Recipe: Mongolian Beef

As much as I like to think that I am a chain-restaurant snob, there's a reason that they sprawl across the nation and entice us with greasy burgers, perfectly crunchy fries, and spicy sauteed chicken bites.  It's decent.  And consistent.  And readily available.

Well, now that I live 2 hours from our favorite chain restaurants (OK, we DID drive only an hour for Chipotle..... but that was 3 months ago & we won't be doing that again), I have to rely on my own ingenuity (aka Pinterest) to satisfy my mediocre foodie cravings.  Mongolian Beef from that ubiquitous-Asian-restaurant-that-rhymes-with-BF-Wang's is a family favorite, and lo and behold, I found a recipe.  Here ya go:

Mongolian Beef Recipe:

found on Pink Bites

makes 2 servings

You will need:

1 lb of flank steak, thinly sliced crosswise

1/4 cup of cornstarch

3 teaspoons of canola oil

1/2 teaspoon of grated ginger (about 1/2 inch piece)

1 tablespoon of chopped garlic (about 2 -3 large cloves)

1/2 cup of water

1/2 cup of soy sauce (I use low sodium)

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes

3 large green onions, sliced crosswise into thirds

Prepare the meat:

First, make sure the steak slices are dry (pat them dry) and mix them with the corn starch. Using your hands or a spoon, move them around to make sure all pieces are coated. Place beef slices in a strainer and shake off excess corn starch (see picture bellow).

Make the sauce:

Heat half of the oil in a large wok at medium-high and add the garlic and ginger. Immediately add the soy sauce, water, brown sugar and pepper flakes. Cook the sauce for about 2 minutes and transfer to a bowl. Don't worry if the sauce doesn't look thick enough at this point. The corn starch in the beef will thicken it up later. 

Cook the meat and assemble dish:

Turn the heat up and add the remaining oil to the wok. Add the beef and cook, stirring until it is all browned (this is a quick thing). Pour the sauce back into the wok and let it cook along with the meat. Now you can choose to cook it down and reduce the sauce or leave it thinner. Add the green onions on the last minute so the green parts will stay green and the white parts crunchy.

Serve it hot with rice.

My review:  I personally used skirt steak because it's what I could find (reminder: SMALL TOWN).  Usually those two cuts are pretty interchangeable, but it was chewy.  Next time I would use something else.... perhaps chuck steak.  Otherwise it was VERY good.  Not an exact replica, but very tasty, and one I will use again soon.  As with a lot of Asian cooking, the fresh ginger makes all the difference.  Don't skimp.  And the red pepper gave it a little spice but not too much.  Sorry, no pictures!  We gobbled it up!

Ultimate Cinnamon Buns

One Sunday I turned on PBS, and was immediately enraptured by Cook's Country. It wasn't so much the program - it was what they were making: Ultimate Cinnamon Buns. Big Daddy and I settled into the sofa, and watched, mouths ajar, as they whipped together the biggest, fluffiest, most delightful looking breakfast treat. I immediately printed out the recipe, and have been plotting a good time to test it out.

There are a lot of bad cinnamon rolls out there. From the mundane (Pillsbury) to the mediocre (Cinnabon), cinnamon buns are an indulgence that I have previously been intimidated by. About 2 years ago, I found a delightful recipe in Bon Appetit, and happily used that for a while. This recipe makes a good, solid cinnamon roll. Good cinnamon rolls take time, and because I am both lazy and hungry in the morning, I prefer to make them the night before, then pop in the oven once I awake the next day.

But last night, with a free weekday looming and a full moon luminescent in the night sky (that moon makes a girl do crazy things), I decided it was the perfect time to take those Buns for a test drive. They were everything I have ever hoped for in a cinnamon bun: the dough was smooth, malleable, and elastic. The buns themselves were pillowy, flaky, and with exactly the right amount of cinnamon + sweet. Paired with an icy glass of milk, these made a delightful - and filling - start to our morning.

Cholesterol beware: these babies have 12 tbs. of butter in the dough. I plan to make them no more than twice a year (Christmas morning, Big Daddy's birthday), and my love handles are already thanking me.

Ultimate Cinnamon Buns

From the episode: Rise and Shine, Cook's Country TV

Dough

3/4 cup whole milk, heated to 110 degrees

1 envelope (2 1/4 tsp.) instant or rapid-rise yeast

3 large eggs, room temperature

4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup cornstarch

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 1/2 tsp. salt

12 Tbs. unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces and softened

Filling

1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar

1 1/2 Tbs. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. salt

4 Tbs. unsalted butter, softened

Glaze

4 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 Tbs. whole milk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar

Instructions

1. For the dough: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 200 degrees. When the oven reaches 200 degrees, shut off. Line 13-by-9-inch baking pan with foil, allowing excess foil to hang over pan edges. Grease foil and medium bowl.

