Pulled Pork Spring Rolls and Wonton Tacos

Are you a leftover person?

My dad was definitely the leftover person of the family growing up. He was always heating up the leftover lasagna or putting the extra meatballs on a sandwich. Every now and again we would have a "leftover dinner"... you know, a clean out the refrigerator because there are too many tupperware containers in there dinner. I think I always enjoyed them because you got to eat a little bit of everything. And you know I love just about everything food related.

These days, leftovers are an inevitable part of my cooking. Sometimes I do the cooking for one but many times I'll make enough for 2-6 either because the recipe goes that way or so that I can have leftovers for lunch the next day. Every now and then, I like to repurpose my leftovers into something new. Here are two of my favs. Honestly, you don't have to use pulled pork and coleslaw; these are good with just about whatever you want to stuff into them.

Leftover Pulled Pork Spring Rolls and Wonton Tacos
Ingredients:
Leftover pulled pork
Leftover vinaigrette coleslaw
wonton or egg roll wrappers

Directions:

For the spring rolls, lay the egg roll wrappers on a clean surface. Place about 1 tbsp pulled pork and 1 tbsp coleslaw on each wrapper. Fold and roll up, sealing with water. Place on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Coat the tops with cooking spray. Bake at 425F for about 15 minutes, turning halfway through.

For the wonton tacos, place a wire rack on a baking sheet. Drape the wonton wrappers over the rack. Bake at 400 F for about 3 minutes until golden brown and crispy. Fill the tacos with leftover pulled pork and coleslaw.

Cubano Stuffed Pork Chops

One of the best things about living is the Midwest is that you're surrounded by farmland. Coincidentally that is also one of the worst things-- flat land as far as you can see and hours to get from one place of civilization to the next. But let's focus on the good, okay? Farmland = fresh produce at the farmers' market during spring, summer, and fall! Farming at the university = fresh meat from the meat lab! A couple of weeks ago I had my first visit to this infamous meat lab on campus. One of my friends had been telling me about it since I started here but she finally convinced me to go. It was beautiful. There were wonderful cuts of meat from pigs and cows as well as fresh eggs!

I decided on some roast beef, mushroom and swiss sausages, and thick cut pork chops. The sausages and roast beef were pretty darn delicious, but the pork chops were AMAZING... so tender and fresh. I doctored them up to resemble a cubano sandwich-- stuffed full of swiss cheese, ham, pickles, and mustard and coated with crunchy panko. The original recipe from Cooking Light used a pork tenderloin and although I'm sure that would be good, but the pork chops allowed for quick cooking time and individual sized portions.

Cubano Stuffed Pork Chops (adapted from Cooking Light)
Ingredients:
1 thick cut boneless pork chop, butterflied (about 1/2 lb)
1 slice deli ham
1 oz slice swiss cheese
1 small dill pickle, diced
1 tbsp dijon mustard
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 F. Place a wire rack on a baking sheet and coat with cooking spray.

Separate the two sides of the pork chop. Using a sharp knife, slice into the pork chops to butterfly again but do not cut through. You want to have two butterflied chops that are about 1/2 inch in thickness.

Spread 1/2 tbsp dijon mustard over the open side of the chops. Place half of the swiss cheese slice on each chop, top with half of the ham slice and half of the diced pickles. Close the chop by pulling the top side back over the bottom and secure with toothpicks. Season the chops with salt and pepper.

Place the panko in a shallow bowl. Crust the stuffed pork with the panko, pressing to make sure it sticks. Place on the baking sheet. Coat the top of the chops with the cooking spray.

Bake 15-20 minutes until a thermometer stuck into the pork chop reads 155-160 F.

Serves 2.

Slow Cooker Hoisin Pork Tenderloin

Here's the deal. My friend Teresa is trying to kick my butt into shape. Somehow she has convinced me to ride a bike to work with her. She does this a lot in the spring/summer... me? I've accompanied her twice in the past two weeks and plan on trying to kick it up to twice or three times a week. Until she convinced me to do this, I could not remember the last time I had been on a bike (well besides the stationary ones at the gym). I thought back and I really think it was the summer after my first semester in college when I biked over to my friend Jennifer's house. That was like 10 years ago!?!

I'm beginning to really appreciate the saying "just like riding a bike". Somehow, I had not forgotten how to peddle, shift gears, or stop from moving. My leg muscles, on the other hand, forgot how to function the day following a bike ride. Wow-sers! Ow-sers! And my bottom... I had to tenderly sit down for the next few days.

