Pho for dinner

I made pho tonight for the first time. I actually didn't make it tonight. I assembled it last night and let it cook in my favorite crock pot while I was at work. I looked up recipes online and most calls for making beef stock out of bones. I don't know what that even means so I just used beef stock and added spices. It was easy and turned out awesome.

Terran said "mmm, mama, this is so good." And Sisi sat very quietly and continuously shoved noodles in her mouth. Pat said that the beef was cooked too long but the soup was right on. Such great compliments!

Here's the recipe. I got it from one of my favorite crock pot websites: crockpot365.blogspot.com

--6 cups beef broth or stock
--2 inch chunk of ginger
--2 whole star anise
--1 cinnamon stick
--2 sliced green onions
--1 lb thin sliced beef
--package of rice noodles
--2 t fish sauce
--1/2 t kosher salt
--1/2 t black pepper

put everything (except the noodles) in the crockpot and cook on low for 8 hours. If I were to do it again, and if timing was right, I'd put the meat in during the last hour or so. Cooking thin slices of beef for 8 hours just disintegrates the meat. I knew that it wasn't a good idea but I knew I was going to be home late tonight and wouldn't have that extra hour til dinner. Oh well. Maybe next time. I will also put in cloves next time since I have some of that on hand.

The smell in the kitchen was amazing when I got home. Pat picked up the kids and got home before I did so he cooked the noodles in the pot. Overall, it was definitely successful and I will definitely do it again. Pho is definitely one of my favorite foods!

Part of the reason I made pho is because Pat hasn't had it in a long long time. I work next to Chinatown in Philly so I get pho at least every other week. For Pat, who is stuck in Lawrenceville, NJ, there's no where to get pho nearby. Due to lack of good restaurants in the area, I've resorted to cooking things that I wouldn't usually make. Pho is one example, and last week, I made Ropa Vieja - which was also pretty damn good. I'm such a good wife.