Pork Stir Fry

I was browsing through Cooking Light's website a few months ago and found this recipe for pork stir fry. I love stir fry because it's pretty quick and a great way to fill up on veggies. This spicy stir fry was an instant hit with my husband. I put it on a regular rotation.

Photo Courtesy of Cooking Light

I do not use the green onions or toasted sesame seeds. We are big mushroom fans, so I usually add them. I will say the sesame oil and hoisin sauce were a splurge at the grocery store (for me, I'm a cheap-o) but it was worth it since I make it so often. (My picture did not look as good as this one so I thought I would use it instead.)

Ingredients

• 1  teaspoon  canola oil
• 1/4  cup  hoisin sauce
• 1/4  cup  ketchup
• 1  teaspoon  low-sodium soy sauce
• 1/2  teaspoon  bottled minced garlic
• 1/8  to 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 1  (1-pound) pork tenderloin, trimmed, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1  teaspoon  black pepper
• 1/4  teaspoon  salt
• 2  teaspoons  dark sesame oil
• 1  cup  presliced zucchini
• 1  cup  presliced red bell pepper
• 1  teaspoon  bottled ground fresh ginger (such as Spice World)
• 1/2  cup  chopped green onions
• 1  teaspoon  toasted sesame seeds

Preparation

Heat canola oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Combine hoisin sauce and next 4 ingredients (through ground red pepper), stirring until blended; set side. Add pork to pan; sprinkle with black pepper and salt. Cook 3 minutes on each side or until done. Remove from pan. Add sesame oil to pan. Add zucchini, bell pepper, and ginger; stir-fry 4 minutes or until bell pepper is tender. Stir in onions and pork. Add hoisin mixture to pan; toss to coat. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Ham, Spinach and Mushroom Frittata

Over the weekend, I made this yummy frittata using a few things we had in the fridge.A frittata is basically quiche without the crust. I love quiche but frittata's are easier to make with on-hand items. I have to apologize, there is no picture with this one. I forgot. We were hungry. I plan to make this again and I will remember to take a picture before we eat.

Ingredients:
4 eggs and 2 egg whites
3 thin slices of ham, chopped (I bought too much lunch meat this week.)
8 ounce package mushrooms, chopped
1 cup chopped spinach (again, bought too much)
1 cup shredded sharp cheese
garlic powder
parsley

Directions:

1. Add one tablespoon Olive Oil to pan and saute mushrooms with garlic powder to taste. Once mushrooms are soft, add chopped spinach. Once spinach wilts, remove pan from heat.
2. In a separate bowl, beat eggs and whites. Add cheese and about 1 tsp parsley.
3. Combine egg mixture, ham, veggies in a 9 inch pie dish.
4. Bake at 375 for about 30-40 minutes.

This can be made for breakfast, brunch or dinner. I have added different veggies according to what we have on hand. Even my 5 year old ate this one and asked for more. 

Barbeque Pork and Cole Slaw

I'm back after a nice long break. And I guess since Christmas is over, I should make real food. Let's cook dinner, shall we?

When we moved to Texas over one year ago, we discovered the barbeque is quite different. Being from Tennessee and Kentucky we like pork bbq. Here, it's beef brisket. Now, I like the brisket--a little. But we love pork and I haven't found a place that sells it. So, I decided to make my own. I used the crock pot so it's easy too. (Just a note about the slaw, it is best if made one day before. )

Ingredients for Pulled Pork:
2.5 lb boneless pork butt/shoulder
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 water

Directions:
Combine seasonings in a bowl and rub over roast. Place meat in a crock pot and cook on low for about 6 hours or until pork is tender. Move pork to cutting board and let rest for about 10 minutes. I cut chunks of meat and then pulled and shredded it.  Place on bun (toasted, yum!) and serve with your favorite barbeque sauce and fixins. Which brings me to the slaw. This is a family recipe. I am picky about cole slaw but this is good.

Ingredients for Cole Slaw:
1 head of cabbage
1 green pepper
1 cup mayo
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup cider or salad vinegar
Morton's Nature Seasoning

Directions:

1. Whisk sugar into mayo until it's smooth. Add vinegar and whisk until well combined and creamy. Add a little seasoning.
2. Chop cabbage and finely dice green pepper. Place in a bowl.
3. Add the dressing and toss. Also add a little more Morton's.
4. **Add the dressing sparingly. As this sits, the cabbage weeps which will thin the dressing. I added enough to make the vegetables wet and then saved the rest to add the next day.

Just the right meal for a little taste of our hometown.

