Venison Pepper Steak {Stove Top Recipe}

I think the second time Warren cooked for me (way back in our dating days) he made Pepper Steak.  I really liked it, but if you know me, when it comes to food I can't leave well enough alone.  I'm always trying new twists on old recipes.

Somehow (Pinterest) I found this recipe.  The picture sucked me in and since I'm always on the lookout for new ways to use all the deer we put up each year, I just had to try this version of Pepper Steak using venison.   I also adapted the recipe slightly for my large sized family.

Original Recipe is credited to South Your Mouth blog.

Here's my adaptation.

Venison Pepper Steak  (serves 8-12)

3 lbs. venison steak, sliced very thin (1/4" or less)
5 T. soy sauce
2 t. black pepper
Lard
1 red pepper, thinly sliced
2 green peppers, thinly sliced
2 large onions, thinly sliced
1 t. minced jarred garlic

Sauce:
2 brown gravy packets
1/2 t. ginger paste
1 t. black pepper
2 cups cold water
4 T. soy sauce

Here's the process for those of you who like written details.  Remember the video explanation is on YouTube.

Slice meat into thin (1/4") pieces.  The length of strips doesn't really matter.  For the tenderest meat cut across the grain (opposite the muscle fibers) 🤔

Slice all the veggies, too.  Set aside until the end.  But don't wait until the end.  Once you start the cooking process this goes very quickly so everything needs to be ready.  If you have a helpful teen around they could cut the veggies while you slice the meat.  Just saying.

Make the sauce mixture.  Set aside, but stir it a couple of times while doing other things.

Here's the Ginger paste I use.  It really add fullness and richness to the overall flavor. (Similar item at Amazon) I bought mine at Walmart.

Heat very large cast iron skillet (link to mine) with a few T. lard.

Add all the meat at once.  It should sizzle fiercely.  Let meat cook for a couple of minutes, then stir around until done.  Transfer to warm bowl.  Foil.  Set aside.

Add veggies and garlic to skillet.  Stir fry for about 4 minutes.  

Add meat and sauce mix to veggies.  Cook until sauce thickens.  This happens in under 1 minute.  Turn heat off.  Serve over hot rice, which I should tell you to start cooking right away so you're not messing with it while you're stirring, transferring, and focusing on the pepper steak.

This is so incredible.  The venison stays so moist and is ultra tender.  Enjoy!!!😋

For the full video click here.

New Vlog | Day in the Life | Cooking & Swimming

On today's vlog I shared my plan to make chicken salad, chicken fried rice, dirty rice, and taco meat.  I also had big plans of making a couple desserts, rhubarb dessert and chocolate torte.  Even though I never actually got to my big cooking day until the next day, I'm sharing all these family favorite recipes with you because they are all super simple and make for easy homeschool lunches or short on time suppers.  Large family life is unpredictable most days, but that doesn't mean I need to give up completely, but just postpone my plans for another day.

Click here for the recipe and to see how I make Chicken Salad.

Chicken Fried Rice

This recipe is so delicious, but a little bit putsy.  If the chicken is pre-cooked and all the vegetables diced then it goes much smoother.  Although, I always double this, I'll post the original recipe and you can decide how many "batches" will feed your family.  We can polish off a double batch in one sitting.

Mix together and let sit:
2 cups diced cooked chicken
2 T. soy sauce

Heat oil in skillet (I use an extra large electric fry skillet).
1/3 cup oil
1 cup uncooked long grain white rice
Add rice to hot oil and stir fry until rice has browned nicely.

Add broth and vegetables.
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 small onion, diced
1/4 c. chopped green pepper
1/4 c. thinly sliced celery (we like more)
Cover and cook until rice is tender (20-25 minutes)
Uncover and cook a little longer until moisture is absorbed.

Add chicken/soy sauce mixture.
Push everything to one side.
Whisk 2 eggs and pour into open side.  Let cook just until the bottom is set and top is still liquid.  Stir eggs.  Cook a little longer and then mix throughout rice/chicken.

Shred or thinly slice 2 cups lettuce.  Stir into chicken fried rice and cover just until lettuce is wilted.  Serve immediately with extra soy sauce if desired.  Yummy!!

Dirty Rice

This is simply a box mix I get from Aldi.  I always make two boxes and add 1 large onion to the meat as it cooks.

Taco Meat
Here's a video of how I make taco seasoning and taco meat.

