Onion Beef and Pepper Stir Fry

The girl child got her ears pierced yesterday.
Yup.

I didn't like the idea of piercing them when she was too small to have a say.
She got older and never wanted anything to do with it. OK. Her choice.

Last year she surprised me by mentioning it, so I waited, just in case she changed her mind.
She didn't.
(granted, she's a full consenting adult at this point)

Hubby and I made her an appt with a licensed piercer...which then promptly got cancelled due to a New England storm.
(between me and you, it was "the storm that wasn't"...more rain than snow!)
Anyhoo...one reschedule later and down the road we go.

She was nervous, I couldn't get her to eat all day.
The time came...and she was a rockstar.
Hubby on the other hand...he was a mess.
He had to leave for awhile, then came back and was making a big deal stating he heard her call out "ouch" and was convinced she would come out with only one ear done.
He was taking up all of my "sneak a peek through the window" time!

She came strutting down the hall with her new blingy studs, a huge smile on her face.

Love it!

Now, she was ravenous and decided she HAD to have Chinese!







Ingredients:

1 Lb Sirloin steak

3 Tbsp Cornstarch

1 (14 ½ oz) Can Beef broth (with onion if you can find it)

1 Tbsp Soy sauce

¼ Tsp Garlic powder

2 Cups Frozen bell pepper strips

4 Cups white rice (cooked)

Directions:

1. Slice beef into very thin strips

2. Stir fry beef until browned

3. Add peppers

4. Mix cornstarch, soy, and broth

5. Add cornstarch mixture to beef/peppers

6. Stir until mixture thickens

7. Serve over rice

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Adapted from:
A random cut out recipe I have, but google led me to All Recipes

Wonton Soup

Sadly, I announce the loss of my Patriots.
Philadelphia just played the better game.

:::sigh::: maybe next time.

Congrats Eagles fans!



Ingredients:

Wontons

½ Cup finely chopped napa or savoy cabbage

Coarse Salt

6 oz Ground pork

3 Green onions (finely chopped)

1 Tbsp Ginger (chopped)

1 Tsp Soy sauce

1 Tsp Sesame oil

24 Wonton wrappers

Soup

29 oz Chicken broth

Coarse Sat

3 Green onions (thinly sliced)

2-3 Tsp Rice vinegar

½ Tsp Sesame oil

Directions:

Prepare filling

1. Toss cabbage with ½ tsp salt. Let sit 10 minutes

2. Wrap cabbage in paper towels and squeeze out excess liquid

3. Mix cabbage, pork, green onions, ginger, soy sauce, and sesame oil

Wontons

1. Keep wontons covered with damp towel

2. Spoon rounded teaspoon into middle of each wonton wrapper

3. Fold wrapper in half over filling, press edges down firmly

4. Moisten one tip, bring together both tips on long side, press together to seal

Soup

1. Combine broth, 4 cups of water, and 1 tsp salt; bring to a boil

2. Add wontons one at a time, return to a boil

3. Reduce heat and simmer until wontons are cooked through, about 6 minutes

4. Stir in green onions, vinegar, sesame oil. Season with salt.

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Filling Ingredients

Step by step on the back of the wonton package

Cutie patootie

Soup ingredients

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Adapted From: Recipe Girl

Kung Pao Chicken

I will preface this post with the following notice...
I did not eat this meal!

Hubby ate it
The girl ate it
They both had another serving the next day for lunch.

I ate all of one stinking bite.
Then this happened....

I only used one chili. I de-seeded and de-veined it. I cut them large so I could see it and pull it out of my dish.
Oh. My. Word.
Granted, I know I am a wuss. My whole day can be ruined if I bite into a peppercorn. BUT!!!!

Hubby and the girl child spent the rest of the meal making fun of me.
I ate white rice with butter and salt.

