Mark's Birthday Dinner

Yesterday was Mark's 45th Birthday. We invited his brother over for dinner and some birthday cake. The menu for dinner was 30-minuted Vegetable Lo-Mein and Beef and Broccoli and Chocolate Cake for dessert.

Ingredients for 30-Minuted Vegetable Lo-Mein

2 TBS. Vegetable Oil
10 0z. shitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced thin
1 small head Napa cabbage, sliced crosswise into 1/4-inch-wide shreds
1 red bell pepper, cored and sliced thin
1 TBS. grated fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup vegetable broth
3 TBS. soy sauce
3 TBS. oyster-flavored sauce
1 box, Chinese noodles
1 TBS. toasted sesame oil
4 scallions, sliced thin

Ingredients for Beef and Broccoli Stir-Fry

1/2 cup oyster sauce
1/4 cup vegetable or low-sodium chicken broth
2 TBS. sherry
2 TBS. light brown sugar
2 tsp. toasted sesame oil
2 tsp. cornstarch
1 lb. flank steak
2 TBS. vegetable oil
1 1/2 lbs. broccoli
1 red bell pepper
1/3 cup water
6 garlic cloves
3 scallions
1 TBS. grated ginger

Prep list for Veggie Lo Mein:

1. Stem and slice shitake mushrooms.
2. Shred Napa cabbage into 1/4 inch slices.
3. Stem, seed, and slice thin the red bell pepper.
4. Slice 4 scallions.
5. Mince 2 cloves garlic.
6. Mince 1 TBS. ginger.

Prep list for Beef and Broccoli Stir-Fry:

1. Cut broccoli florets into bite-sized pieces and peel broccoli stalks sliced 1/4 inch thick.
2. Stem, seed, and chop the red bell pepper into medium bite-sized pieces.
3. Slice 3 scallions.
4. Mince 6 cloves garlic.
5. Mince 1 TBS. ginger.
6. Freeze flank steaks for 20-30 minutes. Slice meat lengthwise (with the grain) in 2-inch wide strips. Slice each 2-inch strip thin on the bias (across the grain) into 1/8-inch-thick slices.

Mark was the dedicated prep cook for this menu. From start to finish in a less-than-ready kitchen, it took the both us 2-hours to prep these 2 30-minute recipes and make the birthday cake.

This a dinner menu that works for Mark + Meat Eaters.