Pork Fried Rice

Tim and I were lucky enough to be invited over a friend's house for a Chinese cooking class. She won it in an art auction and I was so excited since Chinese food is a favorite in our house (see our Valentine's day tradition here). Luckily the cook was kind enough to let me shoot some pictures which helped me remember the steps and show all of you. So I give you Pork Fried Rice.

Ingredients:
red onion
scallions
egg (1 per person)
pork (or chicken, fish or shrimp)
rice (white or brown-apparently brown works better)
sesame oil
cooking wine
soy sauce
corn starch
vegetable oil- 3 tbsp
Garlic
Ginger (optional)
white pepper
spicy sauce (also optional)

Place rice in a rice cooker and set. While that cooks, finely chop the meat, red onion and scallions. Then coat the meat you are using in corn starch and the cooking wine. She had no measurements but it was not drenched.

 

I couldn't catch a name of the Chinese wine so I snapped a quick pic to remember the bottle.

 Heat a deep non stick pan with 3 tablespoons of oil. Make sure it is really really hot to cook the eggs. Scrambled eggs for the fried rice recipe is broken down quickly and thinly.

Remove the scrambled eggs when cooked and while pan is still hot, add a little oil and then the onions and scallions to cook. It will be quick since the pan is hot so make sure you keep it moving and turning.

 Then add the meat. Let it cook with some white pepper and the onions. Once the meat is cooked, add the cooked brown rice and eggs back into the pan. Begin to fry everything with some soy sauce, sesame oil and spicy sauce (similar to siracha).

After everything is completely cooked through, you are ready to eat. Warning: this will not taste like the fried rice you get at Chinese restaurants. It will be fresher! So enjoy. :)

Anyone else have a great Chinese food recipe for us to try? We love us some beef or chicken with broccoli!

How is it May? Food Highlight Reel

Really!? How is it May? Time really flies. Just when I think the days are moving slow. BAM! It is May already.

So now I think it is a good time to stop and look back at the last 4 months with some highlighted posts. Since my blog can only handle so much review (example)  I am going to tackle this in a few posts. Still, lets get started with...

Food...what else would I start with? :)
Although I started the year a little flat with my hard cookies and the crock pot potato soup, things quickly picked up with Healthy Mac and Cheese , my Grandma's meatballs,  and my famous Spinach and Artichoke dip.

Of course I had a little help from my guest blogger and good friend, Jonelle. She rocked our world and made our mouths water with S'mores Cookies and Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes.


I continued the yummy streak with a classic Chicken Marsala turned healthy, slow cooker pulled pork, and Strawberry filled cupcakes with cream cheese frosting.

For more delicious recipes that I did, visit my "Is it time to eat yet?" page at the top of the site. I try to keep it as updated as possible with all the goodies. 

I'll be back later today for the next highlight reel: Outdoor and Indoor Projects. It's fun to actually stop and look at what was done in the last 4 months. :)

What food recipes have you guys done? I'm starving already so looking at more food should help with that.

Creamy Alfredo Pasta= Couch Potato

Whenever I want to render Tim immobile I make a homemade Alfredo dish. When we eat Alfredo you can bet we are spending the next 5 hours on the couch watching TV. We are happy but full. So with that note, here is some cheesy goodness for you. (of course with a slightly healthy twist) I altered a couple of myrecipe.com recipes to make this.

First let's round up the ingredients.

 

Pasta with Alfredo Sauce

• 1 tablespoon butter ( I used smart balance)
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 1/3 cups skim milk *next time I will use a little more so it isn't so thick
• 2 tablespoons light cream cheese
• 1 1/4 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided 
• 4 cups hot cooked pasta (cooked without salt) *I used shells but any kind is fine
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley (optional)
• Freshly ground pepper 

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add minced garlic, and saute 1 minute. Stir in flour.

Gradually add skim milk, stirring with a wire whisk until mixture is blended. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture is thickened and bubbly.

Stir in cream cheese; cook 2 minutes. Add 1 cup Parmesan cheese, stirring constantly until Parmesan cheese melts. This is where it really thickens up. If you want it to be less thick, add more milk.

Pour sauce over hot cooked pasta, and toss well to coat. Top fettuccine with remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, chopped parsley, and pepper.

 

What I loved about this recipe was that it was heavy but not too heavy. Next time I will add some shrimp or chicken. The hubby liked it and the best part is that it was about 345 calories for a whole cup of that deliciousness. Not too bad for Alfredo.

Do you have any yummy recipes you tried out? What dish is so yummy and filling that it makes your family couch potatoes the rest of the night?

Strawberry Cream Cheese Cupcakes

No folks. This isn't a guest post. It's all me.

That's right. I baked cupcakes and even made the icing. Don't get too excited. The cupcakes were from a box but a few exra steps made this box recipe a little more special.

