Stir Fry Broccoli Beef

3 TB cornstarch divided

¼ tsp. garlic salt
¾ pound lean sirloin beef trimmed, raw, thinly sliced. (I also sometimes use chicken breast)
2 tsp oil
1 c. chicken broth
sliced mushrooms (I do about 2 cups) (you can do more or less to suit your tastes)
1 white onion cut into 8 wedges and broken apart
5 cups (don’t skimp) broccoli florets (or asparagus!) (or green beans!)
2 tsp minced garlic (I’ve been using the jarred minced garlic) (SO MUCH EASIER!)
⅛ tsp red pepper flakes (more if you like it HOT)
¼ cup lo sodium soy sauce

Combine 2 TB cornstarch and garlic salt. Add prepared meat and toss to coat. Stir fry meat in hot pan in small amount oil about 5 minutes or till lightly browned. Don’t over cook. Remove to plate and set aside. Add ½ c chicken broth to pan to loosen bits. Add veggies, starting with the crisper veggies that take longer to cook. toss occasionally, cooking till crisp-tender. Add 1 TB water or chicken broth if needed. Add garlic and pepper flakes - stir all till fragrant - a minute or 2. In a cup, stir together soy sauce, remaining ½ cup chicken broth, 1 TB cornstarch, and 2 TB water till blended. Stir into pan - bring to simmer and allow to thicken. Return meat, allow to heat through. Test veggies, serve when veggies are soft the way you like them. (I like them crisp-tender)


Serve over white rice, noodles, or just as is for a low-carb meal. YUM-A-LUM!

Approx 6 Weight Watchers points per 1⅓ cup serving

As promised, here is the Greek Chicken recipe!

Greek Chicken
A Rachael Ray recipe

I like this recipe because it is a good dish to fix for company or a crowd. I love the creamy texture and taste of the feta with the bite and strength of the kalamata olives and pepperoncini.
Let me know what your favorite thing is about it!

4 cloves of garlic
1/4 cup olive oil
2 lemons
1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
2 sprigs fresh oregano, finely chopped
4-6 pieces boneless, skinless chicken breasts or 2 pounds jumbo shrimp
salt and coarse black pepper
1/2 pound orzo pasta
1 red onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, coarsely chopped
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
1/2 pound feta, crumbled
3 TB banana pepper rings, chopped (pepperoncini)

Bring a large pot of water to a boil for orzo pasta.
Crush 2 cloves of garlic and place in shallow dish with about 1/4 cup olive oil and 1 thinly sliced sliced lemon, red pepper flakes, oregano, chicken or shrimp. Season with salt and pepper, then toss to combine. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. When meat or shrimp has marinated for 10 minutes, (up to 30 minutes is OK), and pan is screaming hot, add chicken or shrimp and lemons. Cook chicken 10-12 minutes, turning occasionally or cook shrimp 6-8 minutes or until pink and firm, tossing with tongs frequently. When you add chicken to pan, drop orzo in boiling water and start vegetables, see below. If you're cooking shrimp, start orzo then start vegetables and then throw shrimp in hot pan.
Meanwhile, heat a second skillet with 2 TB olive oil, over medium high heat. Add red onions and bell peppers and season with salt and pepper, cook 5 minutes. Add 2 cloves chopped garlic and toss a minute, then add olive and tomatoes to the pan and cook a couple of minutes more. Drain orzo and toss in serving dish with vegetables, parsley, feta, and pepperoncini. Place chicken atop, squeeze with juice of lemon if desired, and serve.

Toscano Soup

This is the very first recipe I ever made totally on my own. I took inspiration from a recipe Gary brought home from a staff luncheon (Thank you, Kari Stacey) and from Rachael Ray.

1 pound Italian sausage
2 fennel bulbs (also known as anise) (You could also use 2 yellow onions, or 1 onion and 1 fennel bulb) The fennel has a VERY mild flavor. Don't be afraid of it! Embrace it! Something new!
2-3 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 large potato, peeled and chopped into medium sized chunks
2-3 tsp minced garlic
1 and 1/2 c heavy cream
1 can tomato sauce
2-3 cups chopped kale. (Don't include the chewy stalk. Remove the leaf from the stalk and chop)
4-6 cups chicken broth (You can used canned chicken broth, or make your own using chicken bullion)
1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 can kidney beans - drain and rinse


Fry sausage till cooked through
Add onion and/or fennel and garlic. Let cook/sweat with the sausage for about 7 minutes.
Add potatoes and carrots. Cook/sweat for about 4-5 minutes.
Add chicken broth, tomato sauce, pepper flakes, and salt and pepper to taste - bring to boil
Add beans - bring back to boil
Add kale - bring back to boil
Stir in heavy cream. Turn off. Let sit for about 10-15 minutes.

I like to serve this with hot crusty rolls. We find the Tahoe Joe's brand of rolls to work great. You'll find your favorite.

Bowser Style Goulash

2 cups egg noodles (cooked, or not)
1 14 oz. can diced tomatoes (I use the kind that are canned and flavored, like with basil, herbs, etc.)
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
1 14 oz. can corn
1/2 c sliced black olives
1 small can sliced olives (or you can use fresh, about 1/2 cup)
1 lb. ground beef, browned and drained
2 cups grated cheese (we use the marbled colby/jack)

Mix all together in big bowl. Top with about another 1/2 cup of cheese. Pour into a 13x9 pan that has been sprayed with PAM. Cover with foil and bake in a 325 oven till bubbly and hot. (about 45 mins. or so) Gary's mom always served this with canned pears and slices of sourdough toast. You'll find your own way to make it your favorite.