Mongolian Beef with Sticky Rice

Lately I've been crazy for asian-style food. I've been testing a lot of different dishes lately, and this Mongolian Beef recipe is by-far my favorite I've tried. If you like the Mongolian Beef at P.F. Changs, you'll love this stuff, because it tastes even better!

Don't take my word for it though, try it yourself, and let me know what you think.

Serves: 4
Prep/Cooking time: 30-45 minutes


INGREDIENTS:

Meat:

• Canola oil for frying
• 2lb flank steak (you can also use top sirloin)
• 1/3 cup cornstarch (or potato starch)
• 2 Tbsp. Hoisin Sauce
• 1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce

Sauce:

• 1 Tbsp. Canola Oil
• 1 tsp. minced or grated ginger (fresh)
• 3-4 cloves of fresh garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 cup dark brown sugar

Topping:

• 4-5 green onions, chopped

Rice:

• 2 cups long-grain white rice (not instant)
• 4 cups water
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt

Slice the steak at an angle, against the grain, into 1/4-inch thick pieces. Throw it in a bowl and mix with starch until evenly coated. Add Hoisin and soy sauces, mix until steak is thoroughly coated. Set steak in the fridge for 20-30 minutes. 

While your steak is marinating, you can prepare the sauce. Warm the oil over medium heat in a sauce pan, but don't let it get too hot. Add your garlic and ginger, cook for about 1 minute or less, but don't scorch the garlic! Add the soy sauce and brown sugar. Stir until sugar is dissolved, then let the sauce boil for 2-3 minutes, or until it thickens a bit. Remove from heat and set aside. 

Next you'll want to start cooking your sticky rice so it's ready when your steak is. First pour your rice into a bowl, and fill it with warm water. Stir the rice around for a minute or two, until the water becomes cloudy. Strain out the rice, and put it in a sauce pan. Add 4 cups of cold water to the pan, and cook it according to the package instructions. 

In a large frying pan, heat enough canola oil to fry the steak, then add the steak, carefully laying each slice down flat in the pan. Fry for about 2 minutes on each side. Do not over-crowd the pan with the steak, you may have to do it in 2-3 batches, depending on how many slices you cut. 

After you're done cooking all the meat, pour the oil out, and put the meat back in the pan. Cook it for about a minute, then pour the sauce over it and let it cook for another minute or two. Add your chopped green onions, and cook for one more minute. 

Serve the beef on top of the rice, or on the side, whichever you prefer. You can leave the extra sauce in the pan, or if you like lots of flavor, you can drizzle it on top of your beef & rice. Enjoy!

Easy Turkey Fritters

I am really into fritters at the moment. I love mixing ingredients, and plopping them into a frying pan of hot oil, listening to them sizzle and pop. The smell is amazing as well. So here it is, my latest addition to my fritter family. This is a great recipe to make if you have a lot of leftover turkey from those holiday meals. 








Turkey Fritters

• 2 eggs
• 2 Tbsp. Coconut oil (melted) - you can use butter instead if you don't have coconut oil.
• 1/2 c. milk
• 1/4 c. flour
• 3/4 c. Panko bread crumbs
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. salt 
• 1 tsp. poultry seasoning or sage
• 1 Tbsp dried onion flakes - or half a sweet onion
• 1 carrot - shredded
• 1 1/2 c. leftover turkey or chicken
• 1/3 c. Canola oil for frying

Beat eggs, add coconut oil (or butter), milk, dry ingredients; beat until smooth. Stir in onion, carrot, and turkey or chicken. Heat Canola oil in large frying pan, drop mixture from spoon, fry until brown on both sides and cooked through. You can serve with cranberry sauce or gravy. 


Makes about 6-8 fritters.

Cinnamon Orange Rolls

Cinnamon rolls have always been one of my favorite breakfast foods. There is nothing like waking up to the smell of cinnamon rolls, warm in the oven, just waiting to be glazed and eaten.

In this recipe, I take it one step further on the yummy chart, by adding a burst of orange flavor to these little bites of Heaven.




Rolls:

1/4 cup sugar
2 Tbsp ground cinnamon

2 1/2 cups Bisquick Mix
3 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp orange zest
2/3 cup milk
3 Tbsp butter (softened)

Glaze:

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 Tbsp orange juice
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 9 x 13 baking pan. In a small bowl, mix the 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon together, set aside.

In a medium bowl, add the Bisquick, 3 Tbsp sugar, orange zest, and milk. Stir until a nice soft dough forms. Sprinkle with additional Bisquick if the dough is too sticky.

Dust your counter-top with Bisquick, and turn your dough out onto it, then give it an additional dusting of Bisquick, and knead 10 times. Then with a rolling pin, roll the dough into a rectangle that is roughly 15 x 9 inches. Spread the butter over the surface of the dough, then sprinkle with your cinnamon-sugar mix.

Roll up your dough tightly at the 15-inch side, seal by pinching the edges and ends together. Cut into 1 1/2-inch slices, and place the slices in your pan.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until they're a nice golden brown. Let cool for 5 minutes before removing them from the pan. Glaze and serve.