Pork Fried Rice with Toasted Walnuts

Fast Fry and Delicious.

Last week I cooked a double batch of rice intending to make fried rice this week with the excess.  While looking at fried rice recipes I thought the one from Epicourious looked the most tasty so I adapted!  I love toasting walnuts in a 200 degree oven for 10 minutes and adding to stir fry dishes and they were delicious with this!

Ingredients for Pork Fried Rice with Toasted Walnuts:

12-16 ounces lean pork (Place chops or steaks in the freezer 40-60 minutes ahead to firm up for easy slicing and for removal of bone or fat, I have also used cutlets or loin roast.)
4-6 T. peanut or grape seed oil
2 lg. beaten eggs
1 red onion diced
1 bunch green onions with tops sliced on the diagonal about 1/4"
1 T. fresh ginger grated (I keep fresh ginger wrapped in the freezer, then peel and shred what I need and return the unused portion to the freezer, works great!)
2 t. sugar
2 T. hoisin sauce
2 T. soy sauce
1 T. rice wine vinegar
1/4-1/2  t. toasted sesame oil
4 C. cold cooked rice
1/3 C toasted whole walnuts, toased as above outlined

Slice the pork thinly with a sharp knife and set aside.

Heat half of the oil in the wok.  When oil is shimmering and hot add the eggs and leave for 10 seconds then turn.   Lightly scramble for 1 minute and remove to paper towels to drain and set aside.

Everything goes back into one pan!

Add the rest of the oil to the wok and when hot add the pork and fry until browned.  Add the onions and cook another minute.  Mix the sugar, sauces, oil, vinegar, and ginger in a small bowl then stir in well.  Add the eggs back in breaking them up as you stir.  Toss in the cold rice and stir well until everything is well coated.  Serve in flat bowls dividing the toasted walnuts atop each serving.  Yield 4 servings.

This was served with a seafood salad and sliced apple for dessert.  My husband was a happy hubby.  He remarked he has lived long and is in reasonably good health because he eats well?  Well that, the grace of God, and good genes I say

Steak with Snow Peas Over Brown Rice (a Quick Stir Fry)

Flank Steak is perfect for this dish.

The longest cooking time in this meal is the cooking of the brown rice which is a quite easy thing to do and it ups the nutrition and fiber value of the meal greatly, not to mention the nutty flavor it adds.

The stir fry is an adaptation from a Ree Drummond recipe seen on The Pioneer Woman her cooking show on Food TV.

Perfectly cooked brown rice.

Ingredients for Brown Rice:

2 C. water or stock for added flavor
1 C. brown rice
1 T. butter

Using a 2-3 quart sauce pan with a heavy bottom and a tight fitting lid combine all of these ingredients.  Bring to a full boil, cover and reduce the heat to a low simmer and leave undisturbed for 50 minutes.  DO NOT REMOVE THE LID.  At the end of 50 minutes turn off the heat and DO NOT REMOVE THE LID and leave undisturbed another 10 minutes.  Fluff and serve.  Yield 3-4 generous servings.

Pungent and flavorful the steak and vegetables glisten in the sauce.  I served with a side of fresh red and yellow tomatoes.

Ingredients for Steak with Snow Peas:

1/2 C. soy sauce
3 T. sherry
2 T. corn starch
2 T. brown sugar
1 T. peeled and grated fresh ginger
1 1/2-2 pounds flank steak thinly sliced against the grain and trimmed of all fat
3 T. grape seed oil or olive oil
8 ounces trimmed fresh snow peas
1 large sweet onion diced
1/4-1/2 t. crushed pepper

Start the rice about an hour before serving time.  Assemble all ingredients and prep the meat and vegetables and seasonings.  Then about 10-15 minutes before the rice is to be ready proceed as follows.

In a large glass measuring cup pour the soy sauce to the 1/2 C. mark.  Add the sherry, corn starch, brown sugar, and grated ginger stirring to combine well and dissolve the corn starch.  Add the beef to a bowl and pour 1/3rd of the liquid over the steak and toss it well.  Set aside.

Heat a large flat pan, preferably cast iron over high heat and add the oil.  Add the snow peas and stir for about a minute getting as much color as possible on them.  Remove them to a platter.

Allow the skillet to get very hot again and toss in 1/2 of the steak.  Spread out the meat as you add it with your tongs them leave it to sizzle without turning for 1 minute.  You want the meat to get as brown as possible in the shortest time as possible.  Sprinkle 1/2 of the onions over the met and turn it.  Flip the meat over and cook another 30 seconds.  Remove this mixture to the platter.

Repeat the same process with the second half of the meat and onions.  After flipping the meat add back to the pan the first half of the meat, the snow peas, the remaining liquid, and the crushed red pepper flakes.  Stir over high heat for 30 seconds.  Check and correct seasonings if it needs it.  Serve immediately over hot steaming rice.  Yield 5-6 servings. 

General Tao's Chicken Sauce & Monteray Cherry Juice, Two Great "Finds"

I always get General Tao's chicken when we go out and this turned out just as good as any I have ever eaten.

I have looked high and low for a recipe for General Tao's Chicken and even my Ultimate Chinese and Asian Cookbook does not give a recipe.  When I came across an Asian sauce for General Tao's Chicken made by TY LING Naturals, I snatched it off the shelf and have given it my best efforts this evening. It turned out GREAT!  I was happy with the results and Brian loved it.

Ingredients for General Tao's Chicken:

6 boneless skinless chicken thighs
salt
pepper
2 eggs
2 T. cornstarch
oil for frying
Ty Ling General Tao's Sauce
dried red pepper flakes

Cut any excess fat from the thighs and cut each thigh into 4-5 pieces.  Place about 1/2" oil in a heavy skillet and heat.  Meanwhile beat the egg and cornstarch until smooth.  Season the thigh pieces with the salt and pepper and toss them into the batter.

