Asian Beef Noodles

By now, you've undoubtedly noticed I've been blogging about what's cookin' around our house quite a bit lately. That's probably because with the change in the weather, we've actually been hanging out at the house in the evening. You may have also noticed I like to put together "one dish" meals, and you'd be right. By the time I spend all day in a kitchen at work, I generally don't want to spend all evening working in one as well.

Here's today's offering: Asian Beef Noodles

This recipe was originally a Weight Watcher's recipe my mother shared with me several years ago. However, this version would probably be a few more points than the original because you can no longer find the Campbell's brand fat-free Ramen noodles it called for—and, believe me, I've looked! I've even hunted high and low on the Internet to find a source but no luck. I suppose even using regular Ramen noodles it might still qualify if you reduce the portion size or save up your points.

Here's what you'll need:

8 oz. lean beef steak, sliced in very thin strips
1/2 head green cabbage, shredded
1/2 yellow onion, julienne slices
1/2 cup carrot, chopped
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
1 small bunch green onions, chopped
2 pouches beef Ramen noodles, uncooked
1 packet beef flavor (found in the ramen packages)
1 Tbs. canola oil
1 Tbs. sesame oil
Soy sauce

Hint: I like to stick the steak in the freezer just long enough to partially freeze the meat. This makes it much easier to slice in very thin strips. Add the sliced beef to a skillet or wok with the Canola oil and stir-fry until browned. The original recipe called for you to stir-fry the beef in sesame oil. This isn't a great idea because sesame oil doesn't hold up to cooking temperatures; it burns easily. It should only be used as a seasoning.

Last night I used 1/2 head shredded green cabbage, but this recipe works just as well with a package of slaw cabbage or a shredded head of Napa cabbage. Add the shredded cabbage, sliced onion, carrots and sliced mushrooms to the skillet with the browned beef and cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently.

While the vegetables cook, in a small saucepan add 1 1/2 cups water, ONE packet of the beef soup bouillon from the Ramen noodle packages and the noodles from both packages and cook until the noodles are tender. (The broth will be mostly absorbed when they're done.)

Add the chopped green onions to the skillet with the vegetables when the cabbage is nearly tender. Stir in the cooked noodles, 1 Tbs. sesame oil (optional--but it gives the dish an incredible flavor!) and soy sauce to taste. That's it—you're ready to serve.

The really great thing about this recipe is its flexibility. You can add more cabbage if you like, toss in some sliced bok choy—don't be afraid to be creative. In fact, the onion, carrots and mushrooms I add to the recipe were never included in the original version.

Give this dish a try some night; you're going to love it!

~ Robin