Asian Turkey Meatballs

 I am a meatball fan and though spaghetti and meatballs is one of my favorite foods, I was so anxious to try these Asian Turkey Meatballs when I found the recipe. Meatballs make such yummy appetizers and these did not disappoint me. Even though my supermarket was out of cilantro, I made them anyway and they were still really tasty. The recipe also call for coconut oil in the meat, but It bothers my stomach, so I left it out. I added garlic which was a good call. The dipping sauce adds tons of flavor too and they would be a great addition to your football parties, (or any party for that matter), so hope you'll give these a try.

Asian Turkey Meatballs
Adapted from The Chew

Meatball Ingredients:
1 pound ground turkey
2 green onions, white and green parts, diced
1 tablespoon Sesame oil
(I left out 1 tablespoon of coconut oil-can't eat it)
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped (I did not add this; store was out)
1 large clove garlic, minced- my addition
salt and pepper
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients and form into small meatballs. I made about 24. Place on baking sheet and bake for about 20-25 minutes until done.
Make dipping sauce while meatballs bake.

Dipping Sauce:
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
3 slices fresh ginger, smashed
Add all ingredients to a saucepan and heat over medium heat. Cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes until brown sugar is dissolved and sauce just begins to thicken. I didn't let the sauce thicken hardly at all, just slightly. Serve with meatballs. Enjoy!

Asian Barbecued Chicken

I love Asian flavors but I don't venture into that realm often. This recipe for Asian Barbecue Chicken is wonderful as the ingredients are probably in every ones pantry and there's nothing fancy or hard to find. All you need are some basic ingredients and a grill and you can have some really delicious chicken. I used a charcoal grill for cooking, but an indoor grill would work too. I used boneless chicken breasts, which I pounded slightly to make them an even thickness so they would cook more evenly. And they cooked faster which was nice since it was still 107 degrees outside! I haven't grilled much this summer with the intense heat, and some towns in our area are banning the use of outdoor grills since it is so dry here. So I may have to wait for rain before I grill again. We'll see. But this chicken was so full of flavor and I will make it often. Leftovers were fantastic in salad. There is a little bite from the red pepper, but not drastic. I served it with simple rice with some of the remaining  marinade spooned on. So delicious so I hope you'll give this a try.

Asian Barbecued Chicken

Adapted from Cooking Light

Skinless chicken thighs were used in the original recipe. I subbed boneless breasts, that I pounded slightly to make them a more uniform thickness.

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

3 cloves minced garlic cloves

4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts. The original recipe uses 8 skinless thighs.

Mix together all ingredients, except chicken, in a bowl. Place chicken in a large resealable baggie and pour the marinade in with the chicken. Seal and place in refrigerator to marinate about 1-2 hours for the breasts. Bone-in chicken thighs should marinate longer, (4 hours in the recipe).

Prepare your grill, leaving a cool area to use in case you need to move the chicken to it. My grill had a temp of 350 degrees.

When fire is ready, remove the chicken from the marinade, shaking it off well before placing on the grill. Boil the remaining marinade for about 2 minutes to baste the chicken as it cooks. (The marinade is safe to use as long as it is boiled.) Grill chicken until it turns white around the edges, and then turn over to finish. Chicken is done when the juices run clear. Mine was done in 8-10 minutes, but cooking time will depend on the temp of your grill and the size of the chicken parts. Enjoy!

NOTE: I marinated the chicken breasts for about 1 1/2 hours, but my husband thought the flavors too strong, so next time I'll do an hour or so. But I loved the flavors, so I chalk it up to different palates. If you try this, let me know your thoughts on the flavors.



Crock Pot Teriyaki Chicken

If you are looking for a really delicious slow cooker recipe, this is the one for you. This Crock Pot Chicken Teriyaki uses boneless chicken thighs and is so easy to throw together. It doesn't take long to cook though, so this is not a recipe that you can leave cooking all day long. Your kitchen will smell amzing. I have made this twice so far and my husband and I have savored every bite. My thanks to Penny at Lake Lure Cottage Kitchen for this tasty recipe. I hope you'll stop by to see her fantastic blog and also give this recipe a try. It is the best crock pot chicken recipe I've ever had. With an Asian flavor, it's not too sweet or too salty. It's just right.

