Marinated Grilled Pork Chops and Pineapple

I have some cooking habits that I'm sure a lot of people would consider odd. One of the more peculiar ones involves the juice of canned fruit. Whenever I open a can of any fruit product, I drain the juice into a canning jar. Doesn't matter what it is... pineapple, pear, mixed fruit... it all goes in the jar. Whenever I need a sweet, fruity element for a marinade or other recipe, I hit up the juice jar. I only buy fruit canned in its own juices or light syrup, to reduce the amount of added sugar.

The day I came up with this recipe, I had some nice, thick-cut boneless pork chops and a fresh pineapple. Fresh pineapple is one of my favorite things, but there's no juice to add to a marinade! Juice jar to the rescue!! You can substitute straight pineapple (or even orange) juice in this recipe, because I'm pretty sure not everyone has a hoarded juice jar in their fridge. Yet.

These chops came out so incredibly tender and juicy, we hardly even needed a knife to cut them! And if you've never had grilled pineapple before, you're in for a treat. 

Served with brown jasmine rice and peas with sesame dressing.

1/3 C brown sugar

1/2 C Italian dressing

1/3 C fruit juice 

1/3 C soy sauce

1 T sesame oil

1 t powdered ginger

1 t chili garlic paste (or more, to taste)

several dashes Mekong seasoning sauce (pretty much the same thing as Maggi seasoning sauce)

4 thick-cut pork loin chops

1 fresh pineapple, cut into spears

Combine everything except chops and pineapple in a gallon ziplock bag. Add chops, shaking to coat thoroughly, and squeeze out as much air as possible. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours (or overnight). Remove chops from bag, reserving marinade. Grill over medium heat until cooked through (about 8 minutes per side), brushing with marinade a few times until nicely marked and glazed. Remove to plate, cover loosely with foil, and let rest up to 10 minutes.

While meat is resting, turn heat up to medium-high and grill pineapple until heated through and nicely marked.

Cashew Chicken

This is another recipe I've been adapting over the years, and I think it has finally reached perfection! Quick, easy, and super yummy!

‎1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, sliced

1 t. powdered ginger

1 t. toasted sesame oil

1 onion, cut into thin wedges

2 large carrots, cut into slices on the bias

1 bunch celery (about 4 C.), cut into slices on the bias

2 T. vegetable oil

1 C. cashew halves and pieces

sauce-

1/2 C. low sodium chicken broth

1/4 C. soy sauce (I use Silver Swan Filipino-style)

1 t. powdered ginger

1 t. granulated garlic

2 t. sugar

1 T. hoisin sauce

1 T. cornstarch

cooked rice

In medium bowl, combine chicken, ginger, and sesame oil. In small bowl combine sauce ingredients. Prep other ingredients. Heat wok over high until smoking; add 1 T. oil. Stir-fry chicken until almost cooked through; a tiny bit of pink is okay because you'll be adding it back later. Set aside. Reheat wok and add remaining oil. Stir-fry vegetables until almost crisp-tender. Add back chicken and sauce; reduce heat to medium. Cook and stir until sauce is thickened. Stir in cashews just before serving. Serve over hot cooked rice.

Buttermilk Fried Chicken

Fried chicken was my nemesis for a long time. I tried everything to produce the perfect batch, but something would invariably go wrong. After many, MANY years of trial and error, I finally came up with this version and it was... WINNER WINNER CHICKEN DINNER!!

