Orange Honey Glazed Pork Stir-Fry

I had some left over pork chops that I had defrosted but hadn't cooked. I didn't want to re-freeze them since that can lower the quality of the meat, so I knew I needed to use them. Problem is, I only like pork chops about once every four or five months! So, I cut the meat off of the bone and I sliced it really thin to use in this stir-fry.
-Amanda

Orange Honey Glazed Pork Stir-Fry

3-4 pork chops
1 red bell pepper
1/2 yellow squash
1/2 zuchini
1 small head of broccoli
1 small carrot
1 tbsp coconut oil (or vegetable oil)

Sauce:
1 orange (and zest)
1 tbsp corn starch
3 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
2 tbsp honey
1/2 tbsp finely grated ginger
2 small cloves garlic, grated

Prep vegetables. Cut bell pepper into small slivers. Cut squash, carrot and zucchini in rounds. Cut broccoli in small pieces. Cut pork chop meat off the bones and then slice into thin pieces. Set vegetables and meat aside.

Prepare sauce by whisking the soy sauce, rice wine vinegar and honey into a small bowl. Add finely grated ginger and garlic. (I use a rasp to do this.) Add the zest of the orange to the bowl. Squeeze about half of the orange juice into the bowl. Last add the corn starch and whisk until it dissolves.

Get a big skillet or wok really hot. Add the coconut oil and quickly add the vegetables. Coconut oil has a low burn point so you don't want it to get too hot in an empty skillet. If you use vegetable oil it isn't as risky. Remove vegetables from the skillet when they start to get soft. Add the pork and stir until just still barely raw. Add vegetables back in and the pour the sauce over top. Cook a couple more minutes to make sure pork is cooked through but not over done. Serve over brown rice with orange slices on the side.

Broiled Pork Chop with Acorn Squash and Tomato Sauce

Well I won't win any beauty awards with this photograph, but it looked much better in real life. I had a bucket of tomatoes from my garden that I need to cook before they went bad. So I had some homemade tomato sauce simmering away all afternoon but couldn't decide what to do with it. I had pasta last night so I didn't want to make pasta again today. Last time at the store, I bough some acorn squash intending to make my stuffed squash. But I forgot to buy sausage. So I concocted this meal and it was a pretty good hit.
-Amanda

Broiled Pork Chop with Acorn Squash and Tomato Sauce

4 pork chops
2 acorn squash
1 cup tomato sauce
salt & pepper to taste
Slivers of Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 425. Cut acorn squash in half. Be careful that you don't cut yourself! Scoop out seeds and discard. Sprinkle with salt. Roast cut side up for about 30-45 minutes until a fork can be inserted in the fleshy part with no resistance. Season pork chops with salt and pepper. Stick in the oven with the acorn squash for the last 10 minutes. Pull out squash to cool. Flip pork chops over and switch to HI broil. Cook another 5 minutes until pork chops start to brown a bit. Scoop squash out with a large spoon. Cut into chunks. Top with tomato sauce and a few slivers of parmesan cheese.

Carrot & Barley Stew

This isn't exactly a summer dish, but I had all the right ingredients for it and as you might have noticed (due to the lack of posts) I haven't been inspired to cook as much lately. Ever since returning from our vacation at the beginning of the month, I just  haven't been in the mood to cook. I'm trying to change that. This stew turned out very delicious. My husband even went back for seconds which is unheard of when it comes to soups and stews.
-Amanda

Carrot and Barley Stew

4 carrots, peeled and cut in chunks
1 pint of mushrooms, sliced
1 small onion, diced
1 cup of barley
2 tbsp grated fresh ginger
4 cups beef broth*
2 stalks of celery
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
salt and pepper to taste

In a medium soup pan, saute onion and mushrooms in olive oil and butter. Add the barley and toast it in the oil. When it starts to brown, quickly add the carrots, celery, ginger and beef broth. Season to taste. Let simmer for an hour and half.

