Food for Thought – April 4, 2017

By NANCY ZAMBELL

For The Vista

Are you ready for something a little different, but easy to make, and good for company?

This Chinese chicken dish and fortune cookies are perfect for an evening of entertaining. And you can insert some really funny fortunes customized for your friends. Enjoy!

Kung Pao Chicken

1 pkg. of three boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 T cornstarch

2 t. oil

3 T chopped green onions with tops

2 cloves garlic, minced

1⁄2 green pepper, diced

2 c. broccoli

1⁄2 t. crushed red pepper

1⁄4-1/2 t. ground ginger

1⁄4 c. rice vinegar

1⁄4 c. soy sauce

1 T sugar

1/3 c. unsalted dry roasted peanuts

4 c. hot cooked rice (cooked w/o salt or fat)

Combine chicken & cornstarch in small bowl; toss. Heat oil in large skillet or wok on medium-high heat. Add chicken. Stir-fry 5-7 minutes or until no longer pink in center. Remove from skillet. Add onions, garlic, green pepper, broccoli, red pepper, & ginger to skillet. Stir-fry 15 seconds. Remove from heat.

Combine vinegar, soy sauce & sugar in small bowl. Stir well. Add to skillet. Return chicken to skillet. Stir until coated. Stir in nuts. Heat thoroughly, stirring occasionally. Serve over hot rice.

 

Fortune Cookies

3 T butter, softened                3 T sugar

1 large egg white                    1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/3 c all-purpose flour

1. Preheat oven to 400°. Write fortunes on small strips of paper (3-1/2×1/4-in.); set aside. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a pencil, draw two 3-1/2-in. circles on a sheet of parchment paper. Place paper, pencil mark down, on a baking sheet; set aside.

2. In a small bowl, beat butter, sugar, egg white and vanilla. Add flour; mix well. Spread 1 tablespoon batter over each circle. Bake 4-5 minutes or until lightly browned.

3. Slide parchment paper onto a work surface. Cover one cookie with a kitchen towel. Place a fortune in the center of the other cookie; loosen cookie from parchment paper with a thin spatula. Fold cookie in half over fortune strip so the edges meet; hold edges together for 3 seconds.

4. Place center of cookie over the rim of a glass; gently press ends down to bend cookie in middle. Cool 1 minute before removing to a wire rack. Repeat with second cookie. If cookies become too cool to fold, return to oven to soften for 1 minute. Repeat with remaining batter and fortunes. Yield: 10 cookies.