Beef with Mushrooms

I have been tasked to make dinner for my mom tonight. I have been racking my brain for some sort of recipe that my mom would like to eat. She shot down pasta dishes, cream sauces, and any American-style of food. The only thing she told me was to use the mushrooms in the refrigerator. So I figured out a stir fry beef dish to go with it.

Here are the ingredients needed for this recipe:

• 1-1/2 lb. flank steak, thinly sliced strips ( I will be using 1/4 lb)
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp. fresh ginger, minced
• 4 Tbsp. oyster sauce
• 4 Tbsp. soy sauce
• 2 tsp. sugar
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
• 4 tsp. cornstarch
• 1 cup water
• 2 Tbsp. sake (optional)
• 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
• 1 cup fresh mushrooms, thinly sliced (I will be using 5 cups)
• 1/2 onion, thinly sliced

Step 1: In a medium bowl combine the garlic, ginger, oyster sauce, soy sauce, sugar, salt, pepper, water, sake, and cornstarch. Mix well.

Step 2: Add flank steak and marinade for at least 30 minutes.

Step 3: Heat a large saucepan or wok over medium high heat.

Step 4: Add oil.

Step 5: Remove steak slices from the marinade with a slotted spoon or tongs, reserve the marinade, and place into the pan and stir fry until the steak is fully cooked, about 2-3 minutes.

Step 6: Remove from the pan; set aside.

Step 7: Add a little more oil to the pan if necessary and add mushrooms and onion.

Step 8: Stir fry for 3-4 minutes.

Step 9: Add the marinade liquid to the pan and bring to a boil.

Step 10: Reduce heat and simmer for 30 seconds.

Step 11: Return steak to the pan and simmer until heated through.

Scottish Shortbread

So I was watching Gordon Ramsay’s Ultimate Christmas and saw him make a pretty simple shortbread recipe. I really wanted to make it, but a less expensive and wasteful version. It goes really well with tea or coffee in the winter afternoons. This version is a more rustic feel to it and is a bit crumbly, but really buttery.

Here are the ingredients needed for this recipe:

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup rice flour or cornstarch
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup frozen unsalted butter
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract (optional)

Step 1: Take out an 8-in. tart pan with a removable bottom (Since I don’t have that I’ll be using an 8-in. cake pan)

Step 2: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, rice flour, salt and sugar together.

Step 3: Take the frozen butter and grate it over the flour mixture (you can add the vanilla extract at this time)

Step 4: With your fingertips, work the butter into the flour by lifting small handfuls and rubbing the butter and flour together. Do this until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs. (do not form a dough)

Step 5: Evenly press the shortbread into the tart pan, smoothing the top as much as possible.

Step 6:Place shortbread in freezer for 10-15 minutes.

Step 7: Preheat oven to 300°F with the rack in the center of the oven.

Step 8: Score the top of the shortbread, by slightly cutting the top of the shortbread creating 8 or 16 triangles. (will flake don’t worry about it)

Step 9: Press a thumbprint at the edge of each triangle.

Step 10: Prick the surface shortbread with a fork.

Step 11: Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until light golden/biscuit color.

Step 12: Allow to cool slightly in pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes

Step 13: With a sharp knife cut all the way through the score marks on the shortbread (do this while shortbread is still quite warm)

Step 14: Allow shortbread to cool completely in pan on wire rack before removing from pan.

Notes:

1. If you have overly warm hands you can place the flour into the refrigerator to reduce melting of the butter