Lumps O' Meat

I returned from our Weekend In Long Beach this morning, after a ridiculous arrangement of flights and layovers, and decided it was my night to cook dinner. So, you'll get a mini-update (more fuller updateliness to follow) and a recipe to round out my Monday. I didn't sleep really last night; there was a series of 20 minute naps between LA and Detroit, a series of 40-minute naps on the airport floor, and a 40-minute nap after returning home. In this state, you may find me rambling unpredictablier than usual. Sorry. First, with the recipe-ing. Ok, maybe 2nd, because the Shrinking Piggies are making some progress and still need their beloved cheerleaders to help them fight the good fight. Go see and comment. OK, the recipe evolved thusly: In my freezer, I discovered several vacuum-sealed lumps of mystery meat. Upon defrosting, I found 2 nice pork medallions and one good beef steak (hard to tell exactly what the unlabeled, frost-encrusted meat was at first). I set 'em to float in warm water when we got home around 1PM. The Fam was due back from various school engagements around 5:30, so around 5:00 I started the cooking. It took about 25 minutes from start to table, and there were NO leftovers - which means either I didn't make enough or everyone liked it. Since we're all full, I'm going with (B). 3 Lumps O' Meat, about 3# total - pork or beef steak or chops, trim fat and bones 1 green pepper 1 red pepper 1 onion 1 tsp garlic (I use the kind that comes in a jar, pre-chopped) olive oil dry spices First I mixed up a bowl of dry spices. When all was done, there was a little under 1/4 cup of spice mixture, consisting of what I found in the cupboard: garlic salt, onion powder, curry, turmeric, ground black pepper, ground red (cayenne) pepper, and sage. I sauteed half the onion and 1 tsp garlic in olive oil. I spread some olive oil into the meat and rubbed in a sprinkling of spices all around. Then I sliced the meat into bite-size pieces, keeping it rolled in the spices. Toss in with the sauteed onions and garlic. While the meat is on, chop the peppers and remaining onion half; add to meat mixture when it's half done. Cover and simmer while cooking minute rice; serve the goodies over rice with soy sauce to taste, and you'll be the darling of the dinner. This trip was a whirlwind of activity, involving dear friends, the silliness that is modern travel, massive climate changes, dinner parties, and sleep deprivation. Unfortunately, the latter is making me kinda loopy and I'll have to officially begin the tale tomorrow, even though it's only 7:32 PM EST and I should have enough energy for another hour of tale-telling, at least. Again, sorry, but my pillow is calling my name and it just won't shut up.