Shrimp and Carrot Stir Fry (Review)

I think we have all probably noticed the popularity of the meal kits that have hit the market in the last few years. There are several companies that deliver meals ready for you to cook right to your door. I have looked at them but I really enjoy cooking and I am good a finding deals in the grocery store. While many people may find them to be economical I have run the numbers and find that I could make the meals for a lot less money in most cases. I know a lot of people don't enjoy cooking or don't have the skills and the kits do provide you with excellent instructions and hold your hand through all the steps.

Also for me, the home-delivered boxes of meals would be just too much since I really would only want to use them occasionally not every day.

A while back the grocery store I shop at (Fred Meyer in Oregon City Oregon) did a remodel and added a lot of new things. One of the new things was a case of prepared meal kits in the produce/deli area. The kits are a lot like the ones you can get delivered in that all the ingredient (with very few exceptions) are in the kit, all the measuring is done for you as is most of the work. You just have to do some chopping, mixing and cook the meal. The kits at the store all make 2 servings and range in price from around $15 to around $20 (or so)

I have been very tempted several times but I was waiting to see if the store offered any deals on the kits. The only one they have offered so far was buy one and get one free. Since I just wanted to try one kit I was kind of just waiting to see if they offered a sale or coupon on a single kit.

Then this morning I was shopping in the area where the display is set up and an employee was going up to customers and offering some of the kits that were a day or two from pull date. She explained that all the ingredients would be fine for a couple of days but that they weren't allowed to discount the price so they were giving them away. When she offered me one of the kits I was happy to try it since I have been so tempted already.

the contents of the box

The kit I got is for Shrimp + Carrot Stir Fry over Scallion Pancakes and the retail price is marked at $18.

Inside the box, I found: 2 eggs, coconut milk, sliced green onions, flour, fresh mint, 1 lime, shredded carrots, shrimp, and a full-color recipe card with photos that tells exactly how to create the dish.

I will need to add salt, pepper, and oil. As for tools I will need a whisk, mixing bowl, skillet, measuring spoons, spatula, prep bowl, cutting board, knife and a wooden spoon.

I do love that everything is pre-measured for me.

the picture on the front of the recipe card showing what it should look like

* * * * * *

This next portion of the blog I am writing after I have made the dish and eaten it.

The directions were very easy to follow and everything went together very easily.

As for taste, I am totally impressed. This dish tastes wonderful, the flavors are complex and it really tastes like something from a restaurant.

I think the main thing I was worried about was that the portion would be small but I am totally impressed with the amount of food. There were plenty of shrimp and carrots and the pancakes were filling. I ate 1 serving and was actually a bit too full (but in a good way)

So my thoughts, I am definitely going to try other dishes that are offered. I feel it was a good value for the amount of money that is charged for it. I have a full portion to eat for lunch tomorrow but I would have been proud to serve this to anyone.

I did look up the website listed on the recipe card which has a list of the stores these meals are available at. It appears to all be stores owned by Kroger but those seem to be everywhere so you can probably find one near you too. When you choose your store chain you can see what the meals currently being offered as well as the recipes that are “archived currently” I do notice that all the stores seem to have a good variety of meals available and they range from seafood, chicken, beef, pork and vegetarian (I think some are vegan but I am not 100% sure) The website does list all ingredients in each kit so you can check before you go to the store especially nice if you have any dietary restrictions. 

I'm Back!!

Did anyone miss me? I haven't posted any recipes on here is so long. I had a sinus problem a few months ago and I couldn't taste anything for about 2 weeks. When my sense of taste came back nothing tasted like I knew it should. Since I couldn't trust my sense of taste I didn't want to post recipes here since I really couldn't be sure I liked them. Thankfully everything seems to be back to normal now and I am enjoying cooking (and eating) again.

I have a bunch of posts planned I just need to get the time to do them. Hopefully, I will have something for you in a day or so and then I am going to try to get back to posting a new recipe (or review) about once a week again.

Swiss Steak for One

This week I am sharing a recipe that has become a favorite of mine. I love how easy it is. It tastes great and it is made from things I have on hand all the time. (We'll talk about that in a moment) I also love that it is cooked all day in my 2 quart slow cooker, no last minute work on this one. Just serve it up with whatever sides you want and you have dinner.

First let's talk about that slow cooker though. I actually have 3 slow cookers in my house. The little one that I used for today's recipe is the newest addition, I've only had it a couple of years. It is a 2 quart size so perfect for cooking dishes for one or two people, or for cooking sides for larger groups. I also was very happy with the price since I paid under $10 for it and that wasn't even a sale price. My rule for slow cookers is the more basic the better. I don't want programmable features or any other bells and whistles. I want a simple control with off, low and high for settings. I find these are the slow cookers that last the longest and give the fewest problems. In case you are wondering the slow cookers are a 3 quart and a 6 quart I still use both of those on a regular basis too. All three are usually working for any holiday dinners.

