Grilled Thai Pork or Chicken Kabobs with Peanut Dipping Sauce

 We just busted out our first kabobs of the year.  There is seriously nothing more satisfying than grilling or smoking your own dinner outside and having it taste completely awesome!!  I love trying out new marinades with different meats to find tasty combinations.  This one was a winner indeed.  A little kick, and the peanut sauce on the side was fab.  We served it up with some grilled asparagus freshly picked from down the street and some couscous.  So, so good!

Grilled Thai Pork or Chicken Kabobs with Peanut Dipping Sauce


3 Tablespoons soy sauce
2 Tablespoons honey
Juice from 1 lime squeezed 
3 Cloves of minced garlic
1 Tablespoon of Siracha
Shake of red pepper flakes
1/4 cup of chopped fresh cilantro
Cubed chicken/pork

Mix all ingredients, place in freezer bag or large bowl.  Marinate for at least a few hours before grilling (Can be frozen for easy meal prep ahead of time).  

Recipe Source:  Ms. Simplicity

Peanut Dipping Sauce


3 Tbsp. creamy peanut butter
3 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. rice vinegar
1 Tbsp. honey
½ tsp. minced garlic
½ tsp. siracha hot sauce
¼ cup water
chopped peanuts to taste

Recipe Source:  Favorite Family Recipes

Peanut Noodles with Pork

I honestly have been receiving the Food Network Magazine for a couple years now, and love it!  My problem is I see these fabulous recipes, want to make many of the recipes, then forget about them and all my new recipes come from my Pinterest boards.  Times have changed!!  I have been going through and trying some new delicious recipes, and it's been a fun change cooking from them instead of the blog world for a minute ;)

These noodles turned out good, although I wish there was a bit more sauce, so I'll tweak that for next time!

Peanut Noodles with Pork

Kosher salt
12 ounces Chinese chow mein noodles or spaghetti
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
2 carrots, shredded (about 3/4 cup)
1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped (remove seeds for less heat)
1 bunch scallions, chopped (white and green parts separated)
1 2 -inch piece ginger, peeled and minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
12 ounces ground pork (or ground turkey)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
chopped dry roasted peanuts

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook as the label directs. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water, then drain. Whisk the peanut butter, vinegar, 2 tablespoons each water and soy sauce, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, the carrots and half of the jalapeno in a large bowl. Add the noodles and toss to coat.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons sesame oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the scallion whites, ginger and garlic; cook, stirring, until golden, about 2 minutes. Add the pork and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons soy sauce.

Transfer the pork mixture to the bowl with the noodles. Add half of the scallion greens and cilantro and toss to coat, adding enough of the reserved pasta water to loosen. Serve topped with the remaining jalapeno, scallion greens and cilantro, and peanuts.

Recipe Source:  Food Network Magazine

Meat Sauce Bolognese

I had my baby!  It happened 2.5 weeks early, but I was expecting it since my other 2 kiddos were each 2 weeks early.  We have had lots of yummy meals brought to us, but on one of the nights we didn't have a meal brought in, I was glad I had frozen some extra portions of this yummy sauce.  It made for a super simple meal for my little family :)

There is veggies hidden in the sauce, and they cook down so much your kiddos will never know they are in there.  Definitely a keeper-kind of recipe !

Meat Sauce Bolognese

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, minced (about 1 cup)
1 medium carrot, peeled and finely shredded (about 1/2 cup)
2 ribs celery, minced (about 1/2 cup)
Salt
1 pound ground beef
1 pound ground pork
1/2 cup dry red wine (or broth)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
28oz can crushed tomatoes
3 bay leaves
Freshly ground black pepper
Pinch red pepper flakes
4 cups hot water, or as needed

Heat the olive oil in a wide, 3 to 4-quart pan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot and celery, season with salt and cook, stirring, until the onion is translucent, about 4 minutes. Crumble in the ground beef and pork and continue cooking, stirring to break up the meat, until the meat is lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Turn off the heat or remove the pan from the heat and use a crumpled paper towel to drain off any extra fat. 

Add the wine (or broth) and cook, scraping the bottom of the pan, until the wine is evaporated, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook a few minutes. Pour in the tomatoes, toss in the bay leaves and season lightly with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. 

