Chinese Pork Ribs

Years ago while I was living in San Diego, my church women's group created a cook book.  Everyone submitted their favorite recipes and we had them spiral bound.  After the book was complete we had a tasting party and everyone brought their best loved dishes to share.  These pork ribs were among those dishes.  They were delicious!  The secret to these is the simple perfect sauce!

Let me tell you just how easy this meal is!

First lay about 1-2 pounds of country style pork ribs in a pan.  Combine worcestershire sauce, vinegar, sugar and soy and pour over the ribs.

Bring to a boil, reduce to medium-low heat and simmer for 30-45 minutes depending on the cut of your meat.  You want them to be slightly pink in the middle.  If you overcook them they will be dry!  Remove lid, turn heat to high and thicken the sauce.  Turn the ribs occasionally to coat.  Once sauce is the consistency of syrup remove from heat.  Slice pork.  Serve pork and sauce over steamed white rice and garnish with green onions.

Chinese Pork Ribs

Chinese Pork Ribs

Ingredients

1-2 pounds country style pork ribs

4 tbsp rice

vinegar

4 tbsp worcestershire sauce

1/3 cup soy sauce

1/3 cup white sugar (white works too)

green onions for garnish (optional)

Directions

Add all ingredients to a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer over medium-low heat, turning ribs occasionally for 45 minutes or until ribs are slightly pink in the middle.

Uncover, turn to high and cook until the sauce thickens to the consistency of syrup, turning ribs to coat. Be sure to watch carefully so they don't burn.

Remove from heat, slice and serve over steamed rice.

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Applesauce Chocolate Chip Cookies

mmmm.. I"m really trying hard to come up with the best way to tell you all about my high school days with Jolyn. Should I sell you our secrets about our "out of towners" (our friends that were boys in the nearby towns, wink wink) OR should I tell you about the very inapproprate jokes that were made when we played balderdash. Maybe, the pranks. no. I'd like to keep my records clean, haha. 

I wish I could tell you about what a good friend she was, always there for me through a lot of thick stuff, and a lot of thin. I had a lot of thick stuff in high school and she was there, jamba juice in hand. After my chemo weeks quite often I didn't feel good and we'd bunker down in her house and consume handfuls of and handfuls of calories. Cadbury eggs. Mint M&M's. Applesauce Cookies. Homemade Caramels. Snickerdoodles. all sorts of junk food. 

She was a true friend. now she is half a country away, but for a short time in our married life we lived 1.5 hours apart and got to see each other ever month or so. happy days. One of those times I snagged her memory filled applesauce cookie recipe we made so much. ha. or more like ATE so much. 

Applesauce Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

1/2 cup softened butter

1/2 cup shortening

(can do 1 cup shortening)

3 eggs

2T vanilla

2 cup applesauce (1 can)

2tsp baking soda

4 cups flour

1 t salt

1 pkg of chocolate chips

Directions

Cream Together butter, shortening, eggs, vanilla

in the can, or a small bowl combine applesauce and baking soda

Add to butter mixture

gradually add flour

add salt

stir in chocolate chips

drop by spoonfuls on greased cookie sheet.

Bake 350 for 12-15 minutes

makes about 3 dozen

These cookies are light and sweet. SUPER FLUFFY. Their texture is much like a pumpkin cookie. 

so fluffy 

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Chimichurri Steak Tacos

Chimichurri is officially my new favorite word. How can you read that and not want to say it aloud? 

Go ahead, say it.

Chimichurri.

Not only is it my new favorite word, but it's my new favorite condiment. This stuff tastes amazing. It's a flavor I haven't tasted in many foods, and I think pairs so perfectly with these steak tacos. It's originally an Argentine sauce, but has made it's way here to Orange County. Obvi.

It's full of fresh herbs, lime juice, garlic, oil, and a little kick to boot. 

Bursting with flavor, I tell ya.

Meet oregano, parsley, and cilantro. The main characters.

Roast some tomatoes. 

Grill some corn all smokey and whatnot.

Grill some ribeye (high heat-- 450-500 degrees, couple of minutes each side).

And throw it all in a warm, fresh tortilla.

Chimichurri Steak Tacos

Ingredients

grilled steak, sliced thin

grilled corn

roasted tomatoes

avocado slices

fresh tortillas

CHIMICHURRI:

1 1/2 c fresh parsley

1 1/2 c fresh cilantro

1/2 c fresh oregano

juice from 2 limes

1 T red wine vinegar

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 t salt

1/2 t pepper

1/4 t red pepper flakes

1/2 c EVOO

Directions

1. In food processor, blend all ingredients for chimichurri sauce. Store in refrigerator.

2. Prepare tacos by placing steak, avocado, corn, and tomatoes in taco, then top with chimichurri.

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Lemon Albacore Quinoa Salad

Do you know how to say quinoa?

