It's been a long time

Hello friends!  Are you still out there?  I know it's been over a year since I've posted. I apologize for slacking. As we all experience, life is busy at times and you have to make sacrifices.  Alright, to be honest, it was partly that but MOSTLY I haven't been inspired to blog or even read blogs. Meh. Laziness. It happens.

I am getting back in the mood for food.  Maybe it's the cold front moving in giving me energy to get busy in the kitchen, as if my favorite season of fall is here.  Hmmm I'm trying not to get too excited because you never know when the heat will hit again out of nowhere just to remind you that this is Texas.

I have made an effort to participate more often in tasting events and contributing to a local food blog (Dallas Food Nerd) that allows various foodies to share their experiences.  It's foodie fun at it's tastiest!  We write reviews on restaurants, products and cookbooks. I have one posted that I'll share next and a couple more in progress. Be sure to stay tuned for more updates regarding that.

I've continued to cook and I've learned a few new things in the process. I can finally cook steaks to the correct temperature (medium), just the way my husband and I like them.  I have successfully made various breads and some more than once such as: French bread, ciabatta bread, rosemary and kalamata loaves and baguettes.  I just realized I didn't take photos of the breads.  Weird. I've also made more spices from scratch versus buying them.  Jamaican jerk seasoning and taco seasoning will be used more often now that I know how to throw them together and store.

There's always time to take pics of food just not enough time to share recipes and details about it. However, if you see any that you're interested in making let me know and I'd be happy to share recipes with you. I thought it would be great to share a few delicious photos of  I've made over the past year. Some are my own and others are recipes I found and I'm sure I can track down on Pinterest or favorite blogs.  Let me know.

Some of these photos are making me salivate all over again.  I've made some pretty tasty stuff over the time I've been away from you.  I'm sorry I wasn't around to share the love.  I'll try to make it up to you.

Coconut Lime Shrimp & Zucchini Tartines

Blue Cheese Steak Pear Salad

Balsamic Steak Rolls

Tator Tot Casserole

Crispy Pork Belly

Thai Coconut Chicken Noodle Soup

Nicoise Salad

Duck Confit & Shaved Sautéed Brussel Sprouts

Frozen Strawberry Margarita Pie

Chocolate Pie with Pretzel Crust

Cold Strawberry Soup

Cherry Holiday Cheer

Apple Spice Doughnut 

Beef Asparagus Stir Fry

Beef Asparagus Stir-Fry

I had some asparagus left over from my tart in a previous post about "Green Grub".    I decided to make a stir-fry for a weeknight dinner.  I was exhausted and ready for the stressful week to end.  I needed something simple and quick.  This dish hit the spot!  So tasty!   I have a soft spot in my heart for any Asian dishes such as stir-fry, noodle bowls, fried rice, etc.  

Asian food may scare a few people away from cooking at home due to the lack of knowledge of any good recipes or they don't like the food at all due to exaggerated stories they've heard about what it's actually made of.  (It's kind of like people that don't want to try sushi because they don't like raw fish.  Obviously assuming sushi is raw fish.  Believe me, I'm not a huge fan of raw fish and the sushi I always get actually contains cooked fish or crab.  Now sashimi is the raw fish so if you don't prefer it, just don't order it.  But there are various types of sushi that I'm sure you'd enjoy.)

I apologize for losing track there.  I just had to clarify for you if you weren't aware.   Moving on. 

If you learn to adapt the recipes to using ingredients you know you enjoy, it's very simple and the dishes are very versatile allowing substitutions to personalize the dish to your tastebuds.  


Beef Asparagus Stir-Fry
1 lb beef sirloin, cut in 1-inch strips
1/2 c teriyaki sauce
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp chili oil
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp peanut oil
1 medium onion, sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 lb asparagus spears, cut in 1-inch pieces
1 lb white mushrooms, sliced
2 c cooked white or brown rice

In a medium bowl, whisk the teriyaki sauce, red wine vinegar and chili oil and pepper.   Add the beef strips and stir to cover all the meat in the marinade.   Cover and put in fridge to marinate.

