Fake-Out Take-Out Stir Fry

Every so often, I have an incredible urge for chinese food. Being 30 miles from the nearest chinese eatery is prohibitive to satisfying my urges. In a recent cooking magazine was this recipe for stir fry. Most of these recipes have exotic ingredients that the country pantry just doesn't normally stock. This recipe is the exception!

1 lb of meat (you can use any leftover meat like roast or chicken or even tofu for a veggie version)
2 pkgs of frozen stir fry veggies (or by all means fresh if they're in season)
1/2 cup unsweetened apple juice
1/2 cup of soy sauce
1/2 cup of peanut butter
4 tbsp of brown sugar
2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
Hot cooked rice


Heat a dutch oven on medium high heat and add a tbsp of your favorite fat (olive oil, canola oil, shortening....whatever you have is fine.


Add your meat. This was leftover pork roast from the other night. If you are using raw meat you would cook the meat before adding the vegetables. In this case, I just got a little sear on the pieces of cooked pork.


Get your veggies ready. I like to combine varieties of stirfry veggies. This summer I hope to freeze my own mixtures! Add them to the meat in the dutch oven and cover with a lid.


Meanwhile, your rice should be started. I used quick cooking brown rice, it takes about 15 minutes and works great with this recipe.


In a separate bowl, add the 1/2 cup apple juice. This is homegrown, home juiced and home canned apple juice from my friend, Kristi.


Add a 1/2 cup of soy sauce to the apple juice.


Then a 1/2 cup (or there abouts) of peanut butter. The recipe specified creamy, but I used chunky and the little peanut pieces added a delightful crunch. Whichever type you have is fine.


Then add the brown sugar.


Then add the garlic powder and ginger.


I didn't have cayenne pepper on the pantry so I used some tabasco sauce.


And a pinch of crushed red pepper.


Grab your whisk. You will want to whisk gently as the peanut butter is stiff and really giving it a brisk whisk will result in splashed soy sauce/apple juice everywhere. (I speak from drippy experience!)


After a minute or two of gently whisking, this is what you should have. Trust me, it will taste better than it looks!


Give your meat and veggies a stir.


When the veggies are cooked to your desired tenderness, add the sauce mixture.


Gently stir the veggies to coat them with the sauce.


I like to cook the sauce down a bit, it takes just another minute to thicken it.


Here it is! It is wonderful, the hubby was a little nervous about the use of peanut butter but he really likes this dish. It takes about 20 minutes start to finish, a great meal for a busy night.