CK'S Kitchen: Slow cooker Mongolian beef

Zip-lining high If I could have carved out a perfect autumn day it would have gone exactly like this past Sunday. Well, except for the fact that I couldn't sleep in, but it was well worth the early start. By 10 a.m. my friend and I had arrived at Peek 'n' Peak Resort for a zip lining and ropes course excursion in western New York. I had never done either and while I consider myself in good shape, I was a bit anxious because I don't love heights. For that reason, I didn't eat much. Three hours of challenging physical obstacles and several super-fun zip lines including one that was 2,000 feet long had thrilled me beyond expectation. I was flying high and I couldn't wait to get home to tuck this Mongolian beef into the slow cooker! Browns vs. Colts This recipe was so easy and fast that with a little help — my friend cut the flank steak against the grain in thin slices while I combined the sauce in the slow cooker — we were able to set dinner on high not long after the first snaps of the 4:20 p.m. Browns home game against the Indianapolis Colts. We enjoyed some well-earned adult beverages while watching the Browns have an impressive first half and decided to walk my high-energy dogs at half time. By the third quarter-ish it was time to start the sides — jasmine rice, sauteed green beans with shallots and egg rolls, not homemade. I decided to let the beef cook for 2½ hours since the recipe said 2-3 hours. I started my sides about 30 minutes before the beef was done. This was about the time that the momentum in the game switched to the Colts. The only issue with my kitchen is that I can't really see what's happening on the TV. "Tell me what's happening?!" I yelled out more than once. The report back didn't make me happy. Win for CLE With only three minutes left in the game, it was finally time to eat. We were starved even though we had kept hunger at bay with a couple more drinks. The apples and nuts we shared on the way home had done their job. It's seriously amazing how long healthy options truly satisfy you. I still love myself a bag of potato chips though! Once plated with a generous serving of rice and green beans, I ladled the Mongolian Beef atop the rice. I did make an executive decision to omit the carrots because ever since a juice cleanse years ago, this veggie is dead to me. While the signature brown sauce was thin, it was still full of flavor. Sweet but not too sweet. The garnish of green onions was not only colorful but also essential. The verdict? A simple, fast, very delicious twist on a Taiwanese favorite and a dinner I will definitely make again and again. Lots of leftovers for lunch the next day and easy cleanup. You cannot go wrong with this delicious slow cooker meal! SLOW COOKER MONGOLIAN BEEF Makes six servings 1½ pounds flank steak ¼ cups cornstarch 2 tablespoons olive oil ½ teaspoons garlic minced, cloves ¾ cups soy sauce ¾ cups water ¾ cups brown sugar 1 cup carrots grated Green onions for garnish Cut flank steak into thin strips. In a plastic zip bag ,add flank steak pieces and cornstarch. Shake to coat. Add olive oil, minced garlic, soy sauce, water, brown sugar and carrots to slow cooker. Stir ingredients. Add coated flank steak and stir again until coated in the sauce. Cook in a slow cooker for high 2-3 hours or on low 4-5 hours until cooked throughout and tender. Can serve over rice and garnish with green onions. Nutrition facts per serving: calories 348 (calories from fat 90); fat 10 g; saturated fat 3 g; cholesterol 68 mg; sodium 1705 mg; potassium 553 mg; carbohydrates 36 g; fiber 1 g; sugar 28 g; protein 28 g; calcium 59 mg; iron 3 mg. SOURCE: therecipecritic.com