Tag Archives: mushrooms

Pork Stir Fry

So happy Spring has arrived! We spent both days of this weekend outside in the sunshine! On Saturday, we had Harper’s soccer game and a birthday party at a playground. Then Sunday, we were cleaning up the porch and front yard after church.

harper-in-spring

I even got a tiny sunburn on the back of my neck since my hair no longer covers it now that my hair is all gone! I must have cut off 8-9 inches in the back!

momwithagoldenfork sunburn

Anyways, we also said a very sad goodbye to our dear, dear friends who moved to Jacksonville. Our children have grown up together and it’s just so sad now that they aren’t around the corner anymore. Life will be a lot less exciting without them but we both know we will get to visit each other since it just a quick 5 hour drive down I-10 from us! Haha!

momwithagoldenfork dear friend

This is blast from the past (Carmel 2009 BC: before children!)

So the matter at hand: Pork Stir Fry. As I am emptying out my back log of recipes, this one is a more recent one I have fixed. Its one I know many people have a similar type of dish already; but since I love to share my own recipes, maybe its a little different from others out there!

On another note, if you have everything prepped and ready for this meal, you can make Pork Stir Fry in a flash! I’d say less than 20 minutes! That’s better than take out for sure and it tastes just as good!

pork stir fry plate

Pork Stir Fry

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 lb pork chops, sliced in 1/4in strips (could be chicken or flank steak or peeled shrimp instead!)
  • 1 egg
  • 1 TBL rice wine vinegar
  • 1 tsp soy sauce
  • 1 TBL cornstarch
  • 2 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 2 celery ribs, sliced thinly
  • 1 onion, cut in half and thinly sliced
  • 5-6 button mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 cup broccoli (fresh or defrosted from frozen), in florets
  • pinch of salt
  • pinch of sugar
  • 3 TBL vegetable oil, divided
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
  • Sliced green onion or Black sesame seeds or chopped cilantro for garnish
  • Sauce:
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • 1 TBL cornstarch
  • 1 TBL soy sauce
  • 1 TBL hoisin sauce
  • 1 TBL rice wine vinegar

Instructions:

Whisk together egg, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce and cornstarch. Add in the pork (or other protein) and set aside.

pork stir fry wet ingredients

Mix up the sauce and place in area next to stove along with the vegetable and pork.

pork stir fry vegetables

Heat 2 TBL of oil in large skillet or wok. Add pork and brown until no longer pink, 1 1/2- 2 minutes, (should still be underdone). Remove to a plate and set aside.

brown pork for stir fry

Make sure pan is HOT and add remaining 1 TBL of oil. Add garlic and saute for 30 seconds.

saute garlic pork stir fry

Add all the vegetables along with a pinch of salt and sugar. Stir fry until crisp-tender about 2 minutes.

pork stir fry vegetables in pan

Add the pork and pour in sauce and stir. Everything should start to thicken up by about 3 minutes.

pork stir fry saucepork stir fry thicken

Move to plate and sprinkle any garnishes on top. Serve on top of white (or brown!) rice and Voila!

pork stir fry golden fork

Pork Stir Fry
Author: 
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 8 servings
 
Ingredients
  • 1½ lb pork chops, sliced in ¼in strips (could be chicken or flank steak or peeled shrimp insteadl!)
  • 1 egg
  • 1 TBL rice wine vinegar
  • 1 tsp soy sauce
  • 1 TBL cornstarch
  • 2 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 2 celery ribs, sliced thinly
  • 1 onion, cut in half and thinly sliced
  • 5-6 button mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 cup broccoli, (fresh or defrosted from frozen) in florets
  • pinch of salt
  • pinch of sugar
  • 3 TBL vegetable oil, divided
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
  • Sliced green onion or Black sesame seeds or chopped cilantro for garnish
  • Sauce:
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • 1TBL cornstarch
  • 1 TBL soy sauce
  • 1 TBL hoisin sauce
  • 1 TBL rice wine vinegar
Instructions
  1. Whisk together egg, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce and cornstarch. Add in the pork (or other protein) and set aside.
  2. Mix up the sauce and place in area next to stove along with the vegetable and pork.
  3. Heat 2 TBL of oil in large skillet or wok. Add pork and brown until no longer pink, 1½- 2 minutes. (should still be underdone) Remove to a plate and set aside.
  4. Make sure pan is HOT and add remaining 1 TBL of oil. Add garlic and saute for 30 seconds.
  5. Add all the vegetables along with a pinch of salt and sugar. Stir fry until crisp-tender about 2 minutes.
  6. Add the pork and pour in sauce and stir. Everything should start to thicken up by about 3 minutes.
  7. Move to plate and sprinkle any garnishes on top. Serve on top of rice.
 

Please let me know what you think of the Pork Stir Fry! I would love to hear your comments!

