Beef Stir-Fry
Makes 4 servings

2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons sugar
6 tablespoons soy sauce
1/4 cup apple juice or water
1 pound boneless beef round steaks cut into thin strips
3 cups broccoli florets
2 medium carrots thinly sliced or cut into “matchsticks”
1 6-ounce box frozen pea pods thawed
2 tablespoons chopped onions
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
1 8-ounce can water chestnuts, undrained

In a bowl, combine cornstarch, sugar, soy sauce and apple juice until smooth. Add beef and toss to coat. Set aside.

In a large skillet, stir-fry broccoli, carrots, pea pods and onion in 1 tablespoon of oil for 1 minute. Stir in water chestnuts. Cover and simmer for 4 minutes; remove and keep warm.

In the same skillet, stir-fry beef in remaining oil until meat reaches desired doneness. Return vegetables to pan; toss.

Serve over rice, rice noodles, or spaghetti.

Notes: Change up the vegetables to suite your taste and what’s fresh - Asaparagus instead of pea pods, I like red pepper slices and a few mushrooms…
Practice! It takes time to figure out exactly how long to cook your veggies to desired doneness.
Freezing meat to a ‘barely firm” stage makes it much easier to slice thinly.

January 3, 2007