Beef and Peppers

adapted from Kiku Kay's Chinese Cookbook
Don't forget to have rice cooking while you prepare this
If your chopping was done ahead it is a very fast meal

MEAT
1 lb flank steak, sirloin, top round, eye of round...........I use plain old round or thin-sliced sirloin tip or whatever's on sale...........and usually less than a lb. Could use portobellos but get whole ones so you can scrape the "gills" off with a spoon to keep it from getting "muddy"

MARINADE
3 Tb soy sauce
2 tsp cornstarch
1 Tb red wine vinegar
1 Tb sesame oil
1 Tb water
dash black pepper
1 tsp finely chopped ginger (or ground)
1 tsp finely chopped garlic (or powder)
dash of baking soda


VEGETABLES (vary according to taste or availability - bean sprouts are good, can use tomatoes, green beans, snap or snow peas, more onions)
1/2 c sliced water chestnuts
3 c green pepper, sliced
1 onion sliced thin or shredded
up to a whole pkg of slaw mix or 3-4 cups shredded cabbage

GLAZE
2 tsp cornstarch
1 Tb soy sauce
1/2 c chicken broth (dissolve some bouillon)

Cut beef across grain into thin slices 2 inches long and put in the marinade for at least 30 minutes in the fridge (turning the tupperware over every now and then is good)

Heat 2 Tb of oil in large frying pan or wok (if you have seasoned wok oil that's great)
Add beef and stir-fry about 2 minutes or until beef loses all trace of red. Remove beef and add 2 Tb of oil, add and stir-fry vegetables at least 2 minutes. Season with salt (optional), red pepper flakes, black pepper fresh-ground, can add more garlic and ginger if you like (I do),
Mix glaze ingredients and add to vegetables, stir beef back in and heat through (1-2 minutes).

Serve over rice, and if desired top with some chow mein noodles

Baking/roasting Ahead for fast meals

When you are using the oven and have room, throw in a butternut squash (cut in half, put a little water in the pan, bake cut-side down about an hour). Scoop out the innards after dinner when its cool and put in the freezer or fridge. Warm it in the microwave while sauteing some chopped onion. With a little broth (veggie is good), the onion, and spices you can put it in the blender and reheat for fast, yummy soup. (Penzy's Foxpoint Seasoning and fresh pepper are all you need, maybe a little butter to saute the onion). No cream necessary! good with a fish and potatoes dinner with some green beans. If your kids are unsure, use nutmeg and cloves and call it pumpkin pie soup.

When you bought eggplant really cheap but it/they are starting to get old in the fridge, pierce it and put in the oven to bake an hour. then peel and put in the food processor. Looks almost like hamburger! you can freeze and use it in pasta dishes. "Eggplant Penne Marinara" is just that - processed roasted eggplant in a marinara sauce --or your favorite spaghetti sauce would work.

pretty, fast, and healthy - Butternut Squash with Black Beans

Butternut Squash with Black Beans

30 minutes start to finish!    

heat 1 tsp olive oil and saute 1 diced onion and 1 small butternut squash peeled, seeded, cut into small chunks (I like to start the onion ahead so it gets golden - let it start while you cut the squash), sprinkle with chopped garlic or garlic powder

add 1/4 c red wine vinegar and 1/4 cup water, cover tightly and cook 10 minutes or until squash is tender when pierced with a fork.
stir in 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained, and 1/2 tsp dried oregano or any favorite Mexican-type seasonings.

This makes a yummy dinner with steamed asparagus or green beans, a green salad with cauliflower, tomatoes and other fresh veg, and crusty bread.

Easy Pizza

the secret is out -- bake it on parchment paper for a more traditional crust that reheats well - on the same paper-

So far no one has complained when I use whole wheat flour nor when I put several big handfuls of spinach on -- you just have to pull off the stems and cut it in ribbons (or chop) and put it underneath the other stuff. Most families would want to double this recipe, I still only use 1 Tb yeast (a more generous one perhaps) for two pizzas. 1 1/2 cups water would give you two thin-crust pizzas that don't quite reach the edges of the pans.

