"Sesame!" says-a-me

Most of us are familiar with sesame seeds, often toasted. Some of us are also familiar with sesame oil often used in dressings, and then there is tahini, sesame paste, commonly known as one of the few ingredients used in hummus (or hummos). I also recently learned that there are black sesame seeds; I'm curious to find out how easy they are (or aren't) to find.

So I know about the seeds and the oil and the paste, but when I got to thinking about it, curiosity kicked in and I wondered about the sesame plant. I never before thought about it or heard about it, this poor unknown plant that provides us with such wonderful flavors, but I knew it had to exist (after all, you don't get seeds and oils without a plant).

I also found these interesting facts & tidbits on About.com.

> "Sesame seeds are believed to be one of the first condiments as well as one of the first plants to be used for edible oil."

> "The earliest recorded use of a spice - sesame seed - comes from an Assyrian myth which claims that the gods drank sesame wine the night before they created the earth."

> Sesame "is native to the East Indies. Usage dates back to 3000 B.C. Over 5,000 years ago, the Chinese burned sesame oil not only as a light source but also to make soot for their ink-blocks."

> "African slaves brought sesame seeds, which they called benné seeds, to America, where they became a popular ingredient in Southern dishes."

I love hummus with a lot of lemon. What flavor do you like best?

Picture by Howard F. Schwartz, Colorado State University, United States; posted on Forestry Images.

Chinese Chicken Salad

Last night I tried Martha's Chinese Chicken Salad recipe. The chicken was very good, but I was disappointed in the dressing (it was decent, not outstanding). Now my to-do list includes finding another Chinese salad dressing recipe I have and trying it in place of this one. (If I find it, I'll get back to you with it.) For this recipe, I suggest using less salt and less pepper.

The process of making this was pretty easy, but I also had an easy out. Because I couldn't find bean threads (also known as cellophane or glass noodles) at the grocery store where I was shopping, I used Top Ramen noodles instead (raw, broken into tiny pieces). That saved a lot on time and mess. I do know we have them somewhere in this town. Cooking and shredding the chicken ahead of time made the day-of preparation easier. This would be perfect for a light meal with a couple of guests.

This recipe is gluten-free if you use a gluten-free soy sauce. If you are looking for one, read this post on Celiac Bites; there are many mixed reviews about La-Choy brand.

Martha's Chinese Chicken Salad (to top)
from Simply Recipes

1/2 pound white chicken meat, cooked and shredded
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 teaspoon Sherry
1 Tablespoon sugar

High smoke point cooking oil, such as grapeseed oil, corn oil, or peanut oil
2 ounces bean threads (one bunch) [or, as I did, 1/2 pack Top Ramen noodles]
4 green onions, shredded lengthwise
1 small head of lettuce (romaine works), shredded
2 Tablespoons chopped toasted almonds
2 Tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

Sauce [dressing]:
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt [I suggest less]
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper [I suggest less]
3 Tablespoons oil
1 Tablespoon dark sesame oil
3 Tablespoons vinegar

1. Using two forks, shred cooked chicken. Mix soy sauce, sherry and sugar in a bowl and add the chicken. Let soak for 10 minutes. Remove chicken and pat dry with paper towels. Fry the shredded chicken in a little cooking oil on medium high heat to make it a little crispy and to bake in the seasoning. Set aside.

2. [If you have the bean threads... ] Put 3/4 inch of high smoke point cooking oil into a small saucepan. Heat on high heat until when you flick a drop or two of water into the oil it sizzles. Take one bunch of the dried bean threads and gently break them up a bit. Test the oil by putting one bean thread into the oil. If the oil is hot enough, the bean thread will almost immediately sizzle and puff up. That's when you know the oil is hot enough. Working with a few bean threads at a time, put them in hot oil. As soon as they puff up, remove them carefully with tongs and place them on a paper towel to cool. The paper towel helps remove any excess oil. Set aside.

3. Cut green onions, shredding lengthwise. Toast your chopped almonds, or chop your toasted almonds. Toast sesame seeds. [Don't toast nuts & seeds together.] Cool to room temperature.

4. Mix all of the sauce ingredients together, in the order listed. Just before serving the salad, mix all of the salad ingredients together - lettuce, chicken, bean threads, almonds, sesame seeds, and sauce.