*use vegetable broth for a vegetarian meal. Omit butter for a vegan meal.

Grilled Peaches

Anything say summertime better than grilled fruit? This would work with pineapples too! Ideally serve this with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream.
-Amanda

Grilled Peaches

2 ripe peaches
3 tbsp lime juice
2 tbsp honey
1/4 tsp cinnamon
ice cream, if you have it, which I didn't tonight :(

In a flat shallow dish, mix the lime juice, honey and cinnamon. Cut the peaches in half removing the pit. Place peaches cut side down in the marinade. Let sit for 20-30 minutes. Get grill pan (or outdoor grill, even better!) hot and place the peaches cut side down. Cook until the honey starts to caramelize. Serve with ice cream and drizzle remaining marinade over top.

Pasta Primavera

I've actually made this twice now, it's light, healthy and so tasty I wanted more! The second time I made it I added a couple pieces of shrimp.

12 oz pasta, cooked according to package directions
1/2  head of broccoli
10-12 sugar snap peas
1 yellow summer squash, diced small
1 pint of cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1/2 bell pepper (I used green, but red or yellow would add more color.)
8-10 button mushrooms
1 clove of garlic finely minced
1/2 cup pine nuts
3 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Parmesan grated as a garnish
more olive oil to garnish

Place all cut vegetables on a large sheet pan, excluding the sugar snap peas. Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast at 450 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until the vegetables start to brown. About 4 minutes before pasta is finished add the sugar snap peas to the boiling water. Drain pasta and peas and place them in a large serving bowl. When vegetables are finished, add them to the pasta and mix well. Garnish with toasted pine nuts, Parmesan cheese and extra olive oil if desired. Serve hot.

Garlic Chicken and Pesto

The other day I was at the pazar and smelled the basil wafted around as Iwas walking past the green grocers.    I immediately knew we were destined to have pesto for dinner that night, which was a nice change.  I am getting married this summer so between doing wedding planning and working, “cooking” dinner has consisted of asking my honey which kind of takeout he would like that night.  I do usually do make fresh salad, though.  The pesto had to be altered as pine nuts are VERY expensive here and  I am allergic to walnuts—the normal substitute.  Parmesan cheese is also VERY expensive.  It is about $30 a pound so I used a hard aged cheddar which is parmesan-esque.

-Jules

Garlic Chicken and Pesto

Pesto

3 cups of fresh basil leaves,
1/2 cup grated aged cheddar cheese
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup pine nuts or almonds
3 medium sized garlic cloves,
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Thrown the basil and the garlic in the food processor and pulse until everything has been ground up.  Add the nuts and pulse a few times, then the cheese, then finally the olive oil.  I usually add less oil and have more of a pasty pesto to save on calories.  Mix in with hot pasta---serve with garlic chicken.

Garlic Chicken

4 cloves of garlic
4 chicken breasts
1/2 cup of yogurt or Kefir
Water

Press the garlic cloves in a garlic press or mince finely.  Mix the kefir or yogurt with the garlic and enough water to make the consistently soupy but still thick enough to coat the chicken.  Marinate the  chicken for at least an hour this way ( I like to do it overnight.) I find marinating chicken in yogurt or kefir makes the chicken really juicy and tender.

In a non stick pan heat up a little olive oil and sauté the chicken until it is done.  I like to cut the chicken breasts in half so they are not so thick and cook more quickly--serve with pesto pasta!

 

 

 

Sauteed Mushroom and Zucchini

I'm getting quite a backlog of recipes lately! This spring weather and now summer has kept me busy. Here's a tasty quick side dish.
-Amanda

Sauteed Mushroom and Zucchini

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp dried italian spice blend
salt and pepper
drizzle of honey
8 large chopped mushrooms
1 chopped zucchini

Mix the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, spices and honey in a bowl. Add vegetables and coat really well. Let marinade for up to an hour. Drain off marinade from vegetables and add them to a very hot skillet. Saute on high heat until edges start to crisp and brown.