One cookie-sheet size pizza :
1 cup hot tap water sprinkled with
1 scant Tbs yeast and then
1 tsp sugar, let sit while you gather other ingredients.
Add
scant tsp salt,
blob in about 1 Tbs olive oil (optional), and
flour enough to make a soft dough (probably about 1 to 1 1/2 cups) Add gradually if you are not sure, you should be able to
stir vigorously 40 strokes.
Now you can choose to knead it or not, skipping right to resting and shaping works fine and makes it quick and easy, kneading for 3-5 minutes makes it more like "real" pizza crust.
Let it rest covered 10 minutes (more is OK)

Roll out til nearly pan size and put on parchment-lined cookie sheet, use flat of hands to bring it to edges, making them thicker if you like. You can top it now or let rise a while first while you are chopping toppings, then put sauce, toppings, cheese (see notes below)

Bake on the lowest possible rack setting at 425 for about 12 minutes

Notes:
Some sauce options are: your favorite spaghetti sauce, tomato sauce mixed with tomato paste with added Italian seasoning, favorite alfredo sauce. Other toppings are all up to you --consider olives, peppers, onions, roasted eggplant chunks if you are adventurous, etc. to suit your family's tastes. Try de-stemmed and cut spinach, sliced mushrooms, etc. Sales on Italian sausage can be worth watching for - pull it out of the freezer and brown and make the meat-eaters happy.
I like the Italian four-cheese blends - watch those sales. You can always sprinkle Parmesan on top too, or asiago, etc.
If you have lots of differing opinions in the group, you can divide the pizza(s) up and give each person their own section to top as they wish.


If you make it with lots of veggies but then put a few slices of pepperoni on top, everyone (think kids) eats it like its a pepperoni pizza :) I freeze the package of pepperoni and pull out a handful of slices each time, it lasts for months. I also use about 1/3 of a can of artichoke hearts (no one seems to carry frozen bags you can take few out of at a time any more) and freeze the rest in two small containers for another day.

You can bake it halfway before adding cheese on top to make sure it gets plenty done and crisp without overcooking cheese, or half-cook the plain crust before adding toppings, then pull out again to add cheese the last few minutes (that's how my neighbor learned to do it in Italy)
You can precook some toppings to prevent it from getting runny with juices from using lots of veggies - or salt watery things like zucchini and let sit and drain.

One favorite (of mine, at least) is a "Pizza Blanca" version that has a full pound or more of sliced mushrooms sauteed along with a large sliced or chopped onion and chopped artichoke hearts, spiced up a bit along the way with favorite Italian-style seasonings. Sprinkle some cheese on the crust (no sauce, sorry Drew, but I still say this IS pizza), some spinach if you have fresh on hand, then spread the mushroom mix over and little more cheese over that. yum yum yum and healthy too!

Mysterious Flatbread

as promised, good with lentil soup -
you have to think ahead, but its easy and doesn't require heating up your oven on a hot day 

Mysterious Flatbread from More Home Cooking by Laurie Colwin
(begin the night before or in the morning)

Stir together
2 T warm water
1 t yeast
2 T yogurt
 Mix in
1/3 cup flour
2 t sugar

leave overnight or all morning, or 3 hours in a warm place

In a bowl combine
2 cups flour
2 t salt
1 T black onion seeds (called Kalaunjii or Kalonji, optional, but good)
Add
yogurt starter
1 cup warm water

Knead on floured board, kneading in additional 3/4 cup flour

Let rise 2 hours or until doubled

Divide dough in half, flatten as for pizza, and cook on heated griddle until brown and speckled on both sides (about 5 minutes) then lower heat and cook 10 minutes more. finished bread will sound hollow when tapped