Sesame Noodles

This could easily be used as a main dish or a side dish. Either way, it was delish.Sesame Noodles

From: The Noshery

12 oz. rice noodles, cooked and drained (I can never find these, so I always substitute this spaghetti)
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 Tbs. honey
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbs. rice vinegar
3 Tbs. sesame oil
2 tsp. sriracha sauce
4 Tbs. canola oil
3 Tbs. rice wine vinegar
2 Tbs. oyster sauce
1/2 cup cole slaw mix
2 whole green onions, diced
Sesame seeds
Prepare noodles according to package directions.

Combine all ingredients, except green onions in a bowl. Pour mixture into a large hot skillet. Add noodle mixture to the pan and toss to combine. Stir-fry the noodles for about 5 minutes, toss in green onions.

Serve hot, topped with more green onions and sesame seeds if desired.

Kung Pao Style Chicken

I usually dishes that use ramen noodles but this was so yummy. I loved the little bit of spice and tons of flavor and great texture of the peanuts.Kung Pao Style Chicken

From: You Got Served

3 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 lb. chicken
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 cup roasted unsalted peanuts
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbs. fresh ginger, grated
1 tsp. red pepper flakes (1/4 tsp. if you don't like spice or for kids)- this is what I used
3 1/2 cups chicken broth
4 packages ramen noodles, discard seasoning packets
2 Tbs. hoisin sauce
1 Tbs. rice vinegar
2 tsp. toasted sesame oil
4 green onions, sliced thin

Season chicken with salt and pepper. heat 2 Tbs. of oil in a 12" nonstick skillet over high heat until just smoking. Add chicken and cook until done. Transfer to a clean bowl.

Add remaining Tbs. of oil to the skillet and return to medium-high heat. Add bell pepper and peanuts and cook until peppers are softened, 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl with chicken.

Add garlic, ginger and red pepper flakes to the oil left in the skillet and return to medium-high heat until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in broth. Break bricks of the ramen into small chunks and add to the skillet. Bring to a simmer and cook, tossing ramen constantly with tongs to separate, until ramen is just tender but there is still liquid in the pan, about 2 minutes.

Stir in hoisin, vinegar, and sesame oil and continue to simmer until sauce is thickened, about 1 minute. Stir in chicken, peppers and peanuts. Sprinkle with green onions before serving.

Very Veggie Egg Rolls

Oh holy yum. These were fantastic. All of the fresh veggies made this too die for.Very Veggie Egg Rolls

From: Cooking with Anne

1 small head cabbage, thinly sliced
1 large red pepper, deeded and finely diced
1 small zucchini, finely diced
1 large carrot, cut into thin matchsticks
8 oz. snow peas, finely diced
1 bunch green onion, sliced thinly
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. fresh ginger, grated
2 Tbs. rice wine vinegar
1/3 cup soy sauce
1 Tbs. sesame oil
1 pkg. (24 count) egg roll wrappers
oil for frying

Heat a couple of tablespoons of oil in a large pan(I used my wok) and add the veggies. Cook over medium-high heat until soft. Add garlic, ginger, vinegar, soy sauce and sesame oil. Cook until most of the liquid is evaporated.

Roll about 1/4-1/3 cup of filling into each egg roll wrapper. Cook in a deep fryer until golden brown or in a pan over medium-high heat, turning frequently until golden. (I used a little water to seal the wrappers shut. This made a huge difference in how easy they were to fry.)

Korean Spiced Beef and Cabbage Rolls

Korean Spiced Beef and Cabbage Rolls

From: MyRecipes

Filling:
1/2 cup green onions, chopped
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 Tbs. sesame seeds
1 Tbs. sesame oil
1 Tbs. dry sherry
2 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. minced garlic
1/8 tsp. ground red pepper (I didn't have this and so I just threw is some red pepper flakes)
1/2 lb. ground beef
cooking spray
2 cups green cabbage, thinly sliced

Dough:
4 cups flour
2 Tbs. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/3 cups water
1/4 cup honey
2 Tbs. canola oil
1 Tbs. water
1 lg. egg white, lightly beaten
1 Tbs. sesame seeds

Preheat over to 375 degrees.

To prepare filling, combine the first eleven ingredients in a large bowl.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Coat the pan with cooking spray. Add the ground beef mixture to the pan; cook 8 minutes or until done, stirring occasionally. Stir in the cabbage and cook for 4 more minutes or until the cabbage is tender. Remove from heat, cool completely.

To prepare the dough, combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Combine 1 1/3 cups water, honey and canola oil, stirring with a whisk. Add water mixture to the flour mixture; stirring until a soft dough forms. (I had to add a tad bit more water). Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. (It took me a 10+ minutes of kneading). Cover and let stand for 5 minutes.

