Basic Bulgogi (Recipe 65 of 125)

Tonight was another fun virtual dinner with my pals from Bellingham, Paul and Suzanna. If you're playing along, Paul and I share a favorite recipe with each other and we cook it. Then we hop on Facetime and we chat about everything and anything...and sometimes the meal. 

Paul gave me something I've never made before, Basic Bulgogi. If you don't know what bulgogi is, it's a Korean dish. I googled it to be sure. Pronounced "bull-GOH-ghee. It comes from bul (fire) and gogi (meat). It's marinated grilled beef (generally using higher end beef for better marbling). It's prepared in a sweet and savory sauce made of soy sauce, sugar and Korean pear juice, then grilled on a barbecue or stove top griddle.

This recipe used pork instead, and it was definitely on fire. I used the tsp of red pepper flakes and WHOA...cleared my sinuses. 

This will be a rerun recipe for me. It was flavorful and so very delicious. I want to try this recipe with beef and I think it'll be extra delicious with chicken. I let mine marinade for 4 hours or so. This recipe doesn't have a strong acid in it so I'd go for more next time. 

I kept about a 1/4 c of the sauce out of the marinade and used it in the end to toss the little pieces of pork goodness in it. Then boiled it down a bit ... so good. 

Basic Bulgogi

Recipe from Bon Appetit

Serves 4

¼ pear, grated

1 garlic clove, grated

2 T soy sauce

1 T gochugaru (coarse Korean hot pepper flakes), or 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 T grated peeled ginger

1 T light brown sugar

1 T toasted sesame oil

1 pound boneless pork loin, trimmed hanger steak, boneless short rib, or skinless, boneless chicken breasts or thighs

2 T vegetable oil, divided

Kosher salt

Sliced scallions (for serving)

Combine pear, garlic, soy sauce, gochugaru, ginger, sugar, and sesame oil in a large resealable plastic bag or medium bowl. Using a sharp knife, slice meat into very thin strips. Add to marinade, seal bag, and squish everything around until the meat is coated. Let sit at room temperature 30 minutes, or chill up to 8 hours.

Heat 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high until oil is shimmering. Remove half of meat from marinade, letting excess drip back into bag; season lightly with salt and cook in a single layer without moving until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Toss meat and continue to cook, tossing occasionally, until cooked through and crisp at edges, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with remaining 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil, remaining meat, and more salt.

Serve topped with scallions.

Thai Peanut Grilled Chicken (Recipe 64 of 125)

Photo from A Sweet Life

One of these days I'm going to have to try my hand at grilling chicken on the bone. I'm not a fan of dark meat but I do like a drumstick every now and then.

I gravitate to chicken breasts almost always. But I think a drumstick is a challenge I need to take. 

So the recipe...It was good but not great. It wasn't nearly as flavorful as I had anticipated it would. It has all the right components, just not great. It made me wonder if drumsticks would have added more flavor.

Thai Peanut Grilled Chicken
Recipe from A Sweet Life

Serves 8

• 1/2 c warm water
• 1/3 c peanut butter
• 1 T apple cider vinegar
• 1 T soy sauce or coconut aminos
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 2 1/2 lbs chicken drumsticks and thighs
• Salt and pepper

In a blender, combine water, peanut butter, vinegar, soy sauce or aminos, garlic, red pepper flakes and ginger. Blend until smooth.

Pat chicken dry and season with salt and pepper. Place in a single layer in a large pan and pour marinade overtop. Turn each piece to coat and refrigerate at least one hour.

Preheat grill to medium. Place chicken, skin-side down, on heated grill and cook 8 to 10 minutes, until skin is crisp (watch for flare ups and move chicken around grill if necessary). Brush with marinade from bottom of pan.

Turn chicken over, brush with marinade and grill another 5 to 10 minutes, until the internal temperature away from the bone reaches 165F.

Turn off grill and let chicken sit inside a little longer to stay crisp before serving.

Panda Express Black Pepper Chicken Copycat (Recipe 63 of 125)

Panda Express used to be one of my favorite places to grab a quick meal. The flavor was always spot on, but it always made me sick. I suspect they use MSG in some dishes and MSG and I don't get along. 

So finding a recipe that claims to be a copycat of my favorite entre seems too good to be true. They are never "as good". 

Well, get your wok out because this one was spot on, I'll say even BETTER than Panda Express. Yes, you read that right. Plus YOU control what goes in it. 

