Panda Express Orange Chicken

Have I ever mentioned how much I love Costco? I couldn't live without Costco. They recently started carrying Panda Express Orange Sauce....sooo good! It really tastes exactly the same. This is my favorite entree at Panda Express so it was a no-brainer that I would buy it and give it a try. I've tried a couple other orange chicken recipes before and have not been impressed. This sauce is worth buying. I used the same recipe for the chicken as I do with my Sweet & Sour Chicken, which by the way is a must try too, and it turned out awesome! Give it a try!

Ingredients:
3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into chunks
salt & pepper
1 cup cornstarch
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup canola oil

1/2 bottle Panda Express Orange Sauce, from Costco

Directions:
1. Season chicken with salt & pepper. Dip chicken in cornstarch, then in egg.
2. Fry battered chicken in hot canola oil over medium heat just until browned (not cooked through).
3. Place browned chicken in a single layer in a 9x13 baking dish.

4. Pour sauce over chicken and bake at 325 degrees for one hour, turning chicken every 15 minutes. Serve over rice....mmmm!

Lo Mein

I can't even remember where I found this recipe because it's been sitting in my "to try" file for so long. So if this recipe belongs to you, please let me know! I thought the oyster flavor was a little too strong for me in this dish so I will probably cut that in half next time. Still very good and everyone enjoyed it. I served this along side Sweet and Sour Chicken, you can find the recipe here.

Ingredients:
12 oz. Lo Mein noodles (I used thick spaghetti noodles)
stir-fry sauce (recipe below)
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 large onion
1 cup shredded carrots
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1 cup bean sprouts
1 cup broccoli florets (I omitted this)

Stir-Fry Sauce
3 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. oyster sauce
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
1 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar
1 Tbsp. ketchup
1 tsp. dark sesame oil
2 tsp. chopped ginger ( I omitted this)
*whisk all ingredients together

Directions:
Cook noodles according to package. Meanwhile, prepare stir-fry sauce and begin chopping vegetables. Once noodles are done, drain and set aside.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook until translucent. Add remaining vegetables and cook until crisp.
Add noodles and stir-fry sauce and crank the heat up to high for 2-3 minutes, or until heated through and well combined.

Sweet and Sour Chicken

This recipe is so yummy!

Ingredients:
3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into chunks
salt & pepper
1 cup cornstarch
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup canola oil

Directions:
1. Season chicken with salt & pepper. Dip chicken in cornstarch, then in egg.
2. Fry battered chicken in hot canola oil over medium heat just until browned (not cooked through).
3. Place browned chicken in a single layer in a 9x13 baking dish.
4. Pour sauce over chicken (see recipe below), and bake at 325 degrees for one hour, turning chicken every 15 minutes.

Sauce: whisk together the following
3/4 cup sugar
4 Tbsp. ketchup
1/2 cup vinegar
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. garlic salt

If you like extra sauce you can make a second batch in a saucepan. Bring it to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and stir constantly till thickened (about 6-8 minutes).

Beef & Broccoli

Ingredients:
1 lb. beef tenderloin
1/2 lb. broccoli
1/4 tsp. black pepper
2 Tbl. soy sauce, separated
1 tsp. MSG
3 slices fresh ginger
1 Tbl. ketchup
2 tsp. sugar
1 Tbl. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. cornstarch
3 Tbl. water

Directions:
1. Cut beef into thin, bite-size pieces. In a small bowl, mix black pepper, 1 Tbl. soy sauce, and MSG. Place meat and mixture in a ziploc bag, add ginger slices. Let marinade for at least 2 hours.
2. Remove ginger slices. Stir fry beef on high heat until browned. Remove and set aside.
3. Stir fry broccoli until crisp and tender. Season with salt.
4. Mix remaining soy sauce, ketchup, sugar, and Worcestershire. Add to broccoli and bring to a boil.
5. Mix cornstarch and water and add top broccoli mixture to thicken.
6. Toss in beef and heat thoroughly.
*Another great recipe from Barbara Lamb, thanks!

Fried Rice

Ingredients:
2 cups cooked rice
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
1 Tbl. soy sauce, or more if desired
Add any of the following:
shredded carrots, sliced celery, bean sprouts, broccoli, mushrooms, water chestnuts, bamboo shoots, green bell pepper, ham, scrambled egg, shredded pork, or shrimp.
Directions:
1. Stir-fry onion and veggies.
2. Add any cooked meat, if desired.
3. Stir in seasonings, soy sauce, and rice.
4. Place in a 200 degree oven until ready to serve.

*Thank you Barbara Lamb for teaching me this yummy recipe!