Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry

Beef and Broccoli is a Chinese-American creation. I don’t actually know if they serve this dish in China, but you can certainly find it in every Chinese restaurant in America. It’s one of the more popular dishes. My kids absolutely love it. We never go to a Chinese restaurant without getting at least one order of Beef and Broccoli.

I took a Chinese cooking class many years ago before I was even married. This recipe is an adaptation of the recipe we learned in class. I’ve tweaked it over the years and made some changes to the original (no offense to my cooking teacher). I still don’t think it tastes quite like what you get in a Chinese restaurant, but it’s yummy and hits the spot when you can’t get down the hill to Debbie Wong’s.

BEEF AND BROCCOLI STIR FRY

• 1 lb. beef, like flank steak, boneless ribs, top sirloin, or tri-tip
• 1½ lbs. broccoli florets
• ⅓ cup oyster sauce
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• ⅓ cup rice wine
• 2 tbsp. sugar
• 2 tsp. sesame oil
• 1 tsp. grated ginger
• 2 tsp. cornstarch
• 1 clove garlic, minced

1. Slice beef into strips.
2. In a bowl, whisk together oyster sauce, soy sauce, rice wine, sugar, sesame oil, ginger, and cornstarch.
3. Place sliced beef into marinade and allow to marinate for 15 minutes to an hour.
4. Heat a little oil in a wok and stir fry garlic quickly.
5. Add broccoli and stir fry until broccoli turns bright green.
6. Remove from pan and set aside.
7. Add a little more oil to wok.
8. When hot, remove beef from marinade, put into wok, and stir fry until just cooked.
9. Add broccoli back into wok and toss with beef to combine.
10. Serve with cooked white rice.

NOTE:  If you want a little sauce, pour some of the marinade into the wok together with the beef and cook together. If sauce is too watery, you can thicken it with cornstarch.

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Broccoli Casserole

My mom got this recipe years ago from one of her co-workers and it’s been a family favorite over the years. Number 1 certainly loves it. He asks me to make it for practically every holiday gathering!

You can substitute two 10-oz. packages of frozen broccoli for the fresh broccoli if you want. Also, the original recipe called for Hi Ho crackers which made the most delicious, crunchy topping, but I can’t find Hi Ho crackers in my neighborhood anymore. I don’t know if they stopped selling it in the West Coast or if the product has actually been discontinued. If you can’t find Hi Ho crackers, you can substitute Ritz crackers or any other buttery round crackers. The topping will still be wonderful!

BROCCOLI CASSEROLE

• 1½ lbs. broccoli florets
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 can cream of celery soup
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• ½ cup chopped onion
• 1 roll Hi Ho crackers, crushed
• ½ cup melted butter

1. Boil broccoli in unsalted water until very tender; drain well.
2. In a bowl, mix mayonnaise, celery soup, eggs, cheese and onions.
3. Combine broccoli and mayonnaise mixture; pour into 7×11 rectangular pyrex dish.
4. Sprinkle top with crushed Hi Ho crackers and drizzle with melted butter.
5. Bake in 350ºF oven for 60 minutes or until topping is well toasted.

NOTE:   Double the recipe for a large (9×13) rectangular pyrex baking dish, except the topping won’t need so much melted butter. ¾ cup should be enough.
This dish may be prepared the day before and refrigerated overnight. Just top with crackers and butter right before baking the next day.