Apricot-Mango Chicken and Veggie Medley

Too bad you didn't drop by for dinner last night.  You really missed a delectable meal.  So, just in case you'd like to create it for yourself, I'm sharing the recipes here for you.  You'll want to have the food all cut up in advance, or work with a buddy to get everything to come together at the same time.

Apricot-Mango Chicken

small onion, chopped
1-2 cloves of garlic, crushed
3 boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes
salt and pepper
sprig of fresh rosemary
1/2 tsp ginger
5 oz of apricot jam or fruit spread (we used Polaner All-Fruit)
1-2 mangos, peeled and removed from the stone, cut into small pieces

In a large skillet, cook the onion and garlic in olive oil until onion is transparent.  Season the chicken with salt and pepper and add the rosemary sprig; brown the chicken, cooking till it's nearly done.  Remove rosemary sprig.  Spoon in the ginger and apricot jam and mix with the juices in the pan until the jam is dissolved.  Let it reduce for 5 minutes or so.  Add the mango pieces, stir well, let it simmer for 5 minutes.  Serve.

Veggie Medley

1 large onion, cut into 8 pieces
8 large mushrooms, washed and cut in half (we used crimini)
1 large zucchini, sliced lengthwise, then cut in l-inch slices
4 roma tomatoes, cut into quarters
salt and pepper
1/4 tsp ginger
1/4 cup soy sauce

Heat a wok and cook the onion until it is transparent.  Add the mushroom and zucchini, salt, pepper, ginger and soy sauce, and saute till the vegetables reach your preferred degree of tenderness.  Thicken the sauce (optional)* then add the tomatoes, stirring them into the other vegetables just until they are heated through.  Serve over brown rice.

*(If you want to thicken the sauce, pour off the liquid from the vegetables then add cornstarch or other thickener to the liquid.  Add to the pan and bring to a boil.  Boil for one minute.)

Thanks to Lori Haugen for sharing her birthday dinner menu with us, inspiring us to make our own Apricot-Mango Chicken!