Pork Fried Rice

 

1 lb. pork chopped into ½ inch cubes

2 Tbsp. vegetable or olive oil

2 Tbsp. sesame oil

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. pepper

½ tsp. ground ginger

 

1 ½ cups frozen peas and carrots

1 Tbsp. minced garlic

4 eggs, beaten

½ cup green onions, chopped

4 cups rice, cooked

¼ cup soy sauce

Place first six ingredients into a large heated skillet or wok on medium-high heat. Cook 5-7 minutes or until pork is cooked through. Reduce to medium heat and move pork out of pan to a bowl. Add peas and carrots to skillet and saute 2 minutes to heat through. Stir in garlic and cook one minute. Push veggies to one side and cook eggs in the other side of skillet. Move heat to medium-low and return pork to skillet. Add rice and green onions. Stir to combine. Drizzle with soy sauce and cook 2-3 minutes to heat through. 

Asian Dressing Sweet Potatoes

 

2 cups sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into bite sized pieces
3-4 bunches baby bok choy
½-3/4 cup Asian Style Sesame Vinaigrette dressing (I used Simple Truth brand) You can use honey soy ginger sauce as well.
Sesame seeds for garnish (optional)

Place sweet potatoes on a baking pan lined with parchment paper. Roast for 25 minutes at 450 degrees, tossing the potatoes halfway through baking to ensure even roasting. Chop bok choy while sweet potatoes are baking.  Sauté potatoes in the dressing, adding the bok choy. Cook until sauce is reduced and bok choy is done. Sprinkle sesame seeds on top for garnish.

 

This recipe can be doubled or tripled, as one bottle of dressing is 12 ounces.

Cheesy Chicken and Rice (for pressure cooker)

I found this on thestayathomechef.com and modified it to be even better. I love doing that! This is a great recipe for those busy cooks on the go. Once the prep is done, it only takes a little tending between other tasks you may be doing.  And it is kind of a "one pot" dinner that my five-year-old niece gave "135" on a scale of 1-10. Here you go! You're welcome.

2 Tablespoons butter, divided

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup slivered almonds

1 Tablespoon minced garlic

1 cup rinsed long grain rice

1 cup water

1 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

2 cups finely chopped broccoli

2 cups finely shredded cooked chicken (or a 12.5 oz. Costco can)

1 cup grated cheddar cheese

With a pressure cooker set to saute, add 1 tablespoon of butter, onion and almonds to the pot and saute gently for a few minutes until onions begin to become clear. Add garlic and saute one more minute. Add rice, water, seasoned salt and onion powder to pot and stir to combine. Set pressure cooker to pressure cook for 4 minutes (secure lid, etc.). Let pressure release naturally for 16 minutes. Open lid and stir in 1 tablespoon of butter and broccoli. Close lid and let sit for 20 minutes to steam the broccoli. Open lid and stir in chicken and cheese. Serve warm. 

Chicken Noodle Soup

 

This heart-warming soup is sure to delight on cool fall or winter evenings. It soothes the soul!

2 Tbsp. olive oil or cooking oil

1 cup carrots, peeled and sliced thin

1 cup celery, sliced thin (about 2 stalks)

1 cup chopped yellow onion

2 garlic cloves, minced

64 oz. (8 cups) regular or low sodium chicken broth + more for more soupy soup

2 bay leaves

1/2 tsp. thyme

1/2 tsp. oregano

1 tsp. pepper

12 oz. wide egg noodles

2 cups shredded cooked chicken (I used canned but a rotisserie chicken would be delicious!)

3-4 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped

1 Tbsp. lemon juice

salt to taste

In a big pot or Dutch oven (or French casserole, they are sometimes called) saute carrots, celery and onion. Add garlic and saute 1-2 more minutes.  Add chicken broth, bay leaves, thyme, oregano, pepper and bring to a boil.  Allow to boil 5 minutes or until veggies are fork tender. Add egg noodles and boil 10 minutes until noodles are soft. Add chicken, parsley and lemon juice. Boil 1-2 minutes. Taste soup and add salt if needed. 

Notes: Since I used regular chicken broth, I didn't need to salt it much at the end. I found this to be less "soupy" than I like so I added extra broth. I suggest adding at least 2-4 more cups of broth if you like very soupy soup like I do for chicken noodle soup. I found this to be pretty thick, hearty and "noodly", which some may like more. 

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

These delightful meatballs are great for entertaining or for a delicious meal on the weekend.  

For the sauce:

3/4 c. grape jelly

1 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp. spicy brown mustard

dash of bottled hot pepper sauce (optional)

For the meatballs:

1 egg lightly beaten

1/4 c. fine bread crumbs

1/4 c. finely chopped onion

2 Tbsp. milk

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper

8 oz. bulk pork sausage

8 oz. ground beef

Cooking spray or oil

Crushed red pepper (optional)

Sauce: In a small bowl, stir together jelly, Worcestershire sauce, mustard and hot pepper sauce. Set aside.

Meatballs: In a large bowl, combine bread crumbs, egg, onion, milk, salt and pepper. Add sausage and ground beef; mix well. Shape mixture into 36 one inch meatballs. Coat large skillet with cooking spray or a little oil and heat to medium heat. Cook meatballs half at a time, until browned, turning to brown evenly. Drain off fat. Place meatballs in a 1 1/2-2 quart slow cooker. Pour sauce over meatballs. Cover and cook on low 3-4 hours or on high 1 1/2-2 hours. Serve immediately or keep on warm for up to two hours. Sprinkle with crushed red pepper (optional).  

