Chicken and Peanuts (aka Kung Pao)

This is the first recipe I ever got from Sally. She gave it to me over the phone in 1998. In my husband's family, when it's your birthday, you get to pick whatever you want for your birthday dinner. Scott chose chicken and peanuts and chocolate cake almost every time. In 1997, we moved to Duluth, MN and wouldn't be home for Scott's birthday that year (January 1998) so I called Sally and asked for her recipe for chicken and peanuts and chocolate cake. She graciously gave me her recipe for chicken and peanuts, but told me she didn't really have a recipe for chocolate cake because it was a very old recipe and had quantities like "crisco the size of a large egg" and wasn't sure if I'd be able to do it. She promised to make the cake for us the next time we came home.

This "battle" went on for years. I put battle in parentheses because Sally never argued or fought or raised her voice. Ever. She was such a sweet woman. She just avoided giving me the recipe every time I asked for it. It wasn't until after she died that I mentioned to my sister-in-law how sad I was that I never got the recipe and I hoped it was somewhere in her recipe box. I was a competent enough baker at that point I was sure I'd be able to figure it out. My sister-in-law (well, my brother-in-law's wife if you want to get technical, which Sally would because of her love of genealogy) looked at me and said "She gave me the recipe years ago!" I have no idea why Sally didn't ever share it with me but gave it to Alena. Maybe it was because she wanted to have something she alone made for Scott. Maybe she just liked Alena better than me - just kidding, she loved us both! The chocolate cake wasn't my brother-in-law's birthday request (he always wanted fiesta and Harvey Wallbanger cake). I wonder if Sally gave Alena the recipe for Harvery Wallbanger cake?

I just about jumped out of my chair when I found the chocolate cake recipe in and amongst her stacks!

Tonight's menu:

cucumber salad
chicken and peanuts
chocolate cake

Cucumber Salad (from Helen Chen's Chinese Home Cooking)

1 pound cucumbers
3 tablespoons light soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame seed oil

Peel, split, seed, and cut into diagonal slices. Toss with the soy sauce and sesame seed oil.


Chicken & Peanuts (from Sally Polkinghorne - not sure where she got it)

This is the original recipe that I wrote down as
Sally told it to me over the phone.
Can't keep track of my keys or cell phone, but I've
kept this recipe for 17 years or so!

8 chicken breasts cut into about 1 inch pieces (I use thighs - the big package)
Marinate for 30 minutes or more in:
4 egg whites
4 tablespoons cornstarch
4 tablespoons soy sauce
4 tablespoons water

Stir-fry chicken in oil - remove to a plate.

Brown 16 tien tsin peppers (I get mine from Penzey's) in wok.
Add 4 scallions (chopped)

Mix together:
4 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons salt
4 teaspoons cornstarch
4 tablespoons soy sauce
4 teaspoons vinegar
4 teaspoons sesame oil
   8 tablespoons water

Almost ready!

Add chicken and above sauce to wok until thickened and hot.
Add 2 cups of peanuts.

Serve with rice.

The finished dish - I'm working on my photography skills. I hope they improve!

Chocolate Cake (exactly as written on the recipe card I found. I have no idea what the numbers on the margin mean). This one was tricky to decipher, but I think I got it.



Choc Cake
1  -   1/2 c water
2  -   1 sq 1 oz choc melt                      2  -    1 c flour   pinch salt
2  -   1 c sugar
2  -   crisco size lg egg                         1   -  1/2 c milk
2  -   1 egg                                            2   -  1 t b. soda
                                                             2  -  1 t. vanilla
                          375 degrees


I'll add pictures and my chocolate buttercream recipe in a bit...

And yes, I'll work on formatting and making this all look cute. This is a learning process for me :)