Changes I made... 

• I used chicken breast over thighs
• I added another tsp of ginger to the sauce
• I added a splash of soy to the sauce
• I also doubled the sauce cuz I like things saucy. Not necessary. The ingredient amounts below would have been plenty. 

I also couldn't stop thinking how water chestnuts would be yummy in this dish. I will be making it again. It's easy and it's flavorful and you'll love it!

Panda Express Black Pepper Chicken Copycat
Recipe from Sweetcsdesigns.com

Serves 4

• 6 chicken thighs, boneless, skinless
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 1 yellow onion, sliced
• 3 celery stalks, sliced
• 2 T corn starch
• 1 T garlic powder
• 1/2 T black pepper
• 1/2 T onion powder
• 1 tsp ginger powder
• 2 T peanut oil

FOR THE SAUCE:

• 1/2 c chicken broth
• 1/4 c oyster sauce
• 1/4 c rice wine vinegar
• 1/2 T garlic, minced
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp ginger powder

FOR THE SAUCE:

In a large bowl, mix together and set aside.

FOR THE CHICKEN:

Pat chicken dry and cut into 1" cubes.

Place chicken in bowl, and toss well in cornstarch, pepper, and salt.

Heat peanut oil over medium heat in a large skillet on medium high until shimmery.

Add chicken to oil in small batches so it can cook quickly - don't overcrowd pan.

Remove chicken from pan, place on a plate and repeat the sautéing process with the rest of the chicken in batches until done.

Place all the chicken back into the pan and add vegetables, sauté for about 5 minutes until vegetables are tender.

Add sauce and broth to pan, bring mixture to boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes.

Serve over a large bowl of rice and enjoy!

Honey Mustard Chicken Salad with Bacon & Avocado (Recipe 62 of 125)

I've been wanting to make this for a while and tonight seemed like a perfectly good night to make it. 

Only big change I made is I didn't put in avocado. Blech. I also didn't add the corn - which I don't think was much of a loss. 

Photo from CafeDelites

Otherwise, I marinated the chicken for 2 hours. I grilled the chicken instead of sautéing it. The honey in
the marinade caramelizes nicely on the grill. 

Looking for a light, delicious salad recipe? Make this recipe..

Honey Mustard Chicken Salad with Bacon & Avocado

Recipe from Cafedelites.com

Serves 4

Dressing / Marinade:

• 1/3 c honey
• 3 T whole grain mustard
• 2 T smooth and mild Dijon mustard
• 2 T olive oil
• 1-2 T Apple cider vinegar (or white vinegar), (OPTIONAL -- to cut through the sweetness. I'd include this. I used white vinegar)
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• Salt to season
• 4 skinless and boneless chicken thighs or chicken breasts

For Salad:

• 1/4 c diced bacon, trimmed of rind and fat
• 4 c Romaine lettuce leaves, washed
• 1 c sliced grape or cherry tomatoes
• 1 large avocado, pitted and sliced
• 1/4 c corn kernels
• 1/4 of a red onion, sliced

Whisk marinade / dressing ingredients together to combine. Pour half the marinade into a shallow dish to marinade the chicken fillets for two hours if time allows. Refrigerate the reserved untouched marinade to use as a dressing.

Heat a nonstick pan (or grill pan or skillet) over medium heat with about a teaspoon of oil and sear / grill chicken fillets on each side until golden, crispy and cooked through. (Grill in batches to prevent excess water being released.) Once chicken is cooked, set aside and allow to rest.

Wipe pan over with paper towel; drizzle with another teaspoon of oil and fry the bacon until crispy.

Slice chicken into strips and prepare salad with leaves, tomatoes, avocado slices, corn, onion strips and chicken.

Whisk 2 tablespoons of water into the remaining untouched marinade / dressing and drizzle over the salad. Sprinkle the bacon over the top and season with a little extra salt and cracked pepper (optional).

Chicken Tortilla Soup (Recipe 61 of 125)

After a week of sunshine the rain is back. It was a perfect opportunity for something warm and cozy. 

This is a great recipe. Super flavorful. It has a fair number of steps and does require you to plan ahead. But let me tell you, it's worth it. 

I didn't bother with making tortilla strips for it, I just bought the bag of tortilla strips. Way easier. The problem is they get mushy quicker. Meh. The price I pay for being lazy. 

