This is a show-stopping steak with a sizzling Korean barbecue sauce that rivals any of your existing meat dinners. If you desire an at-home gourmet restaurant experience, this is the dish to serve.

4-6 rib eye sandwich steaks (ask your butcher to slice your rib eye steak into thin cutlet-like slices, or do it yourself with a sharp chef knife!)
kosher salt
black pepper
1 T soy sauce
2 T oil


Sauce ingredients:

1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup water
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 T rice wine vinegar
1/2 T sriracha
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp sesame oil
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 T corn starch

Stir Fry:

2 T oil
1 package baby bella mushrooms, sliced
1 red pepper, cut into strips
1 yellow pepper, cut into strips
1 large onion cut into chunks
1 scallion, chopped, for garnish

DIRECTIONS:

Lay the steaks on a flat surface and season both sides generously with kosher salt and pepper. Transfer the meat to a resealable gallon size bag and add the oil and soy sauce. Shake to distribute and let marinate for one hour or longer.

Combine the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

Heat the stir fry oil in a large wok and add all the vegetables besides the scallion. Cook covered for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened but still firm.

Heat a gas grill or grill pan and add the steaks. Cover and cook for two minutes on each side. Transfer the meat to the wok and add the sauce. Stir to combine and cook for an additional minute.

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 lb. fettuccine (half a box)
1 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. diced shallot
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 Tbsp. water
pinch black pepper
1/8 tsp salt
5 oz. baby bella mushrooms (half a box), sliced
1 cup heavy cream
2 Tbsp. grated parmesan cheese, plus extra for topping

INSTRUCTIONS:

Cook the pasta as per the directions on the box and set aside.

Heat the butter in a medium saucepan and add the shallot. When it begins to brown, add the garlic, water, salt and pepper. Let simmer on low for 1-2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and simmer another 3 minutes, covered and stirring occasionally. Pour in the heavy cream and bring to a boil. Add the grated parmesan and cook another few minutes until sauce is slightly thickened.

Pour the sauce over the pasta and mix to incorporate. Top with the extra parmesan cheese and dried parsley flakes. Garnish with purple or green basil leaves.

It's so nice to have an easy alternative to frying chicken. Baking chicken is wonderfully healthy option too, but having the oven on in the summertime is just not fun. Here's one way to serve up some chicken and veggies with minimal stove time and maximum flavor!

INGREDIENTS:

1.5 lb. chicken tenders, cut into small strips

Marinade:
2 Tbsp corn starch
2 Tbsp orange juice, lemonade or water

Sauce:
1/2 cup broth or water
1 Tbsp corn starch
3 Tbsp teriyaki sauce
1 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 Tbsp maple syrup
1 1/2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
1/8 tsp salt

Vegetables:
1 medium green squash, sliced (unpeeled)
1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
1 8oz box baby bella mushrooms, sliced thinly
1 small can sliced water chestnuts
1 can baby corn, cut into small pieces
1 cup frozen broccoli floretts

3 Tbsp canola oil
1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil


INSTRUCTIONS:

Combine the corn starch and juice in a small bowl and add the chicken strips. Let marinate at least one hour.

Mix the sauce ingredients in another bowl and set aside.

Heat the two oils in a large nonstick wok. Add the chicken pieces without the remaining marinade. Cook on medium-high heat until the chicken turns white. Remove the chicken to a plate and set aside.

Add the vegetables to the hot wok and stir. Cover and let simmer until the vegetables are softened, approximately 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Pour the sauce over the vegetables and return the chicken to the wok. Mix thoroughly and cook an additional 2-3 minutes. Serve over rice.

This tastes like a restaurant dish and plates like one too! It isn't a healthy dinner but it will definitely be a bit more wholesome than your Chinese takeout alternative.

