I love "Copy- Cat" recipes!!

My best friend, Shelley, introduced me to P.F. Chang's years ago and I fell in love with their Mongolian Beef (among other dishes).  I bought a cookbook that has copycat recipes from restaurants and ummmm ummmm!  Chang's Mongolian Beef was included.  It has become one of Steve and Camryn's (his son) favorite dishes as well as mine.  Steve also loves the ginger dressing at our local hibachi restaurant so I found a copy cat recipe for that too.  We love it and make it often.  We went back to the hibachi grill and thought the copy cat recipe was better than theirs now! :)  I am including both recipes for you to try!  The ginger dressing cam from All Recipes.  NOW.... if I could find a copy cat recipe for LeMadeline's Lemon Tart!  If anyone out there has it, help a sista out! :)

I know it may seem like a lot of steps but it really is simple and totally delish!!!

 

 

Ingredients:

• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger, minced
• 1 tablespoon garlic, chopped
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/2 cup water
• 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
• vegetable oil, for frying (about 1 cup)
• 1 lb flank steak
• 1/4 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, 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.
19. Leave the excess sauce behind in the pan.
20. Next is the Fabulous Copy Cat Ginger Dressing 
21. 

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup minced onion
• 1/2 cup peanut oil
• 1/3 cup rice wine vinegar
• 2 Tablespoons water
• 2 Tablespoons minced fresh ginger root
• 2 Tablespoons minced celery
• 2 Tablespoons ketchup
• 4 teaspoons soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons white sugar
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

 In a blender, combine the minced onion, peanut oil, rice vinegar, water, ginger, celery, ketchup, soy sauce, sugar, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper . Blend on high speed for about 30 seconds or until all of the ingredients are well-pureed.

Some "bucket list" items

I have lived in the Dallas, TX area almost my entire life and there is still so much that I have not even ventured out to do in the area.  I am making myself a list of things "to do" in and around Dallas and in Texas that I think I should do sooner rather than later.  Please feel free to comment on other unique places are MUST DO's.   These are in no particular order just as I think of them! :)  Yes, I realize the teacher is coming out in me on many items on the list! LOL

Some great friends along with Steve and I will be going to Grapevine next week-end to do some wine tasting.  We had so much fun when we went about a month ago.  I can't wait to hit the ones we haven't been to yet.

1.  Schoolbook Depository - JFK Museum
2.  Studio Movie Grill  2/1/14
3.  Drive in Movie in Ennis
4.  iPic Theatre
5.  Reunion Tower
6.  Marfa Lights
7.  McDonald Observatory
8.  Re-enactment of the San Jacinto Battle
9.  Dallas Zoo
10.  Tour the Gov. Mansion in Austin
11.  Dallas Aquarium
12.  TopGolf Dallas
13. Dallas Museum of Arts
14. Boardwalk at Kemah, TX
15. Improv in Addison (must do with my sister or she will kill me!)
16. Lone Star Park (haven't been in a while but love it)
17. Palo Duro Canyon (would love to go back)
18. Gruene Hall
19.Scarborough Faire
20. Plano Balloon Festival

I think that will be a good start.  So, now when the boyfriend asks me what I want to do.... HE can choose from my list! LOL  I will report as I cross each adventure off.