All About Almonds

I said to the almond tree,
"Sister, speak to me of God."
And the almond tree blossomed.



This quotation is from one of my favorite books, Report to Greco, by Nikos Kazantzakis. Since then, I've been enthralled by the idea of a blossoming almond tree in a field in Greece.

Almonds are one of my favorite "nuts" and I find that depending on how they are prepared (or left alone), their sweetness now reminds me of the quotation above. Earlier this week when I made marzipan, I blanched almonds by using the method of pouring boiling water over them. When I drained them, the sweet smell was wonderful and I couldn't stop thinking of almond tea. I don't recommend that method for blanching almonds, but would almost do it just for the aroma.

I wondered if people actually make almond tea and a couple of days later remembered that I have had some by Celestial Seasonings. But I wanted to make my own. So far, my searches have only led me to recipes using instant tea and almond extract. I want a recipe using real almond tea, the water steeped with almonds. I will try one of the versions with extract, but one day will experiment with my own.

Though the almond is usually called a nut, it is actually a seed that is related to plums, apricots, and cherries. Blossoming apricot trees and the apricot seed are very similar (teaviews.com). Almonds' nutritious benefits include cancer prevention, calcium, and Vitamin E.

Almond trees naturally thrive in the Mediterranean and are thought to have originated in China and Central Asia; the conditions in California's Central Valley are also great for almond growth (Nutfarm).



Picture Credits
Almond Tree: Journey with Robert Jones, February 1, 2005
Almond: Victoriana Nursery Gardens
Almond Blossom: Limes & Lycopene, "How to Use Almonds," August 14, 2007

Homemade Marzipan!

What an experience. Not really difficult, worth the experience once, not sure yet if it's worth a second time. A recipe is below.

My memory of marzipan goes back to mid-elementary school when my neighbor and I stopped in his kitchen. He reached to the top of the fridge, pulled something down, took a little bit, offered me some, and I "discovered" one of the best things I ever tasted: marzipan. It's common in Europe; my neighbor's father was from Hungary.

It's not as mouth watering as I remember, but it's okay with me that ground almonds and powdered sugar alone don't taste quite as good now that I'm older.

Creating the items was fun, but it would be more enjoyable with a friend, on a relaxed weekend, and with an idea of what I would actually do with them (perhaps cupcake decorations). It is very rewarding to try a recipe I've had for years.

On to serious notes:
1. Make sure you have food coloring that is still fresh and the colors you want. I mixed it with my dough and found ideas for shapes, but the next time I would like to use a "painting" technique.

2. If you are just experimenting, make a 1/2 batch.

3. To blanch almonds, make sure the water is truly boiling, not somewhere between a simmer and a boil. I had better luck dropping the almonds into the boiling water than pouring the water over the almonds. These two things made a HUGE difference.

4. Try shaping the marzipan into a sphere or other simple shape and dip them in chocolate for a candy.

5. If I try marzipan again, I think I will try this recipe. I think it provides slightly better instructions and information for decorating and storing.

European Style Marzipan (to top)
[Source unknown: I copied this recipe before I ever thought about recording recipe sources.]
(Use small cutters, molds, fingers, & imagination to shape the marzipan, as European children do.)

1 cup blanched or 1 1/3 cup slivered almonds
1 1/3 cup sifted powdered sugar
1 /2 teaspoon almond extract
2 1/4 cup sifted powdered sugar
1 slightly beaten egg white

-Place almonds in food processor or blender.
-Cover & blend/process till ground.
-In bowl, combine ground nuts, 1 1/3 c. powdered sugar, almond extract & 2 T. water; beat with mixer till ball forms.
-Gradually add 2 1/4 c. powdered sugar, beating [or using hands] till combined. Stir in enough egg white (approximately 1 T.) to form a clay-like mixture.
-Tint with food coloring, if desired.
-Mold or shape as desired, using about 2 t. for each shape.
(Makes 2 c. mixture)

Apricot Galette recipe

After making rhubarb crisp, I wondered about the difference between a crisp, crumble, and buckle. Recipetips.com offers a thorough explanation of many fruit desserts, but not for the particular type of fruit pastry I once made but couldn't find in my files. After trying to figure out its name, I finally gave a wild shot searching for "dessert with fruit and crust around edge." It actually led me to what I wanted: galette. (to recipe)



Some recipes are the type of dessert I remembered; some look more like a fruit pizza. I saved the recipes with the folded over crust, the type I remembered.

