Beef With Peppers

from The Pioneer Woman

Ingredients:

• 1-½ pound Flank Steak, Sliced Very Thin Against The Grain
• ½ cups Low Sodium Soy Sauce
• 3 Tablespoons Sherry
• 2 Tablespoons Packed Brown Sugar
• 2 Tablespoons Cornstarch
• 1 Tablespoon Minced Fresh Ginger
• 2 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 1 teaspoon Red Chile Paste (or A Few Dashes Red Chile Oil)
• 2 Tablespoons Canola Oil
• 1 whole Medium Yellow Onion Sliced
• 2 whole Red Bell Peppers, Cored And Sliced Into Rings
• 1 Tablespoon Diced Fresh Jalapeno (or 1 Teaspoon Dice Hot Pepper)
• Red Pepper Flakes, For Sprinkling
• Cilantro Leaves

Mix together soy sauce, sherry, brown sugar, cornstarch, ginger, garlic, and chili paste (or chili oil.) Place sliced beef in the mixture and toss to coat. Set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high to high heat. When it is very hot, throw in the onions and cook for less than a minute. Remove to a separate plate. Return skillet to flame, allow to reheat, and add bell peppers (and hot pepper/jalapeno if using.) Cook for a minute, tossing, until peppers have brown/black bits but are still firm. Remove to a plate.

Return skillet to heat and allow to get hot. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the skillet. Add 1/3 of the meat mixture, evenly distributing over the surface of the skillet. Allow to sit for 20 to 30 seconds, then turn with tongs. Cook for another 30 seconds, then remove to a separate plate. Repeat with remaining meat until all brown.

Reduce heat to low. Add all meat, onions, and peppers to the skillet and toss to combine. Pour in remaining sauce (the sauce the meat marinated in*) and stir. Allow to simmer on low for a few minutes. Sauce will slowly thicken. Turn off heat.  Top with cilantro leaves and serve immediately.

There are several things about this recipe that make it a star.  The cooking technique for the chimichangas (baked, brushed with oil and butter) keep them from being too greasy like a typically fried chimichanga, and get the flour tortilla nice and crispy.  The filling has amazing flavor with hints of fire-roasted tomatoes (okay, that was my own substitution), fresh cilantro, and a hint of cinnamon.  And last but not least is that delicious Mexi-sauce on top which is creamy and zesty and just perfect with the chimichangas.  I used a store-bought rotisserie this week because I was feeling lazy, but Crockpot Mexican Chicken would be just perfect for this!

One other note about the tortillas and filling instructions.  I used made-fresh-at-the-store tortillas instead of making my own, and since my tortillas were smaller than 10″, I had to cut back my filling drastically (which I learned the hard way).  So keep that in mind.

Chi-Chi’s Chimichangas

adapted from from Food Network Magazine, October 2010

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 white onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 jalapeno pepper, diced (remove seeds for less heat)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Kosher salt
• 1/2 cup diced fire roasted tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 1/2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1 15-oz can refried beans
• 4 10-inch flour tortillas
• 1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese, plus more for topping
• Mexi-sauce, for topping (see recipe below)

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.  Melt the butter with 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a skillet; transfer to a bowl.  Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in the skillet.  Add the onion, garlic, and jalapeno and cook until soft, about 3 minutes.  Add the chili powder, cumin, cinnamon, and 1 teaspoon salt; toast 30 seconds.  Add the tomato and cilantro and cook until slightly dry, about 2 minutes.  Stir in the chicken and sour cream and warm through.  Remove from the heat.

Brush a rimmed baking sheet with some of the butter-oil mixture.  Spread 2 tablespoons refried beans down the center of each tortilla, leaving a 2-inch border on both ends.  Top with 1 cup chicken mixture and 1/4 cup cheese.  Fold in the ends and roll up.

Put the chimichangas seam-side down on the baking sheet; brush with the butter-oil mixture.  Bake 8 to 10 minutes per side, brushing again after you flip.  Top with the sauce and more cheese.  Serve with remaining beans and Mexican Rice.

Chi-Chi’s Mexi-sauce

Saute 1/2 cup chopped onion and 2 chopped garlic cloves in a skillet with vegetable oil.  Add a pinch each of chili powder, cumin, sugar and salt; cook 30 seconds.  Stir in two 4-ounce cans chopped green chiles, cook 2 minutes.  Add 1 cup chicken broth and simmer until thickened, then puree.  Stir in 1/4 cup chopped cilantro.