Roll the dough into a 16" x 12" rectangle (about 1/4" thick) on a lightly floured surface. Cut the dough into 12-4" squares. Working with 1 square at a time (cover remaining dough with a towel to prevent drying), spoon about 1/4 cup beef mixture into the center of each square. Moisten the edges with water and bring the opposite corners to the center, pinching points to seal. Place rolls seam-side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Combine 1 Tbs. water and the egg white in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Lightly brush the tops of the dough with the egg white mixture. Sprinkle each with 1/4 tsp. sesame seeds. Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes or until the rolls are lightly browned. Remove from baking sheet; cool on wire racks.

Asian Ground Beef Lettuce Wraps

I was a little skeptical of these because it used a few ingredients I have never used before, but that is why I wanted to try the recipe. They were fantastic.Asian Ground Beef Lettuce Wraps

From: Dine and Dish

1 head romaine lettuce or Boston Bibb or butter lettuce
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 lg. onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbs. soy sauce
1/4 hoisin sauce
2 tsp. minced pickled ginger
1 Tbs. rice wine vinegar
Asian chile pepper sauce (I used sriracha)
1 (8 oz.) can water chestnuts, drained and finely chopped
1 bunch green onions, chopped
2 tsp. Asian sesame oil

Rinse whole lettuce leaves and pat dry, being careful not to tear them. Set aside.

In a medium skillet over high heat, brown the ground beef in 1 Tbs. of oil, stirring often and reducing the heat to medium, if necessary. Drain, and set aside. 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. Stir in chopped water chestnuts, green onions, sesame oil, and continue cooking until the onions just begin to wilt, about 2 minutes. Add ground beef back into the pan and mix together.

Line lettuce leaves with desired amount of meat mixture. Wrap the lettuce around the meat like a burrito and eat.

Pan-Seared Salmon with Sweet and Spicy Asian Glaze

I make fish once a year for Jason's birthday. This is because I HATE fish. It stinks and tastes worse and grosses me out to cook with it. But my husband loves fish, so once a year I prove how much I love him by gagging while I make him dinner. As I didn't taste this meal and can't vouch for it, I am posting this according to my husband's recommendation. He raved about it, so.....Pan-Seared Salmon with Sweet and Spicy Asian Glaze

From: My Personal Cookbook

Marinade:
juice of 1 orange
3 Tbs. rice wine vinegar
2 Tbs. soy sauce
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 small red or green chile pepper,thinly sliced
1 Tbs. fresh ginger, peeled and grated (man oh man do I love my microplane grater)

Salmon:
(1 1/2" thick) salmon fillets
1/8 tsp. kosher salt
1/8 tsp. freshly ground pepper
2 tsp. olive oil
2 Tbs. fresh cilantro leaves

In a shallow glass dish, combine all of the marinade ingredients. Add the salmon and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate, turning once, at least 30 minutes.

Remove the salmon from the marinade; reserving the marinade. Sprinkle salmon with the salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add salmon, skin side down, and cook 3-4 minutes. (I had to turn the heat down on mine, it was way too hot, it was simply burning up all of the oil.) With a spatula, turn salmon and cook 3-4 more minutes, until just opaque in the center. Transfer the salmon to a platter; cover with foil to keep warm.

Discard and drippings from the skillet. Add the marinade and cook over medium-low heat 2-3 minutes or until it is thickened and syrupy. Drizzle the glaze over the salmon and sprinkle with cilantro.

Quick Weeknight Asian Turkey Lettuce Wraps

If you've ever been to P.F. Changs, you've probably enjoyed their chicken lettuce wraps. They're famous.

And I've tried to make them before. I didn't have ground chicken, so I spent forever chunking my chicken up into the tiniest pieces. NOT WORTH IT.

These are traditionally served as an appetizer, but we eat them as a main dish. So, I listed them under both.

These are SO, so fast. When I make my menus, I don't assign any particular meal to a day. I just go with what works on that day. Sometimes I have more time to cook and sometimes not. So, on my list of meals for the week (two weeks), I am sure to write behind the meal name an approximate time it takes to make said meal. This one gets 1/2 hour. Love it!

Quick Weeknight Asian Turkey Lettuce Wraps


2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 Cup finely chopped onion
1 lb ground turkey breast
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
¼ teaspoon garlic salt
1 12 oz bag of Broccoli Slaw (my Walmart carried it!)
1 small can drained, slightly chopped water chestnuts
½ Cup Yoshida’s Teriyaki Sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
Approximately 15 Butter Lettuce leaves (we use romaine)

1. Place oil into a large 5 qt skillet or other large pan over medium heat. When hot, add onion and cook for 5 minutes to soften. Add ground turkey, salt, pepper and garlic salt. Brown and crumble until cooked through.

2. When turkey is cooked, stir in broccoli slaw, water chestnuts, teriyaki sauce and sesame oil. Cook for another 10-15 minutes or until heated through. Reduce heat to low until ready to serve. Serve spoonfuls inside lettuce leaves. Enjoy!

Korean Style Chili Pork Loin Wraps

These were amazing. My husband was raving about them.

