Recipe:

12 oz. salmon fillet or chicken breasts
Preheat oven to 350. Place salmon in baking dish and bast with 1/3 c. of Ginger Glaze. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.

Ginger Glaze
1 c. soy sauce
1 c. rice vinegar
1/3 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
2 1/2  inch fresh ginger root
( peeled and minced)
3 tbsp. toasted sesame seeds
1/2 tsp.  hot chili oil

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and simmer at a slow boil for 2-3 minutes. Set aside.  Store in a tight container in your fridge for months.  This recipe is great as a dipping sauce for tempura vegetables, pot stickers or egg rolls and also as a glaze for chicken  and rice.

Stir Fry Vegetables
1/2 white onion
3/4 c. sliced mushrooms
1/2 yellow, red and orange pepper
(  finely chopped )
1 1/2 c. broccoli floretts
1 c. sugar snap peas
3 c. cooked sticky rice
toasted sesame oil
1/4 c. chicken broth

Begin by drizzling frying pan with toasted sesame oil. Let it heat until the rice pops when you put it in the pan. Fry rice until it is slightly browning on edges for about 3-4 minutes stirring three or four times a minute. Place on platter and cover. Drizzle  frying pan with 1/2 tsp. of sesame oil, sauté chopped onion for 1-2 minutes. Add sliced mushrooms and saute until the mushrooms are brown on the edges. Spread on top of rice and cover. In the same pan drizzle with 1/2 tsp. sesame oil and lightly fry broccoli florets. Stir fry until edges brown,  pour 1/3 c. chicken broth and quickly cover with lid so that broccoli will steam. When the water is absorbed place the broccoli on the rice,  onions and mushrooms. Drizzle the same pan with 1/2 tsp sesame oil and stir fry the sugar snap peas and chopped peppers. Saute for 2 minutes only to heat so they will remain crisp.  Add to the rice and vegetables. Top with the Salmon fillet, finish with 1/2 c. of Ginger Glaze.

I used to teach cooking classes in my home. Yesterday my friend Holly reminded me of a recipe she shared in one of my classes. It is her favorite dipping sauce and one that she learned to make while she was living in Japan. It is something that she uses all the time. I had forgotten about it ……….but dreamed about it all night. So here is our creation.  We just loved it!

Tyson, one of my darling son-in-laws, spent two years living in Italy. He and my daughter Abby Jane often spend their evenings experimenting in the kitchen. Tyson loves to create wonderful meals celebrating the flavors of Italy that he longs for. This is one of his best!

Creamy Pesto Chicken Tortellini

1/2 c. butter
1/2 tsp. granulated chicken bouillon
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/3 c. flour
4 c. milk
4 tbsp. fresh pesto sauce (heaping)
extra virgin olive oil
3 chicken breasts
16 oz. three cheese tortellini

Instructions:

Using a wire whisk saute butter, bouillon, pepper and flour. Slowly stir until golden brown. Lightly scorching the roux will cook out the flour taste and deepen flavor. Then gradually stir in milk. Continue stirring as the sauce thickens. Cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring slowly. Add 4 heaping tablespoons fresh pesto, or to taste.

Slice chicken breasts into desired bite-sized pieces. Heat heavy skillet with 2 teaspoons olive oil, salt and pepper. When oil is hot place chicken slices on skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes or until brown on the edges.

Cook three cheese tortellini al dente.

Place a serving of tortellini on a plate, add sauteed chicken, drizzle with creamy pesto sauce and finish with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Enjoy.

Chicken Vegetable Stir Fry

1-2 tsp. toasted sesame oil
2 chicken breasts
1 red bell pepper
1 cup  fresh green beans
2 cups snow peas
4 green onion tops
4 cups cooked white rice
2 tbsp Classic Stir fry sauce

Instructions:

In a deep skillet sauté on high 1 tsp. toasted sesame oil. Slice chicken breasts into thin wide pieces. Gently stir fry in hot oil turning two to three times until chicken is fully cooked and browned on the edges. Dice green beans and  green onions, chop red pepper into large chunks. Fold into skillet and continue to stir fry for 2 minutes. Add additional oil and fold in sticky rice. Continue to stir fry adding 2 tbsp of  Classic Stir Fry sauce. (My favorite brand is House of Tsang.) Fold in Snow peas and cook for 1 or 2 minutes longer just until the snow peas are hot. Do not over cook. Vegetables should remain crisp. Serve immediately. Makes enough for 6 adults.  Great for left overs. Cooking and prep time about 15 minutes if you use rice that is already prepared.

This is one of our “Family Favorites.” When I prepare rice for any given meal I try to cook more rice than I know we will eat. I  expect that sometime in the next few days I will need a quick emergency meal that is so much better than any fast food or pizza I could feed my family. We have eaten this for years as an early lunch, afternoon meal or late night snack. The secrets to my stir fry is to use toasted sesame oil because toasted has a deeper flavor. Also barely cook  the vegetables so they remain crisp and crunchy. The vegetables taste so fresh and flavorful. Often this is a complete meal for us and my family never gets tired of it. Sometimes depending on what is in the fridge, I will substitute ham for  chicken and I usually add a few carrots. I also  add  two to three eggs just before I start to fry the rice. You can add any vegetable in your fridge…………today this is all the vegetables that I had and I was out of eggs. Time for a trip to the store.  My son was hungry, in a hurry and wanted something  savory yet hardy. This was fast, simple and delicious!