Crock Pot Pork Chops

2 medium sized pork chops
salt and pepper
1 tsp. garlic powder
3 c. chicken stock
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp. cider vinegar
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1- 2 tsp. corn starch

Add all ingredients to the crock pot. Cook on high 6-8 hours. I turned the pork chops over after they'd been cooking 3 hours. I served the pork chops over hot cooked rice. Definitely a keeper.

Swedish Meatballs

Meatballs:
1/2 c. breadcrumbs

1/2 c. heavy cream
4 Tbsp. onion, minced
4 Tbsp. butter, divided
1/2 lb. ground pork
1/2 lb. ground beef
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. white pepper
1/4 tsp. allspice
black pepper

Sauce:
2 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. flour
1 c. beef stock
1/4 c. cream
black pepper
nutmeg
white pepper
dried parsley
1 tsp. soy sauce

To make the meatballs: In a small bowl, combine the breadcrumbs and heavy cream. Stir, then set aside for 5-10 minutes so the cream can be absorbed.

In a large skillet, saute the onion in 2 Tbsp. butter, about 4 minutes.

In a large bowl, break up the pork and beef. Stir in the egg, spices, cooked onions, and the breadcrumb/cream mixture.

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a baking dish with foil. Set aside

Form the meat into balls. In the large skillet, melt the rest of the butter over medium high heat. Add the meatballs (in batches if you need to), and cook. Rotate until browned on all sides. Transfer to the prepared baking dish.

Bake for 10 minutes. While the meatballs are baking, make the sauce.

To make the sauce: Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium low heat. Add the flour, and stir about 1 minute. Add the beef stock. Let it start to bubble, then whisk continually until it thickens.

Add in the cream and spices. Heat through. Add in the soy sauce. Stir. Pour over the baked meatballs. Serve hot.

Here's a link to the recipe I adapted: http://barefeetinthekitchen.blogspot.com/2012/04/swedish-meatballs.html

Slow Cooked Pork Ribs in BBQ Sauce

1 c. ketchup
1 c. tomato sauce
1/4 c. water
1 Tbsp. yellow mustard

Slow cooking pork

2 Tbsp. vinegar
2 Tbsp. brown sugar, packed
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 yellow onion, chopped
1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp. chipotle tabasco sauce
1/4 c. canola oil
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 lbs. boneless pork ribs

Place all the ingredients minus the pork ribs in the crock pot. Stir it all together, then add the ribs, making sure the ribs are coated in the sauce. Cook on high 6-8 hours - until the pork just breaks apart. I served it over white rice with a side of vegetables. Delicious. Very easy recipe.

Here's a link to the recipe I used: http://www.michellestastycreations.blogspot.com/2012/01/crock-pot-country-pork-ribs.html

Chinese Stuffed Jalapenos

10 jalapeno peppers, halved the long way, de-seeded and de-ribbed
Sesame seeds 

Filling:
1/3 lb. raw ground pork
1 egg
1 tsp. fresh ginger, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
2 Tbsp. bread crumbs

Sauce:
1 Tbsp. corn starch
3/4 c. cold water
1/3 c. soy sauce
2 tsp. oyster sauce
1 tsp. sesame oil
1/8 tsp. garlic powder 


Preheat oven to 350 F.

Dust insides of jalapenos with corn starch.

Mix all the ingredients for the filling together in a bowl. Fill jalapenos with a heaping amount of the filling mixture.

Place on cookie sheet, bake for 20 minutes or until meat is browned on top and cooked through.

To make the sauce: Simmer all ingredients over med-low heat until sauce thickens. Spread sauce over cooked jalapenos. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds. Enjoy!

Sesame Pork

2 Tbsp. sesame seeds
3 Tbsp. peanut oil
1 1/4 lbs. pork fillets, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp. hoisin sauce
2 Tbsp. oyster sauce
2 tsp. cornflour
1 Tbsp. water
2 tsp. sesame oil
8 spring onions, sliced
4 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tsp. fresh ginger, finely grated
2 carrots, julienned
6 oz. snake beans, cut into short lengths

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Place the sesame seeds on an oven tray and bake for 5 minutes, or until browned. Heat a wok until very hot, add 1 Tbsp. oil and swirl to coat. Add half the pork and stir-fry for 3 minutes, or until browned. Remove. Repeat with the remaining pork. Remove.