Bring to a boil, then lower the heat so the sauce is at a lively simmer. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is dense but juicy and a rich, dark red color. (Most likely, a noticeable layer of oil will float to the top toward the end of cooking.) This will take about 2 to 3 hours - the longer you cook it, the better it will become - but an hour is also fine. 

While the sauce is cooking, add hot water as necessary to keep the meats and vegetables covered. The oil can be removed with a spoon or reincorporated in the sauce.

Serve over pasta.

Recipe Source:  A Taste of Home Cooking

Cafe Rio Style Sweet Pork

This is my third version of Cafe Rio pork I have attempted, and do believe it is my favorite.  This one has a little bit more of a kick than the others, and heaven knows I like a kick!  

For the other components of the Cafe Rio meal, click here and start enjoying the goodness!

Cafe Rio Pork Barbacoa

5-6 lb. pork roast

21 oz. Dr. Pepper (or Coke, do NOT use diet soda)
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar
1 clove garlic, minced
7 oz. can chipotle chilies in adobo sauce
6-ish oz. red taco sauce (I used hot)
1 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Place roast in crock-pot, cover half-way with water and cook on low for 12 hours.  After 12 hours, drain pork (retain liquid if you want sauce for burritos, simply mix with a can of verde enchilada sauce and away you go).

Mix remaining ingredients until sugar dissolves.  I didn’t keep the actual chilies, I dumped the can into a bowl and added enough Dr. Pepper to get all the sauce off of the chilies, then I tossed them.  I also rinsed out the can with Dr. Pepper for more adobo goodness.  My version had a fairly good kick to it, but if you LOVE hotness, then blend everything + 2 or 3 chilies in the blender.  (Also, the adobo sauce tends to stain plastic, using a glass or metal mixing bowl will make your clean-up of adobo sauce considerably less frustrating).

Add Dr. Pepper mixture to the roast and cook on low an additional 4 hours.

Take out roast and shred, add back into sauce and cook for 2 more hours.  At this point the meat was so tender it practically shredded itself.

Recipe Source:  Heidikins

Feta and Pesto Stuffed Pork Chops

It was 4:00 and I had a full day of things to think about other than dinner.  I knew I had to use up my pork chops in the refrigerator, so I did a quick search and found that I had everything for this recipe.  I'm glad I found it!  The flavors were great, and anything with pesto in it usually makes me quite happy :)  These only took me about 10 minutes to put together...so next time you find yourself in a pinch for dinner, give these a try...they are great!

Feta and Pesto Stuffed Pork Chops

3 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese

2 tablespoons chilled basil pesto

1 tablespoon toasted pine nuts

4 bone-in pork loin chops, 1 1/4-inch thick

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/4 teaspoon ground thyme

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

Mix feta cheese, basil pesto, and pine nuts in a bowl. Use the tip of a sharp boning or paring knife to cut a 3-inch slit in the side of each pork chop, 2 inches deep and 1/4-inch away from the bone, to make a pocket for stuffing. 

Stuff pork chops with pesto filling and secure with toothpicks.

Mix black pepper, oregano, garlic, red pepper flakes, and thyme in a small bowl; rub both sides of each chop with the spice mix. Place chops into a shallow baking dish.

Bake in the preheated oven until chops are browned and stuffing is hot, about 40 minutes. An instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the center of the stuffing should read 145 degrees F (63 degrees C). Brush chops with balsamic vinegar and bake until vinegar forms a glaze, another 5 minutes.

Recipe Source:  Allrecipes

Pork Chops with Pineapple Fried Rice

(pic from The Pioneer Woman)

I LOVE it when pork chops are on sale...I buy up quite a few packages when they are.  Since my hubby needs a break from my love of chicken every now and again, pork chops are a great way to switch things up a bit. Combine the chops with delightful Asian flavors and this scrumptious rice and dinner is served!  Pineapples are so delicious right now, so take advantage and make this, heck...why not tonight?!