 

One-Pot Chicken with Sweet Potatoes and Spinach

One-Pot Chicken with Sweet Potatoes and Spinach

Lots going on around here! Let’s see… we had a great Valentine’s day! I made strawberry pancakes for my kiddos with my own baking mix.

20140221-181813.jpg 20140221-181836.jpgI’m still trying to perfect the ratios but I will posts as soon as I like the results. They love pancakes and request them most mornings (well the one that talks does!). Both gobble them up every time. I put bananas, berries (either blue or straw) and then after they are made, top them with cashew butter. They are delicious!

In other news, winter is slowly making its way out of Florida and spring should be here soon! Yay! I made this Chicken and Sweet Potato thing still in the heart of the cold but I think it could be good year round. Maybe I just love sweet potatoes a little too much!

One-Pot Chicken with Sweet Potatoes and Spinach

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 tsp garlic and onion powder, each
  • 1/4 tsp oregano
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 TBL olive oil
  • 1 lb chicken tenders (or cut up larger breast pieces)
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 4 oz mushrooms, sliced
  • 1-1 1/2 lb sweet potato, diced 1/2 inch cubes
  • 1 1/3 cup chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup baby spinach, chopped

One-Pot Chicken with Sweet potatoes and Spinach

Directions:

Start by stirring together the seasoning mix in a small bowl: garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, salt and pepper.

One-Pot Chicken with Sweet potatoes and Spinach

Lay out the chicken pieces and sprinkle with seasonings on both sides. Put oil in large, preheated pot and brown chicken on either side, about 3-4 min each. Remove and set aside.

One-Pot Chicken with Sweet potatoes and Spinach

Add onion, mushrooms and sweet potatoes to pan and cook for 8 min, stirring frequently.

One-Pot Chicken with Sweet potatoes and Spinach One-Pot Chicken with Sweet potatoes and Spinach

Add oil if it starts to stick too much. Add chicken broth and salt and pepper to taste.

One-Pot Chicken with Sweet potatoes and Spinach

Bring to boil and cover. Replace chicken in pot and reduce heat.

One-Pot Chicken with Sweet potatoes and Spinach

Cook covered for 4-6 minutes until sweet potatoes are easily pierced with a fork. Turn off heat and stir in chopped spinach.

One-Pot Chicken with Sweet potatoes and Spinach

We put this on a bed of quinoa cooked in chicken stock. It was really just so yummy! You could also use brown rice or something similar but it was pretty good just on its own! Just for those of you that are interested, its also gluten free, dairy free and very simple to make. What more can you ask?!

One-Pot Chicken with Sweet potatoes and Spinach

4.5 from 2 reviews
One-Pot Chicken with Sweet Potatoes and Spinach
Author: 
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 8 servings
 
Ingredients
  • ½ tsp garlic and onion powder, each
  • ¼ tsp oregano
  • ½ tsp pepper
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 TBL olive oil
  • 1 lb chicken tenders (or cut up larger breast pieces)
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 4 oz mushrooms, sliced
  • 1-1½ lb sweet potato, diced ½ inch cubes
  • 1⅓ cup chicken broth
  • ½ cup baby spinach, chopped
Instructions
  1. Start by stirring together the seasoning mix in a small bowl: garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, salt and pepper.
  2. Lay out the chicken pieces and sprinkle with seasonings on both sides. Put oil in large, preheated pot and brown chicken on either side, about 3-4 min each. Remove and set aside.
  3. Add onion, mushrooms and sweet potatoes to pan and cook for 8 min, stirring frequently.
  4. Add oil if it starts to stick too much. Add chicken broth and salt and pepper to taste.
  5. Bring to boil and cover. Replace chicken in pot and reduce heat.
  6. Cook covered for 4-6 minutes until sweet potatoes are easily pierced with a fork. Turn off heat and stir in chopped spinach.
  7. Can be served over quinoa or brown rice if desired.
 

Please let me know what you thought of the One-Pot Chicken with Sweet potatoes and Spinach! I would love to hear from you!

Strip Steak with Sweet Potatoes and Spinach

Strip Steak with Sweet Potatoes and Spinach

In an effort to post more efficiently, I tried a new method: iPad photos only. I don’t think it is an “everytime” kind of method but I wanted to see if the process was streamlined at all. My dslr camera is still my preferred photo taker (imagine that!) but sometimes I would like to do something super fast and that way ain’t it! So bear with the less clear photos and know this is not the norm!

So this dinner is something that is slightly more difficult for a 3 and 1 year old to eat so the hubby and I ate this meal after the babies had already eaten. Although both of them did ask to try some bites so maybe I should have just made it for all of us!

I tried to cook and time myself to give an approximate time frame but I had to delay things since we had a later arrival home than what I originally anticipated. That being said, I would guess you could do this whole meal in 60 minutes. I will post the recipes separately to make them easier to follow but none of them really have to be babysat individually for a long length of time.

