I’m back with another favorite from the simplest healthy cookbook, Cook This, Not That! These Hoisin Beef Kebobs are tender, sweet and savory. Pieces of sirloin steak get alternated with mushrooms, cherry tomatoes and scallions before being glazed in a five ingredient sauce and grilled.

I love that the scallions get nicely charred while the cherry tomatoes burst, which brings the best flavor to the steak. These kebobs are a perfect dinner dish because the vegetables could be swapped out with so many other kinds of vegetables since the sauce is versatile and really would taste delicious with most veggies.

I usually serve these kebobs over rice, but they would also be great served with salad or alongside some more vegetables, like some grilled corn.

The most important thing to remember when you’re making this recipe is that the other vegetables can’t be taller than the cuts of steak – and that the cuts of steak need to be equal. Particularly if you are cooking on a grill pan, which is requiring direct heat, if you have one large mushroom or one large piece of beef, that other piece of steak won’t get cooked enough since it won’t be touching the grill pan. This is less important if you are using an actual grill.

If I’m making these in our grill pan, I actually usually grill the steak and vegetables individually in two batches since our grill pan isn’t long enough for the kebob sticks. Either way, Matt and I can’t get enough of the juicy bites of steak and glazed veggies!

Hoisin Beef Kebobs

 

Print

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons hoisin
• 1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon chili sauce (I use Trader Joe’s green dragon sauce)
• 16 ounces sirloin steak, cut into ¾-inch pieces
• 20 small mushroom caps
• 20 small cherry tomatoes
• 8 scallion whites, sliced into ½-inch long pieces
• 8 skewers (if wood, soaked in water for 5-10 minutes)

Directions

1. Combine the hoisin, soy sauce, sesame oil and chili sauce. Divide between 2 small bowls and set aside.
2. Skewer the steak, mushrooms, tomatoes and scallions, alternating between the meat and vegetables. Try to make sure the mushrooms aren’t larger than the steak pieces, and if the mushrooms are too big then cut them in half. Also make sure the vegetables aren’t pressed against the steak pieces to give the steak enough room to cook.
3. Using one bowl of the sauce, brush the skewers with sauce and grill for 3-4 minutes per side, basting the other side with sauce before flipping. If you’re using a grill pan, lightly brush the pan with vegetable oil before grilling and grill over medium-high heat. Remove from the grill and brush with the sauce from the second reserved bowl before serving.

3.2.2802

Lauren Uncategorized 2 Comments

I wanted to make Matt a special breakfast treat during his birthday week so I dug into my Brunch at Bobby’s cookbook to get the recipe for these Pineapple Upside Down Pancakes. Ironically, after I had already scheduled these in my Lemon & Mocha calendar, Matt picked this cookbook and this recipe as what we should make in March for our monthly new cookbook challenge.

I guess I was spot on when I thought he would like the recipe! I’ve actually already cooked from Brunch at Bobby’s though (check out these Cast Iron Home Fries with Creamy Garlic Dressing!), so I had Matt pick another cookbook anyways.

These are fluffy pancakes that have little chunks of caramelized pineapple inside and get topped with a warm pineapple maple butter syrup. Yum! When you pour the pancake batter onto your frying pan or skillet you then add a couple pieces of pineapple and a sprinkling of sugar so that when the pancake gets flipped, the sugar caramelizes right on the exposed pineapple chunk.

I did have to adapt this recipe from Bobby Flay’s cookbook version because his pancake batter recipe let me down. The batter was too thin and as soon as I put it in my frying pan I knew it wouldn’t make the big fluffy pancakes that I wanted. So instead, I used the sour cream pancake base from my The Pioneer Woman Cooks cookbook, which have the perfect pancake texture and taste. Don’t worry – they don’t taste like sour cream! It just helps to keep the pancakes moist and light.

The best part of the whole recipe, though, was the simple pineapple maple butter syrup. Butter, maple syrup and pineapple chunks get cooked together to make a velvety sauce that you will want to drizzle over all your pancakes. And your waffles. And even your french toast. Maybe even on an actual pineapple upside down cake! Which I’ve never made before, but after having these Pineapple Upside Down Pancakes taste so good it’s on my list to try soon! Enjoy!

