Asian Pork and Shrimp Noodles with Bok Choy

Asian Pork and Shrimp Noodles with Bok Choy

I had a hankering for fried egg rolls a few weeks ago and thought I was all set with my ingredients, but when I took the egg roll wrappers out of the freezer to defrost, they were totally freezer burnt! I was NOT going to make a trip to the store just for egg roll wrappers, so I put on my thinking cap and decided we could enjoy all the deliciousness of egg rolls — unwrapped! The meal came out perfectly delicious, and just think of all the calories we saved without the fried grease (although I’m not one to pass up a fried egg roll if given the chance).

If you do decide to make this healthier alternative, just make sure you get all your ingredients prepped ahead of time, as it comes together pretty quick once you start cooking.

Asian Pork and Shrimp Noodles with Bok Choy

4 ounces dried rice noodles
1/2 pound ground pork
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil, divided
2 or 3 green onions, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon minced ginger
1/2 cup grated carrot (I used bagged)
3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
2 teaspoons fish sauce
2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 cup chicken broth
2 baby bok choy, trimmed and sliced
1/2 pound shrimp (I used frozen deli shrimp)
4 ounces fresh bean sprouts
1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon Sambal Oelek (optional)
Lime wedges, for garnish

Asian Pork and Shrimp Noodles Ingredients

Soak rice noodles in hot water according to package directions. (Usually about 10 or 15 minutes.) Drain noodles and set aside. (Ignore my angel hair noodles in the pic and sub in your mind with the green onions I forgot for the shot.) After adding the rice noodles and bean sprouts, I had plenty of food already!)

Browned Ground Pork

In a wok or large skillet, brown the ground pork with 1 teaspoon of toasted sesame oil over medium heat until thoroughly cooked through. Remove from skillet, drain on paper towels, and set aside.

Cooking the Veggies

In the same skillet (without wiping out oil), add the grated carrots and cook about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the ginger, garlic, and green onions, and cook for several more minutes. Remove to a bowl and set aside.

Add another teaspoon of sesame oil to the skillet, then add the sliced bok choy, cooking until just wilted.

Wilted Bok Choy

In a small bowl, whisk together the soy, oyster and fish sauces along with the rice wine vinegar, brown sugar, and chicken broth and pour over the bok choy. Now add all the rest of the ingredients to the skillet (pork, veggies, shrimp, noodles, and bean sprouts.)

Last, stir in the cornstarch slurry and the chili sauce if you like a little spicy and bring up to a simmer. Turn off heat, then serve in bowls with a squeeze of lime wedge.

Asian Pork and Shrimp Noodles with Bok Choy

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Asian Style Cube Steak

Asian Style Cube Steak

I’ve been hard-pressed to come up with new dinner ideas for all the packages of tenderized top round (aka cube steak) we have in our freezer. After I spied a new Teriyaki sauce that had sesame seeds in it at the store, I decided to buy it and figured the steak could be dressed up with it for an Asian flair. Throw in some onions, carrots, and sugar snap peas and voila! A perfect meal to serve over a bed of rice. I got two thumbs up from the family for this one!

Asian Style Cube Steak

1 pound tenderized top round
Salt or Mrs. Dash
Ground black pepper
1/4 cup flour
Vegetable oil, for frying
1/2 to 1 cup sliced onions
1 3/4 cup beef broth, homemade or low sodium
1/4 cup Teriyaki sauce with sesame seeds
8 ounces baby carrots
8 ounces sugar snap peas
3/4 cup uncooked rice

Cube Steaks and Teriyaki Sauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut the cube steak into serving portions then season with salt and pepper, to taste. Dredge the steaks through the flour, pressing in firmly to stick. Reserve the leftover flour.

 

Cube Steaks and Onions

Heat about 1/8 inch of oil in an oven-proof or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the steaks on one side for about five minutes, the carefully flip over. Add the sliced onions, then cook the steak and onions for about another five minutes. Add the reserved flour to the pan, stirring into the oil as best you can around the steaks.

In a large measuring cup, add the beef broth, then add the Teriyaki sauce with sesame seeds (I used Soy Vay brand) to the 2-cup mark and whisk to incorporate. (If you can’t find that brand of sauce, simply add about a tablespoon of sesame seeds to any Teriyaki sauce.) Pour the mixture over the steak an onions.

