Beef: Chinese Hunan (Sweet) Beef

Debbie Green, Ann Arbor, MI

About 1-1/4 lb. tender beef, sliced in small pieces (easier when a little frozen and best if sliced on an angle)

Marinade:

2 Tbsp. soy sauce

1 tsp. sugar

1 tsp. sesame oil

1 Tbsp. cooking Sherry  or white wine

1 tsp. garlic

 Sprinkle of pepper

 Sprinkle of ginger, powdered, bottled or grated fresh, optional    

Canola oil for stir frying

Vegetables chopped small about equaling the amount of meat (see note)

Sauce after stir frying: (use amount in parentheses for more sauce)

3( 4-1/2) Tbsp. Sherry

2 ( 3) Tbsp. soy

2 (3) Tbsp. sugar

1-1/2  (2+) Tbsp. hoisin sauce

 3/4  (1) tsp. sesame oil

Place beef in bowl and marinate about 20 minutes in soy, sugar, sesame oil, Sherry, garlic, pepper and ginger. Pour about 1-2 Tbsp. oil in heated pan or wok. Heat on high heat until it sizzles when you sprinkle a few drops of water on it.  Stir fry veggies in hot oil until tender when pierced with a fork. While stir frying, mix sauce of Sherry, soy, sugar, hoisin sauce and sesame oil in small bowl and set aside. ( I usually use the larger amount in ()’s for a saucier version). Remove veggies from wok with a slotted spoon. Add more oil (about 3 Tbsp.) to pan and heat again. Stir fry meat until no longer pink. Drain oil either by placing lid over pan and draining into the sink or removing meat with slotted spoon and dumping oil. Place meat and veggies back in pan. Add sauce and heat through. Serve with rice or Chinese noodles.

Note: This is probably the recipe I use most often as the taste can be varied with the choice of meat and veggies. Use about 1 to 1-1/4  lb. beef for 3 people. I use sirloin tip, cap off thin. If in doubt, ask someone in the meat department what is tender enough for stir fry. Use a combination of vegetables of your choice (at least 3)  such as broccoli, cauliflower, any color bell pepper, carrots, cabbage (regular, Napa or celery), celery, baby canned corn, leeks, pea pods, regular or dried mushrooms (soak dried mushrooms in hot water about 20 minutes, squeeze and cut), green onions or onions. When I use onions, I stir fry them separately first about 5 minutes, remove and stir fry other veggies together.

Variation: You can also substitute chicken or pork.
 

Vegetarian: Casserole de Provence

Mary Ann Pierce, Ann Arbor, MI

1 medium onion, thinly sliced, quartered   

2 Tbsp. olive oil                          
1 small eggplant, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
1 can (14 oz.)  whole or chunked tomatoes, juice

1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1 roasted red pepper, chopped
1 can (15 oz.) Crock Pot Beans (Old Glory brand)
1 box (10 oz.) frozen baby lima beans (optional)
1 Tbsp. vinegar
1 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

Pinch of cayenne, optional

In large pot, cook onion in olive oil until tender, about 5 minutes. Add eggplant, tomatoes, and garlic and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low; add remaining ingredients. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.  Makes 5 servings.
 

Chicken in Cranberry Sauce

Debbie Green, Ann Arbor, MI

About 3 lb. chicken breasts or pieces, skin removed

1 can whole cranberries and sauce

1/2  bottle (or small bottle) Sweet and Spicy, French or Thousand Island

salad dressing

1 envelope onion soup mix

Preheat oven to 375˚. Line a baking pan with foil. Place chicken in pan. Mix other ingredients in a bowl and pour over chicken. Bake one hour.

Note: I love this type of recipe! Pour the sauce over, bake and serve. This is especially great for timed bake. All you have to do is make some rice and a vegetable or two.  Serves 4 with leftovers.
 

Cake: Bacardi Rum Cake

Honey Smith (my mom), Pittsford, NY

1 pkg. yellow cake mix

1 pkg. (3-3/4 oz. instant vanilla pudding)

4 eggs

1/2 c. cold water

1/2 c. Bacardi dark rum

1/2 c. vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 325˚. Grease 10 inch tube pan. Mix all ingredients in electric mixer until smooth. Pour into pan and bake 1 hour. Cool in pan 25 minutes. Invert onto serving plate. Mix rum sauce.

Rum sauce:

3/4 c. butter or margarine

3 oz. water

1-1/2  c. white sugar

1/2 c. Bacardi Gold rum (or dark rum)

Melt butter in saucepan. Stir in water and sugar. Boil 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in rum. You may pour part of it on the cake and serve the rest on the side or just let diners pour on their own sauce.

If desired, in addition, you can use this Chocolate Glaze:

4 oz. semi-sweet chocolate

1 tsp. butter

Melt chocolate and butter over low heat.

Note: (by D. Green) I actually have never made this with the chocolate glaze. It’s scrumptious without. This cake made my daughter, Sherry, famous at Penn State!

Variation: You could substitute 1 pkg. of yellow cake mix with the pudding in the mix instead of 1 pkg. of cake mix and 1 pkg. of pudding.