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Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Steak and veggies mix (to use on noodles or pasta)

A basic meat and veggies mix that can easily be added to pasta, noodles, even pizza (flat bread rocks with this). Use what you have, get rid of those 2-3 tiny tomatoes, everything goes!


The trick with this recipe is two-fold.
Cook the foodstuff in batches, and use a non-stick pan for the veggies (and noodles if you're adding noodles).
(You cook the stuff in batches, especially the meat, so you don't cool your wok/pan too quickly.
If the end-result sauce is too thick, just add 1/2 cup water at a time until its to your liking. Here's what the extra thick sauced mix looks like on Kimchi noodles (I added water for the other portions ^_^)


I used the noodles ONLY - NO SEASONINGS!



Ingredients


Beef marinade:

1 tsp granulated sugar
2 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp oyster sauce
2 tbsp mirin (sweet cooking rice seasoning - Kikkoman)
1 tsp sodium reduced soy sauce
dash of pepper (optional)

Final Sauce:

1 dash (1/8 tsp) black pepper
2 tbsp oyster sauce
2 tbsp Mirin (sweet cooking rice seasoning - Kikkoman)
2 tbsp sodium reduced soy sauce
2 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 cup of water

Thickener for final sauce:
1 tbsp cornstarch mix with 1/2 cup cold water

Ingredients:
4-5 tbsp Peanut oil, divided
2-4 tbsp Sesame oil, divided (I use 2 tbsp peanut, 1 sesame oil)
2 cloves minced garlic
1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger root
6 medium mushrooms, sliced evenly
2 1/2 cups of zuchinni, sliced same width as mushrooms (I used 3 small ones)
2 tbsp sesame seeds (optional)
2 lbs blade steak (or whichever cut is on sale)
4 grape tomatoes (or more if you wish) quartered

Directions

This is a many-steps recipes. The results are worth it. You will end up with a large batch of meat and veggies mix that can be added to almost anything.
As usual, prep all your ingredients ahead of time. I have ONE exception to this rule. I slice the steak, prep the marinade, mix in the steak, and as the steak sits and tenderizes, I prep the rest of the goodies.

In a large bowl, prepare the meat marinade as follows:

add 2 tbsp oyster sauce, 2 tbsp mirin, 2 tbsp cornstarch, 1 tsp sugar, pepper, 1 tsp soy sauce.

Mix well, making sure there are no lumps.

Add sliced steak, mix well. If you will cook right away, put it aside on the counter, and give it a stir every once in a while.

Prep final sauce (see ingredients list)
Prep veggies.

In non-stick pan, heat 1 tbsp oil and stir-fry zucchini until its starting to brown around the edges. I used 3 small zuchinnis, and cooked this part in 3 batches.

In hot wok, heat 2 tbsp oil, add garlic and ginger, and stir fry until lightly brown (do not overcook)

Add beef (again work in batches, I did 3 batches for this recipe), adding a bit more oil if needed. Stir fry each batch until browned, returning all beef to wok for on last round of frying. Remove and set aside.

In hot wok, heat 1 tsp of sesame oil, and stir fry mushrooms until soft, about 3 minutes.

Add Zuchinni and tomatoes, stir fry another 2 minutes.

Add beef stir well, and heat it through.

Add sauce mix, bring to a boil.

Add cornstarch thickener, and boil to thicken. Remove from heat.

Add sesame seeds, and stir well.

Serve on bed of noodles (its even better the next day!)

Number of Servings: 9-12

Monday, March 28, 2011

A healthy dessert! Apples, cheese and dill weed.

HEY! don't knock it til you've tried it! This may sound a bit weird, but its actually really good. :)

***This recipe was added to the SparkPeople website which calculates all the nutrional settings for it, you can click on "ladybugcyn" in the left column to be taken to the site***
Here is the direct link to the recipe (its kinda hard to find on there) http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=1562384

A forgiving dessert when one needs crunch and cheese. The Dill Weed adds a slight tang to the whole affair. A lady I knew once had me try apples with cheese. Its been a favorite ever since. In moderation, its even healthy :) Its almost like eating apple sauce in an apple with a bit of cheese on top.


A quick and satisfying dessert. mmmmmmm.....

1 medium apple of your choice (except Granny Smith)- I use Royal Gala


3 tbsp Skim Milk Mozzarella Cheese

Dash Dry Dill Weed.

~*~*~*~*~ 
Slice apple evenly, about 1/4" thick.


