Grandpa Kline's Poppycock {Not Your Average Caramel Corn}

Ever wondered what to make on a Monday night?? Well, here's a great option! I threw it together just in time for a Monday night football date with my man! (It makes for a pretty inexpensive and delicious date if you ask me!)

This recipe is adapted from one of our favorite cooks... the Pioneer Woman. Thanks, Ree!

NOTE: It makes a huge difference to use the Sesame Oil, so if you decide to make this recipe, spend the extra $2.50 to put this on your shelf! It's worth it!!

Ingredients

• 3 whole Chicken Breast (or Other Meat), Cut Into Pieces (though we only use 1 breast for the two of us)
• 1/2 teaspoon Sesame Oil (plus Extra To Drizzle Over Meat)
• 1/2 cup Soy Sauce (plus Extra To Drizzle Over Meat)
• 3 Tablespoons Sugar
• 1/2 cup Chicken Broth, Divided
• 2 teaspoons (rounded) Cornstarch
• 3 Tablespoons Peanut Oil, Divided
• 1 whole Medium Onion
• 1 whole Red (or Other Color) Bell Pepper, Cut Into Chunks
• 1 Tbsp Minced Garlic (or you can use 2 cloves of fresh)
• 2 Tablespoons (to 3 Tablespoons) Fresh Ginger, Minced
• 10 whole White Mushrooms, Sliced (can Use Any Mushroom You Like)
• 1 jar (small Jar) Water Chestnuts
• 1 cup Snap Peas
• 1 teaspoon Rice Vinegar
• 1/4 cup (to 1/2 Cup) Roughly Chopped Cilantro
• Cayenne pepper or Crushed Red Pepper to taste
• Toasted Sesame Seeds (to garnish)

Preparation Instructions

After cutting meat into chunks, drizzle with a bit of soy sauce and sesame oil. Set aside.

Prepare all vegetables and have them ready.

Mix ½ cup soy sauce with sugar. Stir together and set aside. Mix ¼ cup chicken broth with cornstarch. Stir together and set aside. Measure an additional ¼ cup chicken broth. Set aside.

To begin stir fry, heat skillet or wok over high heat. When it’s hot, drizzle in 2 teaspoons peanut oil.

Add meat to skillet and fry quickly, stirring around for 2 to 3 minutes. When brown and just cooked through, remove to a separate bowl.

Add additional 1 tablespoon peanut oil to same skillet. Throw in cauliflower and cook for 1 minute. Add snap peas, onions and multi-colored bell peppers and cook for 30 seconds. Add minced garlic and ginger. Stir. Add mushrooms and stir. Cook for 45 seconds. Add water chestnuts. Stir.

Pour in ¼ cup chicken broth and soy sauce/sugar mixture (NOTE: You may not need all of the soy sauce/sugar mixture. Depending on how much sauce you like, you can play around with this). Drizzle in 1 teaspoon rice vinegar and ½ teaspoon sesame oil.

Dump in cooked chicken. Stir together. Pour in chicken broth/cornstarch mixture. Stir together, then turn off heat. Sauce should be much thicker.

At the very end, seconds before serving, stir in ½ cup (or up to 1 cup) roughly chopped cilantro and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds. Serve over cooked rice.

Variations:
• You can use any following vegetables: broccoli, snow peas, squash, zucchini, any color of bell pepper, any mushroom, water chestnuts, green onions, baby corn, etc.
• Add ½ cup cashew halves to make it even more yummy.
• Original recipe calls for Arrowroot instead of Cornstarch. I found the Cornstarch works perfectly and it is one less ingredient I needed to buy!

- Alli May