Sesame Steak Stir Fry

Well blessedly this is a fast, easy recipe to make. Greg and I loved it. Nathan saw all the veggies especially the trees and said can I just eat the meat??? And of course Emma said NO WAY!! Greg and I decided more for us and they can have left over baked spaghetti. (Thank Heaven for leftovers) Greg traded my trees for the his snow peas. See how nice it is to share.

Sesame Steak Stir Fry


2 pounds flank or skirt steak

3/4 cup sesame salad dressing (I used Costco Sesame Oil Salad Dressing)

2 Tablespoons light Soy Sauce (Kikkoman)

2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice

2 Tablespoon Minced Ginger (Gourmet Garden in produce section works great)

4 teaspoons minced garlic (divided)

2 Tablespoon Canola Oil

1 large Yellow Onion

2 bunches Swiss Chard, leaves (separated, rinsed, dry, coarsely chopped)

1 teaspoon Sesame Oil

(Note: I used a Fresh Vegetable stir fry mix I purchased from Costco that had fresh red bell peppers, carrots, onion, snow peas, broccoli instead of yellow onion and swiss chard)

1. Slice steak into 1/2-inch strips, slicing against the grain.

2. Place steak in a large zip lock bag and add salad dressing, soy sauce, lemon juice, ginger, and 1 teaspoon garlic. Seal and gently massage bag to combine ingredients. Marinate in refrigerator for 8 to 24 hours. Remove steaks and reserve marinade.

3. In a large skillet or wok, over high heat, heat 1 Tablespoon of canola oil. Add beef and stir-fry for 5 minutes. Remove from skillet.

4. Add remaining 1 Tablespoon canola oil to pan. Add onion and remaining 3 teaspoons garlic; stir fry for 3 minutes. Add chard and stir fry for another 3 minutes. Add 1/2 cup water and stir fry until almost dry. Add the reserved marinade, another 1/4 cup water, stir-fry until almost dry. Add steak to pan and stir-fry for 2 minutes or until heated through. Drizzle with sesame oil just before serving.

(I removed steak and added 1 tablespoon canola oil and added my stir-fry vegetables. Cooked for about 5 min till just about done. Added steak and cooked for about 2 more minutes. Just till veggies were softly crisp.)

Baked Spaghetti

This recipe happens to come from a newer cookbook I got several months ago. The Comfort Food Diet. As we all need comfort food and Greg and I need to keep to our diet what more could I have asked for..

Here is what you will need:

1 package (16oz) spaghetti noodles

1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef ( I used some left over ground beef from dinner last night & added 3 mild Italian sausage from the freezer) Turned out better I think.

1 medium Onion, Chopped

1/2 cup green bell pepper ( I don't use as no one likes these)

1 can (10-3/4oz) Condensed Cream Of Mushroom Soup, Undiluted

1 can (10-3/4oz) Condensed Tomato Soup, Undiluted

1 can (8oz) Tomato Sauce

1 Cup Water

1 Teaspoon Salt

1 Teaspoon dried basil

1 Teaspoon dried Oregano

1/2 Teaspoon dried Marjoram

1/2 Teaspoon dried Rosemary, Crushed

1/8 Teaspoon Garlic Salt

1 Cup (4oz) Shredded Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese, Divided


1. Break spaghetti in half; cook according to the package directions. Meanwhile, in a dutch oven (I used a skillet) cook beef (and/or/both Italian sausage) onion, pepper over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain any liquid. Stir in the soups, tomato sauce, water, spices.

2. Drain spaghetti; stir in meat sauce and 1/2 cup cheese. Add to a 13x9 inch greased baking dish. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake 10-15 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.

Serve with a nice tossed salad and if you wish a slice of garlic. Nice glass of red wine.


Nutritional Facts:
1 cup equals 313 calories, 9 g fat (4 g saturated fat), 36 mg cholesterol, 706 mg sodium, 39 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 18 g protein.

Like with any of my postings please let me know if you tried a recipe and if you liked it or not or if you changed things around I would love to hear any and ALL comments.

Tomorrow I have planned a sesame steak stir fry will let you how it turns out. Much love and blessings to you, your family and your cooking...