I wish I could have gotten a better picture of this myself, but I had some serious lighting issues when I was taking pictures of this lovely meal last night.  I'll try again next time I make it, but didn't want to wait for then to share this yummy meal!  Enjoy :)

Pork Chops with Pineapple Fried Rice

1/2 whole Pineapple, Cut Into Spears And Skewered

2 cups White Or Brown Rice, Cooked

6 whole Pork Chops

1 Tablespoon Butter

1 Tablespoon Peanut Oil Or Canola Oil

1 whole Large Onion, Sliced

6 Tablespoons Soy Sauce (more To Taste, Or If More Liquid Is Needed)

1 Tablespoon Rice Wine Vinegar

2 Tablespoons Honey

1 Tablespoon Sriracha, Or Other Hot Sauce

Salt To Taste

3 cloves Minced Garlic

2 whole Eggs

1 jar (small) Drained Pimentos

1-1/2 cup Frozen Peas

2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce (additional)

Cook rice according to package instructions. Set aside.

Grill or saute pineapple spears until they have good marks/color on the outside. Slice, then set aside.

(Note: soak wooden skewers in water for a few hours first.)

Heat butter and oil over medium high heat, then add the pork chops to the pan. Saute on both sides until they have nice color.

Throw in the sliced onions and work them into the crevices between the chops. Shake the pan and move the onions around and let them cook for a good couple of minutes.

When the onions are starting to soften, add soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, honey, and hot sauce. Shake the pan, stir it around, and let it cook and bubble up for a good couple of minutes until the pork chops are completely cooked and the sauce is thicker. Remove the pork chops to a bowl, then let the sauce bubble up and cook for another 30 to 45 seconds. Pour it over the pork chops. Set aside.

Add a small amount of oil to the same pan (without cleaning it) and return it to the stovetop over medium-high heat. Add garlic and stir it around, then crack in the eggs and immediately stir them to scramble them a bit. Add peas, pineapple, pimentos, and a couple of tablespoons (additional) soy sauce. Add cooked rice and stir it around to cook for a couple of minutes.

To serve, pile rice on a plate, then top with a pork chops and onions from the sauce. Drizzle a little bit of sauce over the top.

Recipe Source:  Pioneer Woman

Orange Soy Pork Chops

I am in the middle of a weight-loss war...maybe not the best idea through Thanksgiving!  So my cooking the last week or so has been a little more on the healthy side, and my poor husband has to go along with it.  I don't think this is one dish he had to "suffer" through!  It is very flavorful, and the pork was nice and juicy.  Definitely a winner :)


Orange Soy Pork Chops


2 tablespoons oil 
1 cup fresh squeezed orange juice (took me 6 medium oranges to get 1 cup of juice)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried or fresh thyme 
4 pork chops
Salt and pepper to taste 

Heat oil in a skillet until shimmering. Combine orange juice, soy sauce, garlic and thyme in a small bowl. Set aside.

Season pork chops with salt and pepper. Add the pork chops to the hot skillet and sear until browned, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Lower the heat and continue cooking, turning as needed to prevent burning, about 5 minutes longer. Transfer the chops to a plate and cover tightly with foil. 

Add the reserved orange juice mixture to the pan and cook over medium-high heat until the sauce is reduced by half, 3 to 5 minutes. Return the chops to the skillet; heat through, turning to coat. Serve with the pan sauce.

Recipe Source:  Taste of Home Cooking, adapted from Eating Well

Baked Pork Chops

I feel like I have been making pork chops every Sunday lately :)  They were on sale buy one get one free a few weeks ago and I went a little overboard with the buying of them!  


This version was dang good, one of my recent favorites.  It reminds me of chicken parmesan in a way with how it is breaded.  The mushroom gravy was fantastic on mashed potatoes as well.


Baked Pork Chops


6 boneless pork chops
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon seasoning salt
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 egg, beaten
3/4 cup Italian-style seasoned bread crumbs
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
3/4 cup milk
1 clove minced garlic


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a bowl, combine the flour, garlic powder and season salt.  Place the beaten eggs in a small bowl.
Place bread crumbs in another bowl.  Dredge the pork chops lightly in flour, followed by the egg, and then a coating of the bread crumbs.


Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Fry the pork chops in the oil until crisp well browned.  Transfer the chops to a 9×13 inch baking dish, and cover with foil.  Bake in the preheated oven for minutes.


