Tomato Beef Chowyuk

 This was a lot like the one at the Shanghai that mom/gram loves so so much! 

Cut up vegetables: 

• 1 medium onion. 
• 1 green pepper. 
• 1 tsp (ish) fresh ginger. 
• couple cloves of garlic. 
• 2 or 3 stalks celery
• handful of grape tomatoes cut in half. 

Make sauce: 

• 1 can beef broth. 
• 2 TBS soy sauce. 
• 1 TBS corn starch. 

Make the marinade. Marinade for 15 ish minutes. 

• 3 TBS soy sauce
• 1/8 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp mirin
• 1 TBS cornstarch
• 1 lb beef (round, sirloin, of flank) cut thin. 

Heat oil in a pan. 

Cook beef in marinade and aromatics (onions, ginger, garlic, celery).

Add in green peppers and cook for like a minute. 

Throw in a handful of grape tomatoes cut in half. Cook for a minute. 

Add sauce. Bring to boil until it thickens. Serve on rice. 

Steak Hoagies

These were yummy! 

I cut the steak before cooking because I think it's easier to cook small pieces of meat. Also after the meat was thawed, I threw it in the freezer for about an hour because it's easier to cut slightly frozen meat. 

http://www.melskitchencafe.com/steak-hoagies-with-mushrooms-onions-and-peppers/

3-4 pounds sirloin steak, about 1 inch thick (strip steaks are originally called for in the recipe but were way too expensive when I shopped so use whatever is the best buy)
1 tablespoon sauté spice (equal parts black pepper, salt, and garlic powder)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, sliced thin
1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced thin
8 ounces white mushrooms, sliced thin
2 tablespoons steak sauce (I used A-1)
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
4-6 (6 inch) sub rolls, slit partially open lengthwise
6 ounces thinly sliced deli provolone cheese

DIRECTIONS

1. Adjust oven rack to upper middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Pat steak dry with paper towels and rub saute spice liberally into each side. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large skillet over medium high heat until rippling. Cook steaks until well browned, 5 to 6 minutes per side (this is all the cooking time the steaks get so cook them according to your preference). Transfer to plate and tent with foil. Let them rest for five minutes, then slice thinly against the grain.
2. Meanwhile, add remaining oil, onion, bell pepper, mushrooms, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to empty skillet and cook until vegetables are softened and golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Off the heat, stir in steak sauce, oregano, and sliced steak until well combined.
3. Divide steak mixture among rolls and top with cheese. Arrange sandwiches on rimmed baking sheets and bake until cheese is melted and rolls are golden brown around edges, about 5 minutes. Serve.

Greek Inspired Steak (or Chicken) and Rice (or quinoa)

I thought this recipe looked very good. And then I made lots of changes. So instead of using flank steak because I couldn't find any and beef is expensive, I just used chicken. And instead of rice I used some quinoa I had hanging around. But this was very good, fresh, and different. Sam really liked it.

http://www.ourbestbites.com/2014/03/greek-inspired-steak-rice/

Marinade & Dressing
zest from 1 lemon
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup white vinegar
4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon seasoning salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon red pepper
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1/2 cup olive oil 

Steak and Rice
1 1/2 – 2 lb flank steak- I used Chicken and I broiled it which was rather smokey.
non-stick spray or drizzle of olive oil
10-12 ounce pack grape tomatoes
6 oz jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and roughly chopped
2 cups cooked  brown rice (or quinoa, cous cous, or white rice)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup feta cheese

Instructions

Rinse steak in cool water and pat dry with paper towels.  With a sharp knife, very lightly score the top in a diamond pattern.  Place steak in a zip-lock bag or a shallow pan.

Place all marinade ingredients, except oil, in a blender.  Blend for a few seconds and then with the blender on low, slowly drizzle in olive oil.  Set aside 1/4 cup of marinade and store in fridge.  Place remaining marinade in bag with steak and marinate, refrigerated, for at least 6 hours (longer is fine).  Rotate bag occasionally to evenly distribute marinade.