The maza is a nice touch to this soup. Though when I make it again, I wouldn't bother. It didn't add anything to it that I felt was "OMG that made this meal". 

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Recipe From The Pioneer Woman

Serves 8

2 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts

1 T Olive Oil

1-1/2 tsp Cumin

1 tsp Chili Powder

1/2 tsp Garlic Powder

1/2 tsp Salt

1 T Olive Oil

1 c Diced Onion

1/4 c Diced Green Bell Pepper

1/4 c Red Bell Pepper

3 cloves Garlic, Minced

1 can (10 Oz. Can) Rotel Tomatoes And Green Chilies

32 ounces, fluid Low Sodium Chicken Stock

3 T Tomato Paste

4 c Hot Water

2 cans (15 Oz. Can) Black Beans, Drained

3 T Cornmeal Or Masa

5 whole Corn Tortillas, Cut Into Uniform Strips Around 2 To 3 Inches

FOR THE GARNISHES:

Sour Cream

Diced Avocado

Diced Red Onion

Salsa Or Pico De Gallo

Grated Monterey Jack Cheese

Cilantro

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix cumin, chili pepper, garlic powder, and salt. Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil on chicken breasts, then sprinkle a small amount of spice mix on both sides. Set aside the rest of the spice mix.

Place chicken breasts on a baking sheet. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until chicken is done. Use two forks to shred chicken. Set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a pot over medium high heat. Add onions, red pepper, green pepper, and minced garlic. Stir and begin cooking, then add the rest of the spice mix. Stir to combine, then add shredded chicken and stir.

Pour in Rotel, chicken stock, tomato paste, water, and black beans. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for 45 minutes, uncovered.

Mix cornmeal with a small amount of water. Pour into the soup, then simmer for an additional 30 minutes. Check seasonings, adding more if needed---add more chili powder if it needs more spice, and be sure not to undersalt. Turn off heat and allow to sit for 15 to 20 minutes before serving. Five minutes before serving, gently stir in tortilla strips.

Ladle into bowls, then top with sour cream, diced red onion, diced avocado, pico de gallo, and grated cheese, if you have it! (The garnishes really make the soup delicious.)

Oven Baked Chicken and Rice (60 of 125)

Photo from CafeDelites
She takes the best photos!

I must have read a thousand and one chicken and rice recipes. They are almost always a casserole and almost always have cream of mushroom soup.  I was having Blueberry over for dinner and she's gluten free. Cream of Mushroom soup has gluten (and yes I know there's a gluten free version, I just didn't want to find it). So in my recipe selection for the week was this lovely recipe. A chicken and rice dish that doesn't use cream of mushroom soup. 

This was a GREAT dish. I over salted it unfortunately. It's hard to season chicken and rice when you can't taste either. As I was making it I thought I might have over done it with the salt. That aside, this was a good dish. 

I used chicken breasts instead of thighs. I dislike dark meat and the chicken fat that comes with it. Blech. The chicken didn't dry out though. There's enough moisture in this dish to keep it from drying out. 

I didn't make the mushrooms though. I somehow missed them on the grocery list. They would definitely add to this dish. 

As we ate it we kept thinking of what we could add to it like broccoli or asparagus. Both good choices. 

Oven Baked Chicken and Rice

Recipe from CafeDelites

Serves 6

For Chicken:

• 1/4 c olive oil
• 2 tsp dried parsley
• 1 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper to taste
• 6 skinless chicken thighs, bone in or out

For Rice:

• 1 large onion chopped
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 2 T oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp cracked black pepper
• 2 c chicken broth (or stock)
• 1 1/2 c hot water
• 2 c long grain white rice

For Mushrooms (OPTIONAL)

• 2 T butter
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 14 ounces button mushrooms quartered
• 1/4 c chives, divided
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 T fresh chopped parsley, to garnish

Preheat oven to 350°F

In a shallow bowl, mix together the olive oil, parsley, paprika, garlic powder, thyme, salt and pepper. Add the chicken and coat each piece evenly with the seasoning. Set aside, allowing the flavors to absorb into the meat.

Spray a large baking dish (10-inch x 15-inch or 25 x 35 cm) with nonstick cooking oil spray. Add the onion, garlic, oil, salt, pepper, broth (or stock) and water into the dish. Stir well to combine. Then mix in the rice.

