Mongolian Beef (P.F. Chang's copycat) and Sweet and Sour Chicken

I went to a small junior college in central Utah for my Associate's degree.  There sure wasn't a lot to do in that little town during my first year.  Luckily, I had some friends that were as crazy and immature as myself.  One night, we took my camcorder and went "Jaywalking" like Jay Leno through some apartments and asked students questions that they should know but didn't.  Another night, a friend and I wrapped ourselves in aluminum foil and ran across campus at midnight.   Another night, a bunch of us dressed up like Captain Underpants mixed with the style of Spongebob and had a wrestling match on an old mattress in the living room.  Oh, the good times of college. 

I think if there was a Chinese restaurant in that tiny little town with food like this, I would have had an I'm-going-to-nothing-but-shove-my-face-with-this-food for two years.  These two recipes blew the socks off my husband, which is saying something since he wears wool socks that go up to his knees.  

 These recipes are keepers!  There is no reason to go out an pay an arm and a leg for Chinese food with these recipes around.  They are just as good as any restaurant.

 Mongolian Beef
source: http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2012/03/pf-changs-mongolian-beef-copycat-recipe.html

2 t vegetable oil
1/2 t minced ginger or 1/2 t dried ginger
1 T minced garlic
1/2 c soy sauce
1/2 c water
3/4 c dark brown sugar
vegetable oil, for frying (about 1 cup)
1 lb flank steak
1/4 c corn starch
2 green onions, chopped

Sauce:
Heat 2 t of oil in a saucepan over medium-low heat.  Add the minced garlic and ginger.  Heat and stir until fragrant.  Don't let it burn!  Add the soy sauce and water.  Stir.  Add the brown sugar and stir to dissolve. Increase the heat to medium and bring to a boil.  Boil it for a couple minutes or until thickened.  Remove from the heat.

Beef:
Slice the flank steak into 1/4 inch slices across the grain.  While you are slicing it, tilt the blade to a 45 degree angle to get wider cuts of meat.  Dip the slices of meat into the corn starch to lightly coat them.  Let the meat stick for 10 minutes.  This will help the cornstarch stick to the meat better.

While it is sitting, heat 1 c of oil in a large skillet. Heat the oil over medium heat until it is hot but not smoking.

Add the beef and saute until it is nice and brown.  Stir it a bit as you go to ensure even cooking.  After it is browned, 2-3 minutes, take it out to drain on a paper towel.  Dab it with the paper towel to remove excess oil.

Add the meat to the saucepan with the sauce in it.  Heat it over medium-low heat to heat through.  Add the chopped green onions, saving a few for garnish.

Serve with fried rice or cream cheese rangoons.

Sweet and Sour Chicken
source: http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2008/07/sweet-and-sour-chicken-updated.html

Chicken:
3-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
salt and pepper
1 c cornstarch
2 lg eggs, beaten
1/4 c canola oil

Sauce:
3/4 c sugar
4 T ketchup
1/2 c apple cider vinegar
1 T soy sauce
1 t garlic powder

Preheat oven to 325.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  While it is heating, cut the chicken breasts into 1-inch cubes and season with salt and pepper.  Place the cornstarch in a Ziplock bag.  Add the chicken pieces.  Seal and shake the bag  to thoroughly coat the chicken pieces.

Whisk the beaten eggs in a shallow plate or pie plate.  Dip the cornstarch-covered chicken into the egg mixture and carefully place in a single layer into the hot oil. Cook for 1-2 minutes.  Flip to cook the other side just until golden brown.  It's okay if it isn't cooked all the way through since it's going into the oven for awhile.

Remove the chicken and put it in a baking dish, in a single layer.

Combine the sauce ingredients and pour over the chicken.

Bake for one hour, turning the pieces a couple times during the baking.

After an hour, the sauce will be all sticky and perfectly coated on the chicken.

Cinnamon Syrup

Step 1: Gather any store-bought syrup in your home.

Step 2: Place them all in a cardboard box. Put that box within a box.

Step 3: Seal it up and put your address on it.  

Step 4: Mail it to yourself.

Step 5: When it arrives, smash it with a hammer.