2 C. buttermilk

 1 t salt

1/2 t cayenne

1/2 t poultry seasoning

1/2 t garlic powder

1 t onion powder

2 C flour

1/2 t salt

fresh ground black pepper to taste

1/2-1 t cayenne (depending if you want spicy or not... totally optional)

1 t seasoning salt

1/2 t garlic powder

1 t onion powder

2 t paprika

1 large whole chicken, cut into 10 pieces (including wings with tips removed)

oil for frying

Mix first six ingredients in a gallon-size ziplock freezer bag, shake well to combine. Add chicken pieces, shaking around until all pieces are thoroughly coated. Press out as much air as possible and refrigerate for at least two hours (up to overnight). In another ziplock bag, mix next six ingredients. When ready to fry, take each piece out of the buttermilk, letting it drip off as much as possible, then shake in seasoned flour. Let stand on rack for 20 minutes (while oil heats to about 350°), then shake in flour again right before you put the chicken in the pan. Brown a few pieces at a time (without crowding) in the largest frying pan you have (I use cast iron), over medium-high heat (about 3 minutes per side). Remove to rack and continue with the rest of the pieces. When all the chicken is browned, put them all back into the frying pan, stacking if necessary. Cover, leaving lid slightly tilted to allow steam to escape, and cook on medium-low for 20 minutes. Remove lid and return heat to medium-high, turning pieces until coating is crisp, about five minutes. Drain on rack.

Steak and Spinach Rolls

Up your grilling game with this elegant version of steak rolls!

1 1/2 lb. flank steak 

kosher salt

pepper 

1 egg, beaten 

1 (10 oz.) package frozen chopped spinach 

1/3 C. fine dry bread crumbs 

1 T. butter 

1 T.flour 

2 T. Dijon mustard 

1 T. horseradish 

1/2 C. milk 

1/2 C. beef broth 

1 T. fresh snipped chives (dried chives or sliced green onion tops also work well)

1 t. fresh lemon juice

Cook spinach according to package directions; squeeze dry and set aside. Using the coarse-tooth side of a meat mallet, pound the flank steak into a 12" x 8" rectangle, working from the center out. Score one side of the steak, using a sharp knife to make shallow diagonal cuts across the steak in a diamond pattern. Sprinkle with salt and pepper; set aside. For filling, in small bowl combine egg and spinach; stir in bread crumbs. Spread filling over unscored side of steak. Starting at narrow end, roll up steak jelly-roll style; secure with wooden picks at 1" intervals. Cut the roll between picks into 1" thick slices. Grill steak rolls uncovered over medium coals (or setting on gas grill) for 8 minutes; turn and continue to cook until desired doneness, about 8-10 minutes more for medium. Remove from grill and let rest for 10 minutes. While meat is resting, make the sauce. Melt butter in small saucepan. Stir in flour, mustard, and horseradish; add milk and beef broth. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly; cook 1 minute more. Remove from heat; stir in chives and lemon juice. Remove skewers from meat rolls and spoon sauce over.

Asian Salmon and Shrimp Cakes with Wasabi Mayo and Slaw

A fresh twist on the classic salmon patty!

1/2 lb cooked, flaked salmon

1/2 lb raw shrimp, finely chopped

2 cups panko

1/3 cup scallions, chopped

1/4 cup cilantro, minced

3 eggs

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

3 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

2 tablespoons minced ginger

1 jalapeno, seeded and diced

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup panko

1/4 cup sesame seeds

oil for frying

Mix the first 5 ingredients in a large bowl.

Whisk together the next 8 ingredients and add to the salmon mixture.

Add sesame seeds to 1 c panko.

Form into cakes and coat with panko sesame mixture. Place on baking sheet and chill for 1 hour.

Fry for 7 minutes until first side is browned, flip over and fry for 5 minutes more.

Top with with Wasabi Mayonnaise-

1 cup mayonnaise (Japanese kewpie mayo, if available)

1/4 cup prepared wasabi (available in the Asian section of your supermarket)

1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 teaspoon sugar

Pinch salt

Mix all the ingredients together. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Serve on a bed of Asian Slaw-

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons minced ginger

1 tablespoon minced garlic

2 tablespoons brown sugar

5 tablespoons soy sauce

4 tablespoons mirin, or white wine

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1/4 cup rice wine vinegar

1 cup thinly sliced napa cabbage

1/2 cup thinly sliced green cabbage

1 cup julienned carrots

1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion

1/2 cup thinly sliced red bell pepper

1/2 cup thinly sliced bok choy

1/2 cup bean sprouts

1/2 cup julienned snap peas

1/2 cup julienned green onions

In a small saucepan add 2 tablespoons olive oil, ginger and garlic, saute until lightly brown. Add brown sugar, soy sauce, and mirin. Saute for 5 minutes and remove from heat. When cool whisk in remaining olive oil, sesame oil and rice wine vinegar.

