Review: General Tso's Chicken (Weight Watchers' Take Out Tonight)

[d_ferrero]

I believe the Weight Watchers' Take Out Tonight cookbook might have been the best ten bucks I've ever spent (thanks Jena!) -- I'm plowing my way through these recipes and have yet to find one that's a dud.

I made the General Tso's Chicken tonight. For those of you who missed it, the recipe is posted here (http://community.cookinglight.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=32605&highlight=general+chicken). I prepped the vegetables and the chicken before heading to the gym, and then tossed it together in under 20 minutes when I got home. I paired it with steamed rice and orange segments. The only change I made to the printed recipe was to add the zest of one orange (the one I used as a side dish -- unemployment is teaching me frugality :) ). This is a definite keeper, and an absolute repeater. I froze one portion of the leftovers as I know that once John tastes it tomorrow afternoon, any leftovers in the fridge are a piece of history.

Next on my "to try" list is the Velvet Corn Soup with Shrimp from the Thai section.

[Gracie]

I made it too, and once I got over the fact that there was no way it was going to taste like that deep fried restaurant General Tso that I love, I realized that this recipe was OK in its own right.

I felt the same way about the Singapore Noodles in the same book. I forget the exact name, but Singapore is in the title. Good on their own, but definitely not the restaurant taste. Unfortunately, since I like Singapore Noodles even better than General Tso's, I won't repeat the TOT version of Singapore Noodles.

Loren

[greysangel]

Loren - I too absolutely adore the take out general tso's chicken, but at 14pts PER CUP ..it's not something I indulge in too frequently :eek:

I definitely agree that it does stand up in it's own right. I do have to say that I did love the fiery beef with vegetables and both DH and I agreed that the sweet and sour pork was even better than the restaurants.

JeAnne

[Gracie]

OMG JeAnne is it that bad? 14 pts per cup? Wow. Good thing I haven't had it in awhile.

I also loved the Spicy Orange Beef. And so many others in the book! I haven't tried the Sweet and Sour yet.

Loren

[Julia1Pin]

Originally posted by d_ferrero


Next on my "to try" list is the Velvet Corn Soup with Shrimp from the Thai section.

Can I please request the corn soup recipe - I love it from Chin Chin's, but am sure it's pretty fattening.

[JHolcomb]

Ok, will someone either volunteer to buy me this book (I'll pay ya for it of course) at your next meeting or very kindly post the Fiery Beef, Orange Beef, and Sweet and Sour Pork :p :D. Seriously, all of these sound soooo amazing.

I made General Tso's the other night. It was very a very good stir fry. Like you guys said, not like the deep fried version, but good anyway. Dh loved it! I liked the crunch of the celery a lot.

[slknight]

Originally posted by JHolcomb
Ok, will someone either volunteer to buy me this book (I'll pay ya for it of course) at your next meeting or very kindly post the Fiery Beef, Orange Beef, and Sweet and Sour Pork :p :D. Seriously, all of these sound soooo amazing.



Jen, the Orange Beef recipe is on this thread:
http://community.cookinglight.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=25407&highlight=orange+beef

[sunberst]

Originally posted by Julia1Pin


Can I please request the corn soup recipe - I love it from Chin Chin's, but am sure it's pretty fattening. i SECOND that request. along with the sweet & sour pork. pretty please!

[granolagirl]

Just wanted to post a link to another WW Takeout Thread...

WW Takeout (http://community.cookinglight.com/showthread.php?threadid=31274)

[JHolcomb]

Thanks for directing me to the old post :). These are both going on my menu for next week!

[Gracie]

Here are links to 2 of my old threads:



If you can only make one chicken recipe before you DIE (http://community.cookinglight.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=25730)

Great WW Chinese Meal (http://community.cookinglight.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=30232)

Loren

[d_ferrero]

I guess I'm odd this way, but the thing that turns me off about most restaurant General's Chicken (and Lemon Chicken as well) is the breaded/deep fried approach -- it steals from the complexity of the sauce, to me. When I make lightened versions of various Chinese/Asian dishes, I'm far more concerned that the sauce turn out okay (and the ingredients not be "mushy" - which was my problem with Cooking Light's famed Kung Pao Chicken. I guess that's why I gave the General Tso's Chicken a "10" -- the sauce simply ROCKED!

