Soy Sauce

Are you a typical consumer? Betty Crocker recently held a Food Issues Forum that revealed the following:*Three-fourths of all consumers in a recent survey considered themselves experienced cooks, with only 4 percent calling themselves gourmet cooks.*One out of two American consumers would continue buying preferred brand names during a recession; about one out of four would switch to a less expensive product.*The top 10 items in pantries are ketchup, mustard, vegetable oil, cinnamon, margarine, spaghetti, seasoned salt, chili powder, potatoes and soy sauce.

Even a stir-fry recipe can benefit from a simple low-fat makeover. By spraying the cold wok with non-stick coating rather than starting with oil, you'll save an average of 200 calories of fat per recipe.You can see the results below -- the low calorie count and fat content includes the zesty marinated chicken, the broccoli, brown rice and the tangy orange sauce.You'll have a head start on the sauce because you use some of the gingery tamari marinade to flavor it. Tamari is a soybean-based sauce that is slightly thicker and sweeter than soy sauce.

Something about skewers just says casual. Combine casual with chicken - especially boneless, skinless chicken breasts - and dinner is guaranteed to be quick and easy. This skewered chicken gives a nod to more traditional grilled Indonesian chicken satay. But because we want dinner on the table fast, we've got no time to marinate before we cook. Instead, rub the chicken with a simple spice rub to add one layer of flavor, then season its dipping sauce more highly than usual. If you've got time, you can certainly grill these.

Yellowtail is one of the more simple and straightforward sushi rolls. We ordered from four area Japanese restaurants. Each order came with wasabi, ginger and soy sauce. BEST BITE Narita Japanese Restaurant 1101 St. Paul St., Baltimore -- 410-625-2577 Hours --11 a.m.-10:30 p.m. daily Restaurant's estimate --5-10 minutes Ready in --10 minutes The six pieces in this order, $5.20, were nothing worth noting. They tasted stale, as though the fish had been left sitting out for too long.

Beef and onions are natural partners. The onion, at once hearty and sweet, is a sturdy accompaniment to the full-throttle flavor of red meat. Just think how a tangle of fried onions sparks a Philly cheese steak, or how short ribs seem to taste better braised with caramelized rings. This quick stir-fry celebrates the pairing. The recipe gets its name from the four members of the onion family used: a regular yellow onion, green onions, chives and garlic. The flavors are enhanced by using Japanese-style soy sauce (such as Kikkoman)

If you go The Maryland State BBQ Bash in downtown Bel Air on Friday and Saturday has maxed out at 40 teams, including many of the same ones at the Kent Island contest. First prize is $2,500 and an invitation to the American Royal Barbecue contest in Kansas City, Mo., in October, known by competitors as the World Series of BBQ. Free and open to the public. Information: mdbbq.com. Dave's Barbecue Sauce Makes about 5 cups 1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed 2 tablespoons chili powder 1 tablespoon black pepper 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper 2 teaspoons rubbed sage 1 teaspoon ground allspice 1 teaspoon granulated garlic 1 teaspoon salt (optional)

I enjoyed this dish as an entree over roasted red bliss potatoes and have tried it over angel hair pasta and couscous. You can also serve it atop eggplant steaks or poultry and seafood. If you want to turn it into a great appetizer, top with melted mozzarella cheese.Garlicked spinach and mushroomsMakes 4 servings2 teaspoons olive oil1 teaspoon butter3 cloves garlic, minced2 cups button mushrooms, quartered1 cup shiitake mushrooms, quartered1 large portobello mushroom, diced1/2 cup dry red or white wine2 cups spinach leaves, torn into bite-size pieces1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce1/3 cup grated Parmesan1/2 teaspoon fresh black pepperHeat oil and butter in a large nonreactive skillet over medium-high heat.

Here's a speedy chicken recipe for those nights you want a little something different for dinner. The recipe is from Cookin' Good.Oriental Chicken Salad1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breastsWater1/4 cup light soy sauce1 tablespoon white vinegar1 tablespoon sesame oil3/4 teaspoon powdered ginger1 clove garlic, crushed1 red pepper, cut into 2x 1/4 -inch strips2 carrots, cut in 1/4 -inch diagonal slices and parboiled 3 to 5 minutes1/4 pound snow peas, trimmed...

Now, don't think of this recipe as anything so exotic that it couldn't possible qualify for a weeknight supper -- even if it is so speedy that dinner prep and cooking takes less than 30 minutes. The chicken carries a hint of the Asian in the soy sauce and sesame seeds -- otherwise, it is Americanized enough to suit the kids.Ramen noodles are recommended as the starch, but use them as a quick-cooking pasta rather than a soup. Three minutes in boiling water is all it takes. The flavor packet doesn't contain anything of nutritional value, so if you want to flavor the noodles, sprinkle with a bit of the spice blend.

You may be in the mood for a Chinese restaurant classic: shrimp fried rice. This recipe is a lot lighter and brighter than many takeout versions. MENU: Shrimp fried rice Braised bok choy Mandarin-orange salad Lemon cookies Hot spiced tea TIME-SAVING TIPS: * Buying chopped vegetables from a supermarket salad bar will cut down on preparation time. * Buy already-shelled shrimp or even cooked shrimp. Kristin Eddy writes for the Chicago Tribune. Shrimp Fried Rice Preparation time: 30 minutes Cooking time: 6 minutes Yield: 4 servings 1/3 cup each: soy sauce, chicken broth 2 tablespoons rice-wine vinegar or sherry 1 / 8 teaspoon ground white or black pepper 1 pound raw shrimp, peeled, deveined 2 tablespoons sesame oil 2 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil 1 1/2 cups fresh snow peas 1/2 cup each: fresh or frozen corn kernels, shredded carrot 2 bunches green onions, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 eggs, beaten 2 cups jasmine or long-grain white rice, cooked Combine soy sauce, broth, vinegar and pepper in a small bowl; set aside.