Friday we went to the Thunderbirds show at the library. I can’t believe we haven’t seen this guy with his birds before now. We’ve seen his trick dogs and his trick hogs and now his trick birds. They weren’t always so good for him. One flew off into the audience, one flew on top of a speaker and one knocked over the perch as he landed on it (not really his fault though.) Cockatoo skating here, working a puzzle here, macaws flying here.
We went to The Feedery at Grow and Gather for lunch. It just opened, it has a cafe, coffee shop and small market. It was pretty good.
Saturday we went to try out Slim Chickens, something that we saw in TX, it won’t change your life but the fried mushrooms were the bomb. I liked that they have 4 dipping sauce and gravy and that you can flavor the wings or tenders with 10 sauces. They also had really good mason jar desserts.
Jack thought we were going to the store for sample Saturday, turns out he got a bath.
Sunday we went to church then got out for a walk along the Platte.
New week- school, newbie/co-op chat, Police explorers, RW site test, Bethany turns 21, stock show parade, dog-sitting, work at church, jazz at Bemis, church.
Dinners this week- bacon, potato, corn chowder with peasant bread, butter chicken with fry bread and sweet potatoes, crockpot Tex-Mex chicken stew, B-day dinner (hot pot), orange beef with fried rice and broccoli, shrimp scampi over angel-hair pasta, garlic beef with stuffed collard greens and sweet potato hash.
Sesame-Orange Beef and Veggie Stir-Fry
3 oranges
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup long-grain brown rice
1/4 cup low-sodium beef broth
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons chili-garlic sauce
2 tablespoons low-sugar marmalade
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon cornstarch
cooking spray
3/4 pound beef shoulder tender, cut into bite-size strips
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 carrot, julienned into 2-inch pieces
6 green onions, bias-sliced into 2-inch pieces
1 large red bell pepper, cut into bite-size strips
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
-Remove 1 tablespoon zest and 1/4 cup juice from 1 orange. Peel and section remaining 2 oranges.
-Bring water and brown rice to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until rice is tender and liquid has been absorbed, 45 to 50 minutes.
-Stir together zest, orange juice, broth, soy sauce, chili-garlic sauce, marmalade, sesame oil, and salt in a small bowl. Whisk in cornstarch.
-Coat a wok or large nonstick skillet with cooking spray. Heat over medium-high heat. Stir-fry beef until browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl. Add vegetable oil and carrot to the wok; stir-fry for 3 to 4 minutes. Add green onions and bell pepper; stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes more. Add garlic and ginger; stir-fry for 30 seconds more.
-Return beef to the wok. Stir cornstarch mixture, then add to the wok. Cook, stirring, until thickened and bubbling. Add orange sections; cook, stirring, for 1 minute more.
-Divide rice among 4 plates; top with beef mixture and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
