Pork Lo Mein

Please don't let the list of ingredients scare you - it's not as bad as you think.  Also, feel free to add other vegetables, such as bamboo or bean sprouts.  The combinations are limitless.  Make sure you use a sherry you would drink, not a cooking sherry.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:
½ lb. spaghetti noodles, cooked
½ lb. pork tenderloin, sliced thin in slivers (for this demonstration, I used a teriyaki-marinated tenderloin)
1 red pepper
1 green, yellow, or orange pepper
1 medium yellow onion
1 small clove garlic, minced
½ tsp. freshly grated ginger
1 c. chicken broth
1 T soy sauce
1 T sherry
2 tsp. sugar
½ tsp. sesame oil
2 T corn starch
4 green onions, chopped
1 can (15oz.) baby corn, drained
½ lb. sugar snap peas
2 T. stir fry oil OR canola oil
¼ c. shredded carrot
pinch of hot pepper flakes

Place pork tenderloin in freezer for several hours, so that it is easier to cut into thin slices.

Remove seeds from peppers and cut into strips or large pieces; cut onion into medium chunks and mince one clove of garlic.

Heat stir fry or canola oil in wok or large skillet.  Add peppers, yellow onion, carrot, peas, hot pepper flakes, and garlic.  Stir fry until vegetables are soft.  Remove to a dish and set aside.

Add more oil if needed, then add thinly sliced pork.  Stir fry until pork is slightly browned.  Return vegetables to wok and add corn.

In a large bowl, add chicken broth, soy sauce, sherry, sugar, ginger, and corn starch to make a slurry.  Add to wok and stir fry until vegetables and pork are coated in the liquid.  If the mixture is too thick, additional chicken broth may be added.   Add sesame oil.

Add cooked noodles and chopped green onions.  Toss and serve.

Pecan Pumpkin Dessert

You won't believe how easy this dessert is to make.  It literally goes together in minutes.  You may not ever want pumpkin pie again.  This is exceptional!  I hope you'll try it.


Ingredients:

15oz. can pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
12oz. can evaporated milk
3 eggs
1 c. sugar
1 T. cinnamon
½ t. cloves
¼ t. nutmeg
1 box Betty Crocker Supermoist golden vanilla cake mix
1½ c. chopped pecans or walnuts
3/4 c. butter or margarine, melted
                                                                           whipping cream, whipped

Heat oven to 350º.  Using shortening or cooking spray, grease bottom and sides of a 9x13 pan.  In a medium bowl, beat pumpkin, milk, eggs, sugar, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg with wire whisk until smooth.  Pour into pan.

Sprinkle dry cake mix over pumpkin mixture.  Sprinkle with pecans.  Pour melted butter evenly over top of the dessert.


Bake for 50-60 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool slightly.  Serve warm or chilled with a dollop of whipped cream.

Once cooled completely, this dessert may also be covered and refrigerated for up to 48 hours.

Crunchy Baked Haddock with Cheesy Rice Casserole

I found this fish recipe in a cookbook about a year ago.  It was quite involved, so I tried to simplify it.  I really like the results.  This recipe is crispy, delicious, and has a clean, fresh flavor to it.  I hope you like the rice accompaniment.  It's delicious, and I hope you'll try it!



Haddock recipe


1 lb. cod, haddock, or any thick-cut fish fillet
½ c. mayonnaise
4 T. yellow or spicy mustard
3 T. fresh dill, chopped
1 sleeve Ritz crackers
4 T. butter
1 t. lemon zest


Thaw fish and dry thoroughly with a paper towel.  Cut into two pieces, as an 8 oz. portion is suitable for one serving.

Mix mayonnaise, mustard, dill, and lemon zest.

Crush crackers into medium-sized crumbs.

Brush mayonnaise mixture onto both sides of fish, then coat with crumbs.

Place fish in a greased baking dish.  Melt butter and drizzle over fish.

Bake at 375º for 25-30 minutes.

Casserole recipe

2 T. butter
1 small onion
pinch of cayenne pepper
1 package (frozen box) spinach, thawed, drained, and chopped
1 c. milk
2 eggs
2 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese
4 c. cooked rice (2 c. uncooked rice, plus 4 c. water)
1 t. freshly chopped parsley leaves
1 t. freshly chopped thyme leaves
1 t. chopped basil leaves
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350º.  Butter a large (approx. 8x8) casserole dish.

In a large pan, over medium-high heat, sauté two onions with 2 T. butter and cayenne pepper, until onions are translucent.  Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together milk and eggs.

Add the cheese, rice, parsley, thyme, basil, and spinach mixture, and combine well.  Season with salt and pepper.

Pour into prepared casserole dish and top with extra shredded cheese.  Bake for 30 minutes and serve piping hot.