Pan Grilled Ginger-Honey Pork Tenderloin

I found this recipe in this month's Cooking Light magazine and it was super simple to make - perfect for a weeknight dinner.  The pork was tender and delicious and the sauce was really flavorful.  You can't beat a 5 ingredient dish!

Pan Grilled Ginger-Honey Pork Tenderloin:
Adapted recipe and photo by For the Love of Cooking.net
Original recipe by Cooking Light - Jan/Feb 2012

• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, peeled & grated
• 3 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
• Garlic powder, to taste 
• 1 pork tenderloin, silver skin removed

Combine the ginger, honey, lemon juice, and soy sauce together in a bowl, stirring with a whisk until smooth.

Heat a grill pan over medium heat and coat well with cooking spray.  Season the pork with sea salt, freshly cracked pepper, and garlic powder to taste.  Add the pork to the grill pan; cook the pork, turning occasionally, so all sides are cooked evenly while basting frequently with the sauce.  Cook for 15 minutes or until the meat thermometer registers 145 degrees or until desired degree of doneness.  Remove the tenderloin from the pan and set aside.  Pour the remaining sauce into the grill pan and boil for a minute, stirring constantly.

Let the meat rest for 5 minutes before slicing and drizzling the slices of meat with the remaining sauce.  Serve immediately.  Enjoy.

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Soy Sesame Sugar Snap Peas

I wanted a healthy and tasty side dish to serve with the Asian-Glazed Chicken Thighs I made for dinner recently. I saw a bag of sugar snap peas in the refrigerator and so I decided to cook them like I cook edamame. I sautéed the sugar snap peas with sesame oil, soy sauce, and freshly minced garlic. I cooked them until they were warmed through then served them immediately. They were crisp-tender, very flavorful, and paired nicely with the chicken thighs.

Soy Sesame Sugar Snap Peas:

Recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking.net

• 1 1/2 cups of sugar snap peas
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 clove of garlic, minced

Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add the soy sauce, sesame oil, and garlic together in the skillet and mix well. Add the sugar snap peas then stir to coat evenly. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring often. Remove from the skillet and serve. Enjoy!

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Asian-Glazed Chicken Thighs

I found this recipe in an old Cooking Light - March 2011 issue. It looked really simple to make and I had all of the ingredients on hand so I made it for dinner. The recipe called for bone-in chicken thighs but my boneless thighs turned out really delicious and tender. The marinade was delicious and made a terrific sauce that my kids especially loved. I really enjoy having such a flavorful and healthy dinner on the table in less than 30 minutes during the week.

Asian-Glazed Chicken Thighs:

Adapted recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking.net

Original recipe - Cooking Light - March 2011

• 2 1/2 tbsp rice vinegar
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 1/2 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp sriracha sauce (more if desired)
• 5 cloves of garlic, minced
• 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed
• Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
• Cooking spray

Combine the vinegar, soy sauce, honey, sesame oil, sriracha sauce, and garlic together in a large zip lock bag. Add the chicken thighs and place into the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a roasting pan with tin foil then place the roasting rack in the pan. Coat the roasting rack with cooking spray.

Pour the marinade into a small sauce pan over medium high heat and boil for 2 minutes, stirring often. Remove from heat; set aside.

Place the chicken thighs on the roasting rack; baste the chicken with the marinade. Season lightly with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper. Place into the oven and cook for 10 minutes; baste. Bake an additional 10 minutes; baste. Bake for the last 5 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through; baste.

Let stand 5 minutes before slicing and serving. Drizzle with the sauce from the bottom of the roasting pan. Enjoy.

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Pork Fried Rice

I needed to make a quick and easy dinner because I was going to a movie with my girlfriend. After looking through the refrigerator I grabbed some leftover rice, the Garlic Crusted Pork Roast, a few eggs, some bacon, and green onions. I decided to make a batch of pork fried rice. I adapted my my Fried Rice recipe a bit and added the chopped up leftover pork. It was a hearty and delicious meal that my husband, son, and I really enjoyed. My daughter was not a fan (because it had eggs). Picky, picky, picky.

