Beef Teriyaki

Here's a new recipe that we tried and all really liked.  Yay!

Beef Teriyaki
from America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook

1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 sugar
2 Tbsp mirin, sherry, or white wine
2 tsp grated ginger
1 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp cornstarch
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
2 lbs top blade steak, trimmed and sliced 1/4 inch thick
2 Tbsp oil
2 tsp sesame seeds, toasted

1. Whisk the soy sauce, sugar, wine, ginger, garlic, cornstarch, and red pepper flakes together and set aside. 
2. Pat the meat dry with paper towels, then season with pepper.  Heat 1 Tbsp of the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking  Brown the meat in batches, about 5 minutes a batch, and transfer to a clean bowl. Repeat with remaining oil and meat. 
3. Briefly re-whisk the soy sauce mixture to recombine, then add to the skillet. Simmer, scraping up any browned bits, until thickened, about 2 minutes.
4. Return the meat with any accumulated juice to the skillet and toss to warm through.  Transfer the meat and sauce to a serving platter and sprinkle with the sesame seeds.

Tacos!!

My kids like to complain about food.  I know that's not unique.  A lot of kids are picky eaters.  Unfortunately I have a group of them.  Luckily, my oldest is starting to come around and try some new things.  The middle two, though, will complain about the dinner presented virtually every night.  One doesn't like to eat meat.  The other is afraid of anything that might include a vegetable...or maybe an interesting sauce.  Many nights both of them will refuse to even try their dinners.  It's immensely frustrating, especially to someone who likes to express love through making food.  Why won't they accept my love?!!  In all seriousness, there is usually a battle at dinnertime...unless I make tacos.  For reasons unbeknownst to me, tacos is the one meal that all will happily eat.  Therefore, we have tacos quite a bit, at least a couple times a month.  We make them simply, without all the fancy toppings.  Mostly it's because that would be too much for me to plan and have on hand so frequently.  Also, I'm afraid if I try to put a vegetable or sauce on them, I'll spook the kids and break the magical spell.  If you're going to have some very simple tacos, you're are going to need some really good meat.  Here's a recipe for some really good meat.

Tacos
barely adapted from The America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook

1 Tbsp oil
1 onion, minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp oregano
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp salt
1 pound meat (lean beef, pork, or turkey all work great)
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
2 tsp cider vinegar
1 tsp brown sugar

1. Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat.  Add onions and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.  Add garlic, spices and salt.  Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
2. Add meat, breaking up with a spoon, and cook until no longer pink, about 5 minutes.  Stir in tomato sauce, broth, vinegar, and brown sugar and simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes.  
3. Serve with warmed (or homemade if you're feeling really fancy) taco shells and all the toppings your heart desires.

Pork Fried Rice

Pork Shoulder is on sale at our local grocery store so we've been having a lot of pork lately.  I stick the pork shoulder in the crockpot in the morning and we have some delicious pulled pork for sandwiches by dinnertime.  Mmmm.  A four-pound pork shoulder will get you quite a pit of pulled pork so I've been trying to find other things do with all that meat.  This is a great alternative to change things up.

Pork Fried Rice
minorly adapted from EveryDay with Rachael Ray (the September 2011 edition)

1/4 cup frying oil
4 green onions (white and green parts separated)
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 Tbsp garlic, minced
1 Tbsp ginger, minced
1 1/2 cups pulled pork
1 recipe rice pilaf (recipe follows)
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil

1. In an extra-large skillet, heat 2 Tbsp oil until very hot.  Add green onion whites and stir-fry 30 seconds.  Add eggs and scramble until set, 45 seconds; transfer to a bowl.
2. Add remaining 2 Tbsp oil, garlic and ginger and stir-fry 1 minute.  Add pork and stir-fry 45 seconds to heat through.  Stir in rice pilaf and soy sauce and stir-fry 2 minutes.  Return eggs to pan with sesame oil and toss well.  Top with green onion greens.

Rice Pilaf
1 Tbsp olive oil 
1 onion
1 cup rice
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup water
1-2 bay leaves
2/3 tsp salt
1/3 tsp pepper
5-6 oz frozen peas or corn

1.  Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a large saucepot.  Add the onions and cook, stirring frequently, until softened and translucent, 8 to 10 minutes.
2. Add the rice and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.  Add water, broth, bay leaves, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Stir, cover, lower the heat and simmer until rice is cooked, approximately 20 minutes. Remove from heat and fluff with a fork.  Sprinkle frozen vegetables over top of rice and cover for 5 minutes.  Uncover, stir, and let cool completely.

This recipe is really flexible so feel free to make your own adjustments.  It works great with leftover chicken or with other vegetables.  Since Asher is still avoiding eggs, I have to cook my eggs in a separate pan and then take his out before stirring the eggs back into the mix.  Luckily, that's the only alteration I have to make.  Yum!

Waffles (x2)

When we make waffles in our house, I make two batches: one batch for Asher and the kids and one for Tyler and myself.  Asher's are egg-free, whole wheat and generally pretty healthy.  Tyler's and mine are...not.  But boy are they good.

Whole-Wheat (Asher) Waffles
from The Food Allergy Mama's Baking Book

2 Tbsp water
1 3/4 cups soy or rice milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 cups whole-wheat flour
4 tsp baking powder
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees and heat waffle iron per manufacturer's instructions.
2. In a large bowl, mix together water, soy milk, and oil with a wire whisk until combined.  In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, brown sugar, and salt with a wire whisk, and add to the water mixture.  Stir until just combined.  Do not overmix: a few lumps are fine.
3. Spray inside of the waffle iron with dairy-free cooking spray.  Pour enough batter to spread to the edges.  Close and bake according to manufacturer's instructions.  Transfer the waffles to the warmed oven and repeat with remaining batter.

Makes 16 waffles (or two four-sectioned waffles with our waffle iron)

Waffles
loosely based on my Mom's recipe

1 3/4 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp baking powder
2 beaten egg yolks
1 1/4 cups milk
1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled slightly
2 egg whites
2 Tbsp granulated sugar

1. Mix flour, salt and baking powder in a large bowl and set aside.  Mix egg yolks, milk and melted butter in a medium bowl (Unless your milk and butter are both at room temperature, the butter will start to solidify again. You will probably get some chunks from the butter but these do not have a detrimental affect the quality of your waffles).  Add the liquid ingredients to the dry and mix well. 
2. Beat egg whites until just frothy and add the sugar.  Continue beating until smooth and glossy (it will look a lot like marshmallow cream).  Gently stir egg whites into batter.  
3. Pour approximately 1 cup of batter into waffle iron and bake according to manufacturer's instructions.

Makes 2-2 1/2 large, four-sectioned waffles (with our waffle iron)