Korean Style Chili Pork Loin Wraps

From: Foto Cuisine

Marinade:
1 1/2 pork tenderloin, trimmed
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 Tbs. Sugar
4 tsp. toasted sesame oil
1/2 cup green onions, chopped
1 Tbs. garlic, minced
1 Tbs. fresh ginger, minced

Hot Sauce:
2 Tbs. Sriracha hot chili sauce
5 tsp. honey
2 tsp. sesame oil


Faux Risotto
2-4 Tbs. butter
1/2 cup arborio rice
1 cup white rice
1 1/4 cup chicken stock
1/3 cup white wine

1 head romaine lettuce
2 Tbs. sesame seeds, toasted

In a medium bowl, combine the green onions, garlic and ginger. Add the soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil; mix well. Slice the pork into strips and put in the marinade. Place in the fridge covered for 1 hour.

While your pork is marinating, make the dipping sauce. I double the dipping sauce ingredients because we always like more sauce. Mix together the Sriracha, honey and sesame oil.

Melt butter in a pot, then add the rice. Let it sizzle a bit until it is transparent around the edges and a solid white core. Add a little salt and then the broth and wine. Cover and simmer for 15-18 minutes. (I had to really play with the liquid amounts. I upped the liquids in the ingredient list above from the original recipe. It was nowhere near enough liquid. I had to check on my rice while it was simmering to adjust the liquid a little bit, but it turned out fantastic)

After the pork is done marinating, heat a skillet to med-high and add in some olive oil until almost smoking, then add the pork after straining off some of the marinade. (I personally like to leave a good bit of liquid in the pan when I'm cooking the pork because it helps to really keep the yummy flavors). Cook pork until done and liquid has reduced to bubbles.

Spoon some of the risotto mixture onto a leaf of lettuce and top with pork and hot sauce. Fold the leaves up like a taco and enjoy!

Asian Rotisserie Noodle Salad

This was super tasty and light. It was perfect for making it seem like summer is still lingering just a little bit longer. The dressing has quite the nice zing to it.

Asian Rotisserie Chicken Salad

From: Martha Stewart

2 cups fresh cilantro, leaves and soft stems
1/4 cup lime juice
1/4 cup vegetable oil
Course salt and ground pepper
4 cups rotisserie chicken, meat shredded
1/4 medium red cabbage, core and thinly sliced
1 Red bell pepper, thinly sliced
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1 large head romaine lettuce, torn into bite sized pieces (I only used about 1/4 of a head)
1/2 cup cashews

Make Dressing: In a blender, combine cilantro, lime juice, and oil. Season with salt and pepper. Blend until smooth.

In a large bowl, combine chicken, cabbage, bell pepper, and green onions. Season with salt and pepper. In another bowl, toss lettuce with 1/2 cup dressing. (I didn't do this. I just drizzled each individual bowl with dressing. This is because I wasn't planning on consuming the entire dish in one sitting and didn't want the veggies and such to get soggy and nasty in the fridge). Divide among bowls and top with chicken mixture. Drizzle with remaining dressing and sprinkle with cashews.

Pork & Green Bean Stir-Fry

This wasn't my absolute favorite meal ever, but the pork was super yummy. I added broccoli to the original recipe because I had some in my crisper that needed to be used. Plus, we LOVE broccoli. I also cut down on the ginger from 2 Tbsp to just one. And even then, then predominate flavor was ginger. That's not a bad thing, necessarily, but I think 2 Tbsp would have made it nearly inedible.



Pork & Green Bean Stir-Fry

* 1 (about 3/4 pound) pork tenderloin, trimmed of excess fat
* Coarse salt
* 2 tablespoons soy sauce
* 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
* 1 teaspoon sugar
* 3 teaspoons vegetable oil
* 1 tablespoon minced, peeled fresh ginger
* 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
* 1 pound green beans, trimmed and cut crosswise into 2-inch pieces
* 1 cup fresh broccoli florets
* 1 red bell pepper, ribs and seeds removed, cut into thin strips
* 1/3 cup dry-roasted peanuts, chopped
* Cooked white rice, for serving (optional)

Cut pork diagonally into 1/4-inch thick slices. In order to cut the pork thin enough, I stuck it in the freezer for about 20 minutes before slicing it up. Cut each slice lengthwise in half. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt. In a small bowl, mix soy sauce, vinegar, and sugar; set sauce aside.

Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add half the ginger, pepper flakes, and pork; cook, stirring, until pork is no longer pink, about 3-5 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Repeat, cooking remaining ginger, pepper flakes, and pork in another teaspoon oil; transfer to plate. (I did all the pork, etc at once... worked for me!)

Meanwhile, cook green beans in a medium pot of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Drain; dry with paper towels.

Add remaining teaspoon oil to the skillet. Add beans, bell pepper, broccoli and 2 tablespoons water;(oops! unintentionally missed the water) cook over high heat, stirring often, until peppers are tender, about 2 minutes.

Add peanuts, pork mixture, and reserved sauce. Cook, stirring, until pork is coated, about 1 minute. Serve immediately, over rice, if desired.

We did serve it over rice. My kids LOVE rice.



Coming up later. Expect a post from me on how on earth I get my kids to eat all this food.