Seriously though, folks.  This syrup is the bee's knees.  The bear's hairs.  The cat's hat.  The owl's bowel.  It is so easy and delicious.  I don't know if I can ever use another syrup.  I served it to my kids.  As I was finishing up making the rest of the pancakes, I looked back at them.  Their sticky faces were plastered all over the plate and licking it clean.  How could you get mad at those cute sticky faces?  

Serve this syrup over some homemade buttermilk pancakes.  Don't you dare make the Bisquick ones!  Those are nothing more than dry, nasty, super round and flat biscuits.  

Cinnamon Syrup

source: http://cjaneinthekitchen.blogspot.com/2011/03/cinnamon-syrup.html

1 c sugar

1/2 c light corn syrup

1/4 c water

3/4 t ground cinnamon

5 oz evaporated milk

In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the sugar, light corn syrup, water, and cinnamon.  Bring to a boil.  Stir for two minutes.  Remove from the heat.  Stir in the evaporated milk.

Cuban Style Black Beans

See the beans in the background?  Yeah, those are the ones.  Sorry I didn't get a closer picture.  My husband, who lived in Guatemala for two years and ate black beans every day tasted them and said, "I think you have just trumped my black beans.  These are amazing."  Indeed they are, my friends.  And, get this.  This recipe is actually healthy!  Can you believe that I have actually posted something that doesn't contain a pound of cheese, 3 c of heavy whipping cream, or 8 types of chocolate?  It is possible.  Since the beans are healthy, I did include the picture of the cheese enchiladas that contained the pound of cheese.  See?  The break from blogging did not make me a softy.  

If you like these types of beans, like the ones they serve at Cafe Rio or other Mexican restaurants, you'll love this recipe.  I don't reckon I will ever make another bean recipe again.  There's no need to!

Cuban Style Black Beans

source: http://www.skinnytaste.com/2011/01/quick-and-deliciouso-cuban-style-black.html

2 t olive oil

1/2 onion

2 cloves garlic

2 scallions

2 T red bell pepper

3 T cilantro

15 oz can black beans, do not drain

1/4-1/2 c water

1 bay leaf

1/2 t cumin

1/4 t oregano

1 t red wine vinegar

salt and pepper to taste

In a chopped or food processor, combine the onion, garlic, scallions, red bell pepper, and cilantro.  Pulse until the are all chopped into small pieces.

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the chopped vegetables and saute until tender, about 3 minutes.

Add the beans and the remaining ingredients.  Bring it back to a boil.  Stir.  Turn down heat and simmer for 15 minutes.  Add more water and/or salt, if needed.

Best Mexican Rice Ever

No joke... This is the best Mexican rice I have ever tasted.  There are quite a few steps involved, but I think they are worth every last one of them.  I would take 15 minutes more work with this result over a convenient boxed mix any day!  The first time I made this, my husband was inspecting the rice.  I was waiting for him to bust out his magnifying glass and ask Watson to solve the mystery of the delicious rice.  Finally he asked, "How did you do this?!"  Well, I keep a little Mexican woman named Maria under the kitchen sink.  Not really, but it tastes authentic and I'm sure if there was a Mexican woman named Maria that lived in my kitchen, I just might beat her at a Mexican rice throwdown!  Bring it on!  I've got my sombrero ready.  

Mexican Rice
source: food.com

1 can diced tomatoes
1 medium white onion
3 medium jalapenos (I only used 1 in the hopes that my kids would eat it)
2 c long grain white rice (not instant!), uncooked
1/3 c canola oil
4 minced garlic cloves
2 c chicken broth
1 T tomato paste
1 1/2 t salt
1/2 c fresh cilantro
1 lime

Preheat oven to 350.

Place diced tomatoes and onions in a blender or food processor.  Process until smooth. Transfer to a measuring cup to get 2 c of the mixture.  Discard the rest.

Remove the seeds and veins from 3 jalapenos  If you want less heat, use one.

Place rice in a fine mesh strainer and run under water until the water runs clear- about 1-2 minutes.  Don't skip this step! This removes the starch from the rice and it cooks up better.