Crock Pot Teriyaki Chicken
From Lake Lure Cottage Kitchen
My only change was to add more garlic and I used low sodium soy sauce.

12 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
6 tablespoons cider vinegar
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
3 cloves minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon pepper
5 teaspoons cornstarch
5 teaspoons cold water
Hot cooked rice
Sliced green onions or chives for garnish

Place chicken in slow cooker. Combine sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic and pepper in a bowl and pour over the chicken. Cook on low 4-5 hours. Remove chicken from crock pot. Pour the hot liquid into a sauce pan. Skim off any fat. Bring juices to a boil. Combine the water and cornatarch and whisk into the simmering liquid. Cook a couple minutes until slightly thickened. Serve over chicken and rice. Adding sliced green onions as a garnish really adds to the dish. Enjoy!

NOTE: I made this with only 8 thighs and it worked just fine. It did take less time to cook though; about 3 1/2 hours. It will depend on your crock pot.

Chicken and Broccoli Stir-Fry

 I seem to be craving spicy foods right now, so this Chicken and Broccoli Stir-Fry is perfect. The addition of dried red pepper flakes will deffinatly wake up your taste buds! Wonderful flavor also comes from fresh ginger, garlic and hoisin sauce. There's not too much chopping involved as there's just a few vegetables. Actually, I added the carrots to this dish the last time I made it to add some extra color, but they are not needed if you don't want them. This is a fairly simple and tasty meal, so I hope you'l give it a try.

Chicken and Broccoli Stir-Fry
adapted from Food Network
Hint: Have all the ingredients chopped, minced and with in reach and this dish will come together quickly.

Chicken and Marinade:
1 pound chicken breasts, cubed
1 or 2 large cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1/2 inch of fresh ginger, minced or finely grated
1 tablespoon soy sauce - I used low sodium
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon rice vinegar

Other ingredients:
3 tablespoons oil
about 5 cups broccoli florets and trimmed stalk pieces
1 small onion, sliced from end to end, or some sliced green onions
1 carrot, cut into match stick pieces, optional
3/4 to 1 teaspoon dried red chili flakes- I used 1 teas.
1 large clove garlic, minced
another 1/2 inch of fresh ginger, minced or grated
2/3 cup water
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce

1. In a bowl, add the chicken and the other ingredients and stir. Marinate at room temperature for 15 minutes.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium heat with 2 tablespoons of oil to the skillet. Add the broccoli stems, florets, onions and carrot, if using, to the pan and stir fry about 2 minutes, until broccoli is bright green. Add the garlic and ginger to the pan the last 30 seconds and stir fry together with the vegetables. Remove the veggies to a plate or bowl. Mix the 2/3 cup water with the cornstarch.
3. Add another tablespoon of oil to the pan and add the chicken and dried red pepper flakes to it. Stir fry chicken about 3 minutes, until it loses it's raw color.
4. Add the hoisin sauce to the chicken and stir. Return the broccoli and other veggies, if any, to the skillet and stir. Add the cornstarch/water mixture to the pan along with the soy sauce. Stir until thickened. Add more water if sauce is too thick. Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed.
Serve over rice and garnish with toasted sesame seeds if desired. Enjoy!

Korean Beef Rice Bowl

I saw this dish recently at Steamy Kitchen and wanted to try it soon, and I'm so glad I didn't wait! My photo isn't as good as Jadens, but the meal was certainly excellent. Once you have all the vegetables chopped and the beef sliced, this meal comes together in just minutes. That is if you are not working around a 14 month old granddaughter who is trying to pull stuff out of your cabinets. She didn't take her planned nap, so meal preparation was a bit challenging, to say the least, with a very active and curious toddler around. But back to this meal- it's one of those lick the bowl clean type of dishes. Judging by the groaning that was coming from my husband, I knew he loved it. The sauce that the beef is marinated in is delicious; sweet but yet it's got so much flavor from the garlic and fresh ginger. I've got to make it again this week because it keeps calling my name! Here's what I did.

