Adventures of the Amateur Culinary Genius

As most of you know, I love my job. I love my girls. Yes, I call them my girls. I love the moments when, despite their emotions and mistakes of the past, they smile and laugh like any other teenage girl. I love the moments when they see their behavior for what it is and realize they need to adjust. I love the moments of accomplishment when pride beams from their soul. I love the other women I work with. And most of all, I love when they feel like being lazy and ask me to cook dinner. 

I, like many of my girls, am beaming with pride this week having realized what I am capable of. And what is that? Cooking. I have always viewed myself as a so-so chef-in-training who can cook a step above buttered noodles, but this week I see myself for what I truly am: an amateur culinary genius.

On Monday I made honey mustard chicken. It was supposed to be a sandwich, but I improvised and made it into a casserole. And it was delicious. But tonight I succeeded in creating the most daunting dinner I have ever attempted: Spicy Asian Orange Chicken, completely from scratch! I thought it was going to be disastrous; the chicken took forever to thaw and the sauce wasn't thickening like it should and the rice cooked too quickly, but it all came together and no one was the wiser of my fears. And it got rave reviews. Just from looking at the recipe I would have never even given it a second glance. But because my job required me to cook that meal tonight, I had no choice. I had to try. It was stressful knowing that if I failed, 9 girls would have starved tonight. But I did it, and I did it well. And I will have delicious leftovers for lunch. Be jealous. 

For those of you looking for a culinary challenge, here's the recipe to try for yourselves (and for those of you who look at this and say, "Daunting? Ha! It's a piece of orange chicken cake!" I say to you, teach me your ways!)

Asian Orange Chicken

Sauce:

5-1/4 cups water

1/3 cup orange juice

3/4 cup lemon juice

1 cup 3 tbsp rice vinegar

1/2 cup soy sauce

3 tbsp grated orange zest

3-1/2 cups packed brown sugar

1-3/4 tsp minced ginger root

1-3/4 tsp minced garlic

1/3 cup chopped scallions

1 tsp crushed red pepper

~

1/2 cup cornstarch

1/4 water

Chicken:

7 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2" pieces

2 cups flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1/2 cup olive oil

Pour 5 1/4 cups water, orange juice, lemon juice, rice vinegar, and soy sauce into saucepan and set over medium-high heat. Stir in the orange zest, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, scallions, and crushed red pepper. Bring to boil. Remove from heat and cool 10 to 15 minutes. 

**Optional if time allows** Place chicken pieces in a large Ziplock bag with 2 cups of sauce. Refrigerate at least 2 hours. Save remaining sauce. 

Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Combine flour, salt, and pepper in another large Ziplock bag. Toss raw chicken in flour mixture until coated. Place chicken in skillet and brown. Set chicken aside.

Wipe out skillet and add remaining sauce. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Mix cornstarch and 1/4 cup water; stir into sauce. Reduce heat to medium-low, add chicken, and let simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Serve over steamed rice with vegetable of choice.