Mongolian Beef

Approximate time: 35 minutes
Servings: 2 (I doubled the recipe and it fed 5)

• Ingredients
• 2 tsp vegetable oil
• 1/2 tsp minced ginger
• 1 tbsp chopped garlic
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/2 cup water
• 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1 lb flank steak
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 2 large green onions

Directions

Make the sauce by heating 2 tsp of oil in medium saucepan over med/low heat. Don't get the oil too hot or you'll get spatter hwen adding the other liquids. Add ginger and garlic to the pan and quickly add the soy sauce and water before the garlic scorches. 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 heat.

Slice the flank steak against the grain into 1/4 inch thick bite-size slices. Tilt the blade of your knife at about a 45 degree angle to the top of the steak so that you get wider cuts. Dip the steak pieces into the cornstarch and apply a thin dusting to both sides of each piece of beef. Let the beef sit for about 10 minutes so that the cornstarch sticks.

As the beef sits, heat up one cup of oil in a wok (or skillet). Heat the oil over medium heat until it's nice and hot, but not smoking. Add the beef to the oil and saute for 2 minutes or until the beef just begins to darken on the edges.

You don't need a thorough cooking here since the beef will go back on the heat later. Stir the meat around a little so it cooks evenly. After a couple of minutes, use a large slotted spoon to take the meat out and place it on paper towels. Then pour the oil out of the wok.

Put the pan back over the heat, dump the meat back into it and simmer for one minute. Add the sauce, cook for one minute while stirring, then add all the green onions. 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.

* This tastes just like PF Chang's Mongolian Beef, it is so good and not really hard at all. I sliced the pieces to thick, I think they need to be fairly thin, just like you would find at PF Chang's. Also, we over cooked these a tad, so make sure to not over cook them. Well worth making for those of you who are Chinese food lovers like I am.

Honey-Teriyaki Chicken with Snap Peas on Cellophane Noodles

Approximate Time: 30 min
Servings: 4-5

Ingredients
Cooking spray
1/2 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon blackstrap molasses
1 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon liquid smoke seasoning
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into thin strips
1/4 cup sesame seeds, lightly toasted
8 ounces cellophane noodles, soaked in hot water until tender
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
2 teaspoons sesame oil
4 cups snap peas, steamed

Directions
Coat a stove-top grill pan or griddle with cooking spray and set over medium-high heat to preheat.
In a shallow dish, whisk together soy sauce, honey, molasses, ginger, garlic, liquid smoke seasoning, and black pepper. Add chicken strips and turn to coat. Place chicken on hot grill and cook 5 to 7 minutes, until cooked through, turning once during cooking. Remove chicken from grill pan and roll in toasted sesame seeds.
Drain cellophane noodles and toss with cilantro and sesame oil. Serve chicken with noodles and snap peas.

Wonton Salad

Ingredients
Fried Wontons, cut into strips
3 green onions, chopped
1 head lettuce, (iceberg), torn
Cooked shrimp or chicken (approx. 2 c.)
toasted sesame seeds

Mix salad ingredients and add dressing just before serving.

DRESSING:
4 tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. salad oil
6 tbsp. white vinegar
Garlic salt to taste
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 tbsp. sesame oil

Make dressing ahead

*I am actually posting this recipe because it is one of the few Wonton Salad Dressings I have found that doesn't call for MSG. I really try not to eat things with MSG in it. If you would like to learn more on MSG, please read this article that was sent to me. http://across.co.nz/MSGpoisoning.html