~Mongolian Beef~

Have you ever gone to PF Chang's and ordered the Mongolian Beef? This is something similar to that. This is very easy to make and yummy to the taste! We prefer brown rice to white rice, as pictured above. White rice doesn't really carry any nutritional value, let's be honest. White rice is processed; so the outer shell or bran layer is removed which carries the nutritional stuff in rice. So even though brown rice takes way longer to cook, make it anyway! It is worth it. And never buy instant rice--what a waste of carbs and calories!! Ok, off my soap box and back to delicious Mongolian beef. What took the longest for this whole dish was cutting the meat in thin pieces, and I could have cut them thinner, with more care. However, I made this right after a long day of work, so it turned out how it turned out. It was still great!

After you cut the meat in thin strips, roll the strips around in the cornstarch and evenly coat them.

Make the soy sauce... (with a little sugar and a little lovin')

In a separate pan with some oil, cook the beef until it is no longer pink.

Once the beef is completely cooked, add the sauce and let it cook until it thickens a bit.

Once you decide the sauce is thick enough, add the chopped green onions.

Serves 2

you'll need:

1 lb. flank steak, thinly sliced crosswise

1/4 c. cornstarch

3 tsp. vegetable oil

1/2 tsp. grated ginger (about a 1/2 in. piece), optional

1 Tbs. garlic, chopped (2-3 cloves)

1/2 c. water

1/2 c. soy sauce

1/2 c. brown sugar

1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes (use less for minimal spiciness)

3 large green onions, sliced crosswise into thirds

get busy:

Once the steak is cut into thin strips, combine them in a bowl with the cornstarch. With your hands or a spoon, move the meat around so it is completely covered.

Heat half of the oil in a wok or a good-sized skillet and add the garlic and ginger. Immediately add the soy sauce, water, brown sugar and pepper flakes. Cook the sauce for about 2 minutes and transfer to a bowl. The sauce may not be thick at this point--it's ok.

Turn up the heat in the same pan and add the rest of the oil. Add the beef and cook, stirring until all the meat is browned. Pour the sauce back into the pan and let it cook along with the meat. If you want a thinner sauce, take it off the heat and serve it as is. For a thicker sauce, leave it on the heat and let it thicken a bit. Add the green onions at the last minute so the green parts stay crunchy for the most part. Serve hot with brown rice and seamed broccoli.

You'll love this dish! A different twist on a typical beef night.

~Whole Wheat Banana Oatmeal Pancakes~

...With brown sugar. I decided the name would be too long to have that part in it. Besides, it sounds healthier the way the name is! These are healthy for the most part and were every bit delicious!! I enjoyed these so much that I made them for breakfast the next morning. Yes...I made these for dinner one night. On occasion, Jeremy and I like to have breakfast for dinner. It's fun! I am slowly moving away from processed foods, which includes Bisquick, or pre-made pancake mix. I am moving towards all whole foods meals, so I was happy to make these yummy pancakes. Yes they do have sugar in them, so they are not entirely whole foods certified, but they're pretty darn close. The brown sugar can actually be omitted altogether and replaced with unsweetened applesauce if you want a healthier alternative. I just never buy applesauce so I opted for the brown sugar.

I am still too cheap to buy real maple syrup (sorry Ash), but instead of buying imitation maple syrup, I make my own instead! It is soooo easy. Once I had used up my old bottle of store-bought syrup, I washed it out and put my syrup in it. So now I have a bottle for it, too. The homemade syrup calls for maple extract and only 2 other ingredients. News flash: making your own syrup will save you a lot of money in the long run, and I think homemade tastes better too. For the pancake recipe, you need oats--not the instant crapola, but the real deal rolled old-fashioned oats. Healthier! Blend the oats in a blender to get a coarse texture, as pictured above.

Spray your griddle/skillet or run some leftover butter from the fridge onto it. Cook the batter until the little bubbles in the pancake pop. Time to flip!

Cook the pancakes until they are a golden brown. The secret natural sweetener in these pancakes is the banana. It gives the jacks such a good flavor too!

Serves 4

you'll need:

1 c. uncooked rolled oats

1 c. whole wheat flour

3/4 c. all-purpose flour *substitute with whole wheat white flour

1/4 c. brown sugar *substitute with unsweetened applesauce

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 egg

2 c. milk

2 Tbs. vegetable oil

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 banana, mashed

get busy:

Place the rolled oats in a blender and blend until the texture looks like coarse flour. Whisk together the blended oats, whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl; set aside.

Whisk together the egg, milk, vegetable oil and vanilla. Stir in the mashed banana {I mashed mine in my Blendtec until it was smooth}. Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture and mix together.

