Can I get the Recipe?: Week 6, Vol III, March 11, 2011

This week's recipes include...
Five Spice Beef Stir Fry

Dinner 1 - Five Spice Beef Stir Fry

Recipe used with permission from Kelly of Evil Shenanigans.

Prep Time: 15 min/Total Time: 30 min. Serves 4.

Can I get the Recipe Tip: This dish comes together quickly and easily but does require overnight marinating so prep the meat the night before for a quick meal the night of eating.

Ingredients:

1 pound thin cut beef round steak

1/3 cup honey

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons shao hsing wine, or sherry

1 tablespoon minced ginger

1 tablespoon oyster sauce

1 tablespoon sriracha

2 tablespoons orange juice

2 teaspoons five-spice powder

1/4 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided

1 small onion, peeled and thinly sliced

1 carrot, peeled and cut into matchsticks

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon minced ginger

1/2 pound fresh snow peas

2 teaspoons light soy sauce

2 cups cooked white or brown rice

4 tablespoons green onions, sliced

Directions:

Slice the steak into very thin strips, no thicker than 1/4-inch, making sure to cut the strips against the grain. Set aside. In a plastic bag mix together the honey, soy sauce, shao hsing wine (or sherry), ginger, oyster sauce, sriracha, orange juice, five-spice, and sesame oil. Add the thinly cut beef and massage to be sure all the beef is well coated. Refrigerate for two hours, or overnight.

Once the beef has marinated heat a wok, or large skillet, over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil and heat until it shimmers. Add half the beef and allow to sear for thirty seconds before stirring. Cook until the beef is brown, about 1 minute, then remove from the pan. Add the remaining beef and cook until browned. Return the first batch of beef to the wok and increase the heat to high. Cook until the beef is coated in a sticky, caramelized glaze, about two minutes. Remove the beef from the pan and rinse the wok.

Return the wok to medium-high heat and add the remaining oil. Heat until it shimmers and add the carrots and onions. Cook, stirring constantly, until they begin to soften, about two minutes. Add the ginger and garlic and cook for thirty seconds, or until fragrant. Add the snow peas and the soy sauce and cook for two minutes, or until the snow peas are bright green and tender. Add the beef to the wok and toss well. Serve over cooked rice with green onions as a garnish.

Dinner 2 - Smoky Turkey Chili

Recipe used with permission from Dara of The Cookin' Canuck.

Prep Time: 20 minutes/Total Time: 90 min. Serves 8.

Can I get the Recipe Tip: Freeze any leftovers for dinner on one of those nights you just don't have time to cook or enjoy them the next day for lunch.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon canola oil

2 medium onions, chopped

1 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

2 garlic cloves, chopped

2 pounds (900 grams) ground turkey meat

1/4 cup chili powder

2 bay leaves

1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 (28 oz.) can whole tomatoes (including juices)

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 chipotle peppers in adobo, chopped

2 teaspoons adobo sauce (from chipotle pepper can)

3 cups low-salt chicken broth

1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 (15 oz.) can small white beans, drained and rinsed

Sour cream

Fresh cilantro, chopped

Directions:

Heat canola oil in a large, heavy pot set over medium heat. Add onions and sauté until tender and light brown, about 10 minutes. Add cumin and oregano. Stir for 30 seconds, then add garlic cloves. Stir for an additional 30 seconds. Increase heat to medium-high. Add ground turkey, breaking it up with a wooden spoon until it is cooked through. Add chili powder, bay leaves, cocoa powder, salt, and cinnamon. Add whole tomatoes, including juices. Break up the tomatoes with wooden spoon while cooking. If the tomatoes are breaking down easily, remove from the pot, chop, and then return to the mixture. Mix in tomato paste, chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove and discard bay leaves.

Add black and white beans to the chili. Simmer for an additional 10 minutes.

Ladle chili into bowl, and serve with sour cream and chopped cilantro.

