I hope everyone remembers this day is not about fireworks and hot dogs (but if you don't watch Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest I don't think you can consider yourself a real American.....SPOILER ALERT! Men and women's contestants were upset this year).
But today is to remember that 239 years ago the United States of America became what it is today......or at least what we hope it can be. A world leader. What hard work and dedication and commitment can evolve into.
Hats off to those who have worked hard and dedicated their lives and their families lives to making all of our lives better. Shame to those who settle for the "entitlement" that our current government (and commander-in-chief who never served a day in the armed forces) hands out.
My heart goes out not to just the "Greatest Generation," (bless them), but to all of our dedicated soldiers, citizens, and others who have made this country great.
In this awful age of global terrorism, everyday I am grateful for those protecting us, from soldiers to law enforcement officers. Be safe. And thank you.
What a surprise this turned out to be! I'm not a big pork tenderloin fan because so often it comes out dry (my fault). But I usually keep one in the freezer (surprise! surprise!) when I catch them on sale.
And I really thought I would make rice instead of pasta because doesn't stir fry usually mean rice? But what a nice difference! The entire dish came together wonderfully...filling, tasty, and easy. A nice rainbow of colors and texture. We'll be seeing you again, friend.
PORK and MANGO STIR FRY (4 servings)
1 pound pork tenderloin
1 Tbsp + 2 tsp canola oil, divided
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
6 oz uncooked (regular or multi-grain) angel hair pasta
1 pkg (8-9 oz) frozen sugar snap peas, thawed
1 medium sweet red pepper, cut into thin strips
1/3 cup (reduced-sugar or regular) orange marmalade
1/4 cup (regular or reduced-sodium) teriyaki sauce
1 Tbsp packed brown sugar
2 tsp minced fresh garlic
1 cup chopped peeled mango
1/4 cup lightly-salted cashews, halves or coarsely chopped
Cut tenderloin lengthwise in half; cut each half crosswise into thin slices. Toss pork with 1 Tbsp oil, salt and pepper flakes. Cook pasta according to package directions.
Place a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of the pork mixture, stir fry 2-3 minutes or just until browned. Remove from pan; repeat with remaining pork mixture.
Stir-fry snap peas and red pepper in remaining oil 2-3 minutes or just until crisp-tender. Stir in marmalade, teriyaki sauce, brown sugar, and garlic; cook 1-2 minutes longer. Return pork to pan and add mango and cashews; heat through, stirring to combine. Serve with pasta.
Recipe Source: http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/pork---mango-stir-fry
As I continue to plow my way through my freezer and vegetable bin, I had seen this recipe posted in the latest "Allrecipes" magazine and just happened to have everything on hand....WooHoo! Allrecipes magazine and website have become my go-to resource for two reasons: 1) on the website, you can plug in what ingredients you would like to use and it will offer recipe selections (example: chicken breast, broccoli, fresh ginger) and 2) because on both the website and in the magazine, readers can submit changes they made to the recipe.
This time, by reading reviewers suggestions, I first dusted the chicken with flour, and I added sliced carrots, water chestnuts, and sesame seeds. However, the recipe below is the original, so make changes you'd like or go directly to the site and see how other cooks revised the recipe. For those of us creativity-handicapped, it's a great help!
SWEET, STICKY, AND SPICY CHICKEN (4 servings)
1/2 pound broccoli (about 1 large stalk)
1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 Tbsp hot sauce
2 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp packed brown sugar
2 tsp finely-chopped fresh ginger
2 tsp finely-chopped fresh garlic
1 1/4 tsp cornstarch
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut crosswise into 1/2" thick slices, or bite-sized
1/4 tsp salt
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
Separate broccoli into florets and stalks. Cut off and discard very tough bottom of stalk, then peel remaining stalk with a paring knife and thinly slice crosswise. Slice florets in half lengthwise.
Mix together soy sauce, hot sauce, honey, brown sugar, ginger, and garlic in a bowl. Whisk in cornstarch until well-combined.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and cook 2 minutes. Turn chicken over, add broccoli and 3 Tbsp water, and cook until broccoli is bright green and chicken is almost cooked through, about 3 minutes. Stir soy sauce mixture once more, pour into skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thickened, chicken is cooked through, and broccoli is crisp-tender, about 3-4 minutes.
