Thai Rice Soup Khao Tom

At the grocery store, I stood in front of the fish sauce. I knew I needed it for this recipe but I walked away. Then when I returned to the grocery store, I attempted to buy it again. I had so many thoughts going through my head like it will smell. Does my sister really eat dishes with fish sauce in it? How could it possibly make a dish better? I think I would rather buy anchovies. Then I walked away again. I couldn't do it. This dish is suppose to have fish sauce. This time I omitted it but I will keep it in the recipe just for you. See you may like fish. You may eat it on a regular basis. I avoid it. I will eat seafood just not fish. I remember my Dad taking us fishing. I remember staring at their unblinking eyes. I remember how the house smelt but most of all I remember how it tasted. So, yes I walked away.

Thai Rice Soup (Khao Tom)
8 cups chicken stock
1 Tbsp fresh ginger, minced
2 large shallots, minced
1 celery, chopped fine
1 stalk lemongrass, cut into 2 inch pieces
1 1/4 cups rice
1/2 lb. ground pork
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp lime juice
2 Tbsp cilantro, chopped
garnish: fresh scallions chopped
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. In a large saucepan, combine the chicken stock, ginger, celery, shallots, lemon grass, and rice.
2. Bring to a boil and then reduce low to a simmer for 3o minutes or until the soup is a porridge like consistency.
3. In a large skillet, brown the pork. Remove from heat and set aside.  
   
4. Dischard the lemon grass. 
5. With a slotted spoon, transport the pork from the skillet into the saucepan. Mix well.
6. Add the cilantro, soy sauce, and lime juice. Simmer for 5 minutes.
7. Garnish with the scallions.

Recipe adapted from Food.com. 

One year ago...........................I made Breakfast Cookies.
Two years ago.........................I made World Peace Cookies.

Did you already know.........................
-Fish sauce is the extraction from salted, fermented fish. 
-It takes about six months to ferment the fish.
-In several cuisines, fish sauce is used as a condiment.

Pork Chops with a mushroom sauce

Yesterday, my Dad called me from Oktoberfest. Yes, he went to Germany without me and called me from one of the tents. My Dad told us that he was having a beer just for us. I could hear the celebration in the background. He sounded so happy.  In celebration or Oktoberfest and my Dad's travel over to the festivities, I had to try another German dish. This dish is really good. The best part of the dish is how fast it is to make it. The roasted vegetables took longer then the dish. Since my daughter requested mashed potatoes, I made them for her. It was a nice combination. 

Jaegerschnitzel with a Mushroom Sauce
Sauce:
1 tsp butter
1 tsp olive oil
1 medium shallot
8 oz. mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup milk
2 tsp all purpose flour
1 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground pepper
1 Tbsp parsley

Pork chops:
3 Tbsp flour
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground pepper 
4 pork chops with bone
1 tsp butter
1 tsp olive oil

Directions:

1. In a large skillet, heat the tsp of butter and oil over medium heat.
2. Add the shallot and mushrooms. Saute for 5 minutes. 
3. Add the chicken broth and wine. Cook for 3 minutes.
4. Add the milk and stir. Reduce heat to low and shimmer for several minutes. 
5. Sprinkle the flour and whisk. Bring the mixture to a boil while whisking. 
6. Sprinkle with the paprika, salt, pepper, and parsley to taste.
7. Reduce the heat to low and allow to simmer until the pork chops are throughly cooked.
8. One a plate, combine the flour, paprika, salt, and pepper. 
9. Dip the pork chops into the flour mixture. Shake off the extra flour.
10. To another medium skillet, heat a tsp of olive oil and the butter over medium heat. 
11. Add the pork chops to the skillet. Cook the pork chops on each side for at least 3 minutes.
12. Add the pork chops to the mushroom sauce. 
13. Cook until the internal temperatures reach at least 145 degrees F.

Recipe adapted from About Food.

One year ago.............................I made Tomato Salad.
Two years ago...........................I made Plum Cake.
Three years ago.........................I made German Red Cabbage.

Pork Chops with a tower of potatoes!

Did you already know................
-Twenty years ago, pork had 25% more saturated fat than today. 
-Pork should reach an internal temperature of at least 145 degrees F. 
-Ground pork should reach an internal temperature of at least 160 degrees F.

