Front Burner

So this is the first post that will not have an accompanying photo. I know... scandalous. The food was eaten so fast I didn't have a chance to capture the right opportunity. But I had to post the recipe anyway because it's incredibly easy, fast, and loved by 5 children and 2 adults (with a doubled recipe.) I served it on top of warm soba noodles with a side of steamed snow peas and carrots. (I also omitted the chile paste to remove the spiciness.)


Mongolian Beef

2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 teaspoons dry sherry
2 teaspoons hoisin sauce
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon chile pasted with garlic
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons peanut oil (or sesame oil)
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
1 pound sirloin steak, thinly sliced across the grain
16 medium green onions, chopped

Combine first 8 ingredients, stirring until smooth. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add minced ginger, garlic and beef; saute for 2 minutes or until beef is no longer pink. Add green onions; saute 30 seconds. Add soy sauce mixture; cook one minute or until thickened, stirring constantly. Yield: 4 servings.

I made this "casserole" as a side dish to accompany a grilled flank steak dinner and it was definitely a winner. The kids cleaned their plates, Joe was full of compliments and the leftovers didn't last long. A little time consuming but worth it in the end. The flavors were fantastic.


Bacon-Potato Bake

8 cups thinly sliced peeled red potatoes

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup (8 oz) sour cream

2 tablespoons butter, melted, divided

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1/4 cup dry bread crumbs

8 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled

Place potatoes in a Dutch oven; cover with water and bring to a boil. reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until tender. Drain; cool for 10 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine flour, eggs, sour cream, 1 tablespoon butter and salt. Spoon over potatoes and toss to coat. Place half of the potato mixture in a greased 2-qt baking dish; top with half of the cheese and half of the bacon crumbles. Repeat layers.

Toss bread crumbs with remaining butter; sprinkle over the top. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

These cookies are an absolute "must-try" for anyone who loves coconut, especially in combination with chocolate. I altered a recipe I found to fit the way I thought they should be and this is the fantastic results!! Joe was not a big fan but he's hard to please when it comes to cookies. I, on the other hand, could have eaten the entire batch myself but had to have some self restraint...


Coconut Kisses

1/3 cup butter, softened
3 oz cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg yolk
1/2 tsp almond extract
1/2 tsp coconut extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
5 cups sweetened flaked coconut, divided
dark chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate chips

In a large bowl, cream the butter, cream cheese, and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolk and extracts. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in 3 cups coconut. Cover and refrigerate one hour or until easy to handle.

Roll into 1-inch balls and roll in the remaining coconut. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.

Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Immediately press an indentation in each cookie with a small measuring spoon. Fill each indentation with 4-5 chocolate chips and let sit a few minutes to melt. Swirl chocolate with toothpick and remove cookies to wire racks to cool completely.