Asian Pepper Steak Slowcooker

Some days you just want to come home to a Hot Cooked Meal

Inspired by Rachael Ray’s Asian Pepper Steak tweaked to make less work

which in turn takes less time to put together
and I added broccoli so it probably isn't a pepper steak dish anymore.

 

 

Slice the steak small -Chinese food is always served with small pieces of meat  

if you need to know why go here

Coat the beef in cornstarch, this helps thicken the sauce

 

slice the peppers and onions

 

 

add the cornstarch coated meat

 

realize the steak isn't coated with cornstarch,

pull it out coat and put it back in the crockpot

 

 

add chopped garlic and ginger,

fresh is very important to getting that authentic take out Chinese flavor

 

 

Cook on low 6 hrs or high for 4hrs, 

 if you are short for time and want to cook it for only 2 hours on high put your crock in the microwave for 10 minutes to give it a jump start.

 

 

At the end of cooking I added broccoli and mushrooms

If you think vegetables are meant to be mushy like my Mom

then add them at the beginning.

 

 

Cook the Rice, make Mai Tai's

  Enjoy!!!!

 

Asian Pepper Steak with Veggies

Ingredients

1 1/3 pounds beef sirloin, steak tips, 1 tablespoons cornstarch, for dusting meat 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped 2 tablespoons ginger, finely chopped 1 large onion, sliced 3 bell peppers, sliced red, yellow and orange make for a pretty dish
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce 4 tablespoons brown sugar
3/4 cup soy sauce Ground black pepper, to taste

4 cups cooked rice,
1 bag frozen chinese vegetables or broccoli.
1 cup of mushroom or more if you like them I would add the 8oz package of sliced mushrooms

Directions

Cut meat into ½” pieces or thin strips; Put meat in slow cooker toss with the cornstarch to coat meat.Add bell peppers, onion, tomato sauce, brown sugar, soy sauce, ginger and garlic.
Cook on low 6 hrs or high for 4hrs, and if you are short for time and want to cook it for only 2 hours on high put your crock in the microwave for 10 minutes to give it a jump start.

Cook your rice 15 minutes before serving, this is also when you add frozen vegetables to the slow cooker. 

It is great to brown your beef before putting in the crock it does give a beefier flavor but for the sake of time and the mess I always try the recipe first without browning to make sure it still tastes great.

2 cups uncooked long grain typically makes 4 cups rice
for more on rice amounts and how to cook go here

This recipe is also great with mashed potatoes , yes it is just don’t do chinese vegetables make it with broccoli.

Lo Mein let me count the ways............

Would you believe me if I told you a little ole Chinese Lady

taught me how to cook Chinese correctly?

 

I'm sure her eyes are rolling at my Chinese Recipes

What can I say we all Love Chinese Take Out!!

 

 Lo Mein is sooooo easy

Not to be confused with Chow Mein

 

It is great as a  side dish - or add meat for a main dish

you choose

 

 

The trick to awesome LoMein is the garlic, ginger and sesame oil

 

 

Lo Mein can have a variety of vegetables

add the ones you like

 

 Saute the garlic and ginger in oil getting it a pretty golden

 

 

Boil the pasta, my favorite  pasta for Lo Mien is Tinkyada Fettucini

 

Tinkyada Pastas are made with Brown Rice

Brown Rice is low on the glycemic index

Being gluten free has it good points ;0)

 

 

 toss the cooked pasta in the sauce then add the cooked vegetables

 

the easiest way to chop scallions is with clean scissors

 

 

 Serve the hungry crowd that's been patiently waiting!!

 

Lo Mein

makes 4-6 servings

Sauce

3 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons hoisin sauce ( joyce chen makes a gluten free one)

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 tablespoon dry sherry

1 tablespoon sesame oil

 

Vegetables

1 cup carrots sliced thin1 cup celery sliced thin

1 cup onion, slivered

1 cup cabbage, slivered use ½ a bag

1 cup chopped mushrooms

2 cups fresh bean sprouts or 1 cup canned

 

1 lb fettuccini or tinkyada's 12oz package of brown rice noodles

 

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 teaspoon minced ginger

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1/4 cup scallions

 

Directions

 

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add noodles and cook according to the package directions. Drain, rinse

 While Pasta is cooking, in large fry pan heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, sauté vegetables (not the  scallions) about 5 minutes, you want to keep them crisp.  Sometimes I cheat add a little water to steam them.  What can I say I'm impatient. Set cooked vegetables aside.