Since it's apricot season at my house, I wanted an apricot galette recipe. Unfortunately, most of the apricots ripen and fall before my husband and I can pick and make good use of them. Finding the galette recipe and enjoying any apricots is a victory.

I found two recipes for what I wanted: Apricot & Peach Galette and Rustic California Apricot Galette. I favored different aspects of each so I mixed and matched to create my own. I loved how my kitchen smelled like a bakery while it was in the oven, but I liked the way it tasted more after it was completely cool.

Rachel's Apricot Galette (to top)

Pastry
1/2 cup wheat flour
1/2 cup white flour
4 tablespoons cornmeal
3 tablespoons sugar
pinch of salt
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) cold butter, cut into pieces
3-4 tablespoons buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
buttermilk or beaten egg for crust glaze

Filling
11 apricots
1/3 cup brown sugar
1-2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons flour

Make dough: Combine flours, cornmeal, sugar, & salt in small bowl. Cut in cold butter using a pastry blender until it has a crumb-like texture. Add vanilla and buttermilk, a little at a time. Mix with your hands until it comes together in a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Make filling: While pasty is chilling, combine fruit and brown sugar in a bowl. Add enough flour to absorb the juices. Set aside to let flavors blend.

Form galette: Place dough on lightly floured surface; roll out to approximately 14". Spoon filling into center leaving 2" around edge. Fold up edges to create a rough rim, leaving the center uncovered. Brush the dough edges with buttermilk or egg.

Cooking galette: Cook 20-30 minutes at 350 degrees or until golden brown and bubbly. Remove from oven; sprinkle the apricots with almonds. Return to oven; bake approximately 10 more minutes until almonds are lightly browned and pastry is cooked. Cool and serve warm or at room temperature.

Note: Baking911.com writes that the galette dough can be prepared ahead of time until ready for use and filling can be refrigerated for up to three days or frozen for up to three months.

Rhubarb Maple Crisp

Last week summer meant salad for me. This week it means rhubarb dessert!



This recipe from Whipped was really tasty, really easy, and really quick (for preparation). I already bought the rhubarb (I knew I wanted to use it in some way) and already had the other ingredients. Not having to go to the store gives it extra points for quick & easy.

As easy as it was, there are two minor things I learned. I shouldn't have used a plastic container to store it. It wasn't so crisp the next day. It makes sense that all the moisture from the rhubarb sealed tightly with the "crisp" would make it a little soggy. But it was still delicious! I also spent more time on the sugar water mixture than necessary. It wasn't looking completely transparent in the pot, but when I lifted the spoon and let the mix drizzle off I could see that it was transparent. With the cornstarch, I don't think it would ever be as clear as simple sugar water.

Here are some quick facts about rhubarb. Many sources say the leaves are poisonous, so make sure you remove them completely. They are also dangerous to animals, so if you plan on growing rhubarb, take that into consideration. The Rhubarb Compendium gets very scientific about how poisonous they are (or are not). There are red, green, and in-between varieties with no difference on the taste. However, it of course makes a huge difference on presentation! I don't think a rhubarb pie or crisp would be the same without the gorgeous red color.

How do you like rhubarb?

Rhubarb Maple Crisp (to top)
from Whipped

1/2 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup maple sugar (if you don't have this, do 1 full cup brown sugar)
1 cup flour
3/4 cup oats (I like it better with old fashioned, not quick cooking. Either way will work)
1/2 cup melted butter
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
4 cups sliced rhubarb
3/4 cups granulated sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Combine brown sugar, maple sugar, flour, oats and cinnamon in a bowl. Stir with a whisk to combine all the dry ingredients. Slowly add the melted butter stirring to combine. Mix together until crumbly.

In a saucepan combine the water, granulated sugar, cornstarch and vanilla. Cook and stir until the mixture becomes transparent and has thickened.

