Pepper Steak

Prep: 10-15 mins, plus doing stuff while meat is simmering. Cook time: 50 mins to an hour, maybe a little more if you're slow like me.

Pan size: Large. I make it in my almost wok-sized frying pan, and it practically overflows.

Ingredients:
- 1 package of round steak (best) or 1 package of stew meat (inexpensive)
- A lot of paprika
- 1 medium onion
- Not too much of your favorite cooking oil (ex: I prefer olive oil, but plain old canola will also work)
- Soy sauce
- Corn starch
- Tomatoes (I used 5-6 roma tomatoes for four adults, 3-4 big ones will probably be ok.  How much do you like tomatoes?)
- Bell peppers (2-3 for four adults)

Directions:

Cut steak in strips (about 1x2 inches, maybe thinner) or stew meat into bite-sized pieces. COVER in paprika. Use a lot of it. You don't have to flip it over and do the other side, but the top should be invisible beneath paprika and then some. Roughly chop onion.

Put a little oil in your pan, enough to cover the bottom. Put onion and meat into pan, cook until meat is just browned and onion is getting tender. Once meat is brown, cover with an inch or so (depending on how much you like sauce) of water. Bring to a boil, turn down heat. Cover. Simmer for 45 mins.

Start rice at whatever point it will be done about the same time as the dinner.

Meanwhile, cut tomato and bell pepper into bite-sized pieces and. After meat has simmered 45 mins, stir in about 1/4 cup soy sauce. Note: the soy sauce is absolutely essential to this meal. It and the paprika are the key to the savory flavor. Taste after you add the 1/4 cup, because you can add more if you want. In a measuring cup, mix two HEAPING spoonfuls of corn starch with COLD water (1/4 cup-1/2 cup) until the lumps are gone. Slowly stir cornstarch/water mixture into pan. The mixture should thicken into a sauce (about as thick as you'd expect a sweet and sour or another Asian sauce). Give it 3-5 minute to thicken. If it does not, make cornstarch (focusing more on the cornstarch) and water mix and repeat until desired consistency is reached.

Place tomatoes and peppers on top of the stuff in the pan, cover, and cook for 5-10 more minutes. Do not stir them in. My mom does five, so they're just heated through, but I like them to actually cook a little, so I do 10-15.

Serve over rice and enjoy!

There you go Diane!  It's pretty simple, but good!