Chinese Beef & Broccoli

Ingredients:

• 3/4 Pound lean beef, sliced thinly into bite-sized pieces

Marinade for Beef:
• 1 Egg
• 1/3 Teaspoon salt
• 1 Tablespoon cooking wine
• 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
• 2 Tablespoons water
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons oil

• 1 1/2 Pounds broccoli, flowerets removed, slice diagonal into
thin slices
• 1 Cup cooking oil
• 2 1/2 Tablespoon oyster sauce
• 2 Tablespoons light soy sauce
• 3/4 Tablespoon dark soy sauce
• 1 Tablespoon sugar
• a few drops of sesame oil
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1/2 Cup chicken broth
• 2 Tablespoons cornstarch

Preparation:

Slice beef and mix together marinade ingredients. Add marinade to beef and marinate for thirty minutes. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons of oil to beef, mix in thoroughly, and marinate beef for another thirty minutes. Let beef marinate and prepare the vegetables.

Heat wok and add 1 cup of oil. When oil is hot, add beef and stir-fry until it is nearly cooked. Remove beef and set aside on a plate. Drain the wok and wipe clean with a paper towel.

Add 1/2 cup water to wok. Bring the water to a boil and add broccoli. Cover and cook until broccoli is cooked, but still crunchy. Drain the wok.

Heat wok and add oil (about 2 tablespoons). Add the garlic and stir-fry for about 1 minute. Add vegetables and beef and mix together. Make a well in the middle of the wok and add the sauce ingredients. Add cornstarch, stirring to thicken. Mix sauce together with other ingredients. Serves 4.

Grilled Thyme-Lemon Chicken Thighs

Ingredients:

• 1/2 Teaspoon grated lemon rind
• 1 1/2 Cups fresh lemon juice (about 6 lemons)
• 1/4 Cup chopped fresh or 1 tablespoon dried thyme
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 2 1/2 Tablespoons honey
• 16 skinless, chicken thighs (about 3 pounds)
• 1/2 Teaspoon salt
• 1/4 Teaspoon black pepper
• Cooking spray

Preparation:

Place first 5 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add chicken; seal bag. Chill for 2 hours, turning occasionally.
Prepare grill.
Remove chicken from bag; discard marinade. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Place chicken on grill rack or broiler pan coated with cooking spray; cook 5 minutes on each side or until chicken is well done.
Serves 8 (serving size: 2 thighs)

Cheesecake or Truffles - a Delicious Holiday Treat

Eggnog Tart

Looking for those rich, delicious treats you have been craving all year?

In search of that tempting, mouth watering special holiday treat?

This is the season to enjoy those rich deserts that you craved all year long or to share your cravings for rich deserts with that someone special, as a very special yummy holiday treat.

Our favorite desert on a cold winter night has always been a delicious slice of cheesecake and some dark rich coffee.

And, we are glad we stumbled upon a rich assortment of mini cheesecakes just right for celebrating the holidays, whether at an office party or for celebrating at home with family and friends.

Assorted Mini Cheesecake

We just love this sensational assortment of twelve mini gourmet cheesecakes in four traditional flavors, from:

• Traditional New York Cheesecake - made with cream cheese blended with fresh eggs;




• Turtle - a New York cheesecake based, topped with pecan bits, mini chocolate chips and a caramel drizzle;




• Black Forest - New York cheesecake base, with a chocolate graham cracker crust infused with tempting swirl of cherry;




• Cappuccino - New York cheesecake base, blended with pure coffee extract and a graham cracker crust.

Truffle Cake Sampler

No wonder that this delicious offering from David's Cookies was featured in the December issue of Good Housekeeping Magazine in their list of the 10 Best Mail-order Goodies for Giving (or Serving), stating that, this is the perfect gift for someone who craves homemade cheesecake.

For all those people on your gilf list with a sweet tooth, be sure to check out David's Cookies other delicious holiday treats, such as, Classic Chocolate Truffle Cake, Marble Truffle Cake, Mocha Hazelnut Truffle Cake, Truffle Cake Sampler, Chocolate Truffle Cake, Chocolate Raspberry Truffle Cake, Eggnog Tart, Rum Pumpkin Tart, Cranberry Walnut Cheese Tart, Rainforest Tart, Key Lime Tart and of course, those yummy brownies, crumb cake, cookies and other desserts.

So enjoy the holidays with these yummy, delicious holiday treats.

And, for more holiday gift ideas check out Glamnest.

During December they will be posting one great gift idea a day, and anyone who leaves a comment will be randomly selected to win the gift.

Spiced Pumpkin Bread

Ingredients:

• 3 1/2 Cups all-purpose flour
• 2 Teaspoons baking powder
• 1 Teaspoon ground allspice
• 1Teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 Teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 3/4 Teaspoon salt
• 1/2 Teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 Teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 1/3 Cups packed brown sugar
• 3/4 Cup fat-free milk
• 1/3 Cup vegetable oil
• 2 Teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 Large eggs
• 1 pumpkin puree (15 oz. can)
• Cooking spray

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350°.
Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and the next seven ingredients (flour through cloves) in a large bowl; make a well in center of mixture. Combine sugar and the next 5 ingredients (sugar through pumpkin) in a bowl, and stir well with a whisk until smooth. Add to flour mixture, stirring just until moist.

Coat two loaf pans (8x4 inch) with cooking spray. Pour batter into pan. Bake 350° for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Let loaves of bread cool completely. Cut each loaf into 12 slices.

Gingerbread Men

Ingredients:
• 3/4 Cup butter, at room temperature
• 3/4 Cup sugar
• 3/4 Cup molasses
• 3 1/4 Cups flour
• 1 Teaspoon baking soda
• 2 Teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 Teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 Teaspoon ground nutmeg

Preparation:

In a bowl, mix at medium speed, beat butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in molasses. In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir into butter mixture, blend well.

Divide dough in half. Flatten each half into a 1-inch-thick disk. Wrap each half and freeze until firm, about 1 hour.

Roll dough, a portion at a time, to 1/4 inch thick. With floured cutters, cut dough into people shapes. With a wide spatula or transfer cookies to buttered 12- by 15-inch baking sheets, spacing them about 1 inch apart. Repeat rolling and cutting with scraps.

Bake cookies at 300° degrees until edges are brown, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Let stand on sheets for abou t 5 minutes to firm up, then transfer to racks to cool completely.

Powdered sugar icing: If it's too thick, add a few drops of water; if it's too thin, gradually add more powdered sugar. To tint, add food coloring a few drops at a time.

Piping: In a bowl, stir 2 cups powdered sugar, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, and 1 1/2 tablespoons water until smooth. Tint with food coloring. Spoon into a pastry bag fitted with a 1/8-inch tip or a heavy 1-quart zip-lock plastic bag. Seal plastic bag and squeeze icing into a corner; cut a tiny opening at corner of bag to squeeze icing out. Let cookies stand for 5 minutes until icing is firm. Makes 2 dozen cookies.