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The sunshine is out, the air is crisp and all I want to do is go outside and rip out some blackberry vines! Who am I? A girl with a plan. On days like this the last thing I want to do is spent time slaving away in the kitchen on dinner. I want something quick, simple, and delicious. Okay, I want that most of the time, but some days I’m fine and enjoy spending more time in the kitchen than others.
This is when the crockpot comes in handy. Even on warm days, crockpots are life savers. You don’t always have to make a soup in the old crocker. You can make a typical meal that would be cooked on the stove in a pan – like this beef and broccoli – but with much less hands on time.
The one ingredients I wasn’t too stoked on was the beef consomme. I tried to find a recipe for how to make it at home, but found nothing that looked quick to make. Quick and simple was needed since I didn’t have too much time that morning.
Anyways… I highly recommend this dish. Jacob and I gobbled it up. Serve with some rice or your favorite grain and lots and lots of broccoli. The more the better.
Crockpot Beef and Broccoli
from Chef in Training
Ingredients
- 1 lb. boneless beef chuck roast, sliced into thin strips
- 1 cup beef consomme
- 1/2 cup soy sauce, reduced sodium
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 2 tbsp water
- Fresh broccoli florets (as many as desired)
- Hot cooked rice
Directions
- Place beef in crock pot.
- In a small bowl, combine consomme, soy sauce, brown sugar, oil and garlic. Pour over beef.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours.
- In a cup, stir cornstarch and water until smooth. Add to crock pot. Stir well to combine.
- Blanch broccoli florets and add to the crock pot. Stir to combine.
- Cover and cook for an additional 20 minutes on HIGH or until thickened.
- Serve over hot, cooked rice.
Yesterday I began trying to take Hunter’s 11 month picture…
It has officially turned into a challenging task! Today is a new day, and we’ll get that perfect picture. Or at least, a less blurry. 🙂
Do you tend to spend more or less time in the kitchen with nicer weather? Or does it not make a difference? Anyone have a recipe for beef consomme?
Heather
I would be all over this if I ate beef 🙂 Looks good enough to almost make me start eating it again though! Your little guy is adorable! Almost 1 year! Can you believe how fast the time goes by? I thought the first year went quickly but be prepared for how fast the second zips by! He’s too cute!
Time is officially on overdrive. It’s crazy!
This beef with broccoli looks delicious. My husband would love this recipe. I am deifintely going to have to make this soon. I have never used my crockpot, but I am going to have to pull it out. I think it would be wonderful to set it and forget it during these busy summer months. 🙂 Thanks!!
Crockpots are soooo simple to use! Let me know if you guys try it out!
Wow! I had no idea you could make such things in the crock pot. I tend to stick to the usual soups and chili.
I probably spend about the same amount of time in the kitchen during warmer weather, but I use the stovetop and oven a lot less–salads and gazpacho for me, please!
I have yet to ever try gazpacho… favorite recipe??
As it so happens, I DO have a favorite recipe. Here ya go:
http://thebroccolihut.com/dads-gazpacho/
I liked this recipe too when i made it but my boys won’t eat broccoli. They did when they were younger, used to love it, but now the love is over.
I hope Hunters love for veggies stay… but I’m sure he’ll follow the normal kid course and hate them at one point too…
Aww I love the photos of Hunter! I love when babies are just learning to walk. Too cute!
It is so cute! He kind of walks like a crab… hands up in the air.
Aww hunter is SO cute! I’m the worst when it comes to cooking in nice weather. I mean, unless smoothies count, my stove gets turned on mayyybe once a week in the summer 🙂
Smoothies definitely count to me! My husband would have something different to say though.
mmmmm! Takeout, at home version! Looks fantastic! I think I probably spend about the same amount of time cooking when its warmer, but a lot more of it is grilling!
Grilling! I can’t wait for us to pull the BBQ out. It makes dinner super simple and tastes mmm mmm good.