Asian Pork Wraps

In an effort to achieve one of my New Year's Goals, I'm cooking more at home and eating out less.  Having three kids, one an infant, PTA responsibilities, a part-time job and household responsibilities is severely cutting into my prep time.  When once I loved spending hours in the kitchen cooking and baking, I'm now lucky to steal 30 straight minutes.  Sound familiar?

Enter Asian Pork Wraps.  The combination of Asian seasonings and spices  as well as the juicy mandarin orange slices, crunchy lettuce and toasted almonds are a beautifully delicious light yet filling combination.

Originally written as a slow cooker recipe, it can also be made day-of in 15 min or less, if you pre-cook your meat that is.  Remember when I posted about making Chicken Shreds via Kira Cooks?  Apply the same techniques to pork and you're set!   All you have to do is take one to two bags, thawed, of your pre-cooked and shredded pork, pop it in a saucepan and add seasonings. I use half the seasonings for one baggie.  Combine.  Heat throughout. Toppings as desired. Serve. Easy Peasy!

{asian pork wraps}
  Serves 8-10
2 1/2 to 3 lb. pork shoulder roast
2/3 c. hoisin sauce
2 tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. Chinese five-spice powder

Place roast in greased 3 1/2 to 5-quart slow cooker. Mix remaining ingredients in a bowl and spread over top.  Cover and cook on low heat 6-8 hours. Shred roast w/ two forks.

Serve atop warm tortillas (I like 6" round best), with sliced green onion, mandarin oranges, toasted slivered or sliced almonds, and shredded lettuce.

Mustard Pork Chops with Smashed Potatoes and Peas

In my continued quest to find fast, easy and delicious recipes for my family to eat, I found this recipe for Mustard Pork Chops with Smashed Potatoes and Peas.  It delivered on all three counts!  We loved it!  The potatoes have so much flavor from the olive oil, peas, green onion and salt and pepper that you don't miss having gravy atop one bit!

{mustard pork chops with smashed potatoes & peas}

   Serves 4

1 lb medium red potatoes, cut into 2-in. pieces

Kosher salt and pepper

1 10-oz pkg frozen peas

2 green onions, thinly sliced

3 Tbsp olive oil

4 6-oz boneless pork chops (about 3/4 in. thick)

1/2 c. chicken broth

1/4 c. apple juice

2 Tbsp Dijon mustard

Place the potatoes in a medium saucepan with enough water to cover and bring to a boil. Add 1/2 tsp salt, reduce heat and simmer until tender, 12 to 15 minutes, adding the peas during the last 2 minutes of cooking. Drain and gently smash with the scallions, 2 Tbsp oil, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining Tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Season the pork with 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper and cook until golden brown and cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes per side; transfer to plates.

Add the broth and apple juice to the skillet and simmer, stirring, for 1-2 minutes or until desired thickness. Stir in the mustard and spoon over the pork. Serve with the smashed potatoes and peas.

Cabbage-Burger Bake

I have to say that this recipe is one of our family favorites. It doesn't picture well, but oh man! It tastes fantastic! So, if the pictures aren't doing it for you, look at the list of ingredients. If they look good to you, then try it. You won't be sorry!


{cabbage-burger bake}

1 sm. head cabbage (about 2 lbs. - I LOVE cabbage so I tend to add a lot more)
6-10 slices of bacon cut into 2 " pieces (depends on your love of bacon...we add 10)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 c. uncooked rice (NOT instant. If you use brown it will need to be pre cooked 1/2 way or you'll have this baking forever just too cook the rice)
1 1/2 lbs meat-loaf mixture (ground beef & ground pork)
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 can spaghetti sauce with mushrooms (we like Hunts)
3 c. water
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.Shred cabbage (there should be about 8 c.); spread half in a 9x13 greased baking dish. Place baking dish ontop of a cookie sheet to catch possible spillage. In a large sauce pan, saute bacon just until fat starts to cook out; remove and drain on paper toweling, set aside. Stir onion and rice into drippings in pan; cook, stirring constantly, until onion is soft and rice is lightly browned. Spoon over cabbage in baking dish. Shape meatloaf mixture into large patty in same pan. Brown 5 min on each side, then break up into chunks. Spoon over rice mixture. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Top with remaining cabbage. Heat spaghetti sauce with water to boiling in same pan. Pour over cabbage, stirring lightly with fork so sauce will flow to bottom. Top with bacon slices; cover. Bake for 50 min or until rice and cabbage are tender. Uncover. Bake 10 min longer to crisp bacon.

Serves 10 generously.

Pork Chops & Mushrooms with oven-roasted broccoli

I've made this quite a few times for dinner for my family. It's super easy and surprisingly tastes of a comfort food. My kids love it, too, so what's not to love, right!?

Pork Chops & Mushrooms
Modified from 101 Things to Do With A Slow Cooker by J. Eyring and S. Ashcraft

5 boneless pork chops, 1/2 inch thick (I buy pork tenderloin cheap and slice it to order)
2 medium onions, sliced
8 oz. sliced fresh mushrooms
1 envelope dry onion soup mix
1/2 c. water
1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup, Condensed

Place meat in greased 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 quart slow cooker. Top with onions and mushrooms. In a separate bowl, combine soup mix, water and soup. Pour over mushroms and pork chops. Cover and cook on low heat 5-6 hours. Makes 5 servings.

Serve over mashed potatoes and a side of roasted broccoli.

Roasting the broccoli gives them that little "umph" they need for that extra yummy flavor. My kids couldn't put them down. The long spears make the broccoli resemble suckers so they have no problem devouring their green veggies when cooked like this!

Oven Roasted Broccoli

1 bunch Broccoli Florets, separaed by crowns
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper to taste
Freshly grated parmesan cheese

Spray baking sheet with non-stick spray. Spread out broccoli evenly onto baking sheet. Spray/drizzle with oil. Top with desired amount of oil. Place into oven on Broiler setting until broccoli is roasted but not burned. Pull out baking sheet and rotate broccoli for even roasting. Top with parmesan cheese and put back into oven to finish roasting until cheese is melted. Serve immediately.