Brooke’s Spicy Beef Stir Fry

This week we are excited to bring you not just a delicious recipe, but a cool story from an Arizona native and foodie, Brooke Phelps. Brooke has connected to agriculture, and specifically beef, through 4-H and it looks like she’ll be sticking around for awhile (see her story about her future husband’s family farm). She often posts drool-worthy Instagram stories featuring her family’s foodie creations which is what inspired us to ask her to share with you all! Enjoy and be prepared with a snack. Guaranteed this blog post will make you hungry!

Meet Brooke! AZ Native, University of Arizona grad, and foodie.

I’m a total foodie at heart and normally plan my days around meals. Doesn’t everyone do that? My mom (Jacque Phelps) gave me her passion for cooking. Growing up I always loved to learn from her (still do!) and help her in the kitchen. Nowadays we love to make up recipes and cook together! I’m a beef eater through and through. In fact, my whole family is a family of beef eaters. It’s usually not a real meal unless it has beef in it. Don’t get me wrong, I love seafood, pork and the occasional chicken dish but it seems like most of my favorite meals include beef.

IMG_3358 (002) — Brooke’s mom and fellow beef eater, Jacque Phelps, and Brooke.

I grew up in the small town of San Manuel; my family has a car dealership off Highway 77 in Oracle. Even though we weren’t directly tied into agriculture, there has always been a strong influence from family and friends. I raised steers and veal calves for 4 -H at the Pinal County Fair and I think that is what really validated my love for agriculture. After high school I went on to the University of Arizona where I graduated with a BS in Agriculture Communications in 2016. I now work for the Arizona Association of Conservation Districts as their communications director. I’ll soon be living on an Arizona dairy farm with my future husband (Clint Gladden) whose family farms and dairy in Palo Verde, AZ.

This is a great weeknight savior for the leftover veggies in the fridge that you haven’t used and are soon going to go bad. It can also be a great Sunday dinner. I love stir-fry because it is endlessly customizable and lightning fast to whip together. This combo is currently one of my favs. This recipe should and needs to be in every Arizona family’s weeknight rotation.

I am a spicy food addict and most of my meals contain some heat in one way or another. I like my Spicy Beef Stir Fry with lots of Thai Chilies. It’s not for the faint-hearted, but the good news is it’s optional for the non-spicy folks in the crowd.

Ingredients
1-½ lbs. of thinly sliced beef Top Sirloin cut across the grain into bite-size strips
1 1/2 tablespoons of vegetable oil, divided
1 ½ tablespoons of sesame oil, divided
5 or so Thai chilies (optional, could replace with a milder chili or just add some red pepper flakes)
½ cup of teriyaki sauce
½ cup spicy stir- fry sauce
¼ cup of sliced carrots
¼ cup of bean sprouts
6 chopped green onions
1 ½ cup of sliced white mushrooms
1 ½ cup of broccoli
8 oz. of cooked Pad Thai rice noodles
NOTE: If you can’t find Pad Thai noodles you could substitute with spaghetti or rice

Recipe Preparation
Marinate meat with your favorite teriyaki sauce for at least 30 min. I included a picture of mine that I get from Trader Joe’s.

Heat 1 Tbsp. of oil (part veg oil part sesame oil) in a large skillet or wok over high heat. When the oil is simmering add broccoli and mushrooms, tossing until mushrooms are browned and tender, about 2-3 minutes. Add carrots, green onion, bean sprouts, and chilies, tossing for another minute. Transfer vegetables to another bowl.

Heat 1 Tbsp. of oil in the same skillet over high heat. When the oil is simmering again, add part of your beef and arrange slices in a single layer in skillet. Cook until beef is browned and caramelized on the first side, about 1 minute. Toss and continue to cook until brown all over. Then repeat with the rest of your beef. Drain any excess liquid in your skillet.