Veggie & Beef Stir Fry

     This recipe is simple, but satisfying.  It is also pretty healthy!  It was quick and easy to prepare and I can guarantee you it will be back on the menu again soon!  I know that because my husband even took the leftovers to work!  You have to love that sort of meal!  Plus, I got to use one of my favorite kitchen appliances, my electric wok.  Seriously, I got it at a garage sales quite a few years ago, but I love that thing!  If you don't have one, put it on your Christmas list - you won't regret it!

¼ - ½ lb.stir fry beef
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 zucchini, coarsely chopped
3 cups broccoli, coarsely chopped
1 yellow squash, coarsely chopped
1 tbsp. teriyaki sauce
1 cup brown rice

     Coarsely chop the zucchini, broccoli, and squash.  Boil water for the rice.  Cook rice according to the package.  Meanwhile, heat the oil in an electric wok (or large skillet if you don't have a wok).  Add the beef, stir frying until no longer pink, about 2 minutes.  Add in the vegetables and cook until tender, about 5-7 minutes.  Add teriyaki sauce (more to taste if you would like) to the stir fry.  Serve the beef and vegetables over the brown rice.  Makes 4 servings.

Succulent Steak Marinade

     A few weeks ago I got a few packages of petite sirloin steaks for an awesome deal...buy one, get two free! Now you can't really beat that! The first package my husband got a hold of and thought he needed to marinate so we could eat it before it went bad. I had just bought it that day, so it was unlikely that it was going bad, but I appreciated the effort until I realized he marinated it in the barbecue sauce (what?!) that I was going to use to make pulled pork that evening (well not anymore!). The barbecue marinade was a bit different and he admitted he wasn't thinking and just grabbed a bottle of the first thing he saw, but the steaks themselves were still pretty good. So I was excited to marinate the second package in something a bit more fitting for a steak. I used this marinade and let it sit on the steaks for about 8 hours and then the hubby did his part by grilling them for me! We both agreed they were some of the better steaks we had made, due to both the marinade and his expertise grilling skills! Haha! Ok, but seriously they are much better than mine! Now I just need to decide what I will be doing with that third package of steaks, but for now they are in the freezer!

1/3 cup soy sauce
½ cup olive oil
1/3 cup lemon juice
¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
1½ tbsp. garlic powder
3 tbsp. dried basil
1½ tbsp. dried parsley
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. ground pepper

     Mix together all ingredients.  Place steaks in a large Ziploc bag and pour marinade over steaks.  Make sure steaks are covered well and place in the refrigerator for 6-8 hours.  Flip the bag over at least once during the marinating.  Cook steaks on grill until desired color.

Steak & Pineapple Teriyaki Kabobs

     I love kabobs!  I am not sure why, but food displayed on a stick in nice neat patterns intrigues me!  It must be the math teacher in me coming out.  I usually opt for two pineapple pieces then one steak piece, but tonight I was just hoping to eat before my stomach started eating itself so however it got put on the stick was fine with me!  I had been tutoring and didn't get home until almost 7 and I was starving.  There is nothing impressive about the preparation of this meal, but it tastes good and my husband did most of the work since we (and I do mean he) cooked them on the grill!  If you have never had grilled pineapple you need to...it is amazing!

1 lb. steak
1 pinapple
2 cup white rice, optional (I use Success boil in the bag rice because I am lazy like that!)
½ bottle of teriyaki marinade (I use the cheap but tasty kroger brand)

     Cut steak into cubes and place in a ziploc bag.  Pour enough marinade over top to coat pieces, I used about half of the bottle just to make sure there was plenty!  Allow to marinade in the refrigerator overnight.
     Cut pineapple into chunks.  Place steak and pineapple pieces on skewers.  (I have a metal set, but if you are using wooden ones make sure you have soaked them in water plenty long enough before putting on the grill!)  Grill for about 30 minutes or until steak is cooked through.  Serve over a bed of white rice or just eat it straight from the skewer!