I'll give you a hint, it's not kwin-o-wa.

It's actually keen-wah.

Also, did you know that quinoa is The UN's 2013 superfood of the year? It supplies all of the nine essential amino acids, it's not a grain but a seed so it's gluten-free friendly, has twice the fiber as most grains, great source of protein (14% by weight), has twice the amount of calcium as whole wheat, and basically is just 'pure health' (as one of our friends used to say!)

I've started to use quinoa instead of brown rice or pasta in some of my dishes, and we love it as such a great alternative! Even my 2-year-old loves it.

Throw in some healthy, fresh ingredients and a lemon parsley dressing and you'll love pure health!

Lemon Albacore Quinoa Salad

Ingredients

1 c quinoa

2 c water

1 6 oz. can quality albacore tuna

1/2 c olives

1/2 c cherry tomatoes, halved

1/2 c chopped cucumber

1 avocado, chopped

fresh parmesan for garnish

LEMON PARSLEY DRESSING:

2 lemons, juiced

3 T EVOO

large handful fresh parsley

3 cloves garlic

1/4 c freshly grated parmesan

1/2 t sugar

Directions

1. Cook quinoa by boiling 2 c water, adding 1 c quinoa, simmer for 5 minutes, then turn off heat, cover, and let sit for 20 minutes. Cool completely in refrigerator until cold. (Can be done in the morning)

2. Prepare Lemon Parsley Dressing by adding lemon juice, EVOO, parsley, garlic, parmesan, and sugar to food processor. Blend until garlic and parsley chopped finely. Cool in refrigerator.

3.Gently mix cold quinoa with tuna, olives, tomatoes, cucumber, and avocado. Drizzle dressing and gently mix together.

4. Garnish with freshly grated parmesan.

I love this refreshing, light dinner. We were definitely full quickly and stayed full because of all of the protein and fiber. Not to mention it's chock-full of monounsaturated fats and omega-3s.

Perfect as a side dish without the tuna if you'd like, or if you're a tuna-hater (you know who you are!).
P.S. Albacore has twice as much omega-3 as plain 'ol tuna

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Greek Pitas with Homemade Pita Bread

These pitas are a Greek medley of flavors party in your mouth.

They just feel healthy. Healthy enough to eat a handful of dark chocolate Cadbury eggs and another handful of thin mints for dessert. It's March, so it's not summer yet here, but this makes it feel like it. I can't wait to bust out these babies in the heat!

And homemade pitas? You'll never go back to the expensive, dry, store bought ones filled with crazy ingredients and preservatives (save those for the thin mints, right?!)

I must first start out by saying that the whole wheat pita recipe is not mine, I used these. Since I followed this recipe word for word and had brilliant success, I won't be posting the steps here. But seriously, do not skimp on these! They are fluffy, soft, tasty, and I plan on using the leftovers (they make 12 whole pitas) for some hummus. I'm also thinking they would be great with a BLT filling, fajita fixings with avocados, you could even try our Pesto Pizza over one of these little babies.

Below are the makings of Tzatziki.

Say that ten times fast. This is a sauce common in Mediterranean dishes in pitas or gyros, in salads, as a dip, etc. It has such a refreshing, light flavor, I love it! I've seen it done with mint instead of/with the dill, but haven't tried it yet. I think it pairs well with lamb (as opposed to chicken).

Doesn't all this freshness make you want to squeal?

Greek Pitas

Ingredients

chicken:

2 chicken breasts, cut into chunks

1 lemon

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 t oregano

1/4 t salt

tzatziki sauce:

1/2 cucumber

1/2 t salt

8 oz. plain Greek yogurt

1/2 lemon zest and juice

2 t dill

2 garlic cloves

salt and pepper

garnishes:

2 diced tomatoes

feta cheese

olives

alfalfa sprouts

green leaf lettuce

red onions, sliced

Directions

1. Marinate chicken in juice from lemon, garlic, oregano, and salt several hours. Lay out on counter and bring to room temperature.

2. Skewer chicken pieces and grill, or cook in sauté pan.

3. Prepare tzatziki sauce. Peel cucumber and cut into four long quarters. Remove seeds (with one, long slice of your knife) from each quarter so that you are left with the rind of each quarter. Discard seeds.

4. Dice remaining cucumber, place in strainer. Sprinkle cucumber with salt, and let juices drain out of cucumber into bowl below. This is to dry the cucumber out. After 1 hour, squeeze cucumber dry with towel.

5. Blend cucumber and remaining tzatziki sauce ingredients in food processor until smooth. Refrigerate.

6. Prepare remaining garnishes.

7. After making whole wheat pita pockets, stuff pita pockets (or create wraps) with chicken, tzatziki sauce, and remaining garnishes. Enjoy warm or cold.

As a wrap...

Or a pocket....whatever you do,

Opa!

