Christine's Favorite Birthday Stir Fry Pork

Growing up, I used to regularly request this meal from my mom for my birthday. It's been a long-time favorite. And later, after giving birth to Peter, my mom brought me a care package to Magee Hospital with a large tupperware of this meal to aid in my recovery. Pedro stored it in the hospital refrigerator and heated it up for me for lunch one day. I remember inhaling it. 

Stir Fry Pork

1+ pound pork tenderloin

3 to 4 (3-oz) packages Ramen noodles, oriental flavor

3 tbsp vegetable oil

Pea pods, string and blanch

2 carrots, cut into sticks

1 large sweet onion, cut into wedges

1 red/green bell pepper, cut into strips

15-oz can pineapple chunks (canned in its own juice)

1 tsp cornstarch

Cut the meat across the grain in thin, slanting slices.

Cook the noodles according to the directions.  Drain them and add the flavor packets.  Turn out onto a large rimmed platter, cover and keep warm.

Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a large skillet/wok over medium-high heat.  Add the meat, about ¼ pound at a time.  Stir-fry until cooked thoroughly, about 5 minutes.  Remove the meat from the pan.

Heat one more tbsp oil in the wok and add the onion, pepper, and carrot sticks.  Stir-fry until the vegetables are crisp tender.

Add the pineapple with the juice, meat and all vegetables to the wok.

Stir the cornstarch into the Stir-Fry Mix and add it to the wok.  Cook, stirring, until the sauce thickens.  Serve the mixture over the hot cooked noodles.

Stir Fry Sauce Mix

2 tbsp cornstarch

½ tsp garlic powder

½ tsp ground ginger

1/8 tsp pepper

2 tbsp white vinegar

2 tbsp dry sherry (Christine – you can substitute white wine)

¼ cup soy sauce

¼ cup molasses (Christine – you can substitute dark corn syrup)

1 tsp powdered beef bouillon

1 cup water

In a container, combine all the ingredients.  Stir until the dry ingredients and mix well.  Store the sauce in a jar with a tight-fitting lid.  Refrigerate for up to four weeks.  Stir well before using.

Deep Dish Pizza

Pedro has never agreed to us making this pizza, because when you can make a Neapolitan pizza in our oven out back why would you? But this is one of my all time favorite comfort recipes from my mom. And I'm just putting it here for safe keeping.

Deep-Dish Cheese & Sausage Pizza

CRUST

1 package dry yeast (2-1/2 tsp)

1 cup warm water

1 tbsp sugar

1-1/2 salt

1 tbsp olive oil

2-3/4 cup flour, approximately

cornmeal

FILLING

12 oz slices mozzarella cheese (or shred a 12-oz block of cheese)

1 pound bulk pork sausage (Italian), coarsely chopped

One 28-oz can pear tomatoes, well drained, coarsely chopped

2 tsp oregano

1 tsp salt

1 tsp fennel seeds

½ cup grated Parmesan

Dissolve yeast in water, add sugar, salt & oil. Stir in flour to make a soft dough. Turn out onto lightly floured board. Knead until dough is smooth and elastic. Put in greased bowl. Invert dough so greased side is on top. Cover and let rise until double in bulk. Punch down.

Brush 14-inch diameter, 2-inch deep pizza pan with oil, sprinkle with cornmeal. Press dough in bottom and up sides of pan. Let rise about 20 minutes.

Put cheese in dough lined pan, layering it if necessary. 

Arrange sausage on top of cheese. Add pieces of tomato. Combine and sprinkle on the seasonings. Top with Parmesan cheese.

Put pizza in oven preheated to 500 degrees F. Reduce heat immediately to 450 degrees F and bake about 35 minutes or until cheese is melted and sausage is cooked.

Just a Good Biscuit

I've never been able to make a simple, successful biscuit until I came across Deb Perelman's recipe for these everything seasoned biscuits. I would like to try these with shredded cheddar instead of everything seasoning. And the everything bagel seasoning from Trader Joe's is too salty for this recipe. I learned the hard way!

Ingredients

For the everything bagel mix

• 2 tbsp sesame seeds
• 2 tbsp poppy seeds
• 1 tbsp dried minced onion
• 2 tsp dried minced garlic
• 1 tsp coarse salt

For the biscuits

• 2½ cups (325 g) all purpose flour
• 2½ tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp coarse salt
• 4 tbsp (55 g) cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
• 4 oz (115 g) cream cheese, cold, cut into ½-inch cubes
• 1 cup (235 mL) buttermilk

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 450F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
2. To make the everything bagel seed mix, mix together all of the ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.
3. To make the biscuits, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and 1 tsp salt in a large bowl. Add the butter and cream cheese to the dry ingredients and toss together with your hands. Cut the butter and cream cheese into the dry ingredients with either your fingers or a pastry blender, mixing until it becomes the texture of wet sand. Add in the buttermilk and stir until just combined.
4. Drop the dough into the bowl with the everything bagel mixture in twelve equal rounds. Toss in the bowl to ensure each round gets covered with it. Move to the prepared baking sheet, spacing all of the rounds out evenly. Repeat until all the dough is used up.
5. Bake until golden, about 12 minutes.

