Monday, June 27, 2011

Mongolian Beef

Mongolian Beef
Fav Fam Recipes
This tastes JUST like P.F. Chang's Mongolian Beef! You can serve it how P.F. Changs does (by draining the excess sauce and serving it semi-dry) OR you can keep the excess sauce and spoon it over rice (which is what we like to do because the sauce is SO good).4 tsp. vegetable oil2 tsp. ginger, minced2 Tbsp. garlic, minced1 c. soy sauce1 c. water1 c. brown sugar (packed)2 c. vegetable oil2 Lb. flank steaks½ c. cornstarch3 large green onionsMake the sauce by heating 4 tsp. vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over medium/low heat. Don’t get the oil too hot. Add ginger and garlic to the pan and quickly add the soy sauce and water before the garlic scorches. Dissolve the brown sugar in the sauce, then raise the heat to medium and boil the sauce 2-3 minutes or until sauce thickens a little bit. Remove sauce from heat.Slice the flank steak against the grain into 1/4 inch slices. Tilt the blade of your knife at about a 45 degree angle to the top of the steak so you get wider cuts. Dip the steak pieces into cornstarch to apply a very thin dusting to both sides of each piece of beef. Let the beef sit about 10 min. so the cornstarch sticks. As the beef sits, heat up 1 c. oil in a wok (or skillet). Heat the oil over medium heat until its hot, but not smoking. Add the beef to the oil and saute for just 2 minutes, or until beef just begins to darken on the edges. Stir the meat around a little bit so that it cooks evenly.After a few minutes, use a large slotted spoon to take the meat out and onto paper towels, then pour most of the oil out of the skillet. Put the pan back over the heat, dump the meat back into it and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add the sauce, cook for 1 minute while stirring and add green onions. Cook for 1 more minute. Now at this point you can either remove the beef with a slotted spoon or tongs and discard the sauce (this is what P.F. Chang's does) OR thicken the sauce with a cornstarch-water mixture to desired thickness and serve it over rice with the beef.

Friday, June 24, 2011

A little inspiration . . .

"As long and laborious as the effort may seem, please keep shaping and setting the stones that will make your accomplishment a grand and imposing spectacle. Take every advantage of opportunity to learn and grow. Dream dreams and see visions. Work toward their realization. Wait patiently when you have no choice. Lean on your sword and rest a while, but get up and fight again...you are laying the foundation of a great work--your own inestimable future."
-Jefferey R. Holland

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

BBQ Meatloaf

meatloaf recipe:
Ingredients:
* 1 T BBQ seasoning (1 1/2 C paprika, 3/4 C sugar, 3 3/4 T onion powder)
* 3 T soy sauce
* 1 large egg, lightly beaten
* 1 1/2 cups BBQ Sauce (recipe below), reserving 1/2 cup for the top
* 1 T Worcestershire sauce
* 1 T olive oil
* 1 C chopped red onion
* 1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
* Salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 2 cloves garlic, chopped
* 2 pounds lean ground turkey
* 1 1/2 C bread crumbs
To Make:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large bowl, mix BBQ seasoning, soy sauce, beaten egg, 1 cup of the BBQ sauce and Worcestershire sauce.
In a saute pan over medium-high heat, add olive oil. Add onion, bell pepper, salt and pepper and garlic. Saute until tender. Remove from heat and add to wet mix.
Pour mixture into bowl with the ground turkey. Add bread crumbs and mix all together with your hands.
Transfer the meat mixture to a cookie sheet or baking pan. Using your hands, shape the meat into an oblong or rectangular shape. *Cook's Note: Alternately, you can pat the meat into a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan and pour 1/2 cup of BBQ sauce on the top of the loaf.
Bake for 35 minutes. Remove and add the reserved 1/2 cup of BBQ sauce to the top and continue to bake for 20 more minutes.
The best BBQ Sauce in the world:
Ingredients:
* 2 cups ketchup
* 1 cup water
* 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
* 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
* 2 tablespoons sugar
* 1/2 tablespoon fresh ground black pepper
* 1/2 tablespoon onion powder
* 1/2 tablespoon ground mustard
* 1 tablespoon lemon juice
* 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
To Make:
In a large saucepan, combine all ingredients. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer. Cook uncovered, stirring frequently, for 1 hour 15 minutes.
Yield: 3 1/2 cups
***NOTES: get the leanest turkey you can find. Also, use store bought bread crumbs. I made my own at home and they didn't absorb enough moisture. The meat had a hard time sticking together once cooked, which made for messy serving. It tasted the same, just had a slightly different texture. Be sure to make the BBQ sauce, store bought just isn't the same.

