Story originally printed in the La Crosse Tribune or online at www.lacrossetribune.com
Published - Sunday, January 13, 2008
READER EXCHANGE: The rush is on to finish these iced coffee, stir-fry recipes
It hardly seems possible, but before we know it, iced coffee season will be upon us once again. You may think I’m “rushing the season,” but I’m willing to bet I’m not the only one whose thoughts have turned, albeit longingly, to warmer weather.
Since Dick Williams of Sparta, Wis., requested iced coffee recipes a while back, a few have trickled in here and there. Today we’ll finish up this request with a volley of recipes located by Karen Vick of La Crosse. For those who don’t like coffee, Karen also has provided an iced take on hot cocoa.
There are a couple of con queso recipes left, for a different Karen, as well as a couple more suggestions for a taco breakfast bake for Carla Korish of La Crosse, but those will wait for a week as we look into Carla’s other request: “good and easy” stir-fry recipes.
One of the stir-fry recipes is from a new contributor to the Exchange, but her voice and name should be familiar to you if you listen to WIZM’s Thursday morning Coulee Region Cooks: Kris Nandory of U-Bake in Shelby Mall sent a recipe, saying, “When I read your article this past Sunday ... I thought of my Chicken & Ham Stir Fry — I love it!” Kris isn’t sure of the recipe’s origin, but says “it blends together some meat choices not usually found outside of chicken cordon bleu ... the taste is perfection!” I think any recipe with that kind of endorsement is definitely worth a try.
And not surprisingly, we have Karen Vick to thank for stir-fry recipes as well. Karen either has a cookbook library that rivals the Library of Con-gress or she is very resourceful at locating recipes, because there are few requests that she doesn’t weigh in on with at least a couple of suggestions.
Valerie Huebsch of West Salem, Wis., really enjoyed Pickerman’s Chicken Florentine Soup with artichoke hearts and hopes we can get the recipe or an approximation of it, but so far there have been no responses to her request.
“In the fall, Ciatti’s serves a popular ‘special,’ Butternut Squash Ravioli,” writes Amy Bigjohn of West Salem, Wis. She says: “I’ve looked online for something comparable, but the sauce recipes are not the same. I’m hoping you can help.” This sounds a bit like a fusion dish to me, and I think I would really like to give it a try. So, if anyone has such a recipe or something they think might fill the bill, please pass it along to us. Amy and I will both thank you.
We also are on the lookout for a mostaccioli recipe for Jodi, who had some a long time ago, she thinks at a bar near Bridgeview Plaza. She has been looking for that recipe or something like it and wonders if restaurants, etc., give out such recipes. (I have found many restaurants are hesitant to share recipes, especially if the item is a house specialty.) Jodi has “tried the recipe on the back of the Creamette box but it seems something is missing.” She also wonders if readers prefer Italian sausage, hamburger or a combination of both for this dish.
Be sure to tune in to Coulee Region Cooks, which airs from 10 to 11 a.m. Thursdays on WIZM-AM. Mike Hayes and I spend a few minutes during the first half of the show chatting about the upcoming Exchange.
Send requests, recipes and/or cooking tips and techniques to Alice P. Clark at Reader Exchange, c/o La Crosse Tribune, 401 N. Third St., La Crosse, WI 54601; e-mail exchange@lacrossetribune.com; or send a fax to (608) 782-9723.
Iced Coffee
Brew double-strength coffee. Fill tall glasses with ice cubes and slowly pour in hot coffee. Serve with cream and sugar. if desired.
Note from Alice: If using glass glasses, be sure they are tempered glass — otherwise, pouring the hot coffee over the ice may cause them to break.
Other suggestions: Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream; add 1 ounce rum and whipped cream; or for individual servings of frozen coffee, place ¼ cup brewed coffee in blender with 1 tablespoon sugar, a dash of ground cloves, 1 ounce rum and at least 2 cups crushed ice. Blend thoroughly and serve in chilled tall glasses.
Shared by Karen Vick, La Crosse
Iced Coffee Float
4 ice cubes
¾ cup double-strength black coffee
½ cup club soda or sparkling water
½ teaspoon sugar
1/3 cup vanilla ice cream
Put ice cubes in a tall glass. Add coffee, soda and sugar; stir until sugar dissolves.
Top with ice cream.