But truthfully, it felt good to be outside and stretching my muscles. I had been to complacent lately with working long hours and not getting myself to work out. This really helping me out. You know the best thing about riding a bike to work? You have to bike home too. No take backs, sheets, or give-ups. You gotta get back on it at the end of the day and push through.

For all this bike riding, I need some extra protein to feed my muscles. This pork tenderloin in the slow cooker is great. The Asian flavor of hoisin sauce and chili paste is great. The pork is tender and ready when you get back to the apartment. Serve it up with a baked potato and broccoli and you will have a filling and nutritious meal to refuel you for the next ride.

Hoisin Pork Tenderloin (adapted from Rachael Ray)
Ingredients:
2 garlic cloves, smashed
1/2 cup hoisin sauce
1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
1/2 tbsp chili paste (like Sambal Oelek)
1/2 tbsp dry sherry
1/2 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
1 tsp dark sesame oil
1 1/2 lb pork tenderloin
1 tbsp cornstarch
1/4 cup cold water

Directions:
Coat crockpot with cooking spray.

Whisk together the garlic, hoisin, ginger, chili paste, sherry, soy sauce and sesame oil. Place the pork in crockpot and pour the sauce over it. Cook on low for 8-10 hours (or high 4-5 hours).

Remove the pork from the crockpot and let rest until ready to slice.

Dissolve the cornstarch in the cold water. Turn the crockpot to high and whisk in the cornstarch solution. Heat until thick.

Serve the pork topped with the hoisin sauce.

Serves 3-4.

Pork Zuppa (Slow Cooker)

Today I have been rocking my bright reddish orange spring jacket. It is my way of showing Mother Nature that I'm enjoying the sun and the slightly warmed weather. And hopefully expressing my opinion that we can move on to spring, forget about the foot of snow that stormed into town last week and never look back.

The soup I'm sharing with you today could work for the winter or the spring no matter what the weather is doing. It is light but chalked full of good nutrients from the potatoes and kale. The original recipe called for a full pound of ground pork but I had a quarter pound in my freezer so I used that. I don't think it needed more meat but if you are looking for a meat and potato-type of a soup, feel free to step it up. Additionally, you could certainly skip the pork altogether for a vegetarian option. And as I say with many crockpot recipes, this hearty and delicious meal will welcome you home gladly after a hard day at work.

Pork Zuppa (adapted from Diabetic Living Online)
Ingredients:
1/4 lb ground pork
1 cup diced onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
4 cups vegetable or chicken broth (homemade or low sodium store bought)
12 oz red new potatoes, quartered
12 oz can fat free evaporated milk
2 tbsp cornstarch
2 cups kale, torn into pieces and stems removed
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:
Combine the pork, onion and garlic in a skillet over medium heat. Cook until the meat is brown, about 5-7 minutes. Drain fat. Add the oregano and crushed red pepper and cook for 1 minute. Combine the meat, broth and potatoes in a slow cooker.

Cook on low for 8-10 hours (or high 4-5 hours).

Turn to high heat. Stir the cornstarch into the evaporated milk and add to the slow cooker. Mix in kale. Cover and cook for another 30-60 minutes until bubbly.

Serves 4.

Mole Pork Chops

Ok a few things:

1. I'm sorry I have been slacking for the entire month of March on my posts. It is just the fact that I've been really busy with work, both during working hours and at home. Lots to do and not enough time in the day.

2. Does anyone have any good sleep remedies? I'm guessing it is because my mind is going 100 miles a minute thinking about the things I need to get done but I am having the worst time sleeping at night. Yes, I've been drinking copious amounts of coffee but I stop by late afternoon so that shouldn't be the problem. Help me, please!

3. You guys rock (well those of you who are reading this post after the long hiatus). Thanks for sticking with me. Lots of yummy food to come. Promise. For now, enjoy this super easy recipe for mole spiced pork chops. I used a boneless pork chop (but you could certain use a bone-in one) and served it atop some leftover rice reheated with some corn, peppers, and chili powder. Super easy and quick. Perfect when your life is crazy busy.

Mole Pork Chops (adapted from Cooking Light's The Complete Quick Cook)
Ingredients:
1 boneless pork chop (or bone-in)
1/4 tbsp brown sugar
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 tsp ground chipotle chili powder
dash of salt

Directions:
Preheat George Foreman grill or grill pan.