Carrots Added to the Pot

Add the baby carrots around the steaks. Cover with an oven-proof lid, and bake in the oven for about 45 minutes. Carefully remove lid, stir in the snap peas, then cook covered for an additional 15 minutes.

Snap Peas Added to the Pot

While the steak is in the oven, you can cook the rice according to package directions and keep warm until serving time. When the steaks and vegetables are done, serve over the rice with plenty of sauce.

Best Chicken Wings Ever

Best Chicken Wings Ever

No, really. These are Genius! For years, my husband has been trying to cook perfectly crisped chicken wings. He’s tried double-frying in oil, frying then baking, baking then grilling — you name it. And then there was this magical moment about two weeks ago when I hopped over to one of my favorite foodie websites and a recipe for these chicken wings popped up in the Genius Recipes column. Really? Really? Can it be true?

I immediately printed the recipe and ran downstairs to show it to my husband. He wasn’t even skeptical about it and was anxious to try this new version, and promptly put “chicken wings” on the grocery list white board. Much to his dismay he came home wingless that day from the grocery store. “I can’t believe the store had no chicken wings!” I’m a persistent shopper and would have tried a second (or even third) store, but the wings would have to wait until another day.

Cured Chicken Wings

His next trip out a couple of days later and produced said wings. He was all set to cook them up for dinner when he discovered (much to his dismay again) that the recipe required a full 24-hours of prep. “Didn’t you read the recipe?” “Well, uh, I read the ingredients but didn’t read through the instructions.” Cooking Basics 101. Read the entire recipe through at least once (0r more) before starting to cook. Don’t be put off by the 24 hours though. That is mostly all hands off time while the chicken wings “cure” in the refrigerator, for lack of a better word.

I can truly attest that these are the most perfectly crisped chicken wings I have ever had in my life! Crunchy skin on the outside, and completely juicy and tender on the inside. And there is a bonus to them too! Forget the goopy, buttery red hot sauce known to adorn the ubiquitous Buffalo Wings. The recipe also included an amazing dipping sauce that is this spicy, tangy-I-can’t-put-words-to-it delicious! Without further adieu…

Dipping Sauce Ingredients

Best Chicken Wings Ever
Very slightly adapted from Maximum Flavor (Clarkson Potter, 2013) and borrowed from Food52

Vegetable oil spray for racks
3 large egg whites
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 3/4 teaspoon sea salt
4 pounds whole chicken wings
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
3 tablespoons apple juice
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger, finely minced
1 green onion, finely sliced

Oil 2 wire racks and place them over a large rimmed baking sheet. Mix the egg whites, baking soda, and salt in a bowl and stir until salt and baking soda are dissolved. Dump each chicken wing, one at a time, into the mixture and coat evenly. Lift the wing from the bowl and drain off excess marinade. Place each wing on the racks. Refrigerate the wings, uncovered, overnight.

The next day, preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Put the baking sheet of wings into the oven and cook for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine the rest of the ingredients in a small bowl.

Amazing Dipping Sauce

Flip the wings over and bake for another 10 minutes. Turn the wings over again and bake about another 10 more minutes, until nice and golden. Take the sheet of wings out of the oven and let cool for 5 minutes.

Serve with the dipping sauce. Can you say Genius? And the second bonus is that the leftover dipping sauce can be used to marinate almost anything!

Best Chicken Wings Ever

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Crock Pot Asian Beef Stew

Crock Pot Asian Beef Stew

I had every intention of adding some mint and Thai basil to this close to the end, but got busy with work, and next thing you know I’m taking photos with a hungry family in waiting and even forgot to use it as garnish. But nonetheless, it was very tasty and just enough spice and seasonings to make this a great twist on your average slow cooker beef stew. Oh, and I also forgot the minced ginger in the sauce, dang it! I’m sure it would have been a nice addition.