KOREAN BEEF RICE BOWL
slightly adapted from Steamy Kitchen

2 cups dry rice, your preference, cooked

1 pound beef, I used top sirloin, sliced thin

2 tablespoons soy sauce-I used low sodium

2 teaspoons sesame oil

1 teaspoon grated ginger

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tablespoon brown sugar 1 tablespoon cooking oil

1/2 of an onion, diced

1/2 cup of carrots cut into matchsticks -recipe calls for 1 cup

1 small zucchini, diced

2 handfuls of fresh spinach

1 tablespoon of toasted sesame seeds

Directions:

Put your rice on to cook first, using whatever kind you like. The vegetables can be prepared a day ahead if desired. If doing them at time of meal, have them chopped before you begin cooking. Slice beef very thin, across the grain. It can be prepared several hours in advance also.
Mix the minced garlic, grated ginger, sesame oil and brown sugar together in a bowl. Pour over the beef and let marinate.
Heat a wok or skillet to medium heat. add the 1 tablespoon oil and the onion and cook for a couple of minutes. Turn up to high heat, add beef and cook until barely an pink left. Add the carrots and zucchini and stir fry for about 1 minute. Add the spinach and cook just until wilted. Stir in the toasted sesame seeds. Serve this over rice. Enjoy!

Five-Treasure Fried Rice ( Adapted from Ellie Krieger)

I've had this recipe from Fine Cooking earmarked to try for several months now, since I've been on the hunt for more ways to use brown rice. If you don't care for brown rice, you can sub white rice for this tasty recipe. But, I love the nuttiness of brown rice and it is so healthy so that's a big plus with me. I've been trying to add more fiber rich foods to our diet for several years now, so this recipe fits the bill perfectly. I cut the original recipe about in half, so that it would feed just my husband and myself, and then wished I hadn't, so that there would be some leftovers! So, I'll give you the complete recipe reflecting my changes of course. Ellie's recipe was written for broccoli stems, but I subbed zucchini. It also contains Edamame, but my store didn't have it, so I subbed frozen peas. I also didn't use the Canadian bacon, preferring to use some diced pork, so my husband would have more meat in the dish! It was delicious with the pork and a little more filling for him, so I hope he appreciated it! LOL, I'm sure he did!

Five-Treasure Fried Rice- adapted from Ellie Krieger at Fine Cooking

2 T. canola oil

1 1/2 cups diced zucchini ( she used 1 cup peeled, diced broccoli stems)

3/4 cup finely diced carrot

1/2 cup finely diced red bell pepper ( she used 3/4 cup)

3/4 cup frozen peas ( she used frozen, shelled edamame, which I couldn't find!)

3/4 cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen ( I used fresh)

4 green onions, scallions, thinly sliced- both white and green parts

4 ounces sliced mushrooms- my addition

2 T. finely grated ginger

2 large cloves garlic, minced

4 cups very cold, cooked, brown rice

1 1/2 cups diced pork loin (Ellie used 3/4 cup diced Canadian bacon)

