Simple Supper Monday - Volume 39: Fake Out Take Out Mongolian Beef

Hi.

Remember me?

Yep. I blog here. Atleast, I was blogging here a week ago. And then Christmas happened. All over the place. It was a messy but joyful sprint of familyfoodfriendsfoodgiftsfoodhappinessfoodandmorefood. It was overwhelming. I laughed. I cried. I napped. I loved every second of it.

But, as you can tell, it kept me from one of the things I love to do: blogging.

So, as I have numerous times before on this blog, I ask for your forgiveness as I confess:

It has been 1 week since I have blogged.

Oh the shame of it.

Now that's done and over with, let me share with you this week's Simple Supper recipe! Wahoo!

I recently stumbled upon a blog that is the epitome of beauty. A Year of Slow Cooking is thy name. Oh YSC Blog, how I love thee. I was also given an opportunity to check out the book that came out of this blog experiment - Make it Fast, Cook it Slow by the blog's blogger, Stephanie O'Dea. (PS - I will be reviewing this book and Nigella Lawson's new book this week - SO CHECK BACK).

Wow, can I not focus this evening?

So anyway, I came across this blog. Loved everything about it (not that I am obsessed with slow cookers and anything that has to do with them). I decided to try out one of Ms. O'Dea's recipes.

It. Was. Glorious.

Now I am not ashamed to pass along this recipe. Note, I am not claiming it as mine. I do my best to never lay claim to a recipe that I have either come across or been given by a friend. I always give props.

Ms. O'Dea: Major Props.

It was ironic that I came across this blog right around my birthday (yep, it was my birthday 2 weeks ago. Gifts are currently still being accepted). Hubby, the wonderful and handsome man-candy that he is, took me out to PF Chang's for dinner to celebrate my birth. Oh what a righteous and gut-busting event. Well, more like belt-busting. I ate like a pig. Hubby was given an order of Mongolian Beef by mistake, but decided to keep it as his meal.

He tried it.

I tried it.

We loved it.

Not only did I love it, but I needed it. Again. Very soon. So I set out on the task for a reproduction recipe. You'd be amazed at the underground community of people who create restuarant copy cat recipes.

I love each and every one of you.

My search brought me to A Year of Slow Cooking, where a "Fake Out Take Out" version of Mongolian Beef had been posted.

I tried it.

Loved it.

So I am posting it. And I will be scouting out more Copy Cat recipes. If I can make it at home for a fraction of the cost without sacrificing taste, I. AM. IN.

Thanks to Stephanie O'Dea for creating this recipe (and I LOVED YOUR BOOK!)

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Simple Supper Monday

"Fake Out Take Out" Mongolian Beef Recipe

~ By Stephanie O'Dea, of A Year Of Slow Cooking ~

--1 1/2 pounds flank steak

--3 cloves of garlic, minced

--4 sliced green onions--one is for garnish

--1 t dried minced onion (or 1/2 fresh onion, diced very small)

--1/2 cup gluten free soy sauce (I used La Choy)

--1/4 cup white wine

--1/4 cup cooking sherry

--1/2 T white wine vinegar (optional--I forgot to add it!)

--1 t sesame oil

--1 t molasses

--1 t ginger

--1/4 t black pepper

--1 t red chili pepper flakes

--1/2 T peanut butter (if allergic, use black bean paste)

--3 T brown sugar

--1/4 cup cornstarch (to dredge meat--don't add to sauce mixture)

The Directions.

--slice your meat in thin strips and toss in a Ziploc bag with cornstarch.

--add all of the liquid and dried spices to your crockpot, and the peanut butter, and mix well. Add the garlic and three of the sliced green onions. If you are using fresh onion, add that now, too.

--put your meat on top, and toss gingerly to coat.

Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours. Flank steak is thin and have very little fat, and will cook quickly. There isn't a lot of liquid in this dish, so if your crock tends to cook hot, please check it after 3 hours.

The meat is done when it is no longer pink and has reached desired tenderness. I cooked our meat in a 6qt oval Smart Pot and it was done after 4 hours on low.

Serve over steamed or fried rice, and garnish with freshly sliced green onion.

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Mmmm.

As the new year approaches, I will be working on new Simple Supper recipes. On an adventurous twist, I will be trying to create some original recipes. That's right folks. Creativity in progress. You might want to stand back.

I also look forward to checking out YOUR recipes. Send them my way!

Check back later this week for some awesome BOOK REVIEWS (these books MUST enter your home library in 2010!), some Confessions and some craziness.

Until then....