Press about 1/2 of the crumble mixture into the bottom of a pie plate or 8 inch square pan. Top with sliced rhubarb. Pour the water and sugar mixture over the rhubarb. Sprinkle the rest of the crumble over the top. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 45-50 minutes or until it is bubbly and topping is slightly browned.

Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or cold. It tastes great the next day!

Kitchen Cleaning Tip

Baking soda, vinegar & a lint-free cloth

I recently got a flat top electric stove. I really want a gas stove, but that will be in my next house. When I bought the stove I didn't know special cleaning supplies are recommended; I later read about the products in the manual. Before I got around to ordering them or going back to the store, I learned to use baking soda & vinegar. The baking soda tip was first given to me by a friend; I got the vinegar tip in a book, Green Up Your Clean Up.


I dampen the top of my stove with a wet sponge and sprinkle on the baking soda. Green Up suggests, “For tough stains, make a paste of baking soda and dish soap, and cover the stain for 10 minutes” (page 86). I use the rough side of a sponge to clean, the soft side to rinse, then splash a little vinegar on and rub 'til it shines with a lint-free towel.

Dish soap is also helpful for grease and using baking soda in this way is also great for skillets and baking dishes with stubborn stains. Vinegar works well on any glass (page 35).

I tried the Scotch-Brite Cleaner that looks like it performs miracles in commercials, but I thought it still needed a finishing polish; I rather stay green.

Share your favorite tip.

Asian Chicken Salad

Summer is here and cool salads are appreciated. This recipe is delicious and I think it tasted even better the next day. Unfortunately, I couldn't share this with my husband. He’s allergic to cabbage and like napa cabbage, bok choy is a Chinese cabbage. It was easy to make, but it does require a lot of chopping and many ingredients.


The recipe begins, “Put the [2T] oil in a heavy skillet… and toast the walnuts…” Please note, you don't need oil to toast nuts. Gourmet Spot tells you how.

There are many variations on Asian salads. What ingredients do you think make a good one? My favorites from this recipe are cilantro, rice vinegar, soy sauce, and almonds that I used instead of walnuts.

Asian Chicken Salad (to top)
500 Low-Carb Recipes by Dana Carpender

2 tablespoons oil [I recommend less or none]
1/2 cup walnuts
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 cups thinly sliced bok choy
3 cups thinly sliced napa cabbage
1/4 cup grated carrots
1 cucumber, thinly sliced
1/2 cup sliced scallions
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 tablespoons Splenda [or equal amount sugar; for other substitutes, see this chart]
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or to taste)

1. Put the oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat and toast the walnuts, stirring for about 4 to 5 minutes or until they're brown and crisp. Set aside.
2. Grill your chicken breasts, and slice them into strips; I use my electric tabletop grill, but you can use whatever method you prefer.
3. Combine the bok choy, cabbage, carrots, cucumber, scallions, and cilantro in a big bowl.
4. In a separate bowl, combine the soy sauce, rice vinegar, lime juice, Splenda, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Pour about two-thirds of this dressing over the salad, and toss well, coating all the vegetables.
5. Heap the salad onto four serving plates, top each with a sliced chicken breast, and drizzle the rest of the dressing over them. Sprinkle with chopped walnuts, and serve.

Yield: 4 generous services.

Herbs & Spices Low-Down

This week's recipe, Heroin Wings, calls for dried herbs, so I wanted to take a closer look at herbs and spices, which are often lumped together.

Do you know the difference between the two?
A number of people answer the question online, but I think Sam Herbert does a great job explaining the basic differences. This is just some of the information he shares on Ezine articles, where he also writes a little bit about their history and uses:

"The essential difference between an herb and a spice is where it is obtained from on a plant. Herbs usually come from the leafy part of a plant, and are usually dried. However, some herbs can be used fresh. Spices can be obtained from seeds, fruits, roots, bark, or some other vegetative substance. Spices are not necessarily as fresh as some herbs can be. Herbs can be found many places around the world, while spices are more commonly found in the Far East and tropical countries."

Cooking Tip:
1 teaspoon dried herb for 3 tablespoons fresh herb
If you need (or want) to substitute one for the other, keep that 1:3 ratio in mind. Some people say 1:2, but OChef writes, "let taste be your guide." Read his comment to understand more about it.