 

Place frying pan over med high heat until hot. Add the sesame oil, swirling to coat the sides. Add ginger and garlic cook, careful not to brown it, stirring until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add the sauce ingredients, cook until heated through. Add the noodles toss to coat. 

Add the cooked vegetables and scallions. Serve

 

Variations:

Add cooked shrimp, leftover sliced chicken or steak

Beef Lo Mein -Oyster Sauce in place of the Hoisin Sauce for a darker stronger flavor sauce.
Add left over thinly sliced steak or fry some steak up just for the Lo Mein.

Vegetables: add peapods, baby corn, water chestnuts, bamboo shouts, more mushrooms,
bagged shredded cabbage saves time, experiment have fun

If you don't have Hoisin Sauce just use more soy sauce or Lachoy Teriyaki Sauce

 

 

 

 

General Tso's Chicken

Chinese Take Out at Home - it only gets better!!!!

 

Bobbie, Moderator of the Celiac Delphi Forum makes an awesome General Tso's Chicken which I adapted here to the Chinese Take Out  I remember.

 

I prefer chicken tenders or thighs, thighs take patience to chop I didn’t have patience today.

 

Sugar missed the photo shoot it almost missed the sauce-it was a last minute add in;0)



minced ginger

fresh ginger gives the dish the Chinese restaurant taste only use powdered if you have no other option

 

Mix the soy sauce, with the rest of the sauce ingredients, set aside

 

Thai Chili Peppers

My Daughter grew red chile peppers last summer, dried them

they would be perfect to add to the sauce but they are at home and I’m not

 

 

I prefer my chicken naked if you want yours covered in deep fried crunch

those directions are at the bottom of this post.

 

In large skillet brown chicken set aside

- turn all the chicken so the golden pieces look good for the photo shoot.

 

Steam fresh broccoli in microwave 2 minutes, set aside

 

In the same skillet you browned the chicken, sauté the red pepper 2 minutes

 

 Add the sauce cook over medium heat simmer until sauce thickens, add chicken,

stir add broccoli, when everything is heated through add scallions and serve 

.

The easiest way to chop scallions is to cut them with scissors

 

 

General Tso's Chicken 
Sauce 1 1/2 cup gf chicken broth (I usually use Kitchen Basics Chicken Stock)

3 Tbs cornstarch
4Tbs sugar
4 Tbs  soy sauce , lachoy is gluten free
3 Tbs white wine vinegar
Ginger fresh 2” piece chopped = 2 tsp or 1 tsp ground ginger
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp red pepper flakes or 2 dried chili peppers minced

Ingredients
5-6 cups chopped broccoli – a good head or frozen
1/2 red bell pepper
2 tsp. olive oil,  vegetable oil works
1 1/2 lb uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast cut into 2-inch pieces

4 medium scallions, chopped

2 cups cooked rice

In a medium bowl, mix together broth, cornstarch, sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic and ginger; set aside. 

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add chicken cook until browned all over, about five minutes, set aside.  If you are using battered fried version skip this step for the fried directions below.

In the same large skillet sauté red pepper, 2 minutes.  Add sauce, simmer until sauce thickens, add chicken, stir, add broccoli, heat through.   Add scallions.  Serve over rice. 

If you don't want broccoli in your General Tso's Chicken don't add it. 

 

 

To fry chicken for General Tso's Chicken

 

Cut the chicken into 1-inch cubes. Combine the chicken cubes with the egg,  and pepper. Add enough cornstarch to nicely coat the chicken, using cooking chopsticks or your fingers to mix it in.

Heat the oil in a wok to between 350 and 360 degrees Fahrenheit

Drop the chicken cubes into the hot oil, a few pieces at a time, and deep-fry until crispy (3 to 4 minutes). Remove the chicken cubes and drain on paper towels.

Follow this post to get my favorite at Home Chinese Take Out recipes
Lo Mein, Fried Rice, Chicken or Beef Teriyaki,  pork dumplings just a few things I'll be adding