Combine all the spices and rub over both sides of the pork chop. Place the chop on the grill and cook about 5 minutes (turning halfway through if using a grill pan) until cooked through.

Serves 1.

Carolina Nachos

In honor of Duke's win over Kentucky last night, I bring you North Carolina Nachos! And no way do I mean that they are UNC nachos. Nachos inspired by the state of North Carolina that happens to be home to my most favorite basketball team ever-- DUKE!

You can literally turn anything into a good nacho dish, right? Here I went with leftover pulled pork and some swiss cheese. Topped it off with coleslaw in place of salsa. Delicious.

Get in there and check it out. And get ready for basketball season. :) I am!

LET'S GO DUKE!!!

Carolina Nachos
Ingredients:
Tortilla chips
Leftover pulled pork
Swiss cheese
Coleslaw (vinegar based)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

Spread the tortilla chips on the aluminum foil. Top with shredded swiss cheese and pulled pork. Bake for approximately 10 minutes until cheese is melted and heated through. Remove from oven and top with coleslaw.

Pork and Green Onion Wonton Soup

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

I hope that you have plans of costumes, pumpkins and candy tonight. Me? I've got a date with my oven to make some pumpkin flavored treats. Don't worry, I'll share them with you later.

For now, I'm sharing this AMAZING recipe. No joke, it has some of my most favorite characteristics in a recipe. Number 1- it is delicious (you know how much I love some yummy food). Number 2- it is so quick and easy to put together, like literally 10 minutes to cook (well once you have the wontons frozen). Number 3- I will definitely be eating it again (and not only because I have a freezer bag of wontons ready to go).

So here's the deal, spend a little bit of time on the weekend prepping the wontons and you are ready to go with a simple weeknight meal.

I'm thinking I'm going to have to play around with some different flavors inside of the wonton wrappers to mix it up in the future. But this combo of pork, green onions and ginger is great. You've got to try it out.

Pork and Green Onion Wonton Soup (adapted from Foodie with Family)
Ingredients:
For Pork and Green Onion Wontons:
1/2 lb ground pork
1/2 tbsp fish sauce
1 inch piece of ginger, grated
2 green onions (green and white), finely minced
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp rice vinegar
24-32 wonton wrappers (depending on how much you put in each)
1 egg, beaten

For 1 serving of soup:
1 tsp oil (sesame, peanut or canola)
7-8 frozen pork and green onion wontons (from above)
3 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
1 small carrot, cut into matchsticks
3-4 button mushrooms, sliced
1 garlic clove, peeled and whole
1 green onion, diced
1 tbsp of Asian chili sauce (more or less to taste)
Fried rice noodles, for serving

Directions:
To make wontons:
Combine the ground pork, fish sauce, ginger, green onions, cornstarch and rice vinegar in a bowl and mix until homogeneous.

Working with 4-6 wonton wrappers at a time, brush the entire wonton with the egg and then place approximately 1 tsp of the pork mixture into the middle of the wrapper. Bring together the corners and squeeze to close. Place the prepared wontons on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Once you have assembled all of the wontons (I ended up with 32 wontons), place the baking sheet in the freezer and freeze through, at least 2 hours. At this point, you can put all of the wontons into a freezer bag for longer term storage.

To make the soup:
Place the oil in the bottom of soup pan. Add the frozen wontons, carrot matchsticks, mushrooms, garlic clove and white parts of the onion. Add 1 cup of broth and bring to a boil. Once it reaches a strong boil, add another cup of broth and bring back to a boil. Once that reaches a strong boil, add the last cup of broth and bring to a boil for 5 minutes.

To serve, remove the wontons, carrots and mushrooms to a bowl and pour the broth over them (discard the garlic clove). Garnish with the green parts of the onion and fried rice noodles.

Serves 1.

Pork Quesadillas

OH

EM

GEE

I am so sorry.



I've totally been slacking. I'll blame it on that cold I got last weekend and the fact that it apparently completely knocked me on my behind. Work has taken all my energy and when I've spent time at home, I've had just about enough left to sit on my couch or sleep in my bed. I really haven't done a lot. I also promise I haven't intentionally been ignoring you. Somehow the week went by and I didn't get to posting.

