Oriental Vs Standard

Without stealing threads Have experimented with different styles. Oriental Stir Frys seem to go over where I'M working. Cheap and the kids love it. Any thoughts. Last week and a half people here rave. Cheap. I grew up in the orient and close to what people want as far as fried and sauces are concerned. My General Tsao's chicken was over the top easy hardly any prep, had people under 9 years of age requisting this. Philly steaks, hamburgers, spagetti they are are lost in the wind. Showed them a good baked Ziti, they never heard of this. LOL Make one of these a week at home. Dip and heat,
goes along way.
Have scored some extra meaty loin back ribs from farmland we are going to do this weekend. Still trying to streach the menu.
Asian style ribs and a cool peanutbutter noodle sauce.
Need ideas.

First you want to designate an Asian (Italian is somewhat easier) section in the pantry & cold storage. Since you are preparing under the limitations of a large percentage of donations  you designate and build an inventory.
 
Potential commonly donated canned items...
 
broths and bullion cubes
mushrooms
pineapples & pineapple juice
mandarin oranges apricots peaches even fruit cocktail for sweet & sour
applesauce
assorted canned vegetables 
rice
noodles
pasta 
cooking oil
assorted frozen vegetables
 
vinegar
honey
soy sauce
brown sugar
hot sauce (you can make a little hotter sauce on the side)
 
put aside some tea
cornstarch
flour
various individual spices as well as some to put together Asian blends winging a five spice with common found items such as pepper cinnamon cloves and take it from there if you can find fennel and see where you can go from there if you can find some anise.
 
Careful with the peanut butter because  turnover of clients and children potential  allergy   issues.
 
It is a great idea and when you look at existing stock and new stock you can think certain items will fit and put some aside...which makes putting dishes together much easier.
It is easiest this way because all you have to worry about is donation of meat and some fresh vegetable and you're off in whatever direction you want to go.
 
I will think of more. Glad it is going so well!! 

Thx CC Having the time of my life right now.
Never thought of fruit cocktail for swt and sour.
They got enough of that. Spagetti noodles and rice is major there. Jiffy mix is big in the pantry. Soups surprised me,very little- guess with the price of them now, people don't donate.
Peanut butter is good now. no allergy's.
Need simple quick prep, most oriental I know of is prep and prep some more. LoMien  with frozen veggie mix. Sauce is simple.
I will get it. Everybody wants fried something and that is not me.
I like fried but not everyday.

The  fruit cocktail is a sleeper that can make a fine sauce when drained and blended. You can also make a beautiful ambrosia salad with it. I love Ambrosia.
 
Rice and noodles are usually in ample supply but leave the fruit around and it is gone by lunch. I say applesauce because apple juce is gonna be hard to tuck away with kids. Maybe the frozen concentrate as well as orange juice will be able to stay put in the freezer.
 
Sweetened condensed milk and evaporated milk will be your friend for dry mixes desserts and mac & cheese etc. since fresh milk usually flies.
 
Glad you are having fun!!
 
 

If you ever get a donation of heavy whipping cream and you have so much you do not know what to do with it...
 
                                      Butter & Buttermilk
 

1-2 cups heavy whipping cream, or double cream (1/3 liter)
(preferably without carrageenan or other stabilizers)

Fit food processor with plastic blade, whisk, or normal chopping blade. Fill food processor about 1/4 - 1/2 full. Blend. The cream will go through the following stages: Sloshy, frothy, soft whipped cream, firm whipped cream, coarse whipped cream. Then, suddenly, the cream will seize, its smooth shape will collapse, and the whirring will change to sloshing. The butter is now fine grained bits of butter in buttermilk, and a few seconds later, a glob of yellowish butter will separate from milky buttermilk. Drain the buttermilk.

 

You can eat the butter now -- it has a light taste -- though it will store better if you wash and work it. Add 1/2 cup (100 mL) of ice-cold water, and blend further. Discard wash water and repeat until the wash water is clear. Now, work butter to remove suspended water. Either place damp butter into a cool bowl and knead with a potato masher or two forks; or put in large covered jar, and shake or tumble. Continue working, pouring out the water occasionally, until most of the water is removed. The butter is now ready. Put butter in a butter crock, ramekins, or roll in waxy freezer paper.

 

Yield: About half as much butter as the amount of cream you started with.

Thanks will go in my file I am sure we will have to use this at some point.
I myself buy Amish butter, the best.

Then you can also make sour cream
 
Homemade Sour Cream
 
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup  buttermilk (or even white vinegar will work)
 
Instructions
In a screw-top jar or mason jar with lid, combine the heavy cream and sour cream (or buttermilk). Shake the ingredients up a bit to thoroughly mix and let stand, covered, at room temperature for about 24 hours or until it becomes very thick. You can store your sour cream in the refrigerator in the original jar you mixed it in (or use some other resealable container) for up to one week. Make sure that your sour cream is well chilled before using.
If you want to make a lighter sour cream, substitute whole milk for 1/2 cup of the heavy cream. 
 
And buttercream frosting with the butter.
 
3 cups confectioners' sugar
1 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 to 2 tablespoons whipping cream
 
In a standing mixer fitted with a whisk, mix together sugar and butter. Mix on low speed until well blended and then increase speed to medium and beat for another 3 minutes.
Add vanilla and cream and continue to beat on medium speed for 1 minute more, adding more cream if needed for spreading consistency.
 
 
Usually have granulated sugar. To make Confectioners' sugar...
 
Confectioners' Sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Blend sugar on highest speed of blender for two minutes. Add cornstarch to keep from packing. Store in an airtight container.