Crockpot Asian Pork

I'm on a crock pot kick? Can you tell?  This stuff is fantastic over rice, over noodles, by itself.  I love it.  


Asian Pork (From SkinnyTaste)
2 lb lean boneless pork sirloin roast (aka pork center rib roast, pork center loin roast)
kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper
Non-stick oil spray 
1 cup low-sodium fat-free chicken broth
1/2 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
3 tbsp sugar
1 tsp hot sesame oil   (or use sesame oil + pinch red pepper flakes)
1/2 tsp Chinese five spice 
3 cloves crushed garlic
1 tbsp fresh grated ginger root
For topping:
1/4 cup chopped scallions
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Directions:

Season pork on all side with salt and fresh cracked pepper. Heat a skillet on medium-high heat, spray with a little oil and brown the pork on all sides for about 7 - 8 minutes.  In the crock pot, combine the broth, soy sauce, balsamic, sugar, sesame oil, Chinese five spice, garlic and ginger; add the pork and set the slow cooker to 8 hours on low. Shred the pork using two forks.  If adding baby spinach,add at the end and cover a few minutes until it wilts. Top with green onions and cilantro.  P.S.  The cilantro makes this OUTSTANDING. 

Crockpot Pesto Chicken

I'm posting this mostly for my benefit. I took a normal recipe and made it into a crock pot recipe, and I need to write down the method so I can make it work again.

You can use Lawry's Garlic and Herb Marinade or make your own, which is what I opted for.

Marinade (from Allrecipes)

• 1/3 cup water
• 1/3 cup vinegar
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried Italian-style seasoning
• 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Mix everything together and add to your favorite meat. 

Pour marinade, 1/2 cup pesto on chicken.  At this point you can throw it into a ziploc bag and put it into the freezer until you want to cook it, or you throw it in the crock pot or on the grill.  Whatever is easiest.  Cook 8 hrs on low or 4 hours on high.  Serve over pasta.  

Sweet BBQ Chicken Kabobs

I ran across this one at The Sisters Cafe and I loved it. I haven't done a lot with kabobs, but this was delicious.  The kids didn't really go for the peppers, but John loved them and I couldn't get enough of the grilled pineapple. It was beyond heavenly.

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-1/2 inch pieces

2 cups fresh pineapple chunks (1-1/2 inch)

1 each: red and green pepper, cut into 1-1/2 inch pieces

1/2 cup barbecue sauce 

3 Tb. frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed

Heat grill to medium-high heat.  Thread chicken alternately with pineapple and peppers onto skewers to make 4 kabobs.  (I used 1.5lbs of chicken and extra pineapple, which made 7 big kabobs).  Mix barbecue sauce and juice concentrate, brush some of the sauce mixture onto kabobs.  Grill 8-10 minutes or until chicken is done, turning and brushing occasionally with remaining sauce mixture.

Roasted Vegetable Pizza

Sounds kind of weird, I know.  But it was SO GOOD.  Again, trying to use up our veggies, I decided that we would have veggie pizza. I made two.  One traditional for the kids, tomato sauce, cheese and olives. (And if you put tomatoes over the sauce and under the cheese the kids won't even taste them.)  But for us, I decided to go a little out of the box. Totally worth it.  I loved it!  I had pesto in the freezer, so I didn't use this recipe to make it.  It looks like it would probably be okay, though. 

8 -10 medium fresh mushrooms, sliced (Didn't use these)

1 small onion, sliced

1/2 cup green pepper, sliced

1/2 cup sweet red pepper, sliced

1/2 cup zucchini, sliced in 1/4 inch rounds

1/4-1/2 cup black olives, sliced (left these off too)

2 teaspoons olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 teaspoon rosemary

1/4 teaspoon oregano

1/4 teaspoon thyme

your favorite pizza dough

Pesto

• 1/2 cup fresh basil, coarsely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 
  

Toppings

1 large tomato, thinly sliced

2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 400°F.