Heat a lightly buttered griddle/skillet over medium-high heat. The rest is followed as you would do any pancake. I hope you enjoy these--they truly were phenomenal!

Homemade Maple Syrup:

you'll need:

2 c. sugar

1 c. boiling water

1/2 tsp. maple extract

get busy:

Pour 1 c. boiling water over 2 c. sugar in a pot over medium-high heat. Add the maple extract and stir until the sugar has completely dissolved. Makes 2 1/4 c. syrup. This recipe is a runnier syrup.

For a thicker homemade syrup:

Add 2 Tbs. water, 1/4 c. sugar 1 1/2 c. corn syrup and 1/2 tsp. maple extract in a small pot. Boil for 2 minutes. It will thicken as it cools. Makes 1 pint.

~Baked Parmesan Asparagus~

I love asparagus!!! I usually eat asparagus steamed or grilled, but it was cold out this night. So I decided to bake it in the oven! The only thing I did to the spears was roll them in some olive oil and shred some Parmesan on top (and a dash of salt!). If you have the chance to buy asparagus, by the fatter spears. They taste better for some reason. These are incredibly easy to make, and only take a few ingredients. For the most part, I try to keep my veggies simple so I get used to eating them the way they are. If you can only enjoy green beans loaded with cheese and sauce, it's not too healthy then, is it...

Serves 4

Simple enough: Turn on the oven to 350. Take your washed asparagus (about a pound, or whatever comes in the rubber band) and snap off the ends. Roll them in some olive oil {I use extra light olive oil} on a cookie sheet. Add some salt and shredded Parmesan cheese. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until soft. Done! How easy is that? What you'll find is it is even tastier than it is easy.

~Cilantro Lime Pesto Chicken Fajitas~

Mmm-mmm! I can't get enough of lime and cilantro lately. Such an easy and scrumptious recipe! Anyone can make this, honestly. The only this "special" you need is a food processor (I used my Blendtec). The pesto whips up in about 20 seconds, and the rest goes quickly, too. I have always had fajitas with the typical steak or chicken cooked in fajitas seasoning. I like it that way; I just decided to try it a new way, and these turned out fab!

First, cook the chicken in some olive oil seasoned with salt, pepper and garlic powder.

Then make the cilantro lime pesto with just a few ingredients in your mixer/food processor/blender.

I recommend fresh Parmesan for this recipe. Funny enough, last week was the first time I had ever bought fresh Parmesan...I loved it, and will now be buying it this way from now on.

Serves 2

you'll need:

2 chicken breasts, boneless/skinless, cut into thin strips

salt and pepper to taste

olive oil, vegetable oil

1 tsp. garlic powder

whole wheat tortillas

1 avocado

1 green or red bell pepper, thinly sliced (red will give more color)

1 medium yellow onion, sliced fajita-style

typical fajita garnishes: sour cream, tomatoes/salsa, cheese

Pesto: (adapted from Food Network)

1 c. fresh cilantro leaves, omit stems

2 1/2 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil

2 Tbs. sliced toasted almonds

3 Tbs. minced garlic

1 1/2 tsp. lime juice

1/2 c. fresh Parmesan, shredded

1 1/2 tsp. Kosher salt (normal iodized can be substituted)

1/4 c. chicken broth

get busy:

Pesto: Using a blender, mix together the ingredients until well blended, set aside.

Fajitas: Season the chicken with salt, pepper and garlic powder. In a skillet, add a little olive oil and cook the seasoned chicken through on medium high heat. Toss the cooked chicken with the pesto; set aside. In the same skillet, pour some vegetable oil (1-2 Tbs.) and add bell pepper and onion. Sautee until soft. Warm up the tortillas and add all the fixin's. You can't go wrong with this recipe. It's delicious, and healthy!

~Mom's Potatoes~

I call these "Mom's potatoes" because I got the recipe from my mom and this is her favorite way to eat potatoes. I also don't know anyone else who makes them like this. I don't make a starch side very often anymore, but for some reason on Sundays (and when I make a delish roast) it's fitting to have a side of potatoes. I'd have to say this is my favorite way to eat potato these days. You can call this dish whatever you want...creamy baked potatoes...cheesy potatoes...what ever floats your boat!

Slice the potatoes fairly thin (we have a food slicer we got from Jeremy's dad for Christmas and it cuts potatoes in about 15 seconds...amazing time-saver). Pour heavy whipping cream over the sliced potatoes, then the rest of the ingredients. Cook for about an hour, and then they're done.

