Cooking with Jeff and Mayra: Chicken and Tofu Stir Fry

Work, work, and more work. It feels like that's all I do now, but I can't complain about the money. Two jobs is hectic, but slowly and surely I am getting my stuff paid off. Two more loans to go and I'm set!

Jeff and I have both had a packed schedule, so cooking seemed more like a chore than something exciting to do. For the couple of days that we didn't blog we ate lots and lots of sandwiches. Some homemade, but mostly it was a quick stop at Subway or Panera Bread. We do take into consideration the calories we eat and did our research on what was the healthiest thing to get.

Today Jeff had off and it was up to him to find something to make. He asked me what I wanted and all I said was something that includes tofu. There is just something about the texture of tofu in my mouth that I really enjoy., plus its so easy to cook and it just soaks in all the flavor you marinate it in.

I got off as soon as Jeff was coming home from the grocery store so we divided tasks. We have been waiting for our bananas to ripen to make banana bread, so while I chopped and minced all the ingredients needed for our stir fry, Jeff started on the banana bread, which I will give the recipe to in another blog. It was sort of hectic and messy in the kitchen.

Jeff and I don't do to well with flour. It seems to get EVERYWHERE!!! Even our poor dogs can't avoid our mess and get flour on them too. Its kind of there fault though, they are the little vacuum cleaners in our kitchen and desperately try to find anything we drop. We do our best to keep them out, but we get so focused we just let them roam around. Eventually they accept defeat after nothing falls and they watch us from the couch.... waiting.

Before the cooking started I opened all the windows and opened the back door. We wanted to avoid filling up the whole house with smoke and we both knew the wok would do just that.

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup Teriyaki Sauce
2 tablespoon Soy Sauce
1 teaspoon Rice Vinegar
1 tablespoon Cornstarch
2 tablespoons Canola Oil
1 pound Chicken Breast
Portobello Mushroom
1 cup Shredded Carrots
4 Hard Tofu Squares
3 Scallions, minced

For the marinade, whisk in a small bowl the vinegar, teriyaki, and soy sauce. In a separate bowl, dissolve the cornstarch in 1 tablespoon of water and then add to the marinade.

Cut the tofu squares in medium pieces and cube the chicken. Have all the veggies, tofu, and chicken nearby to start up the wok and throw them in as it goes.

Now to start up the smoke screen! Heat up the oil in the wok at high heat. Turn your oven fan on as high as it goes.

After the wok is smoking, add the chicken and caramelize all side. Take chicken out and set aside.

Now its time for the veggies. We started with the mushroom first since all the other veggies wouldn't take long to cook. Slowly add all the other veggies until they are cooked through.

Add chicken, marinade, and half the scallions.

We served our stir fry with white rice and since Jeff was the one cooking, it was made in the neuro fuzzy rice maker. Even though I prefer making my own, I do admit the n.f.m. is fast, simple, and it keeps warm while we are getting everything prepared.