Thursday, April 11, 2013

Recipe of the Week

While rumaging through what I call my Recipe Binder, I noticed I have a horrible habit. I LOVE new recipes. I am especially in love with insanely difficult, master-chef, types of recipes. And what do I do? I print out all of these delicious recipes and stuff them into a binder, never to be seen again (unless I pin it on Pinterest, or it happens to make its rounds again on the internet and I print it for a second time. This happens a lot)

So, in an effort to spend more time with family, and to extend my cooking expertise (and have a sense of feeling accomplished all at the same time!) I have instigated Recipe of the Week. I will strive (try, do, or not do..depends how I feel and stuff) to make one new recipe a week. Granted, they will not be completely new and exotic (maybe sometime I WILL try to make Beef Wellington or a Souffle), they will be new to what I am used to. I will be doing more than just heating up some spaghetti, or having Chipotle for the third night this week (or Del Taco, because there's never such a thing as too many chicken soft tacos).

I hope this will inspire some of you to pull out your recipe books,boxes or whatever you use to hold recipes (pinterest boards are so eco-friendly!). The lack of kitchen knowledge is dimishing in our youth. Get your family involved, let them make a mess with you (then have them clean it up! Kidding...team effort!). And post pictures! Give us your take on your recipes. Let us know where you failed, and where you triumphed. There is nothing more infuriating as trying a new recipe, and it ending in disaster. Let's help each other people.

So now, I give you my take on "Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken" found here from Six Sisters
http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2012/03/baked-sweet-and-sour-chicken-recipe.html

Note: This picture was taken by me (unfortunately). I own all rights to this (not that that is an accomplishment or anything).

Sounds delish right? Where can you go wrong with homemade Chinese food? Well...aside from the fact that it seems impossibly hard, it wasn't so bad. But I always forget kitchen rule #1 Always read the recipe ALL the way through. I don't know what it is about me. I must think I am some kitchen genius because I always get halfway through the recipe and either find out "oh crap...this recipe needs a red pineapple grown in the depths of the amazon jungle? " or another classic "If I had known you had to go to the woods, find the chicken, create a shrine for it then massage it to the perfect tenderness I wouldn't have chosen this recipe".  But I am usually able to wing it (ha..I said "wing" it...) and furthermore, provide this valuable knowledge (that can be found on the recipe..in case you want to save yourself) to all of you.

So, my disaster of the day was that not only was the title of this recipe false advertising (because before baking it, you get to coat it with cornstarch and eggs then fry it for a bit), it also calls for an extended amount of baking time. I am sorry, but if I had known it was going to take an hour just in baking time, I would have bought some China House down the street and repented of all my food sins later.

On a much more positive side, it was pretty freaking delicious. I felt unstoppable being able to cook some homemade Chinese. And I will admit, it did seem healthier with less coating than you would find on the Orange Chicken at Panda Express. So I would consider this a success!

Now, to get you in the mood to want to make something I will let you know what is in store for us next week. This tasty concoction. Where can you go wrong with bacon, ranch and chicken. YUM!

http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2012/03/baked-chicken-bacon-ranch-taquitos.html

Note: This picture was taken from the Six Sister's website at the link about. They did a great job don't you think? :)

1 comment:

  1. LOL I love your blog. The Sweet & Sour Chicken was wonderful!

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