

BURGUNDY BEEF STEW - BOEUF BOURGUIGNON

The last few nights, it has been cold, I wanted to make something warm and special for dinner for my husband and me. I got out my old recipe for Boeuf Bourguignon and it was simply delicious. The meat was "melt-in-your-mouth" tender. 

The only time-consuming part was browning the meat.  

6 slices bacon, chopped

3 T avocado oil, divided

1 3½ to 4 lb chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 2-inch cubes

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

6 carrots, cut diagonally into 2-inch pieces
1 medium yellow onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup Cognac or brandy, optional

2 cups Burgundy, Merlot, or Pinot Noir

2 cups beef stock
2 T tomato paste

1 t dry thyme

2 bay leaves

4 T unsalted butter, softened
3 T all-purpose flour
8 oz small button mushrooms, wiped clean and trimmed
½ (14 oz) package frozen pearl onions

Chopped parsley, for garnish

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

Cook bacon over medium heat in a large Dutch oven until crisp.

Remove with a slotted spoon to a large bowl and set aside.
Pour off most of the bacon grease and discard.

Pat the beef dry and season with salt and pepper.

Turn the heat to medium-high and add one tablespoon of the oil and one-third of the meat. 
Brown on all sides, then remove with a slotted spoon to the large bowl with the bacon. 
Repeat two more times with the rest of the oil and meat.

Add the carrots to the pot and cook for 2 minutes.
Add the diced onion and cook another 2 minutes.

Add the garlic and cook another minute. 
Deglaze the pan with the Cognac or brandy and then add the wine and cook on high heat for 1 minute.
Add the beef broth, tomato paste, thyme, and bay leaves.

Return the beef and bacon to the pan, cover with a lid and place in the oven for 3 hours.

Lightly brown the mushrooms and in a skillet with a little butter and set aside.

After 3 hours, place pan on top of the stove and combine the softened butter with the flour in a small bowl.

Stir the flour-butter mixture into the stew and add the browned mushrooms and pearl onions.
Bring stew to a boil on top of the stove, then lower the heat and slowly simmer for 30 minutes.

Remove bay leaves and ladle onto plates or shallow bowls with a side of grits, mashed potatoes, or wide egg noodles.

Garnish with chopped parsley.

Serve with a green vegetable or salad.

Serves 6