1 lb. ground venison (or beef)
1 medium onion OR 1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. cumin
2 Tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
3/4 cup water

Fry meat, add spices and water, bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer for about 10 minutes or less if you're in a hurry.  Then I always add a can of re-fried beans and extra water to get desired consistency.

Questions regarding large family cooking?  Add them to the comments.

Favorite large family meals?  Add those to the comments, too.

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Weekly Meal Prep for the Large Family

Nine people.

Three meals a day.

Seven days a week.

189 individual meals a week.   Plus snacks.

Those numbers can be daunting to even the most experienced kitchen hand.  But they don't have to be.

Preparing meals for the large family begins with a plan.  It doesn't have to be on a fancy spreadsheet.  It doesn't have to be well balanced (kids don't care).  It just has to be written down.  Currently, I'm using this great little notebook (affiliate link) I won at a bridal shower.  I write LUNCH on the top of one page and SUPPER on the top of a second page.  I write the days of the week with a few lines in between and then just start filling it in.  Once all the days have meals, I tear out the sheets and clip them to the side of a magazine holder on my kitchen counter.

So let's go through this step by step.  Find a notebook or dry erase board or chalk board or blank calendar.....whatever it is you desire to write up your meal plan.

Label the pages.

Start adding meal ideas.  My best tips are to look at your calendar and pick meals that will work with your schedule for that day and have a mix of everyone's favorites.  I like to try new recipes, but I spread them out between family favorites, usually. 😉

Keep this part simple.  For lunch I might plan hot dogs and applesauce.  Then on the day of I'll throw in any other leftovers if I have them.  And if I don't have any extras to add, it's really no big deal because I have a basic plan and there's nothin' wrong with a basic lunch.  Same goes for supper.  If I'm planning Taco Tuesday, I'll write tacos and rice, then when I'm making supper I'll look around for some canned fruit or cottage cheese to add to it.  And again, if I don't have anything extra to add, no biggie, tacos and rice is plenty.

Sometimes I mix up the meals because a day turns out differently than expected.  In that case, I just cross off the meals I use so I always know what's still available.

Of course, now you make a shopping list and shop.

The fun part is having a cooking day.  I really like cooking everything for the entire week on one day.  I also prep veggies, cheese, muffins and desserts, and fruits.  It simply makes the rest of the week go so much smoother having all the meals prepped.  This summer it's been Monday.  The four teens all work and I'm left with just the three youngest and they can usually keep themselves busy playing/destroying the house for quite a while.  I shared a little of my last cooking day here.  I had another cooking day today.

I focused on ground venison recipes:  2 pounds taco meat, 2 pounds tater tot casserole, 4 pounds BBQ.  I also shredded cheese, chopped veggies for tacos and made 2 dozen cranberry blueberry muffins and cranberry cake.  I planned, but didn't get to, boiling and mashing 5 pounds potatoes and making Cole slaw.  Tomorrow's another day with one dental appointment and BMX practice with a lot of hours in between so hopefully I'll get to it then.

Make the most of your cooking day.

Thaw meat the day before.

Start with a clean kitchen.  Didn't happen today.  Yesterday the pump (we think) went out on our dishwasher.  I ran the same load with the same dishwasher pod three times.  I was in denial.  Then this morning I unloaded it all and washed it by hand; after an hour of kitchen cleanup I was ready to start cooking.

Put on comfy clothes and shoes.  Maybe I'm showing my age, but supportive shoes go a long way to a productive day.

Wear an apron.  I find that whenever I put on an apron I just feel more like getting it done.  Since I wipe my hands on my apron and even wipe up little spills with it, I don't have to waste time rinsing and wringing out washcloths.

Listen to a good podcast.  Homeschool Snapshots  The Homeschool Solutions Show

Think about all the fun you'll have with your family because your meals are ready to go.

Happy Summer!  I hope and pray you are all having a great summer and finding ways to renew and relax.  🌞

Hot Ham & Cheese for Homeschoolers

As we approach Lent my mind starts thinking about the Corporal Works of Mercy.

feed the hungry
shelter the homeless
clothe the naked
visit the sick and imprisoned
bury the dead
give alms to the poor

That top one, feed the hungry, is pretty simple to accept and follow.  A CRS rice bowl in the center of the table is a great reminder to the whole family that there are starving people all around the world and we are called to give so they may eat.