Pork Fried Rice:
Recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking
Adapted from Ming Tsai's "Blue Ginger" Cookbook

• 1-2 tbsp canola oil
• 4 cups cold rice - made the day before and refrigerated
• 3-4 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 3-4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
• 2 green onions
• Leftover Garlic Crusted Pork Roast, chopped into bite sized pieces
• 3 eggs, slightly beaten
• 3 tbsp soy, to taste
• 1/2 tsp of white pepper

Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat. Once cooked, remove bacon from pan and drain on a paper towel. Crumble and set aside.

Remove all but 2 tsp bacon grease from the skillet then add 1-2 tbsp of canola oil to the pan. Add the garlic and ginger to the pan. Sauté for 60 seconds then add the rice, crumbled bacon, green onion (keeping just a few for garnish), diced pork roast, soy sauce, and white pepper. Mix the rice thoroughly.

Add the beaten eggs to a separate large warmed skillet coated with cooking spray heated over medium heat. Cook for 10-20 seconds on each side, flipping it like a pancake, until thoroughly cooked. Remove from pan and cut into small pieces (I used my pizza cutter).

Gently mix the sliced egg into the rice. Taste and add more soy sauce or white pepper if needed. Remove from heat, top with the few remaining green onions and serve. Enjoy!

Click here for a printable version of this recipe - For the Love of Cooking.net

Chinese Garlic Chicken AND a Giveaway **GIVEAWAY WINNER CHOSEN**!!

This is cookbook week here at For the Love of Cooking. The reason for doing a cookbook week is that I have received 5 different cookbooks in the past two weeks - how sweet is that? I love being a food blogger! I really wanted to cook a recipe from each book before I pack them away for the big move to our new house. I tried to pick recipes with ingredients I already have on hand because I need to clean out the cupboards for the move too, you know, less to pack.

The first cookbook that I am cooking from is a VERY special cookbook. It's called Dinner with Warriors. A collection of favorite recipes and inspirational stories from heroes that were injured or fell during the war on terror. Basically, this book took 1 year to compile and it features 70 heroes and about 120 recipes. Each is a favorite of the injured or fallen soldier and there is a little information about each soldier. It's filled with a range of simple recipes to more advanced recipes, most of which are comforting and delicious. Proceeds for this book are donated to several charities, including Homes for our Troops, Children of Fallen Soldiers Relief Fund, The Wounded Warrior Project, and more.

I chose the Chinese Garlic Chicken because it looked flavorful and delicious, and I had all the ingredients I needed on hand. This recipe was a favorite of CW2 Mark William Evans, Jr. Who lost his life flying a Blackhawk Helicopter. Thank you Mr. Evans for protecting our country and for helping to keep us safe... this recipe is dedicated to you and your family.

Chinese Garlic Chicken:

Recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking.net

Original recipe by the family of CW2 Mark William Evans, Jr. ~ Dinner with Warriors

• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, chopped into bite sized cubes
• 3 tbsp soy sauce (divided)
• 1 tbsp dry sherry
• 4 cloves of garlic, finely minced
• Few drops of sesame oil
• 1/4 tsp chili paste
• 2 green onions, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp peanut oil

Chop up the chicken into bite sized chunks. Place in a bowl, mix with 1 tablespoon of soy sauce and 1 tablespoon of dry sherry, mix until evenly coated then place into the refrigerator to marinate for 20-25 minutes.

While the chicken is marinating, prepare the garlic and green onions. Combine the sesame oil, 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, and chili paste together in a bowl. Set aside.

Heat wok and add peanut oil. When oil is hot, add the marinated chicken. Stir-fry briefly on high heat, then add the garlic and green onion. Add the soy sauce mixture and stir until chicken is coated evenly. Total cooking time should be about 5 minutes. Serve with brown rice. Enjoy.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe - For the Love of Cooking.net

GIVEAWAY **GIVEAWAY CLOSED - WINNER CHOSEN**:

The great people from DINNER WITH WARRIORS wanted to give away one copy of this cookbook to one of my readers. All you have to do to enter the giveaway is comment on this post. If you comment anonymously, make sure to leave your name or e-mail address so I can contact you if you are the winner.

Contest is closed on Monday, October 10, 2011 at 7:00 p.m. Pacific Time Zone. Good luck!

Sesame - Soy Broccoli

I loved this recipe my friend made for us and I couldn't wait to make it at home. The flavor of the sauce really makes steamed broccoli taste wonderful - even my kids gobbled it up (and they aren't huge fans of broccoli). I love the sweet and salty flavor combination - it goes well with any Asian style main dish. Super simple and super tasty - I love that!

