Kicking store-bought sticks doesn't mean you have to stray too far from the familiar: Making them from scratch gives you way more control over quality, ingredients and fat.
My love of cooking started when I was trying to earn my Girl Scout cooking badge. My family savors the sweet sauce on these skewers. --Joanne Haldeman, Bainbridge, Pennsylvania
Tender chicken in a tangy sauce, topped with pretty pineapple, makes a mouthwatering main dish. The recipe comes from Jean Ecos of Waukesha, Wisconsin.
Carrots and red and green bell peppers add lots of color to this classic sweet pineapple and sour soy-vinegar chicken stir fry with just a whiff of ginger.
Relates Debbie Terenzini Wilkerson of Lusby, Maryland, 'I love these tender pork chops smothered in a mouth-watering sauce. It's the perfect blend of mustard, soy sauce, ketchup and orange marmalade.'
Eggplant, ginger, garlic, shrimp and beef get sauteed and spiced-up, Szechuan style. Chicken stock and soy sauce provide the base for the thick, tasty sauce.
'People can't believe it when I tell them how little time it takes to fix this delicious chicken,' reports Mollie Hall of San Ramon, California. 'It's very moist inside and so pretty to serve with its lovely basil-flecked coating.'
Sauteed sliced artichoke hearts provide a new twist on an old favorite. Cooked black beans are paired up with sauteed artichoke hearts, garlic, and onions, and wrapped up in flour tortillas with shredded sharp Cheddar and diced tomatoes.
Broccoli florets are sauteed with garlic, butter and olive oil, simmered in broth, then tossed with fresh basil and hot rigatoni. A sprinkle of Parmesan cheese is the perfect finish. Hint: don't overcook the garlic and broccoli!
