Lovin' From the Oven

Beef Stir Fry

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One major event for this year down.. my older sister is officially married! We spent this past weekend in Santa Barbara setting up for my sister’s wedding. She got married in a park, so there was a lot of DIY and manual labor involved. All in all, no one notices the little things that you stress over and there is always something that you forgot. That’s just the way it goes.

In the end, it doesn’t really matter because it all falls together eventually.

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It was great seeing my family and friends, but I’m exhausted from the past couple of days. I can’t even complain because my parents did ten times what I did helping out. My parents are honestly super heroes.

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I can’t believe my wedding is only six months away. More wedding projects coming up soon on my Wednesday Wanderings!

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The food that my sister had at her wedding was amazing. It was catered barbecue with ribs, tri tip, and chicken and I’m impressed because both my sister and her husband are vegan!

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Here’s a quick dish that you can make in less than 30 minutes for dinner. Serve it over some rice and you’ve got yourself a take out meal made in your own kitchen!

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Beef Stir Fry

Serving Size: 4

Ingredients

  • 3 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch, divided
  • 1/2 cup water plus 2 tablespoons water, divided
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 lb top sirloin stir fry meat
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 16 oz bag frozen bell peppers (can also use fresh)
  • 1 tablespoon dried onion
  • 1/3 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 2 teaspoons red pepper

Directions

  1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons cornstarch, 2 tablespoons water, and garlic powder.
  2. Add the beef to the mixture and stir until evenly coated.
  3. Add one tablespoon of olive oil in a large pan over high heat. Add in the meat and cook until browned. Place meat on a plate and set aside.
  4. Using the same pan, add in the frozen bell peppers and dried onion. Cook until just hot.
  5. In another bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, ginger, red pepper, 1 1/2 tablespoon cornstarch, and 1/2 cup water until there are no more lumps.
  6. Return the meat to the pan with the bell peppers and pour in the soy sauce mixture.
  7. Continue to cook for another 3 minutes, until the sauce begins to thicken.
https://lovintheoven.com/beef-stir-fry/

Wednesday Wanderings: My Sister’s Bridal Shower

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My older sister is getting married in Santa Barbara this weekend and one of my next door neighbors, Debra, threw her a bridal shower a couple of weeks ago. If there’s one thing that Debra’s good at, it’s hosting. She sure knows how to throw a party! The theme of her bridal shower was an “Asian-inspired tea party.”

From the moment I walked ion Debra’s front door, my jaw dropped. Her tables were decorated with the most intricate and delicate china that I’ve ever seen! She also had matching umbrellas and lanterns hanging throughout her ceiling to match my sister’s wedding colors.

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That’s my momma and the bride-to-be!

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Debra collects china as a hobby. I still can’t get over the fact that she owns all of these pieces!

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My parents made the food because they don’t believe in a party without some barbecue. Above, we have homemade egg rolls and savory pate chaud (ground pork stuffed in a puff pastry).

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My pops spent the morning grilling outside making ribs and chicken.

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Thank you Debra (the bottom middle in the picture) for hosting such a wonderful bridal shower and letting us all celebrate in your home!

Reese’s Pieces Peanut Butter Coconut Oil Cookies

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Am I the only one that hasn’t jumped on the coconut oil craze just yet? I know people go gaga over that stuff. They put it in their drinks, in their food, in their hair… heck, they even rub it on their faces! That seems a little extreme to me, but hey, I won’t judge until I’ve tried it.

For now, I’m going to play it safe and use it in my baking. Coconut oil is actually very intriguing to me. It’s kind of like play-doh for adults! You never know if you’re going to have solidified coconut oil or melted coconut oil when you open up the can.

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Okay, that may not be completely true, but the first time I opened up a can of coconut oil, it was liquid. I bought it in its solid state, so that threw me for a loop.

Now, I know better. On the side of the LouAna 100% Pure Coconut Oil jar, it says that it’s solid under 76 degrees F and liquid over 76 degrees F.

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It’s a great alternative to butter, oil, and shortening. LouAna coconut oil also has zero trans-fat, is vegan, and non-GMO! You can buy a jar online here.

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The subtle coconut flavor went well in the peanut butter cookies. You can definitely taste it, but the coconut didn’t overpower the peanut butter taste. It also made the cookies very rich and dense.

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I added Reese’s Pieces on top of half of the cookies and left the other half plain. Can you guess which one was more popular?

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Recipe from Averie Cookies

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Reese Pieces Peanut Butter Coconut Oil Cookies

Yield: 2 dozen cookies

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 1/2 cup coconut oil, softened (consistency of soft butter)
  • 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 to 1 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons corn starch
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 box of Reese's Pieces (optional)

Directions

  1. Cream together the peanut butter, coconut oil, egg, sugar and vanilla.
  2. Slowly stir in 1 cup flour, corn starch, baking soda, and salt. If your dough seems too wet, add up to another one-quarter cup flour, one tablespoon at a time, for a total of 1 1/4 cups.
  3. Cover the dough with saran wrap and refrigerate for at least two hours.
  4. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  5. Using a medium sized cookie scoop, place dough on baking sheet at least 2 inches apart. If using Reese's Pieces, gently press 4-5 pieces into the top of the cookie.
  6. Bake for 7 to 9 minutes, or until tops have just set, even if slightly undercooked, pale, and glossy in the center.
https://lovintheoven.com/reeses-pieces-peanut-butter-coconut-oil-cookies/

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