Valley Stir Fry

You will need:
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon flour
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon vegetable oil or butter
1 teaspoon ginger (I used powdered, if using minced use 1TBS)
1 teaspoon garlic (I used powdered, if using minced use 1TBS)
1 pound beef round steak, cut into thin strips
2 cups vegetables (I used carrots, beans and zukes)

In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, brown sugar, water and flour. Set aside.

Heat oil in a wok or skillet over medium high heat. Stir-fry ginger and garlic for 30 seconds.

Add the steak and stir-fry for 2 minutes or until evenly browned.

Add the vegetables and stir-fry for an additional 3 minutes.

Add the soy sauce mixture, bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
Lower heat and simmer until the sauce is thick and smooth.
Serve over rice or egg noodles.

Yum!

I love stir fry’s, they are so versatile that you can substitute chicken for the beef and any kind of vegetables. 

The sauce is a must, this was my first time making it and everyone loved it.

Hozu Stir Fry ~ World of Warcraft

The hozen are a monkey-like race that lives in Pandaria. 

They are mischievous pranksters native to Pandaria that "act like a group of 14 year old boys" running around together in the jungle, equipped with machine guns and weapons from the Horde, who will recruit this tribe to help fight their war. They are also found all over Pandaria, even in one of the dungeons. -wowpedia

You will need:

4 bananas, sliced

1 tsp garlic

1 tsp ginger

4 tbs butter

2 tbs soy sauce

2 c chicken stock

2 cooked chicken breasts, shredded

sliced green onions

In a pan melt butter & add bananas, garlic, ginger, soy sauce & onions.

Saute until bananas are soft.

Add chicken stock (or water) and bring to a simmer for 10 minutes.
Until thickens.

Cook rice according to package directions. Add cooked chicken and vegetable. 
(I used peas but any can be substituted.)
Pour sauce over rice, chicken and vegetables. Stir.

Yum!

Five Dawn Dumplings

dumpling dough

2c flour
1/2 c water

Mix until combined then knead for 5 minutes.
Add a tablespoon of water at a time if needed.

Let rest for 10 minutes.

Knead for another 5 minutes then roll out on a lightly floured surface.

Using a round cookie cutter or a glass cut into circles.

Filling:

1lb ground beef
1lb pork (I used chicken)
2 cellery stocks, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 c soy sauce
1 clove of garlic, minced

Mix the ground beef and chicken in a bowl. Add soy sauce, celery stocks, onion and ginger; mix well.
Place meat mixture into a skillet and brown. Chop the meat up as small as you can.

By tablespoon add the meat mixture into the center of the dough circle.

Fold top and bottom together and pinch.

Set up a steamer. Dont have one? Don't worry. Here is how I made mine.

I used a soup pot and a trivet. I put water in the bottom of the pan and place the trivet over the water.

Cover and place on medium heat, steam for 10-15 minutes.

Yum!

Turtle Tucked Lettuce Wraps

1 head iceberg lettuce or romaine lettuce leaves (I used 4 leaves)

Sauce:
2 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon sugar

Filling:

1 garlic clove, minced
2 green onions, chopped (1/4 cup chopped onions)
1 lb meat from chicken breasts or sliced white chicken meat
1 red or green pepper, seeded and diced
1 can water chestnuts, rinsed in warm running water and chopped (I'm not a fan so I omitted)
1 stalk celery, diced
2 teaspoon flour mixed with 4 tablespoons water

Preparation:

Wash the lettuce, dry, and separate the leaves. Set aside.



Mix together the sauce ingredients.
Heat the olive oil in a non-stick frying pan on high heat.

Add the garlic, ginger, and green onions and fry until the garlic and ginger are aromatic.

Add the chicken and cook until the chicken is browned.

Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.

Add the sauce ingredients and cook at medium heat, Give the flour/water mixture a quick re-stir and add to the sauce, stirring to thicken. (I use a whisk)

Add the pepper, water chestnuts, and celery to the frying pan.
Add the chicken back into the skillet. Cook for 2 - 3 more minutes, stirring, to heat through and finish cooking the chicken.

Lay out a lettuce leaf and spoon a heaping teaspoon of the chicken and vegetable/sauce mixture into the middle.
The lettuce wraps are designed to be eaten "taco-style," with the lettuce/chicken mixture folded into a package. I tucked in the bottom of the wrap like a burrito. My dinner plates are small so two lettuce wraps took up the whole plate.

Spoon some white rice if you feel so inclined or serve it on the side.

Yum!

Steamed Pandarian Pear

Here are a few ideas I have for new cooking recipes in the new expansion - Mists of Pandaria!

You will need:

2 Asian pears (or Bartlett)

4 teaspoons honey

Raisins

Lemon juice to brush on the pears to prevent discoloration (optional)

1 1/2 C water for the steamer.

Wash the pears and pat dry with paper towels.

Cut the top off the pears and set aside (these will become the lid). 

 Remove the core.

 If desired, cut off a small slice at the bottom so that the pear will stand straight during steaming.

Spoon 2 teaspoons honey into each pear.

 Add raisins.

 Place the top back on the pear. Brush the lemon juice over the skin of the pear if using.

Set up a steamer, or place a rack for steaming inside a deep pot.
Add 1 1/2 C water. Don't let the water touch the fruit.
Put pot on medium heat for 30 minutes or until tender.
Check with a fork.

(Don't have a steamer? How about the quote,"Necessity is the mother of all inventions." - Plato)

Here is my invention:

I used a pot and a trivet, (the metal rack you place a hot pan on.)

Place the pears on a plate and steam, covered, for 30 minutes, or until the pears are tender.
Don't check the pears until after the 30 minutes are up. You don't want to let the steam out.

Serve warm. Yum!