2 Place mushrooms, onion, peppers, zucchini & olives in a roasting pan lined with heavy-duty foil.

3 Combine oil, garlic, rosemary, oregano and thyme; drizzle over vegetables and toss to coat.

4 Cover and bake at 400°F for 20 minutes.

5 Meanwhile, for sauce, combine basil, oil, Parmesan cheese and garlic in a food processor; cover and process until smooth, scraping sides often; set aside.

6 Place rolled out pizza dough in 9x13-inch pan going half way up sides of pan.

7 Spread with sauce; top with the tomato slices.

8 Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.

9 Top with roasted vegetables.

10 Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until vegetables are cooked and cheese is melted and bubbly.

Read more: http://www.food.com/recipe/roasted-veggie-pizza-with-pesto-sauce-254451#ixzz1CU4EWqL3

Sunshine Chicken

This was a lovely recipe. It was really sweet.  I liked it, but I really have a sweet tooth. So, just be aware when you make this that the orange sauce over the chicken can be really, really sweet.

1/4 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
Dash garlic powder
4 chicken breasts
2 tbsp. oil
1 6 oz. can frozen OJ concentrate, thawed
1 juice can water
1 tbsp. minced dried onion
1/4 c. cold water
1 tbsp. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
Hot cooked rice

In a paper or plastic bag cominge 1/4 c. flour, 1/2 tsp. salt the cinamon, cloves, and garlic powder. Add chicken pieces a frew at a time and shake to coat.
In a 12 in. skillet heat oil . Place chicken in pan and brown over med 15 to 20 minutes, turning chicken as necessary.
In small mixing bowl combine OJ, juice can of water, and minced dried onion; pour over chicken in skillet. Cover and simmer about 30 minutes or till chicken is tender; turn occasionally to glaze. Remove chicken to heated serving platter, keep warm.
Blend together the 1/4 c. cold water the 1 tbsp flour and the 1/2 tsp. salt. Stir into OJ mixture. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Spoon sauce over chicken. Serve over cooked rice.

Autumn Sausage meatball Skillet

2 med. sweet potatoes
1 beaten egg
1 1/2 c. soft bread crumbs
1 lb. bulk pork sausage
1 tbsp. cooking oil
1/3 c. chopped celery
3 med. apples, peeled and cut into wedges
1 c. orange juice
1/4 c. water
3 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp. soy sauce
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 c. cold water
5 tsp. cornstarch
hot cooked rice or noodles

In covered saucepan cook sweet potatoes in boiling salted water for 30-40 minutes or until tender; drain. Cool slightly; peel and cut into 1 in thick pieces.
Meanwhile, prepare meatballs. In mixing bowl combine egg and bread crumbs. Add sausage; mix well. Shape mixture into 1 inch meatballs. In skillet brown meatballs, a few at a time, in hot oil; set aside.
Drain off fat, reserving 1 tbsp. drippings in skillet. Cook celery in reserved drippings till crisp tender; drain off  fat. Return meatballs to skillet; add sweet potatoes, apples, OJ, 1/4 c. water, brown sugar, soy sauce, salt and cinnamon. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover; simmer 10 minutes. Blend  the 1/4 c. cold water into the cornstarch. Stir into meatball mixture. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Serve with rice or noodles, if desired.

Chicken with Ham and Cheese

4 small chicken breasts, skinned and boned
flour seasoned with salt and pepper
1/4 c. butter
3-4 leaves fresh sage
4 thin slices prosciutto or cooked ham, cut in half
1/2 c. freshly grated Parmesan or Romano

Cut each breast in half lengthwise to make 2 flat fillets of approximately the same thickness. Dredge the chicken in the flour and shake off the excess.
Preheat broiler. Heat the butter in a large heavy frying pan or skillet with the sage leaves. Add the chicken in one layer, and cook over low to moderate heat until golden brown on both sides, turning as necessary.
Remove the chicken from the heat and arrange on a broiling pan. Place one piece of ham on each chicken fillet, and top with the grated Parmesan or Romano. Broil for 3-4 minutes or until the cheese has melted.