2. Whisk milk and yeast in measuring cup until yeast dissolves, then whisk in eggs. In bowl of stand mixer fitted with dough hook, mix flour, cornstarch, sugar, and salt until combined. With mixer on low, add warm milk mixture in steady stream and mix until dough comes together, about 1 minute. Increase speed to medium, and add butter, one piece at a time, until incorporated. Continue to mix until dough is smooth and comes away from the sides of the bowl, about 10 minutes. Turn dough out onto clean surface and knead to form a smooth, round ball. Transfer dough to prepared bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and place in warm oven. Let rise until doubled in size, about 2 hours.

3. For the filling: Combine brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in small bowl. Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface. Roll dough into 18-inch square, spread with butter, and sprinkle evenly with filling. Starting with the edge nearest you, roll dough into tight cylinder, pinch lightly to seal seam, and cut into 8 pieces. Transfer pieces, cut-side up, to prepared pan. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in warm spot until doubled in size.

4. For the glaze, and to bake: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk cream cheese, milk, vanilla, and confectioner's sugar on medium bowl until smooth. Discard plastic wrap and bake buns until deep golden brown and filling is melted, 35 to 40 minutes. Transfer to wire rack and top buns with 1/2 cup glaze. Cool 30 minutes. Using foil overhang, lift buns from pan and top with remaining glaze. Serve.

Make ahead: After transferring pieces to prepared pan in step 3, buns can be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated for 24 hours. When ready to bake, let sit at room temperature for 1 hour. Remove plastic wrap and continue with step 4 as directed.

Enjoy!

Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go jog around the block 1,216 times to burn off this scrumptious treat.

Dressing Delight

I generally consider myself to be a smart cookie. And yet, sometimes I am so dim that I am amazed I can remember how to tie my own shoes.

I love salad but generally I'm far too lazy to make it myself. All that rinsing and chopping? Oy. And yet.....In my never-ending efforts towards better living through healthy food, I have been working to combat my natural sloth-like tendencies and break my distaste for salad preparation.
Tonight I made pork chops with spinach salad on the side. The recipe called for marinating the chops in a balsamic vinaigrette -which can, of course, also be used as a delightful salad dressing.

WHY did no one tell me it was so easy to make this creamy, dreamy dressing at home??

Balsamic-Rosemary Vinaigrette

1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 small garlic clove
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves (or 1/4 teaspoon dried)
2 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt,
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

In a blender, combine vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic clove, rosemary, water, salt, and pepper. Blend until smooth. With machine running, add 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil in a thin stream; blend until creamy. (To store, refrigerate, up to 2 weeks.)

I served this on my spinach salad, tossed it all with a little tomato and topped with herbed goat cheese.

Recipe courtesy of Everyday Food

PS - The Des Moines Farmer's Market opens this Saturday. Who's excited?!?!

Whaddya Think?

I'm in a cantankerous mood right now, and made the mistake of searching for new blog backgrounds to lively things up. The one I wanted came with 10 additional steps of kooky fixes you had to put in place. So I settled on this. It's a bit more formal than I currently view myself, but I do enjoy the black and white.

Also, in an effort to lift my own spirits, I'm going to share a little love with y'all.

Chocolate Cream Frosting

(It's smooth, it's thick, and it's so good cold.

Recipe courtesy of Jan Cannon-Engle)

2 Tbs. Butter
2 squares unsweetened chocolate
1 cup sifted powdered sugar
1 egg
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tsp. vanilla

Melt chocolate and butter in the top of a large double boiler over hot, not boiling water; beat in sugar and egg until smooth.

Place top of double boiler over ice in a large bowl. Beat gradually, adding cream. Beat 3 to 4 minutes, or until fluffy thick. Stir in vanilla. Keep frosting over ice as you work. Chill cake before frosting. Keep in refrigerator.

** I never have ice in the house, so I put my Kitchenaid bowl in the freezer, transferred the chocolate mix to the frozen bowl, and then used the mixer to beat the cream in.

Here's another fave. If you're in the mood for brownies, this is a good 'un. I usually have all the ingredients in the house, so these get made on a whim. I think they're better than the box, and the fact that the pan is gone within 24 hours means that I am not the only one who thinks that.

Easy Brownies

(courtesy of epicurious)

1 cup hot chocolate drink mix

1 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 eggs, beaten to blend
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously butter 8-inch square baking pan.

Combine first 4 ingredients in medium bowl and stir until well blended. Mix in eggs, butter and vanilla. Mix in chocolate chips. Spread batter in prepared pan.

Bake brownies until tester inserted into center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, about 30 minutes. Cool brownies in pan before serving.

FYI - I am not a believer of nuts in brownies. I like a nice chocolate chip cookie with pecans or walnuts, but my brownies need to be nut-free. I also never, ever frost my brownies. It just seems wrong.