Heat 1 tbsp peanut oil and butter in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat.   Add onions and cook for about 5-7 minutes.   Add mushrooms and garlic and cook for an additional 5-7 minutes until mushrooms start to brown.  Remove from pan to a bowl and set aside.  (you will add it back in to finish off with the rest of the items later)  

Add the remaining 1 tbsp peanut oil to the pan.   Add steak strips and the marinade to the pan.  Cook until browned on all sides.  (3-5 minutes) *If you like spicy, you can add a teaspoon or so of red pepper flakes at this point.  Add the asparagus and the cooked veggies to the pan.  Let it simmer all together for about 8 minutes.  Taste test for flavor and add salt and pepper as needed.   Serve over hot rice.  Enjoy!

Pork Stir Fry

Stir-fry is so easy and you can put just about anything you want in it.  I had a few ingredients on hand and decided to throw this together to see what happened.  It turned out really good and made a lot. You can play with this recipe and add your own favorite veggies.  Marinating the meat for at least 15 minutes adds flavor to the dish. You can use shrimp, chicken or beef in the place of pork.   There are so many possibilities.  Enjoy!!

1 lb boneless pork chops, sliced in strips
2 c fresh cabbage, chopped
1 c frozen or fresh asparagus, chopped
2-3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tsp fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
3 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp peanut oil
1 tsp dark sesame seed oil
2 c white rice, prepared

In a medium bowl, combine the ginger, rice wine vinegar and 2 tbsp of soy sauce and then add the pork. Set aside to marinate for at least 15 minutes.

Add peanut oil and heat a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat.  Add pork along with the marinade and cook until pork is no longer pink and liquid is gone.  About 5-7 minutes.    Remove pork from pan to a bowl and set aside.  Add cabbage to pan and cook until it starts to soften.  Then add asparagus and garlic, cook until cabbage is cooked down but still has some crunch to it.  Add pork back to pan with veggies and add remaining soy sauce and dark sesame see oil.  Cook until heated through.  Serve over rice.   Makes 4 healthy servings.

Vegetable Fried Rice

I could eat rice all the time. It is so versatile.  I love that you can just throw almost anything along with it and it works.  Growing up I rice a lot.   Fried Rice, Steamed Rice, Stir Fry on top of rice, etc.  Grandma Millie made steamed rice with almost every meal. Sometimes I miss being a kid and just having someone else do all the work in the kitchen.  Other times I am so glad I'm responsible and creative enough to make my own delicious meals. I thank my family for providing those childhood meals that I still think about sometimes miss.  I think my mom gets annoyed when I find out I don't really like certain things she cooks anymore and when I cook it, the dish turns out better. ha ha But it's their turn to sit back and relax while I whip up something tasty.  I love you Mom & Lola! (You can still make me fried chicken w/mashed potatoes and gravy anytime Mom!)

This is actually a healthy dish so I have a feeling this will be a part of the regular menu rotation.  I just have to watch the portions or it could get outta hand real quick!  I could probably manage to keep that up if I continue to go to kickboxing.  ;p

2 c steamed long grain white rice (prepared according to package)
1/3 c vegetable broth (I used chicken broth since that is what I had on hand)
3 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
1 tsp grated peeled fresh ginger
1 tsp dark sesame oil
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp canola oil, divided
Cooking spray
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 garlic cloves, chopped

1/4 c thinly sliced green onions (2-3)
2 c mixed frozen veggies, thawed (carrots, peas, corn, green beans or your own personal favorites)

**I have found that if I cook my rice in advance enough it has time to cool down and not turn so sticky when I add to the pan with the other ingredients. I usually give it about 30-45 minutes to sit before I start prepping the other stuff.

