Hoison Bison Lettuce Wraps

Last night, when I finished working, I just didn't have my normal energy to cook.  I was hungry and wanted dinner in a hurry.  Maybe it's that mile I ran on my lunch break, who knows?

So I made hoison bison lettuce wraps, which I was able to pull together in about 15 minutes (eat your heart out Rachel Ray!) and make everyone eating at home happy.



 Ingredients:
3 tsp. hoison sauce
3 tsp. grated fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic
3 Thai chilis
1/2 sweet onion, diced
1/2 bell pepper (any color)
1 lb. ground bison
1 tsp. sesame oil
lettuce (I used Romaine but Bibb would work so much better)
tomatoes (I used cherry tomatoes that I quartered)
carrots
cucumbers
sliced onion

Add sesame oil to a large skillet, bring to medium-high heat.  Add smashed garlic cloves and onion, cook for about 2 minutes.  Add chopped bell pepper and cook for another 2 minutes or so.  Add your ground bison.  Stir this all together, inhale and enjoy the scent.  If your Thai chilis are frozen, throw them in the mixture whole, being careful not to break them open. Throw about 8 of the tomato quarters into the mix, and then spoon about 3 heaping teaspoonfuls of hoison sauce over the mixture.  Mine was gluten-free.. but I would read the label carefully.  (I'm sure this would be tastier and healthier if I made my own hoison sauce, but again, I was in a hurry this time.  Next time for sure.)  Mix well.  Lower the heat to low.  While the meat mixture is simmering, wash the lettuce and lay out the leaves for the wraps.  Cut the cucumbers and carrots into matchsticks, slice some onion, and lay out quartered cherry tomatoes.  Once this is done, your meat should be about ready.  Pull out any meat for those that can't or won't eat spicy.  (I pulled a cupful out for the baby.)
Now, grate up about 3 tsp. of fresh ginger.  I wouldn't measure this, just eyeball it.  Pull out your Thai chilis and mince them.  Then put them, seeds and all, back into the meat mixture.  Stir it all up and cook a couple more minutes.

Serve the meat on lettuce with assorted vegetable toppings.  (My husband topped his with feta cheese, but to me it didn't seem to go.  It's your wrap though, so feel your moment.)