Dinner 3 - Slow Cooker Lasagna

Recipe used with permission from Christy of The Girl Who Ate Everything.

Prep Time: 15 minutes/Total Time: 4 -5 hours on low setting. Serves 6.

Can I get the Recipe Tip: Do not overcook and don't try to speed up the process by cooking it on high.

Ingredients:

1 pound (16 ounces) ground beef

1/2 cup diced white onion

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 (24 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce

1/2 cup water

1 (15 ounce) container ricotta cheese

2 cups mozzarella cheese

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 whole egg

2 tablespoons fresh parsley or 2 teaspoons dried parsley

6 uncooked lasagna noodles

Directions:

In a large skillet brown beef and onion. Add garlic and cook for one minute. Drain.

Add spaghetti sauce and water and simmer for about 5 minutes.

Mix ricotta, 1 1/2 cups mozzarella, 2 Tablespoons Parmesan, egg and parsley.

Pour 1 cup of spaghetti meat sauce into a 4 to 6 quart sized slow cooker. Place half of the noodles and half of the ricotta mixture on top of the sauce. Cover with 2 cups meat sauce. Top with remaining noodles (If the noodles don't fit exactly break them to fit) and cheese mixture and meat sauce.

Cook on low for 4 to 5 hours or until noodles are soft. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of mozzarella and remaining parmesan. Cover with the lid to melt the cheese and let it sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Dinner 4 - Best Pork Chops

Recipe used with permission from Lacey of A Sweet Pea Chef.

Prep Time: 15 min/Total Time: 30 min. Serves 4.

Can I get the Recipe Tip: Serve this delicious, juicy chops with your favourite green vegetable and rice.

Ingredients:

2 center-cut, thick cut, bone-in pork chops

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon corn starch

2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to coat chops

2 teaspoons ground black pepper, plus more to coat chops

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Directions:

Pat chops dry and generously coat with kosher salt and ground black pepper.

Combine flour, corn starch, kosher salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika and cayenne pepper in a shallow dish.

Heat oil over medium-high heat in large skillet until hot. Add butter and let melt completely (this will help with browning the chops).

Dredge chops, individually, into seasoned flour mixture to entirely coat and then shake off excess. Add chops to hot pan, careful not to overcrowd. Cook 4-5 minutes per side or until nicely golden brown. Test the chop by poking with a fork to make sure the juices run clear. Be careful not to overcook the chops, as this will make them dry and chewy.

Drain on plate lined with paper towels. Serve immediately.

Photo from: http://culinarycovers.com/

Dinner 5 - Shrimp with Snow Peas and Edamame

Source: Food Network Magazine, March 2010

Prep Time: 10 minutes plus 1 hour marinating time/Total (Cooking) Time: 10 minutes. Serves 4.

Can I get the Recipe Tip: This recipe is also fantastic with scallops. Keep a package of frozen scallops or shrimp on hand in your freezer to make this easy and quick meal any night of the week.

Ingredients:

STIR FRY & MARINADE:

3/4 pound (325 grams) medium or large shrimp, peeled & deveined

1 large egg white

1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry

1 tablespoon cornstarch

peanut or vegetable oil

2 cups whole snow peas

1 cup frozen edamame

SAUCE:

3/4 cup chicken broth

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2 tablespoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry

1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon sugar

ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS:

more sesame or vegetable oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 to 2 Ttablespoons minced ginger

2 minced scallions

pinch of salt

pinch of sugar

GARNISHES (optional):

sliced scallions

peanuts

sesame seeds

sliced jalapeño

cilantro

Directions:

Place shrimp in a bowl and toss with egg white, 1 Tbsp. rice wine (or sherry) and 1 Tbsp. cornstarch. Cover and refrigerate for one hour.

Mix sauce ingredients together in a small bowl.

Drain excess marinade from the shrimp. Place shrimp, peas & edamame, and sauce near the stove.

Heat 1/4-inch peanut or vegetable oil in a wok or skillet over medium heat. Add shrimp; slowly stir until almost opaque, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Transfer to a plate; discard the oil and wipe out the pan.

