Not So Korean Beef

This is a staple recipe in our house. The Hubby loves it, Sprout loves it, Bean is a little less than enthused, but sometimes he eats the meat. Before you ask what makes it Korean, the answer is... not much. I only call it that because the recipe I modified it from calls it that. It is another small list of ingredients meal that packs a lot of flavor. We eat it over rice or quinoa.

I start with a little sesame oil and plenty of garlic.

When the Garlic is softened, but not brown, add the ground beef.

Brown it well and then add frozen (or fresh) veggies of your choice. I used mixed veggies because I had extra from another meal. The sauce ingredients also go in at this point, but I don't have a good picture of that for you.

Let the veggies heat through and you are ready to serve. I like to top mine with green onions, some toasted sesame seeds, and a little sriracha or red pepper flakes.

Not So Korean Beef

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef
• sesame oil
• 10 oz frozen veggies (or as much fresh as you want)
• 2 (or more) cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons fresh ginger, grated; or 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• A splash of fish sauce if you have it (it adds a little extra umami flavor)
• Optional toppings: sesame seeds, green onions, red pepper flakes, etc

Method

1. Heat sesame oil in a pan and add garlic
2. Cook just until softened and add ground beef
3. When the beef is cooked through, add the veggies, brown sugar, soy sauce, and ginger
4. Allow the veggies to heat through and it is ready to serve

Slow Cooker Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls

Cabbage rolls have kind of a rough reputation. I think they are delicious. Little packets of meat and cabbage. YUM! Not only that, they are even easier if you are lazy like I was this time and don't actually make rolls. Hence the "unstuffed" part. Also, slow cooking is the best. Throw a bunch of stuff in, turn it on, and boom! Dinner!

The most labor intensive part of this is mixing up the meat. I use quinoa as a binder because my whole family loves it.

Once the meat is mixed up, form it into small loaves or meat balls and put them on the bottom of the slow cooker.

Cut up the cabbage.

And put it on top of the meat.

Then comes the sauce. Tomato sauce, worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, and honey. 

Cook it on low for 8 hours and then enjoy the homey goodness.

Slow Cooker Unstuffed Cabbage

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

1 lb ground beef

1/2 cup quinoa or rice

1/2 tablespoon salt

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 15 ounce can tomato sauce

2 tablespoons honey

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce

1/2 head of green cabbage

1. Combine the beef, quinoa, and seasonings. Form into balls and put on the bottom of the slow cooker.
2. Cut the cabbage into bite size pieces and layer on top of the meat.
3. Combine the sauce, honey, lemon juice, and worcestershire sauce and pour over the cabbage and meat.
4. Cook on low for 8 hours and serve.

Slow-Cooker Sunday: Balsamic Beef Roast

I love a good roast. The kind that you can't even slice because it is falling apart at the lightest touch. Pair it with some sweet and tangy glazed carrots and I am one happy lady. I also love freezer to slow cooker meals. I made a huge batch about a month ago and this is, by far, the favorite of all four of us. I don't have any pictures of the prep for the roast, but it could easily be done the morning of instead of doing it freezer meal style.

This is one of those meals that I actually messed up when prepping. I doubled the amount of balsamic by mistake. Turns out it was not as much of a mistake as I thought. It is delicious. the balsamic and orange zest are perfect together and the resulting drippings make a gravy that is just to die for. Seriously, you need this roast in your life.

First comes the easiest portion of this meal: the roast. The beef, carrots, and all the fixings go straight in the slow cooker. Turn that bad boy on low and let it go for 8-10 hours.

Once the roast is tender, pull it out and then separate the carrots and the drippings. The drippings will go toward an amazing gravy.

Melt half a stick of butter in a pan and add the carrots. Then add the brown sugar. Let it melt into the butter and reduce for 5-10 minutes on medium heat. This will thicken it up and help it stick to the carrots.

While the carrots are working, make your roux. The key to a smooth gravy is a smooth roux. Melt 2-3 tablespoons of butter and add 2-3 tablespoons of flour. Whisk it until smooth and then let it bubble over medium heat for 2 or 3 minutes.

Pour in 2-3 cups of the drippings and whisk. Let it simmer for a bit to thicken and make sure to taste for salt level.

As soon as the gravy is the flavor and thickness you want, serve up that roast with a big old pile of carrots and a nice piece of crusty bread for sopping up the gravy.

Balsamic Beef Roast and Glazed Carrots

Adapted from: New leaf Wellness

Serves: 4

Roast:
2 pound boneless beef chuck shoulder roast
2 pounds carrots, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon salt
5 cloves of garlic, minced
Zest of 1/2 an orange

Carrots:
Carrots from the roast
1/2 stick salted butter
1/4 cup brown sugar

Gravy:
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
2 cups drippings from the roast

1. Put all ingredients for the roast in a large slow cooker. Turn on low and let cook for 8-10 hours
2. Remove the beef and separate the carrots and drippings
3. Melt the butter for the carrots over medium heat. Add the carrots and brown sugar and stir to coat. Allow the carrots to cook in the glaze for 5-10 minutes.
4. Melt the butter for the gravy over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk until smooth. Allow this roux to bubble for 2-3 minutes.
5. Add about 2 cups of the drippings to the roux and whisk until smooth. Let the gravy thicken and taste for seasoning.
6. Portion the beef, top with gravy, and serve with carrots.