Japanese Beef Bowl

Ingredients:

2 Green Onions 

1 pound chuck steak

3 garlic cloves, minced

6 TBS soy sauce

2 TBS sesame oil

1 tsp ground pepper

1 TBS sugar

2 tsp vegetable oil

1 cup uncooked jasmine rice

2 medium carrots

2 cups bean sprouts

1 TBS sesame seeds

Directions:

For the marinade, slice the green onions including the tops and reserve about 2 TBS for garnish.  In a bowl place the remaining green onions.  

Cut the steak against the grain into thin strips and place in the bowl with the green onions.  Place the minced garlic in the bowl.  Add the soy sauce, sesame seed oil, pepper and sugar.  Mix well, cover and refrigerate.  (I prefer marinading over night.  You do not have to do this but the longer it marinades the better the taste)!

Once you are ready to cook the beef, prepare the rice according to the package.  As the rice is cooking do the following:

Peel the carrots and discard the skins.  Continue peeling the carrots to make long ribbons. Set aside.  Rinse and clean the bean sprouts and set aside.

For the steak, add one TBS of vegetable oil to a skillet over medium heat.  Add the beef to the skillet and cook undisturbed for 3 minutes.  Stir and cook beef another 1-3 minutes or until the beef is no longer pink.  Remove from heat.  

In another skillet, add 1 TBS vegetable oil over medium heat and quickly stir fry the carrots and bean sprouts for 2-3 minutes.

To assemble put 2/3 cup of cooked rice in a bowl.  Top with the cooked beef and vegetables.  Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds.

Poor Man Enchiladas

These enchiladas are a spin off of my husband grandmother's recipe.  I do it this way when I am really short on time.  You can change it up to fit your families likes but this is how we like it around here!

Ingredients

1 pound lean ground beef

salt and pepper to taste

15 corn tortillas

1-2 cups vegetable oil (for frying)

1 cup grated cheddar cheese.  1/2 head of lettuce, shredded

3 Roma tomatoes, diced

1 large can of your favorite red enchilada sauce

1 can of refried beans

sour cream 

salsa

Place the ground beef in a skillet over medium heat.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Crumble meat and cook until brown.  Set aside

Heat up the refried beans in a pot over medium heat on the stove.

Heat up enchilada sauce over medium heat in a pot over the stove.

In a medium skillet heat the oil.  It only needs to be one inch thick with oil.  The oil will bubble and expand when you cook the tortillas and you do not want it to over flow and cause a grease fire.  Heat the oil until it is hot.  Place on tortilla at a time in the oil and cook for 30 seconds on each side.  Remove from pan and place on paper towel.  Repeat until all of the tortillas are fried.

To assemble dip the tortillas into the enchilada sauce.  I like to stack three tortillas on top of each other.  Top with the beans, meat, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream and salsa.  

Voila!

Margarita Pizza

Margarita Pizza is a great alternative to your regular pizza.  I love the taste of the fresh herbs and the fresh mozzarella.  Enjoy! 

Ingredients

1 package of pizza dough mix, or your favorite pizza dough recipe

4 vine rippened tomatoes

1 clove garlic, chopped 

3 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano

2 tablespoons olive oil

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 pound buffalo mozzarella, torn into chunks

a handful of fresh basil leaves

Prepare pizza dough according to package/recipe directions. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Place the tomatoes in a bowl, cover with boiling water from the kettle and leave to stand for 1 minute. Drain, rinse in cold water then peel away the skins. Roughly chop the tomatoes, and place in bowl with the garlic, (if using) oregano, oil and salt and pepper to taste. If your tomatoes are very juicy, you might want to strain off some of the juice.

Roll out pizza into a 12 inch round, place round onto a baking sheet. Top with the tomato mixture, spreading it to the edges but leaving a boarder. Scatter over the cheese and basil. Drizzle over the oil.

Bake for 10-14 minutes, the cheese should be bubbly, and the crust should be slightly browned.

Deep Dish Pizza

Pizza is a staple at our house.  I feel like it is one of the few meals that no one complains about what we are eating.  Most meals  someone is unhappy with the outcome of my hard work but when I make this it is quite at our dinner table.  I have spent my motherhood years searching for a good dough recipe that I love and this is one one of them.  It is pure comfort food and great pizza for the entire family.  This is one thing that you can now make at home and feel like you just went out to a restaurant!

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/3 cup warm water

1/4 cup non-fat dry milk

1/2 teaspoon salt

31/2-4 cups flour

1 tablespoon sugar

1 package dry yeast

2 tablespoons vegetable oil 

vegetable oil 

Sauce

1 can (8 ounce size) tomato sauce

1/2 teaspoon dry oregano

1/4 teaspoon marjoram

1/2 teaspoon dry basil

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

PREPARATION:

Put yeast, sugar, salt, and dry milk in a large (2 qt.) bowl. Add water and stir to mix well. Allow to sit for two minutes. Add oil and stir again. Add flour slowly and stir until dough forms and flour is absorbed. 

Turn out on to a flat surface and knead for about 10 minutes. Divide dough into three balls. In three 9" cake pans, put 2 TBS. of oil in each making sure it is spread evenly. Using a rolling pin, roll out each dough ball to about a 9" circle. Place in cake pans. 

 Cover with a towel. Place in warm area and allow to rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. 

Sauce: Combine ingredients and let sit for 1 hour. 

For Each Nine Inch Pizza: Preheat oven to 475 degrees F Spoon 1/3 cup sauce on dough and spread to within 1" of edge. Distribute 1 1/2 Oz. shredded mozzarella cheese on sauce. Place toppings of your choice on top of the cheese and then top with more mozzarella cheese. Cook until cheese is bubbling and outer crust is brown.

Teriyaki Chicken Bowls

This is a super easy way to have teriyaki bowls.  My brother made this at our family reunion this year.  I took what he did and added a few things.  You can add or substitute any of the vegetables for your favorites.

Ingredients

2 boneless, skinless chicken breast

 3 cups broccoli florets

1 red pepper

1 red onion

1/2 cup carrots, julienned

Teriyaki Sauce

Brown sugar

Rice

Vegetable Oil

The first thing you want to do is flatten your chicken breast.  This helps the chicken to cook evenly.  Lay some plastic wrap down on the counter.  Place your chicken on top of it and then cover with another piece of plastic wrap.  Carefully pound to about 1 inch thick with a meat mallet.  If you do not have a mallet then you can use a rolling pin.  Be careful to not rip the meat.  

Once that is done place the chicken breasts in a shallow dish.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper and drizzle 2 TBS of vegetable oil over the chicken.

Now here is the trick to the teriyaki sauce.  I use the Very Very Teryaki sauce that they carry at Costco but you can use what teryaki sauce you like.  In a small sauce pan empty 2 cups of the sauce and add 1/2 cup of brown sugar.  Bring to a boil and dissolve the sugar.  (You do not need to do this step but the brown sugar tames the sauce so that it is not so strong).  Once this is done cool the marinade and cover the chicken. Reserve 1/2 cup of the sauce.  Let marinade for at least 3 hours.

Prepare your vegetables and set aside. Steam the broccoli for about 5 minutes and set aside. 

Prepare the rice according to the package.

When you are ready to pull it all together heat 1 TBS of oil in a large saute pan and add the peppers and onions.  Saute for about 3 minutes

Add the carrots and saute for another 2 minutes.

Add the broccoli and saute for another minute.

Put the chicken on a hot grill and cook until done.  

In a bowl put a half cup of rice then add some vegetables and cut up chicken.  Drizzle with more sauce and then eat.

Huevos Rancheros

These are awesome for a a brunch or even for dinner.  I made this for my husband for breakfast on Father's Day.  The salsa is amazing and is great just with chips.  If you make the salsa the night before, it gives it time for all for all of the flavors to marry. Happy cooking!

Ingredients

For the salsa:

• 2 small tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 medium jalapeno, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Black Bean Puree:

• 1 (15.5-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon lime juice
• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 (12-inch) flour tortillas
• 1 tablespoon melted butter
• 8 eggs, room temperature
• 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar
• 1/2 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
• Sour cream, for garnish
• 4 small ramekins

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a small bowl mix together, tomatoes, onion, jalapeno, garlic, juice, olive oil, hot sauce, and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

In a food processer, blend all the ingredients together until smooth.

To assemble: Stack tortillas on a cutting board. Using the bottom of the ramekin as a guide, cut 8 circles out of the tortillas. 

Spread the bean puree evenly on 1 side of each tortilla round. Place a round in each ramekin, bean side up.

Crack 2 eggs into each of the 4 ramekins.

 Then add 1/4 cup of salsa, and 1 tablespoon each of Cheddar and jack.

Cover with another tortilla round, bean side down. Do not jam the dishes with too much. The eggs will expand during cooking and overflow. Brush tops of each tortilla with butter and bake on a sheet tray for 35 minutes. Top with remaining cheese during the last 10 minutes of cooking. Cheese should be melted and golden on top. To serve, top with sour cream and salsa.

Green Chile and Chicken Enchilada Casserole

We love Mexican food at our house.  There usually is not a week that passes by that we do not eat it.  So here is one of our favorites. You do not have to make this in a casserole.  You can make individual enchiladas but I usually take the easy way out on this one!!

Salsa Verde:

• 12 tomatillos, husked and rinsed
• 2 jalapeno peppers, stemmed and cut in half
• 1 onion, quartered
• 1 TBS white vinegar
• Water
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 bunch fresh cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 cup pickled jalapeno peppers
• 2 limes, juiced
• Salt
• 3 poblano peppers
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 onion, sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 cups canned chicken stock
• 1 deli roasted chicken, about 3 pounds, boned and shredded
• Leaves from 1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 12 large corn tortillas
• 1/2 pound Monterey jack cheese, shredded
• sour cream

DIRECTIONS

Make the salsa: Put the tomatillos, jalapenos, and onion in a saucepan with the vinegar and water to cover. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and cook until the tomatillos are soft. Drain. Put the vegetables in a blender, add the cumin, and puree. Add the cilantro, pickled jalapenos, lime juice, garlic powder and salt. Pulse to combine. Set aside. (If you do not like your salsa hot, then taste before adding the pickled jalapeno peppers.  Add until it is the right heat for you.  Also, add enough salt and garlic to taste as well. The key for this to be good is taste, taste, taste!!)

Meanwhile, place the poblano peppers directly over the flame on a gas stove and cook, turning with tongs, until the skin is charred and blackened. (Or, if you have an electric stove, put the chilies on a baking sheet and broil, turning with tongs, until the skin is blackened.) Skin the peppers; then seed, core, and dice them.

Heat a 2-count of olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened and caramelized, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute. Stir in the cumin and cook 1 minute. Then sprinkle on the flour and cook, stirring, 1 more minute. Gradually pour in the stock, stirring constantly. Bring to a simmer, stirring to make sure the flour doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan; the liquid will thicken. Fold in the chicken, diced peppers, and cilantro, and season well with salt and pepper.

To assemble the dish: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Dip 4 of the tortillas into the tomatillo salsa and layer it in a 9x13 inch pan. Put half of the chicken mixture over the tortillas and sprinkle with 1/3 of the cheese.  Repeat with tortillas, chicken and cheese.  Top with the four remaining tortillas, pour the remaining tomatillo salsa over the top and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Bake uncovered for about 30 minutes until bubbly and cracked on top. Serve hot with sour cream.

Chicken Rolls (can be used as a make ahead freezer meal)!

I will make a large batch of these and put them in my freezer for nights that I have no time to cook.  They are great!

3 packages crescent rolls

1 8 ounce cream cheese

1/2 cup butter softened

1/4 cup green onions

2 cups cooked chicken

1/8 tsp pepper

1/2 cup melted butter

1 cup Italian bread crumbs

1 can cream of chicken soup

4 ounces sour cream

1 TBS lemon juice

In a medium size bowl cream your butter and cream cheese with a hand mixer.  Add the cooked chicken, pepper and onions.  

(If you do not have a favorite way to cook your chicken, this is how I cook mine.  I like to boil my chicken because this way makes the chicken really tender and it shreds easily.  Place your chicken breast in a sauce pan and cover with water.  Let the water come to a boil and skim off the white foam from the top of the water.  Then add 1 beef bouillon cube, 2 chicken bouillon cubes and 1 tsp dried onion.  Cover, turn to low and simmer for about 30-40 minutes.  Once done remove form water, shred the chicken and set aside.)

Open the crescent rolls and separate.  With one roll form it into a rectangle and add a spoonful of mixture into the middle of the roll.  Bring the side up around the chicken and pinch the dough together so that the chicken mixture is sealed in side.  Set on a sheet pan and repeat until all of the chicken mixture is gone. (HINT: use cold dough; the warmer it is the more difficult it is to work with)

Roll the chicken pillows in the melted butter and then roll in the bread crumbs and return to the pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

While the chicken pillows are baking make the sauce.  In a small pot put the soup, sour cream and lemon juice.  Heat over medium heat until warm.  Serve over the chicken pillows and voila.

(If you want this as a make ahead meal,  wrap each chicken roll in plastic wrap and place in a zipper bag and put in the freezer.  These can be taken out directly from the freezer and baked but you will need to add about 10 minutes to the baking time. Do not make the sauce ahead. It will curdle when you thaw!)