Food Challenge Day 1

 

The 'Every Day for a Week' challenge has started

I have decided that this weeks theme is going to be food. I'll be taking a recipe from a famous chef or an old cookbook and making it my own by using what ever i have on hand or last minute grocery runs. Sounds fun, right? I thought so.

Cooking is an every day thing for me now six years ago you wouldn't have believed it. I could only cook grilled cheese, mac'n cheese, or ramen - that was a challenge for me. When my Mom had to go back to work after years of being a stay-at-home-mom i had to learn how to cook. Sure my Grandma cooked most of the time but my Mom and Dad decided that it was time for me to learn how to cook. They and my Grandma were instrumental in my learning to cook.

This adventure had every opportunity to turn into a disaster. The first time i had tried to make grilled cheese i burned it. i've nearly chopped my fingers off. I've burned my hands several times. I've even unintentionally nearly burned the house to the ground (for the moment everyone has seemed to forgotten that). I've made dishes so bland that you'd think you were eating industrial strength cardboard. Yea. Its been interesting.

Slowly but surely i've went from cooking out-of-the box meals to bbq lamb, cordon blue, veggie spaghetti, and other delicious things. I dont always hit the nail on the head with every dish, some nights i get so down hearted and angry that a dish doesnt turn out. When this happens it ruins my day. Food Frenzy? Its crazy. I'm crazy. But i've learned to love to cook. Experimenting with food is super fun.

Tonight's creation? Inspired by number 113 in Rachael Ray's cookbook 365 No Repeats.

Ginger-Soy Chicken on Shredded Lettuce

warning: my photography skills are non existant

 

Note: this isn't her recipe, its my version of it. 

It was almost a success. I put too much crushed red pepper in. I felt like i swallowed the sun! SPICY! Lessons learned, noted, moving on. Despite the intense heat it was delicious. You could definitely taste the ginger and the carrots. It was so yummy :)

I eyeball most of my measurements so i don't have an exact recipe.

What I used:

Chicken breasts - boneless, skinless, sliced into thin strips

Carrots - sliced into thick match sticks

Celery - sliced into thick match sticks

Mini Sweet Peppers - seeded, cut into strips

garlic - minced

ginger - mine was in a tube

honey

brown sugar

soy sauce

teriyaki sauce

onion powder

black pepper

crushed red pepper

apple cider vinegar

shredded lettuce

What I did:

In a large-ish bowl, place sliced chicken

In a separate bowl:

1/2 cup brown sugar

season with onion powder, black pepper, less than a pinch of red pepper

slowly add teriyaki sauce until it turns into a thick paste

add a capful of apple cider vinegar


Add sugar paste to chicken, mix well

Marinate for 1/2 hour



Heat a skillet on medium/high heat

Add a dash of EVOO

Add Chicken - cook until chicken is cooked through and juices run clear

Remove chicken from skillet



To skillet add garlic, carrots, and sweet pepper.

De glaze with a couple dashes of teriyaki Sauce (or soy)

Add a small squirt of ginger

Season with onion powder, black pepper

Let liquid simmer down


Add chicken back in

Add 1/3 cup of Soy Sauce

Add honey - 3 to 4 times around the skillet

Add red crushed pepper (you need less than you think, trust me)

Add 2 small squirts of ginger

Mix all together

Let simmer again

Add celery right at the end

Remove skillet from heat so the celery wont wilt so quickly

Serve over mixed leafy greens



P.S. i added the  leaves from the heart of the celery into my lettuce and sprinkled the mix with a little lemon juice for tang. And because i am a cheese lover, a sprinkle of cheese on top of the whole dish.

If you happen to go overboard with the crushed red pepper like i did, a slice of bread or slowly sipping cold milk will help take the edge off of your tongue. Pepsi only intensifies the heat - another lesson learned.

Dabbling at its tastiest. Food Challenge Day 1 complete.