Okie Stirfry with Beef

Yes, I just went there. I just said Okie Stir fry. Why do I call it that? Because it's more stew-like than Asian and because I'm originally a product of Oklahoma (therefore, an Okie). This recipe is thanks to my Momma because she likes to create funky stuff like this. I like to steal her ideas, put my own spin on it, and then eat it until I'm blue in the face and never want to see a bell pepper again. Enjoy, my Okie and non-Okie friends!

Whatcha Gonna Need:

1 lb. steak (I used thin cut top sirloin) cut into thin strips
1 T of veg oil + 1 T of veg oil, separated
3 bell peppers of any color, cleaned and sliced thin
2 large onions
2 green zucchini
2 yellow squash
1 tub of button mushrooms, sliced
1 small can of tomato sauce
1 container of La Choy sweet and sour sauce
1/2 C. water
8 swirls of the pan of soy sauce
salt and pepper to taste
steamed white rice for serving

Let's Get Okiefied ... or umm ... cookin':

Get your beef all chopped up and pretty. Then accessorize it with some salt and pepper. Beef is good and clean, I tell you.

Now we're gonna get tricky. We don't want to cook this beef. We just want to sear it. So, get your pan screaming hot and add a tablespoon of vegetable oil. I like the smoke point of veggie oil plus it doesn't smell weird when you fry in it. Okay, onto the beef. Sear it until it's no longer gray. Then turn it and do it again. Then take it off to rest on a pretty plate.

These beautiful strips of goodness are raw as heck in the center but nice and charred on the outside. We like that.

It's time to get your chop on. Slice and half those bell peppers. We had all green today.

Slice those onions into about 1/2 inch slices. Slice quick with a sharp knife and you won't cry. I promise. *sniff, sniff*

Add those to a big, heavy-bottomed pot on medium high heat with your other tablespoon of vegetable oil. Do you wanna know why I like vegetable oil? Oh, I already told you. P.S. I won't tell if you add some salt and pepper right here. In fact, I encourage you to do so.

Slice and halve your squash.

Then do the same thing with the zucchini. You have to because zucchini gets jealous.

Now add all ingredients from the squash and zucchini to the hot tub of peppers and onions. Youc an also throw in the mushrooms, too. It's all good, no worries. Don't forget to salt and pepper again. Layers are good. Kind of like donkeys.

The beef may rest no longer. It's time to add it to the yummies of veggies. Toss it in right on top 'cause it's pretty and good.

Now it's time to accessorize. These ingredients make our sauce. Oh, plus about 1/2 C. of water.

Now, add in your sauce ingredients so your meat and veggies can call themselves stir-fry. And because it's just that good man! Sometimes I always add in crushed red pepper flakes right here ... because I'm a crazy girl. That's why. After this, cover the pot, set the temperature to medium low (or 3 if you're number based) and let it rock and roll to the soft rock for about an hour.


When you come back, your Okie goodness whould look something like this. Oh yeah, baby. I'd get me a spoon and do a salt check right about now.

Ladle your pot of yummy on top of some white rice and say 'Thanks, Heather's Mom" because this is some goooood stuff.

Super Simple Lasagna

Lasagna. Yes, the Italian version of casserole. I said it. I just went and southernized it. What? Ya'll didn't know it was possible? Let's get started!

What you'll need:

A Batch of My Meat Sauce
32 oz. tub of ricotta cheese
16 oz. of shredded mozzarella cheese + 8 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese separated
2.5 oz parmesan cheese
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 eggs
1/4 C. milk
One box oven-ready lasagna noodles

Add your ricotta to a pretty pink bowl. Okay, any bowl will do. Pink just makes the food feel pretty.

Then add in 16 oz. of shredded mozzarella to the mix. Also, use the food processor to do your shredding. It will keep you from experiencing bouts of carpal tunnel.

You can also toss in all of your seasoning right about now, too.

Do you have this in your store? It makes me feel slightly less guilty about using parmesan cheese in my lasagna rather than parmigiana. Plus, they add asiago and romano to the mix making us feel really Italian!

Add half of that tub to the mix.

Mix it up and give it a taste. If it needs more salt, give it some. After you taste, add in your two eggs and 1/4 C. milk. This will make it a bit more smooth.

Now, proclaim to the world your culinary laziness and layer your no-bake noodles on top of about 1/2 C. of meat sauce.

Then make your life easier and keep your fingers cleaner by using a butter knife to spread your cheese mixture on top of the dry noodles. Trust me on this one- it is MUCH EASIER to spread cheese on dry noodles than on wet sauce.

Then give that cheese mixture some love and cover it with more meat sauce. SOOOO GOOD. Also, remember you need to use quite a bit of sauce because your noodles will be cooking in it. It will absorb quite a bit of it.

Repeat the noodle layering process until the pan is full.

