Beef and Broccoli Stir-Fry

This has been a great week for successful new meals at the Brown household.  Tonight the trend continued with a Beef and Broccoli stir fry recipe inspired by my wonderful Cooking Light subscription.  As always I altered the original recipe a little bit.  I added mushrooms, substituted barbecue sauce for the hoisin sauce and used brown rice instead of white.  The results...excellent!  Jeremy says it was his favorite meal of the week.

• Brown rice (about 4 servings)
• 2 TBS cooking sherry
• 2 TBS soy sauce
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 pound steak, cut
• 1/2 cup organic beef broth
• 1 TBS cornstarch
• 1 TBS BBQ sauce (or hoisin sauce)
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 2 TBS canola oil
• 1 TBS ground ginger
• 4 cloves garlic
• 4 cups broccoli florets
• 1/4 cup water
• 3/4 cup sliced green onions
• mushrooms

1. Cook rice according to directions
2. Combine 1 TBS sherry, 1 TBS soy sauce, sugar, and beef.  Stir together 1 TBS sherry, 1 TBS soy sauce, broth, cornstarch, BBQ sauce, and red pepper flakes
3. Heat 1 TBS oil in large skilled over med-high.  Add beef mixture; saute 3 minutes or until browned.  Remove beef from pan.  Add remaining TBS oil to pan.  Add ginger and garlic; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly.  Add broccoli and 1/4 cup water; cook 1 minute.  Add onions and mushrooms; cook 1 minute.  Add broth mixture and beef mixture; cook 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated.
4. Serve over rice!

Spicy Tortilla Soup with Shrimp and Avocado

This made a little over 4 servings.  Jeremy and I both had it
for dinner last night and lunch today.

This was pretty different but, also surprisingly good.  Jeremy and I both liked it and I will for sure make it again.  I had to make a few alterations to the original recipe.  Here is what I did:

• 1 TBS olive oil
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1/3 cup chopped celery
• 1/3 cup chopped carrot
• red pepper flakes (as much spice as you'd like)
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 4 cloves garlic
• 4 cups  organic chicken broth
• 1 can garbanzo beans
• 1 can fired roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
• 12 oz peeled, cooked shrimp
• 1 TBS lime juice
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup lightly crushed baked tortilla chips
• 1 avocado

1. Heat soup pot over medium.  Add olive oil to pan.  Add onion and next 6 ingredients (through garlic).  Cook 6 minutes or until carrot is crisp-tender.
2. Add garbanzo beans, tomatoes and bring to a boil.  Cover and cook 6 minutes.
3. Add shrimp.  Cook 2 minutes or until shrimp are done
4. Stir in lime juice and salt.

Serve with sliced avocado and tortilla chips!  (Jeremy also added cheddar cheese)

To make tortilla chips

1.  Cut organic tortillas with a pizza cutter into wedges.
2. Put wedges in a bowl.  Mix with some olive oil.
3. Put wedges on baking sheet.  Sprinkle with chili powder and garlic salt.
4. Bake at 400 about 6 minutes. 
5. Turn to broil to make extra crispy (just a couple minutes)

Salmon Papaya Salad

Jeremy's aunt and uncle got me a subscription to Cooking Light for Christmas.  I got the first issue in the mail last week.  The inspiration for this recipe came from that magazine.  It was originally called "Spicy Crab and Papaya Salad".  But, I didn't have any crab. I made a few alterations to the original recipe; The result was pretty good.  Jeremy ate his on toast and enjoyed it.  I think next time I would like to add some cilantro.  Jeremy's quote for the meal, "I think this would be a better summer dish".

• 1 1/2 cups peeled, diced papaya
• 1/3 cup chopped green onions
• 1/4 cup chopped celery
• 1 salmon fillet

Whisk to together: 3 Tbs Canola oil, 1 Tbs apple cider vinegar, 2 tsp sugar, dash of dried mustard, dash of red pepper flakes, pepper and salt.
1.  Cook salmon fillet.
2. chop fruits and veggies
3.  Mix all together
4.  Pour dressing on top and chill

Stuffed Peppers - So Easy, So Good!

I didn't know what to make for dinner last night.  Looking in my refrigerator, I didn't see too many options.  But then...I had a wonderful idea...Stuffed Peppers!  I happened to have 1 green pepper and some left over fried rice I had made the day before.  fried rice + hamburger = stuffing for peppers!  The great thing about stuffed peppers is they are incredibly fast and easy AND you can put just about anything in them...I have done all of the following in some combination: rice, quinoa, couscous, ground turkey, ground hamburger, sauteed veggies, cheese.  The combinations are limitless :)

Last night I took out a package of ground beef.  (only all natural, grass fed in our fridge).  I scrambled the ground beef with some garlic, onions, salt and pepper.  When it was done, I dumped in the left over fried rice, which was made of: brown rice, sesame oil, carrots, & peas.  I added a little chicken broth to give some flavor and let the stuffing warm in a skillet on the stove.

Meanwhile I boiled a large pot of water.  The green pepper was sliced in half and emptied of seeds.  Green pepper goes in the boiling water for 3 minutes.

Lastly I stuffed the green peppers with the rice and beef mixture.  Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.  Place on a baking pan in put in a preheated 350 degree oven.  Bake for 10-15 minutes and Serve.  SO EASY!  Jeremy loved it!


Our delicious and nutritious grass fed beef comes from Tangled Tree Farm in southern Missouri. 
Check out their website:
http://www.tangledtreefarms.com/