Place in a microwave safe plate so that no slices sit atop each other.

Sprinkle with Dill Weed (optional)

Sprinkle cheese evenly over apples

Add another dash of dill weed

(you can add as much dill weed as you like, whatever your preference is).



Cook in microwave for 20 seconds. Check to see if cheese has melted, or is starting to.

Cook in 15 seconds increments until cheese starts to melt and be bubbly (see picture).

Take out, and enjoy.



Please be careful, some of the apples will be piping hot!

This is awesome with a glass of ice cold milk, and I enjoy this little treat when I am missing for that elusive "something" that keeps me from being satisfied, even after a full meal. The crunch of the apple, the sweetness of it, along with the slight saltiness of the cheese and tang of the dill weed always put my tastebuds to rest.

Saturday, March 26, 2011

A little update of sorts

So, Friday, I went to see the doc. I'd been waking up with, and getting dizzy spells during the day. I'd been taking my blood sugar (I'm not diabetic but I do have a meter), and it varied, from 4.2-8 (once 10) but it still averaged my normal 5.3. Also for a few months, I've felt "bad", like something was wrong. So, I narrowed it down to either blood sugar, or blood pressure. Since I'm not a doctor, I went to see one. And the results were... well, good and not good. (lol!)

Blood sugar is ok, but since diabetes DOES run in my family, I need to be MUCH more careful.
I have ear congestion, which apparently, can't be "fixed" and is partly the cause for the dizzy spells.
Blood pressure was a little high (Stage 1).

The verdict - I need to lose weight, and more importantly, EXCERCISE!

I'll be VERY honest and candid here... I'm relieved, relieved that its OUT in the OPEN! I'm totally serious. Its like this HUGE weight came off my shoulders, and somehow, someway, I'm more determined than ever to do just that, lose weight and excercise. I believe that the fact that my (beloved) neighbor and I prayed over this helped a great deal. See? I know I'm not going through this alone. I have fantastic friends who are backing me up, who even offered to kick my butt (right Lorna? LOL!) and who actually want to go THROUGH this with me (talk about WOW!) But see, here's the kicker, I'm not alone, never am, because the Lord is walking with me. My Lord Jesus, promised that He would never leave, nor forsake me. So I asked Him for help, for gumption, for ... what is the word.... I need to STICK with this.


Dewey (my dog) is thrilled. (giggle).
He can stand to lose weight too. Too bad I can't walk the cats too (they'd spazz... I know, I tried ;)

So, what does this mean for the blog? Well, nothing but good, the way I see it. You see, this is a journey of a million days, one that I will be on for the rest of my life. I know others out there are struggling, and I plan on taking my new and old recipes and converting them to be as healthy as I know how to make them, and posting them for others to use/share/enjoy.  I will post updates, and maybe even little things I've tried that worked (or did not). I know I'm not alone, but I know I have a big mouth, and I figure, if someone -just ONE- person can benefit from my spreading it out wide in the open, then mission accomplished.

The appointment was Friday. I'd waken up with a nasty NASTY migraine, but I had 4 dogs to puppy sit (2 at each house), and well, a promise is a promise. My friends were not home, and having pets myself, I know what its like to know someone will look in on your babies. When I got home (at last) Friday night, I had a chocolate bar - I KNOW I KNOW! The cool part was, it was so freaking GROSS I will NEVER buy a "processed" bar again (I normally eat ONLY black chocolate (70% or higher). WHY I bought that stupid thing, I don't know. I know this, when I woke up Saturday morning, it was a throw up migraine that greeted me (those are the worst for me). I was soooooo sick (serves me right. I KNOW. I agree!) The pain meds I'd taken the night before kinda did a rebound, and that did NOT help (sigh). So, I set myself up for that one. The meds I take (Cafergot) were NOT working - the migraine was beyond that, and so, in order to take the really expensive meds that REALLY work (Imitrex/zomig and the like), I had to NOT take ANY migraine meds for 36 hours. Meaning, I've been coasting the migraine scene for 1.5 days now, and tomorrow morning, I'll be allowed to take one tablet, if its needed. Lord willing, it will not.

All this to say, I could barely keep anything down today, an apple, then some edamame beans (Japanese baby soy beans that they serve at sushi restaurants. YUM!) I'd made some stir fry yesterday, and didn't want to waste it, (had a full plate left of it). So, I ate it, but I cut it in thirds first.

