Pork Stir-Fry

Serves: 4

3/4 c. orange juice
1/3 c. corn syrup
3 T. soy sauce
1 T. cornstarch
1 T. grated orange peel
1/4 t. ground ginger
2 large carrots, sliced
1 celery rib, sliced
2 T. oil, divided
1 lb. pork loin, cut into thin strips
Hot cooked rice

Combine the first six ingredients; set aside. In a large skillet or wok over medium heat, stir-fry carrots and celery in 1 tablespoon oil for 3 minutes. Remove vegetables and set aside. In the same skillet, stir-fry pork in remaining oil for 3-5 minutes or until no longer pink. Return vegetables to skillet. Stir in orange juice mixture; add to skillet. Cook and stir for 2 minutes or until sauce is thickened. Serve over rice.

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Tips: This is a good, basic stir-fry with ingredients you probably have on hand. To get the orange peel just right, I use my Microplane Grater/Zester. It works great for this as well as grating chocolate. If this isn't exactly what you're looking for, check out my other stir-fry recipes. I also shared this recipe at Simply Sweet Home's Friday Favorites.


Recipe from Taste of Home 30-Minute Cookbook

Asian-Style Country Ribs

Serves: 4

2 lbs. country-style pork ribs
Pepper
1/4 c. teriyaki sauce
1/4 c. orange marmalade
2 T. ketchup
1 garlic clove, minced

Rub each rib with pepper. Place in a single layer in crock pot. Combine teriyaki sauce, marmalade, ketchup and garlic. Pour evenly over ribs. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

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Tips: I love cooking country-style pork ribs in the crock pot because they always come out so moist and tender. They usually fall right off the bone. These were great served over hot, cooked rice. You can use the extra sauce in the crock pot to put over your rice. Serve this with some cooked veggies or a salad and dinner's served! If you need some other options for your country-style ribs, try Oven-Barbecued Ribs or Saucy Country Ribs.

Recipe from CD Kitchen

Orange Pork Stir-Fry

Serves: 4

1 pkg. Italian salad dressing mix
1/3 c. orange juice
3 T. oil
2 T. soy sauce
1 lb. pork loin, cut into strips
1 pkg. (16 oz.) frozen stir-fry vegetables, thawed
Hot, cooked rice

Mix together dressing mix, juice, oil and soy sauce. In a large skillet or wok, combine one tablespoon of dressing mixture and pork strips. Cook and stir over medium heat for 5-7 minutes or until meat is no longer pink. Add vegetables and remaining dressing mixture; cook and stir until vegetables are crisp-tender. Serve over rice.

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Tips: This was a nice chicken stir-fry that was easy to put together. The orange flavor was a little on the light side but the overall flavor was still good. I also shared this recipe at Momtrends' Friday Food.

Recipe adapted from Cheap & Easy Recipes Cookbook (Gooseberry Patch)

Teriyaki Pork Chops

Serves: 4

4 pork chops
Salt & pepper
1 pkg. (16 oz.) frozen stir-fry vegetables
1/3 c. teriyaki marinade & sauce
2 T. orange marmalade
Hot, cooked rice
4 sheets (12 x 18 inches each) heavy duty aluminum foil or 8 sheets of regular strength foil

Spread out sheets of foil, if using regular foil put 2 sheets on top of each other. Lightly spray top sheet of foil with non-stick cooking spray. Center one pork chop on each sheet of foil. Sprinkle with salt & pepper. Top each pork chop with vegetables. In a small bowl, combine teriyaki sauce and marmalade; spoon evenly over each pork chop. Bring up long sides of foil and double fold top then sides, leaving room for circulation inside. If using oven, place packets on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until internal temperature of pork chop reaches 160 degrees. If using barbecue, grill packets over medium-high heat on covered grill for 13-16 minutes. Serve over rice.

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Tips: These pork chops are very easy to put together and don't let the foil packets scare you off. See the tips on the Reynolds site for foil packet instructions. They are great for cooking pork chops or chicken breast with the veggies inside and help keep the meat nice and moist. Plus your clean up is practically done for you! I also shared this recipe at Dining with Debbie's What On The Menu Wednesday.

