I’m pretty sure I’ve turned into the laziest cook ever! Today I was sitting and knitting and kept thinking . . I need to think about what I’ going to fix for dinner! About 2 p.m., Vince said “What’s for dinner?” I looked at him and with all the confidence I could muster, I said “I don’t have a clue!” I asked him what time he wanted to eat and he said “4:00 sounds good!” That’s when it was time to get up and figure something out.
Yesterday we had steamed broccoli as a vegetable. The package of broccoli had two really big pieces of broccoli. I was going to cut one in half and steam it but then I figured I’d cook both pieces and find a use for the other piece.
As I began to try to figure out what we’d have for dinner today, I remembered the broccoli and I knew there was a pound of ground beef in easy reach in the freezer so I began searching the internet for beef and broccoli recipes and found this one.
I had everything but oyster sauce. Even though I knew there wasn’t any in the fridge, I was quite sure there was some in the pantry . . way back in the pantry. I found it and even though it has a 2013 expiration date, it had never been opened, smelled and looked fine so I used it.
I even had a bag of cooked rice in the fridge so this was super quick to cook and it was delicious. I asked Vince . . on a scale of 1 – 10, how do you rate this? His response . . 50! I think he liked it! 🙂
Cilla says
Love your recipes. You turned me into an Aldi freak also. I made a killing there today, especially in the meat dept. Keep ’em comin’. And thank you.
Cheryl Lorence says
I have a bottle of that same oyster sauce in my fridge that has an expiration date of 2016 and I still am using it. I only use it when I make Springfield, MO, style cashew chicken. It only takes a few teaspoons for the sauce and I don’t make it that often so a bottle lasts a long time. It never seems to “go bad”. I’ve been doing it that way for almost 40 years and we’re still alive to tell the story!!
vivoaks says
Your entire story sounded just like here!! 🙂 Every day hubby asks what we’re having for supper and my usual answer is “No idea!” And while I HAVE gone through the cupboard and thrown out canned goods that are really really old (like with bulging ends, or exploded all over the cupboard), I also will use things that are past their “best by” dates. My kids always hated that when they were growing up, but I’d rather eat something a bit old that’s still in good shape than throw out something I’ve paid good money for just because a random date on the package says it’s past its prime. 🙂
marcie says
This sounds really good. I’ve never stir-fried steak but actually love cooking with ground beef! I have most of the ingredients, but not rice vinegar or oyster sauce. Can a different vinegar be used? How else does one use oyster sauce?
Judy Laquidara says
I would imagine apple cider vinegar would do just fine in place of the rice vinegar. As far as the oyster sauce, maybe add a bit more soy sauce and a half tsp. of sugar or .. leave it out completely. There are plenty of flavors in there already.
Marcie says
Thanks so much, Judy. I’m printing it out!
Susan Nixon says
I had to laugh because I would have left it out … I don’t think there’s every been oyster sauce in my house! In fact, I wouldn’t recognize it if a bowl of it sat in front of me. But if Vince liked it that much, it was a good meal. =)