Friday, June 10, 2011

Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread

Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread
source: Ina Garten, Barefoot Contessa at Home
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons baking powder
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 cups milk
3 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted, plus extra to grease the pan
8 ounces aged extra-sharp Cheddar, grated, divided
1/3 cup chopped scallions, white and green parts, plus extra for garnish, 3 scallions I used chives
3 tablespoons seeded and minced fresh jalapeño peppers
Combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the milk, eggs, and butter. With a wooden spoon, stir the wet ingredients into the dry until most of the lumps are dissolved. Don’t overmix! Mix in 2 cups of the grated Cheddar, the scallions and jalapeños, and allow the mixture to sit at room temperature for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 by 13 by 2-inch baking pan.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top, and sprinkle with the remaining grated Cheddar and extra chopped scallions. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool and cut into large squares. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Pork and Tomatillo Stew

The Swallow’s Pork and Tomatillo Stewsource: slightly adapted from Ruth Reichl, Tender at the Bone: Growing Up at the TablePrinter-Friendly Version
1/4 cup canola oil8 large garlic cloves, peeled2 lbs. lean pork, cut into cubes1 bottle dark beer (I used a Sam Adams ale)12 oz. orange juice1 lb. tomatillos, halved28oz canned diced tomatoes, drained2 large onions, chopped2 jalapenos, diced1 bunch cilantro, chopped1 can of black beans, drained and rinsedsalt and pepper
Topping1 cup sour creamjuice of one limeIn a saucepan, add the beer, orange juice, tomatoes and tomatillos. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat, simmering until the tomatillos are soft, about 15 minutes. Set aside.Meanwhile, heat the canola oil in a dutch oven or stockpot. Add the garlic cloves and stir to coat with the oil. Sprinkle the pork with salt and pepper and then add it to the oil, in batches, to brown on all sides. Remove from the dutch oven. Add the onion and jalapeno and saute until tender, 5 or 6 minutes.
Add the tomatillo mixture to the dutch oven, scraping the bottom of the pot to be sure you are getting all the browned bits. Add the pork, cilantro, salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat to low. Cook, partially covered, for about 2 hours.
Taste for seasoning. Add the black beans and cook an additional ten minutes, uncovered.
For the topping, stir the lime juice into the sour cream.
Serve the stew over rice, and top it with the sour cream.

Brown Sugar Buns

Brown Sugar Buns
Ingredients
240 ml (8 fl oz or 1 cup) milk
10 ml (2 tsp) vanilla extract
113 gr (1 stick or 1/2 cup) butter, melted
1/3 cup sugar
450-510 gr (15.75-18 oz or 3 ½ to 4 cups) all-purpose flour
2 eggs (beaten)
10 gr (2 tsp) instant yeast
5 gr (1 tsp) salt
57 gr (1/2 stick or 1/4 cup) butter, melted
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
30 ml (2 tbsp) milk
Method
Pour the milk and the vanilla extract into a saucepan and bring the milk to a scald without letting it boil.
Pour the warm milk into a large bowl and let it cool a bit. Then add the melted butter and the sugar.
Add about almost all the flour and the beaten eggs and mix until smooth. Finally add the salt and the instant yeast.
Sprinkle some flour on a flat surface and pour out the sticky dough.
Knead for about 10 minutes adding flour if the dough results too sticky (I practically used all the 4 cups of flour).
When the dough has become smooth and elastic put it in a greased bowl, cover it with plastic wrap and let is rise for at least 1 hour or until double in bulk.
After dough has risen, pour out onto a flat surface and cut it into 16 pieces. You might want them to be all more or less of the same weight.
Roll out one piece of dough to a rectangle. Brush the top with a little butter and generously sprinkle with brown sugar. Roll out another piece of dough into a rectangle of more or less the same size and place it on top of the first rectangle.
Starting on the longest end roll up the dough tightly. Pinch the ends and seam closed. Place the dough seam side down and set aside.
Now go ahead and do the same with the other 14 pieces of dough. You will end up with 8 rolls of dough.
Cut each roll of dough into about 3 triangles. You will end up with 24 pieces of dough. (wow, after all this numbers…I really hope I did the math right!)
Place into a 11” round tart pan. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise for about 1 hour or till double in bulk.
Brush with the egg wash and bake in a preheated 375F oven for about 30 minutes or till top is golden brown. Allow to cool before removing from pan.
Have a sweet day!

