I'm back!

Sorry about the giant gap in posts. I went into full pregnancy mode and was nesting like crazy. Now that my daughter is here I'll try to post a few more recipes. Let's start off with a favorite go to at our house - Chicken Chop Suey.

While this American dish (No, this dish is NOT Chinese. It was invented here.) is usually thought to be bland and overcooked, my recipe has crisp veggies with a kick to it! It may seem like a long and complicated recipe but it really isn't. Enjoy!

Chicken Chop Suey

2 tbs oyster sauce
2 tbs soy sauce
3 tsp dry sherry (aka cooking sherry)
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
3 tsp cornstarch1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast sliced into strips
1/2 cup water2 tbs vegetable oil
5 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 medium onion, sliced
1 bell pepper (color of your choice), sliced
3 stalks of celery, chopped
1/2 package of bean sprouts
1 can water chestnuts, sliced
1/2 tsp Chinese chili paste

Mix 1tbs of oyster sauce, 1 tbs soy sauce, 1 tsp sherry, sugar, red pepper flakes, 1tsp cornstarch. Toss in the chicken and let marinate for 30 minutes to 1 hour (even overnight if you want to prepare the items the night before).

Mix the remaining oyster sauce, soy sauce, sherry, cornstarch & water. Set aside. In a wok or large frying pan heat 2 tbs oil. Toss in the garlic and marinated chicken. Stir fry for 3-4 minutes. Add the onions & peppers. Stir fry for 1-2 minutes. Add the celery, water chestnuts & sprouts. Stir fry for 1 minute. Make a well in the middle of the pan. Add the sauce & chili paste. Stir to incorporate the paste & let cook until the sauce boils and starts to thicken. Stir the sauce well into the veggies & meat.

Serve over white rice.

Tips: This recipe can be jazzed up with any of your favorite vegetables. I love adding pea pods or baby corn to the mix. Broccoli is also good. To raise the spice factor you can add extra chili paste but watch out! A little of that goes a long way! I like to chop the veggies and chicken the night before to make this a quick meal to prepare.