Linda Stern made a huge salad that was from a recent Cooking Light and a fruit dessert salad. I made fried rice and Five Spice Chicken. Sue Trotter lead our discussion on Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See. Most of us liked the book. It gave us insight into foot binding, the various roles and levels of Chinese women and their secret written language called nu shu found in the Yao ethnic tribe. I was too busy cooking and then taking part in the discussion to take pictures of anyone.The recipe for the chicken was tasty and moist. Here it is:
6 to 8 servings
2 1/2 to 3 pound chicken, cut up (I used skinless breasts)
1/3 cup soy sauce
2 t vegetable oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon Chinese Five Spices (or 1/2 t ground ginger, 1/4 t ground cinnamon, 1/4 crushed anise seed, 1/8 t ground nutmeg, 1/8 t ground cloves)
Place chicken in a shallow glass or plastic dish. Mix remaining ingredients; pour over chicken. Cover and refrigerate spooning marinade over chicken occasionally, at least 1 hour.
Remove chicken from marinade; reserve marinade. Place chicken in an ungreased oblong baking dish. Brush marinade on chicken. Cook uncovered in 350 degree oven, brushing once or twice with marinade, until thickest pieces of chicken are done, about 1 hour (mine was done in 30 minutes; I cut the chicken breasts in 1/2).
recipe from Betty Crocker's International Cookbook