From what I am told, this dish is delicious.
I will take their word for it. :::sigh:::

Ingredients:

10 oz boneless chicken breasts (cut into bite sized pieces)

2 Tsp Soy sauce

½ Tsp Cornstarch

2-3 Dried red chilies

2 Tsp cooking oil

2 Cloves garlic (minced)

1 Red bell pepper (cut into 1-inch dice)

3 Tbsp Chicken stock

1 Tbsp Chinese black vinegar (can substitute balsamic vinegar)

⅓ Cup Unsalted roasted peanuts

Directions:

1. In a bowl, combine chicken with 1 tsp soy sauce and the cornstarch, marinate for 10 minutes

2. Soak the dried chilies in hot water for a few minutes. When soft, chop.

3. Heat large saute pan, when hot, add oil.

4. Add chicken to pan and sear on both sides

5. Add chilies, garlic, and bell pepper. Cook until fragrant.

6. Add remaining 1 tsp soy sauce, chicken stock, and vinegar

7. Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat and cook until chicken is cooked through

8. Top with peanuts and serve

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Asian Ginger Broth

It's been a very busy week!
My parents came up to visit as we were planning a (belated) 50th anniversary party for my aunt and uncle.

We planned a nice brunch with a bunch of family.

A few days before, we planned to order subs from a fave place at another aunt and uncles...and invited the anniv couple, who, at this point, had no idea my parents were here.
My parents sat on the couch to the side while the guests of honor came in.
They walked right by them...assuming they were my other aunt (who was unable to join on that evening)
Once they realized what was going on, the tears were just flowing!
It was great!

My mother and her siblings are so close, and it's always great to see them together as it doesn't happen as often as they would all like.


It just makes me smile.




Ingredients:

2 Tbsp Ginger (finely minced)

2 Tbsp Garlic (finely minced)

1 Tsp Canola Oil

3 Tbsp Corn starch

1 Cup Cold water

7 Cups water

4 Vegetable bouillon cubes

Salt and Pepper

Assorted toppings: Green onion, noodles, chow mein noodles, mushrooms, carrots, tofu, chicken, radish, snow peas, spinach

Directions:

1. Combine oil, ginger, and garlic in a pot and saute for 5 minutes

2. Combine cornstarch and water

3. Add water to garlic mix, and add bouillon cubes

4. Add cornstarch mix

5. Bring to a boil, simmer 15 minutes

6. Season to taste with salt and pepper

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Adapted from: Do They Have Salsa in China?

The toppings I grabbed

Then hubby decided he wanted to add radishes to his

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Korean Tacos with Asian Slaw

Oh the simplicity!

I love me some super fast weeknight dinners, and this totally fits that bill.

My magazine swapping friend handed me an issue of Woman's Day and this was inside. (it's like a gift within a gift!)

I whipped these up one night for dinner. Hubby and the girl both ate 2 each! One satisfied me...and it left enough for lunch the next day.
(Ours didn't make 8, it made 6 because I couldn't find the small tortillas that day, we used medium)

So, I bring this into work the next day and everyone in the breakroom started going nuts! "What smells so good" "what is that" "how do you make it".

I have the feeling this will be on everyone's tables soon...I know it will be on ours again really soon!

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp rice vinegar

½ Tsp crushed red pepper flakes

2 Tbsp soy sauce

2 Tsp soy sauce

1 Bag cole slaw mix

2 Tbsp light brown sugar

2 Cloves minced garlic

1 Tbsp grated ginger

1 Lb ground beef

1 Tbsp canola oil

8 Small flour tortillas (warmed)

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the vinegar, red pepper, and 2 tsp soy sauce

2. Add cole slaw mix and toss to combine. Let sit, tossing occasionally.

3. In second bowl, combine sugar, garlic, ginger and 2 Tbsp soy sauce. Add beef mixture and combine.

4. Heat oil in large skillet.

5. Add onion and cook until tender

6. Add beef mixture and cook, breaking it up with a spoon

7. Fill tortillas with beef and top with the slaw

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Steamed Pork Dumplings

We have weekly cravings for Chinese.
Seriously, I could live above a Chinese restaurant, never have to cook again, and be more than OK with that.

One gets tired of paying for all that take out though.
Not to mention, we have yet to find the perfect spot.
We like this and that at place A.
That and this at place B.
:::sigh:::

So, in my quest to try to fulfill our cravings at home, I did some searching online. From Away had posted this recipe for one of my fave dishes.

I will be making this again. We all ate a bunch!

