Saturday, October 16, 2010

Asian Orzo


I never would have thought to cook orzo pasta with Asian flavors and ingredients, but it totally worked! This is my new favorite orzo dish, and is a great side with Asian marinated meats, like the grilled marinated pork tenderloin I served this with. It's also a nice alternative to noodles or rice when you need a side for an Asian dinner.

Inspiration - this recipe from the Easy Gourmet Dinners web site. I changed up the cooking method and added a few ingredients so my variation is below.

Ingredients
  • 1 c dry orzo pasta
  • 1/2 small onion, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 1/4 cups low sodium chicken broth
  • 4 tsp soy sauce
  • 2 tsp sesame oil
  • 1 tsp brown sugar

Directions

  • Heat olive oil in a small pot
  • Add onion, saute 3-4 minutes or until soft.
  • Add orzo, toss to coat/toast for 1 minute
  • Mix the broth with the soy sauce, sesame oil, and brown sugar. Add the broth mixture to the pot, stir, bring to a simmer then lower heat and cover.
  • Cook on low heat, covered, for about 15 minutes or until done. The broth should just be absorbed as the pasta finishes cooking.
  • Stir to fluff and serve.

Great marinade for pork

No picture, just a quick post to share this amazing marinade.

I actually made it, not my master-of-marinades husband, although he was giving me suggestions while I was mixing. We marinated the pork tenderloin for 8 hours before Jon grilled it.

Mix all ingredients together and pour over the tenderloin in a ziploc bag. Note, amounts are approximate, and this was for 1 small tenderloin.

  • 1/3 c olive oil
  • 3 tbsp soy sauce (I always use low sodium soy sauce)
  • 2 tbsp worcestershire sauce
  • 2 cloves garlic, pressed
  • 1/2 tsp dry mustard
  • 1/2 tsp rice vinegar
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder

Monday, October 11, 2010

Chicken with Peppers, Onions, and Mushrooms


Quick and easy with a lot of flavor - that's the name of the game these days. Oh, and it helps if we can eat it with one hand while holding a baby in the other.
I threw this dish together because I had some mushrooms leftover. Amounts are approximate.

Ingredients
  • 2 chicken breasts sliced into strips
  • 1 green pepper, sliced
  • 1 red pepper, sliced
  • 1 sm onion, sliced
  • Handful of mushrooms, sliced
  • White wine, about 3 tbsp
  • 1 c chicken broth
  • Salt, pepper, thyme, paprika
  • Olive oil

Directions

  • Heat olive oil in a large saute pan over medium high heat
  • Season chicken with salt, pepper, a touch of thyme, and paprika. Add to pan and cook until just about cooked through, about 5-6 minutes.
  • Move chicken to sides of pan and add the onions, peppers, and mushrooms, Saute 2 minutes.
  • Deglaze pan with the white wine
  • Add chicken broth, adjust seasonings, and let come to a simmer. Lower heat and let it cook another few minutes to thicken. Serve over rice.