Julia1Pin & Sunberst... here's the soup recipe:


* Exported from MasterCook *

Velvet Corn Soup with Shrimp

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 teaspoon canola oil
3 cloves garlic -- minced
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon chili paste
4 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 14 3/4-ounce can cream-style corn
1 8-ounce package frozen cooked salad shrimp -- thawed
2 teaspoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon water
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 large egg -- lightly beaten
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 teaspoon paprika

Heat a large nonstick saucepan over medium heat. Swirl in the oil, then add the garlic, ginger, and chili paste. Cook, stirring until fragrant, 1 minute.

Stir in the broth, corn, shrimp, and fish sauce; bring to a boil. Simmer until the flavors are blended; 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk the water, cornstarch, sugar, and sesame oil in a small bowl until blended; stir into the soup. Stir in the egg. Return the soup to a simmer and cook until the soup thickens slightly and the egg sets into a long strands, about 3 minutes. Stir in the cilantro and the paprika. Serve at once.

According to recipe, one (1 1/2 cup) serving provides: 201 calories, 6 g. fat (2 g. saturated fat), 138 mg. cholesterol, 755 mg. sodium, 25 g. carbohydrate, 2 g. fiber, 16 g. protein, 49 mg. calcium, 4 WW Points.

From Weight Watchers' "Take Out Tonight: 150+ Restaurant Favorites to Make at Home," (c) 2002, p. 165.


- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Per serving: 249 Calories (kcal); 5g Total Fat; (16% calories from fat); 26g Protein; 28g Carbohydrate; 158mg Cholesterol; 964mg Sodium
Food Exchanges: 1 1/2 Grain(Starch); 3 Lean Meat; 0 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 1/2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates


Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

[pilgrim719]

Just thought I'd drag this thread up to post my review. We had this tonight for dinner and it's really yummy! DH did all the prep for it ahead of time so it was pretty quick to throw together. The sauce is delicious and we will definitely make this again! I am going to search for the other recipes posted from this cookbook now so we can try those sometime since we liked the General Tso's so much. Thanks for sharing the recipe! :)

Kari

[rinsav]

I tried it too a week or two ago and both DH and I really liked it. The sauce is great and this will definitely be a repeat. Thanks for posting!

[pwrmom]

Just had to say that I made this last night for my family in celebration of Chinese New Year and added:

1 chopped head of bok choy
2 carrots, shredded
4 oz. sliced mushrooms
1 tsp. garlic-chili paste
and doubled the sauce

Served over white rice for everyone and Kashi pilaf for me....ohhhhh, this was sooo good! No leftovers - usually a good indication of how well a dish turns out!
Linda

[Meganator]

We had this General Tso's last night, and it was great!

I compared the recipe to my "standard" chinese sauce/marinade, which is the CL Sichual-Style Stir-Fried Chicken with Peanuts. I just vary the meat and vegetables/peanuts to make different dishes. But that recipe lists 16.7 g fat per serving, which is why I was so interested in the General Tso's recipe. When I compared, the sauces and marinade look very similar, but the CL recipe uses more oil, and of course, the peanuts add fat. I certainly did not notice that lowering the amount of oil made any difference to the taste. I did add the higher amount of garlic called for in the CL recipe, and I always add a couple tablespoons of chile-garlic paste to bring it up to DH's desired level of spiciness! I used pork, mushrooms, carrots, and water chestnuts.

I also made the CL Hot and Sour Soup, which is a standard recipe at our house - DH likes it better than that at most Chinese restaurants!

[Terrytx]

Bringing up an old thread to say we really liked the Singapore Chow Mai Fun. I added a little baby spinach to get a little more vegs into our meal.

[greysangel]

I should probably post this in a separate thread, but I made the chimichurri steak the other night from this book and it's really yummy!

This book has been a big hit and as loved as my CL Complete.

J

[DmOrtega]

Is there a recipe for Chinese BBQ Pork in the book? It is a favorite of my ds. Would someone please post this if there is one? TIA.

[greysangel]

This is the thread DM with recipes :D Enjoy!

http://community.cookinglight.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=30232&highlight=gracie+pork

[DmOrtega]

greysangel - thank you. I'm printing as I type. :)

[Darlin]

Would someone mind posting the Singapore Chow Mai Fun and the CL Hot and Sour Soup. TIA!!!

[Terrytx]

* Exported from MasterCook *

Singapore Chow Mai Fun

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Pork

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
6 ounces mai fun (rice sticks or rice noodles)
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 teaspoons chili-garlic sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
6 ounces lean ground pork (10% or less fat)
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons curry powder
1 red bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Remove from heat; add mai fun and soak until softened, 5-6 minutes, Drain and set aside.