Ingredients:

Dough

2 Cups all purpose flour

1 Cup boiling water

FIlling

½ a small head of napa cabbage (rough chop)

1 Tsp kosher salt

2 Scallions (rough chop)

½ Lb ground pork

2 Tsp soy sauce

1 Tbsp dry sherry

2 Tsp sugar

Dipping Sauce

2 Tbsp soy sauce

2 Tbsp rice vinegar

1 Tsp sugar

1 Tbsp scallion (thin sliced)

1 Tsp ginger

Directions:

Dough

1. Place flour in food processor, slowly drizzle in water until dough is formed

2. Form into a ball and transfer to a bowl.

3. Cover with a damp towel and let rest for 30 minutes

Filling

1. Place cabbage and salt in food processor and pulse until finely chopped.

2. Transfer to a strainer set over a bowl and allow to rest for 30 minutes

3. Place scallions, pork, soy sauce, sherry, and sugar into food processor.

4. Pulse into a paste

5. Squeeze remaining moisture out of cabbage.

6. Add cabbage to bowl with the pork, fold together with a spatula

1. Divide dough into 4 sections, and then each section into 10 tablespoon sized balls

2. Roll each ball into a round 3 ½-4 inches in diameter

3. Place 1 tablespoon of filling into the center of each wrapper

4. Moisten the edges with a wet finger.

5. Fold in half and pinch closed. Pleat the front edge of the wrapper.

Dipping Sauce

1. Combine all sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set aside

Cook dumplings

1. In large pot of boiling water, cook dumplings a couple at a time for 3 minutes per batch

2. Optional: pan fry each after boiling

Print

Served with some homemade Fried Rice

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General Tso Chicken

We love Chinese take out in this house.
Any time we order in, that is usually our first choice. Everyone has their own favorites, but one thing we all agree on is General Tso (or General Gao depending).

Always on the lookout for taste tested make at home versions of take out, I stumbled across this recipe on the Brown Eyed Baker site and was sold!

Admittedly, I was a smidge nervy about being able to get that coating factor correct. It's a really important factor.
Oh the crunch! It was perfect!

I added some broccoli to mine to make it a bit more take out like for us, but that is up to your tastes.

There was no speaking during dinner. Everyone was too busy chowing down to discuss our days!

After dishes were done, and stomachs digested, we decided that we want to try this again with pork and maybe even shrimp.
Enjoy the possibilities!

Ingredients:

Marinade & Sauce:

½ Cup hoisin sauce

¼ Cup white vinegar

3 Tbsp soy sauce

3 Tbsp sugar

2 Tbsp cornstarch

1 ½ Cup water

4 Boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cut into 1 inch pieces)

1 Tbsp vegetable oil

4 Garlic cloves (minced)

2 Tbsp fresh ginger

½ Tsp crushed red pepper flakes

Coating & Frying:

3 Egg whites

1 ½ Cup cornstarch

½ Cup all purpose flour

½ Tsp baking soda

4 Cups vegetable oil

1-2 Green onions (optional)

Directions:

1. Marinade: whisk the hoisin sauce, vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, cornstarch, and water in a bowl

2. Remove 6 tbsp of marinade and add to a gallon zip lock bag along with the chicken. Move to fridge for at least 30 minutes. Keep remaining marinade in bowl.

3. Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a large skillet until shimmering

4. Add garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes, cook until fragrant

5. Add 2 cups of the marinade to the skillet (there will be leftover in the bowl) and simmer.

6. Whisk constantly until the mixture is dark brown and thickened.

7. Remove sauce from heat, cover, and keep warm

8. Whisk egg whites in a shallow dish until foamy, set aside

9. In a shallow dish, combine cornstarch, flour, baking soda, and remaining marinade. Mix until it resembles coarse meal.

10. Remove chicken from fridge. Pat chicken dry.

11. Toss half the chicken into the egg whites until coated.

12. Dredge chicken in flour mixture, pressing to adhere.

13. Transfer chicken to a plate and repeat with remaining chicken.

14. Heat remaining oil in a dutch oven to 350 degrees.

15. Fry half the chicken until golden brown (about 3 minutes) turning halfway through.

16. Place on paper towels to drain.

17. Warm the sauce until simmering. Add chicken. Toss and serve.

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Marinade ingredients

Coating and Frying Ingredients

Finished product!

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