Easy Korean Beef

This is one of our favorite easy dinners:

Cheap Korean Beef 

Chop Suey Casserole

Chop Suey Casserole

1 pound ground beef
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
2/3 soup can of water
1/2 c. uncooked rice
1 cup chopped celery
1 onion, chopped
3 T. soy sauce
1 can chow mein noodles

Brown and drain beef. Combine all ingredients except noodles in a casserole. Bake at 350 for 1 hour. Cover with noodles for the last 10 minutes of baking.

Notes:

This recipe was a favorite of my dear friend Flossie and was taken from the cookbook in the parish I grew up in, submitted by Pat Vaughn.

I am going to substitute chopped water chestnuts for part or all of the onion when I make it because I really do not like onions.

Chicken with Finger-Licking Peanut Sauce

If I had to pick my one, absolutely favorite recipe this would be it. I have made it numerous times for lots of different people and nearly everyone raves about it - adults and children alike.

It originated as Fettuccine and Tofu with Finger-Licking Peanut Sauce in Cooking Light magazine in April, 2001. My version uses most of the same ingredients, but in different amounts.

Chicken with Finger-Licking Peanut Sauce

2/3 C. chicken broth
1/2 peanut butter (I use natural, smooth but chunky works good as well)
1/2 low sodium soy sauce
5 T. brown sugar (4 if you use regular peanut butter)
3 T. rice vinegar
3 tea. fresh ginger, peeled and grated
1/2 - 2 tea. of chili paste (sambal oelek) (see notes)
5 garlic cloves minced
8 ounces soba noodles (can use any long, thin pasta)
1 1/3 c. shredded carrots
3/4 pound chicken breast, cooked and shredded

Combine first 8 ingredients (chicken broth through garlic) in a medium sauce pan and cook over medium heat 7-10 minutes until smooth and slightly thickened. Add chicken to warm it. Remove from heat.

Cook the soba noodles according to package directions, adding the carrots during the last minute of cooking.

Drain the noodles and carrots and place in a large bowl. Add peanut/chicken sauce and stir gently to combine.

Notes:
The chicken works best if it is shredded, otherwise it won't incorporate well into the noodles.

If you use 1/2 tea. of the sambal oelek, it will give it a very mildly spicy taste. Use the full amount and it will be HOT. I use the 1/2 tea. then put it on the table to add more as desired.