Tag Archives: pork

everything marinade

The Everything Marinade

Now that my kids are getting older, I find them playing together as peers more and more often. Especially since my 5 year old can read to my 3 year old, they really do seem like best buds together! Not that they don’t get into sibling spats and brawls but I often find them like this:

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And this is bedtime the other night. Of course.

dress-up

And before a run last week. Those rain boots usually make an appearance, even when the sun is brightly shining!

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Anyways, enough about the kids!

Over here at my house, we are always looking for a different (but easy!) way to flavor meat.  However, this is the recipe we use when we DON’T do something interesting and new. Its the old stand-by, the easy no-brainer and simple as anything! It gives the meat moisture and a delicious seasoned flavor. Now, I’ve only been using the homemade version for a short time. The other way was a bottle of something store bought but this tastes better, and there’s nothing mystery (or hard-to-pronounce) about it!

everything marinade

The Everything Marinade

This could be used for steaks, chicken breasts, chicken thighs, burgers, pork tenderloins or pork chops or whatever you like to cook! We usually throw it on the grill after marinading but it can be baked, sautéed or whatever kind of cooking method floats your boat!

Ingredients:

  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 2 T apple cider vinegar
  • 1 T ground ginger
  • 1 c soy sauce (low sodium)
  • 1 c water
  • ½ tsp liquid smoke (optional) I don’t usually use this but it just adds that little something extra.

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir or use a mason jar and shake vigorously. Pour half of recipe into zip top bag or container and add meat to marinade. Leave for minimum 30 minutes or up to 8 hours. Store remainder of marinade tightly closed with lid for up to 1 week. Can be used in a freezer bag with meat for 1 month.

 

We like to have our marinaded steaks with mashed sweet potatoes and roasted broccoli. It always gets gobbled up every time!

everything marinadeeverything marinade

The Everything Marinade
Author: 
Prep time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 2 recipes
 
This marinade is great for any and everything!
Ingredients
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 2 T apple cider vinegar
  • 1 T ground ginger
  • 1 c soy sauce (low sodium)
  • 1 c water
  • ½ tsp liquid smoke (optional)
Instructions
  1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir or use a mason jar and shake vigorously.
  2. Pour half of recipe into zip top bag or container and add meat to marinade. Leave for minimum 30 minutes or up to 8 hours.
  3. Store remainder of marinade tightly closed with lid for up to 1 week. Can be used in a freezer bag with meat for 1 month.
Please let me know what you thought of the Everything Marinade! I would love to hear from you!

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!

 

Pork and Barley Soup

Pork and Barley Soup

Thank you to all who responded to the Thanksgiving poll! It looks like 2/3 of voters would prefer to have a mixture of both traditional and new. I’m still compiling my recipes to test and narrowing down what we will “break bread” over on Thanksgiving day. Can’t wait!

For now, I’ll keep posting my meals, just the same. I made a pork and barley soup last night that turned out just so yummy and filling. Since the weather has turned cold here in Florida (for the time being!) I love to eat things like this.

Pork and Barley Soup

Ingredients:

1 1/2-2 lbs thin sliced pork chops, chopped into chunks
salt and pepper
1 onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
3 tsp olive oil, divided
1 cup barley, uncooked (not quick cooking)
1 TBL thyme
4 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 butternut squash, peeled and chopped (about 4 cups)
Parmesan cheese for topping

Pork and Barley Soup

Directions:

Salt and pepper pork and heat 2 tsp of oil in large pot on medium high heat. Cook pork for 4-5 minutes.

Pork and Barley Soup

Remove meat to plate, reserving juices in pan. Set meat aside. Add onion, celery and garlic to pan and saute for 3 minutes over medium low heat.

Pork and Barley Soup

Add remaining 1 tsp oil, and stir to incorporate. Add barley and thyme, cooking for 2 minutes.

Pork and Barley Soup

Add 1/2 cup of chicken broth and scrape any bits off of the bottom. Add remaining 4 cups of broth and squash and bring to boil.

Pork and Barley Soup

Add pork and cover. Turn heat to simmer and cook for 40-45 minutes. Barley will soak up more liquid the longer it sits.

Pork and Barley SoupPork and Barley Soup

I sometimes add a little broth when reheating the next day to make it the right consistency. A few parmesan shavings are pretty yummy on it as well!

5.0 from 3 reviews
Pork and Barley Soup
Author: 
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 8 servings
 
Rich, filling and hearty, just what a cool, fall day calls for!
Ingredients
  • 1½-2 lbs thin sliced pork chops, chopped into chunks
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 stalks celery, chopped
  • 2 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 3 tsp olive oil, divided
  • 1 cup barley, uncooked (not quick cooking)
  • 1 TBL thyme
  • 4½ cups chicken broth
  • 1 butternut squash, peeled and chopped (about 4 cups)
  • Parmesan cheese for topping
Instructions
  1. Salt and pepper the pork. Heat 2 tsp of oil in large pot on medium high heat. Cook pork 4-5 minutes until mostly cooked through.
  2. Remove meat to plate, reserving juices in pan. Set meat aside. Add onion, celery and garlic to pan and sauté for 3 minutes over medium low heat.
  3. Add remaining 1 tsp oil and stir to incorporate. Add barley and thyme, cooking for 2 more minutes.
  4. Add ½ cup of chicken broth and scrape any bits off the bottom. Add remaining 4 cups of broth and squash and bring to boil.
  5. Add pork and cover. Turn heat to simmer and cook for 40 minutes. Barley will soak up more liquid the longer it sits.
  6. Additional broth might be necessary when reheating cooled leftovers to achieve correct consistency.
Pork and Barley Soup

 

 

I would love to hear what you thought of my Pork and Barley Soup! Please feel free to leave a comment!