What's your favorite fresh or dried herb or spice? Add your opinion to the poll. If you choose "other," leave a comment saying which one. Cumin is one of my favorites.

Pictured: The really beautiful purple & green basil I found this spring.

Heroin Wings (chicken)

Honestly, I didn't come up with the name Heroin Wings for this recipe. Dana Carpender, author of 500 Low-Carb Recipes, writes, "Once you try these, you'll understand the name -- they are utterly, totally addictive!" My husband and I thought they were good, a great replacement for fried chicken, but not that great. He would have liked more cheese or less herbs - either way for more cheese flavor. He did agree that "they also taste great the next day."


As for the preparation and cooking, I disagree with Carpender on those points as well. She writes that they are "a bit messy and time-consuming." I wouldn't call it messy or time-consuming. They take an hour to bake, but to me that's free time for kitchen clean-up, school work, or something else! The foil was a mess after the baking, but contained. Writing of the foil, I would do this differently. I have a great clay non-stick baking pan. I think the chicken would have more easily come off of it than the foil. I advise that you make this decision based on your pan. One last discrepancy I had: I had half the chicken wings so I cut the other ingredients in half. This worked for the butter; it did not work for the cheese and seasonings. I ended up making a full batch of the topping for half the chicken.

Speak up! What is your favorite type of chicken wings?


"Grated Parmesan" Confusion
The recipe calls for "grated Parmesan cheese." I've known chefs who were even confused by this phrase. The shaker-type tube with the crumbly cheese is labeled "grated Parmesan." Usually, as I assumed for this recipe, the type in the tub that actually looks like grated cheese is intended. Since I got my "microplane" grater, which has small holes to produce finely grated Parmesan, I have been loyal to freshly grated Parmesan. People on different sites agree that pre-shredded is okay, but the flavor is held longer and the cheese isn't as dry if you buy a wedge and shred it yourself. For more information on Parmesan, check out what wisegeek and RecipeZaar's Kitchen Dictionary have to say.

This video shows the process of making parmigiano reggiano (a.k.a Parmesan) cheese.




Heroin Wings (to top)
From 500 Low-Carb Recipes by Dana Carpender

4 pounds chicken wings
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons dried parsley
1 tablespoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup butter

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Cut the wings into drumsticks, saving the pointy tips [for soup broth].
3. Combine the Parmesan cheese and the parsley, oregano, paprika, salt, and pepper in a bowl.
4. Line a shallow baking pan with foil. (Do not omit this step, or you'll still be scrubbing the pan a week later.)
5. Melt the butter in a shallow bowl or pan.
6. Dip each drumstick in butter, roll in the cheese and seasoning mixture, and arrange in the foil-lined pan.
7. Bake for 1 hour - and then kick yourself for not having made a double recipe!

Overview of "gluten-free"

In my previous post, I wrote that I chose the recipe of the week, Flank Steak Stir-Fry with Asparagus and Red Pepper, partially because it's low-carb. In addition to being low-carb, it's gluten-free. You might be wondering, "What's gluten and what's the significance of 'gluten-free'?" It's not significant for most of us, but it's a life-saving issue to others. I learned a bit about it earlier this year when my husband and I thought gluten might be causing him health problems and we tried a gluten-free diet.

Gluten is the binding agent in dough and is "commonly found in rye, wheat, and barley." It affects people with celiac disease, preventing their small intestines from absorbing nutrients, a problem that "can be fatal" (wisegeek). Safe products are labeled "gluten-free" because ingredient lists are not necessarily reliable. I linked to one site about celiac disease, but there are others. I'm not an expert, so if more needs to be written or you have a favorite site, please share.


Cooking gluten-free can be a challenge because when converting a recipe it's usually not as easy as replacing gluten-based flour with gluten-free flour. I was working on going the homemade route so I accumulated many different flours & special ingredients (pictured). Even soy sauce, as mentioned in the recipe, needs to be examined (read this post on Celiac Bites if you are looking for gluten-free soy sauce; there are many mixed reviews about La-Choy brand).