After you put on your last noodles, top them with sauce and then add the remaining 8 oz. of mozzarella you reserved. Although, now it's more like 5 oz. if your 3 year old has been running in and out of the kitchen taking bites. No biggie.

Bake the pan of goodness covered with foil at 350 degrees for about one hour. Then take the foil off and let the cheese brown for about 10 minutes.

Get your eat on! :-) I know I did!

Meat Sauce to the Max

I think everyone needs a good go-to meat sauce that can be used from anything from lasagna to spaghetti to manicotti to baked potatoes (you get the Italian drift). So, this is my basic recipe that I use for pretty much anything Italian. It's super yummy and savory. Plus, you can change out just about ANY meat. This recipe makes enough sauce for a 13x9 pan of lasagna or a big ol' pot of spaghetti.

What You Need:

1 lb. of browned meat (I used ground beef)
2 28oz. cans of crushed tomatoes
2-3 cloves of chopped garlic (appr. 1 tsp.)
2 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
3/4 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. pepper

Get your meat browning on ... toss in some salt and pepper, too. You don't want your meat to get lonely.

Then strain your meat (you know, so we can call this fat free!!)

Add 2 28oz. cans of crushed tomatoes to your browned meat.

Toss in 2 1/2 teaspoons of Italian seasoning ... any brand works. Just make sure it's semi green and makes you wanna say Bonjourno!

Then curse your camera for overexposing your picture of garlic being added to the pan, whilst adding a couple of chopped cloves of garlic to the mixture. Also, this is a good time to toss in some salt and pepper ... about 3/4 tsp. each. That usually does the trick.

Turn your stove onto medium low and let his pot of yummy just simmer until the garlic marries the italian seasoning and the meat gives everyone a hug.

It's good. It's really good.

Oriental Noodles

This is a yummy meal that I lost the original recipe for. So, we have just adjusted it to our tastes. It's quick and easy. Also, it gets some good veggies into the kiddos.

The Ingredients:

1 head broccoli, chopped into bite-size pieces
1 C. carrots, chopped into bite-size pieces
16 oz. linguine noodles
1-2 lbs. sirloin steak, sliced into bite size pieces (I use stir-fry meat)
3/4 bottle (16 oz.) Italian dressing
1/4 C. teriyaki sauce
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
salt and pepper to taste



Let's Get Cookin:


1.) First, get all of your chopping done and bring 1 pot of salted water to a boil.

bite-size pieces of broccoli

bite-size carrot pieces

make sure the water is salted

2.) Spray a skillet or saute pan with cooking spray (or add 2 tsps. vegetable oil) and brown your steak pieces. Tip: Cook the steak on screaming hot heat to get a nice char on the outside. As soon as both sides are brown- take the meat off the burner! This will give you tender on the inside and yummy flavor on the outside. Also, add linguine to the boiling salted water.

Don't turn it until it's completely brown on one side

Add the linguine to an UNCOVERED pot

This is how it will look when it's done

3.) After the skillet has cooled considerably dump your italian dressing, teriyaki sauce, and ginger into the skillet with the beef. Mix it up and try to scrape up a big of the yummies on the bottom of the skillet.

Doesn't it look yummy?

4.) Add the carrots and broccoli to the pot of water and noodles during the last 2-3 minutes of cooking. This will allow them to become tender enough to bite but still retain their pretty color and nutrients.

5.) Strain the noodle and veggie mixture and return back to the hot pot. Then mix in the meat and sauce mixture.

6.) Enjoy!! We usually serve this with some frozen egg rolls on the side. But, it's still super yummy and filling by itself.

Fried Tacos

This recipe has been in my family for years! And, after searching all over the web for a duplicate, I think it may actually be a family secret (unlike the fudge recipe I thought was my grandma's original recipe until I saw it on the back of the Marshmallow Puff jar named as Fantasy Fudge). This recipe makes for about 4 servings or 2 tacos per person. I usually serve it up with some refried beans and taco fixins.

Ingredients:

1lb. ground beef (the most lean is best, I use 93/7)
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 tsp. vegetable oil and oil for frying
10 slices Velveeta cheese (for sandwiches)
8 soft taco size tortillas

Let's get started:

1.) Brown your hamburger meat. In a separate saute pan, add the tsp. of oil and the diced bell pepper. Cook until tender. Then combine browned hamburger meat and green pepper in the same pan. Don't forget to season your meat. I just use salt and pepper for this recipe.

2.) Add the Velveeta cheese slices to the hot meat mixture. Stir until combined without noticeable cheese chunks.

3.) Start slathering the tortillas with the meat and cheese mixture. Leave about 2 inches of area around the edges without meat as the tortillas will puff.

4.) Fry the tacos for about 45 seconds on each side or until the taco is a medium to golden brown color.

Enjoy!