MARINADE: 

1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp sugar
1 T corn starch
1 T water
2 T oil
1 package Chinese Pepper steak (very thinly sliced)

1 red and 1 green pepper, cut into strips
1 can baby corn, chopped into 1" pieces
1 can water chestnuts
frozen broccoli florets (desired quantity)

SAUCE: 

3 T soy sauce
5 T teriyaki sauce
1 T brown sugar
4 cloves crushed garlic
2 T flour
1 T sherry
1 T oil

INSTRUCTIONS:

Combine all marinade ingredients and add the steak. Mix well and let marinate for at least 1 hour.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a wok on medium heat and add the pieces of steak, discarding any excess marinade. Once browned, reduce heat to low and cover. Let simmer for half hour, stirring occasionally and adding a tablespoon of water at a time if necessary. Once soft, remove meat from wok and set aside.

Add the peppers, baby corn, water chestnuts and broccoli to the wok and let cook for about 5-10 minutes, covered, until softened (not too soft).

Combine sauce ingredients in a bowl and pour over the vegetables. Return the meat to the wok and let simmer on low for another few minutes until the sauce is bubbly. Serve over rice

INGREDIENTS:

2 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 - 1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
1 15-oz can tomato sauce
1 15-oz can petite diced tomatoes, drained
2/4 cup heavy cream
1 tsp vodka


INSTRUCTIONS:

In a medium saucepan, saute the onion in the oil until the onion begins to brown. Add the garlic and continue to cook for another 2 minutes, stirring often. Add the spices, cover the pot and cook for one minute. Pour in the sauce and diced tomatoes and bring to a boil. Cover the pot halfway and let simmer for half an hour, until the sauce is reduced. Add the heavy cream and bring to a boil. Add the vodka and let simmer for five minutes. Keep sauce warm until ready to use.

The sauce freezes well in an airtight container. Thaw before use.

Some recipes call for Parmesan cheese in the sauce but I found it has the ability to change the texture of the sauce and make it appear grainy. I don't find the sauce lacking that so I prepare it without the Parmesan and instead sprinkles some fresh grated Parmesan on the pasta, once plated.

HAMBURGERS:

2 lbs. ground beef
1 medium onion, diced
2 eggs
1/2 cup flavored bread crumbs
3 cloves garlic, pressed
1 squirt bbq sauce
1 squirt spicy brown mustard
1/8 tsp kosher salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp basil

BARBECUE DRESSING:

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup barbecue sauce
1 tsp sriracha
2 tbsp mustard
1 tsp garlic powder

INSTRUCTIONS:

In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients and mix well using disposable gloves. Ensure that all the ingredients are well incorporated.

Line a container cover (approximately 4" diameter and 3/4" tall - I use the cover of Kirkland nuts) with a square of plastic wrap about 12" long. Cut parchment paper into 5-6" squares. You will need approximately 10-12 squares. Pack a handful of meat mixture into the lined cover and press down. Remove plastic wrap and place burger on parchment paper. Repeat until all the meat is used, totaling about 10-12 hamburgers. Freeze until ready to use. If using the same day, freeze until firm enough to handle.

Let frozen burgers thaw in the fridge overnight. You can grill them on an outdoor grill or on a grill pan. The following instructions are for a grill pan: Heat pan on high. Add burgers to pan and lay a piece of foil over the pan to keep the heat inside. Don't touch or move the burgers for 5 minutes. Flip over, recover and grill for an additional 5 minutes. If the burgers were quite frozen, you may want to cook an additional few minutes. I don't add barbecue sauce while grilling because it causes the pan to char and smoke so I add it later.

To assemble a sandwich: Spread the insides of the bun with barbecue dressing and add some greenery (I used kale in the picture above, but lettuce and spinach are great too), thinly sliced sour pickles and tomatoes, and potato chips for a fun crunch.

So colorful and tasty! This is one easy dinner side dish that goes with almost anything. The potatoes are tasty and flavorful without any dominant flavor. You can use kale or spinach for this recipe, adding a hefty boost of antioxidants and nutrients as well as an appealing color!