Recipe Source: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Sweet-Sticky-and-Spicy-Chicken/Detail.aspx?lnkid=arm1164 NOTE: This recipe is a tad bit different (doesn't includes the broccoli and brown sugar). See the original in the June/July/August 2015 issue of Allrecipes Magazine.
I've been cooking. Honestly. Just too lazy to post anything new. But I've got a bunch of new recipes I've tried over the last week and look forward to sharing them with you.
This is another easy-peasy. I adjusted the original recipe (see it at http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/crispy-mustard-roasted-chicken.html) as it called for cutting up a whole chicken. I simply used two 4 oz tenderloins and cut the coating down.
Any starch and green vegetable is a perfect paring for this entree.
CRISPY MUSTARD ROASTED CHICKEN (2 servings)
2 (4 oz) chicken tenderloins/cutlets
1 tsp minced garlic (1 medium-sized clove)
1 tsp minced fresh thyme leaves
S&P
1/2 cup Panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
1 tsp grated lemon zest
1/2 Tbsp EVOO
1/2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp dry white wine
Preheat oven to 350F.
Place garlic, thyme, S&P in a food processor. Process. Add Panko, zest, olive oil, and butter and pulse a few times to moisten the breadcrumbs. Pour the mixture onto a plate. In a shallow bowl, whisk together the wine and mustard.
Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Sprinkle with S&P. Dip the chicken in the mustard mixture to coat on all sides, and then place down into the crumb mixture, pressing gently to make the crumbs adhere. Place the chicken on a sheet pan crumb-side down. Press the remaining crumbs on the chicken pieces.
Bake for about 15 minutes or until chicken reaches 165F. Turn oven to broil until crumbs are browned. Serve hot, warm, or at room temp.
Recipe Source: Food Network/Ina Garten (The Barefoot Contessa)
I ran across this wonderful quinoa salad while looking for a home for some leftover arugula. It delicious, healthy, and beautiful (and would look fabulous on your Christmas table).
I do loves me roasted beets and so this was a wonderful excuse to pick up a big batch. The original recipe (http://allrecipes.com/search/default.aspx?qt=k&wt=quinoa%2c%20beet%2c%20and%20arugula%20salad&rt=r&origin=Home%20Page) instructs you to slice and them steam the beets, but I find it easier to bake them like you would a russet potato. I had some mighty big ones, so I baked them at 350F for about 70 minutes. Obviously less if you are using smaller beets. Or take a look at the original recipe and steam them as directed if only cooking one or two small beets.
Also, the recipe calls for red quinoa, but regular quinoa will taste no differently. But the red does add to the bright colors of the salad.
Goat cheese is added to lend a luscious creaminess to the earthy quinoa and peppery arugula. I halved this recipe.
QUINOA, BEET, and ARUGULA SALAD (6 servings)
1/2 pound beets
1 cup red quinoa
2 cups water
1/2 cup EVOO
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1 1/2 tsp white sugar
1 tsp minced fresh garlic
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
2 green onions, sliced
3 oz arugula, chopped
5 oz goat cheese, crumbled
Cut the ends off of the beets. Wrap in aluminum foil. Bake in oven at a temperature you would as if baking a potato. Check at about 45 minutes and every 10 minutes after until a sharp knife goes in and out easily. Remove from oven, unwrap and let cool to room temp. Peel and dice.
Bring quinoa and 2 cups water in a saucepan over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the quinoa is tender and the liquid has been absorbed, about 15 minutes.
While the quinoa is cooking, whisk olive oil, red wine vinegar, sugar, garlic, S&P together in a large bowl.
Remove quinoa from heat, then immediately add half of the vinegar dressing while fluffing the quinoa with a fork; reserve remaining dressing. Cover and refrigerate quinoa until cool, at least 1 hour.
Stir green onions, arugula, goat cheese, beets, and remaining dressing into cooled quinoa mixture. Toss lightly before servings.