Fried Sausage Dumplings

I was trying to think of scary names for these sausage dumplings.  So, I asked the children if they wanted to help. I provided some examples but they didn't like any of them. Then my son said the dumplings name was Red Goblin Noses. I suggested how about just Goblin Noses but my son said it had to be Red Goblin Noses. I said but there is no red. My son replied so. Who am I to argue with such logic?

The first time I made sausage dumplings were over ten years ago. I can't even believe it was that long ago. I had never heard of a blog. I would watch a lot of Food Network for recipes. I learned how to make egg rolls from my Dad but I wanted to make some dishes with it when I saw this Oriental Pork Wrappers recipe. My pork was raw inside. I tried several other ways to cook the wrappers. When I served them to my family, they liked them. Well, my daughter really wanted to cook up some dumplings and crab rangoon (recipe posting soon). I think she did a pretty good job.

Fried Sausage Dumplings aka Red Goblin Noses
1 lb. ground pork
2 stalks of scallions
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
salt and pepper to taste
1 package of wonton wrappers
2 cups vegetable oil

Directions:

1. In a large skillet, brown the pork for about 3 minutes over medium heat. 
2. Add the scallions and cook for 2 minutes.
3. Remove the skillet from the heat and mix in the hoisin sauce.
4. Add salt and pepper and incorporate well.
5. Place about 1 Tbsp in the center of the wonton wrapper. 
6. Moisten the edges of the wonton wrapper with water and fold over to form a triangle. Press securely to seal.
7. In a large Dutch oven (large pot, deep fryer) , heat oil until the back of a wooden spoon bubbles.
8. Carefully add the sausage dumplings one at a time without over crowding. Cook until golden brown and flip about a minute per a side.
9. With tongs, remove the dumplings and place on a plate lined with paper towels.
10. Allow the dumplings to cool for a few minutes before serving.
11. Serve with a dipping sauce if desired.

One year ago I made..........Pork Chops with garlic and herbs.

Did you already know...
-The word Goblin is derived from the Greek word for rogue.
-Some goblins reside in grottoes which are caves if not your house.
-One of the most famous goblins is Rumpelstiltskin.

Baby Back Ribs

My son kept asking for me to make baby back ribs. I do not recalling if he had ever had baby back ribs before. Why he wanted them? I have no idea. Then we went out to eat and my oldest daughter order ribs. It isn't something she normally orders but she was nice enough to share with my son. Well, he loved them. So, my son has continued to ask for me to make them. I broke down and did it. He told me I did a good job. Guess what he wants me to make him for his birthday meal?

I have never made baby back ribs. I asked the young butcher at the counter about them since I had no clue. He brought me over to the beef section. Luckily, my husband had asked the person packaging the meat section and he was able to give us baby back ribs. See how knowledgeable I am since I couldn't even tell you if baby back ribs was beef or pork. I learned it is pork.

This week I am going to blog the meal I made in sections. So today will be the baby back ribs. Tomorrow will be the coleslaw then followed by baked beans and corn bread. You will need to start the ribs and beans the night before. It is a perfect Sunday meal. Enjoy!

Baby Back Ribs
Dry Rub
4 Tbsp brown sugar, tightly packed
1 Tbsp salt
1/2 Tbsp chili powder
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp Old Bay Seasoning
1/4 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp onion powder


1 rack of baby back ribs
1 bottle of barbecue sauce (I used Jack Daniels Original No. 7)


Directions:
Combine all the dry rub seasonings in a bowl. 
Place the ribs on a large piece of aluminum foil with the shiny side down on top of a baking sheet.
Rub down the ribs on both sides with the dry rub. 
Cover the ribs with half the barbecue sauce. 
Place the baking sheet with the ribs inside the refrigerator over night.
Preheat the oven the next day at 300 degrees.
Cook the ribs for 2 1/2 hours and the internal temperature is 160 degrees.
Remove from oven and brush with the remaining barbecue sauce.
Let the ribs rest for 10 minutes before slicing.


Recipe adapted from Alton Brown.

Did you already know.........
-Other names for baby back ribs are pork back ribs or loin ribs.
-Piglets are not used to make baby back ribs but the name is from the where the shorter ribs are found on the hog.
-Baby back ribs are meatier than spare ribs.

