Mongolian Beef

 

I make dinner for all of my siblings for their birthdays...their choice!  My sister-in-law chose to have Mongolian beef...something I had never made before.
The flank steak was an extremely pricey cut of meat, but if you ask your butcher/store meat specialist they should be able to suggest another cut or two that would be similar but at a fraction of the cost.
I am so glad she requested this tasty dish.  We can't wait to have it again!

This recipe serves 4-6.

4 TBSP + 1 C canola oil
2 tsp fresh ginger, minced
2 TBSP garlic, minced
1 C soy sauce, low sodium
1 C dark brown sugar
2 LBS. of flank steak
1/2 C cornstarch
1/2-1 C water
3 green onions, diced
sesame seeds (to taste)

serve with rice and steamed broccoli if desired

To begin the sauce, heat the 4 TBSP of oil in a saucepan over medium-low heat.
Add the ginger, garlic, and soy sauce.
Dissolve the sugar into the mixture and turn the heat up to medium.
Bring it to a boil and boil the sauce for 2-3 minutes.
Remove it from the heat and allow it to sit.
Slice the flank steak across the grain.  It should be about 1/4" thick.  If you tilt the knife at a 45 degree angle, the cuts of meat will be thicker and not so string-like.
Dip the steak pieces into the cornstarch (so it coats both sides) and then let it sit for 10 minutes.
Heat up 1 C of the oil in a wok-type of pan on medium heat.
Add the meat to the pan and cook while stirring for about 2 minutes just so the edges start to look cooked.
Using a sloted spoon or a strainer, remove the meat and dump out most of the oil.
Put the meat back in the pan and the skillet back on the heat.
Stir the meat for another 1-2 minutes.
Add the sauce and the green onions.
Cook for 2 minutes.
Remove the meat with a slotted spoon and keep the sauce in the pan.
Combine the cornstarch and water (use more water for a thinner sauce and less water for a thicker sauce).
Whisk the cornstarch-water mixture into the sauce and let it simmer for a couple minutes until it gets to the desired thickness.
Serve with extra sauce and sprinkled with sesame seeds for texture.

The recipe is adapted from favfamilyrecipes.com.

Homemade Fajita Seasoning

 

Another homemade seasoning on the menu!  This fajita seasoning did not disappoint.  It was so much tastier than any store bought fajita mix I have ever used.
I love having homemade seasonings in my pantry.  They taste better and are so much better for you.  I just store mine in glass canning jars or extra glass jars I have saved and sanitized from other foods.  I added this fajita mix to my homemade collection including homemade taco seasoning and homemade pumpkin pie spice.

2 TBSP corn starch
4 tsp chili powder
2 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

Combine all ingredients in an airtight jar or container and store at room temperature.
Use for any fajita dish!

This recipe is adapted from simplyscratch.com.

Shredded Beef Tacos

My gift to my siblings (when we all live close by) for their birthdays is a home cooked dinner and dessert of their choice for everyone.  My sister-in-law chose shredded beef tacos and homemade vanilla ice cream with peach cobbler for her most recent birthday.  I had never made shredded beef tacos before so I was excited to find and use a great recipe.  I found a recipe that was great but it was not moist enough, so with a couple adjustments we had moist shredded beef that made leftovers just as tasty as the tacos were the day they were made.
We paired the shredded beef with my cilantro lime rice and veggies and enjoyed a tasty and filling birthday dinner!

This recipe makes 6-8 servings.

2-3 lb. roast beef, whole, fat trimmed
1 onion, chopped
1 heaping tsp chili powder
1 heaping tsp garlic powder
1 heaping tsp cumin
1 heaping tsp Kosher salt
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 green bell pepper, sliced
1 (14.5 oz) can Rotel tomatoes (or Mexican style diced tomatoes)
1 (14.5 oz) can beef broth
flour tortillas
toppings of your choice (tomatoes, lettuce, avocado, sour cream, cilantro, cheese, etc.)

Place the onions on the bottom of a crock pot.
Combine all of the seasonings in to a small bowl.
Rub the beef with the seasonings.
Place the roast on top of the onions.
Top the roast with the tomatoes and peppers.
Add the beef broth to the crock pot.
Cook the beef on low for 8-9 hours, turning once about halfway through.
The beef is ready when it shreds easily with two forks.
Shred the meat and then let it sit in the crock pot for another 20 minutes.

This recipe is adapted from www.ourbestbites.com.