Heat oil in an oven safe dutch oven pan over medium-high heat.  (If you don't have one, use any skillet and later transfer the mixture to an oven-safe dish.)  Make sure the oil is hot enough by dropping in a couple grains of rice.  If it sizzles, it's ready.  Add the rice and fry it for 6-8 minutes.

Reduce heat to medium.  Add in 2 diced jalapenos and garlic.  Cook for another 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly.

Add the broth, pureed mixture, tomato paste, and salt. Bring back to a boil.  Place the lid on the oven-safe dish and place it in the oven.  If you don't have an oven-safe dutch oven, transfer the rice to an oven-safe dish and cover it with foil.

Bake for 30-35 minutes, stirring after 15 minutes.

Take it out.  Add the chopped cilantro and the remaining diced jalapeno.  Stir.

Garnish with lime wedges.

Cheese Enchiladas with Tomatillo Sauce

Brace yourself!  I'm back!  After taking a needed hiatus as a result of a new addition to the family, I'm ready to start blogging again.  I have missed writing my little anecdotes and silly stories to go along with the recipes that I find.

One of the perks (I wish there was a sarcasm font) of having a new baby is the amount of sleep I get.  Wait... that's right.  I don't.  Me running on lack of sleep can be a dangerous combination.  You never know when instead of telling you, "go to the store and get some pork chops," I would say, "go to the pore and get some stork chops."  Wait, what?  Do they sell stork chops?  My mind isn't always top notch on lack of sleep.  Well, the first time I made this recipe, I made a serious blunder that nearly burned our faces off, but in the end, we decided that they were probably the best enchiladas ever- despite the aftermath similar to the poor guys in Indiana Jones that kept their eyes open when the Covenant of the Ark (looking back, I didn't even mean to flip those words.  ha!) was opened.  

I'll post the original recipe, but if you want some serious (and I mean serious) kick, I'll post the original way that I did it as an optional change.  Amazing!  Both ways are delicious- one is mild and one is hot.

Cheese Enchiladas with Tomatillo Sauce

source: adapted from food.com

Sauce:

4 tomatillos, husks removed and washed

1 serrano pepper

1/4 c white onion

3 T cilantro

1 dried chipotle pepper- OPTIONAL

1 T vegetable oil

1 t Adobo seasoning or taco seasoning

1/2 c chicken broth, optional

8 Flour or corn tortillas

Shredded Monterey Jack and/or Cheddar cheese

chopped onion

Sour cream

diced tomatoes

chopped lettuce

Place the washed tomatillos and the serrano pepper in a saucepan.  (If you want the added heat, add the dried chipotle pepper in as well).  Bring to a boil.  Turn heat down and simmer for ten minutes.  Drain.  Let them cool a little bit.  I cut the stem part out of the tomatillos, but I don't think it's necessary.  Cut open the serrano pepper and remove the seeds.  

Preheat oven to 350.

Place everything in a blender.  (If you're doing the part with the chipotle pepper, cut off the stem and place the whole thing in the blender.  I totally forgot that I had it in there until I had blended it up and tasted it.  If you want some heat but not as much, remove some or all of the seeds.) Puree the mixture until it is smooth.  Set aside.

Heat the 1 T oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.  Once it is heated, add the tomatillo sauce.  Bring it to a boil.  Lower the heat and cook it five more minutes.  It should darken and thicken a bit.  Season it with Adobo seasoning or taco seasoning.  

*As a side note, I thought the sauce was a bit thick.  Next time, I'll add 1/2 c chicken broth to thin it out a little bit.

Pour some of the sauce in a 13x9 pan.  

Take a tortilla in your hand.  Place about 1/4 c of cheese down the center.  Top it with a few chopped onion, if desired.  Roll it up and place it seam side down in the pan.  Repeat with the remaining 7 tortillas.  Pour the remaining sauce over the top of the enchiladas.  Sprinkle some extra cheese on top.  Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.  

Top with sour cream, chopped lettuce, tomatoes, green onions, pico de gallo, or whatever you like.

I love this enchiladas.  The flavor from the sauce is wonderful.  It's better than any store bought sauce.  It also tastes like the green mild sauce from a restaurant that shan't be named but it starts with Cafe' and ends with Rio.  It's much cheaper to make it at home!  

Enjoy!