A delicious chicken and apple stir-fry infused with the traditional flavors of both Asian cookery and autumn.

Chicken and Apple Stir-Fry

6 dried mushrooms (such as shiitake or wood ear mushrooms)

12 ounces skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

3/4 cup cold water

3 tablespoons frozen orange, apple, or pineapple juice concentrate, thawed

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper

1/4 cup sliced or slivered almonds

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 medium green, red, orange, and/or yellow bell peppers, cut into thin strips

2 medium apples, thinly sliced

Hot cooked long grain or brown rice

1. In a small bowl cover, cover mushrooms with warm water. Let soak for 30 minutes. Rinse and squeeze the mushrooms to drain thoroughly. Discard stems. Thinly slice mushrooms. Set aside.
2. Meanwhile, rinse chicken; pat dry with paper towels. Cut into 1-inch pieces. Set aside.
3. For sauce, in a small bowl stir together the cold water, juice concentrate, soy sauce, cornstarch, ginger, cinnamon, and red pepper. Set aside.
4. Preheat a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add almonds; stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes or until golden. Remove almonds from wok. Let wok cool slightly.
5. Add cooking oil to wok. Preheat over medium-high heat (add more oil if necessary during cooking). Stir-fry mushrooms, sweet peppers, and apples in hot oil for 1 to 2 minutes or until peppers and apples are crisp-tender. Remove apple mixture from wok.
6. Add chicken to wok. Stir-fry for 3 to 4 minutes or until tender and no longer pink. Push chicken from center of wok. Stir sauce; add to center of wok. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Return apple mixture to wok. Stir all ingredients together to coat. Cook and stir for 1 to 2 minutes more or until heated through.
7. Stir in toasted almonds. Serve immediately with hot cooked rice.

Makes 4 servings.