Chop Suey

This turned out SO GOOD!

• 5-6 pork steaks
  


• 1 yellow onion
  


• 3 stalks celery
  


• 8-10 fresh white mushrooms (or 2 small cans of stems and pieces)
  


• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  


• 2 tablespoons butter
  


• 2 cups bean sprouts
  


• 4 tablespoons molasses
  


• 1/3 cup soy sauce
  


• 1 can Swanson chicken broth (I boiled 2cups of water and disolved 1chicken bouillon)
  


• 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
  


• 1/2 cup water
  


• 2 tablespoons cornstarch

Directions:

1. Cut pork into 1/2 inch cubes.
   


2. Slice celery thin on diagonal.
   


3. Slice onion into long slivers.
   


4. Slice mushrooms into small hunks.
   


5. Open cans of broth and bean sprouts.
   


6. Mix corn starch into water.
   


7. Heat oil in dutch oven, add butter and heat until it begins to bubble.
   


8. Add pork cubes; don't stir for approximately 2 minutes to permit the pork to brown.
   Stir and add onion, celery, then mushrooms.
   


9. Sprinkle in white pepper.
   


10. Let cook over medium heat, stirring often, until celery and onion slivers are tender.
    


11. Add chicken broth, soy sauce and bean sprouts.
    


12. Now add the molassas, and stir.
    


13. Taste for proper balance of sweet and salt flavor, adding more soy sauce or more molassas to balance flavor.
    


14. Cover pot and simmer for at least an hour.
    


15. remove cover and let simmer slowly for about 20 minutes.
    


16. When pork is totally tender, and you have the proper sweet/salt flavor, mix corn starch into water and add to pot.
    


17. Bring up heat just to the boil while stirring.
    


18. Lower heat and let "cook" for about 15 minutes.

a yummy lunch!

I was watching TV last night and saw a commercial about a new show that is about to start. Its called Pantry Raid or something like that. Anyway the point of the show is that you can take what barebones items you have left in your pantry or fridge and create a great meal. SO with that in mind I set out in search of a tasty lunch for me and the kids with what few things we have left hanging out in the pantry(I SO need to go shopping but a recent back injury has kept me from it) I found a can of chicken and a handful of craisins. In the fridge I found a few stalks of limp celery and a green onion on its last leg(but still OK) I diced that up and added it to the chicken, craisins some mayo, mustard, salt and pepper. I also found a few kiwi's that we'd forgotten about and tada.... Lunch!

It WAS yummy!

Tri-tip, angel hair pasta and swiss chard

Tri-Tip Roast

• 2 1/2-3 lbs tri-tip roast
  


• 2/3 cup vegetable oil (I used canola)
  


• 2/3 cup honey
  


• 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
  


• 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
  


• 1/4 teaspoon salt
  


• 1 teaspoon ground pepper
  


• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  


• 1 teaspoon crushed rosemary

1. Combine all ingredients, except garlic and rosemary, and blend well.
   


2. Place roast in an oven-proof baking dish.
   


3. Cover roast with the marinade and place in the refrigerator for 24 hours, turning and basting a few times, ending with the fat side down.
   


4. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
   


5. Sprinkle the garlic powder and crushed rosemary over the top of the roast.
   


6. Puncture the roast with a fork all over the top, and bake for 30-40 minutes, or until a meat thermometer reads 135 degrees for medium-rare.
   


7. Remove from oven and allow to rest about 5 to 10 minutes.
   Carve against the grain and serve, using the juices as a gravy.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Angel Hair Pasta with Sun Dried Tomatoes and Basil

• one pound of angel hair pasta


• 1/4 cup of olive oil drained from sun-dried tomatoes


• one bunch chopped green onion(of which I had none of)


• 2 cloves of garlic minced


• 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes


• 1 cup fresh basil leaves(of which I had none of)


• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped dried tomatoes


• salt and pepper to taste


• fresh grated parmesan cheese(of which I had none of)

1. Cook one pound of angel hair pasta until al dente. Drain.


2. Saute 1/4 cup of olive oil drained from sun-dried tomatoes, one bunch chopped green onion, 2 cloves of garlic minced, and 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes until tender.


