Chickity China, the Chinese Chicken...

Orange Cashew Chicken

This is a fantastic recipe I first tried years ago after seeing it on Rachel Ray. I've made a few adjustments and I think it's better then ever. If you're thinking of ordering Chinese Take-Out, try this instead. It's a quick recipe, definitely comes together in less than 30 minutes. Plus, who needs all that MSG and mystery meat?

2 Chicken breast, cut into thing strips
1/2 cup Cashews (unsalted)
2 Red Pepper, seeded and sliced into strips
1 Onion, diced
3 clove garlic, grated or minced
1 tsp tsp grated ginger root
1 tbsp Canola or Peanut Oil
3 green onions, sliced
salt and pepper

Sauce:
1/4 cup Orange Marmalade
1 tsp Sriracha sauce
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
2 tbsp soya sauce,
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 tbsp corn starch

1. Heat up a medium skillet on high heat. Add oil. Add sliced chicken breast to skillet. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 8 min, until cooked through. Remove to a plate.

2. In the same skillet (on med heat) add in onion, garlic, and ginger. Saute for about 5 minutes until tender.

3. Add red peppers and cashews to skillet. Saute 3 more minutes.

4. Prepare the sauce by whisking together all the sauce ingredients (including the cornstarch.)

5.Return the cooked chicken to the skillet.

6. Pour over the sauce and let simmer for 3 minutes.

7. Remove from heat and toss in the green onions.

Serve with rice.

Tart (not for the faint of heart)

If you've never made a quiche or a french savory tart, you're missing out. It's one of the easiest and most delicious meals. If you've got no time, you can buy premade pie shells, they work fine. I prefer the homemade cause I'm crazy like that. But whatever floats your boat.This particular tart is a little different. Walnuts, blue cheese, onions. Come on. How good does that sound? It's not for the faint of heart and it's full of strong flavors.

IT. SERIOUSLY. ROCKS.

Blue Cheese, Walnut and Onion Tart (from Laura Calder 'Dinner Chez Moi')Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Pastry
1/2 cup + 1 tbsp all purpose flour
1/2 cup + 1 tbsp whole wheat flour
pinch salt
1/2 cup cold butter, cut into pieces
3 tbsp cold water

1. Add the flours, salt and butter to a food processor. Pulse until it forms fine crumbs.
2. Add the water a tbsp at a time until the dough just comes together. Should still be a little crumbly.
3. Roll out to size of pie pan on a lightly floured surface. Press into pie pan and refridgerate until ready to use.

Filling
1 tbsp butter
1tbsp olive oil
1 yellow onion, sliced
salt and pepper
2/3 cup lightly toasted walnuts
handful of chopped parsley
3/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
3 eggs
1 cup milk

1. Melt the butter and olive oil in a pan on medium heat. Add the onions and slowly cook until soft about 10 minutes.
2. Spread the cooked onions in the prepared pie shell. Spread in walnuts, parsley and blue cheese.
3. Mix together the eggs, milk, salt and pepper. Pour over the prepared ingredients in the pie shell.
4. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes until set.

** If you find your shell gets to soggy, you can bake it with out the filling for about 10 minnutes before moving onto step 2.