I Have a Zit

I have a zit on my forehead. I haven't had a real breakout in several years, but here I am trying all the acne remedies and hoping that

A) the zit disappears by Saturday; 

B) the zit doesn't multiply by Saturday; 

and C) my forehead isn't a scaly, flaky mess from over-treating with acne remedies by Saturday.

What's so important about Saturday?

I am going to do my first public food demonstration.

Yikes.

Double yikes.

Double zit-producing yikes.

The South Dakota Cattlemen's Auxiliary in conjunction with The South Dakota Beef Industry Council has asked me (ME!?!) to present a beef recipe as part of a seminar at the Etc. Expo for Her in Sioux Falls this weekend. The expo, sponsored by etc. for her, is 2 days of shopping, fun, entertainment, and pampering designed for women of all ages. This ninth annual event will host exhibits that cover health, food, wine, fashion, home decor, cosmetics, fitness, entertainment, finance, career, art and more.

I will be the first to admit that while I am very confident in my own kitchen, public speaking is stepping way out of my comfort zone. A few years ago, it seemed that all the cool kids in the blogging world were vlogging, or video blogging. I was asked when I would take the plunge, and I quickly informed everyone that not only are my knife skills really poor, I also lick my fingers when I cook. Nobody wants to see that.

Well, here I am, with a zit, a date for a public presentation (waaaay worse than vlogging -- there are no do-overs or edits in public), and a hope that I don't lick my fingers.

My demonstration at the expo will focus on an easy meatball recipe with a twist. It works as a weeknight meal, a hearty game day or party appetizer, and even for entertaining. I will show your how the ever-versatile meatball can solve all your menu dilemmas, and discuss how to effortlessly adjust flavor combinations and even incorporate veggies to create this delectable, make-ahead beef staple.

 It really is an honor to share my everyday kitchen experiences in support of the beef industry and agriculture. "Agriculture is the largest contributor to the South Dakota economy and the beef industry is one of the major driving forces behind our economy." (from South Dakota Beef Council website) While my husband and I actually raise sheep, we live in the middle of cattle country and are surrounded by excellent cattle ranches. Beef is what's for dinner very often in our house. 

Just this past week, we enjoyed another simple and quick beef meal. Mongolian Beef is a slightly spicy dish that comes together almost instantly. It actually will take longer to make a pot of rice or rice noodles to serve with it than it will to cook the thinly sliced beef. The garlic and ginger sauce is boosted by savory soy sauce and green onions offer a slight crunch. 

Putting Mongolian Beef On My Plate is so quick and easy that I have lots of time before Saturday to worry about public speaking and the zit on my forehead. 

Mongolian Beef

(adapted from Cooking Light) 

4 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon honey

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1 tablespoon hoisin sauce

3 teaspoons rice vinegar

1/2 teaspoon chile paste with garlic (more, if you like the heat)

1 tablespoon peanut oil

1 pound sirloin steak, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons fresh garlic, minced

1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and minced

16 green onions, cut into 2-inch pieces

Whisk together soy sauce, honey, cornstarch, hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, and chile paste.
Heat peanut oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
Add beef and saute until beef starts to brown.
Add garlic and ginger and continue to cook until beef is cooked through, just a couple of minutes.
Add green onions and saute for 30 seconds.
Stir in the soy sauce mixture and cook 1 more minute until thickened, stirring constantly.
Serve over rice or rice noodles. (Serves 4)

Take It, or Leave It

Last year, a group of friends and I headed to St. Paul, Minnesota to attend Pink's concert in her Truth About Love Tour. This was my second concert with the fabulously fearless performer. I love the power of her voice, the raw emotion of her lyrics, and the energy of her shows. She is an incredible artist, and did not disappoint us with her top notch performance.

After the concert, we spilled out into the streets with thousands of other music lovers, and the masses, naturally, filled the nearby watering holes. To say that the businesses were crowded is an understatement. It was standing room only as we darted from one establishment to the next in search of a table, some nourishment, and refreshment. We visited with a few other friends that had made the trip to the concert and ultimately decided that our best course of action was to get a cab and head back to our hotel. The crowds were brutal, and we were hungry. At the hotel, we could order a pizza and open the bottles of wine each of us had smuggled in our suitcases. Simple plan, right?

It wasn't so simple. It was March and there were bitter cold windchills that night. Of course being the practical women that we are, we were dressed for a pop concert, not the winter weather. First, we all tried standing together and hailing a taxi. A couple cars stopped and rolled down their windows, but when we named our hotel that was only a few blocks away, they drove off. Really. They decided to leave us standing there in the cold. After awhile, we took turns trying to get a cab to bless us with the privilege of being their fare while the rest of the group stood just inside the doors of a bar to keep warm. It wasn't just cold. It was miserable. And, the taxicabs kept, one after another, driving away.

