Basic Mongolian Beef

Jon has asked for months that I begin putting a few of our family meals onto the blog, but here's the thing, they require an organized approach--especially when making Asian or Chinese dishes. 

This is indeed a great recipe for one of Jon's favorite meals which I found in Cooking Light years ago--and which quickly became a family favorite. 

Suggestions: 

1. Read the recipe first. 

2. Make triple batch of sauce.

3. Have all components prepped and ready before firing up the skillet. 

4. If you don't like spicy, reduce hot sauce.

Note:

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 10 minutes

Cooking rice: White 15-20 min / Brown 45 min

Equipment:

Large Non-stick skillet

Wooden spoons or tongs

Ingredients:

1 lbs sirloin steak, thinly sliced

10 - 12 oz of button, portobello or shiitake mushrooms, sliced

8 - 10 green onions, coarsely sliced

2 Tbls garlic, chopped or minced

2 Tbls ginger, minced or grated

2 Tbls peanut or vegetable oil

Sauce:

2 Tbls low-sodium soy sauce

3 Tbls Hoisin sauce

1 tsp Salem Oelek garlic chile sauce

1 tsp corn starch

2 tsp rice wine vinegar

Instructions:

1. Wash your hands frequently.

2. Slice steak against the grain into long, thin strips. Set aside.

3. Slice your green onions, mince garlic and grate ginger. Set aside.

4. Clean and slice mushrooms. Set aside. 

5. Make the sauce by whisking all sauce ingredients together.

6. Have everything ready to begin!  Heat the skillet with oil over MEDIUM-HIGH heat.

7. Add garlic, ginger x 2-3 minutes.

8. Add mushrooms and sear x 2-3 min.

9. Add meat and sear x 4-5 minutes.

10. Add green onions.

11. Add sauce and then reduce heat to SIMMER until rice is ready to serve!

12. Have your rice ready and begin serving.

If it's not perfect first time around, try it again, because this is a recipe worth making.

Pop In Your Mouth

So, this weekend was the weekend of trying new recipes and planning for our annual Oscar Night party--all the while keeping my eyes open for recipes easily made by the budget-conscious college student.  I have to say Huffington Post kept me supplied with some great blogs like the one I posted two days ago (The Feta Dip), and the one I'm posting today: Pop In Your Mouth Puff Pastry Bites!

(Adapted from abigmouthful.com blog)

Equipment:

Mid-size Muffin Tins

PAM Spray

Mixing Bowl

Ingredients:

2 sheets of puff pastry, thawed

2 Tbls olive oil

2 medium onions, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced (I used fresh instead of garlic powder)

1/2 lb fresh spinach

7 eggs

1/4 cup heavy cream

5 oz feta, crumbled

Pinch of nutmeg

Salt & pepper

Instructions:

1. Wash Your Hands.

2. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees and spray muffin tin(s).

3. Use a pizza cutter or knife to cut the thawed puff pastry into even squares, approx 9 per sheet.

4. Roughly stretch and press each square into the muffin tins.

5. Prep your onion and garlic.

6. Heat the olive oil in a large non-stick skillet and saute onions until translucent.

7. Add garlic and spinach.  Sprinkle with salt & pepper. Cover with a lid.

8. The spinach will cook down. Stir occasionally.  Set aside and cool.

9. Whisk eggs together into a custard, then add feta, nutmeg, and salt & pepper.

10. Add the cooled spinach mixture to the custard.

10. Spoon custard into the muffin tins approx 3/4 full.

11. Bake for 30 - 35 minutes until puff pastry golden brown.

Stuffed Potatoes

If you have a microwave, you can certainly make a regular "baked potato" on any given day, but if you add just a few extra minutes to your prep time, you can have yourself a tasty meal with enough leftover for the next day.

Found this recipe from Cooking Light's 'Dinner Tonight Cookbook'. Easily made in 20-30 minutes, including the 8 minutes baking time.

Equipment:
Large Baking Sheet
Microwave
Medium Mixing Bowl
Small saucepan or skillet

Ingredients:
3-4 Baking Potatoes
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup milk or half-and-half
2-3 Tbls butter
1/2 cup gruyere cheese, grated (I use cheddar, gouda, whatever is in the fridge)
1/2 cup cooked ham, chopped
1-2 green onions, finely sliced (optional if you don't like onions)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper

Instructions:
1. Wash your hands.  Preheat oven to 450-500F degrees.
2. Scrub the potatoes and "stab it" 5-6 times

3. Place in the microwave and cover with a damp paper towel. Microwave on "HI" for 6 minutes.
4. Turn potatoes over at 6 minutes and microwave for another 6 minutes.  Total time:  12 minutes.
5. Prep garlic, cheese, ham, and green onions.

6. In a small saucepan, melt the butter over MEDIUM heat and sauté garlic x 30 seconds.

7. Add milk and simmer.

8. When potatoes are tender, allow to cool x 3-5 minutes.
9. Cut potatoes in half and score the pulp with a 1/4" border to easily remove the pulp with a spoon.

10. Combine the pulp and milk mixture in a mixing bowl.

11. Add cheese, onions and ham.  Season with salt & pepper.

12. Equally divide the pulp mixture into the potato halves and sprinkle with cheese.

13. Place on a large baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes until golden on top.

14. Top it off with sour cream and enjoy.