Showing posts with label noodles. Show all posts
Showing posts with label noodles. Show all posts

Friday, January 9, 2009

Quick and Easy Weeknight Dinner

A few months ago I found what was labeled as Chinese Noodles in the supermarket. They were basically Ramen Style brick noodles without the seasoning pack, and with much less fat. I decided to pick them up. Then I didn't know what to do with them.

Last night we got home late from work and I needed something quick and easy. Teriyaki pork, always a good choice! But what with it? I saw the abandoned noodles, and decided to play. THe result was a very tasty noodle dish/soup.

All tolled, this took me less than a half hour to cook up.

Teriyaki Pork
bottled teriyaki sauce
bread crumbs
2 pork chops, trimmed of fat


If you have time the night before, marinate pork in teriyaki sauce. If not, no major loss.

Put the teriyaki in one bowl or bag, and the breadcrumbs in another.

Dip the pork chops in the teriyaki, coat with breadcrumbs.

Bake at 350 for 15 minutes.

Chinese Noodles
1/2 package Chinese Noodles (less if you don't want leftovers and yes, ramen bricks work fine here)
3 carrots
2 stalks celery
1 small onion
chopped broccoli
chopped cauliflauer
low sodium stock (i used beef, veggie would work here too)

Chop carrots and celery into slices, about 1/8" thick.

Chop onions into rough, large pieces.

Bring the stock to a boil in a medium saucepan. Once boiling, add carrots, celery and onion and cook until tender-crisp.

Add noodles, broccoli and cauliflauer and boil for 3-4 minutes, stirring to separate noodles.

Serve as a soup in a bowl, or strain the noodles and serve on a plate.

This was such a great and filling easy weeknight meal. The husband loved it and I have enough noodles left to make a few lunches.

Also, this reminds me of one of the quick cooking tips I've picked up along the way for marinating meat. I buy meat in bulk packs, so three or four pounds of chicken or pork at once, and then separate it into two person servings. I then put each two person serving into a freezer bag WITH the marinade of my choice (make sure you label the bags). Freeze, and then when you leave for work in the morning, pull out a bag and defrost in the fridge. Voila. Yummy meat. Not so much fuss. This method has really decreased the amount of nights we get take out :)

Thursday, November 6, 2008

Swedish Meatballs (bork, bork, bork)!

Today I got an intense craving for swedish meatballs. These didn't turn out quite as expected, but were still quite tasty. I used a recipe I found online as a guide; as always, and made it my own. This isn't super healthy. But sometimes? I don't care!

2 slices white bread (I used a leftover Amoroso roll)
1/4 c. milk
2 tbsp butter
1/2 large onion
4 cloves garlic
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 lbs. ground meat. (traditionally would be a mix of chuck and veal or pork)
2 egg yolks
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 c. flour
3 cups beef broth (i used almost 5, cause I like lotsa gravy)
1/4 c. cream (light works fine, I used 1/3)
1/2 pack egg noodles

Break the bread up into small pieces and place in a small bowl. Pour milk over top. Let sit.

Peel and grate half a large onion into a dish. Mince garlic and add to bowl. Add meat, yolks, pepper, allspice, bread mix, and salt. Mix well.

Roll meatballs from mix.

Heat a skillet and add meatballs, but don't crowd (this is key- if they are crowded, you can't turn them). Brown meatballs on all sides and place on a baking pan. Keep in warm oven until all meatballs are cooked.

Start water for egg noodles. I boiled mine in beef stock to make them extra tasty.

Add butter (optional, I did it for flavor) to the skillet you cooked the meatballs in.

Stir in flour and mix until flour becomes brown and bubbly.

Gradually stir in beef broth. Stir it until it becomes the desired consistency. I like mine really thick so I stirred for 10 mins.

Stir in cream, and whisk until desired consistency.

Add meatballs to gravy mix. Simmer a few minutes, and then serve over noodles.

NOM.

you can freeze the meatballs before or after they're sauced. If its before, spread them in a single layer on a baking dish, freeze, then bag. Otherwise, throw balls and gravy into a freezer bag and save for a night you don't feel like cooking.