The plan was to post this recipe shortly after the pork in the crockpot and the burritos. Just to hit home the use of leftovers in unique and different ways. This is technically a leftover leftover meal. Because if you remember the chipotle bbq pork, I just used that to make this quesadilla.

So now:

"Knock it off, Napoleon! Make yourself a dang case-a-dill-a"

Chipotle Pork Quesadillas
Ingredients (per quesadilla):
1/4-1/3 cup chipotle barbecue pork
1/4-1/3 cup shredded cheese
10 inch flour tortilla
chopped lettuce
chopped tomato
chopped avocado
sour cream or Greek yogurt

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 F.

Spread the pork on one half of the tortilla. Sprinkle the cheese on top of the pork. Fold the tortilla in half to enclose the filling.

Bake for 5-8 minutes until the cheese is melted. Turn on your broiler and broil until the top is golden brown, approximately 2 minutes.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 3-4 minutes. Cut into triangles.

Serve topped with lettuce, tomato, avocado and sour cream, as desired.

Chipotle Barbecue Pork Burritos

Are you ready for the rain?

We are supposed to get up to 10 inches this weekend. I keep getting emails from campus and my apartment complex warning me to stay safe and dry. And you can totally tell that it is getting ready to pour. When you walk outside, it is like walking into a sauna, like someone just poured water over the hot coals and you are breathing in the vapors.

What to do this weekend to avoid the rain? Make some pork in your crock pot and re-purpose it into multiple dishes. Like these burritos. The bbq sauce is sweet and spicy. Adjust the amount of chipotle pepper and adobo sauce to your personal taste.

Chipotle Barbecue Pork Burritos
Ingredients:
For Pork:
1/8 cup ketchup
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp honey
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp adobo sauce + 1/2 chopped chipotle pepper
1 tbsp brown sugar
1/8 cup water
2 cups of chopped or shredded leftover pork

For Burrito Assembly:
10 inch flour tortillas
chopped green leaf lettuce
chopped avocado
chopped tomato
shredded cheese, whatever flavor you desire

Directions:
Combine all of the pork ingredients, except the water and the pork, in a small sauce pan. Mix and cook over medium heat until bubbling, about 3-4 minutes. Add the pork and water and stir to coat. Bring to a boil and cook until the sauce thickens around the pork about 2-3 minutes.

Assemble the burritos, by laying pork, lettuce, avocado, tomato and cheese on a tortilla. Fold in the sides and roll up tightly.

Slow Cooker Pork Roast

I've mentioned before that I really enjoy using my crockpot to prepare meals. The major advantage is that you come home to a prepared (or almost prepared) meal. Plus, there is no need to turn on the oven so your house doesn't get extra heated (especially beneficial in the summertime).

I would definitely encourage you to invest in a slow cooker and to start trying out some recipes. I have this cookbook and I would recommend it as a good place to start; there are a lot of different options for each type of dish so you can pick out something that suits you and your loved ones. Or if you are anything like me, it allows you to grab ideas from about 25 of them and combine some things from each of them to make your own recipe.

Before you jump in, I want to share a few of my slow cooker life lessons to help prepare you.

1. Depending on the amount of time you have in a given morning, plan on prepping much of your meal the evening before. Brown meat (if using) and cut up vegetables. Place them along with everything else (unless you are putting in raw meat... add that in the morning) in the crock of your slow cooker, cover, and refrigerate overnight. Then you can just pull it out of the fridge, plop it in your cooker and turn on the heat.

2. If you are cutting onions, garlic or jalapenos in the AM, make sure to PUT YOUR CONTACTS IN FIRST. If you are like me and you plan on doing your prepping before you hop in the shower and get ready for the day, even washing your hands multiple times will most likely not remove all the sulfoxides or capsaicin and if you touch your eyeballs, THEY WILL STING. Take it from someone who knows!

3. Timing for soups and stews are pretty flexible. If you have long work days (8-12 hours), these are typically good choices to go with. Cooking with chicken or something without a lot of liquid may require more stringent timing, so follow those instructions more closely.

4. Do not take the top off of the slow cooker (unless you are adding some else as instructed). Part of the beauty of a slow cooker is that the temperature is fairly low, if you remove the top, you release the heat that has built up and it will take awhile to get back to the right temperature. This can increase your cooking time.

5. Don't forget to turn it on! It can be very frustrating if you come home expecting a hot meal but instead  have raw materials (my suggestion-- call for pizza). Or if you have to make an extra trip back home to turn it on.

