PF Chang's Mongolian Beef

This was SOOOOO good! Definitely a keeper. It wasn't too hard to make either. Score!
Recipe and picture found on food.com. The boys ate it all up before I could take my own picture. Yeah, it's THAT good. 

Ingredients:

• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• ½ teaspoon ginger, minced
• 1 tablespoon garlic, chopped
• ½ cup soy sauce (I used low sodium)
• ½ cup water
• ¾ cup dark brown sugar
• vegetable oil , for frying (about 1 cup)
• 1 lb flank steak
• ¼ cup cornstarch
• 2 large green onions 

Directions:

1. Make the sauce by heating 2 tsp of vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over med/low heat.
2. Don't get the oil too hot.
3. Add ginger and garlic to the pan and quickly add the soy sauce and water before the garlic scorches.
4. Dissolve the brown sugar in the sauce, then raise the heat to about medium and boil the sauce for 2-3 minutes or until the sauce thickens.
5. Remove it from the heat.
6. Slice the flank steak against the grain into 1/4" thick bite-size slices.
7. Tilt the blade of your knife at about a forty five degree angle to the top of the steak so that you get wider cuts.
8. Dip the steak pieces into the cornstarch to apply a very thin dusting to both sides of each piece of beef.
9. Let the beef sit for about 10 minutes so that the cornstarch sticks.
10. As the beef sits, heat up one cup of oil in a wok (you may also use a skillet for this step as long as the beef will be mostly covered with oil).
11. Heat the oil over medium heat until it's nice and hot, but not smoking.
12. Add the beef to the oil and sauté for just two minutes, or until the beef just begins to darken on the edges.
13. You don't need a thorough cooking here since the beef is going to go back on the heat later.
14. Stir the meat around a little so that it cooks evenly.
15. After a couple minutes, use a large slotted spoon to take the meat out and onto paper towels, then pour the oil out of the wok or skillet.
16. Put the pan back over the heat, add the water, dump the meat back into it and simmer for one minute.
17. Add the sauce, cook for one minute while stirring, then add all the green onions.
18. Cook for one more minute, then remove the beef and onions with tongs or a slotted spoon to a serving plate.
    
    
    We had it over rice. YUMMY!!!

White Chocolate Raspberry Bundt Cake

This cake was so good!  I think that the plate got licked clean!!  I got the recipe from All Things Thrift

via pinterest.  We couldn't get enough of it!!  I followed the instructions for putting it in the fridge, I made it in the morning and we had it that evening!!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Instructions:
1 (Betty Crocker) White cake mix (make as directed)
Add 1/2 cup applesauce (no cinnamon)
Add 1 small package of instant vanilla pudding (just the dry mix)
Mix batter well.

Now that you have your cake batter mixed up nicely, you need to separate the batter into two bowls. So pour 1/3 (approximately) into another bowl.

Defrost 1 cup frozen raspberries and mash them up with a fork. I usually do this on a paper plate so that I can mash them easily.
After the raspberries are nicely mashed, add 1 Tbsp flour and mix.
Add the mashed berries to the bowl containing 1/3 of the original batter and mix well. Set bowl aside.

Take your 1 c. melted white chocolate chips and melt them gradually in the microwave. Be careful not to burn the chocolate. I put them into my microwave in a bowl for 30 seconds the first time, and then I stir the chocolate. Then I put it back into the microwave for 10 second increments while stirring in between until the chocolate is melted completely.

With remaining 2/3 batter add the melted white chocolate. Mix nicely.

Grease bundt cake pan well (I use "Bakers Joy"). I use a silicone bundt cake pan, and it has a nonstick surface that is fantastic. I have never had it stick!

After your pan is greased nicely, coat bottom of pan with 1/2 of the white chocolate/cake batter mix.
Then add dollops of all of your raspberry/cake batter mix to the pan on top of the white chocolate batter.
Then add the remaining white chocolate cake/batter on top of the dollops.

Next you need to create the marble look, so make an S pattern through the batter using a skewer or handle of a wooden spoon. Be careful not to touch the bottom of the pan. This will mix the two batters perfectly to create that marbled look.

Bake 42-45 minutes.
Let the cake cool in the pan for a bit, then turn it out onto a cooling rack.
IMPORTANT STEP: Triple wrap the cake in saran wrap and put it in the freezer (yes I said freezer) for 5-7 days (yes I said DAYS and I meant it). (I'll be honest here though, we have only done this part ONCE. We are much too impatient.) So, this is what we do, we place the cake in the fridge until it is COMPLETELY cool. Then I frost the bad boy. After the cake is frosted, I place the cake BACK IN The fridge to cool the frosting again, and then we serve it cold. It is a MILLION times better cold. Don't get impatient and eat it warm. You WILL be disappointed if you do.

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING RECIPE:
1 stick softened (NOT melted) butter (1/2 cup)
1 brick softened cream cheese (8 oz)
Mix butter and and cream cheese until soft, add 2 tsp vanilla, beat until light and fluffy.
Add 4 1/2 cups powder sugar, one cup at a time. Beat frosting until smooth. (Oh, and I added a few drops of red food coloring to make the frosting pink, and added a few little sprinkles to make it pretty).