Arrange thighs in the water over the rice, cover with foil and bake for 50 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 20-30 minutes, until the chicken is cooked right through to the bone. Change oven setting to broil for 2-3 minutes to brown the chicken and crisp rice.

Remove chicken thighs, mix the rice through, then arrange the chicken back on top of the rice. Cover and allow it to rest for 5-10 minutes to set all of the flavors in the hot dish. The rice will finish off cooking while resting.

While chicken is resting, prepare mushrooms (OPTIONAL):

Heat butter in a pan over medium-high heat. Sauté garlic until fragrant (30 seconds) and add mushrooms; cook until softened. Stir in 2 tablespoons of chives and season with salt and pepper.

Transfer chicken onto a plate; fluff rice with forks,, then mix the mushrooms through the rice. Arrange chicken back onto the rice in the dish, garnish with remaining chives and chopped parsley. SERVE and enjoy!

Chicken drumsticks can be used with skin on or off. Both work well.

If you prefer using chicken breasts or boneless thigh fillets, add them in after 20 minutes baking time (allowing the rice to cook halfway first as they only need 20-30 minutes baking time).

Arrange your chicken over the rice as the image above shows. We found chicken MUST be placed over the middle section of the rice to make sure the rice gets cooked. Leaving the middle uncovered resulted in a few raw grains. Also, no bueno.

Long grain rice is the best rice to use and cooks evenly. Basmati rice or Jasmine rice can be substituted with the same liquid ratio and cooking time.

Please do not use short grain rice, medium grain rice, risotto, paella or minute rice.

Copycat Cafe Rio Steak Marinade (Recipe 59 of 125)

Photo from Six Sisters Stuff

Winner! Winner! Beef dinner!!

This marinade really hit the spot. Simple, easy ingredients and turns out a fantastic flavor. 

I cut the steak into chunks to marinade them. My theory is there's more surface to take on that marinade then. With this marinade I'm glad I did. 

Make this marinade. You won't be disappointed. In fact, I think I'm going to try it on chicken!

Copycat Cafe Rio Steak Marinade
Recipe from Sixsistersstuff.com

Serves 4

• 1/4 c raw honey
• 1/4 c low sodium soy sauce
• 1/8 c lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1 1/2 pounds steak (sliced about 1/2 inch thick)

In a medium tupperware container or re-sealable bag, whisk together your honey, soy sauce, lemon juice, ginger and garlic.

Add in your steak, and mix until coated.

Marinade for at least 30 minutes (sometimes I'll even let it sit overnight for great flavor).

Grill over medium heat until steak pieces reach desired doneness.

Cantonese Chicken (Recipe 58 of 125)

Here's another recipe from Mom's Gray Tin Box. I have a suspicion that her famous stir fry started as this recipe and was Wraspirfied. That's what I call it when the recipe I know and love has barely anything similar to the recipe I've found in the Gray Tin Box. 

I got to wondering why it was titled "Cantonese" Stir Fry. What's "Cantonese" food? According to this blog, "Cantonese cuisine refers to food from the Canton area of Southern China which includes Guangzhou and Hong Kong. This cuisine is so different from the meals enjoyed throughout the rest of China for several important reasons." Turns out Dim Sum is Cantonese! 

At any rate, this recipe was delicious. In fact, I think I like it better than mom's famous stir fry. It wasn't as salty or heavy. 

Cantonese Chicken

Recipe from: Mom's Gray Tin Box

Serves 4

4 tsp cornstarch, divided

2 T soy sauce

1 tsp ginger

1/4 tsp pepper

3 T oil

1 tsp sugar

2 whole chicken breasts, cut into bite size strips

1 c celery, sliced diagonally

1 can sliced mushrooms (4 oz)

1 c sliced onion

1 package frozen snow peas or 1/2 c fresh

1 can sliced water chestnuts, chopped (Optional, but add it)

Combine 3 tsp cornstarch, soy sauce, pepper and 1 T oil. Pour over sliced chicken and let stand for at least 10 minutes. 

Drain mushrooms reserving the liquid and adding enough water to make 1/2 cup.

Stir in remaining 1 tsp cornstarch and sugar.

Sauté carrot, celery and onion for about 5-8 minutes until just soft. Add mushrooms and water chestnuts and sauté for another 2-3 minutes. Set aside. 

Add another T of oil. Sauté chicken until just done. Add vegetables back to the pan, cook for 3 minutes. 

