Sweet and Spicy Pork with Black Bean Salad

Ingredients:                  (Serves 4)     Total Time: about 45 min

• 1tbs Brown Sugar
• 2 tsp Chili Powder
• 1 tsp Ground Cumin
• 2 tbs Olive Oil
• Salt and Pepper
• 1 lbs Pork Tenderloin
• 1 can Black Beans
• 1 pint Grape Tomatoes
• 3 Scallions, thinly sliced
• 1 Jalapeno, seeds removed to reduce heat (optional)
• 1 tbs Red Whine Vinegar
• 1/2 cup Fresh Cilantro, Chopped

Directions:

1.Heat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. In a small bowl, combine the sugar, chili powder, cumin, 1 Tbsp oil, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper.

2.Rub the spice mixture all over the pork, place on the prepared baking sheet, and roast until the pork registers 145°F, 18 to 22 minutes. Let rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing.

3.Meanwhile, in a large bowl, toss together the beans, tomatoes, scallions, jalapeño, vinegar, remaining Tbsp oil, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper; fold in the cilantro. Serve with the pork.

I am so sorry for the delay in writing school has been crazy! I have some new recipes that I want to put up. Anyone that tries any of my recipes please comment on how it was and, please, tell me anything you think could make it better!

Not Your Average Stirfry

Ingredients:       (Serves 8) Cook Time: 1 hr 30 min

• 2 1/2 tbs Brown Sugar
• 5 tsp Chili Powder
• 2 1/2 tsp Olive Oil
• Salt and Pepper
• 3.3 lbs Boneless Chicken Thighs
• 3 Medium Sized Heads of Broccoli
• 2 packs Rice Noodles
• 2 cups Chicken Stock
• Sweet Chili Sauce
• Black Bean Garlic Sauce
• Chili Garlic Sauce
• Chili Powder
• Soy Sauce
• Worcestershire Sauce

Directions:

1. In medium mixing bowl combine brown sugar, chili powder, olive oil, salt, and pepper to make a marinade.
2. Cut chicken into pieces (a little bigger than a chicken tender) and mix into the marinade.
3. Spread the chicken out on a sheet pan covered in foil and let sit for 45 min (this step is optional if you do not have as much time).
4. Put on a pot of water to boil for the broccoli.   ~Depending on how long your rice noodles need to cook you might need to add them now, mine only took 5-6 min so I cooked them last~
5. Put some oil in the bottom of a large sauce pan on medium heat.
6. Once the oil is hot add the chicken (make sure the bigger pieces are towards the middle of the pan, where it is hotter, so they will cook in the same time as the others) and cover the pan.
7. After 8 min or so turn the chicken over so you get a nice even cook(make sure you put the lid back on).
8. After about 6 more min the chicken should be done (this may vary depending on the size of your chicken) place the covered chicken still in the pan off to the side. 
9. Put the chicken stock in a sauce pan and let simmer for 1-2 min.
10. Add the sweet chili sauce, black bean garlic sauce, chili garlic sauce, chili powder, soy sauce, worcestershire, salt, and pepper to the sauce pan (the amount of each is up to you depending on what you like).
11. In a little bowl make some oobleck by mixing 1 part water and 2 parts corn starch.
12. When you get the sauce how you like it slowly add the oobleck to thicken it.
13. When you can push a fork through the broccoli drain it.
14. In a serving bowl put the pasta, the chicken, the broccoli, then drizzle the sauce over it.
15. Serve.

Notes: This went over really well with my family, everyone liked it. It is hard to make a meal that everyone likes but this was it. Their were no leftovers that night! It was a bit spicy so if you do not like spicy food you may have to change the ingredients in the sauce. I hope you all like it!

Vegetarian Pasta Recipe

Ingredients:

• Spaghetti Noodles
• Carrots
• Broccoli
• Yellow Pepper
• Mushrooms
• Garlic
• Sun Dried Tomatoes
• Oil
• Sesame Noodle Oil (this was homemade by my dad)
• Chicken Stock
• Soy Sauce
• Chili Paste

Directions:

1. Put Pasta water on to boil.
2. Cut up all vegetables.
3. Saute vegetables in oil on medium heat.
4. In a sauce pan mix together chicken stock, soy sauce, chili paste, and any other ingredient you would like to add; cook until it is warm and all ingredients are blended evenly.
5. Serve.

Notes: I am sorry the recipe is vague but when I was making it I did not really keep track of how much i was putting in of what. Future recipes will be more detailed. There is no meat in this recipe for a few reasons one I am a semi-vegetarian so I eat only a little meat and  I did not want to put meat into it. Chicken is the best meat to add so if you like to have meat in your dinner add just a little chicken prepared however you like it.

Intro

I have been cooking for three weeks now and decided to create a blog so I could share my recipes. I hope that you love them!