Chinese Beef and Broccoli

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup oyster sauce
• 1 tablespoon Asian (toasted) sesame oil
• 1/3 cup sherry
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 1 1/2 teaspoons white sugar
• 1 teaspoons cornstarch
• 3/4 pound steak, cut into 1/8-inch thick strips
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more as needed
• 1 thin slice fresh ginger root or 1/2 teaspoon dried ginger
• 1 garlic clove, peeled and smashed
• 1 pound broccoli, cut into florets

Directions

1. Whisk together the oyster sauce, sesame oil, sherry, soy sauce, sugar, and cornstarch in a bowl, and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Place the steak pieces into a shallow bowl, pour the oyster sauce mixture over the meat, stir to coat well, and marinate for at least 1 hour in refrigerator.
2. Heat vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat, and stir in the ginger and garlic. Let them sizzle in the hot oil for about 1 minute to flavor the oil. Stir in the broccoli, and toss and stir in the hot oil until bright green and almost tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove the broccoli from the wok, and set aside.
3. Pour a little more oil into the wok, if needed, and stir and toss the beef with the marinade until the sauce forms a glaze on the beef, and the meat is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Return the cooked broccoli to the wok, and stir until the meat and broccoli are heated through, about 3 minutes.
4. Serve with rice.

Banana Cake

Ingredients 

•  2 teaspoons lemon juice
•  1 1/2 cups mashed bananas
•  3 cups all-purpose flour
•  1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup butter
•  2 1/8 cups white sugar
•  3 eggs
•  2 teaspoons vanilla extract
•  1 1/2 cups buttermilk

• 1 recipe cream cheese frosting
• Chopped walnuts, optional

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan. Set aside.
2. In a small bowl, mix mashed bananas with lemon juice, set aside. In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, cream together 3/4 cup butter and 2 1/8 cups sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in 2 teaspoons vanilla. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk. Stir in banana mixture. Pour batter into prepared pan.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove from oven and place directly into freezer for 45 minutes. This will make the cake very moist.
5. Frost cake with cream cheese frosting. Press walnuts onto frosting, if desired. Refrigerate until ready to serve.