Angel Food Cake

Pedro really enjoyed my Mom's angel food cake this summer during a makeshift trax farms strawberry festival we created over Father's Day while in COVID-19 quarantine. Peter did too :)

Pippy's Angel Food Cake

Makes 1 Large Cake = 12 servings

Preparation:  assemble ingredients and utensils needed.  Use 10-inch deep tube cake pan (do not grease).  Remove eggs from refrigerator, separate.  Let whites stand at room temperature.  Sift flour once before measuring.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Sift together 5 times:  

1 cup all purpose flour 

2 tbsp corn starch

3/4 cup sugar

(if using cake flour, 1 cup plus 2 tbsp)

Put into large bowl of mixer:

1-1/2 cup egg whites (11 to 13 whites)

1/2 tsp salt

Beat on medium speed until foamy - about 20 seconds

Add:

1-1/2 tsp cream of tartar

Continue beating on medium high speed until whites are stiff and stand in points - about 45 seconds.  Do not overbeat until dry.

Sprinkle in rapidly:

1 cup sifted sugar

While beating on medium high speed.  Beat only until sugar is blended - about 30 seconds.  Scrape bowl gently toward beaters and up and over with a folding motion.

Turn mixer to low speed and add:

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp almond extract

Sprinkle in sifted flour mixture evenly and quickly.  Beat only enough to blend - about 45 seconds.  Scraping bowl gently toward beaters with folding motion to blend in quickly.  Gently put into tube pan.  Carefully cut through batter with a knife or spatula, going around in circular motion 6 times, to release large air bubbles.

Bake the New Way:

Preheated oven 375 degrees - moderate oven - 30 to 35 minutes until golden brown.

Bake the Old Way:  Cold oven to start (250 degrees F) - 15 minutes then (300 degrees F) - 15 minutes, then (325 degrees F) - 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Remove from oven, invert pan until cool (I invert over an empty wine bottle).  Loosen with spatula and remove from pan.

Tex Mex Dip

My mom has made this dip for as long as I can remember. It was always popular at parties my parents would sometimes host at the house. It goes great served with flank steak, warm tortillas and fresh squeezed lime.

TEX MEX DIP

Layer 1:  2 cans bean dip (I use Frito Lay, located in the chip aisle)

Layer 2:  3 ripe avocados, 2 tbsp lemon juice, salt and pepper

Layer 3:  1 cup sour cream, 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1 pkg dry taco mix seasoning

Layer the above in a 9x 13 pan.

Toppings

3 ripe chopped tomatoes, seeded

1 large can black olives, sliced

1 bunch green onions (white and green), sliced

8 oz grated Cheddar cheese (I use Colby Jack)

Serve with your favorite tortilla chips.

Refrigerator Dill Pickles

I remember my mom started making these after subscribing to a local CSA through Kretchman's Farm. I haven't bought pickles from a store since.

FRESH DILL PICKLE SPEARS

1 or 2 cucumbers, sliced into spears and placed in a glass quart jar with a few sprigs of dill

Heat to boiling

2 tbsp kosher salt

1/4 cup white vinegar

2 cups water

cut- up clove of garlic

Pour the mixture over the cukes, cover with jar lid and when it cools, refrigerate.

To avoid breaking the glass jar, run hot tap water on the outside of the jar just before pouring the boiling liquid in.

Rosemary Olive Oil Shortbread

Deb Perelman has done it again with this delicious and simple recipe. I made this recently when my husband asked me to make a dessert for a friend's casual get together. It came together literally in minutes and the ingredients are ones we always have on hand. They're surprisingly tender and not overly sweet. Would go great with morning coffee.

Ingredients 

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (195 grams)
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar (60 grams)
• 2 tablespoons turbinado (raw) sugar (25 grams), plus 1 teaspoon (5 grams)
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/2 cup mild olive oil (120 ml)
• 1 teaspoon finely minced fresh rosemary leaves
• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate, chopped into small chunks (85 grams)
• 1 egg white, beaten until loose (optional)

1. Heat the oven to 325° F.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons turbinado sugar, and the salt. Add the olive oil and rosemary and stir to combine. Add the chocolate chunks and stir again. Gather the dough with your hands into one mass.
3. Roll out the dough to an 8- to 9-inch roundish slab between two sheets of parchment paper. Remove the top sheet and use the bottom to slide the cookie round onto the back of a large baking sheet.
4. If desired—it merely provides a little shine—brush the cookie with the egg white. Sprinkle with remaining 1 teaspoon turbinado sugar.
5. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Slide the cookie round carefully onto a cutting board while the cookie is still totally hot. Cut with a sharp, thin knife into desired shape(s). Let cool completely, then separate.
6. Do ahead: This dough keeps well in the freezer. Baked cookies keep for 2 weeks in an airtight tin at room temperature.
7. Note: For a milder flavor, replace half of the oil with a neutral/flavorless one. You can cut this into shapes with cookie cutters, too, but the chocolate provides a little resistance.