Quick Apple Bundles (or other fruit)

The recipes is actually called "Quick Apple Bundles" I have made them this way and turned out great. The family gobbled them up. I then decided to try other fruits and they also became a hit.
(If you need this emailed to you let me know)

Makes 4 Servings (I use both packages so Makes 8 Servings)
Prep Time:10 Min
Bake Time:20 Min

1/2 package refrigerated pie crusts ( I use the whole package)
1 Can Comstock Cinnamon Apples ( I have used Cherry, Peach) Also frozen berries drained
1 egg white, lightly beaten
Raw Sugar
1 (12oz) jar of butterscotch or caramel topping
1 Tbsp. Bourbon (Optional) (Used only when using apples but I sometimes leave out)
Chopped pecans

1. Preheat oven to 425 Degrees. Unroll pie crust on a lightly floured surface. Cut pie crust into fourths. Divide apples among the four (or 8) pieces, placing the fruit in the center. Pull the corners over the fruit, the pinch the edges to seal. (Make like a little purse with the edges up at the top). Place on a greased baking sheet. Brush with egg white, and sprinkle with raw sugar. Bake 20 to 22 minutes or until golden brown.

2. Meanwhile, stir together butterscotch or caramel topping and if desired bourbon in a microwave-safe bowl at HIGH 30 seconds; stir. Serve over the apples (I only use the topping when I make apple bundles) Then sprinkle with chopped pecans.

Cashew-Orange Chicken

Well we started out this vacation (Saturday Actually) with a craving for Chinese Food. My heart craved homemade but my mind instantly decided to pick up the phone and call Pick Up Stix...Well the heart is always stronger then the mind...(Sometimes) So I cracked open the dust bunny covered cookbook (Actually wasn't dusty but thought it would express how long it has been since I used them).

I have found myself enjoy the food network show "Semi-Homemade" I have a cookbook of hers and found a great EASY recipe for Cashew Orange Chicken. Then a quick run to Costco to buy a bag of Pot stickers and TaDa Chinese food.

Cashew Orange Chicken

1 Tablespoon minced Ginger (Gourmet Garden Tube made it very easy in produce case)
1 Tablespoon crushed Garlic
1 Bottle (11.75oz) Stir-Fry Sauce (Kikkoman)
2 Tablespoons Orange Juice Concentrate
1/3 Cup Thinly Sliced Green Onions
6 Small Dried Hot Red Chile Peppers (Optional) I didn't use
2 Pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut diagonally into 1/2inch pieces.
(I used boneless, skinless chicken tenders I had in freezer they defrost faster)

For The Stir Fry:

1/4 Cup Peanut Oil
1 Cup Cashew Halves
1 Tablespoon Orange Marmalade
1 Tablespoon Toasted Sesame Oil

You can marinade the chicken if you have time. I didn't and it turned out great.

1. For the marinade, place ginger, garlic, stir-fry sauce, Orange juice concentrate, green onions, chilies (optional) in a large zip lock bag. Gently massage bag to combine ingredients. Add chicken. Marinate in the refrigerator 8 to 24 hours. When ready to cook remove chicken, reserving marinade, set aside.

2. For the stir-fry, over high heat, in a large skillet or wok, heat oil. Add chicken and stir fry for 2 to 3 min or until almost cooked through. Drain off extra oil.

3. Add the reserved marinade, cashew, and orange marmalade; stir fry for an additional 2 minutes or until heated through. Drizzle with sesame oil just before serving.

Makes 4 servings

Play Time

Well I am now on vacation for almost 3 weeks. So we can all guess what this means.....COOKING!!! I have dusted off the cookbooks and printed out a calendar and started planning meals, snacks, baking, you name it I am gonna try it..

Stay tuned for what comes from the kitchen...

Back To The Kitchen!!! WOOHOOO

Well it has been a hard month from end of January till now...I haven't had much time to experiment with cooking new things let alone use my bread machine or new infrared cooking unit my friend Cheri gave me. I have been so busy moving my work office to a new and NICER office across the way. You can just guess how much stuff we had to move as we have been there for 12 years, plus all the medical equipment and patient files. But I am officially done moving and have pretty much finished the unpacking and setting up of the new office. Just a few more things to do. I have been so blessed with the help of Hubby Greg and his stepping up and helping with the move, to cooking dinner on the days I was to tired to pick up my own fork to eat let alone cook. I am so looking forward to getting back in the kitchen and cracking open the cookbooks and exploring the wonderful new things I find.

MORE good news, on top of the move I had to play taxi driver to Nathan while he prepared for Ladder Matches in golf to see if he could make it on the high school golf team....All his hard work, new golf clubs for Christmas and just because, mom's driving and most of all the prayers I requested from family and friends HE MADE IT ON THE TEAM!!!!!

So now I will still have to play taxi and drive to multiple golf course on top of work and cooking, but I look forward to the challenge GOD has presented to me especially on how to budget my time and cooking time. HE continues to guide and direct me in my hearts desires and what more of a desire then to see my children happy and achieve their goals and to me achieving my goals of providing a well cooked meal and a clean home to my family.

SO happy cooking to you and to me and keep checking back so I can share my cooking success and disasters as I am sure I will have with you and my GOD bless your day and every journey you take. Plus keep sending me your favorite recipes to try.

Hugs and prayers