 

 

 

Southwest Macaroni

Okay, this isn't the best pic...I was so hungry that I was busy eating while the leftovers were cooling on the stove top so I could portion it out for lunches. I looks more aesthetically appealing when it's fresh and hasn't sat for 20 minutes!

3 cups uncooked macaroni shells
1 can chopped green chiles (4 oz.)
1 jar pimientos (2 oz.) They often come in 4 oz. jars so use half if this is the case.
1 cup canned milk
1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese (I usually use 1 1/2 cups because I love cheese!)
1/2 cup sliced olives (about one small can)
1/2 tsp. salt

Cook macaroni shells in a sauce pan according to package directions and drain. Return pasta to saucepan. Stir in remaining ingredients, cooking on med-low heat until cheese is melted and sauce has thickened and is hot, about 5 minutes. makes about 6 (smallish) servings.

Slow Cooker Beans

I went to a pot luck for Independence Day with my family and my mom taught me this recipe. It's really good and so simple!

4 cans of various beans, drained. I chose black, red kidney, white kidney and garbanzos (chick peas)
1/2 onion, chopped
1 green pepper, finely choped
1-2 cloves of garlic, minced (I run mine through a press)
10 strips of cooked bacon, cut up into bite sized pieces
1/4 cup prepared mustard
1/4 cup ketchup
1/2 cup barbecue sauce or more (I used Sweet Baby Ray's)
1/2 cup brown sugar

Mix up ingredients in the slow cooker. Slow cook on low for 4-6 hours. Makes about 8 cups, maybe more. Super easy!

Egg Fried Rice

1/4 -½ cup vegetables (peas, carrots, green beans, chopped spinach, etc.)

¼ cup sausage, chopped ham or other meat

1 ½ cup cooked and cooled rice

2 large eggs

2 Tbsp. cooking oil

2-4 green onions, finely sliced

Salt

Pepper

Soy sauce

Steam or cook the vegetables (not spinach). Set aside. Cook sausage, ham (if not fully cooked) or other meat. Beat the eggs together in a small bowl. Add a few sprinkles of salt to the eggs.

Heat oil in a wok or large non-stick frying pan over high heat. Add eggs and swirl around the base of the pan.  When the eggs are half cooked and a little runny still, add the rice and stir fry quickly, breaking up any clumps in the rice. Add meat and veggies. Continue to stir fry a few minutes. Add soy sauce to taste. Add green onions and stir fry until you can smell the onions. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Chicken Fried Rice

3/4 cup finely chopped onion
2 1/2 Tbsp oil
1 egg, lightly beaten (I used three because I love eggs!)
3 drops soy sauce
8 ounces chicken, cooked and chopped (I used a can of Costco chicken and it was fine)
12 oz bag of mixed vegetables
6 cups cold cooked rice
4 green onions, chopped
salt

Heat up 1 Tbsp oil in a wok or large frying pan. Add onions and stir fry until onions are browned, about 8-10 minutes. Remove from wok or pan.
Allow wok or pan to cool slightly.
Mix egg with soy sauce and set aside. Add 1/2 Tbsp oil to wok, spreading around the wok to all surfaces. Add egg mixture and swirl egg around wok. When egg puffs, flip and cook on other side. Remove from wok and chop into pieces.
Heat 1 Tbsp oil and add chicken, vegetables and cooked onion. Stir fry for 2 minutes.
Add rice, green onions, tossing to mix well; stir fry 3 minutes.
Add 2 Tbsp of soy sauce and chopped egg to rice and fold in. Stir fry one minute more. Serve warm.
Makes about 8 cups.

Broccoli Rice Pilaf

3/4 cups chopped onion
1/2 cup slivered almonds (Sometimes I like more!)
2 cups chopped broccoli
1 Tbsp. oil
2 cups chicken broth (I use 1 can of broth in a measuring cup, fill the rest of the cup up to 2 cups with water, add 4 bouillon cubes and microwave 2 minutes to dissolve the cubes.)
2 cups instant brown rice (some call for 1 3/4 cups of rice. Read box and use their proportions for liquid to rice).

Saute onion and almonds in the oil over medium heat. Add broccoli and stir util tender. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Add the rice, cover and *let simmer on low for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and serve. Serves 6.
*Follow instant rice box instructions for how long to cook rice and let rice stand.

Tia Talana's Flatulence-Free* Beans

*The secret to having the beans not make you gasious is to use fresh beans, not ones you have had a long time... :)

3 cups dry pinto beans
1 onion, chopped
1 can diced chiles
1 can chopped tomatoes
1 tsp. cumin
pepper and garlic to taste (you can use a few cloves of minced fresh garlic or garlic powder)
1 Tbsp. salt

In a large slow cooker (Crock Pot) place the beans and enough water to cover the beans two inches above the beans. Let soak over night.

In the morning, replace the water with enough fresh water to cover the beans by an inch.
Add the chiles, onion, tomatoes, cumin, pepper and garlic. Set cooker on high for 8 hours. One hour before the beans are done (at 7 hours cook time) add the 1 Tbsp of salt.
Serves 6-10 people, depending on how much you want to eat!
I also melt some cheese into each bowl when I serve it. It's pretty good with the cheese.