My first Asian...

I recently had a friend cook some curry for me. I really loved it. Not many people in my area like curry or Indian but I really do. This inspired me to try the recipe, but I needed a wok. About three weeks ago, I bought a wok.

I was supposed to see a friend tonight so I figured I would cook dinner for him. He's apparently a picky eater so looking around at recipes I decided, who doesn't like Chinese? I found a recipe for Sweet and Sour Pork.

Ingredients

1 pound pork tenderloin, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Kosher salt
2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon cornstarch
3 tablespoons ketchup
3 tablespoons sugar, plus a pinch
3 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 carrots, thinly sliced
3 scallions, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3 cups snow peas, cut in half

Directions

Toss the pork with 1/2 tablespoon vinegar and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Mix the remaining 2 tablespoons vinegar, the soy sauce, cornstarch, ketchup, 3 tablespoons sugar, 1/3 cup water and 1/2 teaspoon salt in another bowl.

Heat 2 tablespoons peanut oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat. Add the pork and slowly stir until it turns mostly opaque, about 2 minutes. Remove the pork with a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate. Discard the oil and wipe out the skillet.

Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon peanut oil in the skillet, then stir-fry the garlic with a pinch each of salt and sugar, 15 seconds. Add the carrots and scallions and stir-fry until crisp-tender, 2 minutes. (Add a little water if the garlic starts to stick to the skillet.) Add the pork, snow peas and soy sauce mixture; stir until the pork is cooked through and the sauce is thickened, about 3 minutes.

Per serving: Calories 348; Fat 15 g (Saturated 3 g); Cholesterol 74 mg; Sodium 674 mg; Carbohydrate 27 g; Fiber 4 g; Protein 28 g

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/sweet-and-sour-pork-recipe/index.html

I am the kind of person who loves fresh. If I had it my way, everything I bought would not only be fresh but also organic. Unfortunately, being an adult and all of those silly bills I can't afford organic all the time. However, I love going to market and I can pick up some of the best things there for cheaper than in the grocery store.

The Eastern Market is open every Friday from 6am to 6pm, but is the best market in York to get fresh fruits and vege as well as prepared food, meats, cheese, and maple donuts. I got my scallions, pork, and peas here. I substituted snow peas with snap peas because I couldn't find any snow peas.

So my friend ended up not being able to join me for dinner but I decided to cook anyway. I put on my spotify to some All Time Low for a few reasons. Firstly, work was pretty ridiculous tonight and I've been sick today, my body is achey. All Time Low makes me want to dance and their fun pop punk music always puts me in a good mood. I started out by putting a cup of dry brown rice into my brand new Rice cooker (Thanks Brent).

Here are all the ingredients. I had to pick up a decent amount of this recipe because I've never cooked with corn starch or vegetable oil but there's a first for everything! So here are two photos of the final product...

This recipe definitely doesn't taste like anything I've ever ordered of a Chinese menu. With that being said, I really like this recipe. It was incredibly simple, the most time that was spent was cutting the carrots and snap peas. The actual cooking process only takes 7 or 8 minutes.

I would definitely try out this recipe, but make sure to cook some rice with it! =)

Go get 'em smoothie

Usually when the alarm goes off in the morning, I dread it. I snooze a few times, but eventually know that I need to get out of bed. Being that I'm from the age of technology, naturally I pull out my smart phone to do something to wake me up. Check facebook, play words with friends, or check twitter. I follow a ton of foodies on there like Alton Brown, Bobby Flay, Rachel Ray, etc. I also follow the food network, epicurious, and many others that put up recipes.

This morning was no different. However, the food network posted a link for a pretty good looking morning smoothie so I decided to try it out...

GO GET 'EM SMOOTHIE
Ingredients

1 peeled banana, cut into 4, from the freezer
2/3 cup milk
1 tablespoon honey
4 teaspoons malted chocolate drink powder (recommended: Ovaltine)
1 teaspoon strong coffee or 1/2 teaspoon instant espresso powder

Directions

Put all ingredients into a blender and whiz to mix.

Pour into a tall glass and drink before dashing out of the door.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/nigella-lawson/go-get-em-smoothie-recipe/index.html


So, I had some difficulties with this one. I first realized that it calls for strong coffee or instant espresso powder. Does it call for the Starbucks via instant powder coffee or actually brewed coffee? I also didn't have malted chocolate drink, so I used hot chocolate as a substitute. I used a little extra just regular brewed coffee instead of milk as well as the tablespoon because well, I am addicted to coffee.

I also ran into one more tiny problem... I don't have a blender. I have a bazillion other kitchen appliances (crock pot, grittle, rice cooker) but no blender? Really? SO instead I used my food processor.

I think this recipe may have turned out differently had I had the blender. In the food processor some of the honey stuck to the bottom and didn't distribute into the smoothie. Also, without knowing exactly what kind of coffee to use, I just went with what I had. I didn't realize it would be that difficult!

So here is the final product...

It wasn't terrible, but it wasn't awesome. I think I can definitely either make it better with a blender or find a new recipe.

Let the eating begin

Everyone I know this year has had some pretty awesome or inspirational New years resolutions. One friend is doing a picture of the day for 2012, others are working to inspire others or mostly work on themselves. I have decided for mt 2012 New Years resolution is to make a food diary for the year. It isn't an every day entry, but my goal is to discuss recipes I have and whether or not they worked. How I prepared it and how I could have changed it. I also want to share recipes that I love. I love to get a great deal and shop at markets and things, so those will be involved as well. This is also a blog for places I eat out and how I feel about them. I will involve photos in every entry and am totally open for discussion about why I liked it so much or what went wrong. My goal is to have a beautiful year long food diary at the end of the year.
Wish me luck!
xoxo
Katie