Regardless, here they are. We really love this kind of meal, colorful, flavorful and not terribly difficult.

Strip Steak Ingredients

NY strip steak with red wine reduction

2-3 Steaks, about 1/2 in. in width, a little less than 2 pounds total
1 TBL olive oil
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 TBL butter
1/2 cup red wine
2 TBL half and half

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Take steaks out to rest and start their marinade. Blot dry with paper towels and sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper. Place in plastic zip top bag and drizzle olive oil and soy sauce. Set aside to rest for 20-30 minutes.

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When ready to cook, heat on high heat, a large skillet big enough to hold all the steaks without over crowding. Place in the hot pan the steaks for 2 minutes per side, only turning once.

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Remove from heat and place on a sheet pan and finish in oven for 5-10 minutes depending on how you like your steak’s done-ness. Remove from oven and let rest uncovered for 10 minutes.

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We like a medium steak so I believe I had them in a total of 7 minutes. Use a digital thermometer to make sure the inside temperature is exact. Mine read 130 degrees and rested up to about 137. Here is a good table for temperature and done ness: http://www.thestayathomechef.com/2013/02/new-york-strip-steak-topped-with-garlic.html
While steaks are in oven, pour red wine in pan with stuck on bits, scraping up to remove bits from bottom.

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Let wine reduce by half and add half and half. Stir to incorporate. Let warm through for another minute and add butter.

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Remove from pan and serve along side of steaks

NY strip steak with red wine reduction
Author: 
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 3 servings
 
Ingredients
  • 2-3 Steaks, about ½ in. in width,a little less than 2 pounds total
  • 1 TBL olive oil
  • Salt and pepper
  • ¼ cup soy sauce
  • 2 TBL butter
  • ½ cup red wine
  • 2 TBL half and half
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Take steaks out to rest and start their marinade. Blot dry with paper towels and sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper. Place in plastic zip top bag and drizzle olive oil and soy sauce. Set aside to rest for 20-30 minutes.
  2. When ready to cook, heat on high heat, a large skillet big enough to hold all the steaks without over crowding. Place in the hot pan the steaks for 2 minutes per side, only turning once.
  3. Remove from heat and place on a sheet pan and finish in oven for 5-10 minutes depending on how you like your steak's done-ness. Remove from oven and let rest uncovered for 10 minutes.
  4. While steaks are in oven, pour red wine in pan with stuck on bits, scraping up to remove bits from bottom.
  5. Let wine reduce by half and add half and half. Stir to incorporate. Let warm through for another minute and add butter.
  6. Remove from pan and serve along side of steaks.
 

Sweet Potato Mash with Rosemary

Sweet Potatoes (3 Large)
1/2 cup half and half
salt and pepper
3 TBL butter
1 TBL chopped fresh rosemary

Clean and peel the sweet potatoes.

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Cube into 1 inch pieces and steam for 15 minutes on stove, or until tender when pierced with a fork.

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Remove from heat and mash with half and half, butter, 1/2 tsp of salt and pepper, each and rosemary. (I usually put this in the oven to stay warm while I finish the rest of the meal.)

20140115-151414.jpg 20140115-151405.jpg

Sweet Potato Mash with Rosemary
Author: 
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 3 servings
 
Ingredients
  • Sweet Potatoes (3 Large)
  • ½ cup half and half
  • Salt and pepper
  • 3 TBL butter
  • 1 TBL chopped fresh rosemary
Instructions
  1. Clean and peel the sweet potatoes.
  2. Cube into 1 inch pieces and steam for 15 minutes on stove, or until tender when pierced with a fork.
  3. Remove from heat and mash with half and half, butter, ½ tsp of salt and pepper, each and rosemary. (I usually put this in the oven to stay warm while I finish the rest of the meal.)
Sauteed Spinach with Mushrooms and Onions

(I actually adapted this recipe:
http://healthyfortwo.com/2012/01/10/quick-sauted-spinach/)

1 TBL olive oil
1 onion, sliced thin
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 oz mushrooms, sliced
1 pound baby spinach
salt and pepper

Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil and saute the onions and mushrooms until softened, about 6 minutes.

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Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.

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Add spinach and stir until all leaves are starting to wilt and soften.

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This should only take a few minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

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Sauteed Spinach with Mushrooms and Onions
Author: 
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 3 servings
 
Ingredients
  • 1 TBL olive oil
  • 1 onion, sliced thin
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 4 oz mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 pound baby spinach
  • salt and pepper
Instructions
  1. Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil and saute the onions and mushrooms until softened, about 6 minutes.
  2. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
  3. Add spinach and stir until all leaves are starting to wilt and soften.
  4. This should only take a few minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
The finished plate:

Steak with Sweet Potatoes and Spinach

I hope if you make even one for these recipes, please feel free to leave a comment. I would love to know what you think!