2 large eggs, beaten lightly

1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce

Use rice that has been cooked the day before or early in the day, so that it will be well chilled. Using fresh cooked rice will give you mush, which is not good! Put the diced pork in a small bowl with about 2 T. soy sauce, I T. oil and 1 clove diced garlic and let marinate while you chop all the veggies. Prepare all the vegetables before you begin this dish. Heat 1 T. oil in a nonstick skillet or stir-fry pan over med-high heat. Add the drained pork to the pan and let it cook and brown well; then remove the pork to a plate. Add another T. of oil to the pan if needed. Add the zucchini, mushrooms, bell pepper, and carrots and cook, stirring frequently about 3-5 minutes. Then add the corn and peas and stir about 1 minute. Next, add the scallion, ginger and garlic and don't cook very long, maybe 1 minute. Cooking the ginger and garlic too long seems to kill the flavor. Add the rice and stir until heated through. Make a 3 inch well in the middle of the pan and add 1 tsp. oil, if needed. Add the eggs and stir them until almost fully scrambled. Then stir the eggs into the rice mixture. Add the cooked pork and soy sauce; stir and it's ready to serve! This is a very delicious and flavorful dish. I love the fresh ginger and garlic in this easy meal. Since I used very lean pork, I still think this was a very healthy meal. I needed it to be a main dish and it worked very well. All of the fresh veggies made this dish and I'll definitely be making it again. We loved it!

Now, if the sun would come out, maybe my pictures will be better! I'm taking pictures on my back porch by the windows, but the sun is hidden. We are having a strange August, so far, but I'm not complaining. I like 85 degrees better than 100! Have a great day!

Sesame Pork Chops

Pork chops are such an easy, versatile cut of meat to use for quick meals at home. They are usually lean and can be fixed to go with almost any cuisine. I like using them to put together really quick meals when there's just not much time! I found this recipe in a cookbook from the library. It is "Kitchen Life, Real Food for Real Families", by Art Smith. I've made it a couple of times now, so I've adapted it to our tastes. The recipe calls for 4 center cut, 1 inch thick chops with bone in. Well, at my store, these chops were thin and expensive. But I only needed 2 or 3 chops. Then I found the boneless pork loin chops, which looked thicker, and they were on sale!

First off, you're going to toast some sesame seeds. I didn't get a picture of that. Then, to make these luscious chops, salt and pepper them and add to a hot skillet in oil. Brown on both sides. This will take about 2 minutes per side. These are smaller chops than called for. The recipe calls for 10-12 ounce pork chops, but mine were maybe 6 ounce, so cooking time was cut. After the chops have browned, remove them from the skillet and then add the sauce ingredients to the pan and bring to a boil.

Add the pork chops back to the skillet and continue to cook for another 3-4 minutes, until they are done. If the sauce is not thick, remove chops from skillet to a plate or platter, and continue cooking the sauce until it thickens. When thick,add the toasted sesame seeds to sauce and pour over the chops. This sauce is sooooo tangy and delicious! You'll love it! Let's make this.

SESAME PORK CHOPS

1 Tbs. sesame seeds

1 Tbs. vegetable oil

4 pork chops (I only needed 3)

salt and pepper

1/2 cup chicken broth; reduced sodium

2 Tbs. rice vinegar

2 Tbs. brown sugar (I used more brown sugar; recipe called for 2 tsp.)

2 tsp. Dijon mustard

2 tsp. dark Asian sesame oil

1/4 tsp. crushed hot red pepper flakes

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the sesame seeds and cook, stirring often until they are golden. Remove the seeds to a plate. Add vegetable oil to the skillet. Season chops with salt and pepper and add to skillet and brown on both sides, turning only once. This will take 4-5 minutes. Place chops on a plate and pour off fat from skillet, if any. Add to skillet the broth, vinegar, brown sugar, mustard and sesame oil. Stir and bring to a boil. Place chops back in skillet and sprinkle with the toasted sesame seeds. If you are using SMALLER chops like I did, they will be done in about 3- 5 minutes. If using the LARGER chops that the recipe calls for, you will need to cover the skillet with a lid for up to 20 minutes. When chops are done remove to a plate or platter. If the sauce has not thickened enough, continue boiling it until desired consistency. Pour sauce over the chops. Enjoy!

I served these Sesame Pork Chops with brown rice and Oven Roasted Asparagus. I drizzled some sauce on the rice and loved it so much that next time I may increase the amount of sauce. Also, I used more brown sugar than the recipe called for, as I thought the mustard was too strong. This was a fantastic meal, highlighted by the tangy, tender, Asian flavored pork chops.