I surprised my neighbor by asking HER "Wanna go for a walk?" (lol! Poor Elaine, she's been after me for 2 years LOL!) I went twice on Saturday, not long walks, but long enough that I'm short of breath and the dog has done his duty.

So, I'm going to be posting recipes, upgrades, and not all will be "healthy", if you will. I believe you can have everything, in moderation (moderation and sushi do NOT mix in my world - well, not always) ^_^. I will maybe post updates too... I don't know if anyone cares, but I figure, maybe it will help ONE person. Just one.

I refuse to say, I'm on a diet. I hate that word. Its so... depressing. I'm looking at it more like, I'm renovating my eating habits. I hope you'll read on, and keep coming back. I know I write "novels", can't be helped. And if YOU have recipes you'd like to share, by all means, email me (sales(AT)ladybughugs.ca) (change the (AT) for an @). Or msg. me on Facebook. I hope to see you around, and hope someone can somehow post a comment.

I've had it with the crappy days, feeling like being the thing the cat dragged in (after its been run over by a transport truck and then used as bear bait). Tired. I'm tired of being TIRED! Tired of missing out, on SO much! I have complete faith in God, that He will help me through this. That He will kick MY butt if I don't ;) Maybe through this, I can share a bit of my faith with the World at large, so that they too may come to know the One who sent His only Son to die for me, and you, on the cross. Salvation... its so easy to receive it, and its a free gift, no strings attached. Email me, if you want to know more. I won't shove it down anyone's throat however. ^_^

So, ready for the journey? The timing is awesome, my fridge is pretty much empty, its clean (oooooh!) and its almost end of month. Lets get this party started, shall we?

Cyncerly, Cyn

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

About knives...

I have a knife fetish. I won't lie about it... Apparently, I was wittling at age 4. I don't quite remember it, but I DO remember being very fond of wood... (shrugs).

That being said, do yourself a favor...

Sharpen your knives, properly. There is nothing more dangerous than a dull knife!
I bought a samurai knife sharpener at Canadian Tire, (because I don't know how to use a stone/the other long thingy properly).
When you've sharpened a knife, rinse it under running water, and dry it carefully. This will remove any tiny metal bits that might be stuck on it.
When you wash your knives, wash them last, in warm water, soapy if need be, and rinse them immediately thoroughly, and dry them, very very very well.
When putting your knives in a drawer, try to spread them out. Its better for them to be in a block, or even better, on a magnetic strips which makes for easy reach. If they bang against one another in your drawers - uh, drawer... ahem, they will dull and even dent/chip.
When buying a knife, buy the BEST you can afford. It can be a lifetime investment.
Never buy or give a knife as a gift. Its bad luck. :)

The best knives I've found, that were VERY affordable were made by the Kiwi knives company. Wow those things ROCK! But, they do chip/dent easily if not treated well. You will probably find these in Asian foodstores.

When you are about to buy a knife, wield it, pretend-chop with it, see how it handles. The knife should be an extension of your arm/hand. Not a "tool".

And remember, sharpen ... :) and don't leave in dishwasher otherwise, they'll most likely rust (in fact they should not even GO in dishwasher!)

Cyn

Tips and tricks I've learned...

For the record, I am NOT a (professional) chef, and certainly NO expert.... I've learned things over the years and figured, they save me time, and when I learned these things, it sure wasn't obvious! :) So here they are...

Chopping an onion, without tears..

Take your onion, chop off the top (NOT the root part)
Take a peeling knife and make about 6-8 thin very shallow slits all the way from root to top.
This will make it a snap to remove the dry skin part, and the first thin outer layer.
Take your knife, and cut onion in half, from root to top (not in two) - see pics.
depending how fine of a mince/chop you need, make 1 or 2 more slices, from root to top, on either side of first slice.
turn onion so that the slices you just made are parallel to the counter/cutting board. repeat the slices above.
holding onion by root end firmly, chop "slices" starting at the top, and your onion will fall off your blade, already chopped!
please be careful, and no injury to self! :)

A LAST trick. To avoid crying over spilled onions (or was it milk?) here's a quick trick I've found helps a little bit... rinse your blade (knife), your cutting board, AND the onion (after you've chopped its top off) in cold water. When you are done chopping, rinse ALL utensils/board/plates immediately in cold water. Trust me on this one.


notice how my knife is finishing the first slice.

I'm going for grossly chopped onions. you can actually get pretty finely chopped onions doing it this way.

