Asian Lettuce Wraps

Alrighty...umm...lets not discuss my lengthy hiatus! Dinner was on the table, but sometimes it was nothing new and exciting that was worthy of sharing...or sometimes I just plain forgot to take a picture and then find the time to come and post!

However, during a little bit of a hot spell here last week I came across a wonderfully tasty, quick to get on the table, easy to make and fun to eat dinner.

Do give this a try if you think it might be something your family will enjoy.

Ingredients:

- 16 Lettuce Leaves (boston bibb, butter or iceberg)
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- ¼ cup hoisin sauce
- 2 teaspoons fresh ginger, minced
- 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
- Asian chile pepper sauce (sriacha, optional)
- 1 bunch green onions, chopped
- 1 carrot, peeled, julienned
- 1 cucumber, julienned
- Rice Stick noodles
- Asian sesame salad dressing (we used Kraft)

Directions:

1. Rinse whole lettuce leaves and pat dry, being careful not to tear them. Set aside (If using iceberg lettuce, you may wish to remove more of the core and cut the leaves in half).

2. Cook rice noodles according to directions, rinse in cold water, set aside.

3. In a medium skillet over high heat, brown the ground beef in 1 tablespoon of oil, stirring often and reduce the heat to medium. If necessary, drain and return to pan. Add in onion and garlic, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, ginger, vinegar and chile sauce (if using). Continue cooking until the onions just begin to wilt.

4. Arrange lettuce leaves, carrot, cucumber, noodles and green onions and meat on a large platter. To serve, allow each person to spoon a portion of the meat into a lettuce leaf and top with their choice of items and add a drizzle of salad dressing. Wrap the lettuce around the meat like a burrito and enjoy!