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 lbs. colored baby potatoes (usually found in a sack)
1-2 tbsp. olive oil
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste
few leaves of kale or spinach, torn into 2" pieces



INSTRUCTIONS:

Scrub the potatoes with a hard-bristled brush under running water. Cut in half or quarters, depending on the size of the potatoes. Boil until tender but not too soft, about 10 minutes. Drain.

Heat the oil in a skillet large enough to hold the potatoes. Add the onion when the oil is hot. Once the onions are translucent, add the garlic. Cook for 1 minute, stirring well and scraping the sides of the pan. Add the potatoes and stir to combine. Add the kale or spinach leaves and let cook an additional 2-3 minutes until the leaves are wilted.

I really love Chinese takeout food, even though I know it's mostly unhealthy, oily and fattening food. I always wished my homemade sesame chicken adventures would turn out like the local takeout's but that never happened, although I did get somewhere close. This one is a combination of a few different recipes I've tried and I've got to say, it definitely ranks close to theirs! Plus, it's way more healthy and nutritious.

INGREDIENTS

1 lb boneless chicken breast (cutlets), cut into bite-size pieces
1/2 cup corn starch
2-3 tbsp oil for stir-frying

SAUCE

3 tbsp duck sauce
2 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp brown sugar
1/4 cup ketchup
2 tbsp vinegar
1 tsp sriracha
1/4 tsp sesame oil (optional)
sesame seeds for garnish
broccoli florets and rice for serving

INSTRUCTIONS

Combine the chicken pieces and corn starch in a resealable gallon-size bag. Shake to evenly coat all the chicken.

Heat a nonstick wok or deep skillet with the oil over medium-high heat. Once oil is hot, add the chicken pieces (without any excess cornstarch). Stir to distribute the oil and chicken and cover the wok. Cook for 5-10 minutes or until the chicken is cooked (pure white insides), stirring occasionally.

In the meantime, combine sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Once the chicken is cooked, pour the sauce into the wok and mix well to cover all the chicken. Cook for one more minute and serve with rice and broccoli.

Note: After cooking the chicken, I empty the wok and set aside the chicken. I then add the broccoli to the pot and steam for 5 minutes covered. Then I add the chicken back in and mix together.

This salami has a showstopper presentation on any festive table. I make these for Friday night meals and refrigerate the rest. The leftovers are then tossed into a green lettuce salad with garlic mayo dressing for a fun burst of flavor and texture.

These ribs are so easy to make and are super-soft without too much effort. They can also be prepared a day or two in advance which means it's perfect for when you're entertaining - more fun with your guests and less time in the kitchen! What's nice about these ribs is that they are sweet but not overwhelmingly sweet, and they don't taste like bottled barbecue sauce.

MEAT AND SPICE RUB PREPARATION

1.5 lbs. Miami ribs (thin-cut flanken)
1 tbsp salt
1/2 tbsp black pepper
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp garlic powder

Lay the ribs in a 9x13 baking dish and fill with with water till one inch above the meat. Cover with foil and bake on 400 degrees for one hour. Remove from oven and pour out the water.

In a small bowl, combine the spice rub ingredients. Rub into the meat on both sides.

HONEY BBQ GLAZE

2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 cup honey
1/4 cup oil
1/2 cup ketchup
1 tbsp vinegar
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp soy sauce
3 tbsp brown sugar

Add all the ingredients to a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Allow to simmer for 3-5 minutes until thickened.

INSTRUCTIONS

Heat a grill pan over high heat. Place the meat in the pan and brush generously with the glaze. Immediately flip over and grill for approximately 3 minutes or until grill marks appear. Brush the second side (which is now the top) with glaze and flip over. Grill for 3 minutes. Remove the ribs and place in a baking dish. Pour the remaining sauce over the finished ribs. These ribs store very well in the fridge for up to 3 days.