Combine broth and next 4 ingredients in a medium bowl; stir with a whisk. Set aside

Heat 1 tsp canola oil in a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat.  Add beaten eggs; cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute or until scrambled.  Remove egg from pan.

Heat remaining 1 tsp canola oil in pan.  Add rice; cook, stirring occasionally, 3 minutes or until thoroughly heated.  Add vegetables, broth mixture, garlic and green onions; cook 1 minute or until thoroughly heated.  Then add scrambled eggs and heat through. Enjoy!!

Japanese-Style Crispy Pork

First of all, my picture doesn't do this meal justice so I apologize. Thanks to the May edition of Food Network Magazine, I found this delicious creation.   It's basically schnitzel with a Japanese-style side. Now all I need to do is learn to make the "out of this world" creamy sauces like Jorg's Cafe Vienna and I'll have my own Award Winning Crème Schnitzel.  If you don't know what I'm talking about you must let me know and we will go immediately!  Wow, now I'm craving the Jager Schnitzel. Mmmm. But I'm so serious, if you haven't been there let me know and I will introduce you to heaven in your mouth x10.


1 lb thin-cut boneless pork chops or cutlets, trimmed
kosher salt
2 tbs rice wine, sake or sherry
1 1/2 tsp finely grated peeled ginger
2 medium cucumbers
1 tsp sugar
2 tsp rice wine vinegar
1 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
3 large eggs
2 c panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
3/4 c cornstarch
Peanut oil, for frying
1/4 c tonkatsu sauce ( a sweet-spicy Japanese dipping sauce, sold near the soy sauce; or follow my recipe below to make your own)

If your pork is a little thicker than 1/4 inch, pound it thin with a rolling pin or meat tenderizer.  Season the pork with salt.  Mix the rice wine and1 tsp ginger and spread onto the pork.  Set aside.

Peel, quarter and seed the cucumbers; cut into 4-inch spears.  Toss with the sugar and vinegar.  Then toast the pepper flakes with 1 tbsp salt in a skillet over medium heat, about 4 minutes.  Set aside.

Beat the eggs with 1/2 c water in a shallow bowl.  PUt the panko and cornstarch in 2 separate plates or shallow bowls.  Dredge each piece of pork in cornstarch, dip in egg, then coat with the panko.  Heat 1/4 inch of peanut oil in a large skillet over high heat.  Fry the pork in batches until golden, 3-4 minutes each side.  Place on papertowel-lined plate.

Sprinkle the cucumbers with some of the pepper flake salt. 

Tonkatsu Sauce
2 tbsp ketchup
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp water
remaining 1/2 tsp ginger

Mix together all ingredients in a small bowl.

Serve the sauce with the pork and cucumbers. 

Spicy Pork Stir Fry

Quick, tasty and healthy meal for any day of the week. I've made this before and like it more and more each time.

WW Points: 5 per serving (4 servings total) *I served with white rice so that adds to the points but you can have plain for super healthy meal or serve over brown rice.

2 tsp chili oil (*if you don't want it to be spicy, use peanut oil)
1 lb lean pork tenderloins, cut into thin strips (*I use the Pork Top Loin, boneless)
4 medium garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp red pepper flakes, crushed
2 tsp cornstarch
1 lb frozen mixed vegetables (Asian stir-fry mix)
3 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
1 tsp rice vinegar
1 tsp orange marmalade

In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 teaspoon of the chili oil. Cook pork until it begins to brown and is just cooked through, about 3 minutes. Remove to a plate.

Heat remaining oil in the same skillet over high heat; add garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook stirring constantly until golden and fragrant; about 1-2 minutes.

Mix cornstarch with 1/4 cup water. Add vegetables to pan; cook, stirring frequently, until just tender; 4-6 minutes. Stir in soy sauce, vinegar and marmalade. Add the cornstarch mixture and bring to a boil. Stir in pork and heat through. Serve immediately.