Putting coins in a cardboard box is easy, but you know what's hard?  Actually feeding the hungry.  The hungry mouths that are around me all day.  11:25 a.m. rolls around and one by one my kids start asking the dreaded question.  The question I wish I had an answer to everyday, but I don't.

WHAT'S FOR LUNCH?

What's for lunch?  How am I supposed to know?  Probably leftovers - whatever you can find in the fridge.  The little ones can have bread and butter and an apple.  That's what's for lunch!

Preparing lunch is just not my thing.  It's such a disruption in our productivity.  Just when our homeschooling day is on a roll, it's lunch time.

Feeding the hungry lunch is truly a corporal work of mercy for me.  That's why the #1 measure of a good week to come is a week long lunch plan.  #2 is stocking the pantry with ingredients.

Here's a recipe (if you can call it that) for a lunch my kids go crazy for.  With easy to find ingredients, these sandwiches are inexpensive and simple.  They're not just for homeschoolers; they're for anyone looking to put a hot meal in front of their family in a snap.

Hot Ham & Cheese

hamburger buns

butter

sliced ham

sliced cheese

garlic or sandwich sprinkle

There's not much to it.  Easy enough for even a 10 year old.  In case it's not self explanatory, here's the method.

Place split buns on cookie sheet.

Top bottom half with ham and cheese.

Butter top half of bun.

Sprinkle lightly with sandwich sprinkle or roasted garlic sprinkle.

Broil until top bun is toasted and cheese is melty.

This can hardly be considered a recipe, but toasting the ham sandwich does make an ordinarily boring, cold sandwich extra special.

I'm always on the lookout for simple lunch ideas, do you have any that can feed a crowd?  Please share in the comments or on FB.  Thanks.

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Meal Prep Monday

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Meal Prep Monday

I love menu planning; it's the easy part of providing food for a family of nine.  You know what's the hardest part?  Actually making the food!!!  Between homeschool lessons and laundry and car shopping and exercising and and and and.....finding time to actually prepare the food can feel like quite the magic trick.

This was my kitchen counter on Meal Prep Monday

I've learned a few tricks along the way and they're not magic at all.  They require organization and determination.

1.  Plan menu
2.  Grocery shop
3.  Meal prep

The meal prep is the part that's so easy to forget about.  The groceries come in, they get put away, life keeps going and all of a sudden it's 4:30 and hungry children are starting to appear in the kitchen asking impossible questions like:

What's for dinner?

What's for dinner?  Do you want to know what's on the menu plan for tonight or what's actually going to be served?  Because they are two different things.  The first is a well balanced meal with offerings everyone will approve of.  The latter is a mix-n-match of leftovers, canned food, and most likely applesauce and pickles.  No one will be truly satisfied and everyone will be milling around the kitchen in an hour or two looking for something to hit the spot.

There are two things that can be done to alleviate this problem.

1.)  Make a list of meal prep tasks for the week.  I like to do meal prep on Sunday afternoon or early Monday morning.  This is my list for this week:

Monday

shred cheese

make big salad

thaw sausage links

thaw hoagie rolls

thaw hamburger - 2

boil eggs and peel

make syrup

boil potatoes

make potato salad

thaw chicken legs

thaw steak

thaw venison roast

thaw applesauce

It looks like a long list, but as you can see half of it entails thawing frozen items.  The key to having meals ready to go is having the meat thawed.  Right?  Once everything was crossed off, I knew my week was going to run much smoother.

2.)  Make mini lists for each morning.  Since Monday was the day for all the main prep, I only need to spend a short time in the kitchen each morning for additional prep.

Tuesday

make BBQ in crockpot

thaw buns

Wednesday

prep potato soup in crockpot

set out frozen bread dough to rise

Thursday

slice steak

fry hamburger

assemble and cook roast in crockpot (to be used Fri)

Friday

make egg salad (eggs were boiled on Mon)

slice 2 whole onions

slice cooked roast, warm in crockpot all day

Menu planning is only half of the food on the table equation.  The other half, meal prep, is equally important.  Having a plan and sticking to it makes for a happier momma and happier (fed & full) family.

