Crispy Orange Pork and Veggies over Rice

I wanted to make pork tonight and I wanted a Asian flair. I found a crispy orange beef recipe and I decided to change it up a bit and make it into a new crispy orange pork recipe!




3-4 large pork chops, thinly sliced(really depends on how big a meat eater you are, you can go more or less if you wish)
1/3 cup cornstarch
1 tsp seasoned salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 cup long grain brown rice(or white if you prefer)

2 cups water

Sauce:
1/3 cup orange juice concentrate
1/2 cup rice vinegar
5 TB white sugar
2 TB soy sauce
1 tsp salt
(add in red pepper flakes for a kick if you want)

Oil for Frying

2 tsp orange zest
1 TB fresh ginger, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced

Broccoli Florets and Sliced Carrots(the amount of veggie and the sizes you chop to are to your tastes, add in others as you see fit!)

Start your rice boiling in water over medium heat, brown rice will take around 50-55 minutes, white takes about 20 or so

Mix Sauce ingredients and set aside to mingle


Heat Oil in a fryer or large wok over medium high heat









In a plastic bag combine cornstarch garlic powder and seasoning salt. Add sliced pork and SHAKE WELL to coat(you may have to do it in batches to ensure even coating)









Tap off excess and place the coated pork in hot oil(again in batches if necessary) and fry until it is golden brown.










Drain on paper towels.












Drain all but 1 TB oil from the wok(or if you have used a fryer heat 1 TB  over medium high heat), add in zest , ginger and garlic and cook until fragrant. Add in veggies and stir fry until tender crisp.









Add in sauce and boil until it is thickened slightly.
Add in pork, toss to coat and heat through.





Serve over Cooked Rice

Buffalo Chicken Breast Nuggets

I dont care for wings so I made a wing recipe into a buffalo nugget recipe! I also made Honey BBQ for the people who dont care for the kick!!




1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

3 chicken breast cut into 1 inch cubes


For Spicy Hot :
1/3 cup melted butter
1/4 -1/2 cup hot sauce(to taste)


For Sweet:
1/2 cup bbq sauce
1/3 cup honey
(cut amounts in half if you plan to do  1/2 and 1/2)

Place the flour, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, and salt into a resealable plastic bag, and shake to mix. Add the chicken, seal, and toss until well coated with the flour mixture. Refrigerate at least 1 hour.

You can fry them or you can bake them:

To Fry:

I add a bit more flour and shake them up again. Then heat oil to about 350-375  in a fryer (I use a fry daddy) and add pieces a few at a time(depending on the size of your fryer)

Fry for 8-9 minutes until golden, drain on paper towels.

When cooled , mix your desired sauce in a bowl add chicken and toss well.

Place on foiled and lightly greased baking sheet(you can refrigerate here or go straight to the oven )

 bake them at 375 until hot and bubbly(about 10-15 minutes, longer if they are from the fridge)

To Bake:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly grease.

Dip the floured chicken into the sauce mixture, coat well, shake off excess, and place back on the baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven until the chicken is no longer pink in the center, and crispy on the outside, check after 20 minutes or so. Turn them over halfway during cooking so they cook evenly.

Spinach and Artichoke Dip

This is a copycat from Applebee's
Great with tortilla chips and it makes a FANTASTIC spread for burgers or wraps!

2 cups alfredo sauce...jarred or homemade

1 10oz  box frozen chopped Spinach, thawed and squeezed.

1 14 oz can artichoke hearts, drained

3/4 c shredded Parmesan

1/4 cup shredded asiago or romano

1/2 c shredded Mozzarella

1 t minced garlic

4 oz cream cheese

pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350
Make sure your spinach is squeezed and drained VERY well.

Place all ingredients in a food processor, process until smooth and pour into small baking dish

Bake 25-30 min until bubbly

Dessert Pizzas

Another replica recipe from my days at Godfather's Pizza. The M and M dessert was my FAVORITE!!!!
This recipe yields 3 dessert pizzas




Dough:(from chickens in the road)


1 1/2 cups warm water
1 teaspoon yeast
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
1/3 cup olive oil

3 1/2 to 4 cups flour


(In kitchenaid) Combine water, yeast, sugar and olive oil. Allow to sit for 5 minutes until it is foamy.
Add in salt and mix in 1/2 the flour. Switch to the dough hook, continue adding flour until the dough holds together, knead until it is smooth and elastic.
Place it in a greased bowl and allow to rise to doubled in a warm location(about 45 minutes)


Divide in thirds(I actually do a little more than a third on one then divide the other part evenly, the apple dessert needs a little more crust to it) and roll out on greased pizza pans.


Pre-Bake the Crusts for 8 minutes in a 375 degree oven.

Streusel

1-1/3 cup bread flour

2/3 cup white sugar

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup butter flavor shortening(softened butter works fine too)

1/4 cup vegetable oil

Mix together streusel ingredients until it is sticking in clumps and all ingredients are incorporated. 

Icing

1 cup powdered sugar

2 T melted butter

1/2 t vanilla

Mix icing ingredients until it is of a drizzle consistency. If it is too thick, then thin with a small amount of milk (1/2 teaspoon at time) until you have reached your desired thinness.

To make cinnamon pizza:

Take crust and brush on 2 TB  melted butter leaving 1/2 inch space around edges. 

Sprinkle cinnamon all around buttered crust.

Top pizza crust with 1/3 streusel mix . 

M and M pizza : Spread with 2 TB butter and top with 1/3 the streusel topping

Top with mini m and m's AFTER baking.

Apple Dessert:(sorry I did not get a great picture of this one!)