Finally, one friend comes running into the warmth of the bar and grabs us. Another friend has scored a ride for us! Awesome! We can't believe the luck! We all piled into the dark sedan with a slight, young man behind the wheel. Then, I noticed there was no meter. There was no radio to connect this car with a dispatch office. This was not a cab. This. Was. Not. A. Cab. Yikes.

There were four of us and only one of him. A couple of these women worked out regularly and one handled all her farm chores in addition to her full-time job of nursing. Additionally, we all were empowered by the music of Pink. We could handle this. There was nervous laughter about our predicament and jokes about how he had better not be taking us to the country to kill us because we could kick his butt. It was a tense moment as the driver made a u-turn, but it wasn't to kidnap us, it was only so that we could arrive on the right side of a one-way street in front of our hotel. In the end, he dropped us off at our front door, provided some lively chit chat about the concert scene in St. Paul, and almost sheepishly asked for only $20 for the ride. We were safe. We ordered pizza. It was all just a story to tell about our wild night with Pink.

Still, we couldn't believe the number of legitimate taxi drivers that either didn't stop at all or drove away as soon as they learned our destination was not a big fare. I had no idea when presented with take it or leave it, they would leave us there on the curb. I am incredibly thankful for kind, random drivers that venture out to make a buck or two after crowded concerts and save the day. (And incredibly thankful ours wasn't a serial killer.)

Like a St. Paul cab driver, I can take or leave most Chinese food. I find many menu items too sweet, too salty, too...not suiting to my tastes. Given the option to take it or leave it, I leave it. Except for Kung Pao. It is the dark sedan that saves the day for me. The extra heat of the dried peppers really makes the difference for me in these dishes. An area steakhouse is owned by a Vietnamese family, and Kung Pao is included in their menu. You guessed it. I don't leave it. I take it. Almost every time we dine there.

This Kung Pao Chicken isn't quite the same as that famous at The Homesteader, but it is a very good home-cooked version. Dark sesame oil adds a flavor hit to the dish. Instead of the broccoli and red onions that I often see along side the chicken in a Kung Pao dish, this recipe includes crisp snow peas and red peppers. It is colorful, flavorful, and quick for a weeknight meal. Take it, or leave it.

Kung Pao Chicken

(adapted from Cooking Light)

2 tablespoons dark sesame oil

1 cup chopped onion

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 pound boneless-skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces

3/4 cup water

3 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons corn starch

1 teaspoon brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced

1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes

1 large red pepper, cut into strips

1 cup snow peas, trimmed

2 tablespoons chopped dry-roasted peanuts (cashews are good, too)

Heat sesame oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Add onion; saute until softened. 
Add garlic; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
Add chicken; saute until chicken begins to brown.
Combine water, soy sauce, corn starch, brown sugar, fresh ginger, and crushed red pepper flakes. Stir until sugar is dissolved.
Add mixture to pan, bring to a boil.
Add bell pepper and snow peas to pan; cook until crisp-tender and sauce thickens.
Sprinkle with nuts and serve with rice.  (Yield: 4 servings)

Where Are You From?

I saw this video a few months ago and love it. It pokes fun at the assumptions that many people make about others. Hopefully, it will not only make you laugh, but also cause you to think about how you interact with those that appear different than yourself.

It is wrong on so many levels for me to now post a recipe for Korean Beef Skewers, but there you have it. I discovered a great recipe for tender and flavorful beef, and I saw a short clip that I wanted to share. The two should never be joined, but I have. I am just as much of a jerk as the dude in the video.

Korean Beef Skewers

(adapted from Cooking Light)

5 tablespoons soy sauce

1/3 cup sugar

2 tablespoons chile paste

1 tablespoon canola oil

2 tablespoons lime juice

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 pound sirloin steak, sliced thinly against the grain

1/2 cup water

8 ounces rice noodles

4-5 green onions, sliced

Prepare grill to medium heat. (I prefer charcoal for maximum flavor.)
Combine soy sauce, sugar, chile paste, canola oil, lime juice, and garlic in a resealable plastic bag; add thinly sliced beef strips.
Marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes, turning bag a couple of times to evenly coat all beef.
Remove steak from bag; reserve marinade.
Thread steak evenly onto skewers.
Grill 2 minutes on each side. 
Combine reserved marinade and 1/2 cup water in a small sauce pan; heat 2-5 minutes.
Prepare rice noodles as directed on package. (Soak in boiling water until tender; drain.)
In a large bowl, toss rice noodles and heated sauce; add green onions.
Serve with skewers. (Serves 4)

Fridge Friday: Episode 22

It is the eve of New Year's Eve. The end of 2011. This has been a roller coaster of a year...actually the past couple of years..., and I am looking forward to ringing in the new year with a nice, quiet evening at home. 