Cake Batter Rice Crispy Treats

CAKE BATTER RICE CRISPY TREATS:
So easy + a total hit!
3 T Butter
1/2 cup yellow cake mix
10 oz mini marshmallows
6 cups rice crispy cereal
white chocolate melts
sprinkles
Melt butter, stir in cake mix, melt in marshmallows, add rice cereal. Pat into 9x13 glass dish. Cool. Melt chocolate + pour on. Sprinkle the sprinkles.

Surpise Cookies

Ingredients
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
12 large marshmallows, cut in half horizontally
Chocolate Frosting for Surprise Cookies
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg, milk, and vanilla, and beat until well combined. Add reserved flour mixture; mix on low speed until combined.
Using a tablespoon or 1 3/4-inch ice cream scoop, drop dough onto ungreased baking sheets, about 2 inches apart. Bake until cookies begin to spread and become firm, 10 to 12 minutes.
Remove baking sheets from oven, and place a marshmallow, cut-side down, in the center of each cookie, pressing down slightly. Return to oven, and continue baking until marshmallows begins to melt, 2 to 2 1/2 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
Spread about 1 tablespoon of frosting over each marshmallow, starting in the center and continuing outward until marshmallow is covered.
Use this frosting with Surprise Cookies.
Yield Makes 1 cup
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Ingredients
2 cups confectioners' sugar
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Directions
Place confectioners' sugar in a medium bowl. Whisk in butter and cocoa powder. Add milk and vanilla, and whisk until well combined.

Oreo stuffed chocolate chip cookies

Oreo Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies
(picky palate)
2 sticks softened butter

3/4 Cup packed light brown sugar

1 Cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 Tablespoon pure vanilla

3 1/2 Cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

10 oz bag chocolate chips

1 bag Oreo Cookies, I used the double stuff

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a stand or electric mixer cream butter and sugars until well combined. Add in eggs and vanilla until well combined.

2. In a separate bowl mix the flour, salt and baking soda. Slowly add to wet ingredients along with chocolate chips until just combined. Using a cookie scoop take one scoop of cookie dough and place on top of an Oreo Cookie. Take another scoop of dough and place on bottom of Oreo Cookie. Seal edges together by pressing and cupping in hand until Oreo Cookie is enclosed with dough. Place onto a parchment or silpat lined baking sheet and bake cookies 9-13 minutes or until cookies are baked to your liking. Let cool for 5 minutes before transferring to cooling rack. Serve with a tall glass of milk, enjoy!

Makes about 2 dozen VERY LARGE Cookies

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Oatmeal Coconut Chewies

Oatmeal Coconut Chewies
www.thesisterscafe.com
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar2 eggs1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened to cool room temperature2 teaspoons vanilla1 teaspoon baking soda1 teaspoon baking powder1/2 teaspoon salt2 1/2 cups flour (I have added an extra 1/2 cup of flour, and it makes them slightly puffier – well, less flat anyway – at my altitude)1 cup shredded, sweetened coconut1 cup quick oats
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl cream together the sugar, eggs, butter and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add the dry ingredients and mix until combined. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto a greased or lined (silpat or parchment) baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 9-11 minutes, until the cookies are set but not overly browned (bake a few minutes longer for a crispier version).