Disasters in the Kitchen: Sometimes Recipes Are Just Bad

When you try out a lot of new recipes like I do, you often run into some that are just bad. Like the one I made last night.

On my list of meals for February I listed sesame chicken with chow mien. I have had both these recipes for a very long time, and I have not made them for at least five years. When I was going through my recipes I found them and thought, "Well, these weren't great the first time I made them, but now I am a better cook, and I am sure it will turn out". Nope. It is just a case of bad recipes.

First off, the sesame chicken was a pain to flour, dip, and coat in sesame. It took me way longer then I wanted it too. After it cooked the chicken was dry (cooked too long), had little flavor, and the sesame seeds were chewy and overwhelming. No body liked it, even the baby.

The chow mien was not too bad to make, and I thought it would turn out awesome. However, it had way to much soy sauce in it, so it just tasted like salty soy sauce noodles.

I was so disappointed because it all sounded so good. So, here is my plea. Can someone give me a tried and true recipe for chow mien and possibly sesame chicken? Don't just give some random recipe you found online (that is what got me in trouble the first time), I want one that you have made, and that you know is good.

Until then, I will just have to make a run to Hibachi House or Panda Express to fulfill my chow mien needs.