I took the cupcake recipe from bettycrocker.com. I did decide to make my own icing though. But let's get started. Round up the ingredients.

1  box SuperMoist® yellow cake mix
2/3 cup water
1/2 cup sour cream
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
3 tablespoons strawberry preserves
1 package (3 oz) cream cheese, cut into 24 pieces
Cream Cheese frosting (in this case homemade)
Sliced fresh small strawberries, if desired

Step 1: Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups. In large bowl, mix cake mix, water, sour cream, oil and eggs with spoon until well blended. This is going to be thick so don't worry.

Step 2: Divide batter evenly among muffin cups. Place 1 piece of cream cheese on top of each cupcake; press into batter slightly. The directions say to "Spoon 1/4 measuring teaspoon preserves on top of cream cheese in each cupcake" but I eye balled it since preserves are hard to get off a small measuring spoon.

Step 3: Bake 20 to 25 minutes (or 18 minutes in my hot gas oven) or until tops are golden brown and spring back when touched lightly in center.

While they cool you can start making the cream cheese frosting or go catch up on the latest Glee. (or both) This slightly lighter frosting is delicious and it was a bit tricky.

Light Cream Cheese Frosting
1 8oz package cream cheese (1/3 less fat)
1 tbsp light butter
1 lb. powdered sugar (sifted)
1 tsp vanilla

Step 1: whisk the cream cheese and butter at high speed until well mixed.

Step 2: This was tricky for me without a sifter but mix the sifted powdered sugar on high until it thickens.

That's it! So simple. I never realized it was that easy. I did make a bit of a mess before I realized I should cover the mixer.

Then ice the cupcakes. Lets take a look at how yummy they look.

I topped them with slices of strawberries right before serving them so the juices don't run over them. They were really yummy. Sorry for not snapping any pictures but trust me. If I can make them, you can make them.
As for the nutrition info, they are not the healthiest but they could be worse. One cupcake is 200 calories. So enjoy...and then take a walk around the block. :)
Anyone have a yummy cupcake recipe that I can tackle?

Banana Chocolate Chip Whole Wheat Bread

Before I dive into this delicious recipe, I have to let you know that I made a drastic home design move last night with our bathroom...at least for me its pretty bold. I have a small sneak peak I will be bringing you later but I have to tell you- I'm not sold on it quite yet.

This recipe started because I didn't eat my bananas fast enough. They were turning bad so that means one thing- banana bread. This time I wanted to try to go a little healthier so I decided to tweak a few things from the Greatist. Of course, I couldn't go too healthy so I added chocolate chips. :)

I don't have play by play pictures of this recipe since I was winging it so hopefully it all makes sense.

Oatmeal Banana Chocolate Chip Whole Wheat Bread
Serves 10
Serving 1 slice
Calories: 224 a slice

1 cup whole wheat flour
2-3 ripe bananas (I only had 2 but if you like more of a banana flavor add another one)
1 large egg
3/4 cup skim milk
1 1/4 cup oatmeal (I used instant since its what I had on hand)
1/2 cup and 3 tsp. packed brown sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp cinnamon
chocolate chips (I didn't measure but I probably added between 1/4-1/2 cup)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (I used all spice)
1 tablespoon butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
This is the topping: In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup oats, 1/8 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, and 1 tablespoon melted butter; set aside.

For the Bread: Mash bananas in a medium bowl, then stir in egg and milk. Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, 1 cup oats, ½ cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice. Stir just to combine (batter should be lumpy). Then fold in chocolate chips

Pour mixture into a lightly greased loaf pan and sprinkle with topping mixture on top. I added a few more chocolate chips for the look.

Bake in oven. The recipe called the bread to bake for 50-55 minutes but my gas oven runs hot so I only did about 40-45 minutes and it was definitely done. Loaf is done when a toothpick inserted in comes out clean or with some dry crumbs from the topping.

Enjoy! I have been everyday for breakfast. :)

What were you up to this weekend?

Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes

*I'll be posting again on Tuesday because I am excited so show you my Spring Mantle. :)

Yes, I realize that St. Patty's Day has come and gone but I believe this cupcake is good all year round and when my friend Jonelle (You may remember her "to die for" Smore Cookies) sent these to me last week, I knew I couldn't wait until next year to showcase them. Therefore, I bring to you another guest blog post from my buddy Jonelle... and her baby girl Beth!

Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes

I first saw this recipe on Pinterest originally from this site (http://www.browneyedbaker.com/2011/03/14/irish-car-bomb-cupcakes/) and knew I wanted to make these as my second guest blog appearance.  I’ve never made cupcakes from scratch so I knew I wanted to challenge myself and give it a whirl.  And who doesn’t like a recipe with booze in it??  I baked them on St. Patrick’s Day to feel festive.  All in all, I was happy with how they turned out - and my co-workers were very appreciative :).