Cafe Rio Sweet Pork Salad

recipe from Favorite Family Recipes

Ingredients:

• Large Tortillas
• Shredded cheese, Mexican blend
• Cilantro Lime Rice (recipe below)
• Cafe Rio Black Beans (recipe below)
• Cafe Rio Sweet Pork (recipe below)
• Lettuce (NOT iceberg, use leafy green or Romaine)
• Diced tomato, onion, and cilantro (pico de gallo)
• Sour cream
• Tortilla Strips (or crumbled tortilla chips)
• Cotija cheese, crumbled (or you can use Parmesan)
• Cafe Rio Cilantro Ranch OR Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette

Assemble in aluminum deep-dish pans or simply use a plate. Lay a tortilla in the bottom of the pan, sprinkle Mexican blend cheese on it, and put in the oven at 375 for about 5 min or until the cheese is melted. Remove from oven, add beans, rice, pork, then lettuce and a little scoop of diced tomato and onions (pico de gallo). Add guacamole and sour cream. Add crushed tortilla chips, a shake of Cotija or Parmesan cheese, and top with a few cilantro leaves. Serve with the cilantro ranch or vinaigrette dressing and there you have it! (makes about 6 salads)

Cilantro Lime Rice

I LOVE this rice!  It’s a great alternative to Mexican Rice.

Ingredients:

• 1 c. uncooked rice
• 1 tsp. butter or margarine
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1 can (15 oz) chicken broth
• 1 cup water
• 1 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
• 2 tsp. sugar
• 3 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro

In a saucepan combine rice, butter, garlic, 1 tsp. lime, chicken broth and water. Bring to a boil. Cover and cook on low 15-20 minutes, until rice is tender. Remove from heat. In a small bowl combine lime juice, sugar and cilantro. Pour over hot cooked rice and mix in as you fluff the rice.

Cafe Rio Black Beans

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 1/3 c. tomato juice (I used a few tablespoons of tomato sauce instead)
• 1 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 Tbsp. fresh chopped cilantro

In a nonstick skillet, cook garlic and cumin in olive oil over medium heat until you can smell it. Add beans, tomato juice, and salt. Continually stir until heated through. Just before serving stir in the cilantro.

Cafe Rio Sweet Pork

I was a little skeptical about using Coke in this recipe.  I don’t normally buy it, but I decided just to try it out.  It turned out great!  This pork is definitely on the sweet side (my husband would like it a little less sweet next time) but I loved it.  We made 1/2 a recipe, and still had more than enough.  I may experiment in the future with other ways to sweeten the pork.  I’m thinking that you could make a big batch of the pork (and maybe the beans and rice too) to have in your freezer for quicker salad assembly in the future.

Ingredients:

2 pounds pork (I used pork tenderloin)
3 cans Coke (NOT diet)
1/4 c. brown sugar
dash garlic salt
1/4 c. water
1 can sliced green chilies
3/4 can RED enchilada sauce (I used Old El Paso brand, medium spiciness)
1 c. brown sugar

Put the pork in a heavy duty Ziploc bag to marinade. Add about a can and a half of coke and about 1/4 c. of brown sugar. Marinate for a few hours or overnight.

Drain marinade and put pork, 1/2 can of coke, water, and garlic salt in crock pot on high for about 3-4 hours (or until it shreds easily, but don’t let it get TOO dry). Remove pork from crock pot and drain any liquid left in the pot. Shred pork.

In a food processor or blender, blend 1/2 can Coke, chilies, enchilada sauce and remaining brown sugar (about a cup, you can add a little more or less to taste..). If it looks too thick, add more Coke little by little.

Put shredded pork and sauce in crock pot and cook on low for 2 hours. That’s it!

Pei Wei Sesame Chicken Home Version

adapted from a downloadable recipe on Pei Wei’s website

Serves 4

Sauce Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 2 1/2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup white vinegar
• 2 1/2 tablespoons rice wine
• 2 1/2 tablespoons chicken broth
• pinch of white pepper
• 1 1/4 tablespoon orange zest

Place all ingredients in a sauce pan, whisk together, and bring to a simmer.  Remove from heat.