Now about those ingredients that I said I have on hand all the time. The main ingredient of course is the piece of meat, in this case a small chunk of round steak. I like to keep a variety of meat cuts in my freezer so I have meat for meals. I always check the value packs and family packs of meat. Those are usually a much better price per pound than the smaller packages. As long as you properly wrap and freeze the meat it will keep for quite a while in the freezer. The secret is to wrap them air-tight and label them. With the round steak I simply cut the one large piece of meat into individual serving size portions (about 1/3 to ½ pound each piece)

I always have onions on hand as well as celery and tomato sauce. And I would hope everyone has some flour,salt and pepper on hand. And that really is all there is to the ingredient list.

I like to serve Swiss steak with mashed potatoes and a vegetable mainly because that is how my mom always served it. I am sure you can find lots of side dishes to serve with yours.

Swiss Steak for One

1 Tablespoon flour

dash salt

dash pepper

1/3 to ½ pound round steak

1 small medium onion, sliced (about ¼” slices)

1 stalk of celery, sliced

1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce

Combine the flour, salt and pepper in a food storage plastic bag add the meat, seal the bag and shake to thoroughly coat the meat with flour. Set aside.

Place onion slices in the bottom of a 2 quart slow cooker. Add the meat, top with the celery and pour the tomato sauce over everything. (discard any remaining flour)

Cover and cook on the low setting for 8 hours. 

Beef and Vegetable Bowls

I love having a lot of recipes that use the ingredients I always have on hand. Those are the recipes I fall back on regularly and since they use items I try to have on hand all the time I can make them whenever the mood strikes.

This dish takes advantage of a couple of items that are always in my freezer (steak and frozen veggies) as well as some basic pantry items. The big bonus this can be a complete meal. Also it is quick to make, the beef & vegetable mixture cooks while the rice is cooking so dinner is ready in about 20 minutes to a half hour (unless you opt for brown rice of course)

Speaking of the rice let's start there. Rice is something that is always in my pantry and since I cook it in my rice cooker is super easy. I have used both brown and white rice for this dish and it is great both ways. It is really up to your tastes and how much time you have until you want to eat.

I said above that I always have steak in the freezer, not so hard to do. I keep my eye out for sales of steaks year round in the “family” or “value” packs. Those are the terms I see in my local stores for the larger packages of meat that are usually on sale for less than the price of the smaller packages. It only takes a couple of extra minutes when I get home with a larger package of meat to wrap each steak individually and them put them all in a gallon size freezer bag and slip them in the freezer. I try to keep a variety of meats available in my freezer all the time. This recipe uses one rather average size petite sirloin steak to make 2 servings.

The vegetable portion is provided via a bag of frozen vegetables, the kind that are labeled as “stir fry starter” or “stir fry blend” or something similar. Most grocery stores will have at least one variety of these. The bag I used this time was a combination of asparagus, carrots, green beans, and some other stuff. I sometimes get one that has snow peas or sugar snap peas in it instead. Use whatever stir fry blend your store has or the one you like best.

The other ingredients are just staples in my kitchen and you probably have most of them hanging around.

Beef and Vegetable Bowls

1 Tablespoon cornstarch

¼ cup cold water

¼ cup orange juice

1 ½ Tablespoons soy sauce

½ teaspoon dark sesame oil (look on the aisle with the Asian foods in you grocery store)

pinch of crushed red pepper flakes (to taste)

1 boneless petite sirloin steak (about ¼ to ⅓ lb) cut into thin strips

2 teaspoons oil

1 bag (about 12 oz) frozen stir fry vegetable blend

2 cloves garlic, minced

hot cooked rice

In a small bowl combine the cornstarch, water, orange juice, soy sauce, sesame oil, and pepper flakes. Stir until smooth and set aside.

In a large skillet (or a wok if available) heat 1 teaspoon oil and add the meat. Stir fry for a few minutes until no longer pink. Remove and keep warm.

Add the remaining oil to the pan along with the vegetable blend and the garlic and cook, stirring until the veggies almost cooked through.

Stir the cornstarch mixture and add to the pan. Bring to a boil and stir until thickened. Add the meat back to the pan and cook until heated through.

Serve in bowls over hot cooked rice.

Serves 2

Ravioli with Tomatoes and Olives

This is one of those recipes that are handy to have in your back pocket because pretty much everything can be on hand all the time and it is a really fast dish to cook. In fact waiting for the water to come to a boil is the thing that takes the longest.

So to have this ready to go I try to keep cheese ravioli on hand, I have been buying the frozen kind lately. For this recipe you can use either the frozen or the refrigerated variety. Both are really good and handy to have around. Canned tomatoes are one of those things I think every cook should keep on hand and if you pick up a couple of cans of the ones that are seasoned (like the Italian style in this recipe) you save yourself some time when it is time to make dinner. Onions and olives are also staples in my kitchen and always on hand. I have made this pasta with black olives, green olives, kalamata olives, all are equally good, just use what you have. As for the fresh basil I like to keep a live basil plant in my kitchen windowsill both for adding to food and for the wonderful aroma it gives off. Oh, I almost forgot, the Parmesan cheese, also always in my fridge. So with a little planning you can a wonderful dinner on the plate in minutes.

