월요일, 11월 22, 2004
right, i know this probably sounds really strange, but i am beginning to enjoy cooking on monday nights. (!!!) yes, odd, but true. the internet really does yield endless sources for inspiration. right now, the recipes that i've used for the past two weeks gone by:

chicken puttanesca

ingredients
12 oz skinless, boneless chicken thighs
1 14-1/2-oz can tomatoes, cut up
1/4 cup dry red wine or chicken broth
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tbsp cooking oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 oz fresh medium mushrooms, quartered (about 3 cups)
1 small onion, chopped (1/3 cup)
12 pitted ripe olives, halved
3 tbsp snipped parsley
8 oz spaghetti or other pasta, cooked and drained
Parsley sprigs (optional)

Directions
1. Cut chicken into thin bite-size strips. Set aside.
2. For sauce, in a bowl stir together undrained tomatoes, wine or broth, tomato paste, vinegar, cornstarch, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
3. Pour cooking oil into a wok or large skillet. (Add more oil as necessary during cooking.) Preheat over medium-high heat. Stir-fry garlic in hot oil for 15 seconds. Add mushrooms and onion; stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes or until onion is crisp-tender. Remove mushroom mixture from the wok.
4. Add chicken to the hot wok. Stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes or until no pink remains. Push chicken from the center of the wok.
5. Stir sauce. Add sauce to the center of the wok. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Return mushroom mixture to the wok. Add olives and parsley. Stir all ingredients together to coat with sauce. Cook and stir for 1 to 2 minutes more or until heated through. Serve immediately over hot cooked pasta. Garnish with parsley sprigs, if desired. Makes 4 servings.


and the house special for tonight:

basil tomato pork chops

ingredients
1 tbsp butter
1/2 tsp finely chopped fresh garlic
4 (1/2-inch thick) pork chops
1/2 (28 oz) can whole tomatoes, undrained, cut up
1/2 tsp dried basil leaves
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 cup water
1 tbsp and 1-1/2 tsp cornstarch
1/2 medium green bell pepper, cut into rings
1/2 medium onion, cut into rings

directions:
1) Melt butter in 4-quart saucepan until sizzling; stir in garlic. Add 4 pork chops. Cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until browned on both sides (4 to 6 minutes). Remove from pan; set aside. Repeat with remaining pork chops.

2) Return pork chops to pan. Stir in tomatoes, basil, salt and pepper. Cook over medium-high heat until mixture comes to a boil (3 to 4 minutes). Reduce heat to low. Cover; cook, stirring occasionally, until pork chops are no longer pink (50 to 60 minutes). Remove pork chops; keep warm.

3) Stir together water and cornstarch in small bowl. Stir cornstarch mixture into hot tomato mixture in pan with wire whisk. Add green pepper and onion.

4) Increase heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture is thickened and vegetables are crisply tender (5 to 6 minutes). Serve sauce over pork chops.

i should have taken a picture of the food, cuz tonight's pork chops looked purr-etty good. *cheesy smile* nevermind, next week, tanya the wonder chef will come up with something even more wonderful than today's!

p/s: family, i have to cook for you when i get back to hk! just let me know what you guys would like to have, and i'll try my best to find a good recipe. :) miss you all! i thought of you guys when i was cooking...