Cooking With Rod

By Rod Cohenour

      This month you are being treated to one of my most favorite dishes – one my lovely wife originated about ten years ago. It is perfect for this time of year – warm, colorful, tummy-filling but easy on the diet! Asian food is always healthy and strongly seasoned, and that fits me Just Fine! The science is in the preparation – follow the directions for all those “good cook” hints that my wife peppers her recipes with. She really talks you through it so each part of the recipe is cooked to perfection – Absolutely Deliciousness!

      Bon appetit!

• 3 lbs. boneless chicken breast tenders
• ¼ cup margarine
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 1 medium onion, diced
• ½ head cabbage, shredded
• Garlic powder to taste
• Mrs. Dash Chipotle seasoning
• Ground black peppercorns
• Dash 5-Spice Seasoning
• 1 can (5 oz.) sliced water chestnuts, drained
• ½ bottle Ken’s Low-Calorie Asian Sesame Ginger Salad Dressing
• 1 cup water
• 1 bunch green onions, chopped (reserve)

      Set electric skillet to 350° and add 1 lg. spoon of tub margarine, such as Country Crock. Rinse and drain chicken tenders. Add to melted butter. Season with garlic powder, Mrs. Dash and ground pepper. Cover and permit to cook for about 5 minutes. Turn chicken pieces, season as above, cover and permit to cook about 10 minutes.

      Carefully sprinkle with one dash 5-Spice Powder. (Careful! This goes a long way! Perhaps sprinkle into your hand and then evenly spread over chicken pieces.) Drizzle Asian dressing over chicken. Turn chicken pieces (or stir with soft rubber spatula, being careful not to tear) and drizzle a bit more Asian dressing. Cover and close steam vent. Permit to cook about 3 minutes.

      Add chopped vegetables and drizzle with more Asian dressing and add water. Cover tightly, closing steam vent on lid of skillet. Lower heat to 300° to 325° and permit to steam cook for about 30 minutes, checking occasionally. Cabbage should be limp and peppers should be just beyond crisp tender when done. Add water chestnuts and permit to heat through, just a minute or two. Add ¾ chopped green onions and stir through. Remove to serving bowl and top with remaining green onions for garnish.

      Should serve 8-10 people served over rice or salad greens or served alone.