Chop Suey

Isn't food a beautiful thing? To me, cooking is an art and, almost, a meditation.  I especially love cooking a new recipe and watching it transform from a bunch of ingredients to a perfectly cohesive dish.  


That's why cooking Meme's Chop Suey was so much fun. I enjoyed watching the beef turn beautifully brown, de-glazing the pan with soy sauce and broth to incorporate the delicious bits of caramelized beef into the pan sauce and, finally, adding the vegetables to round out the dish. 


It was quick to cook and yet, nothing was sacrificed.  It was more flavorful and satisfying than delivery and, much healthier too.   


1 lb meat of choice (beef, sausage, ground turkey)*
2 tbsp. oil*
1 cup diced celery
1 cup chopped onion
1 can Chun King Chop Suey vegetables, drained
1 bag fresh bean sprouts
2 tbsp. soy sauce
1 cup beef bouillon


For Sauce, blend:
1 tbsp. ground ginger*
1 tsp. molasses
1/4 cup water
1 tbsp. corn starch 


Brown meat in oil.  Saute with celery and onion.  Add soy sauce and bouillon.  Cook until meat is tender.  Add can vegetables and sprouts.  Cook 10 minutes.   Add sauce and stir until thickened.  Serve over rice or noodles.  
Makes 4 servings. 


Note: Our meat of choice was stew beef.  I browned it in sesame oil since I had that on hand.  I didn't have ground ginger on hand so, I used fresh (which I keep peeled and cubed in the freezer in a bag so, it's always ready to use).