Fry the coated chicken pieces in the hot oil until deep golden brown and remove and drain on paper towels.  Do not crowd. fry in 2-3 batches.

Combine the cooked chicken pieces in a dish with about 1/3 to 1/2 cup of the Ty Ling General Tao's Sauce stirring to just coat each piece.  Sprinkle with dried red pepper flakes and serve hot over just cooked rice.  This is a sweet, spicy, hot, sticky and delicious dish, the best way I know to enjoy a chicken thigh!   Yield 2 servings.

Concentrated Monterrey tart Cherry Juice Concentrate.

I have made another discovery.  Tart Cherry Juice, if has a lot of nice effects.  We have been drinking one glass each evening with our supper.  We do not add any sweetener.  We just use 2 generous tablespoons of the concentrate in a glass of filtered water over ice.  We are starting our second week and there are some noticeable improvements in our sleeping.  We both looked at each other and said the same thing one morning.  "Gee,  I am sleeping better!"

I also have slowly noticed some improvement in my arthritis.   Less stiffness and swelling.  The literature suggests some other benefits but these are the things we are certain about.  Certain enough that I bought a second bottle of concentrate today.  It is not cheep.  Almost $28. a quart but if the benefits continue it is worth it!  I buy it at Rivertown Butcher Shop but have seen it other places too.  You can visit them online if you are interested.  I do not sell it, get paid to talk about it, or own stock in the company.  We just think we feel and sleep better.   www.natureblessed.us  is the web address given on the bottle.

Easy Pepper Steak with Hot Cooked Rice and Oatmeal, Raisin, Pecan Cookies.

Fresh tomatoes, peppers, onions, and garlic paired with strips of steak in a paprika flavored sauce over rice with freshly baked oatmeal cookies is a simple but delicious Sunday supper.

We used to have pepper steak quite often and I also served it to company.  But for some reason I haven't fixed it for a couple of years.  Last evening Brian thought something with rice sounded good so I thought of this.  It is just too good to neglect making any longer!

We love this sweet spicy oatmeal cookie laced with pecans and raisins.

Then he had mentioned oatmeal cookies so I thought I would stir up a batch just the way he likes them chocked full of raisins and pecans.  This is my oldest recipe and we truly do like it best of all.  You can use all butter or all shortening if you like and I just use water if I don't have apple juice and they are always good either way.  Here is the link back to my oatmeal cookie recipe.  thehiddenpantry.blogspot.com/2010/09/oatmeal-raisin-pecan-cookies.html

Pepper Steak with Hot Cooked Rice


1 pound sirloin steak trimmed and sliced into 1/2" deep x 1/4" thick strips

1 T. paprika

2 T. butter

2 cloves crushed garlic

1 1/2 C. beef broth

1 C. sliced onions,  green if you have them

1 large red or green bell pepper cut into thin strips

2 T. cornstarch

1/4 C. soy sauce

1/4 C. water

2 tomatoes cut into wedges (6-8 wedges per tomato)

3 C. hot cooked rice

Sprinkle the strips of steak with the paprika and set aside to stand while you cut, gather, and prepare the other ingredients.   Melt the butter in a large skillet or wok.  Add the meat strips and brown.

Add the garlic and beef broth, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover, and let slow simmer for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile cook the rice per the package directions.

Stir the onions and peppers into the meat mixture and cook 5 minutes more.  Blend the water and soy sauce together and add the cornstarch.  Stir well until completely dissolved.  Add the soy cornstarch mixture into the meat and peppers and cook about 2 minutes until thickened.  Add the tomatoes and stir.  Serve over hot cooked rice.

Yield 4 generous servings.

Risotto Primavera

Creamy and Flavorful I Found this to be a Great Risotto.

I love Risotto but I hate the part where you dirty up an extra pan for the hot liquid and I hate the standing and stirring and dipping and stirring.......just such a long drawn out affair when you are trying to get everything to the table hot and at the same time.  Perhaps had I grown up fixing it instead of fried chicken and mashed potatoes and gravy it would seem more natural to me.

While visiting the ladies at theiowahousewife.blogspot.com, one of my favorite spots in the blogosphere, I saw this recipe Sue had posted from Better Homes and Gardens 75 Years of All Time Favorites.  When I read the recipe I got excited when the cooking directions were to add the pepper and chicken stock, cover, and simmer at low heat for 25 minutes!!  Hooray!  Gotta try this one!

Tonight my sick with the flu hubby requested salmon patties for his dinner and it was the perfect opportunity to try the risotto as the side dish. This is my adaptation of their recipe.

Ingredients for Risotto Primavera:

1/4 C. thinly sliced celery
1/2 C. thinly sliced green onions tops included
2-3 large cloves of garlic minced
large pinch of freshly ground black pepper
2 T. butter
2/3 C. Arborio rice
2 C. chicken stock
1 C, frozen peas
1/2 C. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
zest of 1 lemon

In a medium saucepan with a tight fitting lid cook the celery, onion, and garlic uncovered in the butter for 2 minutes until the vegetables are tender.  Stir in the rice and cook and continue to stir for about 2 more minutes.  You want the all of rice to be coated with the butter.  Stir in the chicken broth and add the pepper.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat to a very low simmer and cover.  Simmer over very low heat for 25 minutes.  DO NOT lift the lid until the time is up.  Stir in the frozen peas and put the lid back on at the end of the cooking time.  Turn off the heat and let the covered pan stand for 5 minutes.  Stir in the Parmesan cheese and lemon zest and serve.  Well worth the effort and perfectly done creaminess!  Thank you Sue and Myrna for sharing another great recipe.