$5 Fridays: Mu-Shu Beef and Cabbage Wraps

Elegant photography, right? I am accepting sponsors for food photography lessons. 

Anyway, I sort of stumbled upon this recipe earlier in the week when I realized I had defrosted about 2 pounds of ground beef but didn't have any plans for it. I was searching through Biggest Book of Slow Cooker Recipes (Better Homes & Gardens) for a slow cooker recipe (duh!), and found this little gem. The only problem?  The recipe doesn't call for a slow cooker. I won't admit how much time I spent scouring the recipe for instructions on to cook this in my crock-pot -- and what I muttered as I did it!

Turns out, there's a "Bonus Chapter" called One-Dish Dinners, and that's which section I was in.  The recipe was so easy and quick to throw together, though, I didn't even miss the slow cooker. And here's another shocker -- both my kids ate every bite! My 3-year-old even asked for seconds. I am definitely going to make this again.  

Mu Shu Style Beef & Cabbage Wraps

(adapted from Biggest Book of Slow Cooker Recipes)

8 8" flour tortillas -- $1.49

3/4 lb lean ground meat (I used beef) -- $1.49

1 onion, chopped -- $.50

2 cups shredded cabbage with carrots (I used Wegmans' prepared cole slaw mix) -- $1.50

1 cup corn (I had some leftover canned corn in the fridge, so I just dumped it in) -- $.20

1/4 cup Hoisin Sauce -- $.33 (I made my own. Recipe to come Monday)

1. Brown the meat and the onions in a large skillet. Drain most of the fat (I like to keep a little, and then reduce the oil if it's called for in the rest of the recipe).

2. Mix in cabbage, carrots, and corn. Cover and cook 4 minutes. Cabbage should still have a bite to it -- no one likes flaccid cabbage.

3. Stir in hoisin sauce, then stir and cook until heated.

4. Spoon the meat mixture into the tortillas, and wrap up, burrito-style. You could also use lettuce leaves if you had large, fresh leaves -- that would make it even healthier (and possibly cheaper).

Total Cost= $5.51

Serves 4