PF Chang's Mongolian Beef


PF Chang's takes me straight back to my early 20's. It was always a popular place for girl's nights and first dates. Besides the lettuce wraps, I almost always ordered the Mongolian Beef. It's great served over rice or rice noodles!

Ingredients:
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon ginger, minced
1 tablespoon garlic, chopped
/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup water
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
vegetable oil, for frying (about 1 cup)
1 lb flank steak
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 large green onions, sliced on the diagonal into one-inch lengths

Preparation:
1. Make the sauce by heating 2 tsp of vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over med/low heat.
2. Don't get the oil too hot.
3. Add ginger and garlic to the pan and quickly add the soy sauce and water before the garlic scorches.
4. Dissolve the brown sugar in the sauce, then raise the heat to about medium and boil the sauce for 2-3 minutes or until the sauce thickens.
5. Remove it from the heat.
6. Slice the flank steak against the grain into 1/4" thick bite-size slices (Tilt the blade of your knife at about a forty five degree angle to the top of the steak so that you get wider cuts).
7. Dip the steak pieces into the cornstarch to apply a very thin dusting to both sides of each piece of beef.
8. Let the beef sit for about 10 minutes so that the cornstarch sticks.
9. As the beef sits, heat up one cup of oil in a wok (you may also use a skillet for this step as long as the beef will be mostly covered with oil).
10. Heat the oil over medium heat until it's nice and hot, but not smoking.
11. Add the beef to the oil and sauté for just two minutes, or until the beef just begins to darken on the edges.
12. You don't need a thorough cooking here since the beef is going to go back on the heat later.
13. Stir the meat around a little so that it cooks evenly.
14. After a couple minutes, use a large slotted spoon to take the meat out and onto paper towels, then pour the oil out of the wok or skillet.
15. Put the pan back over the heat, dump the meat back into it and simmer for one minute.
16. Add the sauce, cook for one minute while stirring, then add all the green onions.
17. Cook for one more minute, then remove the beef and onions with tongs or a slotted spoon to a serving plate.
18. Leave the excess sauce behind in the pan.

Rotini with Sausage and Asparagus (By The Big Cheese)

Oh Olive Garden...how I love thee! There's not a ton of my favorite ingredient (cheese!), but this still rocks my world. Enjoy!

Ingredients
1/2 lb Italian sausage, sweet or hot, casing removed

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 lb asparagus, fresh

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 lb rotini pasta, cooked according to package directions

2 Tbsp butter

Parmesan cheese, grated

Salt and pepper to taste

Procedures
HEAT oil in non-stick sauté pan. Add sausage. While sausage is cooking, break up with spoon. When sausage is completely cooked, drain fat.

CUT bottom 2” off asparagus stems (the inedible part), then cut remaining stem into 1” pieces. Boil asparagus until tender in a separate pan. Drain and allow to cool. Remove tips from asparagus and set tips aside.

COMBINE asparagus and heavy cream. Simmer 10-12 minutes over medium heat.
ADD hot, drained pasta to asparagus cream sauce. Add parmesan and butter. Add cooked sausage and sauté until simmering. Salt and pepper to taste.

TRANSFER to large platter. Garnish with asparagus tips and serve.

Panera Mac 'n Cheese (from Dessert Diva)

Greetings, Diva fans! I've been on a bit of a bloggy break for quite some time, but I'm back and ready to give you an awesome recipe! Our theme for this month is "Restaurant Copycats." I went back and forth several times on which recipe to go with, but ultimately, I chose a recipe from one of my favorite food bloggers and one of the very few chain restaurants we frequent in my family. Panera's Mac 'n Cheese is delish! Hope you give this recipe a try and love it!

Here's the link to the recipe over at Annie's Eats!

What do you call this recipe....by The Big Cheese

I don't know what to call this recipe. However, I just love making this dish. Mr. Cheese likes the fresh veggies, Baby Cheese likes to chew on the fresh veggies and I, well, like the sauce!

