Sweet and Sour Pork

We recently stumbled across this recipe in one of our favorite cookbooks and I can't believe we haven't ever made this before! It is simply amazing! A few days after we made this we were eating at a local fast-food chinese place *COUGH!(Panda Express)* Did anybody hear that? I didn't think so... Moving on... After eating their sweet and sour pork I was determined that I didn't think I would ever order it again. I'd rather just make it myself. It's. Just. That. Good.

Here's what you need:

2 lbs lean pork- I bought pork stew meat because it was lean and pre-cut into the perfect size.
2 Tbsp cornstarch
1/4 c soy sauce
3 Tbsp oil
2 c carrots, cut into diagonal chunks
1 med onion, cut into chunks
1 green bell pepper, cut into chunks
1 can (20 oz) chunk pineapple
3 Tbsp cornstarch (yes for a seperate part)
3 Tbsp brown sugar
2 cups pineapple juice
1/4 c white vinegar
1/3 c soy sauce

Cut pork into 2 inch strips/chunks if you didn't buy the stew meat. Mix 2 Tbsp cornstarch and 1/4 c soy sauce. Marinate pork in this mixture for 1-2 hrs or overnight in refrigerator.

Pour contents of bag into hot stir fry pan with oil until evenly brown and tender- about 10 minutes. Remove meat from pan and add carrots and onions to the pan, using more oil if necessary. Cover and cook on low heat until tender-crisp, about 10 minutes. Add bell pepper and pineapple. Return meat to pan and cook for an additional 5 minutes.

While the meat and veggies are cooking, make the sweet and sour sauce. Mix cornstarch (3 Tbsp) and sugar in small saucepan. Add pineapple juice, vinegar and soy sauce. Cook and stir until thickened. Pour over meat and veggies and serve with white rice.

Enjoy!

Click here for more info on the cookbook I got this recipe from.

Bajio Sweet Rice

Oh man... I LOVE this rice. It is so sweet and delicious and goes well with any Mexican dish. Use it on your mexican salads, burritos or as a side dish, but any way you have it, it is just wonderful! And because it isn't spicy, the kids will love it too. I know mine does!


Here's what you need:

1/2-1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 of a white or yellow onion, chopped (add more or less to your taste)
1/2 bunch cilantro (we actually didn't use any because I don't like cilantro, but if you're going for authentic... haha ;)
1 1/3 cups white rice
3 cups chicken broth
1/4-1/2 cup sugar

NOTE: The amount of sugar it calls for makes this rice very sweet. You can change the amount of sugar if you want, but just remember it is supposed to be sweet. Also, if you let the sugar dissolve in the stock before you mix it in with the rice, the sugar won't sit on the bottom of the pan.

Put a little oil in bottom of pan. Saute chopped onion until translucent. Add the chopped cilantro (no big stems) and saute a minute more.
Add the rice, cooking until it is light brown (being careful not to burn).
Combine the chicken broth and sugar, letting sugar dissolve. Then stir into rice until combined. Bring to a boil.
Cover and let cook on low, med-low until rice is done, about 25-30 minutes. Fluff with a fork before serving.

I actually wish I had added a little bit of onion powder to this to help ground the sweetness, so if you want to try that, let me know how it turns out. :)