My Chinese Leftovers can Beat Up Your Chinese Leftovers!

I love Chinese food.
I really love Chinese food!
But.. there is NO Chinese food in the sticks.

I have done a really good job learning how to make my favorite restaurant foods at home.

Not only can I control exactly what goes into our foods,
It's WAY cheaper to make it myself!
I can usually make a meal for my entire BIG eating family, including left-overs, for less than one or two servings would cost at a restaurant!

My burgers are better than any burger joint.
My steaks are better than any fancy steak house steaks.
I am the queen of deli-style sandwiches and Paninis!
I am thrilled with my Vietnamese spring rolls!
My Pizza is getting close!

But Chinese food always kind of intimidated me.
I didnt' even know where to start!

Until NOW!

Yummy looking huh?

I could never figure out what spices and seasonings made Chinese food taste like Chinese food.
I tried soy sauce.... nope.. something else.
I tried 5-spice.. good but not the taste I was craving.

then.. BINGO!!
Enter sesame oil & fresh ginger!!
DING DING DING!!! We Have a Winner!!

the combination of-
soy sauce
sesame oil
fresh ginger
and garlic
IS the Chinese food taste!

Now... don't let the fresh ginger scare you.
I have always said I didn't like ginger.
But.. I do!
as the subtle taste in the background that brings Chinese dishes together and makes them sing to your soul!

I did the work..
and Now.. I'm gonna show you how!
Here we go!

Dana's "Better than Take-Out"
Shrimp Lo Mein.

• 2 lbs medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
  
• 3 Tablespoons cornstarch
  
• 3/4 Tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled (using a knife or vegetable peeler) finely chopped or grated.
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
  
• 4 teaspoons sesame oil, divided
  
• 12 ounces snow peas
  
• 1 1/2 cups shredded carrots
  
• 1 head bok choy
  
• 1 (14-15 ounce) can chicken broth
  
• 7 green onions, sliced
• 1 small can water chestnuts, sliced
• 1 bell pepper, sliced into thin strips
• 12 ounces spaghetti noodles, cooked al dente and drained

Directions-

1. Combine first 5 ingredients in a bowl and set aside to marinate while you get the other ingredients prepped.
2. In large skillet or wok, heat 2 tsp sesame oil over high heat.
   
3. Drain shrimp, reserving marinade.
   
4. Over high heat, cook shrimp until pink, 2-3 minutes.
5. Remove shrimp from skillet into a large bowl, set aside.
   
6. Add 1 tsp sesame oil to the skillet, then add snow peas and carrots, and cook approx 2 minutes.
7. Remove from skillet add to the bowl with the cooked shrimp.
   
8. Cook cabbage, water chestnuts & pepper in skillet with the remaining sesame sesame oil for approx 2 minutes.
9. Remove cabbage mixture to a large clean bowl combine with cooked/drained spaghetti noodles & green onions, set aside.
10. Combine chicken broth and reserved marinade, stirring well to stir up the settled corn starch, add to the skillet, along with shrimp mixture.
    
11. Bring to a boil, over high heat, and cook until thickened, 2-3 minutes.
    
12. Remove from heat and pour over the noodle/veggie mixture, toss to coat.
13. Enjoy!!