6. Make enough for leftovers. Soups and stews are perfect for lunch. Or shredded pork or chicken can be re-purposed into just about anything. You might as well fill up the crock while you're going through the effort and you'll be set for lunches (and maybe another dinner) for the week.


Okay, those are my tips.

Happy crock-potting!



On to the recipe of the day:

This is my favorite pork roast recipe. I know I have already shared with you honey bourbon pulled pork, but this recipe is actually my go-to. It is melt-in-your-mouth, falls-apart-on-the-fork, tender-as-all-get-out pork. I usually serve the pork topped with the sauce alongside some veggies and bread. And I always follow #6 above. I make enough for leftovers. Wait until you see what I did with leftover pork this week.

I need to give credit to my parents for this recipe. I'm not sure from where my mom originally got it, but she passed it along to me. Simple and delicious!

Simple Pork Roast in the Crockpot
Ingredients:
1-3 lb pork roast (depending on how much you want to eat)
1-2 garlic cloves, sliced thinly
1/2 onion, sliced
2 bay leaves
1 clove
1 cup of water
chicken bouillon cube
1-2 tbsp cornstarch

Directions:
Preheat the broiler.

Cut small holes into the pork roast with a sharp knife. Stick the slices of garlic into the holes. Broil for 15 minutes to render off some of the fat.

In the bottom of your crock, add the onion, bay leaves, clove and water. Add the pork roast.

Cook on low for 8-12 hours (or high 4-6 hours).

Remove the pork roast and let it rest.

Pour the juices into a small saucepan, removing the bay leaves and the clove. Add the bouillon cube and cornstarch and bring to boil. Cook for about 5 minutes until the sauce as thickened.

Serve sliced pork topped with sauce.

Honey Bourbon Pulled Pork

Some days you just need a drink.

Normally, I'm a beer or wine gal, but I had bourbon in my house for this recipe, so I thought I would try it on the rocks to conclude my stressful day. However, I took 2 or 3 sips and decided that I cannot get behind drinking straight liquor; I prefer to eat my bourbon, especially when it takes on the form of the DELICIOUS barbecue sauce. 

I won't make you listen to all the details of my day yesterday, but I should have known that it wasn't going to be a great day when I was almost to work and I remembered that I totally forgot to turn on the crockpot before I left my apartment. Here is my sad non-cooked pork after I made the trip back home :(

Maybe because of the extra drive home and back, my little car started to get sick and made some funny noises on my way home. It is a good thing I had this liquor pulled pork waiting to cheer me up.

I think I've mentioned it before, but I love my crockpot. One of my fav things to make is pork loin. I usually pick up a large (3-5 lb) pork loin when they are on sale, cut it into manageable pieces (1 lb), and freeze it. Then I can thaw it, let it cook all day in some seasonings and sauce, come home to a great smelling apartment, and enjoy pork that essentially melts in your mouth. Of course, it is completely necessary to make extra for pulled pork nachos or burritos or salad or really anything your mind imagines. I tried this new recipe yesterday that is a homemade bourbon barbecue sauce. I adapted the recipe a bit; originally the blogger used chicken as the protein of choice. I changed up a few seasonings and went with pork instead. It is definitely a winner!

Honey Bourbon Pulled Pork (sauce recipe adapted from Healthy Delicious)
Ingredients:
1 lb pork loin, thawed
2 garlic cloves, sliced thinly
1/2 cup diced onion
2/3 cup ketchup
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup bourbon (I used
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp molasses
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tsp tomato paste
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp minced fresh ginger (or 1 tsp ground ginger)
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:
Preheat broiler.

Using a sharp knife, make 1/2 inch slits in the pork (as many as necessary for your garlic pieces, probably 8-12). Shove the garlic pieces into the slits, making sure that they are at least even with the pork's surface (or they will burn... I speak from experience). Broil the pork for approximately 10 minutes.

In your slow cooker, combine the onion, ketchup, water, bourbon, honey, molasses, vinegar, tomato paste, worcestershire, ginger and CRP. Mix to combine. Place the pork on top of the sauce and scoop some of the sauce to cover it.

Cook on low 8-12 hours (or high 4-5 hours).

Using two forks (or a knife), shred the pork directly in the slow cooker. Mix to allow for the sauce to coat all of the pork.

Serve on toasted hamburger buns.

P.S. Dinner tonight. Barbecue pulled pork quesadillas! YUM!