Sweet and Savory Beef

Take a break from take-out, and make your own with this easy, fast, and cheap beef dish! Serve with rice and vegetables

Cost per serving: $1.50

Ingredients:

1 lb Beef chuck steak

1 can of Coca Cola

4 tblsp corn starch

1 tsp salt

2 tblsp vegetable oil + more for frying

2 garlic gloves, mashed

1 tblsp ginger, mashed

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 tblsp red pepper flakes

2 hot peppers, chopped*

1 tsp sesame seed oil

Green scallion for garnish

*optional

Instructions:

1. Marinate the steak in the Coca Cola for 2 hours.
2. Drain the Coca Cola and slice the steak in pieces, against the grain, on a 45 degree angle
3. Sprinkle the cornstarch and salt over the steak and mix together so that every piece has a light coating of cornstarch. Set aside.
4. In a small saucepan, saute the garlic and ginger in vegetable oil on low heat until fragrant
5. Add the water, soy sauce, brown sugar, red pepper flakes, hot peppers, and sesame seed oil. Let simmer for 5 minutes
6. In a separate frying pan, heat enough oil to fry the meat. You want enough oil to cover the pieces. Fry the meat until brown, turning once. Don't worry if your meat isn't fully cooked.
7. Remove with a slotted spoon onto paper towels.
8. Remove any excess oil from the frying pan
9. Add the meat back into the frying pan
10. Pour the sauce into the frying pan and bring to a simmer. Stir until the sauce thickens
11. Garnish with chopped scallions and serve with rice and vegetables

Seafood Medley

A simple seafood soup that is good served during the cold months of the year. You can add fish, squid, octopus, crab, lobster, you name it. I kept mine simple for budgetary reasons. Often times, you can find shrimp and mussels for sale.

Cost per serving: $4.32

Ingredients:

2 tblsp Olive Oil

2 Garlic cloves, chopped

1 Yellow onion, chopped

1 Green bell pepper, coarsely chopped

1 Yellow bell pepper, coarsely chopped

1 Can whole tomatoes, drained

2 Cups store bought seafood broth

1 tsp dry thyme

1 tsp dry basil

1 dry bay leaf

1 tsp red pepper flakes

Half pound mussels, cleaned and beards removed

Half pound shrimp, peeled and de-veined

1 can whole baby clams, save the juices

Instructions:

1. In a large soup pot, saute the garlic and onions over low heat. Cover for 10 minutes
2. Add the green and yellow bell peppers, stir, and cover for 10 minutes.
3. Add the tomatoes, seafood stock, reserved clam juice, basil, thyme, bay leaf, and red pepper flakes. Raise the heat to high until it reaches a boil.
4. Once it reaches a boil, partially cover it with the lid and let simmer for 30 minutes. Stir occasionally with a large spoon, pressing the tomatoes against the pan. Don't let the tomatoes turn to mush.
5. Taste the broth if it needs salt and pepper
6. 5 minutes before you serve, add the shrimp, mussels, and baby clams. Stir, let it reach a boil, cover, and turn off heat.
7. Enjoy!