Makes 1 serving.
Note from Alice: With ice cubes and ice cream in this, I’d be inclined to blend it).
Shared by Karen Vick, La Crosse
Iced Cocoa with Cinnamon
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa
¼ cup sugar
Pinch of salt
3 cups skim milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
In a 2-quart saucepan combine cocoa, sugar, salt and milk; stir over moderate heat until cocoa is dissolved and mixture comes just to a boil.
Remove pan from heat; stir in vanilla and cinnamon. Pour into a heatproof pitcher and chill at least 4 hours
Makes 4 (¾-cup) servings.
Note from Alice: This might lend itself nicely to blending with ice cream, too.
Shared by Karen Vick, La Crosse
Chicken and Ham Stir-Fry
¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
A few drops of olive oil
2 chicken breasts, chopped
Equal amount of precooked ham, chopped
3 to 4 stalks of celery, sliced on the diagonal
1 can of sliced water chestnuts, drained
2 green onions, chopped
A handful of almonds or cashews
2 cups cooked rice
Combine soy sauce, white wine, sugar and cornstarch in a bowl. Mix thoroughly to remove lumps; set aside.
Put a couple drops of olive oil in your wok or pan and put it on medium heat.
Add chicken and cook until done. Move chicken to outer edge of wok; add ham. Cook the ham until it is heated through; move it to side of pan along with chicken.
Add celery to center of wok; cook until heated but still crisp. Push to side of pan with meats.
Add water chestnuts. Cook and flip them until heated through; move them to the side.
Add green onions; cook about two minutes. Push all food in the wok back to the center and mix together. Add nuts.
Stir sauce in bowl one more time to make sure it has not clumped while it sat; pour over stir fry. Stir constantly to cover food evenly. Heat the whole dish a couple minutes and then serve over cooked rice.
Makes 4 servings.
Shared by Kris Nandory, U-Bake
Chicken, Asparagus and Broccoli Stir-Fry
2 tablespoons Asian sesame oil, divided
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 cups asparagus, cut in 1½-inch pieces
2 cups small broccoli florets
6 tablespoons low-salt chicken broth, divided
1¼ pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, thinly sliced crosswise
Salt and pepper to taste
4 large green onions, chopped
3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic; stir 30 seconds. Stir in asparagus, broccoli and 4 tablespoons broth. Cover and cook until vegetables are crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Transfer vegetables to a bowl.
Add remaining oil to skillet; sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Add chicken and green onions to skillet. Stir-fry until chicken is just cooked through, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add hoisin and oyster sauces, vegetables and remaining 2 tablespoons chicken broth. Toss until heated through and evenly coated with sauce.
Serve over rice or chow mein noodles.
Shared by Karen Vick, La Crosse
Sesame Shrimp and Asparagus Stir-Fry
1 cup long-grain white rice
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and grated
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut diagonally in 2-inch pieces
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes
1 pound cleaned and cooked large shrimp
1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
Prepare rice according to package directions.
Stir together soy sauce, rice vinegar and ginger in a cup; set aside.
In nonstick 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat, toast sesame seeds for about 4 minutes or until golden; transfer to a small bowl.
In same skillet, heat vegetable oil over medium-high heat until hot. Add asparagus and cook 5 minutes or until crisp-tender, stirring frequently. Add tomatoes and cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add soy sauce mixture and shrimp to skillet and cook 1 minute to heat through.
Remove from heat; stir in sesame oil.
Serve stir-fry over rice; then sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.
Shared by Karen Vick, La Crosse
Sweet and Sour Chicken Stir-Fry
Sauce:
½ cup low-sugar apricot preserves
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Stir-fry:
¼ cup vegetable oil, divided
2 whole large skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut in 1-inch cubes
2 medium zucchini, halved and cut in ¼-inch slices
½ pound small mushrooms, sliced
½ teaspoon salt
1 (6-ounce) package frozen pea pods, thawed
Hot cooked rice, if desired
Combine sauce ingredients and stir until well-blended. Set aside.
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in wok or skillet over high heat; stir-fry chicken until tender and browned. Add remaining oil, zucchini, mushrooms and salt. Stir-fry until zucchini is crisp-tender. Add pea pods and sauce mixture; toss gently to heat through and coat all ingredients.
Serve with rice.
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