Honey Butter Pork

When you were a child did you make up your own version of games? I did. I liked the game Simon Says but I didn't know any Simon. Since I liked to be boss when I was little (my husband would say as an adult too), I called the game Jen Says. Jen Says stand on one foot. Jen Says to make this recipe. We will see how many of you would win at Jen Says. It is funny since I do not say because Mom said so.

The other day my two youngest children made up their own game. It was an inside freeze tag. Every time our dog Parker walked past them, they were frozen until their sibling unfroze them. Since Parker was just walking in circles, it was pretty easy to predict which child was going to be frozen. My children played this game for quite awhile. They thought it was so funny. It was alright to talk because either they were laughing or calling the other one to unfreeze them.

Honey Butter Pork Tenderloin


3 Tbsp butter, unsalted
2 Tbsp honey
1 1/2 lbs. pork tenderloin
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
3/4 cups water


Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Trim the fat off the pork tenderloin. 
Sprinkle the pork with salt and pepper.
Heat a skillet slightly under medium heat.
Add the butter and honey.
Add the pork tenderloin to the skillet.
Brown on each side for about 5 minutes. Stir the honey butter once in a while so it doesn't burn to be used later for the sauce.
Place the pork tenderloin on a cookie sheet and roast for 10 minutes or the pork's internal temperature reaches 160 degrees.
Cover the pork with foil and let rest for five minutes.
Warm the honey butter in the skillet and add the water. Stir the sauce and be careful the sauce doesn't burn. Simmer the honey butter until reduced.


Recipe adapted from Momma Hen's Kitchen and originally from food.com.

Did you already know........
-Simon Says is a child game with several players.
-The players are eliminated by either following the command with Simon Says or completing the command in which was not preceding with Simon Says.
-Versions of Simon Says can be found in many cultures since Roman times.
-Simon Says is a healthy way to teach self-control.

Pork Chops with Garlic and Herbs

 My oldest daughter's teacher asked the class if they were on a deserted island, what three items would they bring. My daughter said How to survive on a desert island guidebook, a cute carpenter, along with potatoes. What good choices especially how versatile potatoes are-now you thought I would have said carpenter but I surprised you. I told her I liked all of her choices except I would have pick pasta instead of potatoes since I could eat pasta everyday. This is not the case with my husband. He gets tired of pasta.

I like to make new dishes all the time but normally it just seems like we've been having a lot of chicken or beef lately.So, the other day I saw pork chops were on sale. Why not? I hardly make it and it would be a nice change. Everyone agreed but my oldest insist pork chops MUST be served with applesauce. I have made applesauce from scratch. All the work and cost, I prefer to buy it in the jar. So, my applesauce is not homemade this time. Also, it is hard to take a photo of applesauce on the plate. I guess I could have done it gourmet and served the pork chops on top of the applesauce. 

Pork Chops with Garlic and Herbs


4 boneless pork chops about 1 inch thick
2/3 cup dry white wine
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground pepper
1 Tbsp. sage
3 Tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 tsp butter


Directions:

1. In a oven safe 8 x 10 baking dish, mix the the wine, oil, sugar, salt, pepper, sage, rosemary, and garlic.
2. Arrange the pork chops in the baking dish in a single layer.
3. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to an hour. Make sure to turn the pork chops at least once while it is marinating.
4. Heat the oven to 400 degrees.
5. Cook the pork chops for 8-10 minutes per side. Make sure to turn the pork chops once while cooking.
6. Let cool on the counter while you preheat a skillet.
7. Add 1 Tbsp of olive oil to the pan with 2 tsp of butter.
8. Fry the skillets for about 1-2 minutes per side for a crispy appearance.
9. Let rest for a few minutes before serving.

Adapted from Annie's Eats. Originally from Williams Sonoma.


If you are in the mood for pork chops, I would recommend making this recipe. My pork chops were not dry and really tasty. I like rosemary and it was a nice accompaniment to the pork. I know it seems unusual to fry after cooking in the oven but my oldest suggested it so it added a little color. You can cook these on a grill which would probably do the same results. We will be making these again.


Did you already know.........
-One of the first animals to be domesticated were swines.
-Swines are the family name for hogs. The mother is called a sow. The father is called a boar and the babies are pigs.
-In 1539, the Spanish explorer brought the first swine to North America.