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Dad's Chili (For the Closet Vegetarian in All of Us)

Growing up as a vegetarian, everyone would always ask me how I got my protein. As a kid I never really focused on it much and I always seemed to be healthy so I didn't worry. Now that I'm 3 months pregnant I think about protein every day. I know how important it is to get the right amount of protein to not only curb the effects of pregnancy nausea, but to also grow a healthy baby. Most pregnancy books I have read suggest that you consume between 90-100 grams of protein every day! With that high mark to hit every day I had to think of some recipes that I actually enjoyed that would help. My dad's famous vegetarian chili recipe was the perfect solution. There are also tons of B vitamins and fiber to also help with the symptoms of pregnancy. For those that need a less spicy alternative because of pregnancy heartburn, you can either omit, or lessen the amount of chili powder and tabasco sauce and only include 1 chopped jalapeno. When you remove the jalapeno seeds before chopping you get rid of most of the heat and it is a little easier to bear.


Vegetarian Chili

• 5 Tbs Olive Oil 
• 10 Cloves Crushed Garlic 
• 2 Medium Onions chopped 
• 2 Green Peppers chopped 
• 2 Red Peppers chopped 
• 2 Jalapeno Peppers chopped (remove the seeds before chopping) 

-- Saute all of this for 5 mins or until onions are translucent and then add:

• 2 28-oz cans of crushed tomatoes 
• 2 cans Kidney Beans 
• 2 cans Black Beans 
• 1 can yellow Corn 
• 2 cans vegetarian Refried Beans 

-- Cook all of this for 5 minutes and then add:

• 2 Tbls Sea Salt 
• 1 Tbl Dark Chili Pepper 
• 2 Tbls Cumin 

 -- Simmer everything together and then add:

• 12 splashes of green tabasco sauce 
• 1 can of Beer (alcohol cooks out)

-- Cook all of this together for 30 minutes and then garnish with:

• Tortilla chips 
• Chopped avocado 
• Cilantro 
• sour cream
• Sauteed, cubed tofu

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BBQ Chicken Chopped Salad

During my college years a dear friend of mine introduced me to the BBQ Chicken Chopped Salad while we were dining at California Pizza Kitchen.  I was instantly addicted! I went back time and time again for the delicious meal.  I tried them at numerous restaurants - Ruby's, Islands, and BJs - but the CPK has remained my favorite.  I still eat it to this day when we dine at CPK. 

The blend of flavors is perfect and satisfying.

When I was first married and learning to cook, my husband and I decided that we could re-create this tasty salad at home...and we were right!  It has been a favorite meal at our house for years and years and years.  There is no cooking involved - just chopping and tossing.  So it is a quick weeknight meal that will produce lots of happy tummys!

BBQ Chicken Chopped Salad

BBQ Chicken Chopped Salad

Ingredients

1 head iceberg lettuce, chopped

1 8 oz can corn, drained

1/2 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup mozzarella cheese, grated

1 avocado, chopped

2 tbsp basil, chopped

1 cup ranch dressing

2 cups precooked chicken, cubed

1/2 cup BBQ Sauce

10 tortilla chips, crushed

Optional Ingredients:

1 small jicama, diced

1 large roma tomato, diced

Directions

Combined lettuce, corn, beans, cheese, avocado, and basil. Toss together with ranch dressing. Transfer to a large serving platter. Sprinkle with tortilla chips.

Combine chicken and BBQ sauce. Place atop salad. Drizzle with extra BBQ sauce. Enjoy.

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Roasted Tomato Soup with Pesto Grilled Cheese

Healthy, easy, organic, fresh, satisfying.

During my last semester of nursing school, I kinda went on this tomato bisque kick. It was winter (in Texas. HA! It actually does get cold there and yes, snows at least once a year), I was studying for finals and then boards, so I was cooped up inside a lot. I had this sudden urge for some fatty, creamy tomato goodness. I googled the best place and immediately went to go pick some up.

Cue tomato bisque kick.

I ordered it everywhere I went. Every other couple of days, while studying my scheduled body system of the day, I'd count down the hours until I'd let myself run and pick up a cup. I'd thrown in an occasional grilled cheese sandwich or goldfish crackers and do a little happy dance in my room.

T.B. (not like the tuberculosis you're thinking of) + S.M.A. (that's me) = BFF

Then, it happened.

I looked up the caloric content.

Did you know that by the end of nursing school, I had high cholesterol?

True story.

It might have had something to do with the McDonald's breakfasts I had every morning of a test (it was a good luck superstition I had created and was afraid to ditch...my brain needed the protein), the Taco Bueno (and Cabbanna) and Sonic I had during my dinner breaks at work, and 1 am second dinners out with friends after watching our favorite local band perform.

Oh, and said tomato bisques.