What you'll need:
Zucchini, sliced (however much you want!)
Squash, sliced (however much you want!)
Onion, diced (however much you want!)
Marinara sauce (1/2 jar)
Alfredo sauce (1/2 jar)
Pasta

Boil a pot of water and cook pasta until tender.

Saute the veggies together for a few minutes, until they are soft. Mix in the two sauces. Add some spices if you dare!

Mix together and love your life!!!! So simple, and so yummy!

Freezer Fajitas


I love easy recipes like this that I can make in bulk and keep in the freezer for a quick but delicious dinner. Stock up on beef when it's on sale!

Ingredients:
1 lb sirloin or top round steak
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 red bell pepper cored and sliced
1 green bell pepper cored and sliced
1 white onion, sliced
6 fajita sized flour tortillas


Prep:
1. Place steak in a large freezer bag.
2. Combine lime juice, vinegar, oil, oregano, and garlic in the bag with the meat.
3. Place the sliced peppers and onion in a separate bag.
4. Place tortillas in another bag.
5. Put all three bags in another gallon sized bag, label, and freeze!


Cook:
1. Heat grill to medium high or a grill pan until hot but not smoking.
2. Remove meat from marinade and discard the marinade.
3. Grill the steak until desired doneness, remove to a cutting board and let
rest for 5 minutes. Cut into strips.
4. Saute the veggies in a pan with a little oil until tender.
5. Heat the tortillas.
6. Serve with desired toppings...we like salsa, cheese, sour cream, and guacamole.


Summer Love,
Saucy Diva

Honey Sesame "DUMP" Chicken

I found this recipe online and saw a few key ingredients that, for me, scream summer lovin'! Beer, honey and chicken...yes please!

What you'll need:
1/2 cup Beer 3 Tablespoons Sesame Seeds
3 Tablespoons Honey
2 Tablespoons Dijon Mustard
1/2 Teaspoon Pepper
2 Cloves Garlic -- crushed
1 1/2 Pounds Chicken Pieces

For immediate cooking: Pre-heat oven to 350 F. Place all ingredients into a large baking dish, turn chicken to coat. Bake until chicken juices run clear (45-60 minutes for chicken pieces, or 20-30 minutes for chicken breasts). For freezing: Place all ingredients into a 1 Gallon freezer bag. Lay flat in freezer.

To thaw and cook: Take the bag out of the freezer the night before, make sure the baggie is completely closed. Place the Bag on a shelf furthest from the freezer (It works best if the bag is laying flat, although this may not be the best option with a side-by-side fridge/freezer). Preheat the oven to 350 F. Empty the contents of the bag into a large baking dish and bake until the juices run clear (45-60 minutes for chicken pieces, or 20-30 minutes for chicken breasts).

I may even try to grill this one...Enjoy!

Peppered Shrimp Alfredo

This may not seem like a "Summer Lovin" dish  to some, but I love seafood pasta dishes in the summer. I especially love them when paired with a nice cool glass of white wine. But, since I am now carrying the next baby diva (coming to a kitchen near you this December) I will have to make due with no wine pairings this summer.  Luckily, this dish is great on it's own!

Peppered Shrimp Alfredo
Ingredients


12 ounces penne pasta

1/4 cup butter2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 onion, diced2 cloves garlic, minced1 red bell pepper, diced

1/2 pound portobello mushrooms, diced

1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 (15 ounce) jar Alfredo sauce

1/2 cup grated Romano cheese

1/2 cup cream

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or more to taste

Salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup chopped parsley


Directions


1.Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.

2.Meanwhile, melt butter together with the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in onion, and cook until softened and translucent, about 2 minutes. Stir in garlic, red pepper, and mushroom; cook over medium-high heat until soft, about 2 minutes more.

3.Stir in the shrimp, and cook until firm and pink, then pour in Alfredo sauce, Romano cheese, and cream; bring to a simmer stirring constantly until thickened, about 5 minutes. Season with cayenne, salt, and pepper to taste. Stir drained pasta into the sauce, and serve sprinkled with chopped parsley.

(I originally found this recipe on All Recipes...if you haven't checked out this site, you should!)