When ready to cook, remove steak and sprinkle with kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper.  You may cook steak in one of 3 ways:

1.  Broil:  Preheat broiler and place steak on a broiler pan.  Cook for about 5-8 minutes on each side, or until top is slightly browned and internal temperature reaches about 135 degrees.

2.  Outdoor grill:  Heat grill to high heat.  Lightly oil grill grates and place steak on grill.  Decrease heat to medium-high.  Sear 5-8 minutes per side or until internal temp reaches 135 degrees.

3.  Indoor grill pan:  Heat indoor grill pan to medium high heat.  Once pan is hot (water droplets should sizzle when dropped on pan) brush pan with canola/vegetable oil.  Place steak on pan and cook for 5-8 minutes.  Flip steak and cook until internal temp reaches about 135 degrees.

When steak is done cooking, place on cutting board and tent with foil.  Let rest for 5 minutes before slicing.

While steak is cooking, heat a small sauté pan to medium heat.  When hot, add a small drizzle of olive oil and add tomatoes.  Stir/toss often, cooking for 4-5 minutes or so, until skins are slightly blackened in spots and tomatoes start to burst.  Remove from heat and add rice, artichokes, parsley, and feta.  Add 2 tablespoons reserved marinade/dressing and toss to combine.  Slice steak thinly across the grain and serve over rice mixture.

Serves 4 (or 6 small servings)

Jalapeno Guacamole Cheddar Burger

This was so good. Awesome. It was a little warm, but that could be because I used a whole jalapeno and not two pounds of meat, nor did I seed the jalapeno. Other than that this was awesome. And with the guacamole on the burger. Just mmm. Since I was only making two burgers I did half everything else. Mostly.

http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2013/08/jalapeno-cheddar-turkey-burgers.html

• 
  
• 2 pounds ground beef (I was probably closer to a pound ish)
• 1/2 cup finely diced onion (white, red or yellow)
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 1 small jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• Juice of 1/2 lime (about 1/2 tablespoon or so)
• 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
For Serving:
• 6 soft hamburger buns 
• Guacamole
• Extra cheddar slices
• Tomatoes
• Lettuce
• Whatever else your heart desires to put on these babies

1. Heat a charcoal or gas grill to medium-high heat (about 400 degrees if you have a temperature gauge on the grill). If needed, oil the grates to keep the burgers from sticking. I did this in my cast iron pan, no grills here.
2. In a large bowl, mix all of the burger ingredients together until well combined. I just dig in with my hands and mix it all up.
3. Shape the meat mixture into 6 patties (I judge the size by how big the buns are and make the meat mixture slightly larger since they'll shrink a bit while cooking). I made two patties as previously stated. 
4. Grill the meat patties for 5 to 6 minutes per side, more or less, depending on how thick the turkey burgers are. Tent with foil after removing from the grill and let rest for 3-5 minutes before serving. Serve with desired toppings - I highly encourage the use of guacamole because it makes the burgers absolutely out of this world.

Korean Beef Bowls

This was insanely fast to make. Like cut up some green onions, mix a few things together, cook hamburger, dump everything on hamburger, and you're done insanely fast. And it tasted quite good. I feel like that is a double win. 

I probably did a heaping 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes, and it was plenty hot. So Danielle you may want to use even less than that.

http://damndelicious.net/2013/07/07/korean-beef-bowl/

• 1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red-pepper flakes, or more to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 pound ground beef
  
  
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced
• Cooked rice, for serving

• In a small bowl, whisk together brown sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, red pepper flakes and ginger.
• Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add ground beef and cook until browned, about 3-5 minutes, making sure to crumble the beef as it cooks; drain excess fat. Stir in soy sauce mixture and green onions until well combined, allowing to simmer until heated through, about 2 minutes.
• Serve immediately with rice.

Taco Salad Dippers

So we just got alot of ground beef from Sam's parents for Christmas, and I am not much of a hamburger user in my typical cooking. So I am now on a ground beef recipe quest. 

This recipe was great! Super easy and filling because it has meat, rice, and beans!