Sesame - Soy Broccoli:

Adapted recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking.net

Original recipe from Allrecipes & Currié

• 2 cups of fresh broccoli florets
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tsp rice wine vinegar
• 2 tsp toasted sesame seeds

Place the broccoli florets into a steamer ; place the steamer into a saucepan filled with 1 inch of water. Steam the broccoli for 5 minutes, or until crisp tender.

Meanwhile, combine the sugar, olive oil, soy sauce, and rice vinegar together in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook while whisking until the sugar has dissolved. Place the steamed broccoli into the saucepan and gently stir until the broccoli is evenly coated. Sprinkle the sesame seeds on top. Serve immediately with more sauce drizzled on top of each serving. Enjoy.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe - For the Love of Cooking.net

Sesame Beef Lettuce Wraps

I am having a proud mother moment. My daughter wanted to make dinner for the family so she thought about it for awhile and decided to make steak lettuce wraps. We found a recipe online at Under the High Chair that looked perfect. She made the marinade first followed by the dipping sauce. Once the rice was cooked she then carefully cooked the beef - all by herself! The lettuce wraps were VERY tasty and so much fun to eat. Be warned - they are REALLY MESSY! The whole family loved her dinner and we gobbled up every last bite. I don't know who was more proud - my daughter or me.

Sesame Beef Lettuce Wraps:

Adapted recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking.net

Original recipe by Under the High Chair

Marinade:

• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
• Freshly cracked pepper, to taste
• 1 lb flank steak, cut against grain into thin slices

Combine all of the marinade ingredients together in a bowl then mix well. Slice the steak, against the grain, into thin strips. Place the steak into the marinade and mix until the meat is evenly coated. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 1-3 hours.

Korean Barbecue Dipping Sauce:

• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1/2 tsp sriracha chile sauce (more if you want it spicy)
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp green onion
• 1/2 tbsp sesame seeds
• 1 tbsp water

Combine all ingredients together and mix well. Set aside to let the flavors mingle.

Other ingredients:

• Butter lettuce leaves
• Shredded carrot
• Green onion, chopped
• Brown rice, cooked per instructions

Cook the rice per instructions. Once the rice is cooked it's time to cook the beef.

Heat 1/2 tbsp of canola oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat. Once the pan is HOT add half of the beef and cook for 1-2 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from heat and put into a serving dish. Coat the skillet with another 1/2 tbsp of canola oil and add the remaining beef once the pan is HOT again. Cook for 1-2 minutes or until lightly browned.

For serving, place a bit of rice in a lettuce leaf followed by beef, carrots, and green onions. Drizzle a bit of the dipping sauce on top then fold and eat. Make sure you have plenty of napkins on hand because these are messy. Enjoy.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe - For the Love of Cooking.net

Soy Sesame Edamame

This is such a quick, easy, and delicious snack or side dish. I made this for my kids as a snack after their swimming lessons and they LOVED it. I swear the bowl of edamame disappeared within 5 minutes of me serving it to them. This will be a regular on our table from now on.

Soy Sesame Edamame:

Recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking.net

• 1 1/2 cups of whole edamame
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 clove of garlic, minced

Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add the soy sauce, sesame oil, and garlic together in the skillet and mix well. Add the edamame and stir to coat evenly. Cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring often. Remove from the skillet and serve. Enjoy!

Note: To eat whole edamame, simply put the pod into your mouth, bite down and pull through your teeth (similar to eating an artichoke leaf), the soybeans pop out of the pod and into your mouth. Discard the pods.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe - For the Love of Cooking.net

Thai Chicken Salad

I recently had a delicious Thai chicken salad at Panera that I loved so much that I decided to recreate it at home. I used mixed greens, leftover chicken, bell pepper, edamame, shredded carrot, cilantro, wonton strips, peanuts, and a spicy peanut vinaigrette for this salad. I thought all of the flavors and textures were fantastic together - this is definitely a new favorite salad.