Chicken Ingredients:

• 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 bag potato starch
• 1 egg
• 2 cups milk
• pinch of white pepper
• pinch of salt

Cut chicken breast into 3/4 inch squares.  Whisk eggs, milk, salt, and white pepper together.  Place potato starch in a mixing bowl.  Dredge chicken through egg wash, then dust in potato starch.  Shake chicken in a strainer to remove excess starch.

Dish ingredients:

• 1 quart vegetable oil
• 1/2 red bell pepper, large dice
• 1/2 white onion, large dice
• 1 tablespoon Asian chili sauce
• 1/2 tablespoon minced ginger
• 1/4 cup scallions, cut into rings, white part only
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon water

Mix water and cornstarch together, set aside.  Heat vegetable oil in a large sauce pan.  Once at 350 degress cook chicken dredged in potato starch for 2 minutes or until cooked all the way through.  Drain on paper towels and reserve.  In a flat bottom wok or a large saute pan heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil until smoking hot.  Add minced ginger and chili sauce, then saute for 5 seconds.  Add red bell peppers and onions, then saute for 20 seconds.  Add sesame sauce, bring to a boil.  Add cornstarch slurry to thicken sauce.  Add chicken and toss together, coating all of chicken evenly.  Add sesame oil and toss together.  Serve over steamed rice and garnish with toasted sesame seeds.

I baked this pie for Thanksgiving a few years ago, and everyone seemed to really enjoy it.  The recipe caught my eye because one of my favorite restaurants, Pappadeaux Seafood, serves a Sweet Potato Pecan Pie.  (In fact, they are selling whole pies for Thanksgiving for $14.95 and $6.95 a slice….perhaps I should get in on the holiday pie-selling business!?)  Definitely don’t leave out the cinnamon ice cream, even if you use store bought.  It completes the dessert!

Sweet Potato Pecan Pie with Cinnamon Ice Cream

from Cottage Living Magazine, November 2005

Ingredients: (note: this ingredient list is a little confusing, so read through it carefully)

• 1 (9-inch) pie shell (if I have time, I’ll share my homemade pie crust recipe this week too!)
• 1 cup sweet potatoes, mashed
• 2 tbsp light brown sugar
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
• 1 tbsp whipping cream
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, divided
• 1/4 plus 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 cup pecans, chopped
• 1/2 cup pecans, halved
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup light corn syrup
• 1 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• Cinnamon Ice Cream (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Bake pie shell 6 to 8 minutes or until lightly browned; remove from oven.  Lower temperature to 350 degrees F.

Combine sweet potato and next 4 ingredients in a large bowl.  Add 1/2 tsp vanilla and next 3 ingredients; stir until smooth and completely combined.  Spread in an even layer in bottom of shell.  Add chopped pecans evenly over sweet potato mixture.  Lay pecan halves flat in a circle around perimeter.

Combine granulated sugar and 2 large eggs in a separate bowl; whisk until well blended.  Whisk in corn syrup, melted butter, and remaining 1 tsp vanilla.  Pour mixture slowly over pecan layer.  Do not overfill.  (You may have excess.)

Bake at 350 degrees F for 50 to 55 minutes or until pie is puffed, set, and golden brown.  Remove and let cool.  Serve with Cinnamon Ice Cream.

Cinnamon Ice Cream

Ingredients:

• 2 cups half and half
• 1 1/2 cups whipping cream
• 6 large egg yolks
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt

Combine half-and-half and whipping cream in a stainless steel saucepan.  Cook over medium heat just until mixture begins to boil.

Whisk together yolks and next 3 ingredients in a large bowl.  Gradually whisk hot cream mixture into yolk mixture and pour back into saucepan.

Cook over low heat (do not boil), stirring constantly, until custard begins to thicken and coats back of a spoon.  Strain into a metal bowl; place bowl in an ice-water bath.  Cool completely, stirring occasionally.

Pour mixture into electric freezer and freeze according to manufacturer’s instructions.

Grilled Chicken Lettuce Wraps

from the July/August 2008 issue of Cooking with Paula Deen

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 tbsp plus 2 tsp minced fresh ginger, divided
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1/2 cup finely chopped water chestnuts
• 2 tbsp minced green onions
• Lettuce Wrap Sauce (recipe follows)
• 2 heads butter lettuce, separated into leaves

In a large resealable plastic bag, combine cilantro, vegetable oil, soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, 1 tbsp ginger, sesame oil, and garlic.  Add chicken; seal bag, and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Preheat grill to medium-high heat (350 to 400 degrees F).  Spray grill with nonstick nonflammable cooking spray.

