[kung-pao chicken] don’t let the lack of whole chilis in this dish fool you - it is HOT, spicy hot - but that’s how i like it...you? maybe you’ll need to turn down the dial on the amount of spicy heat you add to the dish, but this is super simple and definitely delicious... 

1. -in the saute pan, heat olive oil and add diced onion and chopped celery (i like the celery leaves in the dish, but you can omit them if you prefer)
   

2. -spice option #1: at this point, i typically add my seasoning trio, cayenne pepper and red pepper flakes
   

3. -once the onions & celery are slightly translucent, clear an opening in the center and add peanuts (you may want to add a little more olive oil) - leave the peanuts to brown (stirring will reduce the amount of toasted crunchiness, so resist the urge to stir - or just stir the veggies and leave the peanuts alone!)
   

4. -add chicken (shredded or cut into very small pieces) - i usually do one chicken breast for every 2 persons
   

5. -spice option #2: at this point, i typically add Chili Garlic Sauce and/or HOT Chili Sauce (pictured)
   

6. -add enough sauce to coat all the ingredients in the pan (my favorite is Yoshida’s Original Gourmet, but your favorite teriyaki or hoisin sauce can be substituted)
   

so simple, so memorable, so changeable!

because it matters,

jayne