The Family Table

Southern Cuisine The Family Table By Lorie Thompson

Fall! I say it every year: October is the best month of the year! Cool-weather. Fire in the fireplace. Sweaters. Apples. Pumpkin everything. Vibrant color on the mountains. Fall brings newfound joy to me each year! Fall is also a busy season. The terrorist (oh, excuse me. I meant the tourist) are here in full force. Working seven days a week during this season is not uncommon, so easy meals I can dish up quickly become necessary. Let me share one of my favorite easy dinners with you. This Teryaki Beef and Broccoli will become one of your family’s favorites. I double this recipe to make sure there are leftovers!

To make the Teriyaki Sauce, stir together 1/2 C Low Sodium Soy Sauce, 4 Tablespoons of brown sugar, 1 tsp of granulated garlic, 1/2 tsp of ginger, 1/2 tsp of crushed red pepper flakes, 1/2 tsp sesame oil, and 1 tsp of sesame seeds.

Toss one pound of beef, sliced for stir fry, in 1/4 C of corn starch until the meat is completely covered. In a large skillet or wok, heat 3 T of oil until the oil is hot. It is ready when the oil starts to shimmer in the pan. Add the meat a few pieces at a time, browning on all sides. Remove the beef to a plate and hold. The sauce you add at the end will have enough salt for the entire dish.

Add one whole sliced onion and cook for 2-3 minutes or until the onion is starting to get soft. Add 3-4 C of broccoli florets and cook until they are beginning to change color. Add the meat back into the pan. Add the sauce and simmer for 2-3 minutes or until the sauce is just starting to thicken. Serve over rice or noodles.

If you buy the pre-sliced beef, chopped Broccoli, and a boiling bag of rice, you can have this supper on the table in less than 30 minutes. You can streamline your evening meal by making the sauce and rolling the meat in the corn starch ahead of time. London Broil or Sirloin are easy to cut into beef strips for the stir fry if you see those on sale.

Add a delicious homemade dessert to this meal, and your family will think you are a magician. My Mother-in-Law Carrie always served a No Bake Cream Cheese Cherry Pie at holiday meals. I had never made it until recently, and I know now why she always made it. It is so easy to make!

Buy a pre-made graham cracker crust, or make your own. Using a food processor makes a crust easy to make. Place 12 full sheets of graham crackers in the food processor bowl and process until they are finely ground. Add 1/3 C sugar and 6 T of unsalted butter. Process until thoroughly mixed. Press into a 9” pie pan—Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Cool completely before filling.

To make the filling: Use a mixer to beat an 8 oz block of cream cheese until smooth. Add one can of sweetened condensed milk, 1/3 C of freshly squeezed lemon juice, and 1 tsp of vanilla flavoring, and beat until smooth.

Pour cheese filling into the baked and cooled pie crust.

Refrigerate for at least two hours. Top with the canned Cherry Pie Filling or a fruit filling of your choice. Serve chilled.

No Bake Cream Cheese Pie is one of Mountain Man’s favorite desserts. He will pass on the homemade cakes and go for this pie every time. Please don’t tell him how easy it is to make!

I used a gluten-free pre-made crust in the photographs. Use whatever type of crust you choose.

This Fall, make time to go outside and enjoy this beautiful area we call home!

May God bless you with great food at your family table!

Lorie Thompson is a REALTOR at Poss Realty in Clayton, Georgia. Her expertise in her industry is second only to her culinary talents. Lorie is a dynamo in the kitchen. Honestly if she prepares it, it will likely be the best you’ve ever had! Lorie and her husband, Anthony (Peanut), make their home in the Persimmon Community. She is the proud mother of Joe Thompson and Kendall Thompson.