I've turned the onion, and am starting on the other side.

The onion will have a tendency at this point to kind of separate. so you may want to carefully hold the root end and a little bit of the body with your fingers.




I've left this picture larger, so you can see the actual slices. At this point, you'd start slicing from left to right (top to root) (I'm a lefty) and the picture below would be your result.

TADAAAA!


Migraines? Triggered by foods?

If like me you get migraines that are lovingly triggered by foods, know you are not alone. I've kept track over the years, and analyzed what I ate, especially when I got slammed with a migraine. To my surprise, about 15 years ago, I realized that onions were one of the culprits. Actually, the sulphur, the juice stuff, which is more concentrated in the super thin layers on the inside of the peel is the culprit. bad BAD onion! BAD! BADBADBAD! Why the spazz-out you ask? I like onion sandwhiches, with either red or green onions, with salt. Weird I know. Back to our little discovery... I was heartbroken, when I realized, most of my foodstuffs would have to be made without onions, which I love! So, I read up on things, and researched the net, and when I read the part about the sulphur... it dawned on me. The most concentrated part is the center of the onion. Short of removing the super-thin skin on each layer (which would promptly get anyone committed), how about.... so I tried it. I removed the center rings, and used the outer rings to cook. and the migraines diminished GREATLY, when I ate onions. It won't work ALL the time, but, most of the time is better than nothing no?

I also noticed that if I eat massively processed chocolate (like bars, candy etc.,) I can easily get nailed by a migraine. Problem is, I LOVE chocolate (I love food. nuff said). My favorite is black chocolate. So, again I researched, and lo and behold, there is less added stuff in the black chocolate. So, I decided to try eating ONLY black/dark chocolate, and never mind anything that's below 60% black. (I actually like the 85%... weird I know). and you know what? the only time I get a chocolate triggered migraine, is when I eat the bars/processed ones... Food for thought.

Some foods will give me migraines, BUT, if I behave and not have nasty food for say, a year or whatever, I can pretty much safely have it ONCE and enjoy it oh so thoroughly... without getting slammed. Its different for everyone I'm sure... and maybe there are foods that make you or someone you know react that are fine with me. We're human :) Cheese for the most part does not always bother me (only if I REALLY overdo it and I'm right on the edge here!) I rarely eat the old stuff however, and when I do, its in TINY portions, and I savor it.

Lastly, Pepsi, if consumed in huge amounts, gets me a free migraine! (I used to drink that stuff like tap water!) so now, I occasionaly treat myself to ONE can, and that's it. BUT, I can drink gingerale, no problem. Its weird, and interesting I find, what triggers and does not trigger migraines.

Some people are sensitive to wine (and pork). I don't drink so I would not be able to tell you. As for pork, the ONLY time I eat it, is in wonton soup. I really don't care for it, especially since it does not agree with me. But that is for another day.

Cyncerely, Cyn

Baked Steak and Cheese croissants

Attache ta tuque! as we'd say in French (tie your tuque - put your hat on and hang on...)

This one is something I threw together a couple of years ago, and its perfect when you have leftovers, not a lot of cash, and/or you want something totally scrumptious! It serves well at a party, if you care to share, or you can make a pile of them, and stuff your face, you can make ONE (I dare you!) or more... whatever turns your crank :) The crunch of the baked/toasted flaky croissants, the flavor of the beef, the just-right moistness of the shrooms, and of course, the garlic flavoring are piled high with ooey-gooey cheese that just doesn't quit. Take a look! YUM!
too bad we don't have scratch and sniff monitors! :)

A couple of notes:

I use/make a "lazy woman's tin baking sheet", with a doubled up sheet of foil, why? Take a look at the pictures, you'll see, its also easier to pop off the melted cheese, and its a breeze to clean. (keep away from puppies that would reach your sink or trash lol!)

For those who get food-triggered migraines, here's a tip when using onions... The center rings of the onions have the most concentrate of sulphur, (the lovely stuff that for ME, triggers migraines if I overdo it (and yes I love onions!) so, remove the center rings, quite simple. Purple/red onions for me seem to be less traumatic, as they are not as strong. If you were to remove the little "skin" on each layer, that would help, but that would also be insane so... this short-cut works... give it a try, nothing to lose.

I added garlic directly to the croissants. It adds flavor and tang, and this is something I do if I feel I'm coming down with something.

When slicing the croissants, use a bread knife please. Really, it’ll make all the difference in the world!

