Three Cup Chicken

Taiwanese Three Cup Chicken (San Bei Ji) 

About 2 pounds chicken wings, separated at wing and tip joints
1 ginger root, sliced
1/3 cup sesame oil
1/2 cup cooking wine
1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce (or use 1/4 cup soy sauce and 1/4 cup water)
3 to 4 chunks of rock sugar (or use 3 to 4 tablespoons of brown sugar)
About 1 1/2 cup basil leaves, rinsed

Directions:

1. Heat sesame oil in a large cooking pan. Once hot, saute sliced ginger until aromatic. Add in chicken pieces and cook until slightly browned on all sides. 
2. Add cooking wine, soy sauce, and rock sugar to pan, then cook on medium heat with pan covered for about 20 to 30 minutes. Gently turn chicken pieces over every 10 minutes. Taste sauce at this point, and add more soy sauce, sugar, or water based on taste. 
3. Add basil leaves to chicken, and cook for another 5 minutes. Remove from heat and serve. 

Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

These cookies are absolutely delish! Soft, melt-in-your-mouth cookie base with an added punch with the addition of a peanut butter cup in the middle. I couldn't resist... this morning I had to have one for breakfast!


Peanut Butter Cup Cookies
1 3/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons milk
40 mini peanut butter cups

Directions:

1. To unwrap peanut butter cups in the least messy way possible: freeze the peanut butter cups prior to unwrapping. Then, keep the unwrapped peanut butter cups in the freezer or fridge until just about to use them. 
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. 
3. Combine butter, white sugar, peanut butter, and brown sugar in a large bowl. Beat in egg, vanilla extract, and milk. Then add in flour, salt, and baking soda, and mix well. (Optional: Refrigerating the dough makes the dough easier to shape during the next step.) 
4. Shape into 1-inch balls and place on ungreased baking sheets or mini muffin tins. 
5. Bake for about 8-10 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately press a mini peanut butter cup into the center of each cookie. Cool and serve.