Spicy Stir-Fried Sesame Chicken with Green Beans

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes

Grade: A

Make Again: Yes

Recipe Source: Cook's Illustrated (May 2004)

This is very, very good. The sauce was spicy but not too hot and very flavorful. The recipe uses the technique of velveting the chicken which makes it extra good. It almost tastes like like it was fried, but is not greasy, because of the cornstarch mixture. And it keeps the chicken very moist.

I skipped the mushrooms, and used extra green beans and some scallions instead. I will definitely be making this again soon, since it is easy and I get great beans at the farmers market.

Roasted Sesame Green Beans

Prep Time: 8 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes

Grade: A-

Make Again: Yes

Recipe Source: Cook's Illustrated (November 2005)

I didn't love these as much as I loved the Maple Mustard version, but they were still good and I will make them again probably. I might like just a bit more honey on them.

One thing I need to remember is that the garlic mixture started to overcook after a few minutes, so I didn't need to continue roasting for the recommended 10-12 minutes. I was using pretty fresh beans, and not winter grocery store beans, and they didn't need all that roasting anyway. If I was doing this with tougher beans, I would wait to put the garlic mixture on later.

Ice Cream Sandwiches

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cool Time: 30 minutes
Bake Time: 10 minutes
Cool Time: 1 hour
Assemble: 15 minutes

Grade: A

Make Again: Yes

Recipe Source: Everyday Food (July 2003)

Although there are multiple steps, these are quite easy to make. I do think they could be even easier, by making one huge sandwich and then cutting after freezing some. I think Everyday Food has another recipe that does that, so I will try those next before I make these again.

I served these to my extended family on the 4th of July and they were liked by the kids and adults.

Chicken Mole

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 30-35 minutes
Finish Time: 5 minutes

Grade: A

Make Again: Yes

Recipe Source: The Best Chicken Recipe (And Best International Recipe)

I've never had Chicken Mole before, but have always wanted to try it. I realized today that I had all the ingredients at home to make it (including the dried Anchos), so decided to try it. (Actually, I just remembered, I didn't have raisins, so skipped them.) I'm not sure what it supposed to taste like, but I liked it. The sauce was spicy, smoky and nutty at all once. Very good.

I know that CI recipes with sauces like this are often too saucy for me, so I saved half the sauce to freeze for later. That way I can cook the chicken in it another time without the work! It worked out perfectly, so that is a nice bonus to this recipe. I also only used 1 T of oil instead of 3, and it was fine.

For some reason, I find shredding chicken to be a pain, so I just cut it up with a knife. I tried to be messy about it though and tear through the pieces, so there were scraggly edges for picking up the sauce. I served this over rice and it was a very nice dinner.

Oatmeal Butterscotch Bars

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 17-19 minutes

Grade: A-

Make Again: Yes

Recipe Source: Cook's Country (December 2006)

These are pretty good, although maybe a bit rich. The reason they take 25 to prep is that you need to brown the butter, but otherwise this is a simple bar recipe cookie. But it is not simpler than the "light" oatmeal cookies from Best Light Recipe which I is an excellent cookie, so I'm not sure how much I would make these.