I ran out of olive oil, so I’m using peanut oil, and I hate it. I just do. So, use olive oil, does not burn as fast, and it tastes better. ^_^

So here we go, as usual, prep your ingredients, and get ready to cook!

Ingredients:

4-6 croissants – depends how much of the mix you pile high on it ;)


3 large shrooms, sliced thinly


1 lb (or so) boneless blade steak


1/8 tsp of salt and a tad less of pepper (unless you like pepper)


1 tbsp sodium reduced soy sauce


3 tbsp parmesan (optional)


2 cups or so of Mozzarella cheese, shredded.


2 slices of onions, chopped coarsely


2X 1 tbsp of oil.



Slice beef thinly, in 1/2 “ pieces. Remove the gristle and stuff as you go, or cook it, and treat the dog/cats.

In medium bowl, add sliced meat, soy sauce, salt and pepper. Mix well, put aside (you’ll be mixing the meat here and there, as you’re cooking the other stuff).

Heat wok, when nice and hot, add 1tbsp oil, heat oil, add garlic and onions. Stir fry quickly for about 1 minute, add meat.

Note: because of the soy sauce, there will be an excess of juices, just keep stir frying away for about 3 minutes, until the meat is no longer pink. But don’t over cook, remember this stuff still has to bake!

Push meat to one side of wok, add oil, and then shrooms (lazy woman’s way of cooking/blending the shrooms with meat) and stir fry for another 1-2 minutes. Turn heat off.

Slice croissants.

Take a large section of foil, fold in half, and fold sides up to form a lip. If you’d rather use a cookie sheet, or whatever be my guest :)
Place croissants on foil sheet

Add a bit of garlic (this is optional – but it makes a difference, IMHO!)

Add a thin layer of cheese (to glue the meat you know…)

Using a slotted spoon (or a spatula like I have, “drain” the meat mix, as much as possible, or else, your croissants will be soggy. (eweeee)

Add the meat mixture, try to distribute evenly. (see pictures)

Add the cheese on top, parmesan first if you’re using it.

Now, if like me, you forgot that foil is NOT rigid, use a splatter screen, deftly slip it under your homemade foil thingy, and pop it in the (toaster) oven for about 15 minutes.

I toasted it for 2 minutes to brown the cheese, but stomach won over pictures. (sorry). You can use broil if your oven has that function, but KEEP A CLOSE EYE ON IT!

Use your trusty splatter screen, and pull that baby out! Can you smell it? YUM!

Using a pizza cutter, cut each croissants piece in 3, (easier to eat), and place on a plate.

Devour I mean, enjoy, with a cold drink (I like a cold Pepsi when eating this dish. ;)

In the pictures, I show how much meat mixture I have left, as I only made 1.5 croissants. It was very difficult NOT to just eat it up (and anything dropped on the floor was swooped on by the dog and the cats!) BUT, I was strong! Its in the fridge, for later!

Now, this dish can be made with any meat, so long as its cooked thoroughly. I’ve done this with Deli meat, but I don’t recommend it. The idea to cook from “scratch” is to get away from the nitrates and all the stuff they pump into pre-made foods… You can add peppers if you like (cough cough), or whatever you like. These babies are best served piping hot. YUM!

the pictures are not in order for all the steps, but I'm sure you can get the idea :)

ingredients... (missing onions in this pic)

mmm... garlic

croissants, sliced with a bread knife. please don't slice your hand, like I did. @_@

lazy-woman's baking sheet (see results of cooked food, you'll see why I favor these)


red onions are the mildest, sweetest. at the top right, you see the "center" rings. I remove these, as I personally have found, after much experimentation, that doing so lessens the risk of a migraine being triggered. :|

mixing the meat mix.

add a bit of garlic on the croissants. this is optional, but what a difference!

you don't have to use just this cut, use what's on sale, especially if its Sirloin ^_^


See? THIS is why I use the foil lining instead of a cookie sheet. just ball it up, and recycle or throw it out (where the dog can't get to it!)

its also easier to get to those crusty bits of cooked cheeze on there. mmmmm....

lazy man's way of cooking the shrooms, just move the meat, pop the shrooms in there, give it a fry for a minute, then mix it all up!

like so.

remember not to burn the garlic, otherwise it will be bitter (and it will STINK if your house!) and if your fire detector is as sensitive as mine, it'll go off.

the juices are normal, this is due to the soy sauce, and meat juices.

mmm... can almost smell it!

after making 1.5 croissants, this is what I had left of the meat mix. I had enough left for another 3.5 croissants AFTER this.

