Teriyaki Glazed Chicken with Rice and Sauted Vegetables

I came up with this recipe myself last week inspired by the rice bowls from Rumbi Grill. It was so easy!! We will definitely make this one again.

2 lbs of boneless, skinless chicken
salt
pepper
stir fry your favorite veggies in a little oil (julienne carrots, zucchini, celery, onions, broccoli, cabbage, bean sprouts, etc.)
prepared rice

Teriyaki Glaze:

1/4 c soy sauce
1 c water
1/2 tsp powdered ginger
1/4 tsp garlic powder
5 TBS brown sugar
2 TBS honey
2 TBS cornstarch
1/2 c water
hot chili sauce or red pepper flakes, optional

Combine the soy sauce, 1 c water, ginger, garlic powder, brown sugar, and honey in a small sauce pan. Heat to a simmer. Combine the cornstarch and 1/2 c water in a small bowl and add to sauce pan when heated. Stir and cook until it has reached a desired thickness. Add hot chili sauce, if desired. Pour about 1/3 to 1/2 of the sauce into a bowl to be brushed over the chicken. The rest will be used to add to the final dish.

Grill 2 lbs of chicken strips seasoned with salt and pepper. About a minute before they are fully cooked, brush some of the glaze on one side. Remove chicken and slice as desired.

Pile rice on your plate, or bowl and add lots of veggies and chicken. Drizzle with remaining sauce as desired.

Peaches, Plums and Nectarines

I learned about this trick years ago, and it really works.

Growing up, my mom never liked buying peaches from the store that weren't locally grown because they never were ripe and flavorless. I've found that if you have a little patience you can get great summer fruit from the store and not have to wait for the local produce to come on.

When peaches, nectarines, and plums come on sale this time of the year I love to stock up. Don't be afraid to buy ones that are hard. I do try to get ones that look ripe, not green, though. Take them home and put them all in a brown paper bag. Fold it up and leave it on your counter for 2 to 3 days. Check on them daily to see if they are softening. Once they are starting to give, I put them all in the crisper drawer of my fridge. They will stay fresh for many days. They might not always be as juicy as local produce, but they are still a special treat.

Just yesterday we enjoyed some peaches and nectarines with my stuffed crepe recipe with fruit we ripened this way. They seemed especially good. Hurray for fresh summer fruits!!

Keeping Strawberries Fresh Longer

I recently found the what I think is the best way to keep strawberries you buy at the grocery store fresh for a long time. I've had them stay almost perfectly fresh for up to a week. Simply leave them in the plastic container they came in and place container inside a plastic grocery bag. Wrap the bag around it and keep in the fridge on a shelf. I've been amazed at how long they stay as fresh as the day you brought them home. In the past I've found that simply putting them in the fridge they start to get soft the next day or so. Try it. It really works.