I definitely halved everything (except the beans because halving a can of beans seemed obnoxious) and it was still A TON. Pretty much filled my 5 quart pot. However she says that this does freeze easily, so that's good to know.

I also added some hot sauce while it was simmering. 

I wish I had bought some sour cream to top it with. Oops. 

http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2010/07/taco-salad-dippers.html

• 2 pounds lean ground beef or turkey
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 6 cups water
• 1 cup rice (white or brown)
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 2 (8 oz.) cans tomato sauce
• 2 (6 oz.) cans tomato paste
• 1 (15 oz.) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large pot, brown the ground beef or turkey with the onion and garlic and cook until the meat is no longer pink and the onions are translucent. Drain any accumulated grease. Add the water, rice, seasonings, tomato sauce, tomato paste and beans. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, watching to make sure it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot (if you are using brown rice, it may need to simmer for up to 60-70 minutes). The mixture will seem very watery at first, but after simmering, it will thicken to perfection as the rice absorbs water and all the ingredients meld together.
2. Serve warm with tortilla chips for dipping and other taco garnishes. I have successfully frozen the leftover meat/rice mixture to defrost and reheat later.

Slow Cooker Sweet and Spicy Roast

This roast was awesome. Purely awesome. Because it uses soda it was falling apart and tender and wonderful. The roast itself tasted pretty normal a maybe a little spicy-esque but the gravy was definitely different and so very good. I loved it! And now we have lots of leftovers! 

http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2010/07/slow-cooker-sweet-and-spicy-bbq-pot-roast.html

INGREDIENTS

• 4-7 pounds boneless chuck roast, trimmed of large areas of fat
• 1-2 tablespoons saute spice (equal parts garlic powder, salt and black pepper)
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 can root beer 
• 1 can (around 9-ish ounces, the size of a soup can) red chile enchilada sauce
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon hot sauce (I like the Tapatio brand)
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• ¼ cup of water or milk

DIRECTIONS

1. Pat the roast(s) dry with a paper towel; then rub the saute spice all over the roast. Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet or pot until it is shimmering. Brown the roast on all sides in the hot oil, for about 1 minute on each side. The oil should be hot enough to get the roast nicely browned without burning it.
2. Transfer the roast to a 4-8 quart slow cooker. In a bowl, combine the root beer, enchilada sauce, Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce and pour over the roast. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or high for 5-6 hours.
3. Remove the roast, reserving juices in the slow cooker. Tent the roast with foil to keep warm. In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and water/milk, stirring well until the cornstarch is completely dissolved. Stir the cornstarch mixture into the juices in the slow cooker. Cook, uncovered, on high for 15 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally. Serve sauce over roast with mashed potatoes or any other sides that float your boat.

Enchilada Pasta Casserole

I liked this.  It is a casserole, so my expectations were not super high...and at the end of the day, it is still a casserole.  But, we enjoyed it and I will make it again.

I made it into 2 8x8s so I could freeze one (on the second one, line with foil, pour it in, freeze it and then you can have your dish back)

I forgot the cumin by accident when I made this.

This is off of a newish blog I have been checking out http://www.tablefortwoblog.com/2012/08/29/enchilada-pasta-casserole/

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound ground beef

1/2 tsp. chili powder

1/4 tsp. cumin

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

5 ounces cream cheese

1/4 cup light sour cream

1 can (10 oz.) enchilada sauce (I used the red sauce)

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided

1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese, divided

1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed

1 can (4 oz.) diced green chiles

12 ounces egg noodles

Salt & pepper, to taste

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large pot, bring water to boil and cook egg noodles according to package instructions.
3. In the meantime, in a very large skillet, brown your ground beef then drain the fat. Then add the chili powder, cumin, and cayenne pepper. Stir to combine.
4. Add in the cream cheese until melted and combined.
5. In a large bowl, combine sour cream, enchilada sauce, half the cheddar cheese, half the monterey jack cheese, corn kernels, and diced green chiles. Stir to combine.
6. Pour mixture over the beef and let simmer for 2-3 minutes.
7. In the meantime, drain your pasta. After you've drained it, add the pasta to the beef mixture. Make sure everything is coated in the sauce.
8. In a large casserole dish, pour in the pasta mixture and top with the remaining cheese.
9. Bake for 15 minutes or until cheese has completely melted.
10. Serve hot. Keep in airtight container for up to 1 week.