You can throw this together in no time, and have it in the slow cooker in less than 1o minutes, then forget about it the rest of the day! (OK maybe you’ll have to think about it if you want to add some fresh herbs at the end, oh, and cook the rice…)

Asian Beef Stew Ingredients Ready to Cook

Crock Pot Asian Beef Stew

1 pound chuck roast (or other beef cut)
Ground black pepper, to taste
1 cup homemade or low-sodium beef broth
1 tablespoon Hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon Sambal Oelek (Thai chili paste)
1 teaspoon minced ginger (FORGOT!)
1/2 large onion, chopped
2 green onions, chopped
1/2 to 1 red bell pepper, chopped
Baby carrots (enough for each serving)
Cooked rice, for serving
Fresh mint, Thai basil, or cilantro, for garnish (FORGOT!)

Crock Pot Asian Beef Stew with Side of Edamame

Season the beef with ground black pepper and place in bottom of a 3-quart crock pot. In a 2-cup measuring cup (or bowl), mix the beef broth, Hoisin suace, soy sauce, Thai chili paste, ginger (if you remember) and set aside. Chop up the onions and peppers and add them to the slow cooker along with the baby carrots. Pour the sauce over everything and cook on low 8 to 10 hours or on high 4 to 6 hours. Serve with cooked rice (we cooked ours in beef broth for more flavor), and a vegetable of choice. We served with steamed edamame pods.

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Asian Chicken Noodle Soup with Edamame, Mushrooms, and Carrots

Asian Chicken Noodle Soup with Edamame, Mushrooms, and Carrots

I have made several variations of this soup over the past couple of years, and each time I make it I love it even more! I’ve been tweaking the flavorings with each round, and this particular recipe got thumbs up all the way around from my family. My husband was pleased I used spaghetti noodles in this instead of angel hair pasta, and I had every intention of using them but somehow I ended up grabbing the spaghetti, not even realizing my mistake until after they were cooked.  But I have an excuse! My daughter was getting ready to go on her first date to the Homecoming Dance. I was a bit distracted.  🙂

Asian Chicken Noodle Soup with Edamame Mushrooms and Carrots

Asian Chicken Noodle Soup with Edamame, Mushrooms, and Carrots

2 cups frozen edamame
4 ounces dried spaghetti or angel hair pasta, snapped in half
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 ounces sliced mushrooms
1 cup julienned carrots
3 large green onions, chopped, white and green parts divided
1 tablespoon peeled and minced fresh ginger
1 tablespoon minced garlic
6 or 7 cups homemade or low sodium chicken broth
3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar
2 teaspoons chile paste (I used Sambal Oelek)
2 cups cooked chicken, chopped or shredded
Lime wedges
Fresh chopped cilantro
Dark green onion parts, sliced thin

Place the frozen edamame in a bowl to thaw out. Meanwhile put on a pot of water for the pasta and cook it according to package directions. When the pasta is done, remove and rinse, and return to the pot, spray with a little olive oil to keep it from sticking, and set aside. While all that is coming up to speed, prep the ginger and veggies, etc.

Chicken Noodle Soup Ingredients

In a soup pot, add the two oils and cook the mushrooms, carrots, white and light green parts of the onion with the ginger and garlic over medium heat. Once the vegetables are soft, toss in the edamame and heat it all up for a few minutes more.

Now add the chicken broth, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, and chile paste to the pot. Bring up to a low boil, add in the chicken, then turn down and simmer for about 15 minutes to let the flavors meld. When ready to eat, add a serving of noodles to each soup bowl, then ladle the chicken soup and veggies over all. Garnish with lime wedges to squeeze over, dark green onion parts, and cilantro. Add additional soy sauce according to taste. Winner!

Edamame and Veggies

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Asian Grilled-Meat and Veggie Stir Fry

Asian Grilled-Meat Stir Fry

After a false start to spring last month, we jumped back into “sprinter” and had a couple of weeks of below freezing temps at night, and then last week it jumped straight into summer! It’s been in the mid-80s for a week now, and will continue through the weekend. Next week will return to more seasonal temperatures for this part of the country.

So what’s that got to do with food? Well with such hot weather, we’ve been grilling a lot, and ended up with some leftover grilled meats in the fridge. So for a quick and easy meal, we thinly sliced the grilled meats, then chopped up some veggies, and for some color and texture added edamame. At the last minute I also threw in the last of some fresh spinach hanging around. Whip up a quick Asian sauce, cook some rice in a chicken or vegetable broth, and bingo! It’s dinner! What’s nice about this meal is you can use whatever cooked meats and vegetables you have around (fresh or frozen) and also clean out all those leftovers and bits of veggies in the veggie drawer.

