Orange Chicken and Ham Fried Rice

This is one of those meals I try to make too much of just so I can have leftovers the next day...It's that good. I got it from a cook book I bought for a cooking class at BYU called "A Family Affair" or something...one of the teachers wrote it, but she's gone, so I don't think they sell it anymore. Anyway, it's really good. And pretty easy - again a meal that you can usually make with things on hand, so no rushing to the store. I love that!

4 chicken breast halves
1 beaten egg
1 Tbsp water
1/4 cup cornstarch (once I used flour and it was just as good)
2 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 cup vinegar
1 Tbsp cornstarch mixed in 2 Tbsp water

Preheat oven to 350*. Cut chicken into bite sized pieces. Dip chicken pieces in egg wash made of beaten egg and water, then coat with cornstarch. Heat butter in frying pan and brown chicken in butter until golden brown. Place in baking dish. Combine remaining ingredients except cornstarch mix in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Add cornstarch slurry as needed to make a thin sauce. Pour over chicken pieces and bake, covered with foil, for 20 minutes, then remove foil and bake another 15 minutes. Serve with ham fried rice or regular rice.Yeild: 4 servings

Ham Fried Rice
It's really easy for me to make this while the chicken bakes. Once the chicken starts baking, the rice starts cooking - they both take 20 minutes. It's perfect.

2 cups hot cooked rice
1 tsp vegetable oil
1 Tbsp finely chopped onion
2 Tbsp finely chopped celery (I once didn't have this and it was still good)
1/2 cup finely chopped carrot
1/2 cup finely chopped ham
2 eggs, slightly beaten
2 tsp soy sauce
salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in a wok or frying pan over medium high heat. Add onion, celery, carrot, and ham. Stir fry until veggies are limp. Add rice and stir until mixture begins to brown. Push rice mixture to the side of the pan and add beaten egg, stirring until almost set, then combining with other ingredients. Stir in soy sauce and season to taste.Yeild: 4 servings