Stir in reserved liquid mix. Heat for a minute until sauce thickens. 

Jenn Note: I added another couple of tablespoons of soy sauce and water to make the sauce a bit thinner. 

Creamy Garlic Steak Bites with Mushrooms (57 of 125)

Photo from The 
Recipe Critic

Tonight's recipe is brought to you by beef. In fact, most this blog could be brought to you by beef. I
think I might eat too much beef.  NAHHHH...

This was a surprisingly delicious meal. When I saw the title of it I somehow didn't equate the word "cream" with a cream sauce. But that's what it made and boy was it delicious. 

When I make this again, I'd cut my steak bite into bigger sizes. They over cooked being more bite size (too lazy to cut them later I guess). They were fine, but a little less well done would be better. I also seasoned those steak bites (which I took literally) with McCormick Montreal Steak Seasoning. I somehow completely bypassed the Italian Seasoning in the recipe and I couldn't figure out why there was not seasoning in this recipe. Turns out there was, I just missed it. 

Creamy Garlic Steak Bites with Mushrooms

Recipe from Therecipecritic.com

Serves 4

• 1¼ pounds sirloin steaks, cut into 1 inch cubes
• 1 T olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic
• 8 ounce mushrooms
• 1 c heavy cream
• ½ c shredded parmesan cheese
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp pepper
• fresh chopped parsley for garnish

To start, cut your sirloin steak into one inch cubes. Add 1 Tablespoon of olive oil to a medium sized skillet over medium high heat. Salt and pepper the steak bites and add them to the pan cooking them until they are golden brown.

Remove the steak and set it aside on a plate. Add the mushrooms and garlic to the pan and saute until tender. Add in the heavy cream, shredded parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, and salt and pepper. Add the steak back to the pan and allow to heat through and sauce to thicken.

Serve over rice or pasta and garnish with chopped parsley.

Beef Tips and Rice (Recipe 56 of 125)

Photo from TheAnthonyKitchen

This feels like a pretty heavy meal for such a beautiful day in Seattle. But, alas, it's what was on the
menu and so I must cook it. I left out the rice though and just had the beef tips and a side salad. 

Delicious meal. Super easy and full of flavor. I changed nothing of this meal except I forgot the bay leaf. Not sure how much difference that really makes. 

I cut this recipe in half and there was plenty for 3 people. 

This is a keeper for sure. It will be so good in the middle of winter when you need something warm and comforting. 

Beef Tips and Rice

Theanthonykitchen.com

Serves 6

• 3 pounds boneless chuck roast
• 3 T canola or avocado oil, separated
• 2 1/4 tsp Kosher salt, separated
• 1 1/2 tsp black pepper, separated
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 2 3/4 c unsalted or low-sodium beef broth, separated (do not use salted beef broth)
• 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1/4 c all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp soy sauce
• 1 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 c cooked white rice

Cut the chuck roast into 1" cubes using a very sharp knife. Allow to sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes to remove the chill.

Pat the cubes dry with a paper towel and transfer to a large mixing bowl. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of oil, 2 teaspoons Kosher salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, and 1 teaspoon garlic powder. Massage the seasoning into the beef cubes and set aside.

Add 2 tablespoons of oil to a large pan (equipped with a fitted lid) or a Dutch oven over high heat and allow to come to temperature. Sear the cubes in 2 batches. Sear for 3 minutes on one side, then flip and sear 3 minutes more. Transfer beef cubes to a plate and set aside.

Add a 1/4 cup of beef broth to the pan to deglaze, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Reduce the heat the medium-high and add the yellow onion. Sauté for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir the flour, and then add the remaining 2 1/2 cups of beef broth one big splash at a time, whisking well after each addition. Allow to simmer and thicken, stirring occasionally, about 3-4 minutes.

Stir in the soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt, along with a bay leaf, the beef cubes and any accumulated juices. Adjust your heat to maintain a slow simmer, cover and cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes (or until tender to your liking).

Serve over white rice and enjoy!

Chili Mac & Cheese (Recipe 55 of 125)

Photo from Delish

I think I have now learned my lesson. Chili Macs are not for me. Don't get me wrong, this was good. I just don't think chili and mac should go together. They really need to be two different things. 

The only problem with this recipe, which to be fair isn't a huge issue, 2 cups cheese is not enough to make it cheesy enough. It needs more cheese. 