I desperately fought the temptation to get the chopsticks out, and pig out, but the croissants baking helped me make the right decision. I chucked a piece to Dewey... (and another to Jazz...)

ready to roll! :)

I'm scatterbrained at the best of times, and foil is not rigid. so, I used my splatter shield (dollar store find), and VOILA! carrying plate!

when adding meat to croissants, you will need to quickly drain the juices... otherwise, soggy mess.

garlic, check. cheese, check. meat, check. hehe!


adding a fine layer of cheese helps to glue stuff on there... you know, can never have too much cheese!

mmmmm.... very shortly, my tummy will be singing praises...

The Results...  yummy, crunchy, satisfying gooeyness.

HURRY DARN YOU! HURRYYYYYY!


Enjoy! :) Cyncerely, Cyn

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Steak, mushroom and cheese flatbread pizza - oh Y.U.M.!

Here's a recipe that is not only (COET (cook once eat twice), but fun to make, and even funner to eat (all mesy and goey and yummy!) One of the reason its a COET, is, if you can behave and not wolf down the whole thing in one sitting (if you're single and are not sharing with the dog that is...) then you might have some left for dinner. But even if you DO eat it all, its cool! I bought a large steak, and included in this recipe, you prep the steak for the pizza, but also for tonight's (or even tomorrow's) dinner! (I mean, everything is out, and "dirty" anyways right? so why not?

I've added the "step by step" pictures at the bottom (I've not figured out how to do this all fancy schmancy yet).

I'll be posting a link shortly on how to easily and tear-free-ly chop onions in 2 minutes flat.

There are 2 warnings for this baby.

First, if you put (like me) a LOT of mushrooms, your flat bread will be a little (but not too much) soggy (the juices get absorbed by the bread (excuse me while I drool!) you can actually see the juices in the pics above.

2nd, I put in the recipe that the garlic on the flat bread is optional, actually, its not. Seriously! It packs such a punch of flavor, that I say, try it, you'll like it.

Lastly, the mushrooms and tomato in this recipe can easily be switched up for your faves, but this IS a shroom and steak pie, so, lets get cooking with Cyn shall we? ^_^

flat bread steak and shroom and cheese pizza
(COET! Cook once eat twice)


I would say, this feeds 2-3 people at most. It really depends on the size of your flat bread, and also how many pieces you eat. I had (blush) 4 of the squares, no problem, but then I eat ah, larger portions ^_^.

 What you need...
  • flat bread (found in bread/deli section) (Costco has AWESOME deals on these.) Due to shrooms (and steak) "sweating", I don't recommend raw dough. (I will try this with my own homemade dough, and bake it first (like a flat bread) and will post results. WHEN I get to it!1-2 cups mozza cheese
  • 200 g mushrooms (8 med-large ones)
  • (steak, I bought a 1-lb boneless blade steak - its what was on special)
  • 150g steak, sliced thin and small
  • 300g steak, sliced thin and in 2 inch pieces (this is for dinner)
  • 1 small tomato, sliced and chopped
  • 1 small onion coarsely chopped
  • 2 tbsp olive oil (times 3, so 6 tbsps in all)
  • 2 tbsp garlic minced (optional- not actually, its not. you HAVE to try this!)
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce (sodium reduced)
marinades for steak mix

  • 2 tbsp oil (not taken from above measures)
  • 1.5 tbsp sodium reduced soy sauce
  • 1.5 tbsp cornstarch
  • pinch salt and pepper
  • tiny squirt of hot pepper sauce (optional - try it. mmmmm.)

prep work. I do all my prep work, including marinades, before I get going. It makes life MUCH easier!

  • slice 150g steak  thinly and in small pieces(freeze partially to make your life MUCH easier! the only problem with this is, you need to let it come back to room temperature before working with it. So, just be forewarned.)
  • slice 300g steak in thin 1.5-2" pieces
  • mince/chop onion
  • slice mushrooms thin or thick so long as you are consistent.
  • slice and dice tomato. (I have a "slap chop" no I don't use it.)