Today, I did it healthy. So if you're looking for a rich, indulgent, creamy tomato soup recipe, this one is not for you. If you're feeling a tasty, organic, fresh tomato soup.....please, read on.

First, can we talk about this cheese? I got it at Trader Joe's (what do I not get at TJ?). It's actually called 'unexpected cheddar cheese', and truly, it's a white cheddar cheese that tastes like it's mixed with parmesan. It's delicious. I couldn't stop eating it, and the intermittent 'Wow!' 'Man!' kept coming from my mouth. Any white cheese would work, but go for something indulgent here. Sourdough is also a must with grilled cheese. It toasts and crunches so well, and the taste is just perfect.

Then, we're gonna throw a pesto in there with all that perfectness.

Sound good? Thought so.

This is so easy. Roast your veggies (inhale.....exhale......), blend them up, add some broth and cream, season to taste. The amount of cream is obviously a bargaining point, be as liberal or conservative as you'd like. And half-and-half or whole milk is actually a great substitute for cream.

Make your grilled cheese with pesto. I do mine on my husband's old George Foreman grill. He used to live off of that thing. You know what his meals were before we got married? He'd grill a plain chicken breast on that thing, microwave some frozen veggies, and have a plain slice of bread.

Ugh, it's like he was a prisoner of bachelorhood or dried, nasty chicken breast or something.

He did win in the cholesterol category I suppose...

Anyway, I fought to throw the dang George Foreman away when we merged living spaces but lost the battle. That, and the battle for the Rocky figurine that yelled, 'Adrienne!', played 'Eye of The Tiger', and started boxing when you pushed his button.

That was parked in our living room, next to the TV the entire two years we were in that apartment.

I do bust out the George Foreman for paninis and grilled cheese, it makes a mean grilled sandwich.

So please, make this soup today.

Your cholesterol will thank you.

Roasted Tomato Soup & Pesto Grilled Cheese

Ingredients

3 pounds tomatoes

1/2 yellow onion

4 cloves garlic

EVOO

salt

1 c broth

1/2 c cream
red pepper flakes

sourdough bread

pesto

{1 bunch basil, handful pinenuts, 3/4 c fresh parmesan, 1-2 T EVOO, 3 cloves garlic}

white cheddar cheese

butter

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

2. Chop tomatoes and onions in half. Place tomatoes, onions, and garlic cloves on jellyroll pan covered with foil. Drizzle veggies with EVOO and salt, combine well.

3. Roast 20 minutes, or until tomatoes have darkened.

4. Blend veggies in blender until smooth (being careful to allow for venting of the hot liquid).

5. Pour mixture into large pot, simmer on low. Add broth and cream.

6. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.

7. If not using pre-made pesto, make your pesto by pulsing a handful of basil, handful of pinenuts, fresh parmesan, 3 cloves of garlic, and 1-2 T EVOO in a food processor until smooth.

8. Spread pesto onto insides of sourdough slices. Butter the outsides. Place slices of white cheddar cheese inside with pesto. Grill until cheese melted.

9. Dice part of sandwich and use for croutons in soup. Garnish soup with basil and cream. Serve grilled pesto cheese alongside soup.

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Be still my Heart pizzas and fruit kabobs!

When I was in college for christmas my grandpa got us all "Pizza makers" for Christmas.  Kind of an odd gift for a college student right?  Wrong!  We had so much fun with those pizza makers in college.  We had personal pizza parties ALL the time!  W bought a ton of different topping, a Costco size bag of mozzarella cheese and for the dough we bought frozen Rhodes rolls.  Combine two together to make a perfect sized personal pizza.  So for Valentines day I thought it would be a fun activity for the kids to roll, cut out and decorate their very own heart shaped pizzas.  To do this I needed the following:

A Bag of frozen Rhodes rolls
1 package of mozzarella cheese
1 can of pizza sauce
sliced olives
pineapple
onions
pepperoni (cut into tiny hearts)
Flour to roll the dough

To cut them out into heart find the biggest heart shaped cookie cutter you can find.  I found mine in a package of all sizes at Michaels.  I think it was a 5X5.  I used the smallest one to cut out the pepperoni.

If you don't have a pizza maker, use your pizza stone or even a cookie sheet and bake at 375 for 15 minutes.  A perfect interactive Valentines lunch or dinner for the family! Enjoy!

Heart shaped fruit Kabobs!

These are great for a V-day party!  Instead of bringing o fruit salad you can create your own fruit kabobs.  This is what I used, but really you can open it to your own creativity. What you'll need

strawberries (Cut the tops off and cut around the stem to create a heart)
Cantelope (Slice into one inch think slices and use your smallest heart shaped cookie cutter to cut out)
grapes (These I used as decorative fillers)

Arrange on skewers as wanted.  A healthy, cute v-day snack!  So easy.  I put them in a cute Mason jar as a display, but a platter would also work!

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