Teriyaki Beef and Broccoli

My husband has been asking me for a long time to try to duplicate some of our favorite take out items.  This was my first attempt and it was a mighty fine one if I do say so myself.  He said it was definitely a keeper (and believe me if he doesn't like something he lets me know). It was much easier than I expected and came together with out a bunch of weird ingredients- which is a bonus because I hate buying ingredients and only using them for one thing that I may never make again.  This I will definitely be making again. I think I will attempt chicken fried rice next.  Wish me luck!

Ingredients:

• About a Pound of Sirloin cut into cubes or strips
• 7 Tablespoons Teriyaki Sauce (divided )
• 4 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon Sesame Oil
• 4 teaspoons of Cornstarch
• 1 Cup of Water
• 2 teaspoons Minced Garlic
• 3-4 cups of Broccoli
• A couple handfuls White Mushrooms (optional)
• 1 box of Linguini cooked accordingly to box (use whole grain for healthier option)
• Dash of Oil
• I think next time I will add bean sprouts

Serves about 5

Cut the meat into strips or cubes and marinade in 3 tablespoons of teriyaki sauce for at least 30 minutes.  Heat a dash of oil in a large skillet.  Brown meat.  Remove Meat from pan.  Set aside meat leaving drippings in the pan.  

While meat is browning bring a pot of water to boil.  Blanch the broccoli in boiling water for about 2 minutes.  Drain broccoli and set aside.  

Combine soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, water, garlic, sesame oil, and cornstarch (adding cornstarch last) in a container with a lid.  Shake until it is all combine.  Dump mixture into skillet with beef drippings and over medium high heat stir the mix constantly as it thickens (maybe 4 minutes or so).

Add in the mushrooms and cook until tender.

Toss in the broccoli and beef coating everything in the brown sauce.  This step will also re-heat the beef and broccoli if it cooled down.

Add the cooked linguini to the skillet and toss with the sauce.  Enjoy! 

This recipe was featured on the Marvelous May Menu, be sure to check out the rest of the May Menu.

Marvelous May Menu

Spring is officially here!  The weather is warm and we are starting to think about bathing suit season...Yikes!  I guess we should all pay a little more attention to what we are eating.  We spent the last few weeks experimenting with new recipes and taking some of the tried and tested and making them a little better for our waistlines.  We love to cook even more in the spring and summer because of all of the possibilities added with the availability of so much more seasonal produce!  We also love that we can fire up the grill a few nights a week which gets our husbands involved in some of the cooking too!
The Magical Moms March Menu Madness and Appetizing April Menu feature many of our favorites so be sure to check them out!
*Recipe coming soon

Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
			1 Mexican Chicken Chopped Salad	2 Skinny BBQ Chicken Pizza on the Grill, Honey Grilled Pineapple	3 Athenian Chicken, Henderson Hummus {updated}	4 Buffalo Chicken Salad with Homemade Low Fat Spicy Ranch
5 Red Pepper Turkey Burger Sliders, Baked Sweet Potato Fries with Cinnamon Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce	6 *Beef and Barley Soup, Fresh and Fancy Fruit Salsa	7 Peppered Steak Salad with Low Cal/Low Fat Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing	8 Skinny Suiza Enchiladas	9 *Maple Chili Glazed Pork, *Krazy Quinoa	10 Lemon Grass Skewered Shrimp, Lemon Orzo Salad with Asparagus and Tomatoes	11 *Steak Fajita Lettuce Wraps
12 Coco Loco Chicken, Sweet Potato Crisps	13 Black Bean and Corn Potatoes, Zucchini Chips with Chive and Onion Dipping Sauce	14 Slow Cooker Rotisserie Chicken,	15 *Chicken Tacos, *Fresh Corn Salsa	16 *Mediterranean Chicken and *Quinoa	17 Orange Chicken Brown Fried Rice, Secret Fruit Salad	18 Grilled Chicken, Awesome Asparagus Risotto
19 Spaghetti and *Turkey Meatballs	20 Low Carb Italian Chopped Salad	21 Kahlua Pork  Tostadas with pineapple salsa	22 Turkey Gyros	23 *Steak Carnitas	24 Deep Dish Portabello {Pizza}	25 *Tequila Lime Shrimp, Brown Rice
26 Parmesan Spaghetti Squash, Cucumber Salad	27 Lean Mean Chicken Bacon Machine (Gluten Free), Strawberry Spinach Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette	28 Hot and Spicy Fajita Piles, Cilantro Brown Rice	29 Gluten Free Bacon, Onion and Garlic Pizza	30 Fiesta Lime Grilled Chicken, Oven "Fried" Zucchini with Spicy Garlic Dipping Sauce	31 Teriyaki Beef and Broccoli