Recipe from Reynolds Wrap

Pork Chow Mein

Serves: 3

3/4 c. uncooked instant rice
2 T. butter
1/2 t. salt
3/4 c. onion, chopped
2 celery ribs, sliced
3/4 c. green pepper, chopped
1 t. chicken bouillon granules
1 3/4 c. boiling water
1 c. cooked, cubed pork
1 T. cornstarch
1 T. cold water
1 T. soy sauce
Chow mein noodles

In a skillet, saute rice in butter and salt until golden. Add the onion, celery and green pepper; cook until crisp-tender. Dissolve bouillon in boiling water; add to the rice mixture. Add pork; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and cook for 5 minutes or until rice is tender. Combine cornstarch, cold water and soy sauce until smooth; add to skillet. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Serve over chow mein noodles.

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Tips: Disclosure statement - My kids did not like this dinner. However, my husband and I did and it was a great way to use up the leftovers from South Shore Pork Roast. Between the celery, green peppers and chow mein noodles I think the crunchiness was just a bit too much for the little tikes. I actually used instant brown rice and just let it cook about 8 minutes. I also used one chicken bouillon cube in place of the granules. Try mixing the cornstarch, water and soy sauce in a small container with a lid and shake it really hard. This method is easier than trying to get the lumps out by stirring it in a bowl. I also shared this recipe at Hospitality Haven's Taste the World.

Recipe adapted from Taste of Home's 2001 Quick Cooking Annual Recipes

Green Bean Pork & Noodles

Serves: 4

6 oz. thin spaghetti, uncooked
1 lb. boneless pork chops, cut into thin strips
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
2 t. oil, divided
2 c. fresh green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 celery rib, thinly sliced
1/8 c. onion, chopped
1/4 c. water
3 T. soy sauce
1 T. butter

Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, sprinkle pork with salt & pepper. In a large non-stick skillet or greased wok, stir-fry pork in 1 teaspoon oil until no longer pink. Remove and keep warm. In the same pan, stir-fry the green beans, celery and onion in remaining oil until crisp-tender. Add the water, soy sauce and reserved pork; heat through. Drain pasta; stir in butter until melted. Add pork mixture and toss to coat.

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Tips: This was a delicious stir-fry meal and it was easy enough for the kids to pick around the celery and onions if you have little ones that turn up their noses (I do). Even without those items, it still left my kids with pork, pasta and green beans so I wasn't complaining. I was happy to find a recipe that used a lot of the green beans I picked from the garden. I also shared this recipe at Hospitality Haven's Taste the World & Dining with Debbie's What's On The Menu Wednesday.

Recipe adapted from Taste of Home Healthy Cooking Magazine (Dec/Jan 2009)

Pineapple Chicken Lo Mein

Serves: 4

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
2 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 t. ground ginger
2 T. oil
1 can (20 oz.) pineapple chunks in juice
2 medium carrots, julienned
1 medium green pepper, julienned
4 oz. spaghetti, cooked and drained
3 green onions, sliced
1 T. cornstarch
1/4 c. soy sauce

In a large skillet, over medium heat, cook the chicken and garlic in 2 tablespoons of oil for about 6 minutes. Sprinkle with ginger. Drain pineapple, reserving 1/2 c. juice (save the rest for another use). Add carrots, green pepper and pineapple to skillet. Cover and cook for 2-3 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender and chicken juices run clear. Stir in spaghetti and onions. In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch, soy sauce and reserved pineapple juice until smooth. Stir into chicken mixture. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.

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Tips: This was a great Asian-style meal with lots of veggies that the whole family enjoyed. I know it seems like a lot of ingredients and steps but most of the prep for step 2 can be done while step 1 is cooking so it did not take me long to make this meal. Save the extra pineapple juice and add it to a Fruit Smoothie. I also shared this recipe at Harrigan Howdy's Recipe Share Party.

