Eric's New Favorite Dinner

So....our favorite restaurant is Kami Japanese Steakhouse in Apple Valley.   It is by far the most expensive place we eat - but have found out that Wednesdays are buy one dinner get one free for the summer!   Anyway, a fun date night for us is always the Hibachi grill and we love love love the food.   So, since we have a new family member joining us as well as lots of medical bills for Ms Courtney I decided to find a few recipes of my own and try and recreate our favorite things from Kami.

Eric asked what was for dinner tonight and I said "It's a suprise!" and continued on with my madness.   First I made the amazing dipping sauce that we eat with everything, then I made the fried rice, stir-fried veggies and lastly the chicken.   We actually always eat the steak there, but chicken has been marinating in the fridge for a few days and needed to get eaten....so chicken it was.

I set the table - laid out all the food - and held my breath as he tried each of the items!   SUCCESS....he ate and ate and ate and ate....just like he does at Kami.    So, if any of you have joined us for dinner there - I shall put the recipes up here so you can have your very own yummy Kami food at home.  ENJOY!


Japanese Steakhouse White Sauce - Chuck's Easy Recipe  (to dip everything in)

1-1/4 cup Hellmann's mayonnaise *
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon melted butter
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon paprika
dash cayenne pepper

Using a fork or a whisk, blend all ingredients together thoroughly until well mixed and the sauce is smooth. Refrigerate overnight to allow flavors to blend. Bring to room temperature before serving.
The sauce will NOT taste right if you don't let it sit overnight. And please don't try to substitute ketchup for the tomato paste! The water is needed to bring this to the right consistency.

I don't know how long this keeps in the refrigerator; I've kept it 7-10 days, but I always wind up eating it all before 10 days so after that - anyone's guess.
* Hellmann's is called "Best Foods" west of the Rockie Mountains. Use other mayos at your peril - many cheap brands make the sauce taste too much like mayo.


My Stir-Fried Veggies:
Start with a Tbs of butter and some olive oil in a med/hot pan.   I used my cast iron skillet and it was perfect.  then throw in your veggies - any fresh veggies will work but I had fresh Carrots, Green Beans and Shallots direct from the garden.   Sprinkle with some salt and cook, stirring occasionally till they are cooked but not soggy.   Then if you have any, I added just a small amount of Trader Joes General Tsoa Stir Fry Sauce.    They were amazing.


My Fried Rice
3 Cups Cooked Rice
Some Butter
1 Small Onion
1 Egg
Soy Sauce

Cook some white rice so it is slighly harder than you would normally make it.  Let is sit. I used enough for 3 servings. Then add some butter to a hot pan and saute one small onion.   Once cooked add the cooked rice and mix with the onion.   Then move the rice to the outside of the pan making a hole in the middle of the pan and put the egg there - scramble it and cook the egg - then mix it into the rice.   Now take your soy sauce and just drizzle once back and forth over the pan - not too much - but enough to make it light brown.

Eric's New Favorite Chicken
2 Lg Chicken Breasts
Italian Dressing
Oil for the Pan
Trader Joes or other favorite Stir-Fry Sauce

Marinate Chicken at least over night in your favorite Italian Dressing.   Then slice the raw chicken into strips for better cooking.   Put some oil in a pan and saute the chicken until cooked then add some of your favorite Stir-Fry Sauce for some extra flavor.