Beef and Peppers

Okay, so this was kind of a disaster for me! it's been a while since I have one of those...a disaster int he kitchen! While this tasted good, I didn't have the proper ingredients so I used what i had...I know if I had the right stuff, it would have been wonderful!  Use regular Sherry to reduce the sodium and make sure you use rice NOODLES.....I apparently picked up rice sticks. Wrong thing to do! They were the width of hair and just made a jumbled mess! By the time I realized I had the wrong thing it was too late! And use LOW sodium soy sauce! This was WAY to salty for me! But, I dumped in regular before I realized what i was doing...I told you....EPIC FAIL!  Oh, and it would have helped if I took a picture of the finished product! I guess once I realized I didn't have the right ingredients I stopped taking photos!  The below photo is before I put the soy sauce and noodles in!

Beef and Peppers

1-1/2 pound Flank Steak, Sliced Very Thin Against The Grain

1/2 cup Low Sodium Soy Sauce

I seriously need a new camera!

3 Tablespoons Sherry

2 Tablespoons Packed Brown Sugar

2 Tablespoons Cornstarch

1 Tablespoon Minced Fresh Ginger

2 cloves Garlic, Minced

1 teaspoon Red Chile Paste (or A Few Dashes Red Chile Oil)

2 Tablespoons Canola Oil

1 whole Medium Yellow Onion Sliced

2 whole Red Bell Peppers, Cored And Sliced Into Rings

1 Tablespoon Diced Fresh Jalapeno (or 1 Teaspoon Dice Hot Pepper)

Red Pepper Flakes, For Sprinkling

Cilantro Leaves

Mix together soy sauce, sherry, brown sugar, cornstarch, ginger, garlic, and chili paste (or chili oil.) Place sliced beef in the mixture and toss to coat. Set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high to high heat. When it is very hot, throw in the onions and cook for less than a minute. Remove to a separate plate. Return skillet to flame, allow to reheat, and add bell peppers (and hot pepper/jalapeno if using.) Cook for a minute, tossing, until peppers have brown/black bits but are still firm. Remove to a plate.

Return skillet to heat and allow to get hot. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the skillet. Add 1/3 of the meat mixture, evenly distributing over the surface of the skillet. Allow to sit for 20 to 30 seconds, then turn with tongs. Cook for another 30 seconds, then remove to a separate plate. Repeat with remaining meat until all brown.

Reduce heat to low. Add all meat, onions, and peppers to the skillet and toss to combine. Pour in remaining sauce (the sauce the meat marinated in*) and stir. Allow to simmer on low for a few minutes. Sauce will slowly thicken. Turn off heat.

*Update/Note: you can also whip up an extra batch of liquid if you do not want to use the same liquid you use for the meat.

Turn off boiling water, then throw in noodles. Stir, then allow noodles to sit in hot water for 8 minutes or so (check package directions to be sure.) Drain, then add 1/2 the noodles to stir fry. Toss together, then add more noodles to taste. Add very hot water if needed to thin.

Top with cilantro leaves. Serve immediately.

Sausage and Peppers Mac and Cheese

It's no lie that I LOVE pasta... especially mac and cheese!  I made this the other day, it is yummy!  I wouldn't classify it as mac and cheese however.  Maybe like cheesy macaroni with sausage and peppers.  I know, what's the difference....trust me....there is a difference!  I don't like people messing with my momma's mac and cheese!  Anywho...this is a very tasty meal with a salad and piece of garlic bread.


Italian Sausage and Pepper Macaroni & Cheese

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 pound Italian sausage, casing removed
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 pound penne
8 tablespoons butter
6 tablespoons flour
6 cups whole milk
4 cups (16 ounces) cheese, grated (I used a combo of Parmesan and mozzarella)
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
A few shakes of salt and black pepper
1/4 cup sliced fresh basil
1/4 cup fresh sliced flat-leaf parsley


Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter or cooking spray.


In a large skillet over medium-high heat, warm olive oil. Add onion and saute 3 minutes or until softened. Add sausage and cook for 8-10 minutes or until browned all over and no longer pink. Add red bell pepper and cook 2 minutes until softened.


Cook pasta in salted water, about 2 minutes short of being fully cooked; it will finish cooking in the oven. Drain the cooked pasta, but do not rinse.


4. Meanwhile, melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Whisk in flour. Gradually add milk, whisking continuously until it reaches a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5-7 minutes, or until thick and bubbly.


5. Add cooked sausage and pepper mixture, cheese, cream sauce, crushed red pepper flakes, salt, black pepper, basil and parsley. Stir well. Pour into prepared baking dish. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the cheese sauce is bubbling around the edges.

Spaghetti Pie

I am addicted to pasta!  I could eat some sort of pasta every day of the week.  NOT a good thing considering I'm a diabetic and shouldn't be eating so many carbs!

If you like spaghetti or lasagna, you will LOVE spaghetti pie! I know my family did.

Spaghetti Pie (this makes 2 pies)


1 pound spaghetti
1.5 pounds ground beef
2 small onions, diced
1 green pepper, diced
4 tbs minced garlic
2 cans of tomato sauce
2 tbs of Italian seasoning
4 tbs of butter
2 cups Parmesan cheese
2 cups mozzarella
4 eggs, beaten
3 cups ricotta cheese


Cook spaghetti according to the package.  In a saucepan cook ground beef. Once cooked, add in onion, pepper and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes. Drain grease and add in Italian seasoning and tomato sauce.  Simmer for about 15 minutes.  In a large bowl, combine spaghetti, melted butter, 1 cup Parmesan and eggs.  Divide mixture into 2 greased pie plates.  Push spaghetti up the sides of both dishes and the bottoms making a crust. Spread ricotta over spaghetti and sprinkle on  1/2 cup mozzarella.  Spoon meat mixture over the ricotta and sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan and mozzarella and some Italian seasoning.  Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes or until the cheese on top slightly browns.  Serve with some garlic bread or a side salad and enjoy!