1. First I lined up all the ingredients I was going to use.  Since my hubby was unwilling to spend $32 on the smallest bottle of Bailey’s Irish Cream he could find, we compromised and I ended up using Bailey’s Irish Cream Coffee Creamer instead.  The end result was still delicious, but I’m sure using the actual Bailey’s would have produced a stronger taste.

Ingredients:
For the Cupcakes:
1 cup Guinness stout
1 cup salted butter, at room temperature
¾ cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
1½ teaspoons baking soda
¾ teaspoons salt
2 eggs
2/3 cup light sour cream

For the Whiskey Ganache Filling:
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate
2/3 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
2 teaspoons Irish whiskey

For the Baileys Frosting:
2 cups unsalted butter, at room temperature
5 cups powdered sugar
6 tablespoons Baileys Irish Cream – or Bailey’s Coffee Creamer

I started off by preheating my oven to 350 degrees F and lining my cupcake pans with 24 cupcake liners.

I brought the Guinness and butter to a simmer in a nonstick medium saucepan over medium heat.

Add the cocoa powder and whisk until the mixture is smooth. Cool slightly.

2. Whisk the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt in a large bowl to combine.

Using an electric mixer, beat the eggs and sour cream on medium speed until combined.

Add the Guinness-chocolate mixture to the egg mixture and beat just to combine. Reduce the speed to low, add the flour mixture and beat briefly.

Using a rubber spatula, fold the batter until completely combined. Divide the batter among the cupcake liners. Bake until a thin knife inserted into the center comes out clean, about 17 minutes. Cool the cupcakes on a rack.

3. To Make the Whiskey Ganache Filling: Finely chop the chocolate and transfer it to a heatproof bowl.

Heat the cream until simmering and pour it over the chocolate. Let it sit for one minute and then, using a rubber spatula, stir it from the center outward until smooth. Add the butter and whiskey and stir until combined. Let the ganache cool until thick but still soft enough to be piped.

4. To Fill the Cupcakes: Using a 1-inch round cookie cutter (or the bottom of a large decorating tip), cut the centers out of the cooled cupcakes, going about two-thirds of the way down. Transfer the ganache to a piping back with a wide tip and fill the holes in each cupcake to the top.

5. To Make the Baileys Frosting: Using the whisk attachment of a stand mixer, whip the butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl occasionally. Reduce the speed to medium-low and gradually add the powdered sugar until all of it is incorporated. Add the Baileys, increase the speed to medium-high and whip for another 2 to 3 minutes, until it is light and fluffy.

6. Using your favorite decorating tip, or an offset spatula, frost the cupcakes and decorate with sprinkles, if desired. Store the cupcakes in an airtight container.

Wow, those look amazing! A big thanks again to Jonelle (and browneyedbaker) for bringing us another gut busting, mouth watering recipe to try. Jonelle's awesome step by step instructions as well as all her instructional pictures are so helpful. I am a visual person so it is always helpful for me to see the steps.

So, who is tackling this project? My birthday is in a few months and I wouldn't mind these to celebrate. :)

Healthy Chicken Marsala

Eating healthy is difficult for foodies like Tim and I. We appreciate a delicious well made meal. So when we are at home and trying to watch our weight we are faced with the challenge of trying to figure out how to make recipes healthier. So when I saw Hungry Girl's chicken marsala recipe I knew that I could work that so it would make sense for us. Bring on the ingredients:

*we doubled the sauce in this recipe so we would have enough for us so if you don't need as much, divide it*

2 tbsp. Unsalted butter
1 c. Fat Free Chicken Broth (I get Fit & Active from Aldi)
1/2 tsp. Basil
 1 c. mushrooms (at least)
1/2 c. Marsala Wine
2 tsp. Corn Starch
4 Chicken Cutlets

Wash and slice mushrooms. Wisk the melted butter, wine, and broth together.

Begin to heat the saute pan. While it is heating up, whisk the cornstarch into the sauce mix. It will not dissolve all the way. Don't worry too much about this. Just make sure you keep whisking and dont let it sit too long.

Place the mushrooms in the pan and begin to cook on medium high heat. After a few minutes, move the mushrooms around the pan perimeter and place the chicken in the middle. Sprinkle the basil on the chicken. I added salt and pepper as well. I also cooked two pieces at a time. Cook for 3-4 minutes before flipping the chicken.

After they flip, add the sauce and cook for another 3-4 minutes or until the chicken is done.

The sauce came out really well. I personally overcooked the chicken a little but that is a personal fear I have about cooked chicken. I would never want to give my hubby uncooked chicken- right? But forget about uncooked chicken... how many calories are we talking?

We figured it out that I piece of chicken cutlet and about 1/2 c.- 3/4 c. sauce and mushrooms is about 230 calories. Yum!

Do you have any recipes that are delicious and healthy?

ps: Happy Leap Day! Did you know that having that extra day every 4 years helps to keep the seasons balanced? I learned that at work today. "The more you know..." :)