  • in small bowl, put 1.5 tsp of steak marinade, add 150g of steak, mix well.
  • in another small bowl, put the 300g steak, and rest of marinade.
  • Important, do NOT stick the beef in the fridge! You'll be cooking it in about 10 minutes!)
  • heat wok/pan.
  • add 2tbsp of oil ONLY when its nice and hot.
  • add garlic and soy sauce, stir fry til garlic is lightly brown (2-3 minutes)
  • add shrooms, and stir fry well, for about 4-5 minutes. If you're using a wok,
  • the shrooms will get a nice crispy edge. YUM!
remove from heat, put in a bowl.

(some people wash the wok at this point. I didn't bother, adds flavor, and I hate doing dishes so...) ^_^

  • put wok back on, let it re-heat up, and add another 2 tbsp oil.
  • add 150g steak, stir fry quickly, and lightly. The trick here is NO overcooking, (this is the pizza steak, so it'll finish cooking in oven). when its still a tiny bit pink, dump it in a bowl. 
  • put wok back on, add rest of oil when its nice and hot, and the 200g steak, stir fry quickly, and to desired doneness (I like my meat med-rare). Again, the wok will impart a nice crispy texture to the meat. YUM! After you've put the pizza in the oven, take the leftover beef, and put in a container. You can use this with anything, (I will be making stir fried hong kong style noodles - and I'll post the recipe too!) Sub, sandwhich, even in a thick beef soup! its all good! Oh, and you can freeze it too! (like, for ... another pie? ^_^)
  •  Preheat oven to 350.
  • Take flatbread out of bag - mine smelled weird, until I realized I'd grabbed a cheese flat bread (for a minute there I was looking for my uncle's old socks! or worse, Dewey's paw prints (my dog has cheetos feet)
  • sprinkle a little bit of olive oil on it, don't soak it (you may wish to put a paper towel underneath as these things as I learned, have little pinprick holes in them!)
  • spread the 2 tbsp garlic evenly over pizza. (honestly, after eating some, I'd put more... not more than 3 though)
  • put a fine layer of cheese on there
  • slap the beef on top, taking care to drain it with a spoon, if its juicy
  • (don't throw out that juice!) spread it out evenly.
  • add the mushrooms/garlic mixture, again, draining, (mushrooms ARE watery after all ;) I did not use the whole lot of my shroom mix, so I dumped it, and the rest of the beef juice in with the 2nd batch of steak :)add rest of cheese.
  • add the tomato, spreading it out evenly
  • if you like, add parmesan cheese (LOTS of it.) 
  • Open oven door. Please be careful NOT to burn yourself (like I did today!) and take pizza, minus paper towel, and put it directly on the grill (also make sure your grill is clean - its the same grill you use for toasts - uh, I use a large toaster oven) :) (this would work in a regular oven too) 
  • bake for 20-25 minutes, until browned lightly, and bubbly. 
  • take out with tongs, and slice, and serve... enjoy!

This was, so far, the BEST pizza I ever made. I even shared with Dewman! BUT if you do choose to share with your furkids, please remember, this has garlic in it, and some puppies react badly to it. (just like some dogs react badly to ham, or chocolate). Some say its poison for them (yet its in most dog food (shrugs). I threw him the crusts, and he caught them on the fly. :)

If you DO make this please leave a comment, and tell me how you liked it, or what you changed in it.

God Bless, Cynthia

Piccies... (pictures)

Steak Marinade, yeah looks yummy (not!)


Slice steak thin, and fairly small, this is a pizza, NOT a sub ;)

Stir fry onions, garlic until fairly soft (I'd say brown, but its kinda hard with soy sauce in there)

SHROOMS!

Stir  fry pizza beef (the 150g) until med-rare

Cook until nice and browned.

See? like this. you want steak, not shoe soles. :)

Zee flatbread de pizza!

Add a LITTLE bit of olive oil.

Then LOTS of garlic.

Add fine layer of cheese

drool... add the meat

Then the shrooms

Pile on the cheese BUT, keep away from the edges... (well, not too too close to the edge.)

This is what I had leftover of the shroom mix

Add tomates!

with Parmersan on top (fresh if you can afford it!)

Evidently, I can't right now. ugh. it truly is NOT the same

Stick it in the pre-heated oven (do not burn fingers!) I cook my flatbreads directly on the grill.

Wanna piece of this?

This is the 300g of beef, plus the leftover shrooms. Goin' in the fridge for tomorrow's noodle fest!

What the flat bread looks like, kinda (well the packaging) and the size

(giggle) look at those juices! It soaks up in the flat bread, and oh, its delish!

This is the only hot sauce I will use. :)


Final product? Sure smells good in here, we need scratch and sniff monitors or something!