When it comes to feeding my family, I try to incorporate fresh vegetables as much as I can. Some of my favorite vegetables to work with are peppers, mushrooms and onions. Fresh vegetables and fruit have a short shelf life. Regardless of the recipe, I dice, chop or slice a portion of them in advance. This allows me to be spontaneous in the kitchen. During a payday grocery shopping trip, my husband and I noticed a row of Steak-UMMS in the Frozen Aisle. At that point in time, my weekly menu was getting stagnate. So, we decided to pick up a box. This was not my first-time making Steak-UMMS. In fact, I used to by fresh shredded steak from Aldi’s. I wanted to try something different.
In the past, I sliced, and pan seared the vegetables first. I cooked the shredded steak separately and topped with cheese and vegetables. I noticed the vegetables were thicker than the steak, which made it easy to remove vegetables. This time, I decided to dice up the veggies and mix it with the Steak-UMMS. Yes, the vegetables loose some of their nutritional value, but sauteing won’t remove the health benefits.
It takes longer to sauté vegetables than cooking the frozen steak. I used nonstick vegetable oil spray, McCormick garlic powder, Goya Adobo: All Purpose Seasoning and Goya Sazonador Total: The Perfect Seasoning. To be honest, I cannot determine how much to use of each of these. Freehand seasoning is one of my downfalls. Family, friends and co-workers love my cooking, but I cannot write a step-by-step recipe for my creations. Like the meme says, “We just sprinkle & shake until we hear the spirits of our ancestors whisper ‘Enough my child.’”
Getting back on track, Steak-UMMS comes with 10 sheets separated by wax paper. Each sheet has about two layers of steak, which equates to 100 calories. In theory, one box is 10 servings. In my opinion, each hoagie roll needs two sheets of Steak-UMMS, because it cooks down very quickly. The steak on the box is thicker than the final product. Plus, I do not worry about retaining the shape. I somewhat incorporated Charleys Philly Steaks method of cooking frozen steak. I pan sear it and chop it as it thaws. Once the meat is thawed, I mix it with the sautéed vegetables.
Finally, I add a layer of cheese and let the steam melt it. This time, I used deli pepper jack cheese. This makes the cheese hard to see. Still, it binds the peppers and steak, which makes it easier to eat for adults and children.
Overall, Steak-UMMS 100% Angus Beef was reasonably priced. I did not have to ask the butcher to paper thin slice steak. Frozen steaks cook very quickly, which makes it a go to meal on busy days. I made about five cheese steaks with it. Keep in mind, I doubled the serving per roll. As a result, one box was enough for a family of four. I recommend purchasing fresh bakery rolls. In my opinion, they are softer and are not as dense as name brand rolls. This may be eaten with sides, but they are not needed. The last time I made them, I had fried plantains on the side.
Have you cooked Steak-UMMS before? If so, do you like Original 100% Beef or 100% Angus Beef?
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