Remove chicken from marinade, discarding marinade.  Grill chicken, covered with grill lid, for 5 to 6 minutes per side, or until chicken is no longer pink in center.  Cool chicken for 10 minutes; cut into 1/2 inch pieces.

In a large bowl, combine chicken, water chestnuts, green onion, remaining 2 teaspoons ginger, and Lettuce Wrap Sauce, tossing gently to coat.  Spoon onto lettuce leaves to serve.

Lettuce Wrap Sauce

Makes about 1/4 cup

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp hoisin sauce
• 4 tsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/2 tsp rice wine vinegar

In a small bowl, whisk together hoisin sauce, soy sauce, oil, pepper flakes, and vinegar.  Cover, and chill.

This cake lacked some of that ambiance that made the Kauai cake so special, as this one I made and tasted on an overcast Monday afternoon at home accompanied by a cranky seven month old who didn’t take a proper nap.  But it tasted delicious! It wasn’t quite as gooey as I would have liked (and looks completely un-gooey in the photo below, taken several hours later), so when I make it again, I’ll cook for a little less time to ensure maximum gooeyness and serve it with vanilla ice cream.  I absolutely love that this recipe is baked in muffin cups instead of ramekins!  No special bakeware required–somehow we wound up with only 1 of the ramekins from our wedding registry, and I’ve yet to purchase more of them (4 years later).  I actually had one of those 6-cup disposable aluminum muffin tins mentioned in the recipe.  If you’re a chocolate lover, you definitely need to try this recipe.  Perfect single size servings for a dinner party.

Gooey Chocolate Cakes

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 5 ounces bittersweet chocolate (4 ounces coarsely chopped, 1 ounce very finely chopped)
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
• 6 tablespoons of sugar

Getting ready: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. butter (or spray – it’s easier) 6 cups of a regular-size muffin pan, preferably a disposable aluminum foil pan, dust the insides with flour and tap out the excess. Put the muffin pan on a baking sheet.
Sift the flour, cocoa and salt together.
Set a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water, put the coarsely chopped chocolate and the butter in the bowl and stir occasionally over the simmering water just until they are melted – you don’t want them to get so hot that the butter separates.  Remove the bowl from the pan of water.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and yolk until homogenous.  Add the sugar and whisk until well blended, about 2 minutes.  Add the dry ingredients and, still using the whisk, stir (don’t beat) them into the eggs.  Little by little, and using a light hand, stir in the melted chocolate and butter.  Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups and sprinkle the finely chopped chocolate over the batter.
Bake the cakes for 13 minutes.  Transfer them, still on the baking sheet, to a rack to cool for 3 minutes. (There is no way to test that these cakes are properly baked, because the inside remains liquid.)
Line a cutting board with a silicone baking mat or parchment or wax paper, and, after the 3-minute rest, unmold the cakes onto the board.  Use a wide metal spatula to lift the cakes onto dessert plates.

Szechwan Chicken Chow Fun

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces ground chicken (cooked)
• 8 ounces chow fun noodles (wide rice noodles….can be hard to find, so just use the widest rice noodles available)
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 2 teaspoons chili paste (this makes it pretty spicy…if you don’t like spicy, then use less chili paste or increase the vinegar to offset the spice a little)
• 2 tablespoons shredded black fungus mushrooms (optional)
• Sesame oil (optional)

Sauce:

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon oyster sauce
• 1 teaspoon mushroom soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons water

Directions:  Cook chow fun noodles according to package directions, and set aside.  Heat wok and add 2 teaspoons vegetable oil.  Stir fry garlic and chili paste for 5 to 7 seconds.  Add ground chicken and sear with garlic and chili paste.  Add black fungus mushrooms if using, and stir fry briefly.  Separate the noodles, and drop into the wok while you are mixing a handful at a time.  Continue cooking until the noodles have absorbed all the flavors and are hot.  Finish with sesame oil.

Speaking of salads…Miss Ginsu, who spent nine months making salads in a restaurant, has a great chart for the salad-impaired on unlocking the salad code.  Hmm.  Perhaps I’ll try out a red wine vinaigrette next for my Steakhouse Salad.