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A Simple Planner

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A Simple Planner

I know we're coming up on the third week of January, so I might be late to the "getting organized for 2016" party, however, I still want to share my planner with you and encourage you to KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid......or silly......or scruffy).  I'm not calling you stupid; it's just a phrase and if you don't like being referred to as stupid, then substitute silly or scruffy, your choice.  Anyway, I've seen many elaborate planning notebooks around the web.  Some are homemade and boy do those look like they took hours to complete.  The fonts, the graphics, the quotes, the washi tape.  It's all too much for me.  Then I found the traditional day planners.  Too many pages.  Too many calendars.  Too many lists of tipping percents, states and capitols, stuff I simply never refer to.  I've also found some beautiful Catholic planners, but again all the different calendars:  daily, weekly, monthly.  I don't have time to enter my appointments that many times.

I've tried each and every one of these planner styles.  And you know what?  My favorite is a $3.00 notebook from Walmart.  We have a giant master calendar on our refrigerator, so I don't need another one.  Again, I find adding info to multiple calendars a waste of time.  The three things I need to keep track of are:

1.  my shopping list
2.  my to do list
3.  the menu plan

It's very important that my planning notebook fit into my purse.  Trying to hold hands, carry a purse, and a notebook gets a bit tenuous and I've dropped mine in slush before.  Yuk.  Learn from my mistake.  Make sure it fits in your purse.  Since I have 3 categories, I found a notebook divided in 3 sections.  I simply labeled the tabs, and can easily open up to the section needed.

The first section is Shopping List.  I think it's self explanatory.  I make two columns.  On the left I keep a running list of food/grocery store items we run out of or need.  On the right is the miscellaneous list.  Things that make this list include:  stamps, clothing items, animal needs, gifts, etc.  I think you get the picture.  I just grab the notebook before heading to the store and cross off what I buy.  I don't always buy everything on the list in one shopping trip, so I continue adding to this list, buying, and crossing off until the page is used up.  Then I rip it out.  One huge benefit of having one single, identifiable notebook is that when the kids use up the last of ________, they know the exact notebook and list in which to add the item.

The second section is To Do.  I keep a running list of things to do, obviously.  This includes home repair/improvement, blog post ideas, calls to make.  Anything that I have "to do".  I cross off and add until the page is used up, then rip it out.  You might notice this is not a daily to do list.  I've tried that before, but it seemed silly to write laundry, homeschool, prepare lunch, etc. just to cross off.  Over the years I've fallen into a daily schedule that works for me.  I keep a mental note of daily tasks to do.

The third section and the most important to my family is Menus.  If the notebook is open, most likely it's open to this section.  Here is where I plan our lunch and supper meals.  I plan for about 10 days at a time.  Even though we rarely have the meal planned for Tuesday on Tuesday, I still plan this way.  Sometimes I've forgotten to thaw the meat or sometimes other plans come up.  So this is a loose plan.  It's a list of available ingredients (if the teenagers haven't eaten them yet) for these meals.  I also note where to find the recipe, if needed.

Once a meal has been made, I cross it off the plan.  Easy peasy.

If you're feeling a bit overwhelmed with all you have to keep track of, I urge you to start simply.  Buy a cheap notebook, maybe one with dividers and start making some lists.  Even Santa, as magical as he is, makes a list and checks it twice.

But all things should be done decently and in order.

1 Corinthians 14:40

Cooking Camp

Lent has begun and I know exactly how many days are left:  32 days including the 4 Sundays leading up to Easter Sunday.  So technically only 28 days of sacrifice.  This year Warren and I gave up sweets which is a huge sacrifice for us.  I love baking and we love eating baked goods.  Since neither of us can partake in the baked goods I stopped cold turkey and boy did the kids notice.  No homecooked treats and a whole lot more casseroles.  I guess casseroles must be second to sweets as my comfort food.  I've been cooking a lot lately (fun for me) and trying new recipes (also fun for me).  The rest of the family though doesn't always appreciate my desire to try new recipes and eat casseroles day after day.  Here's our current menu I'm working through.

