It’s December and your garden is (or will be) sleeping under a blanket of snow. However, if your harvest back in October was anything like mine, you may have a freezer full of tomatoes and peppers. Pepper steak is a delicious, warming winter recipe that uses lots of tomatoes and peppers, either fresh or frozen. It’s spiced with ginger, garlic and soy sauce with optional crushed red pepper flakes if you like extra heat. Serve it on a bed of rice or dip your favorite hearty crusty bread into the ample juice to soak up every last drop. I had so many tomatoes and peppers that I quintupled (5x) this recipe, and it turned out great.

Pepper Steak

Ingredients:

1 pound sirloin or round steak sliced thin against the grain

¼ cup soy sauce divided

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 cup low-sodium beef broth

4 tablespoons vegetable oil divided

2 large bell peppers cubed, (red, green, yellow, orange or all of them mixed)

1 large onion sliced into wedges

1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

3 cloves garlic minced

1 tablespoon fresh ginger minced or grated

¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

2 large tomatoes cubed (or several small)

Cooked rice for serving

Soy sauce for serving

Process:

1. Pour 2 tablespoons soy sauce and sugar over sliced steak. Marinate for 30 minutes or up to 4 hours.

2. In a small bowl or 2 cup measure, combine the cornstarch, beef broth and 2 tablespoons soy sauce. Whisk until blended. Set aside.

3. Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add half the beef and cook until browned around the edges. Turn the beef slices over and continue cooking for about 2 minutes more. Remove to a plate and keep warm. Repeat with another tablespoon of oil and more sliced beef until all meat is browned.

4. Pour the last tablespoon of oil into the pan. Add the bell pepper, onions and black pepper. Sauté until the vegetables are crisp tender and slightly charred, for about 5 to 8 minutes.

5. Reduce the heat to medium. Add garlic, ginger and crushed red pepper flakes if using. Sauté, stirring constantly until the garlic is fragrant, for about 1 minute.

6. Return the cooked beef to the pan, along with any accumulated juices, and the beef broth mixture. Cook until the sauce thickens, for about 3 to 5 minutes. Gently fold in the tomatoes and stir to coat. Remove from the heat and serve immediately.

7. Garnish with additional black pepper and serve over hot cooked rice. Pass additional soy sauce for serving if desired.

Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef 

• 1 yellow onion, diced 

• 2 teaspoons olive oil 

• 2 cloves garlic 

• 1 cup uncooked brown instant rice (Standard rice is fine but will take longer to cook) 

• 6 bell peppers, any color 

• 15-ounce can diced tomatoes 

• 8-ounce can tomato sauce 

• 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning 

• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 

• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder 

• 1/2 teaspoon salt 

• 1/4 teaspoon pepper 

• 1 cup shredded cheese, divided 

Instructions

1. Cook rice according to the directions and set aside.

2. In a large pan, sauté the onions until they become translucent. Add the ground beef and cook until no longer pink.

3. Add garlic and continue to cook for another 30 seconds.

4. Cut off the tops of all six bell peppers and remove the membranes and seeds. Set aside.

5. Add the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, chili powder, salt, and pepper and stir to combine.

6. Add the rice and half the cheese and stir.

7. Fill each pepper completely with the mixture, then sprinkle the remaining cheese on top. 

8. Optional – a can of enchilada sauce over the top can be a delicious addition.

9. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes.

10. Freeze any extra mixture for later.

11. To freeze, place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and put in the freezer for 2-3 hours. Then transfer to a gallon-size freezer bag.

12. Thaw overnight and bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes.

    
    

Photos Credits: Joy Johnson (1-4)