Spicy Stir Fry

Only one Valentine's flower left so I moved it to a new vase, recycling at it's finest!

Tonight Wicket and I got busy and whipped up some stir fry. I'm guessing it was good because there aren't any leftovers. I used the Szechuan sauce I had in the freezer from my sauce making party. I was worried it was going to be too spicy because when I tasted it it was all POW! But once it was mixed with the meat and veggies the spice dissipated. It would slowly build instead of being all in your face. 

Spicy Beef and Broccoli

Ingredients:

1 1/ 2 teaspoons sesame oil
1/ 2 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
1/ 2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/ 2 cup chicken broth
1 1/ 2 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/ 2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon hoisin sauce (didn't have, so I added a spot of honey)
1/8 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1/ 8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/ 4 teaspoon pepper
1/ 8 teaspoon 5 spice powder
2 teaspoons cornstarch dissolved in 1 Tablespoon water

Beef, cut in strips

Broccoli

Directions:
1. Heat the oil in a small saucepan. Add the ginger and garlic and saute 1 minute until softened but not browned.
2. In a bowl combine the remaining except for the cornstarch mixture. Add them to the saucepan and bring to a simmer, covered, for 10 minutes.
3. Whisk in the cornstarch mixture and let boil 1-2 minutes.

4. Meanwhile heat your wok and add beef, 4-5 minutes until cooked.

5. Remove beef, set aside. Stir fry broccoli. 

6. Return beef to wok with broccoli and add sauce. Stir till coated. Serve!

Stir Frying Away!

A few months ago Melissa asked me what cuisine I wanted to learn more about. Deep down I'm a pasta and bread girl but I feel like good Italian food is very accessible for the home cook. The two things I randomly crave but I have clue about are Asian and Mexican. I love a good stir fry from China Town, spicy peanut sauces from Thai places and nothing beats a good enchilada or quesadilla. So here it goes: Wicket, The General and I got busy in the kitchen tonight.

I'm pretty happy with how my first attempt at stir frying went. I decided to stick with veggies because the whole thing is rather intimidating without meat so the simpler the better. I picked out some of my favorite veggies: mushrooms, pepper, baby bok choy, broccoli and a little bit of leftover shallot. I found a recipe for a basic stir fry sauce and augmented it with a few ingredients from a szechuan sauce recipe: white pepper, red pepper flakes and a good squirt of sriracha sauce. My favorite was when you would get a bite with a ginger chunk in it. Yum!

Brown Garlic Sauce

(adapted from food.com)

I used this recipe more as a guideline for ingredients and directions, not for proportions.

Ingredients:
2/3 cup soy sauce (add slowly, to taste)
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/3 cup rice wine or dry sherry
3 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
2 tablespoons cooking oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced ginger
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup water
Directions:
1. In a bowl, combine soy sauce, broth, rice wine, sugar, sesame oil and white pepper.
2. Dissolve the cornstarch in 1/4 cup water.
3. Heat a pan over high heat; add the cooking oil, swirling to coat; add the garlic and ginger; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 15 seconds.
4. Add the soy sauce mixture; bring to a boil.
5. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 1 minute.
6. Add the cornstarch solution and cook, stirring, until the sauce boils and thickens.

For the stir fry I heated up the pan and oil, swirled it around, tossed in my veggies and bam! Stir frying away! Right at the end you're suppose to add the sauce or else it can burn.  I also had fun grinding up the white pepper and red pepper flakes with my mortar and pestle. 

Mr. Lawyer approved and cleaned his plate!

Buffalo-Chicken Macaroni and Cheese!

Since we ate all of the mushrooms from last nights chicken dish all we had left was a bunch of lightly lemony chicken which was just not acceptable. I decided to chop it up and make some buffalo-chicken macaroni and cheese with a poor young couple living in the city twist (read: I eliminated a bunch of the ingredients). The original recipe is amazing and delicious. I highly recommend making it without changing a single thing. I made it last spring for my roommates and there wasn't a lot left. It makes a TON so you might want to cut it in half.

Buffalo-Chicken Macaroni and Cheese 

(Food Network Magazine) 

Ingredients
7 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for the dish
Kosher salt
1 pound elbow macaroni
1 small onion, finely chopped

2 stalks celery, finely chopped
3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup hot sauce (preferably Frank's)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons dry mustard
2 1/2 cups half-and-half
1 pound yellow sharp cheddar cheese, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 3 1/2 cups)
8 ounces pepper jack cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)
2/3 cup sour cream
1 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Directions 

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil; add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 7 minutes. Drain.

2. Meanwhile, melt 3 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chicken and garlic and cook 2 minutes, then add 1/2 cup hot sauce and simmer until slightly thickened, about 1 more minute.

3. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the flour and mustard with a wooden spoon until smooth. Whisk in the half-and-half, then add the remaining 1/4 cup hot sauce and stir until thick, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the cheddar and pepper jack cheeses, then whisk in the sour cream until smooth.

4. Spread half of the macaroni in the prepared baking dish, then top with the chicken mixture and the remaining macaroni. Pour the cheese sauce evenly on top.

5. Put the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a medium microwave-safe bowl and microwave until melted. Stir in the panko, blue cheese and parsley. Sprinkle over the macaroni and bake until bubbly, 30 to 40 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

For our poor young couple living in the city version I used left over green onions instead of a real onion and italian seasoned bread crumbs instead of the panko (and the panko is essential!). I omitted the celery, half-and-half (used 2% milk instead), pepper jack cheese, sour cream, and blue cheese (the travesty!). It still tasted good but it didn't come close to the original in taste or creaminess for obvious reasons. I just pretended I was being all healthy by cutting the cheese, half-and-half, and sour cream. Mr. Lawyer was inhaling it until I told him about the cuts to which I received an anguished "But you could have included ONE of them!!!" The best part is that even though I cut the recipe in half (another cheapo sacrifice influenced by ingredients on hand) there's enough to feed us for three nights!