When life throws you lemons….

Make some limonade!  That’s right; I said limonade; no misspellings or typos there. I am talking about a perfectly tart and sweet treat that will quench any summertime thirst.  The lime makes it a little different from the traditional plain lemonade but it is refreshing and lip smacking good.  Now go try this recipe before the temperature get above 200 degrees!

Summertime Limonade

Servings: 6

Ingredients

1 cup sugar

1 cup water (for the simple syrup)

½  cup lemon juice (about 2-3 lemons)

½ cup lime juice (about 2-3 limes)

3 to 4 cups cold water (to dilute)

1.       To make simple syrup, simmer sugar and water in a small pot until sugar is completely dissolved. Then chill in refrigerator.

2.       In the meantime, use a juicer to extract the lemon and lime juice from the lemons and limes, just enough for ½ cup each.

3.       Add the lemon and lime juice, simple syrup and cold water into a large pitcher. Refrigerate for 30-40 minutes and then adjust the sweetness by adding additional sugar or tartness by adding additional lemon and lime juice as needed.

4.       Serve with ice, lemon and lime slices.

Shaking Beef (Bò Lúc Lắc)

Ingredients & Cooking Directions for Bò Lúc Lắc - Shaking Beef and side dishes (Tomato Fried Rice, and Watercress Salad)

Estimated Servings: 4

Step 1: Marinate the Beef

2 pounds filet mignon or beef sirloin
1 tablespoon chopped shallot
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce 
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon pepper

Cut the beef into one inch cubes and put them into a bowl. Then add the rest of the ingredients in this step to the beef and mix well. Finally marinate the beef for about 30 minutes in the refrigerator.

Step 2: Make the Salad

2 tomatoes
5 cups watercress
1 cup sliced red onion
1 tablespoon plain vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon sugar
3 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup water

To make the dressing, add the vinegar, soy sauce, salt, pepper and sugar into a bowl. Then whisk all of the ingredients together while slowly pouring in the oil to emulsify the dressing. Next, add the tomatoes, watercress and onions to the dressing making sure that everything gets coated with the dressing. Finally place the salad in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Step 3: Prepare the Fried Rice

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 tablespoon tomato paste 
6 cups cooked rice (one day old)
1 ½ tablespoons soy sauce
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon mushroom seasoning (optional)

Turn your stove on high heat and add oil into a large wok or frying pan. Then add the garlic in the pan and cook until fragrant. Pour in the tomato paste stirring it around a little bit. Then add in the rice breaking it up and coating it with the tomato paste and garlic. Next, pour in the soy sauce, salt, pepper, sugar and mushroom seasoning stir frying everything until the rice is evenly coated with the tomato paste and all the seasonings are incorporated with the rice.

Step 4: Shake your Beef

3 tablespoons cooking oil
½ cup of diced yellow onions

Turn your stove on high heat and pour in some oil. When the oil gets very hot, add in the onions and marinated beef in small batches. Shake and toss the beef in the hot pan until it is to your desired doneness. Serve the beef with the tomato fried rice and the watercress salad you made earlier.