Skillet Beef Stew

Long before Rachel and her 30 minute meals, Better Homes and Gardens magazine did an issue that had thirty 30-minute meals in it. Much in mini- Julia/ Julie fashion, I made every one of those 30 meals (though I didn't blog it- I could have been famous if there was such a thing as a blog back then!) Though we enjoyed most of them, this is the only one that "stuck"- the only one I still make regularly. It is really good and pretty easy to make. I've tweaked that original recipe a bit. You can serve it over noodles or mashed potatoes.

1 lb. beef steak, cut into 1 1/2 squares- you can use flank steak, top round, sirloin, whatever you can get.

3 carrots, sliced thin

2 onions, sliced thin

10 oz mushrooms, cut in half

4 T. soy sauce

2 T. ketchup

3 T. corn starch

Mix together soy sauce ketchup and corn starch and some salt and pepper. Put meat chunks in, mix well and marinate while you prepare your veggies. In a large skillet, saute veggies in olive oil until tender. Remove veggies, add more oil, then add meat mixture. Stir and fry until meat is done. Add veggies back in and 1/2- 1 cup water or beef stock. Cook and stir together, stirring bits from the pan, until well blended and thickened. Serve over noodles or mashed potatoes. I like to serve this with green beans.