PF Changs Mongolian Beef

We made this to celebrate the olympics and eat while we watched the opening ceremonies. It was incredible!

PF Changs Mongolian Beef

2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon ginger, minced
1 tablespoon garlic, chopped
1/2 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 (or more!)

1 Make the sauce by heating 2 tsp of vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over med/low heat. Don't get the oil too hot.
2 Add ginger and garlic to the pan and quickly add the soy sauce and water before the garlic scorches.
3 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. Remove it from the heat.
4 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.
5 Dip the steak pieces into the cornstarch to apply a very thin dusting to both sides of each piece of beef.
6 Let the beef sit for about 10 minutes so that the cornstarch sticks.
7 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).
8 Heat the oil over medium heat until it's nice and hot, but not smoking.
9 Add the beef to the oil and sauté for just two minutes, or until the beef just begins to darken on the edges. You don't need a thorough cooking here since the beef is going to go back on the heat later.
10 Stir the meat around a little so that it cooks evenly.
11 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.
12 Put the pan back over the heat, dump the meat back into it and simmer for one minute.
13 Add the sauce, cook for one minute while stirring, then add all the green onions.
14 Cook for one more minute, then remove the beef and onions with tongs or a slotted spoon to a serving plate. Leave the excess sauce behind in the pan.

Santa Rosa Chicken Salad

Such a yummy salad and perfect for summertime!

Santa Rosa Chicken Salad

1 box long grain wild rice-cooked (Uncle Ben's-small box)
3 chicken breast halves-cooked and diced
4 green onions-diced
1 red bell pepper-diced
3 oz. Chinese pea pods-(fresh) remove ends and cut into thirds
2 medium avocados-diced
1 cup chopped pecans
Combine all ingredients, except avocados and pecans, and place in fridge overnight.

Dressing
2 cloves garlic-minced
1/2 t salt
1/4 t pepper
1/3 c rice vinegar (Nakano seasoned rice vinegar)
1 T Dijon mustard
1/4 t sugar
1/3 c vegetable oil
Combine all dressing ingredients in blender. Cover and refrigerate. Mix with salad 2-4 hours before serving. Immediately before serving salad add avocados and pecans.

Cheese Ball

I went to a party and got the recipe for this...it was so good and super easy!

1 8-oz. package cream cheese
1/2 Tbs. Lemon juice
1/2 Tbs. green onion chopped
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 Tbs. green bell pepper chopped
1/2 Tbs. Pimento
pecans finely chopped

Mix with hand mixer in a bowl. Dress with pecans.

Carmel brownies

Does anyone have a recipe for carmel brownies? I am suppose to take some to a bridal shower. Let me know
sheltonjc@gmail.com

Popovers

I went to The Popover Cafe in NYC and fell in love with popovers. I googled a recipe just to try it and surprisingly they turned out just like the restaurant ones.

2 eggs
1 cup milk
1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt

Mix eggs and milk and warm the mixture in the microwave (popovers will rise better if ingredients are warm). Add sifted flour and salt; continue beating until batter is smooth and thick. Bake in hot greased iron muffin cups or greased glass custard cups which are very hot. Do not grease with nonstick spray. Use real butter.

Fill muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake at 450° for 20 minutes, then reduce heat to 350° and bake 15 minutes longer. Serve right away. Make a small slit in each popover to allow steam to escape. Makes about 6 to 8 large popovers.

They're delicious plain but also really good with butter, honey or jam.

Three Layer Pumpkin Pie Squares

This is my husband's favorite dessert this time of year. It's so yummy! The last family event I took it to, all my sisters-in-law wanted the recipe. That's always a good sign!

Crust:
1 yellow caked mix (reserve 1 cup for the topping)
1/2 cup melted butter
1 egg

Grease a 9x13 pan. Combine ingredients for crust and press in bottom of pan.

Filling:
1 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
2 eggs
1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin
1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk

Mix sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. Beat eggs separately. Stir eggs and pumpkin into sugar mixture and combine will. Gradually add evaporated milk. Combine well. Pour over crust.

Topping:
1 cup cake mix
1/4 c. sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 c. butter

Combine ingredients and cut in butter with a pastry blender or two forks until topping is crumbly. Sprinkle over filling.

Bake in a 350 Degree oven for 45-50 minutes until a knife in the center comes out clean.

Pumpkin Tomato Basil Soup

I had a baking pumpkin to use and didn't want to make a pie so I found this soup recipe to try. It was delicious!

1 Small Pumpkin
1 can tomato puree
4 cups Chicken Broth
6-7 Carrots, peeled and sliced or diced
1 Medium Onion
2-3 cloves Garlic, chopped
1 cup Mushrooms, sliced
2 Tablespoons Basil, chopped
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 pinch Ground Pepper
1/4 cup Cream (optional - I didn't use any but it would make it creamier)
1 Teaspoon sugar

In a large pot, put Chicken Stock, pumpkin and carrot. Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer for 1/2 hour.
Sautee onions and mushrooms until browned.
Puree all ingredients in a blender. Place pureed soup into the soup pot.
Add spices, sugar and cream at this time.
Simmer for 10 minutes.

It makes a lot - probably 15 servings.