If you try this recipe and like it, be sure to keep it around and labeled as gluten-free. Recognition of celiac disease is on the rise (in 6 months I have learned of four people I know first-hand who have it), so one day you might be able to treat a friend with gluten-free needs to a home-cooked meal you can serve with confidence.

Flank Steak Stir-Fry with Asparagus and Red Pepper

The first recipe I am excited to try is Flank Steak Stir-Fry with Asparagus and Red Pepper. I found this recipe on Simply Recipes, a blog I follow. Besides seeming tasty and easy, it's low-carb, a current focus in my home as my husband and I look for food that won't trigger his heartburn. I don't foresee all of my posted recipes being low-carb, but this weekend I'm working on collecting recipes for him.



The fresh smell of ginger, especially when accompanied by garlic, always surprises me. Ginger immediately lifts my spirits and when combined with garlic I have a promise of delicious food. This meal didn't disappoint. After listening to the loud sizzle of browning meat reduced to the gentle rhythm of a simmer, cooking the stir-fry went quickly. My husband I both really enjoyed the sauce. The preparation and cooking were easy and not too messy, taking approximately 45 minutes.

The Great Asparagus Debate. I have come across debates regarding whether or not skinny asparagus is best. I looked online to find out what's behind the debate. The truth is, it's preference. You'll like skinny better if you like a fresher, "grassy" taste. If you like the unique flavor of asparagus, then go for not-so-skinny, as it is stronger or "succulent" in flavor. This post on Passion About Food.net explains the difference. From that website I also learned that the proper way to store asparagus is upright with the stalks partially in water.

While cooking, I realized that "chili oil" is not the same as the "red chili sauce" I have. Thankfully, I was able to do a quick Internet search and found that "in a pinch" olive oil and red pepper flakes will work. For more specifics on how to prepare this in advance, read about it on blurtit.com.

Let me know what you thought, if you have substitutions or additions to suggest, or any questions I might be able to answer. Eat well!

Flank Steak Stir-Fry with Asparagus and Red Pepper
from Simply Recipes (to top)

Ingredients

• 3 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 1/2 lb asparagus, trimmed, cut on the diagonal into 1 1/2 inch lengths (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1 lb of flank steak, sliced in half lengthwise (along the grain) and then cut into thin strips, 2 inches long and 1/4 inch wide (put the steak in the freezer for 15 minutes before slicing to make it easier to slice)
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded, de-ribbed, and cut into thin strips 2 inches long and 1/4 inch wide
• 2 teaspoons of cornstarch dissolved into 3 Tablespoons of water

All Purpose Stir Fry Sauce

• 3 Tbsp soy sauce (use gluten-free soy sauce for gluten-free version)
• 1 tsp finely chopped, peeled, fresh ginger
• 1 small clove garlic, minced
• 1 green onion, including green tops, chopped
• 1/2 tsp chili oil

Method

1 While you are chopping the ingredients in preparation, bring a small saucepan of water to boil. Parboil the asparagus pieces for 2 minutes, drain, rinse in cold water, drain, and set aside. If you are planning to serve this dish with rice, in a separate pan, prepare 2 cups of white rice, following the instructions on the rice package.

2 Prepare the All Purpose Stir Fry Sauce by combining the ingredients in a small dish, and set aside.

3 Stir-fry the asparagus in a wok (or a thick-bottomed pan with at least 2" sides that can take high heat) in 1 Tbsp of oil, on high heat, for about 2 minutes until lightly browned. Remove asparagus from pan and set aside.

4 Add another 1 Tbsp of oil to the pan and stir fry the beef strips, in 2 batches, for 2-3 minutes until browned but still pink inside. Return the first batch of beef to the pan and add the bell pepper. Stir and toss over high heat until just beginning to wilt, 1-2 minutes.

5 Quickly stir the cornstarch liquid and add it to the pan along with the stir fry sauce. Cook until sauce thickens, 1-2 minutes. Return the asparagus to the pan, toss to evenly coat and serve with steamed white rice (unless you are going low-carb, in which case, leave out the rice).

Serves 4.

Welcome!

I'm inspired to write this blog because of the recipes - clippings in a box, bookmarks, and links in delicious - that haunt me. Recipes have been waiting for years for the chance to be moved to my "this is worth keeping" journal. Now I will try at least one a week.
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