Zucchini Chips with Chive and Onion Dipping Sauce

I have been eating zucchini since I was a kid.  My mom used to bread it and fry it.  She and I were the only ones in my house that ate it and I always thought of it as a treat when zucchinis were in season.  Now I buy them at the grocery store year round.  Scott was my first family member that I brought to the delicious zucchini loving side.  But now after only a few tries I have captured my mother in law too!  I have to admit... I am quite proud of myself for that one:)

Ingredients:

• Zucchini
• Egg White
• Fresh Grated Parmesan Cheese
• Sea Salt
• Fresh Ground Pepper
• Seasoned Bread Crumbs

Chive and Onion Dipping Sauce

• 2 Wedges of Laughing Cow Chive and Onion Cheese
• 4 Tablespoons of Light Sour Cream
• 1-2 Tablespoons of Milk
• Salt and Pepper to Taste
• 1/8 teaspoon of Onion Powder
• A couple Pinches of Dried Parsley

Combine dipping sauce ingredients in a small food processor.  Add the milk a little at a time to get desired consistency.  Remember it will thicken as it sets in the fridge so start with one tablespoon and add more later.  

Cut zucchini into slices.  I usually cut them a little less than 1/2 inch.  Place them in a colander and sprinkle with a little sea salt.  Place them in the refrigerator with a bowl under the colander,  This will allow the zucchini to release water and the bread crumbs will stick better.  

After about 30 minutes in the fridge, lay the zucchini on a paper towel to remove excess water.  Preheat oven to 400.  Lightly whisk egg white.  Put about 3/4 cup of seasoned bread crumbs on a plate.  Dip each slice of zucchini in the egg white and then into the bread crumbs and place them on a greased (with olive oil cooking spray) cookie sheet.  Once they are all breaded lightly sprinkle them with pepper and grate a little parmesan cheese on top.

Bake for about 18-20 minutes.  Serve right away with chive and onion dipping sauce.

This recipe was featured on the Marvelous May Menu, be sure to check out the rest of the May Menu.

Jalapeno and Bacon Cheesy Bread

I love spicy, I love cheese, I love, bacon, and I love bread.  Put them all together and it is a dream come true!!!  This bread could be a meal all in itself but it goes perfectly with soup, salad, chicken, whatever.  I think I might even serve it at our next football party.  But it is only May and there is no way I am going to wait that long to make this again!  

Ingredients:

• French Bread Loaf
• 3/4 of a Cup of Shredded Pepperjack Cheese
• 1/4 Cup Mayonnaise
• 1 Tablespoon Butter
• 1/2 Cup of Mozzarella Cheese
• 1/3 cup of Bacon Cooked and Crumbled
• 2 Tablespoons of diced Jalapenos (the kind from a jar)
• 2 Tablespoons of Green Onions (finely chopped)
• 1 teaspoon Minced Garlic

Melt butter in small skillet.  Lightly saute the green onions and garlic.  Preheat oven to 375.  In a small bowl combine the remaining ingredients.  Add in the garlic and onions and mix together.  Spread the mixture evenly over each side of the loaf of bread.  

Bake for about 6 minutes.  Turn oven to broil for additional 3 minutes or so.  Make sure you keep a close eye on the bread and remove it when the cheese starts to bubble and turn brown.  Slice and serve right away.  YUM!!!!!

Slow Cooker Rotisserie Style Chicken

 I know that I have said this a million times before, but I don't always have time to make a fancy dinner.  I like to pretend that I do so I really like to use my slow cooker.  I know that a rotisserie chicken is something that you can pick up at the hot foods section of the grocery store, but you never really know how long those have been there or what is on/in them.  I think it is just as easy to make it at home.  Just season it and throw it in the slow cooker.  A 4 pound chicken is PLENTY for our family to have for dinner and then I like to use the left overs to make Perfect Picnic Chicken Salad for sandwiches later in the week.  Cook once- eat twice!  YAY!