Heat pan over high heat, 1 to 2 minutes. Add 2 Tbsp. oil, then 2 cloves minced garlic, 1 to 2 Tbsp. minced ginger, 2 minced scallions and a pinch each of salt & sugar; stir fry about 30 seconds. Add the vegetables and stir-fry until crisp-tender.

Add the shrimp and sauce and stir until the sauce is thick and the vegetables and shrimp are cooked through, about 3 minutes. Thin with chicken broth, if needed. Garnish with desired garnishes.

Snack - Pumpkin Bars

Prep Time: 20min - 1 hour depending on if you use homemade pumpkin puree or canned*

Total Time: 45 min - 1 1/2 hours*. Makes 24 small bars.

Ingredients:

To make your own pumpkin purée, see recipe below. You can also use a 15-ounce can of pumpkin.

2¾ cups sifted all-purpose flour (up to 1 cup whole wheat may be used)

1½ teaspoons baking powder

1¼ teaspoons salt

1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

½ cup golden raisins

½ cup walnuts or pecans, lightly toasted and coarsely chopped

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

¾ cup canola oil or other vegetable oil

2 cups pumpkin purée

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest glaze

½ cup powdered sugar, sifted

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon orange juice

Pumpkin purée

1 small sugar pumpkin or other sweetfleshed winter squash, enough to yield 2 cups purée.

To make the purée:

Heat the oven to 375°F. Cut the pumpkin in half, remove the seeds and stringy material, and put cut side down on a foil-covered baking sheet. Bake until the flesh is completely soft, about 45 minutes, depending on the thickness of the flesh. If the flesh is juicy (this depends on the variety), it needs to be dried out slightly.

Scoop the flesh from the shells into a wide skillet or sauté pan. Put the pan over high heat, and quickly evaporate off the excess water, stirring and scraping the bottom constantly. Let the pumpkin purée cool to room temperature, and measure out 2 cups.

Directions:

Heat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 12-by-17-inch baking sheet with a ½-inch rim. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Toss in the raisins and nuts. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, brown sugar, oil, pumpkin, vanilla, and orange zest until well combined.

Add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture, folding with the whisk just until the batter is uniform. Using a rubber spatula, spread the batter evenly into the prepared baking sheet, smoothing the top. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Let the cake cool completely in the pan.

To make the glaze, combine the powdered sugar with the lemon and orange juice in a small bowl, whisking until smooth.

Drizzle over the top of the cake, using all the glaze. Let stand for 1 hour before cutting into bars.

Dessert - Plum Clafoutis

Prep Time: 15 minutes/Total Time: 60 min. Serves 8.

Can I get the Recipe Tip: The clafoutis tastes best on the day it is baked, but it may also be enjoyed the next day for a decadent breakfast or midday snack. Store, covered, at room temperature.

Ingredients:

¼ cup (½ stick/56 grams) unsalted butter, melted

6 medium plums, pitted and cut into eighths (about 5 cups/ 850 grams)

½ cup (100 grams) granulated sugar

4 eggs

⅓ cup (48 grams) unbleached all-purpose f lour

½ teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup (240 grams) milk

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

½ teaspoon almond extract

Confectioners’ sugar for dusting

Directions:

Position a rack in the center of the oven, and heat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Pour the melted butter into a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, and swirl the dish to coat the bottom and sides with the butter.

In a medium bowl, toss the plums with 1⁄4 cup (50 grams) of the sugar and then pour into the baking dish, spreading evenly.

In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs until blended. In a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining 1⁄4 cup (50 grams) sugar, the flour, and salt. Whisk the sugar-flour mixture into the eggs. Then whisk the milk and the vanilla and almond extracts into the egg mixture. Pour the batter over the plums.

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the clafoutis is golden brown and puffy. Let cool on a wire rack for about 30 minutes.

Dust generously with confectioners’ sugar and serve warm.

FYI: