Beef and Sweet Potato Stir-Fry

Beef and Sweet Potato Stir-Fry
serves 2-4

Ingredients:
1/2 lb. Flank Steak
1-1/2 tsp. Soy Sauce
1-1/2 tsp. Peanut Oil
1-1/2 tsp. Oyster Sauce
1 Sweet Potato, cut into matchsticks
2 Small Dried Red Chiles
4 Green Onions, cut into 1-1/2-in pieces
2 Cloves Garlic, thinly slice
1-in Fresh Ginger, cut into thin slices
Fresh Cilantro (garnish)
Cooked White Rice

Instructions:
Cut the steak in half lengthwise. Cut the halves against the grain into slices about 1/8-in thick. In a small bowl, toss together the beef, the soy sauce, the peanut oil, and the oyster sauce. Cover and refrigerate for two hours.

In a large heavy frying pan over high heat, warm 2 tablespoons of the oil. Add the beef and sear for 1 minutes without stirring. Stir-fry the beef until the meat is cooked through, about 2 minutes. Remove from the pan.

Return the pan to high heat and heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Add the sweet potato and dried chiles, season with salt, and sear for 1 minutes without stirring. Add the green onions and stir-fry until the potatoes are just tender, about 1 minute. Add the garlic and ginger and stir-fry for 1 minute longer. Return the beef to the pan and stir-fry until heated through.

Serve over white rice immediately. Garnish with cilantro.

Spaghetti with Arugula-Mint Pesto

Spaghetti with Arugula-Mint Pesto
serves 4

Ingredients:
5 c. Arugula
3/4 c. Fresh Mint Leaves
1/2 c. Olive Oil
1/2 c. Parmesan, shredded
2 Cloves Garlic
Zest of 1 Lemon, plus 2 tbs. Lemon Juice
Salt and Pepper
1 lb. Spaghetti

Instructions:
In a blender, combine the arugula, mint, olive oil, cheese, garlic, lemon zest, and salt and pepper to taste. Blend until smooth. Stir in 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook until al dente, 10-12 minutes or according to the package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water. Drain the pasta and return it to the empty pot.

Toss the pesto with the spaghetti. Thin it out with a small amount of pasta water if necessary. Taste, season with salt and pepper, and toss with the additional 1 tablespoon lemon juice.

Divide among serving bowls. Sprinkle cheese over each serving, and serve immediately.

Beef, Broccoli & Crisp Garlic Saute

Beef, Broccoli, & Crisp Garlic Saute

serves 4

Ingredients:

1 lb. Flank or Skirt Steak

1 tbs. Cornstarch

1/4 tsp. Salt

1/4 tsp. Sugar

1/4 tsp. Baking Soda

2 tbs. Canola Oil

3 Cloves Garlic, thinly sliced

1/4 tsp. Red Pepper Flakes

2 c. Small Broccoli Florets

3 tbs. Dry White Wine (sub. white grape juice for sweet flavor or chicken broth)

2 tbs. Soy Sauce

Cooked White Rice

Instructions:

Cut the beef across the grain into strips about 3-in long and 1/4-in thick. In a bowl, stir together the cornstarch, salt, sugar, baking soda, and 2 tbs. water. Add the beef and stir until well mixed. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.

In a frying pan over high heat, add the canola oil. When the oil is hot, add the garlic and red pepper flakes and saute until crisp, about 1 minute. 

Add the beef, broccoli, and 2 tablespoons of the wine (or substitute) to the pan and cook until the beef is opaque and the broccoli is tender, about 5 minutes. Add the soy sauce and the remaining wine and stir for 1 minute.

Transfer to warmed plates and serve with steamed rice. 

Pan-Seared Scallops with Sauteed Oranges

Pan-Seared Scallops with Sauteed Oranges

serves 4

Ingredients:

1 Navel Orange, peeled and segmented (juice reserved)

1 Blood Orange, peeled and segmented (juice reserved)

Salt and Pepper

1/2 tsp. Ground Cumin

1 lb. Large Sea Scallops

1 tbs. Olive Oil

2 tsp. Sherry Vinegar

1 tbs. Butter, unsalted

2 tsp. Fresh Cilantro, chopped 

Instructions:

In a small dish, combine a pinch each of salt and pepper with the cumin. Sprinkle the scallops with the seasoning mixture. In a frying pan over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. Cook until browned on the bottom side, 1-2 minutes. Turn and cook on the other side until just firm to the touch and still a bit translucent in the center, 1-2 minutes longer. Transfer to a place and keep warm.

Add the vinegar and reserved orange juice to the pan and cook until reduced by half, 1-2 minutes. Add the orange slices and cook for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter. Return the scallops along with and any juices to the pan and stir to coat with the sauce. Transfer to plates, top with the sauce and oranges, and sprinkle with cilantro. Serve immediately over cooked brown rice.

Pasta with Brussels Sprouts, Shallots & Asiago

Picture to Come

Pasta with Brussels Sprouts, Shallots & Asiago
serves 6

Ingredients:
8 Shallots, peeled
1 tbs. Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
1 lb. Linguine Pasta
1 tbs. Butter, unsalted
1 lb. Brussels Sprouts, thinly sliced
1/2 tsp. Sugar
1 tbs. Sherry Vinegar (I used apple vinegar.)
3/4 c. Heavy Cream
1/4 c. Asiago Cheese, grated

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place the shallots in a small baking dish and drizzle with the olive oil and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil. Roast until tender, 35-40 minutes. When cool, cut the shallots into 1/2-in slices and set aside.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, 6-7 minutes or according to package directions.Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water and drain the pasta.

While the pasta is cooking, heat the butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat until lightly browned. Stir in the brussels sprouts with a pinch of salt and the sugar. Cook, stirring often, until the brussels sprouts begin to soften, 3-4 minutes. Add the vinegar and cook, stirring, until it reduced to a syrup, about 1 minute. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the cream and shallots. Season with salt and pepper.

Add the drained pasta to the brussels sprouts and stir to combine, adding some of the reserved pasta water if it seems dry. Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle cheese over the top. Serve right away.

Sauteed Apples with Pork Chops

Picture To Come

Sauteed Apples with Pork Chops
serves 4

Ingredients:
4 Boneless Pork Loin Chops
Salt and Pepper
1/4 c. Flour
1 tbs. Butter, unsalted
1 tbs. Olive Oil
1 Yellow Onion, diced
2 Granny Smith Apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch wedges
1 tsp. Fresh Rosemary, minced
1 tsp. Honey
1 c. Chicken Broth
2 tbs. Heavy Cream

Instructions:
Season the pork chops with salt and pepper. Mix the flour with a pinch of each salt and pepper. Dredge the pork chops in the flour, shaking off the excess.

Melt the butter with the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the chops and cook until brown, 2-3 minutes per side. Set aside.

Add the onion to the pan with a pinch each of salt and pepper and saute until soft and translucent, 4-5 minutes. Add the apples, rosemary, honey, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Saute until the apples are just gold in spots, 1-2 minutes. Add the broth and, using a wooden spatula, scrape up any browned bits in the pan bottom.

Return the chops to the pan and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and cook, turning the chops once, until the are tender and register 145 degrees, 7-10 minutes. Add the cream to the pan, raise the heat to high, and cook until the sauce is slightly thickened, 1-2 minutes.

Serve immediately with rosemary potatoes and asparagus.

Avocado Cream Chicken Enchiladas

Avocado Cream Chicken Enchiladas
serves 4-5

Ingredients:
For the Enchiladas:
2 tbs. Olive Oil
1 Yellow Onion, peeled and thinly sliced
2 Poblano (or Anaheim) Peppers, stemmed and thinly sliced
1 Jalapeno Pper, finely diced
8-10 Flour Tortillas
4 c. Shredded Cooked Chicken (I used the crock pot to cook the chicken all day prior to shredding.)
2-3 c. Monterrey Jack Cheese, shredded

For the Avocado Cream Sauce:
2 tbs. Butter
2 tbs. Flour
2 c. Chicken Broth
3/4 c. Sour Cream
1/2 tsp. Cumin
1/2 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. Garlic Powder
1/4 tsp. Peppr
2 Avocados, peeled and pitted
1/2 c. Cilantro, freshly chopped
Juice of 1 Lime

For the Toppings:
Sour Cream
Shredded Cheese
Cilantro

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9X13 baking dish. (Pyrex works great!)

First make the avocado cream sauce. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium high heat. Add the flour, whisking until golden and bubbly, about 2 minutes.

Slowly whisk the broth into the flour mixture. Bright to a boil, stirring occasionally, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 3-5 minutes.

Stir in the sour cream, cumin, salt, garlic powder, and pepper, whisking, if necessary, to remove any lumps.

Remove from heat and transfer mixture to a blender or food processor. Add avocados, cilantro, and lime juice, and pulse until smooth and well blended. (Be very careful blending hot liquids...the heat will expand! So be sure to remove the lid occasionally so that the heat can escape.)

In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, poblanos, and jalepeno, and saute for 5-6 minutes, or until the onions are cooked and translucent. Remove from heat.

Assemble the enchiladas. Place a tortilla on a flat surface. Spread a tablespoon or two of the avocado sauce down the middle of the tortilla. Then layer on some of the vegetable mixture, shredded chicken, and cheese. Carefully roll the tortilla and place it seam-side down in the baking dish.

Repeat with the remaining tortillas.

Drizzle the top with about 3/4 of the remaining avocado cream sauce, then cover the dish with foil and back for 20-25 minutes, or until the tortillas are heated through and begin to harden.

Remove from the oven an serve individual enchiladas drizzled with the remaining avocado cream sauce and desired toppings. Enjoy!