That means, I will cook. It also means I need to look inside the fridge. Why not resurrect Fridge Friday and bring you along?

See that package of ground pork on the left of the bottom shelf? It will work perfectly to make Sweet and Sour Pork Sliders. I recently added Easy Chinese: San Francisco to my DVR rotation, and these sliders caught my attention. I think a sweet, but slightly spiced little sandwich is suited perfectly to any New Year's Eve celebration (quiet, or not).

It will be easy to slide into 2012 with Sweet and Sour Pork Sliders On My Plate. Happy New Year!

Sweet and Sour Pork Sliders

(adapted from Easy Chinese: San Francisco)

MEATBALLS:
1 pound lean ground pork
1 pound Jimmy Dean sausage
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

2 heaping teaspoons cornstarch

2 teaspoons sesame oil

4 cloves garlic, finely minced

2 eggs, lightly beaten

2 green onions, chopped

pinch of salt

freshly ground black pepper

1/4 -1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs

Peanut Oil

SAUCE:

1 cup hoisin sauce

3 tablespoons honey

1 tablespoon peeled and grated fresh ginger

1/2 cup pineapple juice

1 teaspoon chili oil

SLIDERS:

32 Hawaiian-style sweet rolls

shredded romaine lettuce

cucumber slices

cherry tomatoes, halved

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except peanut oil.
Divide the mixture into 16 portions and form 16 (slightly larger than golf-ball-sized) meatballs.
Set aside in the refrigerator to chill and firm slightly.
Preheat oven to 350F.
Heat enough oil for frying (about 1/4-inch, or so) in a large wok, skillet, or braising pan over medium-high heat.
Fry the meatballs (in batches, if necessary) until golden brown in the hot oil. (Just sear to seal in juices; the meatballs will finish cooking in the oven.)
When browned, transfer meatballs with a slotted spoon to a rack placed over a baking sheet.
Place baking sheet of meatballs into the preheated oven to continue cooking through and heated to 165F.
Combine sauce ingredients in a large wok, skillet, or braising pan.
Bring to a simmer; add meatballs and toss to coat with sauce.
To assemble sliders, cut each meatball in half; split Hawaiian-style rolls; arrange shredded lettuce and cucumber slices on bottom of roll; add half of a meatball; top with remaining bun; spear half of a cherry tomato with wooden pick; and insert into slider to hold it together. (32 sliders)

A Little Bird Told Me

I am fast becoming a devoted fan of Twitter. Several times a day, I use 140 characters (or less) to share what is on my mind. Millions of others do the same, and the real-time, interactive access to opinions, ideas, information, and just idle chit-chat is addictive.

As my number of daily tweets grows, it is no surprise that I would turn to this social media network when searching for a recipe. Sure, I surfed through my bookmarked recipe sites and mentioned my dilemma to some close friends, but it was a Twitter tweet that ultimately brought me to the salad that I prepared to share with friends over their home-cooked prime rib dinner on Valentine's evening.

My request for "Simple, light, WW friendly salad idea to be served with a Prime Rib dinner tonight?" was met with a reply from someone that shares my interest in food, vintage pottery, older homes, and American Idol. People with like interests do commune together, and Twitter exemplifies that. The suggestion of a Cooking Light recipe for Field Greens with Warm Soy Dressing easily modified to suit the ingredients I had on hand, and really was a perfect pairing with our meal. I am so glad to have a little bird helping me put good food On My Plate.

Field Greens with Warm Soy Dressing

2 (5-ounce) bags mixed salad greens (about 16 cups)
1 cup red bell pepper strips
1 cup diagonally sliced snow peas
1/3 cup diagonally sliced green onions
2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
4 tablespoons apple juice
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
1 teaspoon minced peeled fresh ginger
1 garlic clove, minced

Combine first 5 ingredients in a salad bowl.
Combine soy sauce and remaining ingredients in a microwave-safe bowl.
Microwave at HIGH 30-90 seconds (depending on microwave), and stir well. (Dressing should be warm, but not boiling.)
Pour dressing over salad, tossing gently to coat. (Serves 8)