Thursday's Blue Plate Specials

Breakfast: Easy Skillet

Cut up and cook 4 slices bacon in a skillet. Remove and drain. To the skillet, add 1 package hash brown potatoes, 1 Tblsp chopped onion, and salt & pepper to taste. Cook and stir over medium low heat until potatoes are done. Stir in the bacon. Break 4 eggs over potatoes and cook over low heat, stirring until eggs are set. OR for sunny side up, break eggs over potatoes, cover and cook on low heat until eggs are set as desired. Sprinkle with ½ cup grated cheese. Serve hot.

Dinner: Vietnamese Beef Stew
Egg Rolls with dipping sauces

Vietnamese Beef Stew: Marinate 1 ½ pounds beef stew meat in a mixture of ½ tsp each Oriental five-spice powder, curry powder, red pepper, 2 tsp salt, 2 Tblsp oyster sauce and 1 small can tomato paste. Marinate for at least 30 minutes or overnight. Heat 2 Tblsp oil in Dutch oven and fry 3 minced garlic cloves and 1 medium coarsely chopped onion until browned. Add stew meat and cook until meat is browned. Meanwhile, peel 5 carrots and cut into 1-inch lengths. Pour 5 cups water into stew meat mixture and add carrots. Simmer at least 1 hour or until meat is cooked to desired tenderness. Serve over thin cut noodles with Hoisin Sauce. (Oyster sauce and Hoisin sauce can be found in the Oriental section at the grocery store. Five-spice powder is in the spice section.)

Egg Rolls: Brown 1 pound ground beef, pork or pork sausage. Drain. Add 2 cups shredded cabbage, ¼ cup bean sprouts, ½ cup shredded carrots and 3 finely chopped green onions. Cook until cabbage is limp. Stir in 2 Tblsp oyster sauce. Using large square egg roll wrappers, place about 2 Tblsp filling in the center of each one. Fold in bottom corner, then both sides and then fold down the top. A corn starch/water mixture can be applied on the edge of the top corner for “glue.” Fry in deep, hot oil on both sides until nicely browned.

Dipping sauces: Store bought sweet & sour, plain Tamari, or mustard sauce.

Lunch: Frosted Pumpkin Bars

Beat together 1 cup oil, 2 cups sugar and 2 cups pumpkin. Beat in 4 eggs. In a separate bowl, mix 2 sups sifted flour, 2 tsp cinnamon, ¼ tsp nutmeg, 1 tsp baking soda, 2 tsp baking powder and ¼ tsp salt. Add to creamed mixture and beat well. Pour into greased jelly roll pan and bake 30 minutes at 350. Cool and frost. Frosting: Beat together 3 ½ cups powdered sugar, 8 oz softened cream cheese, ½ cup softened butter and 2 ½ tsp vanilla.

Supper: Brisket in Beer
Mashed Potatoes
Pickled Slaw

To finish the brisket: Remove from refrigerator and slice the meat. Return to cooking liquid in pan. Return to oven and heat through. Serve the cooking liquid, thickened if desired, on the side.

To finish the slaw, stir and serve.