French Fries with Bulgogi and Caramelized Kimchi

This is probably a one and done recipe.  It was good, but it was spicy.  And for that many calories I'd rather have the Asian Pork Nachos.  I don't really have much else to say about it.
I just like the nachos better.

French Fries with Bulgogi and Caramelized Kimchi

Photo by ALB

RECIPE FROM: FOOD and WINE, MAY 2012
TOTAL TIME: 1 hr
YIELD: 2 servings

Ingredients
1 (small) onion, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
1/2 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 pound boneless rib eye steak, cut into very thin, 3-inch slices
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
2 tablespoons Korean chile paste (gochujang)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 cup kimchi
1/2 cup mayonnaise (used 1/4 C Hellman's Light)
3 tablespoons Sriracha, plus more for serving (used 1 1/2 TBSP)
1 pound hot french fries
1/2 C Shredded cheddar (used Reduced Fat),for serving

Preparation
In a resealable plastic bag, combine the onion, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, sugar, vinegar and sesame oil. Add the rib eye and toss to coat. Seal the bag and refrigerate overnight.

Drain the meat, pick off the solids and pat dry. In a large skillet, heat the vegetable oil until smoking. Add the meat and cook over high heat, turning once, until lightly browned, 4 minutes. Transfer the meat to a plate and keep warm. Rinse out the skillet and wipe dry.

In a medium bowl, combine the sugar, vinegar, chile paste and soy sauce. Add the kimchi and toss to coat. Heat the skillet until very hot. Add the kimchi and cook over high heat until the liquid is thickened and glossy and the kimchi is browned in spots, about 5 minutes.

In a small bowl, whisk the mayonnaise with the 3 tablespoons of Sriracha.

Scatter the french fries on a platter and top with the bulgogi and kimchi. Drizzle with some of the Sriracha mayonnaise and sprinkle with cheddar, onion, sesame seeds and cilantro. Serve with additional Sriracha.

18 Smart Points (my additions/subtractions at 4 servings)

Savory Vietnamese Beef Meatballs with a Sweet and Spicy Hoisin Dipping Sauce

So one of the things about meatballs...they need a bit of fat in them to keep them moist.  Lesson learned.  However, these weren't bad. Just a tad dry. They were very spicy due to the serrano peppers.  I think it was a first...I did not add any type of hot chile garlic sauce to an Asian-inspired dish.

Both D and I were hungry so we made this 3 servings.  We had with rice.

Savory Vietnamese Beef Meatballs with a Sweet and Spicy Hoisin Dipping Sauce

Photo by ALB

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 4 people

INGREDIENTS
For the meatballs:
1 pound lean ground beef (used 93-7...next time use 90-10)
1 cup red onion finely chopped
1/3 cup cilantro roughly chopped
4 cloves garlic finely chopped
1 tablespoon ginger peeled and finely chopped
1 1/2 tablespoon fish sauce
1/2 tablespoon honey
1 Thai chili finely chopped (optional)
2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil

For the dipping sauce:
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon fish sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons water
1 Thai chili finely chopped (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS
Put all the ingredients for the meatballs in a food processor and blend until everything is mixed and minced. Transfer to a bowl.

Put a little oil in your hands, just enough to lightly coat fingers and palms and use a tablespoon to scoop up the beef mixture so the meatballs are the same size. Repeat process until all the beef mixture is used.

In a deep pan over medium high heat, add oil and the meatballs. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Turn the meatballs over, cover and cook for another 5 or until meatballs are golden brown.

Mix all the ingredients for the dipping sauce in a bowl and serve together with beef meatballs. Pour over or use as a dipping sauce.

Serve with rice, tomatoes and a few cilantro leaves.

8 Smart Points (my additions/subtractions at 3 servings)

Monte Cristo Flatout Sandwich

My SIL liked or shared this recipe on Facebook, and I saw it. It looked simple, and like a good quick lunch, so I decided to try it.  I should say that I have no idea what a Monte Cristo Sandwich should taste like, so I'm not sure if this is one, but it was good.

It is pretty simple and if you mix the egg wash in a plastic container, you can put it back in the fridge when you want to make the second sandwich...  I had 4 sandwiches over the course of a weekend.

