Asian Pork on Coconut Rice with Green Beans

Asian Pork on Coconut Rice
Serves: 6

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup sweet chili sauce ( Maggi Taste of Asia, mild)
• 1/4 cup, plus 2 tablespoons Soy Sauce
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 2 tablespoons peeled, finally chopped fresh ginger
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 pork tenderloin
• Salt & Pepper, to taste
• sesame seeds and scallions, for garnish

Combine first five ingredients to make sauce. Divide sauce in two small bowls and set aside. Salt & pepper tenderloins and grill. 10 minutes before taking the pork off the grill, baste repeatedly the pork with half of the sauce. When the pork is done, remove from grill and let rest for a couple of minutes. Slice and serve with coconut rice and Asian green beans.

Coconut Rice:

• 1 can coconut milk
• jasmine rice

Prepare rice according to package diractions, substituting coconut milk for equilvalent amount of water. Add a dash of salt and one teaspoon of sugar if milk is unsweetened. Cook until liquid is absorbed. Set aside.

Note: The second time I made this I needed to have enough rice for eight servings, so I used one can of coconut milk and supplemented the milk with some Thai Coconut Curry broth I bought on impulse at the grocery store. It was amazing!

Asian Green Beans

Ingredients:

• 1 pound fresh green beans, ends removed and cut in half
• olive oil
• sesame oil
• soy sauce
• sugar
• sesame seeds (I use black sesame seeds)
  
• pinch of red pepper flakes, optional
  

Directions:

1. Blanche green beans, drain and set aside.
2. Heat a little olive oil and sesame oil in a saute' pan. Add a little splash of soy sauce and a tiny bit of sugar.
3. Add blanched green beans and red pepper flakes to the pan and toss, cooking until heated.
4. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve.


This meal is one of my new favorites. It's quick and easy, and is pretty forgiving. The only downside? I only had my cell phone camera available to take a picture, and the quality isn't great. Oh well, I never claimed to be a photographer!

Photo credit, Me. Sorry for the poor quality.

Beef, Mushroom, Cheddar & Potato Pie

Before diving into the recipe, I just have to share a few thoughts...

1. This was originally a Rachael Ray recipe. You can see the original here. I changed it up just a tiny bit. Below is my version.

2. Just because a recipe says "Prep Time: 45 minutes", don't take it at its word. Trust me on this.

3. I love my Vidalia Chop Wizard. Actually, if we're being honest, I'm a sucker for all things "As Seen On TV". I have a mandoline, which I also love, but for this recipe my Chop Wizard helped me stay close to the 45 minutes of prep time Rachael claimed. :-)

Beef, Mushroom, Cheddar and Potato Pie

Photo Credit, Me. Sorry it's not great!

Ingredients:

• 1.5 pounds ground beef
• 8oz baby bella mushrooms, sliced thin and sauteed
  
• 1.5 cups carrots, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
• 1 small onion, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
• 2 stalks celery, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
• 1 large clove garlic, finely chopped
• 1 large baking potato, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch cubes
• 1/2 cup beef broth
• 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• Salt and pepper
• 2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed but cold
• 1 large egg yolk, beaten with 1 tablespoon water

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375°. In a skillet, combine the beef, mushrooms, carrots, onion, celery, garlic and potato and cook, breaking up the meat, over medium-high heat until the beef is cooked through and some liquid has evaporated, about 15 minutes. Lower the heat to medium, add the beer and cook for 10 minutes. Add the cheese, 2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Let cool.
   

2. On a floured surface, roll 1 puff pastry sheet into a 12-inch round. Place in a deep pie dish. Roll the remaining puff pastry sheet into an 11-inch round. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the meat mixture to the skillet. Lightly brush the edge of the crust with some of the egg wash, then place the second sheet on top. Press the edges to seal, then trim to a 1/2-inch edge.
   

3. Place the pie on a baking sheet. Brush the top with more of the egg wash and cut an "X" into the pastry. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Bake for 45 minutes, tenting with foil if the crust darkens too quickly. Transfer to a rack to cool for 15 minutes.

