Mock Kung Pao Pork (or Chicken)

I threw this together last night after looking at a few different recipes.  Sorry if it seems a little confusing.  I ended up loving this, and it really was easy.  It was a little spicy for the kids, but I can adjust that next time.  I had pork on hand so that is what I used, but you could substitute chicken.

In ziploc bag mix:
2 T. corn starch
2 T. soy sauce

(This is kind of a strange texture, but once you put the meat in it does work)

Dice 1 lb. (or so) pork or chicken and place in bag, coat well.

Heat ~2 T. oil and once hot, cook meat.  When your meat is almost cooked add the following:

2 carrots diced
3 celery stalks diced
1 lg bell pepper diced

You may want to add more, this is what I did but I didn't have a pound of meat.


Continue to cook until meat is thoroughly cooked.  Veggies are cooked but still a little crunchy (just like with any stir-fry).  At this point I added the sauce.

Sauce: (from this website)
In a quart jar mix the following:  (once in just put a lid on and shake) 

1/2 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic, minced 
3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup white vinegar
14 1/2 ounces chicken broth (a can) 
1/4 cup sherry or 1/4 cup white wine
 I just used orange juice cause that's what I had on hand, I know it is no where near white wine or sherry, but what do you do.  Also I put this in after I had the sauce warm and thick to thin it out a bit. Also it seemed a little sweet to me so next time I think I will use  a little less sugar.

This made a ton of sauce so you may want to half it or just put it in a little at a time, depending on how much meat and veggies you have.

Pour sauce in with meat and veggies and cook until it thickens.


At this point I added just a squirt of Sriracha hot chili sauce and a handful or so of cashews.  Stir it up and serve over rice. 


Just a warning, I put in a squirt and stirred it in and tried it and I thought it could use just a bit more, well I think it gets spicier as it cooks because it ended up being pretty spicy.  So start small and let it sit a few minutes before testing it.  I happened to have this on hand, but I'm sure you could use red pepper flakes.

How to cook Perfect Bacon

A few times a year, when we decide to make some tasty bacon, I need these instructions. I thought I'd post here for all to enjoy.

How to make perfect Bacon (About.com):

Line a baking sheet with foil. This will make cleanup easier later.

Arrange bacon slices on the foil and place the baking sheet on the center rack of a cold oven.

Close oven door. Turn oven on to 400°F. Walk away.

Come back 17 to 20 minutes later. As soon as the bacon is golden brown, but not excessively crisp, it's done. The exact time will depend on the thickness of the bacon slices, and also on how quickly your oven reaches the target temperature.

Remove the pan from the oven. Transfer the bacon to another sheet pan lined with paper towels to absorb the fat. You can pour the liquid fat into a heat-resistant container to save for other uses.

Tips:

Don't pre-heat the oven! Make sure the oven is cold when you put the bacon in.

Keep your eye on the bacon during the final few minutes of cooking to make sure that it doesn't burn. Also, remove the cooked bacon from the hot pan right away. The heat from the pan and the hot bacon fat will continue cooking the bacon.

You can slightly undercook the bacon, then cool it and freeze it in a zipper bag. Then, to reheat, cook two slices in the microwave on medium power for 30 seconds or so.

Variation: Sprinkle bacon with brown sugar or freshly ground black pepper before baking.

Cafe Rio Sweet Pork Salad

I know there are so many versions of this recipe, but this is one that we made today. Just thought I'd share.

I went a little mellow on the spices and didn't add all the stuff in the dressing.  It was all really, really tasty!

These 3 recipes, my friend Brooke gave me.

CAFE RIO PORK

6 Lb. Pork - 2 of the pork sirloin roast at costco per recipe
16 oz. salsa
20 oz. Coke
2 c. brown sugar

Place roast in crock pot cook approx. 6-8 hours until meat falls apart. Shred. In a blender mix salsa, coke and brown sugar. Pour over meat and reheat. YUM!



CAFE RIO DRESSING

1 pkg. Buttermilk ranch dressing ( prepare as directed on pkg.)
2 tomatillos ( a green tomato with husk)
1/2 bunch cilantro
1 garlic clove
juice of one lime
1 jalapeno pepper ( use seeds too if you like it spicy)

Use a blender to blend all ingredients. Refrigerate.



CAFE RIO RICE
3 c. water
4 tsp. chicken bouillon
4 tsp. garlic, minced
1/2 bunch cilantro
1 can green chilies
3/4 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. Butter
3 c. rice

Blend cilantro, green chilies and onion together in food processor/blender. Bring water to a boil and add all ingredients; simmer cover for 30 mins.


These recipes below I found at favfamilyrecipes.com. They have different recipes for the meat, dressing, and rice, as well. Plus, they share ideas for the tin and tortilla for the salad.

Cafe Rio BLACK BEANS - favfamilyrecipes.com

2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/3 c. tomato juice
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. fresh chopped cilantro

In a nonstick skillet, cook garlic and cumin in olive oil over medium heat until you can smell it. Add beans, tomato juice, and salt. Continually stir until heated through. Just before serving stir in the cilantro. (**NOTE** we added a can of corn, drained, to the beans with a dash of cumin and chili powder, it was AWESOME! We recommend doing this even though it's not "traditional Cafe Rio")


Homemade tortilla chips favfamilyrecipes.com
These are perfect for Our Version of Cafe Rio Salads (click HERE)... or any salad for that matter. They are so easy and cheap to make. If you buy these at the store, they are like $4! What a rip-off! These taste a lot better than the store ones too. I promise it is worth making your own!

10-12 corn tortillas
oil for frying
Kosher salt

Cut tortillas into strips using a pizza cutter. You can cut 2-3 at a time pretty easily. Heat oil in a large frying pan. Place strips into hot oil and fry until they become crispy. When nice and crispy, remove from oil and place on a paper towel. Sprinkle with salt after each batch.

(photo by favfamilyrecipes.com)

Sweet Pork Burritos

This recipe comes from my mom's ward recipe book. It is really yummy! I love it!

1 (2-3 lb) pork roast
salt
pepper
garlic salt
1/3 c water
1 pkg flour tortillas, warmed in microwave
2 (15 oz) cans mild green chili sauce or enchilada sauce, divided
1/2 c brown sugar
1 (15 0z) can black beans
1 bunch cilantro-chopped
Monterey Jack cheese, grated

Season roast with salt, pepper, and garlic salt. Place roast and water in crockpot. Cook on high 4 hours or on low for 8 hours until meat is tender. Shred pork and place in a bowl. Stir in 1/2 cut green chili sauce and 1/2 cup brown sugar. Mix well. Spray 9 x 13-inch pan with cooking spray and pour 1/2 cup green sauce into bottom of the pan. Fill each tortilla with pork, 1-2 tbsp beans, and 1-2 tsp cilantro. Roll burrito and place seam side down in baking dish. Pour remainder of green sauce over the burritos and sprinkle with cheese. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Makes 6-8 servings. Serve with the following garnishes: chopped tomatoes, salsa, lettuce, sour cream, guacamole, etc.