Minestrone with Pesto

6 1/2 c. stock or water or combo
3 tbsp. olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 leek, sliced
2 carrots, finely chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 bay leaf
1 sprig fresh thyme or 1/4 tsp. dried
salt and pepper
3/4 c. frozen peas
3 medium tomatoes, peeled and chopped
2 c. cooked or canned beans
3 tbsp pesto sauce
freshly grated Parmesan

In med. saucepan, heat the stock to simmering.  In a saucepan heat the olive oil. Stir in onion and leek and cook 5-6 minutes or until onion softens. Add the carrots, celery and garlic and cook over moderate heat, stirring often for another 5 minutes. Add the potatoes and cook for 2-3 minutes more. Pour in the hot stock or water, and stir well. Add the herbs and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat slightly and cook for 10-12 minutes.

Stir in the peas and tomatoes. Cover the pan and boil for 5-8 minutes.

About 10 min. before serving, uncover and stir in beans. Simmer 10 minutes. Stir in pesto.Simmer 5 more minutes and remove from heat. Allow to stand a few minutes and then serve with fresh Parmesan.

Chinese Lettuce Wraps

I can't believe I forgot to post this. We had this for Eden's Chinese birthday dinner, and I loved them. The girls, not so much.  Oh, well, more for me!  I made this with leftover chicken, rather than cooking some up for this specifically.  Which made it super easy. Since then, I have made a habit of making this for myself for lunch whenever I have leftover chicken.  It is really that easy. 


Chinese Lettuce Wraps


2 chicken breasts, diced
Cook in a skillet with a little bit of oil.

When the chicken is done, add the following:
1/4 cup green onions, sliced
1 Tbsp. grated fresh ginger
2-3 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/4 chopped, unsalted cashews
cilantro to taste

Cook and stir. When it is warm, serve with peanut sauce in lettuce.  It is much better warm, so serve it fast.  

Crunchy Tuna Turnovers

I tried these out last weekend to try and use up our Tuna supply. (We have a lot.)  We don't have a lot of tuna lovers in the family, however.  But these were really good.  Even John liked them.   Which is really saying something. I added the green onions to the recipe, and I left out the olives. I think next time I will add just a little bit more lemon pepper, because that gave a really nice flavor, but there wasn't quite enough of it. I also left off the potato chips.  That part just didn't appeal to me.  Let me know if you try these with the potato chips, and whether it's good or not!

ingredients

• 2 (6 ounce) cans tuna, drained and flaked
• 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 1/3 cup sliced ripe olives
• 1/8 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning
• 1/4 c. chopped green onion
• 1 (12 ounce) package refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 1/4 cups crushed potato chips

Directions

1. In a small bowl, combine tuna, cheese, mayonnaise, olives and lemon-pepper; set aside. On a lightly floured surface, flatten each biscuit into a 5-in. circle. Spoon 2 rounded tablespoonfuls of tuna mixture onto one side of each circle. Fold dough over filling; press edges with a fork to seal.
2. Place egg and potato chips in separate shallow bowls. Dip turnovers in egg, then coat with chips. Place on an ungreased baking sheet. Make a 2-1/2-in. slit in top of each turnover. Bake at 375 degrees F for 18-21 minutes or until golden brown

*pic from here. 

Cider Sauced Chicken Breasts

From Rachel Ray

3 tbps. extra virgin olive oil
6 6 oz. boneless skinless chicken breasts
salt and pepper
1 large onion, chopped
6 fresh thyme sprigs, leaves removed and chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 gala apple, peeled, cored and cut into wedges
2 tbsp. dark brown sugar
1/2 c. apple cider
3 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
2 c. chicken stock
3 tbsp. cold butter
1/2 c. fresh flat leave parsley

Preheat oven  to 500.

You'll need an extra large oven safe skillet that will fit 6 chicken breasts without overcrowding. If you don't have one that big, use two.  Preheat the skillet over med high with the EVOO. Season the chicken breast liberally with salt and pepper, add them to the skillet and brown them on both sides, about 6 minutes total.  Remove the chicken to a baking pan or rimmed baking sheet and transfer them to the oven to cook for 10 minutes more, or until their juices run clear when pierced with a sharp knife.
Return skillet to stove top over med high and add onions, thyme, garlic, apples and brown sugar.  Cook stirring frequently for 4-5 minutes. Add the apple cider and vinegar and cook for about 2 minutes. Add the chicken stock, turn the heat up to high and simmer until the liquid is reduced by half or until it is slightly thickened. Turn the heat off, add the butter and parsley and stir until the butter is incorporated. Serve the apple cider sauce over the chicken.

