Teriyaki Meatballs

Do you ever get in one of those "I have no idea what I want to eat and for that matter make for dinner?"  I think we all have.  After the DailyBuzz Food Festival last weekend I was in one of those slumps.  I basically had a million different kinds of food over the past few days so it was hard for me to nail down exactly what I wanted to make.  

I did a little research and stumbled across this recipe.  Oh my word.  I'm so happy I did.  These are some tasty little balls.  That sounds weird. 

Anyway, I made these Teriyaki meatballs and served them over rice but I think you could make them as an appetizer and serve them in the crockpot.  I can't say for sure since I haven't tried it but I'm totally going to.  These are going on our faves list.  

Start with a pound of ground pork.  Um, I love this stuff--Hormel is a Minnesota company so that doesn't hurt either.  :)

Grate in some fresh ginger.  Heavenly.

Crack in an egg.  Yes, I'm aware I need a manicure.  Focus on the food people.

Breadcrumbs

Grate in some garlic as well...I was lazy and didn't feel like chopping.

A little bit of soy sauce

Green onion

And several cracks of black pepper.

Using the tools God made you, smash everything together.

Form into little balls and place in a large skillet on medium high heat.  I like to use my cookie scoop so they are about the same size.  No oil needed here, they have enough moisture to keep them from sticking.

Give them a few flips so they are browned on all sides.  After that is done, cover them and place in the oven for 20 minutes.

While the meatballs are in the oven, work on the sauce.  In a small sauce pan add soy sauce

Brown sugar

Water

Toasted sesame seed oil.  Okay, I know some of you might not have this in your pantry but you totally should.  I use it a ton and it adds so much flavor.  Worth biting the bullet for this one folks.

Rice wine vinegar.  You can use plain white vinegar if you don't have it...unsure if it makes that much of a difference.

Grate some ginger into this as well.  Bring to a simmer.

While the sauce is heating through, add some cornstarch to cold water to make a slurry.

While whisking, stir the slurry into the sauce...it will thicken as it heats through.  Add until you have your desired consistency.  If it gets too thick on you, just thin it out with a little water.

Take the meatballs out of the oven

Pour the sauce over the balls.

Toss the meatballs in the glorious sauce.

Serve over rice.  Batta-bing batta-boom.

Saucy.

Teriyaki Meatballs

For the Meatballs:

1 lb ground pork
2 inches fresh ginger, grated
1 egg
1/2 cup Panko (or plain) breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon soy sauce
2 green onions, chopped finely
1/8 teaspoon or 15 cracks of black pepper
2 cloves of garlic, grated

Start by preheating the oven to 400 degrees.

Add the pork, ginger, egg, bread crumbs, soy sauce, green onions, black pepper and garlic into a large bowl.  Using your hands smash until completely combined.

Form into small balls and add to a large oven proof skillet on medium high heat.  Brown a few of the side of the meatball.  After you have done this, cover with an oven proof lid and place in the oven.  Cook for 20 minutes.

For the Sauce:

1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup water
1/2 tablespoon toasted sesame seed oil
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar (or regular white vinegar)
2 inches fresh ginger, grated
1/2 cold water
2 tablespoons corn starch

Star by adding the soy sauce, brown sugar, water, sesame seed oil, vinegar and ginger into a medium sauce pan on medium heat.  Bring to a simmer.

In a small cup, add the cold water and corn starch.  Stir until combined to create a slurry.

Slowly pour the slurry into the sauce whisking as you go.  This will thicken the sauce as it heats so go slowly.  If you want a thicker sauce add more slurry.  If you get too thick of a sauce add more water.


To serve, remove the meatballs from the oven and carefully pour the sauce over the meatballs.  Toss in the sauce.  Serve the meatballs over rice, garnish with sesame seeds and additional green onions.

Enjoy!

Recipe slightly modified from: Budget Bytes  which is a TOTALLY fab blog  and you should really check it out.  The end.

Crunchy Honey Soy Pork Chops

Sometimes you just need something quick and easy for dinner.  Let's face it, most of the time you want something quick and easy for dinner. No one has time to make extravagant dinners in the middle of the week or when they get home on Sunday evening.

These pork chops are quick, easy and packed full of flavor.  Quite perfect for dinner before soccer practice, swimming lessons or like me, watching the Batchelorette.  Who is pumped for the finale tonight?  I am! I am!  Make these tonight so Emily, Jef and Arie can have your full attention….for three hours.  I understand that is ridiculous but I am totally sucked in.  Who do you think will win?  My money is on Jef. 

Start by making the dredge.  Toss some flour

Season all salt, onion powder, garlic powder, poultry seasoning and paprika.