Beef and Potato Bake

Biscuits

sliced oranges

Chicken 'n Rice Casserole

Canned peaches

Salad

Cheddar Chowder

crackers

Hug 'n Kiss Soup

Homemade bread

Cranberry Sauce

Venison Stew

Biscuits

Cranberry Sauce

Pickles

Homemade Pepperoni Pizza

Sliced Apples

Black Olives

Cheesy Spaghetti Bake

Garlic Bread

Steamed Cauliflower

Icy Lemonade

Pizza Burgers

Canned fruit

Black Olives

Pork Chops in crockpot

Stuffing

Green Beans

Crockpot Potato Soup

crackers

10-Minute Taco Salad (meatless)

Rice

Sliced Pears

Chicken Noodle Casserole

Salad

Clementines and Apples

Chili

crackers

fresh sliced apples and pears

I've tried a variety of menu planning.  Years ago I printed blank monthly calendars and then filled them in with menu options.  March menus included late winter/early spring type dishes.  A mix of hearty soups and stews for those days when March brings snow/sleet storms and grilled food and salads for those first warm spring days when a coat is optional and flip flops are worn for the first time again.  As I made a meal I checked it off with a pencil so I knew which meals were still available.  This system worked for me for over a year.  I don't recall why I abandoned this method; I still have the filled in calendars and do refer to them every so often when planning meals now. 

I also planned menus based on a particular cookbook or magazine.  While going through a Taste of Home I would begin a menu with a recipe I'd like to try.  For example if I found a recipe for Asian Noodle Salad I wanted to try I would create a menu around that recipe.  Pork chops, (new recipe), canned fruit would go on my list and then I'd keep looking.  I labeled the top of each notebook page with the cookbook name/magazine name and issue so I could easily retrieve the recipes when needed.  I became addicted to this at one time.  I have an entire notebook of menu plans to go with all my various cookbooks and magazines and I still use these when at a loss for what to make.

Of course there's been plenty of weeks when I've failed to write down any plan.  We're still all here so obviously we didn't starve to death, but I wouldn't recommend this method unless you're single because hungry eyes looking at you at 12:01 or 5:30 is enough to eat right through you.

So for now I keep a variety of breakfast and lunch foods in the pantry and plan my supper meals in my daily planner.  With 7 people all going different ways it's helpful to have my calendar handy when planning meals.  I can see at a glance if the meal needs to be quick, slow-cooked, meatless or feast day worthy, early or late.  I also keep a hidden stash of quick food (popcorn chicken, taquitos, corn dogs) because inevitably something will come up and a more involved meal will have to be postponed. 

I hope this Cooking Camp inspires you to make a meal plan because food can nourish the body, but it also nourishes the heart and soul and I'm sure your family is worth it.

Menu Planning...Again

A healthy dose of peer pressure can be a good thing. A couple of weeks ago at a homeschool Valentine party the kids heard about another family whose kids take turns making meals. My ears piped up and I started asking questions. What do they cook? How involved are the meals? Do they plan ahead or just dig through the pantry? Well, J got Emily thinking and on Monday morning she was dividing up the week and telling us all when we had to cook.

Cooking Schedule

Mon - Emily

Tue - Mom/Samuel

Wed - Amber

Thur - Mom

Fri - Nicholas

Sat - Mom/Dad

Sun - Mom/Dad

We've done this for two weeks and it's been working great, except for the lack of vegetables. I decided to pull each child aside and have them plan their meal ahead of time so I could strongly encourage the addition of vegetables. We decided to plan for one week and then have the same exact menu the next week, too. That makes for easy planning and shopping. And if they choose something a bit more difficult than macaroni, making it two weeks in a row reinforces the skills needed to make that particular dish. For example, Emily chose to make chicken pot pie for Monday suppers. Today she made two and froze one for next week. Making double saved time and really gave her lots of practice making pie crusts and gravy.

Our 2 Week Lunch Plan

Sun - pancakes and sausage

Mon - homemade cheese fries, applesauce and pickles

Tue - pizza burgers and carrot sticks

Wed - homemade macaroni and cheese, summer sausage, celery w/PB

Thur - leftovers

Fri - grilled cheese, carrot sticks and pickles

Sat - ramen w/dumplings and salad

Our 2 Week Dinner Plan

Sun - grilled Italian sausages, rice and peas

Mon - chicken pot pie, salad, jello squares

Tue - freezer pizza and canned fruit

Wed - ham, mashed potatoes, spring veggies, cranberry sauce, rolls, angel food cake (Warren's birthday dinner)

Alternate Wed - venison steak, cheese curds, carrot sticks

Thur - leftovers

Fri - fish, green beans, pork 'n beans

Monday morning we chopped, sliced, thawed, mixed, boiled and roasted a variety of meat and veggies. We prepared as much of our respected meals as we could ahead of time so during the week cooking time was minimized. The pile of dishes rivaled Mt. Everest, but we did it and boy are we glad. Meal prep will be a breeze for the kids and me throughout this week and next.