Full recipe serves 6-8

you'll need:

6-8 brown potatoes

1 1/2 c. heavy whipping cream

1 c. sharp cheddar cheese, grated

garlic salt

pepper

dried parsley

get busy:

Preheat the oven to 350. Peel the potatoes but leave some skin on (as much as you can handle). Slice the potatoes fairly thin or in wedges. The thinner the slice, the faster they cook. Put slices into a 9x13 pan. Drench with the heavy whipping cream. Liberally sprinkle on the garlic salt. Add a little pepper. Lastly cover the top of the potatoes with the cheese evenly and sprinkle a little parsley on top. Cook in the oven for about 1 hour, or until you can stick a fork in the potatoes and they feel soft. That's it! I promise whomever you make these for will love them They are a go-to potato dish for me every time!

~Easy Oven Pork Roast~

I have yet to hear of an easier way to make a pork roast in the oven. My Italian nana made it this way, Supermom makes it this way, and now I do too. I got to use my new meat thermometer from Christmas! (thanks Mom). Besides the meat, this roast takes 3 ingredients. Easy!

The secret is out! This is what make the roast so succulent, flavorful (and easy). You need to know what Kitchen Bouquet looks like because if you go to the store and ask for it, chances are no one will know what it is. I recommend buying this from a Super Target or Walmart because it is about 2 or 3 dollars cheaper there than it is at any other grocery store. Note: a little of this goes a loooong way. Don't pour too much out!

serves 4-6

you'll need:

2-3 lb pork loin roast

garlic salt to taste

pepper to taste

Kitchen Bouquet

get busy:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the roast in a 9x9 pan or whatever it fits comfortably in, fat side up. Pour a little Kitchen Bouquet over the roast with a basting brush, making sure the top and sides are completely covered and dark brown. You may need to pour a little more Kitchen Bouquet. Liberally sprinkle garlic salt on the top of the roast. Season with pepper. Bake for an hour or until a meat thermometer reads 145. No need to pour water in the pan; a ton of juice should come out of the roast. That's it!

So easy. So good. This is a great Sunday dish and once you buy the delicious Kitchen Bouquet, it will last you quite a while. I've had the the same bottle for over two years. The most flavorful part of this is the fat on the top, so don't omit it. Hope you like it!

Holiday Fun (of course in the sun)

We have had a fun past month+, with Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's. It seems I look forward to the holidays for months and months and with a flash, they pass. I took down all of my Christmas decorations yesterday--boo (except the tree...I may let Jeremy do that). However, we did have a good Christmas and a fun month overall. Jeremy has to work like a madman since he is basically starting his own business, but we have some fun trips coming up in 2012!

Almost all of the Hoover family was together for Thanksgiving, sans Ashley and Barrett because they just had baby Dirk. We had a lot of food, fun and laughs. This is my oldest brother, Adam. Such a stud.

The day after Christmas, my mom, sis-in-law Kelli, Jeremy and I went to Balboa Island to kayak and be in the sun. It was a gorgeous day and about 70 degrees. I love Christmas time here. We walked around some of the houses and saw the cutest mailbox (pictured bottom left).

...And of course we munched on Balboa Bars. If you haven't had them, get them! You get a huge vanilla ice cream bar and you get to pick from a bunch of different toppings. And of course, it comes with chocolate. Duh. I got a froze banana this time dipped in chocolate, oreo crumbles and toasted almonds. Soo good. Jeremy and I kayaked around the whole island, saw some beautiful homes, schools of fishies (and a pelican swallowing some of them) and HUGE yachts.

For Christmas, Kelli got me a pizza stone; I was so thrilled! She swears this is how you make good pizza. I am also learning to improve on the dough part...So last Friday we made margherita pizza. Yum!

New Year's Eve, Jeremy had to study for another test, so I headed to the beach for a bit to read my new Women's Magazine and people watch.

I had a work party where we also had a ugly sweater contest, and I brought a buttermilk blueberry breakfast cake. It was inhaled in about twenty minutes :-)

I also went to the feed the duckies down the street my nasty homemade graham crackers that didn't turn out so well, but they weren't picky. In fact, the geese right here ate right out of my hand!

J and I have found a yummy local pizzeria not too far from our house that we went to during Christmas madness shopping.

Yum.

The blueberry buttermilk breakfast cake that I made. When I got back to the pan, even the crumbs had been eaten. Jeremy also surprised me with two tickets to Kauai. We are going to Hawaii in March with his family; I can't wait! We also get to see his family for his cousin's wedding. And a third fun trip for me: I'm flying to Utah in a few weeks to see my sister and her new baby (and work a little too). Can't wait.

I hope everyone had a great Christmas and got to spend time with those who matter most.