Combine the hoisin and oyster sauces, cornflour and water, and mix until smooth.

Reheat the wok until very hot, add remaining peanut oil and the sesame oil, and swirl to coat. Add the spring onion, garlic, and ginger, and stir-fry for 1 minute, or until fragrant. Add the carrots and beans, and stir-fry for 3 minutes, or until almost cooked but still crunchy.

Return the pork to the wok, add the cornflour mixture and stir until the sauce boils and thickens. Simmer until the meat is tender and the vegetables are just cooked. Toss through the sesame seeds and serve immediately. We served it over hot cooked rice.

Adapted from The 1000 Best Recipes

Won Ton Soup

Pork mixture

Won Tons:
1/2 lb. ground pork
2 Tbsp. green onions, chopped
1 Tbsp. hoisin sauce
2 tsp. soy sauce
3 garlic cloves (or more)
20-30 won ton wrappers

Soup:
2 tsp. sesame oil
1/4 c. green onions, chopped

Pork mixture on the wrapper

2 Tbsp. fresh ginger, minced
3 c. water
salt and pepper to taste
2-3 c. chicken broth (or bouillon)





To Prepare Won Tons:

Soup without the won ton

Place first 5 ingredients in a food processor. Process until well-combined, scraping sides of bowl once. Working with 1 won ton wrapper at a time, spoon about 1 Tbsp pork mixture into center of each wrapper. Moisten edges of dough with water. Bring 2 opposite corners to center, pinching points to seal. Bring the remaining 2 corners to center, pinch 4 edges together to seal. Place the dumplings on a plate. Set aside. You may choose to cover them with a towel to keep them from drying out if you want.

Won tons

To Prepare Soup:
Heat oil over med-high heat until hot. Add green onions and ginger.  Saute for 3 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients, and bring to a boil. Add won tons. Reduce heat, and simmer for 6-10 minutes. Serve.

Steamed Pork Bao

Filling:
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2 tsp. grated, fresh ginger root (or powder)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1/2 tsp. sesame oil
1 1/2 Tbsp.oyster sauce
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1/2 c. cold water
2 Tbsp. hoisin sauce
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 c. cooked, diced pork (barbecued pork is ideal, and we just made breakfast ones, so we used pork sausage and scrambled eggs)

Dough:
3 c. all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 c. vegetable shortening
1 tsp. white vinegar
3/4 c. cold water

To prepare filling:
Heat oil in wok or frying pan over high heat. Stir-fry ginger and garlic in oil 30 seconds. Add in salt, soy sauce, sesame oil, oyster sauce, and cornstarch mixed with 1/2 c. cold water to wok. Cook and stir until thick and clear. Remove from heat and stir in hoisin sauce, sugar, and pork (or whatever). Cool completely.
 
To prepare dough:
Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in bowl. Cut in shortening until mixture resembles bread crumbs. Combine 3/4 cup of cold water and the vinegar and mix into the flour until dough sticks together. Add small amount of water if necessary. Shape dough into ball. Knead on lightly floured surface approximately 8 or 10 times. Cover with plastic wrap or towel and let stand 20 minutes. Uncover and knead approximately 10 or 12 times.

To prepare bao:   

Filling on rolled out dough.

Divide dough into 12 equal portions. Shape each portion into a ball, then roll out 5 to 6 inches in diameter. Brush around edges lightly with water. Spoon a heaping tablespoon of pork and egg mixture onto center of each circle. Bring up edges to enclose filling, making folds at top pinching to seal and twisting. Cut parchment paper or waxed paper into 12 small squares (big enough for the bao to fit on). Place a bao, seamside down on each square. Fill wok with about 1" of water. Heat to boiling. Place bao with paper in Bamboo Steamer. Don't crowd them; they'll expand. In an average size steamer, you should be able to fit about 5 bao. Place in wok. Cover and steam 20 to 30 minutes, or until dough has cooked. Serve warm. Makes 12 bao.

Wok with 1" water

Uncooked bao in steamer with wax paper.

Steamers

Steamer with lid sitting in the wok, cooking the bao