Mix all vegetables in a bowl and toss with dressing. I only used about half of the dressing, and it was plenty.

Chicken Chop Suey

Growing up, I was always intrigued by those cans of chop suey mix. I have no idea why. Maybe it was the big, colorful label. Maybe it was the smaller can taped to the top. Maybe it was the fact that my mom refused to buy it. Who knows... I was a peculiar child. After I moved out on my own, I decided it was finally time to avail myself of the international delight that I had been cruelly denied.

Yeah. Mom was right. As usual.

I almost immediately set to work on making the best darned chop suey I could. If you have ever been subjected to the mushy, metallic-tasting glop from a can, please give this a try. It is worth every second of prep!

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed 

1 t. ground ginger 

1 T. oil 

1 small onion, cut into wedges 

1 small carrot, julienned 

2 C. celery, bias cut 

1/4 C. red bell pepper, chopped 

2 C. fresh snow peas 

2 C. fresh bean sprouts 

1 can sliced waterchestnuts, drained 

1 small can sliced mushrooms, drained 

dash garlic powder 

1 C. chicken broth 

1/4 C. soy sauce 

1 1/2 T. cornstarch 

1 t. sesame oil 

chow mein noodles and hot cooked rice

In small bowl, combine chicken broth, soy sauce, and garlic powder; whisk in cornstarch. Set aside. Heat wok over high until almost smoking. Add oil and stir-fry chicken until no longer pink (about 3 minutes), adding ginger about halfway through. Remove and set aside. Reheat wok, adding more oil if necessary. Stir-fry onion, carrots, celery, and bell pepper for 2 minutes. Add pea pods; stir-fry 1 minute. Add bean sprouts; stir-fry 1 minute. Add waterchestnuts, mushrooms, and chicken; stir-fry until heated through. Add sauce mixture to wok; cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Add sesame oil and stir thoroughly. Serve over rice, topped with chow mein noodles.

Chicken Enchiladas

These enchiladas are our family Cinco de Mayo tradition. They're not exactly authentic... or fast and easy... but they're well worth the effort!

3-4 C. cooked chicken, shredded or diced

1 (7 oz.) can chopped green chilies

1 (16 oz.) block Monterey jack cheese, shredded and divided in half

3 green onions, sliced

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1/2 C. sour cream

1 t. cumin

1 package large corn tortillas (one dozen)

oil for frying

1 (20 oz.) can green enchilada sauce

Preheat oven to 375°.  In a large bowl, combine chicken, chopped green chilies, HALF the shredded jack cheese, green onions, cumin, sour cream, and undiluted cream of mushroom soup.  Combine well.  In a large frying pan, heat about 1/2" of vegetable oil to about 350°.  To test, tear off a piece of one tortilla and slip it into the oil... if it sizzles right away, it's ready.  Fry each tortilla BRIEFLY (about 10 seconds on each side), just until softened; drain on paper towels and pat off excess oil.  Set aside until all tortillas are fried.  Pour just enough enchilada sauce into the bottom of a 9x13" baking dish to cover the bottom; shake around to coat.  Place about 1/3 C. of chicken filling on each tortilla and roll up; place in baking dish.  Pour remaining enchilada sauce over filled tortillas and sprinkle with remaining jack cheese.  Bake for 35-40 minutes or until heated through and bubbly.  Let stand about 5 minutes before serving.