Sweet & Sour Chicken

Hopefully you've all made this before, it's been floating around the internet for a while. But if you haven't you really should. It's great for company and my whole family loves it - yay! Oh, and I usually have everything on the ingredient list. Double yay!

Ingredients

• 1 lb chicken (cut into bite size pieces)
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/4 tsp garlic salt
• 3/4 cup corn starch
• 2 large eggs, whisked
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• Sweet and sour sauce:
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup ketchup
• 1 tsp garlic salt
• 1/2 cup + 1 TB rice vinegar (I usually use plain distilled or apple cider vinegar)
• 1 TB soy sauce

Instructions

1. Place the chicken, corn starch, salt, pepper and garlic salt in a large ziplock bag and shake until the chicken is evenly coated.
2. Heat 1/4 cup oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Dip the chicken in the egg mixture and place in the frying pan with a fork. I did half the batch first. Fry both sides of the chicken for about 2 minutes a piece. Line a baking sheet with foil and place chicken on the pan. Dispose of the burnt oil and then heat up the rest of the oil and finish the chicken.
3. Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees.
4. In a medium size bowl whisk together all of the ingredients for the sauce.
5. Next you'll pour the sauce over the chicken and bake for 20 minutes. Pull the chicken out and flip the chicken to evenly coat it with sauce. Then bake for an additional 15-20 minutes.
6. Serve with steamed rice and veggies.
7. Enjoy!

* Recipe found here:  http://www.iheartnaptime.net/sweet-and-sour-chicken-recipe/

Click over for a printable recipe.

P.S. I spent 20 minutes today drooling over the on-line menu at Olive Garden and Noodles & Company, so if any of you have any copycat recipes you've tried from those places please share with a hungry pregnant lady! :)

Chicken Stock & Bone Broth-

Chicken stock or bone broth is amazing stuff.  It's so delicious and makes anything that calls for chicken stock or bouillon so much better!  It also is crazy nutritious-  The Gut & Psychology Syndrome book says, "Meat stock aids digestion and has been known for centuries as a healing folk remedy for the digestive tract.  Also homemade meat stock is extremely nourishing; it is full of minerals, vitamins, amino-acids and various other nutrients in a very bio-available form."  So ya, it's awesome.  There are slightly different techniques you can do but here's what we like-  

(This was from a giant pot we made from 2 chicken carcasses)

Chicken Stock:

Whole Chicken or chicken bones
1-2 Tblsp vinegar (I usually do apple cider vinegar)
Salt- probably a couple Tablespoons, I just sprinkle it in (really you can add salt anytime).  
  
In a large pot put in your whole chicken or chicken bones.  Cover with water a few inches above chicken and add vinegar & salt.  Let sit for 30- 60 minutes (this helps leach out minerals from the bones).  Bring to a boil, cover the pot and reduce the heat to low.  If using a whole chicken remove the meat after about 2 hours (so the meat will not dry out) but allow the bones to simmer for 6-24 hours (longer is better for higher mineral and gelatin content of the stock).  We usually have done for 24 hours but I just heard that the gelatin content goes down after 12 hours so that would be ideal.  Then strain the stock into a pitcher and discard the bones or skin leftovers.  I like to put the stock into pint bottles so they are around 2 cups which is nice to use  in recipes or for Top Ramen noodles or vegetable soup for lunch.  This will keep in the fridge for a couple weeks or in the freezer.