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.

Arby's Knockoff Fries

Ingredients you'll need: 3 # potatoes 2.5qt (2.25liters)warm water 2.5tbsp (25g) kosher salt

Soak the spiralized potatoes for 30 minutes and then cut them so they're not too long and dip them in the batter without needing to dry them. Then fry! Batter: 1/2 cup(80g) flour 2tsp (8g) kosher salt 2 tablespoon (24g) smoked paprika 2 tablespoons (19g) ancho powder 1/2tsp (1g)cayenne 1/2tbsp (7g) garlic powder 1 cup (240ml) water Mayo: 1/4 cup (60g) mayo 1/2 small grated black winter truffle (17g) 2 cloves grated garlic 1 small bunch chives finely chopped Splash fish sauce Black pepper to taste

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zqcRrhyb5Y

Latkes with smoked salmon

A simple but very delicious breakfast during the COVID-19 quarantine. Peter went straight for the salmon.

Hot and Sour Soup - Better than takeout!

Waller Tortilla Soup

Shortcut Tortilla Soup

Triple Batch fits into 12 Quart Stock Pot.  This is a family favorite – delicious poured

into thermos for a western Pennsylvania cold weather picnic.

Tortilla Chips (or slice corn tortillas into thin strips and sauté in nonstick skillet with a small amount of  oil)

15 ½ oz can tomatoes

4 garlic cloves

Canned/jarred jalapeno peppers, equivalent to two peppers

2 tsp oil

1 cup chopped onion

8 cups chicken broth (or 4 cups chicken broth & 4 cups beef broth)

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp salt

¾ tsp Worcestershire sauce

4 tsp fresh lime juice

½ cup reduced fat sour cream

½ cup plain nonfat yogurt

½ medium avocado, peeled, pitted and diced

Shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Quartered limes

1.     In medium pan, heat 2 tsp oil and add onion.  Cook over medium heat until soft.  Add garlic and cook one minute.  Transfer to blender – add canned tomatoes, jalapeno peppers, and 1 cup chicken broth.  Blend until pureed.

2.     In pan, add remainder of broth.  Place medium sieve over pan.  Strain onion, tomato, pepper through the sieve, pressing with back of spoon, discard solids.

3.     Stir in seasoning and lime juice.

4.     In a small bowl, combine sour cream and yogurt.

5.     Ladle broth mixture evenly into 4 bowls.  To each portion, add crushed tortilla chips,  avocado and cheese.  Top each portion with one quarter of the sour cream mixture.  Serve with lime quarter to squeeze into soup at the table.

Can also add 8 oz skinless, boneless chicken, cut into ½ inch pieces). Corn is also a tasty addition.

Benihana Ginger Salad Dressing

Benihana’s Ginger Salad Dressing

¼ cup chopped onion

¼ cup peanut oil

2 tbsp rice wine vinegar

2 tbsp water

1 tbsp chopped fresh ginger root

1 tbsp chopped celery

1 tbsp soy sauce

1-1/2 tsp tomato paste

1-1/2 tsp sugar

1 tsp lemon juice

Dash each of salt and pepper

Combine all ingredients in blender container or work bowl of food processor fitted with steel blade, process until almost smooth.

Makes 6 servings.

Deborah's Risotto

9 cups rich chicken stock

6 tablespoons butter

1 ½ medium onion, finely chopped

3 cups Arborio rice

¾ cup dry white wine

salt to taste

4 to 5 eggs, lightly beaten

9 oz Gruyere cheese, coarsely grated

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and put the stock in a pot on the stove to warm.

Heat half the butter in a heavy saucepan and sauté the onion until it is translucent.  Add the rice and coat well with butter.  Stir for a few seconds, then add the wine.

When the wine evaporates, start adding stock to the rice, ½ cup at a time.  Stir it well after each addition of stock and once or twice as it is being absorbed.  You want this to be just barely simmering, not boiling.  Repeat until all the stock has been absorbed and the mixture is al dente and creamy.

Add the rest of the butter and let the rice rest while you lightly grease a 1 ½ quart casserole or flat pan.  Add the eggs to the rice and mix well, leaving no lumps.  Add salt to taste (I did not add any salt).

Pour half of the rice mixture into the casserole and cover it with the grated cheese.  Top with remaining rice.  Smooth this over and bake for 40 minutes or until top begins to turn golden.

If you would like to serve this unmolded instead of spooned out, let it cool for about 5 minutes and then run a knife around the edges and invert onto a serving plate.

Serves 8

NOTE:  I made this for Valentine’s Dinner 2009 and made ½ the recipe – it still makes a lot!  I think a full recipe would be more like 12 to 16 servings

Rex's Whiskey Sours

Las Olas Whiskey Sours by Rex

Make a simple syrup

2/3 cup sugar

2/3 cup water

boil in microwave until sugar dissolves completely

chill thoroughly

Combine

3/4 cup Jack Daniels

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (about 3 lemons)

1/2 cup fresh lime juice (about 4 limes)

add chilled simple syrup

garnish with maraschino cherries and an umbrella

Makes 4 generous servings

Clam Linguine

Old-fashioned Linguine with White Clam Sauce

By Maine-iac on January 22, 2002

Prep Time: 5 minsTotal Time: 25 minsServings: 4

"This recipe is easy and takes less than 20 minutes. It's one of my weekend favorites and has been a family tradition for years."