Now let's talk about this dish, I love how fresh it tastes. I really think it is the fresh basil added at the finish that does that. The sauce is very light and fresh tasting and since it is so quick you have time to toss a salad and heat some garlic bread up while you are waiting for the water to boil. Also this is a really filling dish so I doubt you will leave the table hungry.

Ravioli with Tomatoes and Olives

9 oz (2 servings) cheese ravioli (either fresh from the store or frozen)

1 teaspoon oil

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

1 (14 ½ oz) can Italian style diced tomatoes (with basil, garlic and oregano)

¼ cup sliced olives

2 Tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese

1 Tablespoon sliced fresh basil

Cook the ravioli as directed on the package.

Meanwhile, in skillet cook the onion slices with the oil over medium heat just until they start to soften. You don't want any color on the onions, you just want to soften them. Add the canned tomatoes and olive slices. Bring to a simmer and cook over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes.

Drain the pasta and add to the skillet, carefully mix together and continue to cook another 5 minutes.

Sprinkle individual servings with the Parmesan cheese and basil.

Molasses Crinkle Cookies

I freely admit I am a chocolate addict. I love chocolate but one of the interesting facts about me is that my very favorite cookies don't have a bit of chocolate in them. My very favorite cookies are in fact Molasses Crinkles. I love them, probably even more so since I am slightly allergic to cinnamon so I can only eat a few and then can't touch them again for a while.

So what exactly are these Molasses Crinkle Cookies you might be wondering?? They are a super rich, spicy cookie. They are filled with lots of warm spices- cinnamon, cloves, ginger along with some dark brown sugar and some dark molasses. The combination of these ingredients makes for the perfect treat on a cold fall/winter day.

These particular cookies have a crunchy outer shell and a soft rich interior. Along with a glass of milk or a cup of coffee they are the perfect afternoon break on a cold, rainy day.

This recipe makes between 10 and 13 cookies, depending on exactly how big I make them. The little added step of moistening the tops of the cookies and letting them sit for a minute or so I am pretty sure is the reason they have the wonderful crunch to them.

Molasses Crinkle Cookies

1 cup all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ butter, melted

¼ cup dark brown sugar

1 egg yolk

3 Tablespoons molasses

white sugar for dredging the cookies in (about 3 Tablespoons or so)

Combine the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, spices & salt) in a small bowl (mix well) and set aside.

With a mixer beat the melted butter and brown sugar until well combined. Add the egg yolk and molasses and combine well.

Add the reserved dry ingredients and stir until well combined. Don't over-beat but do combine thoroughly.

Wrap the dough and chill for about 15 minutes,

Meanwhile preheat oven to 375° F. and place the white sugar into a small bowl.

When dough is chilled form it into balls about 1” in diameter. I use my normal cookie scoop to divide the dough and form it into balls by hand. Drop the dough balls into the bowl of sugar a few at a time.

Thoroughly coat the balls with the sugar and move to a cookie sheet.

Get a small container with some water and with clean, wet fingers gently pat the tops of the dough balls. You don't want to flatten them at all you just want to get the tops wet, a drop or two of water on each.

Allow to sit at room temperature for about 1 to 2 minutes (this allows the sugar and water to start to form the crust)

Bake at 375° for 8 to 9 minutes

Allow to cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes then move to a wire rack to complete cooling.

Steakhouse Soup

Sorry I have been absent for a while. With the heat and smoke in the air this summer I just couldn't get into the mood to cook. It was horrid. Thankfully, all that is over and the weather is wonderful now.

Speaking of the weather I love fall weather. The days are cooler and the leaves are just beginning to turn to their beautiful colors.

With the cooler weather I have been in the mood for soup. I did a thorough search through my cookbook collection (yes, I literally collect cookbooks and have hundreds of them)

I came across a recipe for Steakhouse Soup and decided to give it a try. It was lacking in vegetables though and I was in the mood for a filling bowl of soup that I didn't need to add anything other than some kind of bread to make a hearty dinner. So I checked my fridge and picked out some of my favorites. Then after a read of the original recipe I made lots of notes of what I felt it needed and the following recipe is the result. I love this recipe and it is definitely going to be served a lot in the coming months.

As for vegetables I used the sliced carrots and some frozen spinach. Feel free to use your favorites in their place.

Steakhouse Soup

¼ lb of steak, I used a petite sirloin, a tenderloin would work well too.

¼ cup chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, chopped

2 teaspoons oil

¾ tsp chili powder

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp ground cumin

1 ½ cups cubed, peeled potato

1 cup sliced carrot

2 cups beef broth

¼ cup steak sauce

1/8 tsp Tabasco Sauce (or to taste)

½ package frozen chopped spinach (optional)

Fresh parsley, chopped, to garnish

In small Dutch Oven or large saucepan saute the steak, onion and garlic in the oil about 4 or 5 minutes (until the meat is cooked and onion is starting to soften) Add the seasonings and give it a good stir to combine and allow to cook for about 30 seconds to a minute. Then add the potato, carrot, beef broth, steak sauce and Tabasco. Mix well. Add the frozen spinach and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and cook at a simmer for about 30 minutes or until the carrots and potatoes are tender.

Garnish with fresh parsley

Makes 2 big bowls of soup.