Thai Chicken Salad:

Recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking

Inspired by Panera Bread Company

• Mixed greens
• Leftover roasted chicken, chopped
• Orange and red bell pepper, chopped
• Edamame
• Carrot, shredded
• Fresh cilantro, chopped
• Wonton strips
• Peanuts, chopped
• Spicy peanut vinaigrette

Combine the mixed greens, roasted chicken, bell pepper, edamame, carrot, cilantro, wonton strips, and peanuts together. Drizzle the spicy vinaigrette on top and toss until evenly coated. Serve immediately. Enjoy.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe - For the Love of Cooking.net

Vegetable Pot Stickers

I found this recipe from Ming Tsai on the Food Network site and couldn't wait to make them. It was a bit time consuming but so worth it because they turned out fantastic. These were truly the best tasting pot stickers I have ever had. To save time, I used a gyoza dipping sauce and sweet chili sauce that I already had in the refrigerator for dipping. My whole family really loved these pot stickers, especially my daughter, who could have eaten the whole batch by herself. I served these vegetable pot stickers with the Asian Style Pork Chops and Sesame Green Beans for a healthy and delicious dinner. I highly recommend this recipe.

Vegetable Pot Stickers:

Adapted recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking.net

Original recipe by Ming Tsai ~ Food Network

• 2 tsp canola oil
• 1/2 small red onion, diced
• 1 cup shitake mushrooms, sliced
• 1 cup of white savoy cabbage, chopped finely
• 1 cup of carrots, shredded
• 1/4 cup of chives, chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• Sea salt and white pepper, to taste
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 20 round gyoza wraps
• Olive oil cooking spray
• Water

Heat the canola oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once it is hot add the onion and mushrooms and cook for 3-4 minutes; add the cabbage, carrots, chives, ginger, and garlic. Season with sea salt and white pepper, to taste and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring often. Taste and re-season if needed. Set aside to let the mixture cool down. Once the mixture has cooled, add the sesame oil and cilantro then mix well.

Spread out the pot sticker wraps onto wax paper then scoop a small teaspoon full of filling onto the center of each wrap.

Wet the top of each pot sticker wrap with a baster brush dipped in water. Fold the pot sticker to make a moon shape and pinch shut with 3 to 4 pleats along the side. Really make sure they are sealed, so the filling doesn't fall out. Repeat this process until all the mixture is used up.

Heat a large non stick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium high heat. Once the pan is HOT add the pot stickers, and cook until the bottoms are browned, about 3 minutes. Add 1/4 cup of water and immediately cover with a lid to steam the pot stickers. Carefully watch the pot stickers and completely evaporate the water so the bottom gets crispy again and sticks to the skillet. Serve immediately with dipping sauce. Enjoy.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe - For the Love of Cooking.net

Asian Style Pork Chops

I had some thick cut pork chops to use up so I went in search of a recipe online. I found this one at Life's Ambrosia that sounded simple and delicious. I adapted it just a bit by using fresh ginger, using a bit more soy sauce, using less sriracha (to make them kid friendly), and by cooking the meat in a grill pan instead of the oven. They turned out really tender, juicy, and flavorful. My whole family enjoyed these chops and they paired nicely with the homemade pot stickers (recipe to come) I made.

Asian Style Pork Chops:

Adapted recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking.net

Original recipe by Life's Ambrosia

• 4 cloves of garlic minced
• 2 tsp rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp sriracha sauce
• 1 tbsp hoisin sauce
• 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
• 2 tsp soy sauce
• 2 thick cut boneless pork chops

Combine all of the ingredients together in a zip lock bag, mix them thoroughly, then add the pork chops and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

Heat the grill pan over medium high heat until hot. Coat the pan with cooking spray then add the pork chops. Cook for 5-6 minutes then flip the pork; continue cooking for 5-6 minutes or until the pork is cooked through. Let the meat rest for 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe - For the Love of Cooking.net

Sesame Green Beans

I recently had some sesame green beans while eating dinner at a friends house. I loved the beans and wanted to re-create them at home. My girlfriend was out of town on a much needed vacation so I looked online to find a similar recipe. I chose this Martha Stewart recipe because it seemed similar to the one my friend made. When I prepared the sauce, it seemed too tangy so I added some soy sauce to mellow out the flavor and it tasted much better. The side dish was simple to make and it paired nicely with the Garlic-Ginger Chicken Thighs and Carrot-Ginger Rice.