Ingredients

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 small diced onion

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon basil

1 tablespoon Old Bay Seasoning

3 cans minced/chopped clams, with juice

2 tbsp parsley, snipped

½ cup parmesan cheese

1 lb linguine or 1 lb thin spaghetti

Directions

In a 5 qt pot, heat water to a boil and cook pasta until al dente.

While the pasta is cooking, melt butter and olive oil in pan.

Sautee onion and garlic, and add crushed red pepper flakes.

Add lemon juice, oregano, basil, and Old Bay seasoning, stir for one minute Add clams with juice.

Simmer for 5 minutes.

Drain pasta and place in large bowl.

Cover pasta with clam sauce, stir well and top with parsley and parmesan cheese.

Serve with warm crusty bread and chilled white wine.

NUTRITION FACTS

Serving Size: 1 (385 g)

Servings Per Recipe: 4

Amount Per Serving% Daily ValueCalories 795.1 Calories from Fat 20425%Amount Per Serving% Daily ValueTotal Fat 22.7g34%Saturated Fat 7.6g38%Cholesterol 90.3mg30%Sugars 3.9 gSodium 1435.2mg59%Total Carbohydrate 96.1g32%Dietary Fiber 4.1g16%Sugars 3.9 g15%Protein 48.3g96%

Fried Pork Wonton

Capturing this recipe for later! Mom made it for me in December 2017 when I wasn't feeling well and it immediately lifted my spirits.

1 pound ground pork

¼ cup chopped onion

2/3 can water chestnuts, chopped

2 tbsp sherry wine

½ tsp minced garlic

¼ tsp red pepper flakes

2 tbsp cornstarch

¼ cup soy sauce

60 wonton wrappers

Oil for frying

Brown pork in medium skillet.  Drain fat and rinse meat, then drain again.  Stir in onions, water chestnuts, and wine.  Add garlic and red pepper flakes.  Dissolve cornstarch in soy sauce, add mixture in skillet.  Cook, stirring constantly, over low heat until thick and translucent.

Place 1 rounded tsp of filling in center of each wonton wrapper.  Moisten edges with water.  Fold 2 opposite corners together, forming a triangle.  Seal edges.  Pull the right and left corners of the folded triangle down and below folded edge so they slightly overlap.  Moisten overlapping corners and pinch together.  It should resemble a boat.

Fry a few at a time in hot oil (350 degrees) just until a light beige color – a few seconds is usually enough time.  Drain on paper towels.  Cool, then freeze wontons points down.

Bake frozen wontons in 375-degree oven for about 10 minutes.  Serve with Sweet n Sour sauce and/or hot mustard.

Sweet n Sour Sauce – or use store bought J

¾ cup sugar

1/3 cup ketchup

1 tbsp soy sauce

2/3 cups water

½ cup cider vinegar

3 ½ tbsp. cornstarch

1/3 cup water

Combine first 4 ingredients, bring to a boil.  Add vinegar.  Blend cornstarch with 1/3 cup water and add to mixture.  Cook until mixture bubbles and thickens.

Hot Mustard Sauce – can make ahead, early in the day

¼ cup powdered mustard – I use McCormicks or Colmans brand

2 tbsp water

Stir and let sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes

Bourbon kolbassi

One of my favorite party snacks, this dish reminds me of the late 1980's and early 90's. It's easy and delicious.



3 lbs of kolbassi, boil to remove fat (I do not do this)
1 c. bourbon
1 c. catsup
1 c. chili sauce
1 c. brown sugar

Bake at 300 degrees F for 2 hours or place in crock-pot

Recipe dated November 9, 1990 from Mom.

Ham and cheese buns

Another mom recipe - I have memories of these little sandwiches on special occasions. They're buttery, savory and simply delicious. I could not find poppy seeds at the grocery store I visited for ingredients and so substituted caraway seeds and it was delicious. I also used pretzel buns from Costco.

½ pound soft butter (I only use one stick of butter)

3 tbsp prepared mustard

1-1/2 tbsp poppy seed

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tbsp dehydrated onion

24 Pepperidge Farms dinner rolls (2 packages in aluminum foil trays)

1 pound deli sliced ham

12 slices swiss cheese (approximately ¾ pound)

Mix first five ingredients (can melt butter and add remaining 4 ingredients).  Cut the rolls in half and spread mixture on both sides of rolls.  Place ham and cheese on rolls.  Assemble the rolls into small sandwiches, return to the aluminum foil trays, and wrap in foil.  Heat 10 minutes at 400 degrees.  May be made ahead and refrigerated.  If so heat 15 minutes instead of 10 minutes.  Can also freeze.

You can also make 12 sandwiches using 12 hamburger/sandwich rolls.  Delicious served with Corn Chowder.

Rosemary Cashews - A fan favorite!

This is one of Mom's recipes and people just love these cashews. They're easy to make ahead and for longer-term storage they're freezable. I have fond memories of eating these cashews over many family cocktail hours, especially with Washington can cheese at the beach.

1 ¼ pounds roasted cashews, unsalted

2 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped (put into coffee cup and snip with scissors)

½ tsp cayenne

2 tsp dark brown sugar

2 tsp salt

1 tbsp butter, melted

Toast cashews on a baking sheet at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.  Place in bowl.  Mix remaining ingredients together – pour over nuts, stirring well.

Can also use mixed nuts.  If using salted nuts, reduce the amount of salt added.  Can freeze the nuts.

Birria de borrego