Slow Cooker Pepper Steak

I ate this a bit too early, and it wasn't quite as tender as I'd hoped.  Two hours later, it was heaven!  The moral of the story is, patience is a virtue when it comes to crockpot cooking!  I think 6-9 hours would be perfect, so this is a dish you might want to put on before you leave for work in the morning.

Yield:  8 servings

Ingredients:
2 pounds flank steak, cut into approx 2-3 inch strips
3 tbsp sesame oil
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup lime juice
1 large white onion, thinly sliced
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp fresh minced ginger
1 16 ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 green bell pepper, julienned
1 red bell pepper, julienned
1 orange bell pepper, julienned
2 tbsp cornstarch + 2 tbsp water (reserve for end) 

Rice or noodles, for serving

Garnish (optional):  Chopped cilantro
 

Directions:
Place beef strips into the crockpot.  Add sesame oil, soy sauce, lime juice, undrained canned tomatoes, onion, garlic, ginger, brown sugar, and seasonings and mix with a large spoon. Cover and cook on low for 6-9 hours, or until meat is tender.

If you would like the peppers super soft, add them during the first stage of the cooking process.  For less well done peppers, add them during the last hour.  Any kind of peppers would work; I chose three colors for presentation; yes, they're pretty!

About a half hour before serving, mix water and cornstarch into a paste and stir into the sauce in the crockpot.  This will thicken the sauce into a gravy.  Serve the meat and veggie mixture over noodles or rice, with some of the gravy ladled over it, and chopped cilantro on top, if desired.  Yum!

Tips:  I restrained myself because I always make everything spicy, but I don't think a bit of Thai chili or Sriracha sauce would be out of place here... just a thought!  Enjoy!