The hot pepper flakes do add some heat, so if you have kids that can't handle it, just leave out the flakes. The sauce will still be great without the extra kick. Do you use pork chops for quick meals?

Chicken and Vegetable Stir-Fry

When my husband and I were first married, I loved to experiment with different styles of cooking and was always trying some new recipe or method of cooking that I had not tried before. Then, enter 3 children who did not appreciate my culinary attempts to enrich their lives with the many flavors of the foods we loved! While I was not a picky eater growing up, 2 of my 3 children were. And none of them would eat anything related remotely to stir-fried food! So, I would sneak it in occasionally for just my husband and I. This recipe was given to me by a long ago friend. It is healthy and not at all difficult to prepare. In fact, with some preparation, you could fix it after working all day, as it comes together fairly quick. You can cut up the veggies the night before and put them in baggies in the fridge, and that would have most of the work out of the way!

I used zucchini, carrots, red bell pepper, onion, celery,and broccoli, and also fresh garlic and ginger root. You could also use asparagus, mushrooms, cabbage, bok choy, whatever you have on hand. The most time consuming part is just cutting up the vegetables. After that, the cooking is pretty quick. Also, I use 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, that have been cut lenght wise into 3 pieces and then sliced fairly thin so they will cook fast. You don't have to have a wok to do this! This did just fine in my skillet. The secret is to cook each veggie by itself so that you can make sure it reaches the desired tender crisp stage. Also, put the rice on to cook right before you start the stir-fry. Cook it for about 15 minutes and then turn off the burner. It should be done about the same time! I used 1 &1/2 cups of white rice and 3 cups of liquid( half chicken broth and half water), 1/2 tsp.salt and a Tbs. oil. So let's begin, shall we? Make sure all vegetables are washed and dried before you begin. Slice meat and have all veggies chopped and ready to go. It is very important, because the dish will come together quickly.Chicken and Vegetable Stir-Fry

4 Tbs. oil, sesame or canola works too

2 boneless skinless chicken breast halves, cut in 3 strips and sliced fairly thin

3-4 carrots, peeled and sliced diagonally

2 cups coarsely chopped broccoli or broccoli florets

1 cup celery, sliced diagonally

1 small zucchini, cut in thin slices 1medium onion, the ends cut off, and standing on flat end, thinly sliced

1/2 of a red bell pepper, sliced thinly

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 inch or so of fresh ginger root, peeled and minced

1 cup of chicken broth

1 Tbs. cornstarch

2 Tbs. low sodium soy sauce

1/2 tsp. salt, I don't use the salt, it's plenty salty for me

Mix the chicken broth, soy sauce and cornstarch together in a small bowl.

Heat 1 Tbs. oil in skillet or wok over medium high heat. Add chicken and stir fry until pieces turn white. Remove to bowl or pan that you are keeping near the stove. Next, add the vegetable which will take the longest to cook, in this case, the carrots. Stir fry for about 3 minutes or until tender crisp. Remove carrots to the other pan. Make sure there is oil in the skillet, then add the celery and cook for2-3 minutes, stirring constantly; remove to the other pan. Add broccoli to skillet and stirring, cook for 2-3minutes. You get the picture! By cooking 1 veggie at a time you can make sure it's not overcooked. Continue with other veggies, adding more oil as needed. With the last veggie, add a little oil and the garlic and ginger root and stir fry, taking care not to burn them. When done, put the meat and all veggies back into the skillet and pour soy sauce mixture over all and stir until sauce is bubbly and thickens, about 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat.

Put rice on plates or bowls and top with your wonderful stir fry! This doesn't take long at all and is so healthy and delicious! I love the crunch of the vegetables and the bite of the garlic and ginger. The only problem that I've had, is one time the pan burned on the bottom and I think it was liquid left from the chicken in the pan. So, I now wipe out the pan with a paper towel, if needed after cooking the meat. Otherwise it turns out great! Also you may use steak instead of chicken, if desired. So, go ahead and have stir fry some night soon. You'll be so glad you did!