Asian Style Peanut Glazed Chicken Stir Fry + Rice. About rice Cookers

Helloooooooooooo, Peanut Dressing

Annie Olson from our Lazy Daze camping group introduced me to this Peanut Dressing.  Thanks Annie!  She had it over a broccoli and cranberry salad with pine nuts.  Wow! this is great stuff.  She said it was a Trader Joe.  You will find it in the refrigerated section.

Since then I have used it on all kinds of salads and it is great.  Just a touch of spice and great peanut taste.  On an impulse, I was commiting saute' on some chicken bits and was thnking of something to spice it up.  I thought of the peanut dressing and just poured some over it as it was cooking.  It cooks down to a glaze and it was very good on the chicken.  Later, I thought hmmm, "how about a chicken stir fry with onion, sweet red pepper and peanut glaze."  Later, I did a broccoli stirfry and used the same dressing.  Excellent!

Using Medium Grain Rice In A Rice Cooker

I really didn't care much for the long grain rice that everyone seems to use.  When I was at the Sushi Bar, I noted that the rice used was very different.  I asked what kind and was told, "Calrose Medium Grain Rice"  I quickly learned that the 2 to 1, liquid to rice, does not work on the medium grain.  After some experimentation, one and one-half cup rice and one 14.5 oz can of chicken broth.  I never use water when cooking rice.  I feel that cooking anything in water takes flavor away.  Why not add flavor with the broth?  I use a rice cooker as it is very easy.  You can cook this on the stove top, but if you are going to wash a pan, it might as well be the rice cooker pan.  What do I do when boondocking you ask?  You can always use the stove top in the conventional manner but I have used the rice cooker plugged in to my 1000W inverter.  If your battery bank is fully charged by solar in the early afternoon and you have plenty of sun, it only takes 20-30 minutes for the rice cooker to its job.  You should be back to 100% charge by sundown.  Of course you could always start the generator.  By the way, no matter what method you use, let the finished rice sit off the heat with the lid on for about 15 minutes to let it finish.

Chicken Stir Fry With Onion And Sweet Red Pepper In Spicy Peanut Sauce

2 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (about 20oz) cut in to 1 inch cubes

1/2 medium onion, cut up

1 sweet red pepper, cut up

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 cup Trader Joe Spicy Peanut Vinaigrette

Cooked medium grain rice

Saute the chicken with the onion in the olive oil over med-high heat.  After about 15 minutes, add the red pepper and the peanut sauce.  Continue to saute' until the sauce is reduced to a glaze.  (about 10 more min)  Serve over rice.

Asian Style Peanut Chicken Stir Fry Over Rice