4. If you have children, take the left over pastry dough, roll it again and let them go crazy with the cookie cutters. The dough gets tough very fast, but they will have fun for a few minutes.

I thought this was delicious, and Dan liked it, too. It tastes like "Fall" on a plate. Nicholas did as well, which is awesome, since he's three. Matthew, also three, ate a little bit, and then asked for ham and cheese. Ya win some, ya lose some. :-)

Disclosure: I provided all those links because I wanted to. I don't get any money, accolations, credit, etc. from providing them.

Chicken Spiedini

Chicken Spiedini

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 pounds chicken breast tenderloins
• 2/3 cup bottled sweet Italian salad dressing
• 3/4 packaged seasoned dry bread crumbs
• 3/4 cup halved fresh mushrooms
  
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 Tablespoon butter
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped prosciutto
• 34 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 lemon, quartered

Directions:

1. Marinate chicken in salad dressing for 2-24 hours.

2. Drain chicken, discard marinade. Dip chicken in bread crumbs to coat. Thread chicken on skewers, accordion style, leaving 1/4 inch space between pieces

3. Heat grill to medium. Grill skewers for 10-12 minutes, turning once halfway thru grilling.

4. In a large skillet, melt butter. Add garlic and mushrooms and cook until tender. Add prosciutto and cook 2 minutes.

5. Remove chicken from skewers; arrange on plates. Sprinkle chicken with mushroom mixture, top with cheese. Squeeze lemon to finish.

Source: Family Circle Hometown Cooking cookbook

My notes:

Everyone seemed to love this dinner. The chicken had a nice flavor, and even though I'm not a fan of prosciutto, it was quite tasty as part of the mushroom mixture. This is definitely a recipe I will make again. In place of regular bread crumbs I used panko. Also, I used baby bella mushrooms and quartered them. Next time, I think I might add just a few slices of onion and possibly introduce a little white wine to the mxiture and try to create a bit of a sauce.

I served this with roasted broccoli, cauliflower and carrots, Alexia french rolls, and fresh cherries.


Roasted broccoli, cauliflower and carrots are made by tossing veggies in a little bit of olive oil, sprinkling with freshed cracked black pepper, a little kosher or sea salt and roasted in the oven for about 20 minutes at 400 degrees. If you like a little kick, toss in a few red pepper flakes before roasting.

Parmesan Chicken & Rice

Parmesan Chicken and Rice

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 (8-ounce) package presliced mushrooms
• 3/4 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup uncooked instant rice
• 1 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Directions:

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, thyme, and mushrooms; sauté 5 minutes or until onion is tender. Add chicken; sauté 4 minutes or until the chicken is lightly browned. Add wine, salt, and pepper; cook 3 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates.
Stir in rice and broth. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Stir in cheese and parsley.

My Notes:
I haven't made this yet, but I'm not a big fan of instant rice. I plan to cook my rice separately using chicken broth, and add it in at the end. I'll make changes to the recipe to indicate this change if it goes well.

Source: Cooking Light

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

Want to have the easiest recipe for the crockpot ever? Here you go.

Ingredients:

4 pound bone-in pork butt
Salt

Directions:

Sprinkle salt on pork butt. Throw pork butt into 6 quart crock pot. Cook on low 8-10 hours. Remove bone and shred. That's it. No need for liquid. No need to trim the fat first. The only thing that would make it easier is if you didn't have to salt the meat. :-)

Notes:

We had this last night and I used North Carolina style barbecue sauce (vinegar and red pepper based sauce), and we ate it on hamburger buns with cole slaw. You can make this recipe and toss it in whatever type of barbecue sauce you like and serve it however your family likes it.

Pork Carnitas

Ingredients:

• 3 pounds bone-in pork shoulder (also called the butt)
• 1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
• 5 whole cloves garlic, more if you like garlic
• 1/2 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1/2 cup beef broth

Directions:

Use a 6 quart slow cooker. In a small bowl, combine the salt and cumin. Rub mixture all over the pork, then plop into the slow cooker. Add whole garlic cloves. Squeeze on the citrus, and pour the beef broth evenly over the top.