Don't forget the black pepper

Stir it together

Crack to eggs in a bowl and stir them with a fork

Get out those pork chops. Pretty aren't they?

Set up your assembly line.  Pork chops, eggs, flour mixture.

But, first, coat them in the flour.  I know, kinda out of order. But trust me, we will get back to the flour.

Into the eggs

Back in the flour.  See, told ya.

Place them in a skillet with a bit of butter and oil.  We's be pan fryin'.

While the chops fry up, chop up a bunch of garlic.

Flip the pork chops.

Once they are fully cooked, remove them and place on a plate.  Golden brown and delicious.

Add the garlic to the pan

Also add the soy sauce.  At this point, I would add just a bit of water as well. It was a bit soy-sausy.

Add a bit of honey (photo credit: Mr. Schwartz--he might run me out of a job : )

Some hoisin sauce.

And a squeeze of lime juice.

Take each of the pork chops and toss them around in the sauce.

Plate on a bed of rice.

The crunch on these is out of control.

Now, go do something important.

Crunchy Honey Soy Pork Chops

4 pork chops
1 1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon season all salt
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 eggs
2 tablespoons canola/vegetable oil
2 tablespoons butter
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup honey
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
juice of 1/2 a lime
green onions and brown rice for serving

Start by combining the flour, season all salt, onion powder, garlic powder, poultry seasoning, paprika and black pepper.  In a bowl crack the eggs and stir with a fork.  Pour the eggs into a shallow plate.  Set up an assembly line with the pork chops, eggs, then flour. Dredge each pork chop in the flour, then egg then back to the flour.

To a lage skillet, add the oil and butter.  Preheat the skillet on medium high heat.  Once the butter has melted add the pork chops.  Fry on each side for about 4 minutes or until they are no longer pink in the middle.  Remove from the pan and place on a large plate.

To the pan, add the garlic.  Let it cook for about 2 minutes on medium heat.  Add the soy sauce, water, honey, hoisin sauce and juice of the lime.  Bring this to a simmer.

Using a set of tongs, take each pork chop and flip in the sauce.  Place the pork chop on a bed of rice and garnish with green onions.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from: here

Easy Pork and Noodle Stir Fry

Sometimes you just have to make do with what you have.  A few nights ago I had veggies, pork and ramen noodles.  Needless to say, the cupboard, well, pantry was bare and we were in serious need of some groceries.  That's when I came up with this dish, quick, easy and packed with flavor semi-homemade style.  I love these kinds of meals. 

Start by thinly slicing a few pork chops and popping them into a large skillet on medium high heat with a drizzle of canola oil.  Season with salt and pepper.

Once they are fully cooked and are starting to turn golden brown, remove them from the pan and set aside.

Thinly slice an onion and pop it into the same pan.

Do the same with a red pepper.

Cook up two packages of ramen noodles.  Yes, that stuff you used to eat lived off of in college.  Drain it and set aside--toss those salty flavor packets unless you can come up with a good use for them.  I can't...yet.

Toss in a head of broccoli cut into bite sided florets.  Let this stir fry for a few minutes.

The pork goes back in.

Toss the noodles in as well.

Grab your go-to seasoning mix.  This was the first time I used this flavor (I love their Fried Rice seasoning) and it was solid.  

Mix it up according to the package directions--this one needed just water and soy sauce.  Pour it over the whole shootin' match.

Give it a good toss to coat.

And voila, dinner is served.

Happy Monday.

Easy Pork and Noodle Stir Fry


2 boneless pork chops, thinly sliced
Salt and pepper for seasoning
Drizzle of canola/vegetable oil
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1/2 red pepper, thinly sliced
1 head of broccoli, cut into bite sized florets
2 packages of ramen noodles, flavor packets discarded
1 packet of seasoning mix, I used General Tso's + ingredients to make this (soy sauce + water)

Start by preheating a large skillet with a drizzle of canola/vegetable oil on medium high heat.  Once the skillet is hot, add the pork and season it with salt and pepper.  Fully cook the pork and remove it once it starts to turn golden brown.  Set aside.

Into that same skillet, add the onion and red pepper.  Stir fry for about 3 minutes or until they start to become tender.  While the onion and red pepper stir fry, boil water to make the noodles and cook per the directions on the package.  Drain and set aside.

Add the broccoli to the skillet with onion and red pepper and stir fry again for a few minutes.  Add the pork back to the pan as well as the noodles.  Mix up the sauce and pour over everything in the skillet.  Toss to coat.

Serve in bowls and enjoy!

Recipe by: Mrs. Schwartz