Sesame Green Beans:

Adapted recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking.net

Original recipe by Martha Stewart

• 1 lb of green beans, end trimmed
• 2 tsp rice vinegar
• 2-3 tsp soy sauce (not pictured)
• 1/2 tsp sesame oil
• 2 tsp sesame seeds
• Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste

Bring a pot of water to boil over high heat. Add the green beans and cook for 4-5 minutes or until just tender. Drain the water.

While the beans are cooking, combine the vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, and sesame seeds together and mix until well combined. Add the mixture to the cooked & drained green beans and toss to coat evenly. Season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste and serve immediately. Enjoy.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe - For the Love of Cooking.net

Carrot-Ginger Rice

I can't tell you how much I loved this rice! It was sweet, spicy, and so flavorful. The ginger and cayenne pepper really gave the rice a nice kick, the tender onions and carrots made it sweet, and the cilantro gave it a great flavor punch. It was the perfect side dish to my Garlic-Ginger Chicken Thighs and Sesame Green Beans. I can't wait to make this one again.

Carrot-Ginger Rice:

Recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking.net
Original recipe inspired by my friend Kyle

• 1 cup of basmati rice
• 2 cups of chicken broth
• 2 tsp of olive oil
• 1/2 sweet yellow onion, diced
• 2 carrots, peeled & grated
• 1 tsp fresh ginger, peeled & minced
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
• Dash of cayenne pepper (or more if desired)
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Combine the rice and chicken broth together in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat then reduce heat to low, cover with a lid, and steam for 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and let sit for 5 minutes before fluffing with a fork.

While the rice is cooking, heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often, until tender. Add the carrot, ginger, and garlic to the onions and cook, stirring constantly for 1-2 minutes. Add the rice to the mixture along with the cilantro, sea salt, freshly cracked pepper, and dash of cayenne pepper. Stir gently so all ingredients are well combined. Serve immediately. Enjoy.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe - For the Love of Cooking.net

Garlic-Ginger Chicken

I found this recipe in the October issue of Food Network Magazine that sounded really simple and tasty...I was right. The chicken had a really wonderful garlic-ginger flavor and was so tender and juicy. I served this Chicken with Carrot-Ginger Rice and Sesame Green Beans. We all loved this meal and I will be serving it again and again.

Garlic-Ginger Chicken Thighs:

Adapted recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking.net

Original recipe by Food Network Magazine - October 2010

• 2 tsp olive oil
• 5 boneless and skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of any fat
• 1/4 red onion, sliced
• 6 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp of fresh ginger, peeled & minced
• 1/4 cup of soy sauce
• 1/3 cup of freshly squeezed orange juice (I used 2 oranges)
• Zest of 1 orange
• Freshly cracked pepper, to taste

Combine the chicken, onion, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, orange juice, and orange zest together in a large zip lock bag. Place in the refrigerator and marinate for 1-24 hours.

Heat a grill pan over medium high heat with the olive oil. Once the pan is hot, add the chicken thighs. Cook for 4-5 minutes then flip over and cook for another 3-4 minutes or until the meat is cooked through. Set on a platter to let the meat rest for 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe - For the Love of Cooking.net

Teriyaki Chicken Thighs

I wanted a quick and healthy meal for dinner. I found a tasty looking recipe on the Food Network by Ellie Krieger for teriyaki chicken thighs that looks simple and delicious. I adapted the recipe a bit by using chicken stock instead of dry sherry and added just a touch of sesame oil to the marinade for added flavor. They turned out tender and so flavorful and my entire family enjoyed them. I served this chicken with brown rice and roasted asparagus for a healthy and filling meal.

Teriyaki Chicken Thighs:

Adapted recipe by For the Love of Cooking.net

Original recipe by Ellie Krieger on Food Network

• 5 boneless skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of fat
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tbsp chicken stock
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1/2 tsp sesame oil
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 tsp fresh ginger, finely grated
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 2 tsp sesame seeds

Combine the soy sauce, sugar, chicken broth, vinegar, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, and red pepper flakes in a large zip lock bag. Mix until well combined. Add the trimmed chicken thighs to the marinade, seal the bag, and place in the refrigerator for up to 4 hours.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat then coat with cooking spray. Once the pan is hot, add the chicken thighs and cook for 4-5 minutes on each side or until the chicken is cooked through. Sprinkle the chicken with sesame seeds and serve immediately. Enjoy.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe - For the Love of Cooking.net