Tanya's noodle bake

My roommate Tanya used to make this.  She was the queen of cheap meals that didn't taste horrible. This is one of Hailey's favorite meals and Eric likes it too. I think it's not too bad...and Lyndee usually eats it but last night wouldn't touch it.

Brown 1 lb hamburger and season with garlic, salt and pepper
Boil 2 cups macaroni noodles until almost cooked.

Add 1 can tomato SOUP (not sauce), 1 can cream of chicken, 3/4 TB minced onion, pepper, paprika and about 1/2 c shredded cheese.  Put in greased casserole dish and cover with more cheese.  Bake 40 minutes covered and uncover for another 10

Nachos Nachos- Day 3

I'm not even sure why I'm posting this other than I want it to seem like nachos week was 3 days not 2. Anyway just normal nachos but always good.

Inspired from:
http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2013/05/loaded-nachos/

Tortilla chips
Ground Beef (I actually used the ground turkey that I didn't use the day before from the curry nachos)
Diced yellow onion
1/2 tsp Paprika
1/2 tsp Cumin
1/2 tsp Chili
1/2 tsp Red Pepper flakes
Salt
Pepper
Either a can of beans or leftovers of refried beans (I used the refried beans because I had some in the freezer)
Shredded cheese
Guacamole
Diced Tomatoes
Chopped Cilantro
Hot Sauce
Sour Cream

Cook the meat and the onions. Add the spices and the beans and hot water if needed.

Layer the cheese and meat/ bean mixture on the chips. Throw in microwave or the oven. Top with toppings of choice.

What a silly post for me to put up here. Nachos.

Broccoli Beef

On Mel's site, she touts this as THE BEST broccoli beef. And she's probably right. It was soooo good. Tender beef, delicious sauce, new chopsticks. So good.

Yes we ate alot of stir fry-esque things this weekend. Good thing Sam likes Asian things.

Instead of flank steak, we used sirloin that Sam's parents gave him for his birthday.

http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2012/02/the-best-broccoli-beef.html

• Sauce
• 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons low-sodium chicken broth
• 5 tablespoons oyster sauce
• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
Beef and Broccoli:
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 1/2 pounds flank steak, cut into 2-inch-wide strips with the grain, then sliced across the grain into 1/8-inch-thick slices
• 6 medium cloves garlic, pressed through garlic press or minced (about 2 tablespoons)
• 1-inch piece fresh ginger, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
• 1 teaspoon peanut oil or vegetable oil, plus extra for cooking
• 1 1/4 pounds broccoli, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1/3 cup water
• 3 medium scallions, sliced 1/2-inch thick on diagonal, optional

DIRECTIONS

1. In a medium bowl, combine beef and soy sauce. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 10 minutes or up to 1 hour. Meanwhile, whisk the sauce ingredients together in a liquid measure or small bowl. In another small bowl, combine garlic, ginger, and 1 teaspoon peanut oil. Set aside.
2. Heat 1-2 teaspoons peanut oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot and rippling. Add half of beef to skillet and break up clumps; cook, without stirring, for 1 minute, then stir and cook until beef is browned around edges and cooked through, about 1-2 minutes. Don't overcook the meat - cook until just barely cooked through so the meat stays tender. Transfer beef to a medium bowl and cover with a lid and tin foil. Heat another 1-2 teaspoons peanut oil in the skillet and repeat with remaining beef.
3. Add 1 tablespoon peanut oil to now-empty skillet; heat until rippling and hot. Add broccoli and cook 30 seconds; add water, cover pan, and lower heat to medium. Steam broccoli until tender-crisp, about 2 minutes. Push the broccoli to the sides of the skillet and add the garlic/ginger mixture. Cook, mashing the mixture with a spoon, until fragrant, about 15-30 seconds. Stir the mixture into the broccoli. Add the beef back to skillet and toss to combine. Whisk the sauce to recombine and add to the skillet. Cook, stirring constantly, until sauce is thickened and evenly distributed, about 1-2 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter, sprinkle with scallions, and serve - or be like me and serve it straight out of the skillet!