3. Toss garlic mixture with pasta, 1 cup fresh basil leaves, and 1/2 cup coarsely chopped dried tomatoes.


4. Season with salt and pepper to taste.


5. Serve with lots of fresh grated parmesan cheese.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sauteed Swiss Chard

• 1
  lb red swiss chard, washed,bottom stem removed,coarsely chopped
  


• 1 1/2
  teaspoons olive oil
  


• 2
  cloves garlic, minced
  pepper

1. Swiss Chard should be chopped into pieces about 2" square.
   


2. Heat oil in a wok or skillet.
   


3. Saute garlic for about 1 minute.
   


4. Have high heat and saute the swiss chard for about2-3 minutes (Water clinging to the leaves is enough liquid to cook the chard).
   


5. Toss (do not over cook) until just wilted and getting soft.
   


6. Season with pepper& serve.

New Book

Lets see what comes of it!

Sweet and Sour Chicken

This was just so so. It wasnt bad atall(pretty good actually), but not GREAT. I think I will try a different recipe next time.

• 1 (20 ounce) can pineapple chunks in juice


• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts


• salt and pepper


• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil


• 2 small carrots, skin removed, sliced


• 1 medium onion, cut into thick pieces


• 1/2 of a red bell pepper, seeded and sliced thick


• 1/2 of a green bell pepper, seeded and sliced thick


• 1-2 garlic clove, thinly sliced


• 1/2 cup ketchup


• 1/3 cup brown sugar, pressed firm


• 1 tablespoon cornstarch


• 1 tablespoon soy sauce


• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced


• 1 lemon, juice and zest of, grated


• 2 cups hot cooked rice

(I doubled the recipe)

1. Drain pineapple; reserve juice.
   
2. Cut chicken into bite-size pieces.
   Season with salt and pepper.
   
3. In large nonstick skillet heat oil over medium high heat; brown chicken, turning once. Reduce heat.
   
4. Add carrots, bell pepper, onion and garlic to skillet. Cover; simmer 5 minutes.
   
5. Combine reserved juice, ketchup, brown sugar, cornstarch, soy sauce, ginger, lemon peel and juice in small bowl until blended.
   
6. Stir into same skillet. Cover; simmer 10 minutes longer. Stir in pineapple; heat through. Serve with hot rice.

This was a big hit

Cheerios with dried blueberries, slivered almonds and bananas served with kefir rather than milk. Faster than a smoothie and hid the flax seed oil just fine. They gobbled it up!

Herb Broiled Chicken, Oven roasted red potatoes, Carrots

Might not sound like the best combo, but all in all it was a nice dinner. This is the part of the month that I am digging through the freezer and depths of the pantry trying to use up the odds and ends. Ive come across these recipes from various places online and in cook books, I am not going to give credit or take credit for any of them. These posts are merely for myself and reference.




Lets start with the chicken:

• 5lbs chicken thighs
• 6 T. lemon juice
• 4 T. oil
• 1 t. crushed rosemary leaves
• 1/2 t. thyme leaves
• 2/3 t. garlic powder
• Dash of pepper
• Dash of paprika

Arrange chicken bone side up, on broiler pan. In small bowl, combine remaining ingredients; brush over chicken. Broil about 4 inches from heat for 15 minutes, brushing frequently with sauce. Turn chicken; continue broiling brushing frequently with sauce for 15 minutes or until chicken is tender. When all was said and done the chicken cooked for about 45minutes. could have used a tent at the end as the skin got slightly burnt, but it was good!



Cooked Carrots

• 
  1
  lb fresh carrots, peeled and cut into 2 ",long julienne strips
  
• 2
  cloves garlic, minced
  
• 1
  tablespoon EVOO
  
• 1
  tablespoon butter
• 2
  tablespoons minced fresh chives or chopped green onions (actually better with onions than chives)
  
• salt & freshly ground black pepper

1. 
   In a large skillet over medium-high heat, saute carrots and garlic in olive oil and butter for 3 minutes.
   
2. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 8-10 minutes or until carrots are crisp-tender.
   
3. Toss with chives, and serve immediately.

I boiled the carrots first because my mother doesnt like undercooked carrots. Turned out pretty good though I still prefere glazed carrots.

Oven Roasted Red Potatoes:

1. 1medium size bag of red potatoes washed and halved
2. drizzle with EVOO
3. salt and pepper
4. sprinkle with rosemary leaves(dry)
5. Bake covered at 350 for 45minutes or until done

I actually made these potatoes a few days ago and just reheated them tonight(which is why they look not so pretty, lol

New space

Id like to use this new space to post recipes and pictures of my daily adventures in homemaking . I'm anticipating that I will mostly post pictures and recipes as a reference for myself as I build my skills and explore the joys of cooking, baking, knitting and quilting.