Sweet-and-Sour Chicken

Here I go again with my happy dance. Why you ask? Well, I'll tell you. I've been given the wonderful opportunity to review another cookbook, THE $5 TAKEOUT COOKBOOK: Good, Cheap Food for When You Want to Eat In. By Rhonda Lauret Parkinson, Margaret Kaeter, Belinda Hulin, & Jennifer Malott Kotylo.

What’s the story?

We all get that ruthless craving for fried takeout foods: juicy Southern fried chicken, mouth watering chicken fried rice, steaming deep dish pizza, but we don’t always want to pay premium prices to provide the whole family with dinner on a Friday night. You shouldn't have to give up the foods you love just to save some dough! Luckily for you, now you can satisfy those cravings for tasty take-out guilt-free with THE $5 TAKEOUT COOKBOOK: Good, Cheap Food for When You Want to Eat In (Adams Media, a division of F+W Media; May 2011), and without the tip!

When it comes to take-out, two things are true: People like it fast and they like it cheap, and don’t want to fumble with menus and cold deliveries. THE $5 TAKEOUT COOKBOOK gives parents, students, and people on the go the ability to make everyone’s favorite take-out dishes at home— for $5 or less per meal! With 200 recipes that feature pizza, Mexican, Chinese, or Thai food, take out cravings can finally be made with ease, from the comfort of one’s home.

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 (1-inch) piece of ginger, peeled and minced
1/2-1 tablespoon prepared chili sauce
6 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 small onion, thinly sliced
1/2 green and 1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces
4 ounces canned pineapple pieces, drained
2-3 tablespoons prepare Plum Sauce (see recipe below
Jasmine rice, cooked according to package directions

Ingredients for Plum Sauce:
1 (12-ounce) can prune plums, drained
2 tablespoons brown sugar
4 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 slice ginger
1 clove garlic
1/2 cup canned juice from the drained plums
1/2 cup water

Directions for Plum Sauce:
1. For best results, prepare the plum sauce several hours ahead of time to give the flavors a chance to blend.

2. Remove the plum pits. In a medium saucepan, bring all the ingredients to a boil. Simmer, covered, for about 2 hours, or until the plums are soft.

3. Remove the ginger and garlic. Process the sauce in a blender or food processor until smooth. Cool and chill in the refrigerator. Use within a few days.

Directions for Chicken:
1. In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, garlic, ginger, and chili sauce. Add the chicken pieces, stirring to coat. Set aside to marinate for at least 20 minutes.

2. Heat the oil in a wok or large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until translucent, about 3 minutes.

3. Add the chicken mixture and continue to cook for another 3 to 5 minutes.

4. Add the bell peppers, the pineapple, and plum sauce. Cook for an additional 5 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.

5. Serve over lots of fluffy Jasmine rice.