Stuffed Peppers with Cheese Sauce

I really liked this one, I think my friends did too! Recipe taken from Taste of Home

Ingredients

• 2 pounds ground beef
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 small green pepper, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1-1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 3-3/4 cup water
• 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 can (10 ounces) diced tomatoes and green chilies, undrained
• 1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 3 cups uncooked instant rice
• 4 medium green peppers
• CHEESE SAUCE:
• 1-1/2 pounds process American cheese, cubed
• 1 can (10 ounces) diced tomatoes and green chilies, undrained

Directions

• In a Dutch oven, cook beef, onion, green pepper, garlic, salt and pepper over medium heat until beef is no longer pink; drain. Add the water, tomatoes, tomato sauce and cumin. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
• Stir in rice; simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat; cover and let stand for 5 minutes.
• Remove tops and seeds from the peppers; cut in half widthwise. Place in a large pan of boiling water; boil for 4 minutes.
• Drain peppers and stuff with meat mixture. Place remaining meat mixture in an ungreased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish; top with stuffed peppers, pressing down gently. Cover and bake at 350° for 1 hour. In a saucepan, heat sauce ingredients until cheese is melted. Serve over peppers. Yield: 8 servings.

Taco Pizza

1 lb ground beef
1 pkg taco seasoning mix
2 can(s) (8-oz) pillsbury crescent rolls
1 can(s) (16-oz) refried beans (i used the jalopeno kind)
2-3 c cheddar cheese, shredded (or mexican blend)
1/2 c tomatoes, diced
1/4 c black olives, sliced
4 c green onions, chopped
add whatever other toppings you want

1.Heat oven to 375 degrees.
2.Brown ground beef and drain. Add taco seasoning to the ground beef according to the package directions.
3.Unroll crescent rolls into rectangles. Place in ungreased 11 1/2 inch x 16 1/2 inch jelly roll pan or cookie sheet. Press dough over the bottom and 1/2 inch up sides to form crust. Bake at 375 oven for 11 to 13 minutes or just until golden brown.
4.Microwave beans in a microwave safe bowl for 1 minute. Carefully spread beans over warm crust creating a thin layer.
5.Top with cooked beef mixture, sprinkle with cheese followed by tomatoes, black olives and green onion. Return to oven for 3-6 more minutes until cheese is melted. Serve immediately. 


Tried this at Danielle's and it was good.  We probably had 1.5-2 lbs of meat and we are glad.  We used homemade refried beans and put salsa on it.  And added avocado. 

Anna-you could cut this in half easily. 

This one is fast. 

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

This is from the Our Best Bites book.  

Ingredients: 

1 lb ground beef

2 tbs dehydrated onions

1/4 tsp pepper

1 tsp kosher salt

1 egg, beaten

1/4 cup bread crumbs

Sauce

3/4 c packed brown sugar

3 tbs flour

1 1/2 c water or pineapple juice

1/4 c white vinegar

3 tbs soy sauce

Combine meatball ingredients and shape into 1 inch balls.  Place on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil and sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.  Place under the broiler in your oven for 5-7 minutes or until the meatballs begin to brown. 

In a large saucepan, whisk together the sauce ingredients and bring to a boil.  Add the meatballs and reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring often 

Mexican Stuffed Peppers

This recipe came about because I am teaching my friend Erin to cook.  She said that she had green peppers and tomatoes from her family's garden we should use and some ground beef from one of their cows.  So of course, I immediately thought Mexican food and she thought stuffed peppers.  So we combined the two.  I got some of my inspiration from some recipes on Taste of Home.  Even though this seems to have a million steps, its fairly easy to prepare.  It just cooks forever.