Cook on low for 8-10 hours, or until the pork shreds quite easily with a fork. If your meat is still fully intact after 8 hours, remove and cut into chunks, then return to the crock and flip to high for about an hour or two.
Remove bone and shred meat fully and serve.

Notes:

I served this family style and had everyone create their own dinner. Along with corn tortillas and the fixin's for tacos (corn tortillas, flour tortillas, sour cream, shredded cheese, avocado, etc.), I made black beans and rice. Everyone made their own dinner, and each meal was unique.

You can make tacos with the pork. You can make burritos (like the ones you'd get at Moe's or Chipotle, complete with rice and beans). You can make black beans and rice and top it with pork. You can eat just the pork.

This stuff is so good. Mmmm. Just thinking about it makes my mouth water.

Source: Crockpot365, with modifications to the recipe by me.

Chicken with Cranberry Mustard Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 pound chicken tenderloins
• Flour
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 2/3 cup dry white wine
• 2/3 cup chicken broth
• 3 tablespoons country-style Dijon mustard
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 1/2 tablespoons water
• 1/2 cup Craisins
• 1/4 cup sliced green onions, green part only

Directions:

Lightly toss chicken pieces with flour; shake off excess. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.

Heat 1 tablespoon of butter and oil in a large skillet. Add half of the chicken; cook about 2 minutes, turning once until chicken is golden brown on each side and cooked through. Add more butter and oil if needed. Remove to a platter; keep warm. Repeat with remaining chicken.

Add wine, chicken broth and mustard to skillet, scraping up browned bits. Combine cornstarch and water in a small bowl. Stir into skillet. Add dried cranberries. Boil 1 to 2 minutes or until sauce thickens. Stir in green onions; cook 1 more minute. Pour sauce over chicken.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: Ocean Spray

Notes: I like to serve this Cream Drop Biscuits.

Barbecue Chicken Cups

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground chicken
  
• 1/2 cup barbecue sauce
• 1/4 cup finely diced sweet onion
• 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
  
• 1 (12 ounce) package refrigerated biscuit dough
• 1/3 (or more) cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease the cups of a muffin pan.
2. In a large heavy skillet over medium heat, saute' onion in the olive oil til tender, about five minutes. Add chicken and cook until browned. Drain excess fat. Stir in barbecue sauce and dried onion. Simmer for a few minutes over low heat.
3. Flatten each biscuit, and press into cups of the prepared muffin pan. Make sure the dough comes to the top of the pan. Spoon a portion of the meat mixture into each dough cup.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 12 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese, and bake for 3 more minutes.

Notes: I have cut the biscuits in half and doubled the meat mixture to make twice as much. Obviously the cups are thinner, but we didn't notice it. Also, I have used a pre-made pizza dough (Publix makes one fresh in the bakery) in place of the biscuit dough and it's very good!

Pasta with Chicken Sausage & Broccoli

Ingredients:

• 12 ounces rigatoni
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion, sliced
• 6 ounces fully cooked chicken sausage links, sliced (I like chicken & apple sausage)
• 1 small head broccoli, cut into florets
• 1/4 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Cook the pasta according to the package directions
2. Meanwhile, heat the oli in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the onlion, stirring often, for three minutes. Add the sausage and cook, stirring until browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the broccoli and 1 1/4 cups water and simmer, covered, until the broccoli is tender, 5 to 6 minutes.
3. Toss the pasta with the sausage mixture and any remaining liquid and the Parmesan.

Source: Real Simple/September 2009

My notes:
I use about half the pasta in the recipe and double the sausage. I steam the broccoli while the onions and sausage are cooking, add a little of the water I steamed the broccoli in along with the broccoli to the onion/sausage mixture. Then I throw in the cooked pasta and toss it all together with the cheese. Also, I like to use chicken and apple sausage.

The boys aren't big fans of this, but I love it!

CrockPot Hirino Psito, Slow-Roasted Pork

CrockPot Hirino Psito, Slow-Roasted Pork

Ingredients:

• 3-4 pound boneless pork butt or shoulder
• 10 whole garlic cloves
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon sage
• 1 teaspoon rosemary
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 tablespoon gluten free Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1/4 cup dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1 cup beer

Directions:

Use a 6 quart slow cooker. Put the meat into your crockpot, and pour on dry spices, and brown sugar. Flip the meat over a few times in the stoneware so the spices are kind of stuck to all sides. Peel garlic cloves and add whole. Add Worcestershire sauce, mustard, honey, and cranberries. Top with bay leaves. Pour in the beer.

Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours, or until meat shreds easily with a fork. I cooked on low for 12 hours, and while the meat was tender and flavorful, it did burn a bit on the top and sides. Serve over rice or pasta, or on your favorite sandwich rolls.


Source: Crockpot365 Blogger


My Notes: I liked it, but Dan did not. I thought it was better the second day, reheated with a little barbecue sauce. Honestly, since it was better the second day, I'm not likely to make it again soon. I'd rather just make a pulled pork in the crockpot to begin with...

Lemon Garlic Chicken

Lemon Garlic Chicken

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds chicken thighs, boneless and skinless
• 15-20 garlic cloves
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• Dash of Lemon Pepper
  
• Salt & Pepper

Directions: Place chicken thighs and garlic cloves in baking dish and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. Pour olive oil, lemon juice and lemon pepper over the chicken. Cover chicken with thin lemon slices. Bake at 325 for 45-55 minutes. Serve with rice.

Source: B. Knowlen

My notes: I've only made this once, but it is so good. I should make this again!

Black Bean & Chicken Enchiladas

Black Bean & Chicken Enchiladas

Ingredients:

• 6 small corn tortillas
• 6 oz. chicken breast (cooked and shredded)
• 1/2c 2% shredded cheese (I used colby/monterrey jack combo)
• 1/2 can black beans
• 1-2T taco seasoning
• 1 small can enchilada sauce

Directions:
Pour small amount of enchilada sauce into bottom of casserole dish – just enough to cover bottom and prevent sticking.
Put shredded chicken into a bowl and mix in taco seasoning and black beans. Add mixture to the tortillas and roll up. Place in casserole dish.
Pour remaining enchilada sauce over the tortillas.
Top with shredded cheese.
Bake COVERED at 350 until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbly.

Source: K. Hays, via Weight Watchers

My notes:

I've doctored the original recipe up quite a bit, but the original is a great jumping off point. I double pretty much all of the ingredients and I mix in a little salsa to give it a little kick. Sometimes I use flour tortillas instead of corn, for a different flavor. I also use ground chicken instead of shredded. I just love the flavor of ground chicken in Mexican and Asian dishes.

This is another dish that I like to take to a family in need of a meal. I pack up a little extra shredded cheese, salsa and sour cream and also bring some tortilla chips.

Monte Cristo Casserole

Monte Cristo Casserole

Ingredients:

• 1 cup nonfat milk
• 6 eggs, or 1 1/2 cups egg substitute
• 25 ounces cinnamon swirl bread, or french baguette
  
• 8 ounces deli ham, diced in 1'' cubes
  
• 8 ounces deli turkey, diced in 1'' cubes
  
• 4 ounces swiss cheese, shredded
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley
• 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
• 1 container frozen sliced strawberries, thawed

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and grease a 9×13 pan. Pour milk in microwaveable container and heat until hot. Whisk eggs in small bowl, add enough hot milk to temper the eggs, then wisk remainder of heated milk until well blended. Cut bread into 3/4 inch cubes, place in large bowl. Pour egg mixture over bread cubes and toss gently. combine ham, turkey, cheese and parsley in another bowl. In the pan, layer half of the french toast cubes, then half of the meat/cheese mixture. Repeat. Let stand for 10 minutes (or overnight). Bake 30-35 minutes, until golden brown and set in center. Cool 10 minutes. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Serve casserole with sliced strawberries spooned over top.

My notes: This dish is one that I often make to take to a family who has just had a baby, had surgery, or otherwise needs a meal. It lends itself well to a breakfast dish, but is filling enough to be dinner. When having it for dinner, serve with a nice green salad.