Combine the broth, soy sauce, vinegar, chili-garlic sauce, and sugar in a small bowl; set aside.

Spray a nonstick wok or large, deep skillet with cooking spray and set over medium-high heat. Add the pork and stir-fry until just cooked through, about 3 minutes. Add the onion, garlic and curry powder. Stir-fry until softened and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the bell pepper and stir-fry until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Add the broth mixture and cook, stirring constantly until the mixture boils and thickens, about 1 minute. Add the noodles and cook until heated through, about 1 minute.

serving size: 1 1/2 cups - 265 cal, 2g fat, 26mg chol, 595mg sod, 45g carb, 4g fiber, 15g pro, 55mg calc. points: 5

Source:
"WW-Take Out Tonight"





* Exported from MasterCook *

Hot-and-Sour Soup

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Soups And Stews

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
6 dried wood-ear mushrooms
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon chili-garlic sauce
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon Asian (dark) sesame oil
1/2 pound reduced-fat soft tofu, drained and cut
into 1/2-inch cubes
1 (8 ounce) can bamboo shoots, drained and thinly sliced
2 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons water
1 egg white, lightly beaten with 1
tablespoon water

Combine the wood-ear mushrooms with enough water to cover by 2 inches in a small bowl; let stand 15 minutes, then drain.

Bring the broth, soy sauce, chili-garlic sauce, vinegar, and sesame oil to a boil in a large saucepan. Add the drained mushrooms, tofu and bamboo shoots. Reduce the heat and simmer 10 minutes. Combine the cornstarch and water in a small bowl; stir in about 1/4 cup of the hot liquid, then return to the pan. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture boils and thickens slightly, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat; slowly drizzle the egg mixture inti the soup while stirring in a circular motion. Serve at once.

serving size: 1 1/3 cups - 124 cal, 4g fat, 4mg chol, 794mg sod, 14g carb, 5g fiber, 10g pro, 30mg calc. Points: 2


Source:
"Weight Watchers-Take Out Tonight"

[Kayaksoup]

This is all I can find

Hot-and-Sour Chicken Noodle Soup
We added rice noodles to this Thai-inspired version of chicken noodle soup.

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Published: Cooking Light- 03/19/03

INGREDIENTS
1/4 pound wide rice stick noodles (banh pho)
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 cups thinly sliced onion
2 cups water
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon grated lime rind
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 teaspoon green curry paste
2 (15.75-ounce) cans fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 (15-ounce) can whole peeled straw mushrooms, drained
1 (14-ounce) can light coconut milk
1 (8-ounce) can sliced bamboo shoots, drained
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons water
1 1/4 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into 1/4-inch strips
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Cook noodles in boiling water 5 minutes or until done. Drain and rinse with cold water; drain well. Set aside.

2. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion; sautè 4 minutes or until tender. Stir in 2 cups of water and the next 9 ingredients (water through bamboo shoots). Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes.

3. Combine cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water in a small bowl. Stir cornstarch mixture into soup. Bring to a boil; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in chicken; cook 3 minutes or until chicken is done. Place 1/3 cup noodles and 1 1/2 cups soup into each of 6 large soup bowls. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon cilantro over each serving.



YIELD: 6 servings

NUTRITIONAL INFO
CALORIES 258 (13 percent from fat); FAT 3.8g (sat 1.3g, mono 1.4g, poly 0.5g); PROTEIN 25.9g; CARB 28.5g; FIBER 1.4g; CHOL 55mg; IRON 1.9mg; SODIUM 1,014mg; CALC 37mg

[Ohioan]

Mmm, yum! :) I finally made the General Tso's Chicken tonight, and it's a definite repeater. The only changes I made were (1) sugar instead of honey, and (2) vegetarian oyster sauce instead of the regular kind.

I did notice, when I was entering the recipe into MasterCook, that I already have a Martin Yan version in my file, waiting to be tried. And it's also a non-deep-fried version, which is what I like. So I might try the Martin Yan recipe next week to see which I like better. But I'm not sure there can be much improvement on the WW one. It was really top-notch.

Boy, am I getting my money's worth from this cookbook! Groveling, abject, drooling thanks to the folks who first mentioned it on this BB! :p :D

Cheers,
Phoebe

[CindyWeightWatcher]

Finally tried this (since I obviously like WW).
Anyway, I thought it was a bit labor intensive
but well worth the effort. It certainly is
better than take out.