[Cheap] Korean Beef from Lizzy Writes

I look at a lot of recipes online, but there are few that I actually try. In my busy life, time is of the essence. When I happened upon this one over at Lizzy Writes, it seemed simple and that it had some great flavors that my family would like. So I eventually made it and I LOVED IT! The meat has a great flavor and spice to it and the green onion is the perfect texture crunch. I love crunchy anything in my dishes.

Here is the recipe:

1 pound lean ground beef
1/4 - 1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 Tablespoon sesame oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
1/2 - 1 teaspoon crushed red peppers (to desired spiciness)
salt and pepper
1 bunch green onions, diced

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and brown hamburger with garlic in the sesame oil. Drain most of the fat and add brown sugar, soy sauce, ginger, salt and pepper and red peppers. Simmer for a few minutes to blend the flavors. Serve over steamed rice and top with green onions.

Liz added some tips that I thought were great. She mentioned that peeling and slicing the ginger root into 1/4 inch slices and freezing it was a great way to keep fresh ginger on hand since it goes bad so easily. That had always been my problem. I would buy a bit and use a few shavings for a dish and end up tossing the rest because it would go bad. Ever since I read her tip, I've had fresh ginger on hand every time I need it and it's much easier to grate when it's frozen.

Thanks, Liz, for the recipe and letting me share it here too.

Next time I make it, I'm going to try the flank steak she mentioned . . . I think Armando will LOVE it with steak.

Creamy Coconut Lemongrass Tilapia

One of the things that I love about visiting Honduras is the variety of foods and flavors. One day after running errands with Armando, we came home to the most delicious meal I ate while I was there. My sister-in-law, Ana had made her own concoction of Coconut Lemongrass Tilapia. Lemongrass was the new flavor I fell in love with while we were there. I couldn't get enough of the tea or this delicious dish Ana made. I had to have the recipe. As soon as we got back, I began the hunt for lemongrass and luckily found a grocer nearby that sells 4-5 little stems for a pretty penny (not like the bundle of huge grass stems you can get for pennies at the market down there . . . ) [sigh].

This is actually a quite simple and delicious recipe. I like it because it is quick, yet still has a flare of uniqueness that's not just your everyday dinner flavor . . . at least not at our house. ;)

Like any Latin-American "recipe" I get from our family or friends, there aren't exact measurements, but this is what I did:

Rinse 6-8 tilapia filets and let dry. Sprinkle with salt. Set aside.

Saute in coconut oil (or oil of your preference):
1/4 onion (diced)
2-3 garlic cloves

until onions are translucent and garlic starts to brown.

Add tilapia filets and cook until golden brown on one side. Turn the filets to cook on the other side. When they are just about cooked, add a can (15 oz) of coconut milk. Add 2-3 stems of lemongrass (I folded mine in half so that the stem broke and the aroma/juices would flavor the dish quicker). Bring just to a boil over med-high heat.

Serve over a bed of warm rice with a green salad or steamed vegetables.