February | 2016 | Ski Boots in the Kitchen

Who doesn’t love Chinese takeout? I know I am a huge fan when I am not in the mood to cook! I love to eat it right out of the takeout box- I think it tastes better that way. When I am in the mood to cook, I like to make “takeout fake out” Chinese food recipes. One of my favorites is this crock-pot Beef and Broccoli. I make that recipe all the time and I think my husband is starting to get sick of it! So it was time for a new takeout copycat recipe. This recipe for Beijing Beef is super delicious! It requires a little bit of patients because you have to fry the beef in batches, but the result is wonderfully crispy and tender pieces of steak tossed in a sweet and tangy sauce. Serve the beef with white or brown rice or if you are feeling extra adventurous mix up a batch of homemade fried rice. Enjoy!

Beijing Beef (Serves 4)

Ingredients:

1 lb flank steak, sliced into thin strips
6 tablespoons cornstarch, for dusting
vegetable oil, for frying
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
2 medium bell peppers (one red, one yellow or green), sliced
1 medium onion, sliced

Marinade

1 egg
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon cornstarch

Sauce

4 tablespoons water
4 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons vinegar
1/4 teaspoon chili pepper
2 teaspoons cornstarch

Directions:

Cut beef into thin strips. Combine all marinade ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Add beef slices and marinate for 15 minutes.
While beef in marinating mix all of the sauce ingredients together in a bowl and refrigerate.
When the beef is done marinating coat the beef slices with 6 tablespoons of cornstarch. Remove any access cornstarch and deep fry (either in a deep fryer or wok) beef slices in batches until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.
Add a couple tablespoons of oil to the wok and add minced garlic and stir fry for 10 seconds. Add red and green bell peppers and onions and stir fry for 4 minutes. Remove vegetables and set aside.
Pour sauce into the wok and heat until boiling. In a serving dish add beef and vegetables and coat with the sauce.

Ground Hog Day was this week and that pesky little ground hog did not see his shadow, which means an early spring this year. I for one find that very difficult to believe since it has been snowing none-stop in Park City for the last month in a half. Back East however, it sounds like a different story. My mom said there were maple syrup bucks on some of the maple trees already it has been so warm. Well since I am buried under mounds of snow out west and the temperatures have been in the single digits- it has been soup weather here. A few night ago I had planned on making this recipe for chicken and tortellini soup, however when I got home I realized I didn’t have some of the ingredients. I decided to improvise with what I had and the soup turned out to be amazing! The combo of chicken sausage and tortellini is filling and makes for a hearty meal. Don’t forget to grab a warm piece of french bread to mop up the final bites! Stay warm, 🙂

Ingredients:

1 Tablespoon Olive oil
1 medium chopped yellow onion
8 oz baby bella mushrooms, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 package Aidells Portobello & Swiss Cheese chicken sausage, sliced
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried thyme
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup unsalted butter, sliced into 1 Tbsp pieces
1/3 cup flour
2 1/2 cups milk
9 oz refrigerated three cheese tortellini
4 oz fresh spinach (4 cups)
1/3 cup heavy cream
Finely shredded parmesan cheese, for serving

Directions:

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add chicken sausage and brown for 3-5 minutes. Add onion and mushrooms and cook for 3-5 minutes before adding the garlic and sauteing 1 minute longer. Add in chicken broth, oregano and thyme and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover pot with lid and allow to simmer for 10 minutes.
While chicken sausage is cooking, melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and cook, whisking constantly 1 minute. While whisking vigorously slowly pour in milk. Season with salt and pepper and bring mixture just to a light boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and set aside.
Add tortellini to soup in pot, cover pot with lid and allow to boil over medium heat about 7 minutes (or time directed on package) adding in spinach during last 1 minute. Stir in white sauce and cream. Serve warm with parmesan cheese.

*If you can not find Aidell’s chicken sausage you could use any kind of Italian sausage, just be sure the sausage is cooked all the way through. Or substitute sausage for 2 cups of shredded rotisserie chicken.