Asian Chicken Bites

Asian Chicken Bites

4 boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into bite sized pieces
4 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon dried ginger powder
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon hot pepper powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
1/2 teaspoon salt, light on salt since you're using soy sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce or aminos
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons sorghum syrup
1 tablespoon spicy mustard
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

1 tablespoon white sesame seeds (reserve for top)

1 tablespoon olive oil for coating baking dish

Place chicken bites in a bowl, add cornstarch and toss well. Add remaining ingredients and toss well. Let marinate in the fridge for 2-4 hours. Take out of fridge and let sit for half an hour. Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly coat bottom and sides of baking dish with olive oil. I used a 9x13 size dish. Place marinated chicken bites in single layer in baking dish. Sprinkle sesame seeds over the top. Bake for 30 minutes and serve with rice and a salad. Benefit of using sorghum instead of honey is that it stays more liquid. Since honey tends to burn in baking dish clean up is much easier using sorghum. These can be pan fried but it's so much easier to bake them. There will be leftovers if you can keep from eating too many bites. So tasty.

Oven Baked Pompano

Oven Baked Pompano

1 whole pompano fish, tail and head on
salt and pepper for fish
4 scallions, chopped in lengthwise slivers
1 inch fresh ginger, chopped very fine
4 garlic cloves minced
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce or aminos
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon ground thyme
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1/4 teaspoon cayenne or other dried hot pepper of your choice

1 tablespoon agave syrup
1 lemon sliced into thin slices (reserve for last)

Wash fish and pat dry. Make crisscross cuts in two directions on both sides of fish. Salt and pepper both sides of fish. Preheat oven to 400 F. Slice scallions (both green and white portions) then soak them in ice water to get them to curl up and set aside. On a large sheet pan cover with foil, then add more foil over the top to completely wrap the fish with. Mix all remaining ingredients listed (except scallions and lemon slices) in a bowl and stir to mix. Drain scallions and pat dry very well. Place half of scallions on bottom of where fish will go. 

Place 2-3 lemon slices on top of scallions. Take mixed aromatics and spread over both sides of fish, including inside the fish cavity. Place lemon slices inside fish cavity and over the top of the fish. Spread remaining scallions over the top of the fish. 

Wrap fish with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Peel back foil and bake another 10 minutes or so till fish just starts to brown. Serve on a platter with the intention two people can tease fish from the bone with a fork. Then flipping fish and eating the remaining fish. Serve with vegetable or starch of your choice. Oh this was so delicious.

Spring Chicken

Spring Chicken

Been thinking of what to plant this year.
We have raised bins because our ground is so hard.
I usually plant small tomatoes because 
we don't get a full days sunlight.
Planted sun sweet and sweet 100s.
Also planted some roma tomatoes.
Planted banana peppers, parsley plants,
and a few flowers, the money plant, lantana,
tickseed, coreopsis and lavender.

Thai Coconut Mushroom Soup

Thai Coconut Mushroom Soup

1 onion chopped medium
3 garlic cloves minced
12-16 ounces of button mushrooms, sliced
1-2 tablespoons olive oil to saute
1-32 fluid ounces of chicken stock, low or no sodium
1 teaspoon dried Thai basil
1/8 teaspoon cayenne or hot pepper of your choice
1 stalk lemongrass, cut in 4 inch sections, peeled and bruised
zest and juice of one lime
1 can coconut milk
salt and pepper to taste

Saute onion, then garlic, then add sliced mushrooms. Saute till soft then add chicken stock. Add remaining ingredients and cook on medium till flavors are well incorporated. Lemongrass would be better utilized in a clear broth. I'm growing lemongrass in a pot on my porch. The porch is enclosed making somewhat of a solarium. Lemongrass will die with freezing temperatures. Enjoy!