Chili Mac & Cheese
Delish

Serves 6

• 1 T canola oil
• 1 large white onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1 (15-oz.) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
• 1 (15-oz.) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 T chili powder
• 2 tsp cumin
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 3 c low-sodium chicken broth
• 12 oz. pasta, such as orecchiette or shells
• 2 c shredded cheddar
• Freshly chopped chives, for garnish

In a large pot over medium heat, heat oil. Add onion and cook until tender, then add garlic and stir until fragrant, 1 minute. Add ground beef and cook until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Drain fat.

Return pot to heat and add diced tomatoes, kidney beans, chili powder, cumin, cayenne, chicken broth, and pasta and bring to a simmer. Simmer until pasta is al dente, 14 to 15 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in cheddar until just melted.

Garnish with chives and serve.

Slow Cooker Beer Braised Beef with Onions (Recipe 54 of 125)

This house smells amazing. It started smelling amazing around 11 am this morning when I put the 

Photo from Cook's Country

 onions on to cook. The smell of cooking onions is one that is one of my favorite smells. As the day progressed and this concoction cooked, the smell made me so hungry. Tomato-y, beefy, onion-y...all delicious. 

This was a good recipe. It could have used more salt, but that's the cook not the recipe. I didn't taste it midway through like I normally do. I didn't put this over anything, just ate it like a pot roast. Hindsight it would have been good with mashed potatoes. 

My liquid wasn't as thick as I expected it to be. If I make it again, I'd make a slurry with cornstarch and turn it up to high for about 30 minutes. 

Slow Cooker Beer Braised Beef with Onions (Carbonnade)

Cook's Country Dec/Jan 2018

Serves 6

• 4 lbs boneless beef chuck eye roast, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2 pieces
• Salt and pepper
• 2 large onions, sliced thin
• 1 c water
• 2 T vegetable oil
• 1 T packed brown sugar
• 1/4 c tomato paste
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 sprigs thyme
• 3 T flour
• 1 1/2 c Belgian style or lager beer
• 1 c chicken broth
• 1/2 c chopped parsley

Season beef with salt and pepper and place into a slow cooker. [JW note: I actually browned the beef before putting it in the slow cooker.]

Combine onions, water, oil, sugar salt and pepper into a non stick skillet. Bring mixture to boil over medium-high heat. Cover and cook until onions are softened and water is nearly evaporated, about 10 minutes. 

Uncover and continue to cook, stirring often, until onions are soft and dark brown, 8-10 minutes. 

Add tomato paste, garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. 

Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute. Stir in beer and broth and bring to simmer. Cook until thickened, about 2 minutes.

Transfer to slow cooker and stir to combine. Cook until beef is tender, 6-7 hours on high or 8-10 hours on low. Discard thyme sprigs. Skim off fat from surface. Stir in parsley and season to taste. 

Serve with mashed potatoes or wide egg noodles.

Spaghetti Sauce (Recipe 53 of 125)

Tonight's new recipe is brought to you by Mom's Gray Tin Box. My goal was to cook 12 of the recipes in there...if I can find 12 to cook. There's some weird recipes in there. 

You'll notice this recipe says "Spaghetti Sauce" on the top. But at the bottom it says "Lasagna Noodles". Turns out if I unfolded the recipe this is a recipe actually for lasagna. Heh. I stuck to the Spaghetti Sauce. 

The other problem is I haven't a clue who gave mom this recipe. I reached out to the family to see if anyone recognized the handwriting and so far nothing. 

This sauce is delicious. I only made one modification and added a splash of Worcestershire sauce. You do need to add salt and pepper - even though the recipe doesn't say it. 

Spaghetti SauceRecipe from Unknown

Probably serves 4

1 lb hamburger (I used 93% )

1 onion, diced

Garlic Powder to taste (I put in about 1.5 tsp)

1 can tomato paste (the small can)

1 can tomatoes

1 can water (I used the 14.5oz tomatoes can for the water and it worked fine)

I put a T of olive oil in the pan and sauted the onions for a little then added the burger to brown. You might want to salt and pepper the hamburger. Sprinkle with garlic powder.

Once it was browned, add the tomato paste, the tomatoes and the water. 

Simmer for 2 hours. It'll reduce down to be somewhat thick. Because of the 2 hours simmering is why I used the 14.5 oz can for water. I didn't want it to dry out too quickly. 