Ingredients:

• 4-5 lb Whole Chicken
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons Montreal Steak Seasoning
• 1 Tablespoon Paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon of Onion Powder  

Place four loosely made balls of foil in the bottom of the slow cooker.  This will keep the chicken elevated.  The juices will all go to the bottom.  The chicken will be plenty moist so don't worry.

Next is my least favorite part, clean out the inside of the chicken and rinse.  Pat it dry with paper towels.  Next coat all sides and inside of chicken with spices and place in the slow cooker.

Cook on High for about 4-5 hours or until internal temp of chicken has reached 165.  Remove chicken from slow cooker and let rest for about 5 minutes before carving.

If you like this then make sure to check out our Slow Cooker 8 Spice Lemon Chicken.

Braised Sirloin Tips with Portabello Mushrooms

I have been looking through my mother-in-laws recipes and I have found several that I can't wait to try.  I pulled several not because the recipe sounded good but because the card looked like it had been used LOTS.  I chose all the ones that looked like something had been spilled on them, had fingerprints, and had started to fade.  I chose to make the Braised Sirloin Tips first.  It was a GREAT choice.  The mushrooms were my addition because I LOVE them and they were oh so good!  I am glad that I left them in large pieces vs slicing them.  I think they made the dish richer.  

Ingredients:

• 2 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil
• 1.5 lbs of Beef Sirloin cut into 1 inch cubes
• 1 Can of Beef Consume
• 1/3 Cup Cranberry Juice Cocktail
• 2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
• 1 Clove of Garlic
• 1/8 teaspoon of Onion Powder
• 1/8 teaspoon Salt
• 2 Tablespoons of Cornstarch
• About a Dozen Portabello Mushrooms cut in half
• 1 Bag of Egg Noodles cooked according to package

Serves 6

Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet.  Brown meat.

 Add in consume, cranberry juice, soy sauce, onion powder, and salt.  Bring to boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 40 minutes.

  Add in mushrooms and cook for additional five minutes.  Remove 1/4 cup of the beef liquid and place in container with lid.  Add two tablespoons of cornstarch, put the lid on and shake until well combined.  Turn heat up to high.  Pour cornstarch mixture in with the beef and stir continuously.  Broth will thicken.  Serve over noodles or rice.  

BBQ Chicken Potato Skins

When I think of potato skins I think of the days when we used to go out for happy Hour after work.  Now there is no time for Happy Hour  and it is often frowned upon to bring your kids to a bar so we have to make due at home:)  That's okay with us though because these potato skins are even better!  I even serve them with a salad and call it dinner!

Ingredients:

• 4 Potatoes
• Chicken ( I used a leftover grilled chicken breast from the night before and made 8 potato skins)
• About a cup of Shredded Cheddar Cheese
• A Tablespoon or so of Chopped Green Onion
• About a 1/4 Cup of Your Favorite BBQ Sauce (I used Best Darn BBQ Recipe)
• 3 Pieces of Bacon Cooked and Crumbles (or Hormel Real Bacon Pieces)
• Homemade Ranch Dressing

Makes 8 potato skins

Scrub outside of potatoes with vegetable brush.  Pierce potatoes multiple times with a sharp knife.  Cook in microwave for about 7 minutes turning over halfway through.  Cooking time varies because of potato size and the number you are cooking.  You can stick a knife in them to see if they are done.  If the knife goes in easily then they are done.  

Let them cool for about 10 minutes.  Cut them in half lengthwise.  Carefully scoop the insides of the potatoes out.  Make sure to keep the skin intact.  

Place potato insides in a bowl and save for another recipe (I will share my great idea for breakfast with you later).

 Preheat oven to 350.  Dice chicken and toss with your favorite BBQ Sauce.

 Load up your potato skins with chicken and bacon.

 Top with cheese and onions.  Bake for 8-10 minutes.  I like to serve them with Ranch Dressing for dipping.

This recipe was featured on the Magical Moms' July Menu.  Be sure to check out all of our monthly menus



Lots of AMAZING recipes on the Magical Moms' June Menu, Marvelous May Menu, Appetizing April Menu, and March Madness Menu.