Source: Pampered Chef

Kate's Chicken Broccoli Casserole

Kate's Chicken Broccoli Casserole

Ingredients:

• 6 skinless, boneless chicken breasts-baked and cut into bite size pieces
• 2 heads fresh broccoli, steamed and cut into bite size chunks
• 3 cans cream of mushroom soup
• 1 cup mayonaise
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 8 ounces shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients except cheddar cheese. Spoon mixture into a baking dish. Top mixture with shredded cheese. Bake for 20 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

My Notes: Kate is the grown up kid that I was the nanny for for many, many years. This was one of her favorite dishes as a kid, and we often ate this for dinner. You know, when we weren't eating pepperoni omelets.

Source: V. Woska

Cheese & Mushroom Stuffed Meatloaf

Cheese & Mushroom Stuffed Meatloaf

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
• 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
• 2/3 cup fresh breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled
• 1/4 teaspoon dried, ground or rubbed sage
• 1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese (about 6 ounces)

Directions:

Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Add onion and saute’ until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and mushrooms. Cook until mushrooms are golden brown and liquid evaporates, stirring occasionally, about 7 minutes. Cool.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix beef and next 8 ingredients in large bowl until well blended. Turn out onto large square of plastic wrap. Pat into 9x 12 inch rectangle. Spread mushroom filling over rectangle leaving 1/2 inch border on all sides. Cover mushrooms with cheese. Starting at one short side, roll the meat up jelly roll fashion. Arrange seam side down in 9×5 inch loaf pan. Bake until loaf shrinks from sides of pan and browns, about 1 hour. Pour off any drippings. Gently turn out loaf and let stand 10 minutes. Cut into slices and serve.

Source: Bon Appetit

Apple Stuffed Chicken

Apple Stuffed Chicken

INGREDIENTS

• 2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• 1/2 cup chopped apple
• 2 tablespoons shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1 tablespoon Italian-style dried bread crumbs
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

DIRECTIONS
Combine apple, cheese, and bread crumbs. Set aside.
Flatten chicken breasts between sheets of waxed paper to 1/4 inch thickness. Divide apple mixture between chicken breasts, and roll up each breast. Secure with toothpicks.
Melt butter or margarine in a 7 inch skillet over medium heat. Brown stuffed chicken breasts. Add wine and 1/4 cup water. Cover. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink.
Transfer chicken to a serving platter. Combine 1 tablespoon water and cornstarch; stir into juices in pan. Cook and stir until thickened. Pour gravy over chicken, and garnish with parsley.

My notes: I liked this dish, but remember it being quite messy to prepare and cook.

Source: Unknown. Sorry. :-(

Worms & Eyeballs

Worms & Eyeballs

Ingredients: 1 1/2 pounds ground chicken breast 2 cloves garlic, chopped 2 tablespoons chopped ginger root 2 scallions, finely chopped 1 small red pepper, 1/4 finely chopped and the remainder thinly sliced 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce, Chinese style barbecue sauce Salt and coarse black pepper 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided 3/4 small red bell pepper, sliced 1 cup shredded carrots 1 cup bean spouts 1 cup snow pea pods, julienne cut 1 pound bucatini, cooked to al dente 1/4 to 1/3 cup dark soy (Tamari) sauce, eyeball it Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.Combine chicken, garlic, ginger, scallions, finely chopped red bell pepper, hoisin and salt and pepper. Roll meatballs into the size of chicken eyeballs. Place balls on a nonstick cookie sheet and coat lightly with vegetable oil, about 1 1/2 tablespoons. Roll balls around with your hands to gently coat with the oil. Roast the chicken eyeballs 10 to 12 minutes in a very hot oven.About 5 minutes from the meatballs coming out of the oven, start stir-frying the veggies. Heat a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil. Add the sliced red bell pepper, carrots, spouts and pea pods to hot pan. Stir fry 1 minute, then drain noodles and add them to the vegetables. Add dark soy sauce to the noodles and toss to combine and evenly coat. Transfer noodles to a serving platter and top with chicken eyeballs. Source: Rachael Ray My notes: This recipe was created by Rachael Ray for Halloween, hence the gross name. I have not made this, but a dear friend of mine brought this to me after I had back surgery a couple of years ago. I looked the recipe up and kept it, thinking I might make it for our family one day!