Chicken Berry Salad

1/2 c. fresh OJ
1/4 c. fresh lime juice
1/4 c. fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp.  chopped fresh basil
3/4  tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
4 med. skinless, boneless, chicken breast halves
3 c. fresh blackberries
1/4 c. red wine vinegar
3 tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/4 dried oregano, crushed
1/2 c. extra virgin olive oil
1 8 oz. pkg Mediterranean mixed salad greens
2 med. pears, cored and sliced
3/4 c. crumbled feta cheese.

In a small bowl stir together orange, lime, and lemon juices, 1 tbsp. oil, basil, 1/2 tsp. of the salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper. Place chicken in resealable plastic bag set in a large bowl. Pour juice mix over chicken; seal bag. Refrigerate 1-4 hours turning bag occasionally.
For dressing, in a blender combine 1 c. of blackberries, vinegar, sugar, mustard, oregano, 1/4 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper. Cover and blend until smooth. With blender running, slowly add 1/2 c. oil in thin steady stream until serving time.
Drain chicken, discarding marinade. For charcoal grill, place chicken on the rack of an uncovered grill directly over medium coals. Grill for 12-15 minutes until done, turning once.
Slice chicken. Divide greens among 4 plates. Top with chicken, pears, and remaining 2 c. berries. Top each with some of the dressing and feta cheese.

Chinese Chicken Honey Sauce

There are a few ways you can do this one.  You can use it over grilled chicken for a lower fat option, you can bread chicken and fry it and then top it with this sauce, or you can buy a bag of frozen popcorn chicken.  Any way you do it, it's pretty darn good! 

Chinese Honey Chicken Sauce

1 ½ tablespoons oil
2 teaspoon ginger (minced)
3 tablespoons garlic (minced)
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
½ cup water
1 teaspoon cornstarch (mixed with 1 teaspoon water)
Sesame seeds (for garnish) (I didn’t use this)

Heat 1 ½ tablespoons of oil in your wok or sauce pan. Add garlic and ginger and stir fry for 30 seconds. Add salt, honey, vinegar, and water. Mix well. Combine 1 teaspoon of water with 1 teaspoon of cornstarch. Add to the sauce and Simmer for 2 minutes.

Serve with rice. 

Chinese Beef and Broccoli

The flavor in this is really good.  Just make sure that you get good beef. It isn't worth eating if you don't. . .

3 tbsp. teriyaki sauce, divided
3 tsp. cornstarch, divided
1 lb. lean beef, such as top sirloin, sliced for stir fry
4 c. broccoli florets
1 c. sliced red peppers
2 tsp. veggie oil
1 tsp. grated fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 c. chicken broth
Prepared rice

Combine 2 tbsp. teriyaki sauce, 2 tsp. cornstarch and the beef in a small bowl.  Refrigerate 15 minutes or up to 10 hours. Place broccoli and pepper and 3 tbsp. water in a large bowl and cover tightly. Microwave on med. high for 5 minutes.
In a large non stick skillet, heat 1 tsp. oil over over high heat. Add beef and cook, stirring, until browned, about 2 minutes. Transfer to bowl with cooked veggies.
Dissolve remaining cornstarch in 1 tbsp. water. Heat remaining oil in skillet; add ginger and garlic. Cook 30 sec. then stir in broth and remaining teriyaki sauce; bring to a boil. Whisk in cornstarch mixture and boil 1 minute. Stir in beef, broccoli, and peppers and cook until just heated through. Serve over rice.