Pineapple Upside Down Pancakes

 

Print

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

• ¾ cup pure maple syrup
• 4 tablespoons butter, diced and chilled in the freezer
• 2½ cups finely diced fresh pineapple, divided
• 1 cup sour cream
• 7 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoon granulated sugar, divided
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• Butter, for cooking the pancakes (alternatively you could use cooking spray)
• Fresh cherries and mint for serving, optional

Directions

1. Heat the maple syrup in a small saucepan over low heat. Once simmering, add the cold butter, one piece at a time, and whisk until the butter has melted and the syrup has thickened slightly. Remove from the heat. Add ½ cup of the diced pineapple, stir to combine, then cover and keep warm.
2. Put the sour cream in a medium mixing bowl. Sift in the flour, 1 tablespoon of the sugar, baking soda and salt. Stir together until just combined. The batter will be lumpy.
3. In a separate small mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs with the vanilla. Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture. Stir until just combined.
4. Place a frying pan or griddle over medium-low heat. Once the pan is hot melt just enough butter to lightly coat the pan or griddle and wait for it to bubble. Pour a scant ¼ cup of batter for each pancake. Try not to overcrowd your pan; the amount of pancakes you can fit will depend on your pan's size. Leave some space between the pancakes as they will expand when you add the pineapple. Once the pancakes start to bubble, about 2 minutes, add some chopped pineapple over top then sprinkle the pineapple with sugar. Flip the pancakes and cook until set, about another 1-2 minutes.
5. Add some more butter and repeat with the remaining batter until you have cooked all your pancakes. Keep pancakes warm in a single layer on a baking sheet in a warm oven. Serve the pancakes, caramelized pineapple side up, with the pineapple maple butter sauce and garnished with fresh cherries and mint, if using.

3.2.2802

Lauren Uncategorized 2 Comments

My go-to diner order is a tuna melt. I love tuna fish and when it’s sandwiched between two toasty slices of bread along with some gooey melted cheese I’m in heaven. I had some leftover egg roll wrappers from the Baked Barbecue Chicken Egg Rolls and when I was brainstorming what I could make with them I thought of my favorite diner food. Skinnytaste turned me on to baked egg rolls with the Southwest Turkey Baked Egg Rolls from her cookbook and I’m constantly thinking of new variations.

I stuffed the egg roll wrappers with cheddar cheese and a quick tuna salad I made with canned tuna, mayonnaise, scallions and fresh ground black pepper. Then I baked them until they were crispy and crunchy on the outside and had the perfect melted cheese in the middle.

As I mentioned in my Pasta Tuna Salad post (if you love tuna fish then you will go nuts for that dish!), Matt does not like tuna fish so I made these for myself for lunch. This is a small batch recipe as it only uses one can of tuna fish to make two servings. You could certainly make more if you are making it for more people, but I would not recommend saving them for leftovers as they taste best fresh from the oven.

Now that I have those Goat Cheese Spinach Pesto Egg Sandwiches on my mind from Wednesday I’m thinking I missed an opportunity to put some everything but the bagel seasoning on the top of the egg roll wrappers just for some added flavor. I’m not sure if you’ve ever had tuna fish on an everything bagel, but it is so good. There’s this place I used to order from at work that would make a tuna melt on an everything bagel with some of the bagel scooped out so it would get nice and crispy. Like these egg rolls! Minus the everything but the bagel seasoning, but maybe next time!

Tuna Melt Egg Rolls

 

Print

Yield: 6 egg rolls

Ingredients

• 1 5-ounce can of tuna fish, drained
• 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 scallion, end removed and chopped
• Fresh ground black pepper
• 6 egg roll wrappers
• 6 tablespoons shredded cheddar cheese
• Cooking spray
• Everything but the bagel seasoning, optional

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a small baking sheet with nonstick aluminum foil or parchment paper and set aside.
2. Combine the tuna fish, mayonnaise and chopped scallion in a bowl. Season with the black pepper.
3. Before filling the egg roll wrappers, make sure you have a little bowl or cup of warm water and a clean work surface. Place the egg roll wrapper down so that a corner is facing you. Scoop ⅙ of the tuna mixture and place it near the bottom corner of the wrapper. I like to adjust the mixture so it’s more of a log shape then a big mound. Place a tablespoon of the shredded cheese on top. Take the bottom corner of the wrapper and fold it up and over the mixture so it’s completely covering it then continue to roll it one more time. Fold in the left and right corners so they create a little envelope then continue to roll it until it’s 1 roll away from the top corner. Wet your finger with the water and use it to moisten the whole exposed top corner. Fold the corner down to close up and seal the roll. Place it on the baking sheet. Repeat for the remaining rolls then coat all the rolls with cooking spray. Sprinkle with everything but the bagel seasoning if desired.
4. Bake the rolls for 8 minutes, then flip them over and bake for another 8 minutes. They should be crispy and golden brown. Serve warm.

3.2.2802

Lauren Uncategorized 2 Comments

Friends, we have another epic sandwich on our hands and I’m having trouble containing myself yet again. This little breakfast sandwich is savory, creamy, tangy and a whole lot of deliciousness.

My inspiration for this sandwich came from a little weekday date Matt and I had. There is a cafe near Matt’s office and a couple months ago we had lunch there together. I got this crazy delicious egg sandwich with spinach, pesto, goat cheese and pickled red onions on a buttery roll. I’ve been craving it ever since so I decided to re-create my own.