Ingredients
4 any color peppers (we did this with five small green peppers and they were very full)
1 lb ground beef
1 red onion
garlic
salt
pepper

2 tsp cumin
2 tsp chili powder

1 c homemade salsa (I can't vouch for this recipe if you use store bought)
1 4oz can green chili
Mexican blend cheese

Preheat oven to 350.  Get a large pot of water and get it boiling.  While it is boiling, cut the tops of the peppers and clean out the seeds and membranes.  Once your water is boiling, boil the peppers for 3-5 minutes.  Rinse with cold water.

Meanwhile, cook ground beef with the onion.  Season with garlic, salt and pepper so it tastes good.  Add cumin, chili powder, salsa and green chili.

Arrange peppers in a dish so they all stand up.  I used a loaf pan because some of the peppers were kind of ripped and this held them all together.  Put enough water to barely cover the bottom of the dish in there (maybe you should do this before putting the peppers in, we did it after we filled them up).  Fill each pepper up until you run out of filling.

Cover the pan with foil and cook for 45-60 minutes.  They need to be heated through.  Our were great at 45 minutes.  Remove the foil, add the cheese and put back into the oven until the cheese is melted.

Serve with the rest of your homemade salsa :)

Ideas:
-You can make this recipe go further by adding 3 cups of cooked rice.  Or you could probably use potatoes like Uncle Evan does for taco Sunday
-You can also cook your stuffed peppers in a pressure cooker and it takes less time.  This recipe explains how: http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Presto-Mexican-Peppers I just don't own a pressure cooker.

Kimpop

After making Kimpop the other night, I realized that we don't have the marinade recipe online and that I always have to search for it. So here it is.

Marinade:

• 1 lbs- 1.5 lbs Some form of steak- whatever's on sale
• 8 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1/2 cup sugar (I do 1/3 c because I use soda)
• Pepper
• 2 tablespoon sesame oil
• 5 tablespoon garlic
• 1/2 of an onion
• 1/2 tablespoon honey
• optional: 2-4 tablespoon of soda
• optional: I added red pepper flakes the other day

Other things you will need for kimpop:

• red pepper
• carrot
• cucumber
• eggs
• cream cheese
• avocado
• good rice
• Roasted laver (sea weed)
• wasabi (for dipping)

Remember to salt everything!

Beef Taco Rice Skillet

This is a recipe that I have made for years and years.  I got it out of a little grocery store mini Betty Crocker cookbook (you know the ones that are like half page size and at the check stands to tempt you) that I bought before I was married. It is fast and yummy. Both of my kids love it. The only change I make is to add a can of kidney beans and to ignore the whole chop up tomatoes thing.  Oh, and we eat it on chips.

So, I googled it and found it online so I didn't have to type it in :).

1

lb lean (at least 80%) ground beef

1

envelope (1 oz) Old El Paso® taco seasoning mix-yah right, just use whatever-1/4 c of the stuff from Winco

1 1/2

cups water

1

cup Old El Paso® Thick ‘n Chunky salsa-or whatever salsa or picante sauce you have

1

cup Green Giant® frozen whole kernel corn (from 1-lb bag)-or a can of corn PLUS one can of KIDNEY BEANS DRAINED

1 1/2

cups uncooked instant rice

3/4

cup shredded taco-seasoned cheese (3 oz)-or cheddar chese

1

cup shredded lettuce

1

medium tomato, chopped (3/4 cup) (I ignore this)

 

Sour cream, if desired (you should desire it)

1. In 10-inch skillet, cook beef over medium heat 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until brown; drain.
2. Stir in taco seasoning mix, water, salsa, kidney beans and corn. Heat to boiling; stir in rice. Boil 1 minute; remove from heat. Cover; let stand 8 minutes.
3. Fluff rice mixture with fork; sprinkle with cheese. Cover; let stand 1 to 2 minutes or until cheese is melted. Sprinkle lettuce around edge of skillet; sprinkle tomato in circle next to lettuce. Serve with sour cream.
4. We like to eat it on chips...

Makes 5 servings