Stir-Fried Beef, Broccoli, and Yams

This recipe is another discovery from this month's issue of Bon Appetit. I was instantly drawn to it because of the incorporation of sweet potatoes (a family favorite around here) into an Asian recipe, and I have to say I was very happy to have given it a whirl. It is absolutely delicious, and talk about easy! (I was able to find the oyster sauce in the Asian food section at Kroger.)

Here is a link to the recipe on Epicurious.com, and I will also post the recipe in its entirety here. Enjoy!

Stir-Fried Beef, Broccoli, and Yams
1/4 cup water
3 tablespoons (packed) golden brown sugar
3 tablespoons oyster sauce*
1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
1 1-pound flank steak, cut in half lengthwise, then crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 1/2 tablespoons Asian sesame oil, divided
4 cups broccoli florets (about 8 ounces)
1 8-ounce yam (red-skinned sweet potato), peeled, cut in half lengthwise, then crosswise into 1/3-inch-thick slices
2 teaspoons chopped peeled fresh ginger

Stir first 4 ingredients in small bowl until sugar dissolves. Set sauce aside. Place beef in large bowl; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add cornstarch and toss to coat.

Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons oil in large wok over high heat. Add beef mixture; stir-fry until no longer pink outside, about 3 minutes. Transfer beef mixture to medium bowl. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in same skillet. Add broccoli, yam, and ginger. Toss to coat; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add sauce. Cover, reduce heat to medium-high, and cook until vegetables are just tender, about 5 minutes. Add beef mixture. Toss until sauce coats beef, about 1 minute. Serve.

Menu Monday

I'm trying really hard to get into the rhythm of a schedule again. It seems like I never truly got back into a groove after Charlotte was born, and now that Baby Tres is on the way (which, by the way, it simply cannot be moving toward the end of April already!), I know that it's time to get my act together so I don't go into a total tailspin come September. So, as much as I've come to loathe a rigid schedule (I used to thrive on them, but boy did having two small kiddos change that!), I am working on making some changes for consistency in what I plan out for each day of the week. Monday is grocery and my big laundry day, Friday has become my cleaning day (I love a clean house for the weekend!), etc. It is amazing how much more at ease I feel after just a couple of weeks!

So, since I'm back in planning mode, I thought I'd start sharing our menu plan each Monday. I know I sometimes hit a rut when it comes to what's on tap week after week, and I know I can't be alone in that boat! Here's this week:

Monday - Vegetable-Quinoa Pilaf with Salad and Crusty Bread
Tuesday - Lamb with Mustard-Cream Sauce, Asparagus and Roasted Fingerling Potatoes
Wednesday - Spaghetti with Salad and Crusty Bread
Thursday - Beef Stroganoff with Peas and Salad
Friday - Homemade Pizza with Salad
Saturday - Grilled Venison Loin with Grilled Zucchini and Twice-Baked Potatoes

One thing we're going to try to do is eat more vegetarian meals, especially as the farmers' markets open this week and fresh produce will be so abundant.

A recipe I've been going to a lot lately for breakfast is for delicious oatmeal pancakes that Stacey Lokovic shared on Feeling Scrappy a few weeks back. We all love them around here! And with Arkansas strawberries on the brink of readiness, I can't wait to serve those pancakes with fresh berries in the coming weeks. Yum!

By the way...there is a fun blog party going on this week to celebrate two years of Feeling Scrappy, so you should all venture on over. I know I will!

Just three more days until our big ultrasound on Thursday morning. We are still staying strong in not wanting to find out if Baby Tres is a he or a she, but any stay-strong vibes you can send our way are greatly appreciated!! :)

Happy Monday!
Amy

A recent discovery

Ok. I am now on a sewing kick. A wanting-to-sew-every-spare-minute-I-can-manage sewing kick. I haven't sat down at my scrapping desk since before our trip to Florida (!!), but I have managed to put together lots of home decor items (photos to come soon - I promise!) as well as to paint our bathroom cabinets and repaint our bedroom in the most soothing shade imaginable. I have never loved my bedroom before, but I really think I might be on the right track this time! It is still a work in progress, but you can be sure I'll share here when I am finished.

But. Back to sewing. Hunting for some project ideas a few nights ago, I stumbled upon the most charming little blog. There are so many project ideas, it will make your head spin. Trust me: after a half hour of looking through these archives, even if you're not a seamstress, you'll fancy yourself one! :)

Sew, Mama, Sew!

Have fun!
A.

Sketch #3

Wednesday is here again, and that means it's sketch time! This week's sketch is nice and simple, with opportunity abounding to add your own personal stamp to the design. I hope you enjoy working with it as much as I enjoyed creating it!

Big Boy Bed

I love using up scraps from my stash. This layout, which is based on one of Stacy Killion's terrific sketches for the Sketchapalooza class, gave me the opportunity to do just that. I had such fun with this one! Jack is so proud of his big boy bed, and it is even more special because the bedding on his bed once belonged to his cool older cousin, Blake.





I hope everyone's week is going well so far - and that you haven't forgotten tomorrow is Tax Day! :)

Hoppy Easter!

Aren't these two adorable? There are lots more photos and details on our family blog...check it out!



He is risen, just as He said!
Amy

Friday Fill-Ins

1. Anonymous...something I wanted to be yesterday when Jack decided to tell the salesman at Payless his bathroom was really dirty.

2. Life is a Highway. (Better known in our household as the Lightning song)

3. Let me embrace thee, sour adversity, and then have a glass of wine.

4. Planting lots of happy flowers is what I look forward to most about spring.

5. Who needs therapy when there is chocolate?

6. Reese's eggs MUST go into the Easter Basket!

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to doing some deck-sittin', tomorrow my plans include planting lots of happy flowers (see #4), and Sunday, I want to rejoice that Jesus is ALIVE (and eat some candy, too ;)!

Good Friday to all of you, my friends!
A.