Chocolate Caramel Cookies

This is the last cookie I plan to make in 2010. I always have so much fun baking and this year was no exception. I enjoy being in the kitchen, listening to Christmas music, and asking my oldest son to help. He loves to bake with me. This year he was sick for most of the baking but he did get to help with this cookie.

(I forgot to pose them on a plate.)
Ingredients:
3/4 cup unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons water
2 cups semisweet chocolate
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
36 Hershey Kisses with Caramel

In a large pan over low heat, cook butter , sugar and water until butter melts.

Add chocolate chips and stir until partially melted. Remove from heat and continue to stir until chocolate is melted. Pour into a large bowl and let stand for about 10 minutes to cool off a little.

While you are waiting you can lick this spoon. (And then put it in the dishwasher, of course.) You haven't used the eggs yet! Guilt free.

Beat eggs into bowl of chocolate mixture at a high speed. Reduce speed to low and add the dry ingredients, beating until blended. Chill dough for about one hour.

Preheat oven to 350. Roll dough into balls and place on ungreased cookie sheet about two inches apart. Bake about 8 minutes. While the cookies bake, unwrap the Hershey Kisses. When you take cookies out of the oven, place a Kiss on each cookie. Just place it on there, don't push it in. Let it sit for about 5 minutes and spread the Kiss on the cookie.

Deee-licious.

Cranberry Conserve

 I made this on Thanksgiving. I was instantly excited when I saw the colors. It is so pretty. And perfect for the holidays. I could not get a good picture that I felt showed how lovely it looked. I'm still a camera novice.

Ingredients:
4 cups fresh cranberries
1 1/2 cup water
3 cup sugar
1 cup crushed pineapple (7 or 8 oz can), undrained
1/2 cup golden raisins (I just had regular raisins)
1 seedless orange, washed and chopped, including the rind
1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts

Directions:

1. Combine cranberries and water in a medium to large saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat and simmer for 5-8 minutes or until the berries pop and are tender.

2. Stir in the sugar, crushed pineapple with juice, raisins, and chopped orange with orange peel. (I zested the orange peel and chopped the orange sections.)
3. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Remove from heat and stir in the nuts.
5. Place in serving dish while still hot. Cool, cover and refrigerate.  
6. Insist that your husband come in to admire it's beauty. Bonus points for you if he comes without looking at you like your crazy.

Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies

Cherries covered in chocolate. What can be better? Oh yes, put it on a cookie. That is better.

I love chocolate covered cherries and would buy the boxed goodness every year. Once I tried this cookie, I said goodbye to Queen Anne.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp Vanilla
1 egg

1/2 cup cocoa
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cup flour

48 small maraschino cherries, drained but save
4 tsp of the juice

1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Cream butter and sugar. Add vanilla and egg.
2. Combine dry ingedients in a seperate bowl and then add to butter mixture.
3. Form balls with mixture, about 3/4inch to 1 inch and place on parchment paper lined cookie sheets. Press center with thumb and place cherry in indentation.
4. Melt chocolate chips with sweetened condensed milk on low heat and stir in the 4 tsp of cherry juice.
5. Use a spoon to place the chocolate mixture on the cherry cookie. ( I have found it easier to work with the chocolate in this step if it is warm so keep it on low heat. Just be careful not to burn the chocolate. Also, use a teaspoon to cover the cherry. It will go on easier than scooping out with a measuring spoon.)
6. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Let rest on sheets for about one minute then move to a wire rack.
7. Enjoy!

Date and Nut Balls

I am back in the kitchen! Today I made Date and Nut balls which are a favorite in the house. My mother-in-law makes them every year and I started making them about three years ago.

Ingredients:

2 8-oz boxes chopped dates
1 cup brown sugar
1 stick unsalted butter
4 tablespoons water
1 tsp vanilla
3 cups Rice Krispies
2 cups chopped pecans
powdered sugar


Mix dates, sugar, and water together in saucepan. Cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes.

Remove from heat. Add nuts, vanilla, and Rice Krispies. Stir until mixed well. Let mixture cool because it is hot and you will be forming balls with your hands.

Pour about 1-2 cups of powdered sugar into a bowl. Have some kind of tray or plate close by too.

Once mixture is cool enough to handle, pour olive oil or canola oil on your hands. Grease 'em up real good. Now start making balls. (I can usually make about 48 so not too big, not too small.) You will want to roll the balls in the powdered sugar and place on plate or tray.

I have found that if you are making these alone, it's much quicker to roll the balls, place in bowl and stop after about twelve are waiting in the powdered sugar bowl. Use a spoon to push the balls around and coat well. Place the powdered sugar goodness on the plate and start again. If you have a helper, you can do an assembly line.