Szechuan Green Beans with Ground Turkey

I didn't get a picture of tonight's dinner... my husband was working late and between after-school activites, kid's homework and piano practice, a birthday party, dinner and bed time routines... I just didn't take the opportunity. I decided to include the recipe anyway, because it works on crazy nights like this! And who doesn't need more quick, easy and healthy recipes for those hectic nights? Maybe I'll get a picture next time.

If you cook chinese or asian inspired dishes now and then, you proably have all the ingredients for this recipe on hand (minus the fresh beans and turkey). If you don't, it's time to stock up your chinese pantry! A well-stocked chinese pantry opens up your "crazy night" dinner possibilities to incude a whole new plethora of quick and easy recipes!

Boutiful Baskets note: This is a great way to use all of those green beans that came in the basket this week.

If you (or your kids) are sensitive to spicy foods, you can decrease the amount of chile paste in the recipe.


Szechuan Green Beans with Ground Turkey
(adapted from Cooking Light)

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 cup turkey mixture and 1/2 cup rice)

1 pound lean ground turkey (I use 93/7 white meat ground turkey)
2 teaspoon cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
2 teaspoon peanut oil
5 cups (1-inch) cut green beans
2 teaspoon minced or pressed fresh garlic
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
2 teaspoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons red chili paste
4 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
4 cups hot cooked short grain brown rice (you can buy this at Sprouts or Fry's Marketplace in bulk)

Combine the first 4 ingredients in a medium bowl. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add turkey mixture. Crumble with spatula and cook until about half way done. Add beans, and garlic; cook 3 minutes or until turkey loses its pink color entirely. If beans need more time to cook, cover and cook for a few more minutes.

Combine hoisin and next 3 ingredients (through soy sauce) in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add hoisin mixture to pan. Cook 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated, stirring frequently. Serve over rice.

For variety, try adding peanuts.

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

Everybody loves chicken noodle soup. It's made of humble ingredients like carrots, onions, celery, and chicken, yet there is no other food more deserving of it's fame. It is also the ultimate comfort food. So when my little girl was feeling ill and in need of some comforting, I simmered up a pot of this delicious soup! When she felt better and returned to school, she had only one request.... that I pack some in a thermos for her school lunch!  I now make this with fresh ground whole wheat flour, made from hard white winter wheat.


Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup:

1 tsp canola oil
3/4 cup chopped onion
2 cloves of garlic, diced or pressed
1 1/2 cups of sliced carrots
3 stalks of celery, chopped
8 cups chicken stock (best if homemade but store bought will do- if using store broth, use low sodium)
2 tsp chicken base (bouillon paste) (if using store bought broth- use only 1 tsp and also add 1-2 cups of water if needed)
1 bay leaf
2 teaspons fresh thyme (or 1/2 tspt dried)
Salt and Pepper (no salt necessary if using store bought broth)
1 1/2 cups cooked chopped chicken (you can easily get cooked chicken breast by boiling 2-3 breasts in the 8 cups of stock/broth first)

Saute onions in oil for 4 minutes or until soft. Add garlic and cook for 45 seconds stirring constantly. Add broth and the remaineder of the ingredients. Cook over medium low heat for 1-2 hours.

Noodles:
2 Cups flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1/4-1/3 cup of milk.

Combine the flour, salt, egg and milk. Mix until it forms a sticky ball. Flour a work surface and roll out the dough to 1/8 inch thickness. Cut noodles with a pizza cutter to desired length and width. Add the noodles a few at a time to the simmering soup. Be sure to keep them separated while adding them until they are cooked. They only take about 30 seconds to cook.

If you haven't made noodles before don't let it scare you. Anyone can do it and it really is a sinch. You just mix 4 ingredients together, roll it out, cut it into noodles, then add it to the soup.