Instead of keeping all the components separate I made the pesto with spinach and goat cheese. I’ve made spinach pesto before, but I’ve never used goat cheese in my pesto. Oh my goat cheese heavens! It made the pesto so creamy and gave it the consistency of almost a pesto spread. Which could not be more perfect since it gets spread right onto these toasted kaiser rolls. These are the same rolls from the Barbecue Meatloaf Sandwiches with Caramelized Onions and I used the same egg wash method with everything but the bagel seasoning since I’m channeling breakfast. You really could eat this sandwich for any meal, but I wanted to include some of those breakfast flavors since we’re working with eggs.

Next, we have the scrambled egg patty. You could scramble your eggs in a pan, but if you cook the egg in a ramekin in the microwave then it will be the perfect shape for egg sandwiches. Finally, after being slathered with goat cheese spinach pesto, it gets topped with some tangy Quick Pickled Red Onions and some additional creamy goat cheese. Yum!

Okay, back to the goat cheese spinach pesto because I’m still not done talking about it. The recipe below makes more pesto than you will need for the sandwiches, which is amazing because then you can either a) make even more sandwiches with it or b) use it on everything for the next few days. I had the pesto on chicken, mixed in with rice, on turkey sandwiches and stirred into pasta with shrimp. I couldn’t get enough of it and was very sad when we used it all up. I guess that just means I have to make it again soon!

Goat Cheese Spinach Pesto Egg Sandwiches

 

Print

Yield: 2 sandwiches

Ingredients

• 4 cups spinach leaves
• ⅓ cup nuts, see note
• 1 clove garlic
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup olive oil
• 1 ounce goat cheese, plus more for topping
• 2 kaiser rolls
• 3 eggs
• Everything but the bagel seasoning
• Pickled red onions, for topping
• Cooking spray

Directions

1. Puree the spinach, nuts, garlic and salt in a food processor. Add the olive oil and continue to pulse until smooth. Add the goat cheese and pulse until smooth. Set aside.
2. Beat 1 of the eggs in a small bowl then add 1 tablespoon water. Brush the tops of the buns then top with everything but the bagel seasoning. Toast in your toaster oven or oven.
3. Spray 2 small ramekins or microwave-safe bowls with cooking spray. Beat each of the remaining 2 eggs in their own ramekin and season with salt and pepper. I usually add a splash of milk. Lightly cover and microwave for 1 minute.
4. To make the sandwiches, spread the bottom of each bun with some of the goat cheese spinach pesto. Carefully remove the egg from the ramekin and place on top along with the pickled red onions and additional goat cheese, if desired.

Notes

You can use whichever type of nut you prefer in pesto; I would recommend toasted pine nuts, almonds or walnuts. Alternatively, you could use 3 tablespoons of pumpkin seed butter instead as that is what I used for this recipe.

3.2.2802

Lauren Uncategorized 0 Comments

This recipe for Quick Pickled Red Onions has to be the easiest recipe I’ve ever posted on Lemon & Mocha. Which is perfectly okay because easy is great. Easy means you can make these mild and tangy pickled red onions anytime you want! Especially when there’s only five ingredients and those five ingredients are water, apple cider vinegar, sugar, salt and red onion so it really doesn’t get much more simple than that.

The reason pickled red onions are so amazing is because they bring the perfect amount of acid to a dish. Remember the Thai Peanut Chicken Tacos? The addition of pickled red onions helps burst through the rich and savory peanut flavors to bring some much needed brightness to each bite.

Aside from tacos, my other favorite way to eat pickled red onions is on a salad. When I have a batch of them in the fridge it’s such an easy topping to throw on my salads for an added crunch and punchy flavor. Putting pickled red onions on grilled cheeses and grilled sandwiches is another favorite in our house. I’m sure there’s plenty of other delicious ways to use pickled red onions, but after some tacos, salads and a few sandwiches ours are already used up so I haven’t experimented with other uses!

To make pickled red onions you heat water, apple cider vinegar, sugar and salt in a small saucepan. Once the sugar has dissolved – it’s only 1 1/2 teaspoons – you pour the warm mixture over the thinly sliced onions in a bowl. Let them sit for one hour and then you’re well on your way to effortlessly taking your meals up a notch!

Quick Pickled Red Onions

 

Print

Ingredients

• ½ cup water
• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
• 1½ teaspoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ red onion, thinly sliced

Directions

1. Combine the water, apple cider vinegar, sugar and salt in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves then remove from the heat.
2. Place the sliced red onions in a bowl then pour the vinegar mixture over top. Let sit at room temperature for 1 hour.

3.2.2802

Lauren Uncategorized 4 Comments