Warm Grilled Steak Salad

3 10 oz. rib eye steaks
1 medium head Napa cabbage
1 red bell pepper
1 yellow bell pepper
1 1/2 c. sugar snap peas
1/2 red onion
6 medium gourmet yellow potatoes
extra virgin olive oil
coarse black pepper
kosher salt
rich balsamic vinegar (my favorite is Villa Manodori Aceto Balsamic Di Modena)
recipe serves six

Wash and dry yellow potatoes.  Slice in half and then in thin pieces. Turn an electric wok or skillet on high.  Drizzle 2 tbsp. of extra virgin olive oil and ½ tsp. kosher salt and ½ tsp. pepper in the wok.  Place potato slices in hot oil and cook for 3-4 minutes stirring occasionally until potatoes brown on edges.  Keep the potatoes slices crisp.  When the potatoes are evenly cooked, set aside.  Cut rib eye steaks in long pieces.  Heat 2 tbsp. olive oil, ½ tsp. kosher salt and ½ tsp. pepper in wok on high and cook meat as desired, stirring two to three times.  Set aside in a covered container to keep warm.  Slice peppers and onions and add to wok with sugar snap peas.  Cook on high for 2-3 minutes.  Rinse and cut Napa cabbage and toss with cooked vegetables.  Cook until the Napa cabbage is heated completely.  Then drizzle with Balsamic vinegar  (2-3 tbsp.) and cook for an additional minute.  Add steak and toss with vegetables and cabbage.  Serve as pictured with gourmet yellow potatoes slices surrounding the Warm Grilled Steak Salad.

My eleven-year old daughter, Chlo’e asked if she could have some for breakfast.   Wow!  What a great way to get your family eating fresh veggies!  Enjoy!

12 oz. salmon fillet or chicken breasts
Preheat oven to 350. Place salmon in baking dish and bast with 1/3 c. of Ginger Glaze. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.

Ginger Glaze
1 c. soy sauce
1 c. rice vinegar
1/3 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
2 1/2  inch fresh ginger root
( peeled and minced)
3 tbsp. toasted sesame seeds
1/2 tsp.  hot chili oil

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and simmer at a slow boil for 2-3 minutes. Set aside.  Store in a tight container in your fridge for months.  This recipe is great as a dipping sauce for tempura vegetables, pot stickers or egg rolls and also as a glaze for chicken  and rice.

Stir Fry Vegetables
1/2 white onion
3/4 c. sliced mushrooms
1/2 yellow, red and orange pepper
(  finely chopped )
1 1/2 c. broccoli floretts
1 c. sugar snap peas
3 c. cooked sticky rice
toasted sesame oil
1/4 c. chicken broth

Begin by drizzling frying pan with toasted sesame oil. Let it heat until the rice pops when you put it in the pan. Fry rice until it is slightly browning on edges for about 3-4 minutes stirring three or four times a minute. Place on platter and cover. Drizzle  frying pan with 1/2 tsp. of sesame oil, sauté chopped onion for 1-2 minutes. Add sliced mushrooms and saute until the mushrooms are brown on the edges. Spread on top of rice and cover. In the same pan drizzle with 1/2 tsp. sesame oil and lightly fry broccoli florets. Stir fry until edges brown,  pour 1/3 c. chicken broth and quickly cover with lid so that broccoli will steam. When the water is absorbed place the broccoli on the rice,  onions and mushrooms. Drizzle the same pan with 1/2 tsp sesame oil and stir fry the sugar snap peas and chopped peppers. Saute for 2 minutes only to heat so they will remain crisp.  Add to the rice and vegetables. Top with the Salmon fillet, finish with 1/2 c. of Ginger Glaze.

I used to teach cooking classes in my home. Yesterday my friend Holly reminded me of a recipe she shared in one of my classes. It is her favorite dipping sauce and one that she learned to make while she was living in Japan. It is something that she uses all the time. I had forgotten about it ……….but dreamed about it all night. So here is our creation.  We just loved it!

Chicken Vegetable Stir Fry

1-2 tsp. toasted sesame oil
2 chicken breasts
1 red bell pepper
1 cup  fresh green beans
2 cups snow peas
4 green onion tops
4 cups cooked white rice
2 tbsp Classic Stir fry sauce

Instructions:

In a deep skillet sauté on high 1 tsp. toasted sesame oil. Slice chicken breasts into thin wide pieces. Gently stir fry in hot oil turning two to three times until chicken is fully cooked and browned on the edges. Dice green beans and  green onions, chop red pepper into large chunks. Fold into skillet and continue to stir fry for 2 minutes. Add additional oil and fold in sticky rice. Continue to stir fry adding 2 tbsp of  Classic Stir Fry sauce. (My favorite brand is House of Tsang.) Fold in Snow peas and cook for 1 or 2 minutes longer just until the snow peas are hot. Do not over cook. Vegetables should remain crisp. Serve immediately. Makes enough for 6 adults.  Great for left overs. Cooking and prep time about 15 minutes if you use rice that is already prepared.

This is one of our “Family Favorites.” When I prepare rice for any given meal I try to cook more rice than I know we will eat. I  expect that sometime in the next few days I will need a quick emergency meal that is so much better than any fast food or pizza I could feed my family. We have eaten this for years as an early lunch, afternoon meal or late night snack. The secrets to my stir fry is to use toasted sesame oil because toasted has a deeper flavor. Also barely cook  the vegetables so they remain crisp and crunchy. The vegetables taste so fresh and flavorful. Often this is a complete meal for us and my family never gets tired of it. Sometimes depending on what is in the fridge, I will substitute ham for  chicken and I usually add a few carrots. I also  add  two to three eggs just before I start to fry the rice. You can add any vegetable in your fridge…………today this is all the vegetables that I had and I was out of eggs. Time for a trip to the store.  My son was hungry, in a hurry and wanted something  savory yet hardy. This was fast, simple and delicious!

Tuscan Chicken

Tuscan Chicken

4 whole chicken breasts (split into 8 pieces)
2 yellow peppers
2 orange peppers
2 c. snow peas
extra virgin olive oil
1/2 c. sliced almonds
10 oz. bag organic baby spinach

Preheat oven to 325°. Place sliced almonds on a cookie sheet and oven roast the them for 6-8 minutes or until golden brown. Set aside. Divide each whole chicken breast in half, creating eight pieces. Place each breast half separately between two pieces of wax paper and pound with a meat mallet until the chicken breast is completely flat. In a heavy skillet heat 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, sprinkled with 1 tsp. seasoning mix. Heat oil on high until the oil pops when you add the seasoning mix, then add chicken. Sauté the pounded chicken breast until golden brown, turning twice on each side, set aside in large skillet. Rinse and core each of the peppers. Chop into small chunks. Sauté in hot skillet adding 1 tsp. olive oil and 1 tsp. seasoning mix. Add 2 c. snow peas and toss with peppers. Cook for 1-2 minutes until veggies brown on the edges. Vegetables should remain crisp. Place fresh spinach on plate and place a sauteed chicken breast with sauteed vegetables on each plate. Top with oven roasted sliced almonds, finish with warm sauce and serve.

Seasoning Mix

3/4 tsp. crushed chili pepper
3 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. coarse black pepper
3 tsp. dried rosemary

Mix together evenly and store in a air tight container to retain freshness.

Savory Glaze

Savory Glaze

1/3 c. veg. oil
1/3 c. sugar
1/3 c. rice vinegar
3/4 tsp. sesame oil
1 tsp. soy sauce
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

Combine all ingredients in a small pot and bring to a low boil for 1 minute. Turn off immediately, reheat to serve over chicken breast and veggies.