Cashew Beef

So I decided to start meal planning again. Shortly after my son was born I followed a meal plan for a couple months! It was great to have everything planned. My fuzzy baby brain didn't have to make any decisions or scramble to make a meal. Everything I needed had already been bought and waiting for me for the entire week. Now, the work that meal planning takes can sometimes turn you away from the idea - especially since I do mine at least a month at a time! The benefit is a month's worth of brand new dishes and recipes, no more last minute decisions, and somewhere I swear you'll save a bit of money!!

So that brings us to tonight's dish - which was actually supposed to be Thursday's meal, but fitted best with our schedule tonight! The dish was easy and fast to make. I liked the taste of the sauce and was glad it was made from scratch rather than from a high sodium club house packet!!

The recipe calls for Chili sauce - which I have never used before let alone heard of. I have heard of chili paste??? Anyway, who knew there were so many different kinds of chili sauces out there? My local walmart had several to choose from! Including one that was made by Heinz (the ketchup people). I was a bit afraid to use this as my husband can't handle the heat (if you know what I mean). I on the other hand use Frank's Red Hot as a dipping sauce. Anyway, I only used half the amount the recipe called for and I will definitely be using the full amount next time. It is almost as if you get an intense chili taste without the spicy heat!! I really liked this sauce and will hopefully be brave enough to try it in some other dishes!!

Cashew Beef

1/3 Cup Water

1 Tbsp Cornstarch

1 tsp Beef bouillon powder

1 tbsp Low-sodium soy sauce

1 tsp Chili sauce

1/4 tsp Garlic powder

1/8 tsp Ground ginger

1 tbsp Cooking oil

3/4 lb Sirloin steak, sliced into 1/8 inch thin strips

10 oz Carrots (I also threw in some broccoli)

2 tbsp Water

3 Green onions, sliced

1/2 Cup Cashews

1. Stir first amount of water into cornstarch in small bowl. Add next 5 ingredients. Stir. Set aside.

2. Heat wok or frying pan on medium-high. Add cooking oil. Add beef strips. Stir-fry until desired doneness. Transfer to bowl.

3. Add carrots and second amount of water to hot wok. Cover. Steam for 5 minutes.

4. Add green onion and cashews. Stir-fry for 1 minute. Stir cornstarch mixture. Stir into vegetables until boiling and thickened. Add beef. Stir to heat through. Makes 3 2/3 cups. Serves 4.

Enjoy

CC.

Thai For Two

I have never really had Thai food. I know, I know.... Anyway, I was recently reunited with my Kraft Canada Recipe Box at www.kraftcanada.com. Even though most of their recipes call for huge short cuts and a lot of processed foods, they have fantastic ideas which are easily adaptable to get whatever you are after. So, I saw this shortcut recipe for Thai Peanut Chicken and figured since I didn't know Thai food well I wouldn't really know what I was missing!

The recipe was very simple to make. Of course, as with most things I cut it in half. I also used rice Vermicelli noodles, which worked out great. I read a view reviews and most of them said the dish needed a little added heat, so I put a few dashes of cayenne pepper in it.

Unfortunately, I found the dish quite salty from the soy sauce and lacking flavor. I even doubled the peanut butter. Will I try this again??? Possibly, with a few changes it may be a really good stir fry!

You can find the recipe here.



Enjoy.
CC.