Brush crust with 1 TB melted butter and add a sprinkling of cinnamon

Top with  about 1 cup apple pie filling, you can do more but dont go over board, the crust wont support it (as I found out LOL the one pictured has WAY too much)

You can also use a cherry pie filling!

You can used the canned stuff or this recipe is easy:

3/4 cup water

1/8 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp ginger

1/4 cup white sugar

2 TB cornstarch

1 large apple, peeled(about 1 cup sliced/diced)

1tsp lemon juice

Peel and chop apple and toss with lemon juice, set aside

In sauce pan combine sugar , cornstarch and seasonings. Mix well. Add water and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring often.

When it is thickened and bubbly add in apples and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and cool.

Top with 1/3 the struesel topping.

All Desserts:

Bake at 450 degrees for 8 minutes. Cover with aluminum foil halfway through to keep streusel from burning if necessary. 

When finished baking, top with icing. 

I dont have a finished picture of the Apple Dessert!

Easy Cheese Sticks

This is a copy of the cheesesticks they made when I worked at Godfather's years ago. I loved them!


Dough:
(my favorite from chickens in the road, I modified it a bit for my tastes)
This recipe will make two  fairly good sized crusts, you can half it for 1 batch of cheesesticks or make 1 a pizza!
1 1/2 cups warm water
1 teaspoon yeast
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder3 1/2 to 4 cups flour


(In kitchenaid) Combine water, yeast, sugar and olive oil. Allow to sit for 5 minutes until it is foamy.
Add in salt and mix in 1/2 the flour. Switch to the dough hook, continue adding flour until the dough holds together, knead until it is smooth and elastic.
Place it in a greased bowl and allow to rise to doubled in a warm location(about 45 minutes)


Divide in half and Roll out on greased pizza pans.




Topping

2 tablespoons butter melted
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 c shredded mozzarella
1/2 c shredded cheddar

dried parsley and oregano

Combine butter and garlic powder

Combine your shredded cheeses

Spread pizza dough out on pizza pan and brush with butter mixture, Sprinkle with cheese  and dried parsley and oregano to taste 

 bake at 400 for 8-10 minutes, dough should be slightly underdone at this time, you can cook it more if you like

Dip in Ranch or Tomato Pizza Sauce:

1 (8oz ) can tomato sauce

1/4 tsp dried oregano

1/4 tsp dried basil leaves

1/4 tsp dried thyme

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp ground black pepper

1 bay leaf

1/2 tsp lemon juice

dash of onion powder

1tsp sugar

1/4 cup sneaky chef orange puree(optional, recipe here)

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan. Heat the sauce until it starts to bubble, then turn the heat down and simmer, covered for 30 to 60 minutes, until it reaches the thickness you desire. When the sauce is cooled store in the refrigerator in a tightly sealed container until required.

Baked Jalapeño Poppers

Jalapeño Poppers
10 fresh green jalapeno peppers 2 1/2 - 3 inches long
1 c shredded cheddar
8 oz cream cheese softened
1/2 t italian seasoning
2 egg
1/2 c milk

1/2 cup flour(seasoned if you want, I use a bit of garlic powder, seasoning salt and paprika)
2 c seasoned breadcrumbs, you may need more depending on how thick you want to coat them

Cut each pepper in half lengthwise. Remove stem but NOT TOP, remove membrane and seeds, (you can add the seeds into the cheese mix for extra kick)
Stir together cheddar, cream cheese, and seasoning. Spoon into each pepper. CHILL WELL(I do overnight)

Beat egg and milk together, place flour in one bowl, bread crumbs in another.

Dip each jalapeno in egg wash, then flour , then egg wash then roll it in bread crumbs.

Place peppers filled side up on baking sheet, covered with foil. Bake 350 for 25-30 min

Serve with Berry Chipotle Sauce

1/2 cup raspberry jam, thinned with some water

1/2 tsp chipotle powder(more or less to your heat preference)

Slow Cooker Honey Mustard Pork Roast

Another of my experiments with Kirkland Signature Sirloin Pork Tip Roasts!





1/4 cup mustard
1/4 cup honey
1 TB brown sugar
1 TB balsamic vinegar
1 tsp granulated garlic

1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp seasoning salt
1/2 tsp onion powder

2 lb pork roast

Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.











In another bowl combine next 3 ingredients and mix well.

Place roast in flour mixture and coat well.












Shake excess flour and place in mustard mixture, turning to coat well.

Place in slow cooker along with any remaining mustard mixture








Cook on low 6-8 High 3-4 until internal temperature reads 165.


Remove pork roast to a plate and keep warm

Mix 1 TB cornstarch and 2 TB water and add it to the remaining juices.
Cover and cook on high for 10 minutes to thicken

Serve Sliced and topped with sauce!

Dry Ranch Dressing/Dip Mix

I don't like all the added MSG and other , non-pronounceable ingredients in dry ranch dressing packets, but I have many recipes that call for them.
I decided to see what I could come up with! This is going off of Hidden Valley Original Buttermilk




2 TB dry buttermilk powder*
2 tsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp sea salt
2 tsp dried onion flakes
1 tsp granulated garlic
1/2 tsp dill
1 tsp sugar
2 tsp powdered gelatin**
1/2 tsp black pepper
You can play with the amount of seasoning a little bit to suit your taste buds!

Measure and mix in a small bag.

 Use anywhere a packet of dry ranch is called for!
Or add it to 16 oz sour cream for a yummy dip.....thin it with a little milk to make it salad dressing!(allow it to mingle for a few hours before using for best taste)



* If you cant find buttermilk powder you can use regular dry milk powder.
** If you are vegetarian and dont want to use gelatin, substitute carrageenan, agar-agar or certo