Smoky Double Cheeseburger

1 egg lightly beaten
1/2 c. soft bread crumbs
3 oz. smoked cheddar cheese, finely shredded
2 tbsp. worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp. dijon-style mustard
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1 1/4 lb. ground beef
4 1/4  to 1/2 inch onion slices
4 hamburger buns
1/4 c. mango chutney or cranberry relish
1/2 c. lettuce or spinach leaves
1 to 2 oz. Asiago or Parmesan

In a large bowl combine egg, bread crumbs, smoked cheddar, green onions, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, and pepper. Add ground beef and mix gently. Firmly shape into 4 1/2 inch patties; set aside.

Grill onions for 6-8 minutes until tender, turning once. Remove from grill. Add patties to grill. Cook for 9-12 minutes or until meat is done, turning once.

Spread bottoms of hamburger buns with chutney or relish, top with lettuce, patties, onion slices, if using, shaved cheese and bun top.

Sweet Chili

When I did this, I used 2 cans of kidney beans, 2 cans of chili beans, and a can of great northern beans.  I didn't have any tomato paste, so I used tomato sauce. I added a tablespoon or two of BBQ sauce and everyone loved it.

Sweet Chili

In a soup pot, brown:

1 pound hamburger
1 medium onion
Drain off grease.

Then add:

5 (15 oz) cans of Kidney Beans, undrained
2 (6 oz.) cans tomato paste
2 cans tomato soup
4 tsp. chili powder
3/4 cup brown sugar

Simmer for 1 hour.

From Real Mom Kitchen

Creamy Ranch chicken

This really has a lot of flavor.  Just be careful that the sauce doesn't get too thick. If it looks like it is and there won't be enough, add extra milk. If you use evaporated milk for this, be sure to add some water as well.

6 slices bacon (I just use the picnic bacon from Sam's Club)
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cubed
2 tbsp. flour
2 tbsp. dry ranch salad dressing
1 1/4 c. milk
3 c. noodles
1 tbsp. shredded parmesan

Cook noodles according to pkg. Drain.
Cook bacon until crisp. Discard all but 2 tbsp. drippings. (I just use butter here instead).  In the same skillet cook chicken in reserved drippings until tender and no longer pink. Sprinkle flour and salad dressing over the chicken in the skillet, stir well. Stir in milk. Cook until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir 1 minute more. Stir in bacon. Serve over noodles. Serves 4

Fettuccine Alfredo

I am pretty liberal with the oregano and the garlic powder in this one.

1/3 c. butter
1 tbsp. flour
1 2/3 c. whipping cream
1/3 c. skim milk
1/4 tsp. oregeno
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. salt
pepper
1/3 c. shredded parmesan (NOT the stuff in a can)
10 oz. fettuccine

In sauce pan melt butter. Then add flour ane mix until smooth. Mix in cream, milk, oregano, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and then simmer until sauce is decreased by half and thickened. Stir in pamesan until melted. Pour sauce over cooked fettuccine and toss. Toss in mushrooms if desired. Serves 5

Cafe Rio Sweet Pork

This recipe is from Real Mom Kitchen. When I make it, I put half in the fridge and half in the freezer. It lasts us for days.  We make quesadillas, burritos and tacos with it.

Pork Roast: marinade over night in a can of coke. (Not diet)

Put it in a crock pot with coke in the morning and cook until very tender (about 8 hours on low). Drain off any liquid after cooking.

Add:
1 can enchilada sauce (red)
2 cloves minced garlic
1 small can diced chilies
1 c. brown sugar
Cook for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Rainbow Rotini

This calls for chicken, but I usually just use ground beef and it works well. I also usually double this.

6 oz. dried multicolored rotini
12 oz. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 c. finely chopped red onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 can (15 oz) cannellini beans (I have used both kidney and black and both work as well.), drained
1/2 c. chicken broth
2 plum tomatoes (I leave these out)
1/4 tsp. salt
dash pepper

Cook pasta according to pkg., drain. Meanwhile, saute chicken or beef in oil in large skillet. (If using beef leave out the oil) over medium heat fro 12 minutes or until done. Cut into small pieces and set aside.
Add onion and garlic to skillet, stirring for about 4 minutes or until tender. Mix in chicken and remaining ingredients; heat through. Remove from stove and gently stir in pasta.