Asian Grilled-Meat Stir Fry

Asian Grilled-Meat and Veggie Stir Fry

1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and diced small
1/2 to 1 pound grilled meat, sliced thin (we had pork and chicken)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 to 3 cups sliced and/or chopped vegetables (we used carrots, edamame, mushrooms, green onion, and spinach)
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 cup low sodium homemade chicken or beef broth (we used chicken)
1/4 teaspoon Sriracha sauce

Heat a wok or rounded skillet to high heat. Add the sesame oil and ginger and stir for a minute. Add the sliced grilled meats and toss to heat up for a couple of minutes. Remove and tent to keep warm. Add the vegetable oil, then add in the vegetables that take the longest to cook. In our case it was the carrots and edamame. Cook until just starting to soften, then add the garlic and the rest of the quick-cooking vegetables and stir. In a bowl, whisk together the cornstarch, soy sauce, vinegar, chicken broth, and Sriracha. Pour over the vegetables, then add the meats back in. Stir and cook until the broth sauce has thickened. If too thick, you can add more broth. Continue stirring until vegetables and sauce are to your liking. Serve with rice cooked in chicken or vegetable broth and additional soy sauce if needed.

Asian Grilled-Meat Stir Fry

Simple Pad Thai with Chicken

Pad Thai with Chicken

This was seriously easy to make. If you skip the chicken and eat it as a side dish, you can have this done in about a half hour. I have been craving Asian food lately, and came across this post on Pinterest. The blogger of that post, by the way, has received over 100,000 repins for it! However, the original recipe came out of Every Day Food magazine by Martha Stewart, which to my dismay announced a month or so ago it was discontinuing its print version of the magazine. They will be sending me her Living magazine instead until my scrip runs out. Bah-Humbug! I love my print foodie mags! Anyhoot, I enlisted my husband to par-boil the chicken earlier in the day for this, which was a great help. You could use a rotisserie chicken too, or leave it out altogether.

Simple Pad Thai with Chicken
(Adapted from Brownies for Dinner and Every Day Living)

8 ounces dried vermicelli noodles, or Pad Thai noodles
4 tablespoons lime juice, plus wedges for serving
5 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1/2 to 1 teaspoon of Sriracha sauce, depending on your spice-level tolerance
4 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil
4 green onions, white parts chopped small and green parts chopped large
1 teaspoon minced garlic
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups cooked chicken, sliced thin
1/2 cup to 1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup roasted unsalted peanuts, chopped

Vermicelli Noodle Coils

I have never bought any Pad Thai noodles, so used vermicelli noodles as a substitute. Actually they were vermicelli coils, which were sure pretty to look at but a pain to cook because they clumped together. I would use just straight noodles next time.  But if you have Pad Thai noodles, they will have to be soaked or something beforehand. Anyways, if using vermicelli, or angel hair, or even spaghetti noodles, get those a-cooking to start right off the bat. It won’t matter if they are done ahead of time, as they get tossed into a skillet and reheated later. I actually didn’t start the water for my noodles early enough and had to wait on them until everything else was ready. While the noodles are cooking, get your other ingredients together, like chopping the onion, squeezing the limes, beating the eggs, etc. Whisk the lime juice, soy sauce, Sriracha, and brown sugar in a small bowl until sugar dissolves and set aside. In a large skillet, heat the oil to medium-high heat and add the green onion whites and garlic and cook for about one minute, stirring constantly. Next add the beaten eggs, and cook unstirred until the eggs are almost all the way set, about another minute or so. Flip the eggs, over, then add the chicken, the rest of the green onion, and sauce to the skillet and turn down to medium. Stir and chop up the eggs into little bits, then add the noodles. Toss around and cook until everything is mixed together  and heated through. Serve with lime wedges, cilantro, and peanuts. Don’t forget the peanuts! (Unless of course you are allergic.) Family rating? Hubby went back for seconds, and daughter went back for thirds! This made a ton of food, and we ate leftovers for a couple of days, so feel free to halve.

Pad Thai Sauce and Garnishes