Street Tacos

 

Ingredients

For the pork carnitas

• 1 large white onion, quartered
• 3 cloves garlic
• juice of 1 large orange
• juice of 1 lime
• 1 (3-4 pound) boneless pork shoulder
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika 
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon salt

For the quick pickled red onions

• 1/2 of a medium red onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

For serving

• 1 cup crumbled queso fresco cheese
• 1 bunch radishes, thinly sliced
• chopped fresh cilantro
• lime wedges
• mini flour tortillas (or tortillas of your choice!)

Instructions

1. Rinse the pork shoulder with cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Place the onion and garlic in the slow cooker. In a small bowl, combine the cumin, oregano, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and salt. Stir to combine. Rub spice mixture all over the pork shoulder and place in the slow cooker. Add the orange juice and lime juice. Cook on low for 7-8 hours, or on high for 4-5.

2. A half hour or so before pork is finished, combine the red onion, apple cider vinegar, honey, and salt in a medium bowl and stir to combine. Let sit for 30 minutes or longer until ready to serve the tacos!

3. When pork is finished, remove from slow cooker and shred with two forks. Preheat your broiler to high and position the rack in the upper third of the oven. Add the shredded pork to a rimmed baking sheet in a single layer. Broil for 3-4 minutes or until slightly crispy and golden on top. To assemble the tacos, char the tortillas if desired, and top them with the carnitas, a handful of pickled onions, a sprinkle of queso fresco and cilantro, and a squeeze of lime. Serve immediately!

Papa’s Baked Beans

Creamy White Chili

Ingredients

• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1-1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 2 cans (15-1/2 ounces each) great northern beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) chicken broth
• 2 cans (4 ounces each) chopped green chiles
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• Tortilla chips, optional
• Shredded cheddar cheese, optional
• Sliced seeded jalapeno pepper, optional

• 
  

  Directions

  • In a large saucepan, saute the chicken, onion and garlic powder in oil until chicken is no longer pink. Add the beans, broth, chiles and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes. 
  • Remove from the heat; stir in sour cream and cream. If desired, top with tortilla chips, cheese and jalapenos.

Bibimbap

Bibimbap

(Recipe from Love and Lemons but I change up the sauce)

Serves 2

Bibimbap is a Korean rice bowl filled with assorted vegetables, gochujang sauce, an egg, and meat. My recipe skips the meat, but you won't miss it one bit. The seasoned veggies and sauce fill this bowl with flavor!

Ingredients

Bowls

• ½ English cucumber, thinly sliced
• ½ teaspoon rice vinegar
• 1¼ teaspoons sesame oil, divided
• 1 cup fresh mung bean sprouts 
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 4 cups baby spinach
• ½ teaspoon soy sauce
• 2 cups cooked short-grain white rice
• 2 fried eggs
• 4 ounces sautéed shiitake mushrooms, optional
• 1 recipe Gochujang sauce
• Sesame seeds
• Sea salt
• Kimchi, optional, for serving
• Chopped scallions, optional, for serving

Instructions

• In a small bowl, toss the cucumber slices with ½ teaspoon rice vinegar, ¼ teaspoon sesame oil and a pinch of salt. Set aside.
• Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Drop in the bean sprouts and cook for 1 minute. Drain and set aside.
• Heat ½ teaspoon sesame oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the carrots and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring for 1 to 2 minutes until a little bit soft, and then remove from the pan and set aside. Heat ½ teaspoon more sesame oil in the skillet and add the spinach and tamari. Cook, tossing, for 30 seconds or until just wilted. Remove from the skillet and gently squeeze out any excess water from the spinach.
• Assemble the bowls with the rice, cucumber slices, bean sprouts, carrots, and spinach. Top with a fried egg or baked tofu. Add the mushrooms, if using. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and drizzle generously with the gochujang sauce. Serve with kimchi and scallions, if desired, and the remaining gochujang sauce on the side.
  
  
  The sauce recipe I used:
  • ▢ 2 Tbsp gochujang
  • ▢ 1 Tbsp sesame oil
  • ▢ 1 Tbsp sugar
  • ▢ 1 Tbsp water
  • ▢ 1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds
  • ▢ 1 tsp vinegar
  • ▢ 1 tsp minced garlic

Shanchai’s Eight Treasure Spicy Noodles

Eight treasure spicy noodles

• chicken
• Shrimp
• Onion
• Garlic
• Carrot
• Cabbage
• Mushroom
• Green peppers
• Pineapple

• Soy sauce 
• Chicken broth
• Sriracha 
• Brown sugar

• Asian noodle

Cook noodles according to directions and set aside. Stir fry meats and veggies and set aside. Put equal parts soy sauce and broth into a sauce pan. Add as much sriracha and brown sugar to your liking. Heat until sugar is melted. Mix together noodles, stir fry, and sauce into a large bowl and serve.

• noodle

Egg Rolls

 Pkg egg roll wrappers

1 lb ground pork

1 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp garlic powder

1 small onion, diced

1-2 cups shredded cabbage

1 cup shredded carrots

Splash of soy sauce 

2 tsp flour

2 tsp water

Oil for frying

Pan fry pork with seasonings until cooked through and put to the side. Fry onion, cabbage, and cabbage. Add pork and a splash of soy sauce. Mix flour and water together to make a paste. Place in a colander to drain and let cool. Wrap filling inside wrappers and seal with flour paste. Heat 1-2 inch of oil in a frying pan and heat on medium high heat. When hot, deep fry egg rolls about 1-2 minutes on each side. Place on a rack to dry. Serve with sweet and sour sauce.

Adobo Chicken

 

Ingredients

Chicken and Marinade

• 750g / 1.5 lb chicken thigh fillets , boneless and skinless (5 - 6 pieces)
• 3 garlic cloves , minced
• 1/3 cup (85ml) soy sauce , ordinary all purpose or light (not dark soy sauce, Note 2)
• 1/3 cup + 2 tbsp white vinegar
• 4 bay leaves (fresh) or 3 dried

For cooking

• 2 tbsp oil , separated (vegetable, canola or peanut)
• 3 garlic cloves , minced
• 1 small brown onion , diced
• 1 1/2 cups (375 ml) water
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tbsp whole black pepper (sub 2 tsp coarse cracked pepper)

Serving:

• 2 green onions/scallions , sliced (garnish)

Instructions

• Combine Chicken and Marinade ingredients in a bowl. Marinate for at least 20 minutes, or up to overnight.
• Heat 1 tbsp oil in a skillet over high heat. Remove chicken from marinade (reserve marinade) and place in the pan. Sear both sides until browned – about 1 minute on each side. Do not cook the chicken all the way through. 
• Remove chicken skillet and set aside.
• Heat the remaining oil in skillet. Add garlic and onion, cook 1 1/2 minutes.
• Add the reserved marinade, water, sugar and black pepper. Bring it to a simmer then turn heat down to medium high. Simmer 5 minutes.
• Add chicken smooth side down. Simmer uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes (no need to stir), turning chicken at around 15 minutes, until the sauce reduces down to a thick jam-like syrup. 
• If the sauce isn't thick enough, remove chicken onto a plate and let the sauce simmer by itself - it will thicken much quicker - then return chicken to the skillet to coat in the glaze.
• Coat chicken in glaze then serve over rice. Pictured in post as a healthy dinner plate (415 calories) with cauliflower rice and Ginger Smashed Cucumbers.