Pork Fried Rice

12 ounce pork ribeye, diced
3/4 diced carrots

3/4 cup diced celery
1 diced yellow onion

3/4 cup chopped broccoli
4  eggs
1 1/4 cup frozen peas (thawed)

1 tablespoon chives (dried or fresh)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tsp ginger powder or paste

4-5 tablespoons soy sauce
3 cups cooked brown rice 

Spray cooking spray in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir pork, carrot, broccoli, peas, and onion in melted butter until pork is cooked through, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove pork mixture to a bowl and return skillet to medium heat.
Scramble eggs in the skillet until completely set. Return the pork mixture to the skillet. Stir rice, peas, broccoli,  soy sauce, garlic powder, and ground ginger into the pork mixture. Cook and stir until heated through..

14 Servings, 195 calories per serving

Cherry Berry Dump Cake

• 1 (21 ounce) can Cherry Pie Filling
• 1 (21 ounce) can Blueberry Pie Filling
• 1 box yellow cake mix
• 12 tablespoons butter

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 2.8L casserole dish or 9×13” pan with cooking spray.
2. Pour the cherry and blueberry pie fillings in the bottom of the dish. Sprinkle the nuts over the fruit. Open the cake mix and sprinkle the power evenly over the top.
3. Slice butter into small pieces and sprinkle evenly over the top of the cake mix. Make sure to make it even so that it all melts into the cake mix.
4. Bake for 30-40 minutes until the fruit starts to bubble up around the edges and the edges start to turn golden. 
5. Serve with ice cream or whipped cream. Store covered in refrigerator.

Serves 12 - 416 calories per serving

Life. What a ride.

The past 18 months have been long, difficult, painful.  Moments of despair, moments of pure joy, moments of sadness, moments of excitement, moments of reflection.

February 19, 2016 we lost Dave's father after a three week stint in the hospital.  Looking back, he was ill for quite some time, but didn't seem to want to share just how ill he was.    

Summer of 2016 brought many changes to life for my Mom and Dad.  Dad became quite frail, and ultimately ended up in hospice care - for five months.  Mom went through a steady decline during that time, and passed away on December 10, 2016.  Dad remained in hospice are until he joined his wife of 67 years on February 22, 2016.

Learning to do life without our parents has been a slow process.  There are still many times that I walk through the grocery store and stop, thinking, "Hey - that is something that mom would like!  I should make that for her."  Then I remember, and move on.  I miss cooking for them.  It was so much fun making their favorites, and giving the something to try that they had not tried, before.  Up until the end, they enjoyed the food I made, and even requested some of their favorites.  Dad's last real meal was Kraut Birok.  That means a lot.  

After the dust had settled, I decided to focus on myself - to begin eating properly for the first time in many, many years.  I began cooking food in small portions, using very little oil and fats, and no added salt.  The result has been very pleasing, I have lost more than 70 pounds, and have been able to go off of my blood pressure mediation for the first time in 33 years. Dave is down 45 pounds, and has been working out to become stronger and healthier.  

This cooking style has had its challenges, but has also been really fun - a never-ending quest for recipes that are satisfying, tasty, and appropriate.  It will be fun to share them!


 

How can so much time fly by?  

Mom and Dad have been here almost a year, now.  There have been a lot of days that have been devoted to getting them settled and taking care of their needs.  

It has been really good becoming reacquainted with my parents.  I have also enjoyed cooking and saving a few servings to share with Mom and Dad.  

The food at their Senior Living Place is less than fantastic, especially for people who are accustomed to very plain food.  Really?  Stewed okra and mushrooms for old people?  Ugh.  Seriously...green beans.  Corn.  Plain.

So, it has been my joy and honor to cook roast and potatoes, chicken and rice, and many of my mother's favorites.
 



 

Mexican Hamburgers

Mexican Hamburgers

Hamburger patties grilled to medium

Flour tortillas

Refried beans

Shredded Cheese

1 can green chili sauce with chicken

3 cans cream of chicken soup

Stir together

Chopped Tomato

Shredded lettuce

Chopped onion

Grill hamburgers. Cut each patty in half.

Place a small amount of sauce on bottom of pan to prevent sticking.

Spread refried beans on tortillas. Place 2 halves of hamburger on each tortilla, sprinkle with cheese, and fold tortilla over to form a pocket.

Place in pan and spoon a bit of sauce over top of each pocket.

When pan is full, spread remaining sauce over the pockets and sprinkle with more cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees until hot and bubbly.

Serve with lettuce, tomato and onion.

Calabacitas

Calabacitas

• 1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
  
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 2 large zucchini, diced
• 2 large yellow squash, diced
• 1 cup corn kernels, (frozen or canned, drained)
• 1-12 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
• 1 tsp lime juice
• salt to taste

Heat oil. Saute onion. Add red pepper, zucchini, squash, red pepper flakes, and salt and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Add corn and beans and cook until heated through.

Pork Green Chili

Pork Green Chili

Ingredients

• 2 -3 lbs pork roast (pre-diced pork works well for a faster preparation. Just brown with onions)
• 2 tablespoons cooking oil
• 1 large chopped onion (not traditional) (optional)
• 1 head minced garlic (taste great, but also helps prevent heart burn)
• 6 tablespoons flour
• 1 (15 ounce) can tomatoes, drained
• 2 cups diced green chilies (I use frozen New Mexico Chilies – can be found in the freezer case)
• 1 (15 ounce) can of green enchilada sauce
• 2 -4 teaspoons jalapenos (optional)
• 5 cups chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons ground cumin (or to taste)
• 2 tablespoons ground chili powder (or to taste) (optional)
• 1 teaspoon salt

Directions

Simmer roast in a large pan until meat is tender and removes from the bone easily. (You can also use diced pork, or pork cube steaks (cut to bite size pieces), browned in the pot with the onion and garlic before adding the rest of the ingredients).

Cool meat enough to handle.

Cube cooked pork into bite size pieces.

In the same large pan, melt the lard or bacon grease (or heat oil).

Add onions and garlic; sauté until tender but not brown.

Stir flour into the onion, garlic and fat until flour absorbs the oil or fat.

Add broth

Cook and stir until mixture comes to boil and is slightly thickened.

Add cubed meat, drained tomatoes, green enchilada sauce, all of the green chilies and jalapeños if desired.

Add the spices a little at a time until you get the taste you like, bringing to a simmer before each addition.

Simmer for at least 1 hour (longer if you can afford the time), stirring occasionally to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pan.