3 Ingredient Pork Chops

3 ingredients. Crock pot. That's it. Gotta love an easy dinner. And it was really good! Definitely a keeper.

Ingredients:

• Pork chops (can also use chicken)
• Packet of Ranch Dressing mix
• Cream of Chicken soup
• 1 Can of water or another can of C of C soup (I used water this time, and thought the sauce was a little too runny. I plan to use another can of soup next time.)

1. Put meat in crock pot.
2. Mix ingredients together and pour over meat.
3. Cook on low 4-6 hours.

Oreos

These cookies are so easy to make, and so delicious! Great for any occasion. This time, just happened to be for Superbowl. This icing is the same as the Sugar Cookies.

Cookies:

• 1 box Devil's Food Cake mix (must be DEVIL's FOOD)
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 C Shortening

Frosting:

• 2 Tbsp Butter
• 3-4 oz cream cheese
• 2 C Powdered Sugar
• 1-2 Tbsp milk

Directions:

1. Mix Devil's food cake, eggs, and shortening.
2. Roll into small balls. 
3. Bake @ 350 deg 6-10 min. Cookies will flatten and crater.
4. Match them up and begin to frost the middles. The more frosting the better! :)

Peanut Butter Fudge

Peanut butter and chocolate together are HEAVEN in my eyes. There is no better combination in the world! And this is no exception.
This is quick, easy, and delicious! Great for parties or treats for neighbors and friends. YUM!

(recipe found at bakerella.com)

Peanut Butter Fudge

• 3 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup margarine
• 2/3 cup evaporated milk
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 6 oz package semi sweet chocolate pieces
• 7 oz. jar Marshmallow Creme
• 1/2 cup peanut butter (I like Jif)

1. Combine 1 1/2 cups sugar, 6 tablespoons margarine and 1/3 cup evaporated milk in a medium pot.
2. Bring to full rolling boil, stirring constantly.
3. Reduce heat to medium and continue boiling for 4 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent scorching.
4. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate pieces until melted.
5. Add 1 cup (1/2 jar) marshmallow creme and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Beat until well blended.
6. Pour into greased 13 X 9 pan.

Repeat with remaining ingredients substituting peanut butter and spread over chocolate.
Then, cool at room temperature and cut into squares.

Superbowl XLVI sugar cookies!

It's been a tradition to make sugar cookies for Superbowl. My friend and I would make the cookies for the team we were rooting for. (who of course would always win!) This year's was nice having the two teams have the same colors. But it was still funny to have our NY fans not eat a NE-decorated cookie, and NE fans not want to eat NY cookies. Ha ha!
We usually go all out on decorating, having cheerleaders and putting players names or "blind refs!" This year I kept it more simple. (mainly cuz I didn't have the time) My Patriots logo needs some work, but I don't really care cuz I was rooting for NY anyway. :)

I used THIS Sugar Cookie Recipe. SO GOOD!

Lemon Raspberry Layer Cake

Lemon Raspberry Layer Cake

For the Cake
2 1/4 cups cake flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 ¼ cups whole milk or buttermilk
4 large egg whites
1 ½ cups sugar
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
1 stick (8 tablespoons or 4 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ teaspoon pure lemon extract

For Finishing
2/3 cup seedless raspberry preserves stirred vigorously or warmed gently until spreadable

Getting Ready
Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter two 9 x 2 inch round cake pans and line the bottom of each pan with a round of buttered parchment or wax paper. Put the pans on a baking sheet.

To Make the Cake
Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.
Whisk together the milk and egg whites in a medium bowl.
Put the sugar and lemon zest in a mixer bowl or another large bowl and rub them together with your fingers until the sugar is moist and fragrant.
Add the butter and working with the paddle or whisk attachment, or with a hand mixer, beat at medium speed for a full 3 minutes, until the butter and sugar are very light.
Beat in the extract, then add one third of the flour mixture, still beating on medium speed.
Beat in half of the milk-egg mixture, then beat in half of the remaining dry ingredients until incorporated.
Add the rest of the milk and eggs beating until the batter is homogeneous, then add the last of the dry ingredients.
Finally, give the batter a good 2- minute beating to ensure that it is thoroughly mixed and well aerated.
Divide the batter between the two pans and smooth the tops with a rubber spatula.
Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the cakes are well risen and springy to the touch – a thin knife inserted into the centers should come out clean
Transfer the cakes to cooling racks and cool for about 5 minutes, then run a knife around the sides of the cakes, unfold them and peel off the paper liners.
Invert and cool to room temperature, right side up (the cooled cake layers can be wrapped airtight and stored at room temperature overnight or frozen for up to two months).

To Assemble the Cake
Using a sharp serrated knife and a gentle sawing motion, slice each layer horizontally in half.
Put one layer cut side up on a cardboard cake round or a cake plate protected by strips of wax or parchment paper.
Spread it with one third of the preserves.
Top with another layer, spread with preserves and then do the same with a third layer
Place the last layer cut side down on top of the cake and frost with whipped cream.