I was inspired by Hy-Vee's $3 dinner idea for Beef and Vegetable Lo Mein when I logged on to activate my new fuel saver card. It was yum at first site and I wasn't sure how I was going to pull it off...enter the crock pot. I knew I had a package of frozen steaks in the freezer that desperately wanted to be eaten, so in the morning I popped them (still frozen) into the crock pot with a garlic clove, half an onion, a little olive oil and a splash of soy sauce. I turned it on low and hoped for the best (and that our homeowner's policy was current.)
Over my lunch hour I stopped at Hy-Vee, which is literally my place "where everyone knows your name", waved hello to all the friendly employees that I have come to love, and ran into several friends who were also grocery shopping sans kiddos. I picked up some fabulous produce, including the organic broccoli and seasonal oranges pictured above, and only broke the rules for four cans of diced tomatoes. My total was $68.04.
When I came home from work about 5:30pm we still had a kitchen to speak of and the meat smelled incredible. I quickly washed and chopped up some broccoli, mushrooms, and scallions, heated a pan and coated it with olive oil. I threw in another garlic clove and sauteed the mushrooms and broccoli. I sliced the meat and put it in nearly last since it was already cooked. I added a little of the drippings from the crock pot to the pan for extra flavor, and squeezed half an orange for a little citrus note. Scallions went in just before I put everything on the plate. While all of this was going on in the pan, I quickly boiled some lo mein noodles (which believe it or not, I had in my cupboard!)
It was a truly fabulous Use-it-Up night! I still don't totally trust my crock pot, but I might be gaining just a little more confidence in it...
What I Used-Up:
Three frozen steaks
Lo Mein Noodles
1/2 onion
1 orange
1 head of broccoli
