What's for Dinner?

It's the end of the month, and money might be tight.  No need to forego a really tasty meal.  Cooking at home is far less expensive than dining out, and you don't have to be a talented chef to stir fry some beef tips with chopped veggies.  They cook very quickly and are very tender and flavorful.   Here are some menu ideas for the USDA Choice-grade beef sirloin tips that you can pick up here at Homer Village Market in the refrigerated case.

•  If you like an Oriental-style stir fry, use a heavy frying pan to brown the meat with some tender veggies of your choice (thinly sliced broccoli, zucchini, onions, carrots). Soy sauce and sesame oil make a nice flavor.  If you have black bean sauce, even better (you can buy all three at our store).  Add some mushrooms or chopped veggies of your choice, and serve this over rice.  Deglaze the pan with a little water and thicken with a spoonful of cornstarch mixed with cold water.
• If you prefer American style, use some savory spices/herbs (paprika, thyme, parsley or just salt and pepper), and serve over any style of potato--baked, mashed, or hash browns.  You don't have to have any special gravy or sauce on hand so long as you have a little bit of flour or corn starch as a thickener.  You could simply "deglaze" your frying pan with a little bit of water or broth to make a sauce.  Beer works nicely too with beef! A nice flavoring to have on hand for beef would be a few drops of worcestershire sauce.
• You could also season the beef tips with salt and pepper (paprika is nice), then brown them quickly in some olive oil and serve over buttered noodles.  If you like cream sauce, you could make your own (and avoid a lot of extra sodium) or simply open a can of cream-style soup.   Sour cream is a nice addition to a sauce for beef and noodles.  If you like onions, sauté them along with the beef.  If you like peas, add cooked peas to the noodle mixture when ready to serve.  Very pretty with peas....
• Here's a fun and quick way to use these tender beef tips in a burrito-style sandwich.  Brown the beef in a pan.  If you like onions or green peppers or hot peppers, chop some and add those to the pan first since the meat cooks quickly.  Garlic is a nice seasoning.   Simply warm some burrito-size flour tortillas and use the beef-veggie stir fry as your filling.  Top with your favorite cheese and some chopped tomatoes or lettuce, if you like.  Roll up the filled tortillas and enjoy! If you want it to taste like a Mexican-style burrito, be sure to have some taco or burrito seasoning on hand when you brown the beef (cumin, chili powder, paprika work well together with a little salt and oregano).
• One last idea.  Get a 2 or 3 quart pot and place some sautéed onions, carrots, and celery in the pot and some diced potatoes.  Cover with water  seasoned with salt and pepper (or broth), and simmer until the potatoes and carrots are almost tender (about 15 minutes).  Meanwhile, season and then brown the beef tips on med-high heat in a frying pan with a little olive oil.  Add the browned beef to the soup pot when the veggies are almost tender.  Get the flavorful bits from the frying pan by "deglazing" the pan with a cup of water, and add those pan juices to the soup pot.  Simmer to blend the flavors for about 3-5 minutes, do not boil.   If you like more of a tomato base to your soup, add a spoonful of tomato paste or ketchup when the soup is nearly ready.  If you want a more hearty soup, add some kidney beans (or green beans if you are watching your carbs).

Hope these ideas have inspired you to try some quick meals at home.  These menu ideas work well with chicken also, including leftover chicken.  When working with raw chicken, however, be sure to cook it thoroughly after you brown it (165 degrees in center).