Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients (can't remember where I got this recipe from...)

• Iceberg lettuce leaves
• 1 pound lean ground beef/pork
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1/2 cup hoisin sauce
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• Chile pepper sauce to seasoning (optional)
• 2 teaspoons minced ginger
• 1 (8 ounce) can water chestnuts, drained and finely chopped
• 1 bunch green onions, chopped
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil

Directions

1. In a medium skillet over high heat, brown the ground meat, stirring often and reducing the heat to medium, if necessary. Drain, and set aside. Cook the onion in the same pan, stirring frequently. Add the garlic, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, ginger, vinegar, and chile pepper sauce to the onions, and stir. Stir in chopped water chestnuts, green onions, and sesame oil, and continue cooking until the onions just begin to wilt, about 2 minutes.
2. Arrange lettuce leaves around the outer edge of a large serving platter, and pile meat mixture in the center. To serve, allow each person to spoon a portion of the meat into a lettuce leaf. Wrap the lettuce around the meat like a burrito, and enjoy!

(not my picture, but they do look like this!)

Green Beans and Pork

Ingredients:
1 lb. green beans, ends trimmed
1/4 lb. ground pork
1 tsp. garlic, chopped
1 tsp. soy sauce
1 Tbs. oyster sauce
1 tsp. sesame oil
1/4 C water
1 tsp. cornstarch

Blanch the green beans until tooth tender and set to the side. This step can actually be done ahead of time and stored in the fridge up to a day in advance. In a pan, brown the pork and then add the garlic, soy sauce, oyster sauce and sesame oil. Mix the water and cornstarch and add to the pan. Cook until thickened (taste for seasoning). Add green beans and stir to coat them with the sauce and you're done!

I'm sure you could switch the pork with ground beef or sliced steak. You could probably omit the meat all together if you wanted it to be vegetarian.

Lo Mein

Ingredients:
1 lb. noodles (fresh chinese egg noodles if you can find them)
1 tsp. sesame oil
1 Tbs. oil
1 Tbs. sugar
1 chicken breast, sliced
1 tsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp garlic, chopped
soy sauce
2 carrots, julienne (microwave for 1 1/2 minutes)
1 onion, sliced
3 baby bok choy bunches, sliced

sauce:
3 Tbs. oyster sauce
3 Tbs. soy sauce
1 C chicken broth
1 1/2 tsp. cornstarch

Directions:
Cook the noodles according to the package, drain, toss the noodles with the sesame oil, oil, and sugar and set to the side. Cut the vegetables and meat. I like to cut the vegetables and meat into slices (julienned) so that they are easier to pick up with the noodles, but feel free to do whatever you like. In a small bowl, marinade the chicken in cornstarch, garlic, and soy sauce. In another small bowl mix the sauce ingredients.

With a nonstick skillet on high fry the noodles to your liking and remove them from the pan. Then cook the chicken and remove it from the pan. Add a tablespoon of oil and cook the onions until done and then add the carrots and bok choy and cook until done. Then remove the vegetables from the pan. Cook the sauce until it thickens slightly, taste for seasoning, and then add the meat and vegeatables into the pan. Then add the noodles and toss to coat them with the sauce and mix everything together.

Soy-glazed Chicken with Stir-fried Vegetables

Here's a new crock pot staple at our house:

This has a flavorful asian sauce and is super easy. It's one of my favorites for days I want to put dinner in early and forget about it. I have also made it with boneless, skinless chicken breasts, although the meat was much drier than when we used thighs. I might try cutting the cooking time down to keep breasts more moist, but for best results, use thighs. They are cheaper, anyway. That's a little shout-out for YOU, Marion :).

Serves 4| Hands-On Time: 30m| Total Time: 4.5-8 hours

Ingredients

• 1/2  cup  packed light brown sugar
• 3  tablespoons  low-sodium soy sauce
• 3  tablespoons  fresh lemon juice
• 2  tablespoons  Asian fish sauce
• 1  tablespoon  grated fresh ginger
• 1/4  teaspoon  crushed red pepper *we use just a pinch to keep it mild for the kiddies
• 1 1/2  pounds  boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 8) *I bet bone-in thighs would be even better. Will try.
• 1  cup  long-grain white rice
• 1  tablespoon  canola oil *I used olive oil
• 3/4  pound  snow peas, trimmed
• 2  heads baby bok choy, leaves separated
• 1  red bell pepper, sliced
• 4  scallions, cut into 2-inch lengths
• 2  cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• black pepper

Directions

1. In a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker, mix together the sugar, soy sauce, lemon juice, fish sauce, ginger, and crushed red pepper. Add the chicken and turn to coat.
2. Cover and cook until the chicken is tender, on low for 7 to 8 hours or on high for 4 to 5 hours.
3. Twenty minutes before serving, cook the rice according to the package directions.
4. Meanwhile, transfer the chicken to a plate. Pour the cooking liquid into a large skillet and boil until slightly thickened, 4 to 5 minutes.
5. Heat the oil in a second large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the snow peas, bok choy, bell pepper, scallions, and garlic and cook, tossing frequently, until the vegetables are tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Season with ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Serve with the chicken and rice; drizzle with the cooking liquid.

Original recipe link: http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/soy-glazed-chicken-stir-fried-vegetables-00100000074155/index.html