Slow Cooker Orange Beef Recipe

I think that's one of my better photos! During my year-long challenge, we didn't eat much take-out. There were a few nights where we succumbed because I made a dessert or a drink in the crockpot instead of a main dish and we were tired of leftovers. Really tired. But for the most part, we just didn't eat out.

To get our fix, I tried my hardest to recreate "take out fake out" dinners. The results were pretty darn good, and I've continued my quest keep our menu drawer (I know, it's weird. A whole drawer full of takeout menus--it's like we collect them or something) closed.

Here's the new favorite:

The Ingredients.

serves 4

1 1/2 pounds beef round steak, sliced or beef stir fry strips

1/4 cup gluten free soy sauce (LaChoy or Tamari wheat-free)

2 teaspoons ground ginger

3 tablespoons honey (not pictured, the kids stole it to use on their pancakes.)

1/2 cup orange juice

1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced

1 green bell pepper, seeded and sliced

6 green onions, sliced

1 small head bok choy, cut in 1-inch chunks

cooked white or brown basmati rice for serving

The Directions.

Use a 4-quart slow cooker. What? You don't have one? Why then you should enter yourself in this conveniently timed contest...

For absolute best results, marinate the meat the night before in a plastic bag with the sauce ingredients: soy sauce, honey, ginger, and orange juice. In the morning, dump the contents into an empty cooker and add the vegetables on top.

Cover and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours, high for 3-4, or until meat is fully cooked and super tender. Stir fry meat cane sometimes be tough---cook until it's really soft and pliable. Serve over rice with the crock juice.

The Verdict.

The orangey-sweet flavor is fantastic, and fully satisfied my takeout craving. I liked that the vegetables steamed nicely in the same pot, creating a much lighter meal than we'd get if ordering in. I still can't convince my girls to eat bok choy, but they are now old enough to not get upset when the veggies and meat are touching.

this is awesome.

day 2 of Crocktober!