PF Chang's Chicken Lettuce Wraps (Recipe 52 of 125)

Whenever Blueberry and I go to PF Changs we order the Chicken Lettuce Wraps for an appetizer and them immediately regret it because we're too full for our main meal. 

I've made copycat recipes before of PF Chang Lettuce Wraps. This one was particularly good as I recall. 

But any time I see a "copycat" recipe I gotta try it. Tonight I made this for Blueberry and I.  For 5 minutes we said nothing. The only sounds coming out of us were "mmmmm" and "OMG Sooo good". 

Make this recipe. If you like lettuce wraps, this is a recipe for you. 

PF Chang's Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Recipe from Damndelicious.net

Serves 4
**NO way this only serves 4. I doubled the recipe and we have enough each for one more meal. If you are only doing this as an appetizer, maybe. But if it's YOUR main meal, no way it feeds 4...more like 2.

• 1 T olive oil
• 1 pound ground chicken
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 onion, diced
• 1/4 c hoisin sauce
• 2 T soy sauce
• 1 T rice wine vinegar
• 1 T freshly grated ginger
• 1 T Sriracha, optional
• 1 (8-ounce) can whole water chestnuts, drained and diced
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 head butter lettuce

Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium high heat. Add ground chicken and cook until browned, about 3-5 minutes, making sure to crumble the chicken as it cooks; drain excess fat.

Stir in garlic, onion, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, ginger and Sriracha until onions have become translucent, about 1-2 minutes.

Stir in chestnuts and green onions until tender, about 1-2 minutes; season with salt and pepper, to taste.

To serve, spoon several tablespoons of the chicken mixture into the center of a lettuce leaf, taco-style.

Grilled Chicken Skewers with Indian Marinade and Cucumber Raita (Recipe 51 of 125)

Photo from Andie Mitchell

More grilled chicken. Chicken gets very boring to me, so I have to find decent marinades to make it interesting. 

This marinade was delicious. Easy and yummy. I marinated the chicken for almost 3 hours. It seemed like a good solid amount of time. 

The cucumber riata was delicious, but man... cucumbers and I are not friends. I'll be burping all night. 

Grilled Chicken Skewers with Indian Marinade and Cucumber Raita
Recipe from Andiemitchell.com (formally Can You Stay for Dinner)

Serves 4

For the cucumber raita:

• 1 c plain whole-milk yogurt
• 1/3 of a medium cucumber, peeled and finely chopped
• 2 T minced fresh cilantro leaves
• 1 garlic clove, minced (about 1 teaspoon)
• Pinch salt
• Pinch freshly ground black pepper

For the grilled chicken skewers:

• 1 T olive oil
• 2 T lemon juice
• 2 T minced fresh cilantro
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tsp curry powder
• ½ tsp turmeric
• ¼ tsp coriander
• ½ tsp salt
• Pinch fresh ground black pepper
• 1 ¼ pounds chicken breast tenderloins

In a gallon-sized resealable plastic bag, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, cilantro, garlic, curry powder, turmeric, coriander, salt, and pepper. Add the chicken, press as much air out of the bag as you can, and seal it. Turn the bag in your hands, massaging the marinade into the chicken and making sure that all of the pieces are covered. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours. **If you plan to use wooden skewers, soak them in water for 30 minutes before using.

Make the raita. Blot the chopped cucumber with paper towels to remove excess moisture, then place the cucumber in a small bowl. Add the yogurt, cilantro, garlic, salt, and pepper. Optional: add a pinch of cayenne for a touch of heat. Stir, cover, and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Preheat your gas grill with all burners on high and close the lid. When the grill is hot (after about 15 minutes), turn the 2 burners closest to the front to low, keeping the back burner on high. 

Remove the chicken from the bag and thread the tenderloins on the skewers (dividing the chicken evenly among the skewers). Arrange the skewers on the grates over the low heat burners. Cover and cook until the underside of the chicken is just beginning to develop light grill marks, about 6 minutes.

Flip the chicken, cover, and continue to cook until the chicken is firm to touch, about 6 minutes longer. To get a nice char on the chicken, now move the chicken to the part of the grill over high flames and cook uncovered until each side has solid grill marks, 5 to 6 minutes, flipping halfway. Transfer the skewers to a plate, tent with foil, and let rest for 5 minutes before serving alongside the cucumber raita.