So I would make again.  My points came out differently, than the writer's though.

Monte Cristo Flatout Sandwich

Photo by ALB

Adapted from: Drizzle 
Prep time: 5 mins
Cook time: 10 mins
Total time: 15 mins
Serves: 2 6sp/6pp each (I got 9sp, maybe it was the bread I used)

Ingredients 
2 Everything Flatout fold-it breads (I used some Ancient Grains Flatout Fold-It Bread)
1 egg
1 egg white (I use 2TBSP liquid egg)
1 Tbsp milk (I used FF half and half, it's what I had)
Dash of salt and pepper
Pinch of paprika
1 Tbsp ranch dressing
4 oz deli ham
4 Tbsp shredded asiago cheese (I used 5-Cheese Italian Blend)

Preparation
In a bowl (big enough to dip your folded flatout) whisk together your egg, liquid egg, milk, salt and pepper and pinch of paprika.

Spray a medium size frying pan with some non stick spray and heat on stove top over medium.

Lay out your fold it breads and spread ½ Tbsp of your ranch dressing over each fold it.

Place 2 oz of deli ham on each and top with 2 Tbsp of your cheese, fold sandwich over and dip thoroughly in your egg mixture.

Cook in pan, flipping over after 5 minutes, be sure to get around your edges as well.

Serve immediately

9 Smart Points (my additions/subtractions at 2 servings)

One-Skillet Chicken With Buttery (or no Butter) Orzo

For once, Kroger had all the ingredients at the same time!!!  We lucked out.

OK, this recipe made me laugh.  Not so much looking at it.  But when D said it was ready, he said, "I didn't put any butter in it."  I said, "Didn't it have butter in the title?"  He said, "Yeah, but I thought it would be too much.

He said with the skin on the chicken, it provided enough drippings to cook everything else.  So that's what he did.

I liked it a lot.  He thought the fennel was a little overpowering.  I can't remember if he said it was easy or not, so I hope we have it again.  We had with green beans.

One-Skillet Chicken With Buttery (or no Butter) Orzo

Photo by ALB

4 SERVINGS (we got 6 servings, because we aren't sure how to divide 6 pcs of chicken into 4 servings)
Adapted from Bon Appetit

Ingredients
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
6 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs (about 2 pounds total), patted dry
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 fennel bulb, chopped, plus fronds, chopped
1 leek, white and pale green parts only, chopped
8 ounces orzo
⅓ cup dry white wine
2½ cups low-sodium chicken broth, divided
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

Preparation
Preheat oven to 400°. Rain salt and then some pepper all over chicken. Heat 2 Tbsp. butter in a medium cast-iron skillet over medium-high. Nestle chicken, skin side down, in skillet in a single layer with no gaps (if you can’t quite fit them all, wait until chicken shrinks slightly, then puzzle in the remaining pieces). Cook until meat is opaque around the edges and skin is deep golden brown, 6–8 minutes. Turn chicken skin side up and transfer skillet to oven; bake, uncovered, until chicken is cooked through, 10–15 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate.

Set same skillet over medium; combine fennel bulb and leek in skillet and sprinkle in some salt and pepper. Cook, tossing occasionally, until leek is looking golden around the edges, about 5 minutes. Add orzo and cook until pasta is darkened (it will take on a brown hue) to a nice nutty brown in spots and toasty smelling, about 3 minutes. Pour in wine and cook, stirring, until liquid is evaporated, about 1 minute. Add broth ½ cup at a time, stirring constantly and letting broth absorb before adding more, until orzo is tender and broth is mostly absorbed but pan is not dry, 10–15 minutes.

Remove skillet from heat, Taste and add more salt and pepper to your liking; mix in lemon juice and remaining 1 Tbsp. butter, then chopped fennel fronds. Pile chicken on top and finish with lemon zest.

Nutritional Content (at 4 Servings)
Calories (kcal): 810; Fat (g): 39; Saturated Fat (g): 14; Cholesterol (mg): 290; Carbohydrates (g): 51; Dietary Fiber (g): 4; Total Sugars (g): 6; Protein (g): 57; Sodium (mg): 290

10 Smart Points (my additions/subtractions at 6 servings)