Recipe adapted from Taste of Home's 2003 Quick Cooking Annual Recipes

Oriental Chicken Salad

Serves: 4

1 package coleslaw mix or shredded cabbage
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and cubed
1 package of ramen noodles (any flavor)
1/4 c. cashews, chopped
2 T. butter
1 can mandarin oranges, drained
Asian/Oriental salad dressing, any brand

Break ramen noodles into small pieces. Saute cashews and ramen noodles in butter until brown. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and top with oriental dressing.

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Tips: This is a quick tasty salad that works as a main dish or side dish. If your kids aren't much for the oriental flavor just substitute any dressing that works for them. I also shared this recipe at Harrigan Howdy's Recipe Share Party.

Recipe from my friend's mom, Mickey.

Garlic Chicken Stir Fry

Serves: 3

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in strips
1 egg, beaten with water
Dash of salt, pepper & garlic powder
1 c. seasoned bread crumbs
2 t. lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 t. parsley
2 T. butter
2 T. oil
Hot, cooked white rice

Beat egg, salt, pepper & garlic powder. Dip chicken in egg until coated then coat with bread crumbs. Heat oil in skillet. Cook chicken until golden brown, turning once, approx. 10 minutes. Mix lemon juice, garlic, parsley and butter; add to skillet. Serve over rice.

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Tips: This dish was very tasty and was really not a lot of work for how nice it looked when it was done. The lemon juice & butter sauce does not make very much; it mostly just adds flavor. You could increase the sauce if you wanted more. I also shared this recipe at Ann Kroeker's Food on Friday.

Recipe adapted from a church compilation cookbook.

Teriyaki Chicken with Pineapple

Serves: 2

3 T. soy sauce
1 T. vegetable oil
1/2 t. ground ginger
1/2 t. garlic powder
1/8 t. pepper
1 can pineapple chunks or rings in juice
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Cooked white rice

Combine soy sauce, oil, ginger, garlic powder, pepper and 1/4 cup pineapple juice from can in a small bowl. Put chicken breasts in a resealable, plastic bag and add marinade. Refrigerate for one hour. In a greased square baking dish, pour remaining pineapple juice from can to cover bottom of dish. Place chicken on top of juice and put pineapple pieces on top of chicken. Bake at 375 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 170 degrees. Serve over rice.

Tips: If you prefer to cook these on the barbecue or to keep the chicken moister, these also cook excellent in foil packets. To make packets, place two pieces of foil on top of each other. Spray with no-stick spray. Place chicken in middle and top with pineapple. Bring long sides of foil together and fold over 2-3 times. Repeat with one short side. Then add a small amount of marinade before closing the last side. Do not fold foil tight around chicken; there should be extra room inside packet. In the oven, cook the same as above. On the barbecue, grill on medium heat for 25-35 minutes or until 170 degrees. I also shared this recipe at All the Small Stuff's Tuesdays at the Table.

Recipe from Stacy

Chicken Stir-Fry

Serves: 4

2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts; thawed & cubed
2-3 T. vegetable oil
1 green bell pepper, cubed
1 red bell pepper, cubed
1 (8 oz.) can sliced water chestnuts
2 green onions, sliced
1/2 c. prepared stir-fry or teriyaki sauce
Hot cooked rice

In a wok, heat oil then add cubed chicken. Cook chicken for 5 minutes, stirring so that chicken does not stick. Add half of the sauce to the wok. Next, add the peppers, water chestnuts and pineapple to the wok and continue cooking for 5 -10 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked and vegetables are crisp-tender. Add the remaining sauce. Serve over rice and garnish with green onions.

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Tips: I used Kikkoman Stir-Fry sauce this time but often I use whatever oriental flavored sauce I have on hand or make my own with soy sauce, pineapple juice and seasonings. You can also increase the amount of sauce if you prefer. I also shared this recipe at Tidy Mom's I'm Lovin' It! Fridays & Grandmother Wren's Cooking for Two.

Recipe from Stacy