While baking, combine the cream of mushroom soup and milk in a medium bowl.


After the pork chops have baked for 30 minutes, remove from the oven and cover them with the soup mixture.  Replace foil, and bake for another 30 minutes.


Recipe Source:  Real Mom Kitchen

Crockpot Peanut Butter Pork

I love peanut sauces...LOVE them!  This Thai Chicken Pasta was great, and this Spaghetti with Chicken and Peanut Sauce was mighty tasty as well!  


This pork is very flavorful, and please don't leave out the peanuts, they are the best part!


Crockpot Peanut Butter Pork

From:  The Picky Apple

1.5-2lbs pork tenderloin (I used 4 boneless chops, about 1.5 lbs)
1 onion, sliced in rings
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
3 tablespoons water
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 cup creamy natural peanut butter
2 tablespoons chopped peanuts (garnish; optional)
1 lime, cut in wedges (garnish; optional)
cilantro, chopped (garnish; optional)
1/2-3/4 cup chicken stock
1/2-1 Tbsp Siracha 

Use a 4-6 quart crockpot. Put onion slices into the bottom of your crockpot. Put the pork on top. Add brown sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, water, garlic, Siracha and peanut butter. No need to stir–the peanut butter needs to melt before you can do so. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or on high for 4-6. The pork will be more tender the longer you cook it. 1 hour before serving, add chicken stock, stir. Then flip the meat over in the crockpot to allow the other side to soak up the peanutbuttery goodness. Garnish with chopped peanuts, cilantro, and serve with lime wedges.

Balsamic Glazed Pork Loin

I love me a good pork recipe.  I love crock pots.  Combine the two, and you get excellent results!  The pork in this recipe is very tender, and the glaze makes the dish.  It is delicious...and takes less than 5 minutes to make.  Sometimes you just need a little effort, big impact kind of dinner, and this fits the bill!  


And let me tell you, when something has been re-pinned on Pinterest numerous times, it is for good reason!  Enjoy :)

Balsamic Glazed Pork Loin

From:  Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Pork:
2 pound boneless pork loin roast, trimmed of large fat pockets
1 teaspoon ground sage
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 clove garlic, finely minced or crushed
1/2 cup water

Glaze: 
1/2 cup brown sugar, light or dark
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons soy sauce

In a small bowl, combine the sage, salt, pepper and garlic. Rub the spices all over the roast. Place the pork roast in the slow cooker and pour in the 1/2 cup water. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Near the end of the cooking time for the roast, combine the ingredients for the glaze in a small saucepan and bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce and let the mixture simmer, stirring occasionally, until it thickens.

Remove the pork from the slow cooker, shred and place on a platter or plate. Drizzle the glaze over the pork and serve.

*I threw in some baby carrots the last 4 hours of cooking time as well, they were awesome!

Ranch Pork Roast and Potatoes

I know I have said time and time again how I love my crockpot, especially on a Sunday. There is nothing like coming home from church KNOWING that you do not have to cook, only relax :) I love pork in the crockpot, it always turns out great. Then you add one of my favorite flavors, ranch, and all is well!



I must say the potatoes turned out amazing as well, super soft and flavorful, my one year old couldn't get enough of them!

Ranch Pork Roast and Potatoes

From:  Better Homes and Gardens

3 pounds boneless pork shoulder roast
non-stick cooking spray
1 pound new red-skinned potatoes, halved
1 can (10 3/4-ounce size) cream of chicken soup
1 package (8-ounce size) cream cheese, cubed and softened
1 envelope (0.4-ounce size) ranch dry salad dressing mix
freshly ground black pepper (optional)

Trim fat from meat. Lightly coat a large skillet with cooking spray; heat skillet over medium heat. In hot skillet brown roast on all sides. Remove from heat. 

Place potatoes in a 3-1/2- or 4-quart slow cooker. Place meat over potatoes. In a medium bowl whisk together soup, cream cheese, and salad dressing mix. Spoon over meat and potatoes in cooker. 

Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 9 to 10 hours or on high- heat setting for 4-1/2 to 5 hours. Serve with freshly ground black pepper, if desired.

