MOTHER'S DAY MENU

Braised beef tips         Photo credit: Valerie Phillips

I always loved it when my kids attempted to make "breakfast in bed" for me on Mother's Day.  But our morning church meetings often made it a hectic event. 

Frankly, I'm more happy when my family makes dinner (and cleans up as well). After the typical Mormon three-hour "block" meetings, our family comes home ravenous, but I'm more in the mood for taking a nap than preparing a big dinner.

This is a very easy "Sunday Dinner Solution" meal that pre-teens or hubbies can make for Mom without much room for error. You just place most of the ingredients in the slow cooker (a.k.a. Crock-Pot) and let it cook for three to four hours on high, or six to eight hours on low. About 20 minutes before serving, start cooking the rice in the microwave. and thicken the sauce with cornstarch. The end result: savory chunks of flavorful, tender beef.

Rip open a bag of salad mix or heat some frozen veggies, and you're in business. 

Save money by using less-expensive beef stew meat instead of steak. Let the slow cooker work its tenderizing magic and no one will know the difference. But Mom will appreciate your being easy on the budget,

Braised Beef Tips on a Budget

2 pounds beef stew meat

1 red or green bell pepper, sliced

1-2 ribs celery, sliced

1 onion, chopped (or 1/4 cup dried onion flakes)

2 beef bouillon cubes

1/4 cup soy sauce

2 cups water

Several grinds of pepper

2 tablespoons cornstarch

2 cups rice

6 cups water

Place beef, bell pepper, celery, onion, bouillon, soy sauce, 2 cups water and pepper in a slow-cooker. Cover with lid and set on high. Cook for 3-4 hours. About 20 minutes before serving, mix cornstarch with 1/2 cup water. Whisk the cornstarch mixture into the beef mixture until smooth. Allow mixture to cook, uncovered, about 10-15 more minutes to thicken. 

Meanwhile, place rice and water in a large, microwaveable casserole bowl with lid. Cook, covered in a microwave on high for 4-5 minutes, or until water is boiling. Turn the microwave to low heat and continue cooking, covered, 10 more minutes, or until rice is fork-tender. Serve beef tips over rice.