Beef and Vegetable Stir Fry in a Szechwan Sauce

Today we are going to explore the cooking technique call stir frying.

Stir frys are a healthy and quick way to pull together a meal.  Most stir frys consist of a protein and vegetables, using a small amount of oil, and topping with a stir fry sauce.


Variations of this basic plan are abundant.  Swap beef, for chicken, or pork, or shrimp.  Swap vegetables for different varieties.  Using fresh or frozen works well.  


The key is cooking over high heat, and cooking quickly.  So it's essential that you have everything prepared ahead of the cooking time so that you accomplish the dish with ease.  Stopping to put together the stir fry sauce at the end could lead to over cooked dishes.


This recipe for Beef and Vegetable Stir Fry in a Szechwan Sauce is an excellent dish.  We both love this dish and it's complex flavors.  It's a little spicy so adjust the amount of the chili sauce if you like it more mild.    We eat it often, and as I mentioned I use this sauce and switch up the other ingredients based upon our desires that day.  There's your variety!


Here are some step by step photos to help you along.


Prep work

Cooking the beef

Cooking the vegetables

Adding the aromatics, beef, and stir fry sauce

And now for the finish product...serve with some great brown rice.  Doesn't get better than this, and this is tastier, and cheaper than take out!

Beef and Vegetable Stir Fry in a Szechwan Sauce


Serves 4


3/4 lb. sirloin steak, cut into small strips
1 T lite soy sauce
1 T dry sherry
Sauce:
3 T dry sherry
1 T lite soy sauce
1 T toasted sesame oil
2 T chili sauce (such as Siracha)
1/4 Szechwan pepper
1/4 t sugar


2 T canola oil
1 bag fresh stir fry vegetables (carrots, broccoli, sugar snap peas)
1 T minced garlic
1 T fresh ginger


In a bowl combine strips of beef with 1 T lite soy sauce and 1 T dry sherry.  Allow to sit while you prepare the stir fry sauce.


Make the sauce:  Combine sherry, soy sauce, sesame oil, chili sauce, szechwan pepper, and sugar in a medium bowl.  Stir to combine and set aside.


To a wok or a large skillet over high heat, add 1 tablespoon of oil to coat bottom of pan.  When oil is hot add meat to the skillet.  Stir fry until seared and almost cooked through, about 2 minutes.  Remove from the pan.


Add the other tablespoon of oil to the pan.  Add vegetables to the pan, starting in batches with the ones that need the longest cooking time.  Broccoli and carrots require longer cooking times than snap peas.  Cook vegetables until crisp tender, about 3 minutes.  Add remainder of the vegetables and continue to cook until all vegetables are crisp tender.  


Move the vegetables to the side of the pan and clear the center.  Add the garlic and ginger, cook for a few seconds and then mix into the vegetables.


Add cooked meat back to the pan.  Add the stir fry sauce and mix until meat and vegetables are thoroughly coated and meat is hot.  Serve with rice.

The Magic of Disneyland

One of my favorite places, since I was a little girl, is Disneyland.

I can't fully express how it makes me feel.  The atmosphere is truly unlike anywhere else.  It really is "the happiest place on earth".


When I met MGG he had only been to Disneyland once before.  And, he didn't really like it...or he didn't "get" it.  So it took me many years of bargaining with him to get him to go with me.  But I finally got him to go during the Halloween season last year.  Let me tell you...the magic of Disneyland won him over.  He is in LOVE with the atmosphere, the happiness, the rides, food, and history of Disney.  I knew he would be!


Now he wants to go all the time...


So we were fortunate enough to go during the Christmas season.  I wanted him to see the park all decorated.  I love it at that time of year.  So I've been lax in posting this but, better late than never, I say!

One of the best things about this trip was that it was the spot where MGG proposed to me, under the castle.  So romantic!  It just made the whole day like a fairytale, and a wonderful memory to last a lifetime!

But, this is a food blog you know.  I would be remiss if I didn't talk a little about that.  The food at Disneyland has changed over the years.  They offer much more healthy options than just the fast food fare.  That's why we headed over there early to enjoy a healthy (not!) breakfast at the River Belle Cafe.  I love the mickey shaped pancakes.

And a mass production of pancakes.

And look at this mondo cinnamon roll.  While I was expressing my surprise that how large it was the girl next to me grabbed and and said...I think I'll share this!  Not me...I would have eaten that right up.

Here's my breakfast of potatoes, eggs, sausage, and a biscuit.  So delicious.

Here's MGGs breakfast, he wanted some of those tender pancakes!  I think I snuck a bite when he wasn't looking...and he did the same with my potatoes!

And the funniest food novelty we saw all day was this!  I want one of these.

Hope you get to go to Disneyland soon and experience the Magic for yourself!  Or, if you come to LA, make this one of your destinations, it is a wonderful place.  

Simple Mornay Sauce

Sometimes you just need a good sauce.

I was in that dilemma not so long ago when I cooked up some nice Chicken Cordon Bleu for dinner but wanted to jazz it up a bit with a white sauce.

So I whipped up this simple Mornay Sauce.

Mornay Sauce is a cream sauce, or bechamel of sorts that uses a roux as the base (flour and butter), plus has added cheese.  Typically two cheeses are used, such as a combination of Parmesan and Gruyere.  To keep it simple I just used Parmesan cheese.  

This is a light sauce, perfect for topping all kinds of foods such as, fish, vegetables, chicken, an can be used as a sort of alternative to Alfredo sauce for a different spin on pasta.

So next time you need a little something something...to top a dish...turn to this sauce, and give it a try.

Here are some step by step pics to get you started.

- Fresh grated Parmesan cheese

- Melting the butter

- Add the flour to make a roux

- Bring the mixture to a bubble

- Add the milk

- Turn up the heat and add the cheese and seasonings....stir, stir, stir, until it thickens.  About 3-4 minutes or until the consistency you desire is reached.

Serve!

Mornay Sauce 

Serves 4

1 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp. flour
1 c. milk
1/3 c. Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
Salt and pepper

In small pan over medium heat, melt butter. Whisk in flour. When mixture bubbles, add milk all at once, stirring with a whisk to avoid lumps. 

Turn heat up to medium high, stir in cheese, garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring constantly until it's thick about 3-4 minutes.  Serve over desired foods such as steamed vegetables, or on seafood and poultry dishes.