Beef Asian Lettuce Wraps

Becca here with a recipe my family really enjoyed.  I modified a recipe from Rachael Ray's cooking magazine that my Grandma subscribes to and kindly passes on to me when she's finished with.  I love a good lettuce wrap of any type, chicken, beef, seafood, meatless, etc. but they aren't something I've typically made at home often because the recipes usually call for either a long list of ingredients, lots of strange things, involved prep and cooking, or all of the above.  So I was super excited to try this recipe that calls for just a handful of things that you should be able to pick up at any grocery store; I found them all easily at my Arkansas Walmart.  Honestly, I was a bit skeptical about the end result, but what I thought I was making as a double batch for the freezer ended up being gone in one dinner meal, with just a few leftovers for my husband to take to work for his lunch the next day. 

Beef Asian Lettuce Wraps

1/2 cup hoisin sauce (in a jar, with the other Asian products at my store)

2 Tablespoons soy sauce

2 pounds ground meat (I used beef, chicken or turkey would be good & probably more authentic :)

4 large carrots, shredded (I wash only, and don't peel first)

6 garlic cloves, minced

8 green onions, both whites and greens chopped

1 large head of lettuce, leaves separated and left whole (butter lettuce is great)

In a large skillet, begin browning ground meat and garlic, breaking it apart as it cooks.  If you're using a super lean poultry, you may need to add a tablespoon or so of oil for best results.  When the meat is starting to show signs of being done, add shredded carrots.  Cook an additional few minutes, and then right before the meat is finished, add green onions.  Drain, if necessary.

Reduce heat to medium when meat is cooked through, and stir in hoisin sauce and soy sauce.  Stir well to combine, and cook an additional 2-3 minutes, or until heated through.

Serve with lettuce leaves to use for cups.  I recommend serving the meat mixture and lettuce separately and letting people fill their lettuce right before eating it, so that the lettuce stays nice and crisp and doesn't wilt.  Plus, my kids think it's great fun :)  Enjoy!!