Sweet and Sour Chicken

Here's another recipe I recently found that my family really enjoyed. It's pretty quick and easy. Hope you enjoy it as much as we did. 

Sweet and Sour Chicken

Start by preheating oven to 325.

2 tsp garlic salt

1 tsp black pepper

3 tbsp cornstarch

1c sugar

1 c vinegar

1 c chicken broth

7 tbsp ketchup

2 tbsp soy sauce

7 to 8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into chunks. 

Season chicken with garlic salt and pepper. Put chicken in 9x13 baking dish. 

In a bowl, mix together the cornstarch, sugar, vinegar, chicken broth, ketchup and soy sauce. Add sauce to chicken. 

Bake uncovered for 1.5 hours. Stir (move) the chicken every 30 minutes (twice during the cooking time). 

This was great over rice and a side of broccoli. 

Crock pot version:

Add whole chicken breasts to crockpot. Mix sauce plus an additional 2 tbsp cornstarch in bowl and pour over chicken. Cook for 2.5 hours. Take out chicken breast and place on cutting board. Pour sauce from crock pot into a sauce pan and  cook until thick. Cut the chicken breast into bite size pieces while sauce is cooking and add back to crock pot with thickened sauce. Cook another 30 minutes. 

The crock pot version is just as tasty but the sauce doesn't get a very rich caramelized color. 

*Original recipe from : http://www.justgetoffyourbuttandbake.com/?p=32 

Crockpot Beef and Broccoli

Let me start off by saying that I love my crockpot. On the days that I know I'm going to be extremely busy, I rely on my crockpot to ensure a healthy meal for my family. I am slowly moving towards anti-fast food. I found this recipe on Pinterest and decided to give it a try. My family loved it. Even the oldest (who claims she hates beef although she loves cheeseburgers) got a second helping. For all the vegetarians...I'm sure this would be good with seitan. YUM!

Ingredients:

2lb boneless beef chuck roast, sliced into thin strips

1 large onion

2 cups beef consumme (I used Campbell's)

1 cup soy sauce

2/3 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoon sesame oil

6 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp ginger (I used powder)

4 tablespoons cornstarch

4 tablespoons cooled sauce from the crock pot after being cooked

Fresh broccoli florets (I used 3 heads but I wish I would have used 5. We love broccoli)

Hot cooked rice (Use long grain rice if you want the 'chinese takeout' feel)

Directions
1. Place beef and onion in a crock pot.

2. In a bowl, combine  soy sauce, brown sugar, and oil. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Add in consummee, paprika, ginger and garlic. Pour over beef. Cook on low for 4.5 hours.

3. In a cup, stir cornstarch and4 tbsp of the sauce from the crock pot until smooth. Add to crock pot. Stir well to combine.

4. Add broccoli to the crock pot. Stir to combine.

5. Cover and cook an additional 30 minutes on high (the sauce has to boil for it to thicken).

6. Serve over hot cooked rice.

Tip: If your sauce is not thickening, try bringing your sauce to a boil on the stovetop. Boil until your desired consistency is reached.

We are a family of 6 and this was enough for 3 people to get seconds. 

*Original recipe found: http://www.bsrecipe.blogspot.com/2012/04/crock-pot-beef-and-broccoli.html