Flank Steak Stir Fry with Asparagus and Red Pepper

Well, it's that time of year. The alarm is getting quite a bit of use and it's only been a day- ok, so I hit the snooze twice and reset it for a time that was twenty minutes later than what I planned and snoozed twice again. It's tough getting up THAT early. It's the time for school supplies, back to school clothes shopping, and late tired-from-the-sitter naps. 

While I may not have a full-time permanent job yet, I am staying optimistic and busying myself in the kitchen. I pride myself on putting delicious dinners on the table for my loved ones, even with those early wake up days. 

What's one of the simpliest, delicious, fly off the plate meals that makes you wish you made a double batch of dinner for left overs the next day? (Ahem, Clean Plate Club) Stir fry, of course! Unfortunately, there were no leftovers. I'm going to have to do something about that next time. The sauce is a little different than what I envision a sauce to be. Made of more bits of garlic and chive than liquid, I was nervous about the stir fry and sauce ratio. This recipe was right on. If you want to serve this with rice, I might consider a double batch. 

IngredientsFor the stir fry: 
3 Tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 lb asparagus, trimmed
1 lb of flank steak, sliced in half lengthwise (along the grain) and then cut into thin strips, 2 inches long and 1/4 inch wide
1 red bell pepper, seeded, de-ribbed, and cut into thin strips 2 inches long and 1/4 inch wide
2 teaspoons of cornstarch dissolved into 3 Tablespoons of water
For the sauce:
3 Tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp ginger
1 small clove garlic, minced
1 green onion, including green tops, chopped

Directions

Bring a small pan of water to a boil and place the asparagus pieces for approximately 2 minutes. Drain, rinse in cold water, and set aside for later.

Combine soy sauce, ginger, garlic, and green onion in a small bowl and set aside.

Stir-fry the asparagus in a wok  or thick-bottomed pan in a tablespoon of oil on high heat, for about 2 minutes until lightly browned. Remove asparagus from pan and set aside.

Add another tablespoon of oil to the pan and stir fry the beef strips, in 2 batches, for 2-3 minutes until medium (brown on outside, still pink in the middle.) Return the first batch of beef to the pan and add the bell pepper. Stir and toss over high heat until just beginning to soften, approximately 1-2 minutes.

Add the cornstarch mixture to the pan followed by the stir fry sauce. Cook until sauce thickens, 1-2 minutes. Return the asparagus to the pan, toss to evenly coat and serve. 

Source: Simply Recipes