Recipe Source: www.allrecipes.com
Fish or shrimp tacos....always a great summer dish and so many variations with just about any salsa combination you could imagine. I loved the crunch of the jicama and the wonderful addition of arugula. And, still, the incredible summer sweet corn bonanza continues! Sweet corn cut right of the cob....so crunchy.
This original recipe calls for a seasoning of S&P and a bit of cayenne, I substituted Southwest seasoning found in the spice aisle. It also calls for sour cream, but Jim doesn't like that so I substituted guacamole. Or use both. I served these with a side dish of refried beans and Spanish rice. Also, this recommends using two corn tortillas per tacos, not one. Absolutely do this. There is no way a single tortilla would not have disintegrated. Or, you could use one soft corn and one hard corn tortilla (I use some of the refried beans to "glue" them together.) Or if you prefer flour tortillas, use those.
FIERY FISH TACOS with CRUNCH CORN SALSA (6 servings)
6 (4 oz) tilapia (or other mild, white fish) fillets
1 cup fresh corn kernels, cut off of the cob
1 cup peeled and diced jicama
1/2 cup diced red onion
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
1/4 to 1 cup fresh chopped cilantro leaves, optional (or substitute a bit of chopped parsley for color)
1 1/2 cups packed baby arugula leaves
1 lime, zested and juiced (2 Tbsp juice)
24 (6") corn tortillas, warmed
2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 to 2 tsp cayenne, to taste, optional
2 Tbsp EVOO
1/2 cup sour cream, optional
guacamole, optional
Preheat a grill on high. Lightly oil grate.
Mix together corn, jicama, red onion, bell pepper, cilantro, arugula, and lime zest and juice in a bowl. Toss to combine.
Make 12 stacks of 2 tortillas each.
Combine S&P and cayenne (or any seasoning you're using). Slice fish fillets lengthwise between thinner and thicker halves, Brush with oil and sprinkle with spice mixture. Grill thicker halves until just cooked through, 3 minutes per side.
Grill thinner halves 1 1/2 minutes per side. Top each taco with half a fillet, 2 tsp sour cream and/or guacamole, and 1/4 cup salsa.
Recipe Source: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Fiery-Fish-Tacos-with-Crunchy-Corn-Salsa/Detail.aspx?event8=1&prop24=SR_Title&e11=fiery%20fish%20tacos%20with%20crunchy%20corn%20salsa&e8=Quick%20Search&event10=1&e7=Home%20Page&soid=sr_results_p1i1
Thank you (again) Publix! They have some wonderful recipes, and easy, too (see http://www.publix.com/recipes-planning).
We're not big beef/pork eaters here, but when something is on a really good sale, I'll pick something up. I had a pork tenderloin to use in my freezer-emptying challenge. Loving horseradish and mustard, I saw this recipe and had to try it.
One of my problems with pork is that it is so usually so dry. Not this one. You don't even need a knife. It is so moist and tender.
A note: The tenderloins we get are generally 2 one-pound tenderloins packaged together and so when I get them home, I'll separate them and freeze them separately (since I generally cook for just two).
CREAMY HORSERADISH PORK (4 servings)
1 pork tenderloin (about 1 pound)
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 Tbsp canola oil
3/4 cup chicken broth
1 Tbsp prepared horseradish
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, optional (or a lesser amount)
1 Tbsp fresh chives, finely chopped
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 Tbsp half-and-half
Cut pork into 1" thick medallions; season with S&P (wash hands). Preheat large saute pan on medium-high 2-3 minutes. Place oil in pan, them add pork in single layer; cook 3-4 minutes on each side or until browned. Remove pork from pan.
Add broth to pan and butter to a boil. Whisk in horseradish, mustard, and red pepper (if using); cook 3-4 minutes or until slightly reduced. Meanwhile, chop chives.
Remove pan from heat; whisk in butter, half-and-half, and chives. Return pork to pan and reduce to low; cook 1-2 more minutes or until pork is 145F. Serve.
Recipe Source: http://www.publix.com/recipes-planning/aprons-simple-meals/creamy-horseradish-pork-with-sauteed-brussels-sprouts
