We have been looking for some new things to eat. Basically our diet has become a low carbohydrate diet by default. If you consider the extra calories a potato dish, rice or pasta adds to a meal, we have chosen to eat more veggies and meats... but we need to keep trying to add variety. We had some butterfly pork chops in the freezer and I combined several different recipes to come up with this one... It was very very good. This is a keeper
1 tsp. margarine
1/2 tsp. oil
4 boneless pork loin chops, 1/2 inch thick
1 cup onion, chopped
1/2 cup carrots, peeled and chopped
1 sliced/chopped yellow pepper
3/4 cup chicken stock
1 and 1/2 Tbs. sugar
2 Tbs. red wine vinegar
3/4 cup dried cranberries- soaked in water for about 10 minutes
Heat margarine and oil in a heavy nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Brown chops about 1 minute per side. Set aside.
Sauté onions, pepper and carrots 5-7 minutes until brown and tender. Return chops to pan and add stock. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer 10-12 minutes, until pork is cooked throughout. Remove chops and keep warm.
Add remaining ingredients. Cook 4-5 minutes. Return chops to skillet and cook until pork is heated throughout. Serve sauce over chops.
Per serving: calories 190 per chop. Heck with that number, have two
Serve with fresh green beans... what a meal!
The next time, I might add some fresh pineapple to the mix.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
I love to cook. If I am looking for a change, I will research a dish, find a recipe and make some modifications to it... you know, tweak it up a bit.
Kris and I fixed dinner last night and Asian Lettuce Wraps was the idea I had. After pouring over several different types, here is what we came up with. It should be the envy of PF Chang's, who has the absolute best lettuce wraps ever!
Ingredients
Iceberg Lettuce Leaves
1 pound lean ground beef
1 tablespoon cooking oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 clove fresh garlic, minced
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/4 cup hoisin sauce- I use Soy Vay
1/8 cup teryaki sauce- homemade or commercial
2 teaspoonfs of grated ginger
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
Asian chile pepper sauce- use to taste- I used 1 teaspoonful of pepper paste
1 (8 ounce) can water chopped chestnuts- drain well
1/2 bunch green onions, chopped
2 teaspoons Asian (dark) sesame oil
1/4 cup shredded carrots
Directions
1.Rinse whole lettuce leaves and pat dry, being careful not tear them. Set aside.
2.In a medium skillet over high heat, brown the ground beef... Drain, and set aside to cool... Cook the onion in the same pan, stirring frequently... Add the garlic, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, ginger, vinegar, and chile pepper sauce to the onions, and stir, for about 2 minutes... Stir in chopped water chestnuts, green onions, and sesame oil, and continue cooking until the onions just begin to wilt, about 2 more minutes.... add beef and continue stiring until desired consistency- not too runny
3.Arrange lettuce leaves around the outer edge of a large serving platter, and pile meat mixture in the center. To serve, allow each person to spoon a portion of the meat into a lettuce leaf. Top with shredded carrots. Wrap the lettuce around the meat like a burrito or a taco.
It is a little messey, but sure is good!
Next time, I would increase the pepper paste, and the vinegar to add a little more flavor. I would also add some slices of colored bell peppers and some asparagus, even adding some bean sprouts to the mix. Chicken would be excellent too!
Kris and I fixed dinner last night and Asian Lettuce Wraps was the idea I had. After pouring over several different types, here is what we came up with. It should be the envy of PF Chang's, who has the absolute best lettuce wraps ever!
Asian Lettuce Wraps
Ingredients
Iceberg Lettuce Leaves
1 pound lean ground beef
1 tablespoon cooking oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 clove fresh garlic, minced
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/4 cup hoisin sauce- I use Soy Vay
1/8 cup teryaki sauce- homemade or commercial
2 teaspoonfs of grated ginger
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
Asian chile pepper sauce- use to taste- I used 1 teaspoonful of pepper paste
1 (8 ounce) can water chopped chestnuts- drain well
1/2 bunch green onions, chopped
2 teaspoons Asian (dark) sesame oil
1/4 cup shredded carrots
Directions
1.Rinse whole lettuce leaves and pat dry, being careful not tear them. Set aside.
2.In a medium skillet over high heat, brown the ground beef... Drain, and set aside to cool... Cook the onion in the same pan, stirring frequently... Add the garlic, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, ginger, vinegar, and chile pepper sauce to the onions, and stir, for about 2 minutes... Stir in chopped water chestnuts, green onions, and sesame oil, and continue cooking until the onions just begin to wilt, about 2 more minutes.... add beef and continue stiring until desired consistency- not too runny
3.Arrange lettuce leaves around the outer edge of a large serving platter, and pile meat mixture in the center. To serve, allow each person to spoon a portion of the meat into a lettuce leaf. Top with shredded carrots. Wrap the lettuce around the meat like a burrito or a taco.
It is a little messey, but sure is good!
Next time, I would increase the pepper paste, and the vinegar to add a little more flavor. I would also add some slices of colored bell peppers and some asparagus, even adding some bean sprouts to the mix. Chicken would be excellent too!
Monday, May 10, 2010
What is God's Will ?
Have you ever thought about what God's will means? What does it mean to live in God's Will... People say "It was God's Will"... or "It was part of God's Plan" ...or the like. Over the past few weeks I have been thinking about these questions.... because of one of Pastor Lenander's sermons and a conversation with some friends.
Here are my thoughts:
There is a difference between God's Perfect Will and God's Permissive Will. The former is what pleases God, or what God desires. The latter is the evidence of God's love for us.
We have received God's promise that God will be with us always.... in spite of what we do, or how we act. As part of our church, we receive that reminder weekly, that in spite of what we have done or left undone, God still loves us and accepts us as if we are perfect, because God makes us perfect thru Christ.
It is thru looking back and thru reflection that we see God's presence in our lives and God's fulfillment of God's promises... God was there!
We may strive for understand God's perfect will, yet we thrive in God's permissive will. This is all part of the whole purpose of God.... that we might acknowledge God's love for God's people.
Just my thoughts.
Here are my thoughts:
There is a difference between God's Perfect Will and God's Permissive Will. The former is what pleases God, or what God desires. The latter is the evidence of God's love for us.
We have received God's promise that God will be with us always.... in spite of what we do, or how we act. As part of our church, we receive that reminder weekly, that in spite of what we have done or left undone, God still loves us and accepts us as if we are perfect, because God makes us perfect thru Christ.
It is thru looking back and thru reflection that we see God's presence in our lives and God's fulfillment of God's promises... God was there!
We may strive for understand God's perfect will, yet we thrive in God's permissive will. This is all part of the whole purpose of God.... that we might acknowledge God's love for God's people.
Just my thoughts.
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