Crockpot Smothered Pork Chops

I love it when a recipe turns out as good as it sounds.  This one definitely did.  Again, I turned to the crockpot for Sunday dinner, and when we got home we had the most mouth-watering aroma filling our house.  And not just the aroma, but these babies are so tender, they fall apart as you take them out of the crockpot.  Yummy!


This recipe will be made time and time again in our house!  We had it with mashed potatoes, but it would be great with rice as well.

Crockpot Smothered Pork Chops

From:  Mel's Kitchen Cafe

5 slices bacon, chopped
6 bone-in pork loin chops, about 3/4-inch thick (I used boneless)
Salt and Pepper
2 yellow onions, peeled, halved and sliced into 1/2-inch thick half moons
1 teaspoon plus 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1/4 cup plus 
2 tablespoons cold water
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried thyme
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

In a large skillet over medium heat, fry bacon until lightly browned, about 5-6 minutes. Transfer bacon to a plate lined with paper towels, leaving the drippings in the pan. If you have more than 2 tablespoons drippings, drain the excess. If you don’t have quite that much, supplement with canola oil. When the bacon is cool, transfer to a small bag or tupperware and refrigerate until later.

Heat the skillet with the drippings over medium or medium-high heat until rippling and hot. Meanwhile, pat pork chops dry with paper towels and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook pork chops until they are golden brown on each side, about 2 minutes per side, cooking them in batches in the skillet if your skillet isn’t big enough to hold all six at a time in a single layer. When golden on each side, transfer the chops to the slow cooker and repeat with remaining pork.  DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP!

Pour off all but 1 teaspoon of fat from the skillet; add onions, 1 teaspoon brown sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 cup water to empty skillet. Using a wooden spoon, scrape browned bits from bottom of the pan and cook over medium-high heat until onions are soft, about 4-6 minutes. Stir in garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Pour onion mixture over chops in the slow cooker. Add broth, soy sauce and remaining 1 tablespoon brown sugar to skillet, bring to a boil and add bay leaves. Pour mixture over onions in slow cooker.

Cover slow cooker and cook on low until pork is tender, about 8 hours (or cook on high for 4 hours).

When ready to serve, carefully transfer chops to serving platter with a large spoon and tent with foil. Discard bay leaves and pour liquid through a mesh strainer into a saucepan, reserving the solids. Transfer solids to a food processor or blender with 1 cup liquid and blend until smooth. Stir the blended mixture back into remaining liquid in the saucepan. In a small bowl, mix cornstarch and remaining 2 tablespoons water together in a small bowl and stir into sauce. Cook over medium heat until thickened and bubbly, about 5 minutes. Stir in vinegar, season with salt and pepper, pour over chops and sprinkle with reserved bacon and parsley. Serve.

Feta Pork Chop Skillet

For some reason, I have been loving pork chops on Sundays...definitely a go-to for me.  It has been fun trying out different ways to cook them.  This one we tried this week was great.  I loved the flavors...the lemon and rosemary, and who doesn't love feta!  If you are looking for other yummy pork chop recipes, try one of these....

Pan Fried Pork Chops with Onions

Slow Cooker San Francisco Chops

Pear and Blue Cheese Pork Chops (so good!)

Chipotle Lime Pork Chops

Dijon Pork Chops

Sweet Mustard Chops

Feta and Pork Chop Skillet

From:  Sisters Cafe

1 teaspoon crushed dried rosemary

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon minced garlic (1 very large clove)

1 pinch black pepper

1 tablespoons olive oil

4 pork chops 

¼ cup fresh lemon juice (one lemon)

2 oz (or more) crumbled feta cheese with basil and sun-dried tomatoes (be generous!)

1-2 yellow summer squash and/or zucchini

In a small bowl, stir together rosemary, basil, garlic, and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Dip pork chops in lemon juice, and sprinkle both sides with herb mixture. Place pork chops in skillet, drizzle with some of remaining lemon juice, and sear both sides, about 7 minutes per side. After a few minutes, add sliced squash to edges of pan. Reduce heat to low. Sprinkle feta on top of chops; cover skillet, and cook until cheese begins to melt, about 5 minutes.  We served this over some brown rice.

Prep time: 30 minutes. Makes 4 servings.