Chinese Pork Tenderloin with Garlic-Sauced Noodles

CHINESE PORK TENDERLOIN 

with GARLIC-SAUCED NOODLES

(this has only about 300 calories per serving!)

2 (1-lb) pork tenderloins, trimmed

1/4 cup soy-sauce, divided

1 Tblsp hoisin sauce

1 Tblsp tomato sauce

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp grated peeled fresh ginger

2 garlic cloves, minced

3 Tblsp seasoned rice vinegar

1 tsp dark sesame oil

8 cups hot cooked Chinese-style noodles

1 cup matchstick-cut carrots

1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves

3/4 cup green onions, sliced

1/3 cup peanuts, chopped (optional)

1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

9 lime wedges

• Place tenderloins in a 5-qt electric slow cooker. Combine 1 tblsp soy sauce and next 5 ingredients (through garlic); drizzle over tenderloins. Cover and cook on LOW for 3-1/2 hours. Remove pork from slow cooker and place in a large bowl, reserving cooking liquid in slow cooker. Let pork stand 10 minutes.
• Strain cooking liquid through a sieve into a bowl. Cover and keep warm. Shred pork with 2 forks (or use THIS method).
• Return cooking liquid to slow cooker, stir in remaining 3 Tblsp soy sauce, vinegar, and sesame oil. Cover and cook in HIGH 10 minutes. Turn slow cooker off. Add pork, noodles, and next 3 ingredients, tossing to coat. Spoon noodle mixture into bowls; sprinkle with peanuts and chopped cilantro leaves. Serve with lime wedges.

Sesame Flank Steak Lettuce Wraps

SESAME FLANK STEAK LETTUCE WRAPS

1 lime, zested and juiced
5 tblsp low-sodium soy sauce
3 tblsp brown sugar
2 tblsp sesame oil
2 tblsp rice wine vinegar
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp crushed red pepper [optional]
1 flank steak (2 pound)
1 head iceberg lettuce, separated into leaves
Toppings: matchstick carrots, bean sprouts, sliced water chestnuts, sliced green onion, fresh cilantro leaves, steamed white rice

• In a medium bowl, stir together lime zest and juice, and next 6 ingredients.
• Place steak in a resealable plastic bag. Add half of lime mixture; seal bag, and chill for at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours. Cover and chill remaining lime mixture.
• Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Remove steak from marinade and discard the marinade.
• Grill steak for 8 to 10 minutes per side or until meat thermometer registers 155 degrees F or desired doneness. Remove from heat, let stand for 10 minutes before slicing across the grain.
• Serve steak in lettuce leaves with desired toppings and remaining lime mixture.

recipe from "Cooking with Paula Deen" July/August 2012 issue

Chinese Pork Tenderloin

This recipe is one that I have used for years. Its a win-win for everyone and there is never leftovers! I've recently given a friend of mine the recipe and she now cooks it once a week because all her boys love it (picky eaters!). Even better, there is no "measurements."...."whaaaa?" you say? Trust me!

CHINESE PORK TENDERLOIN

Honey
Soy sauce
1 pork tenderloin
Sesame seeds

• In a large ziplock bag, combine the pork tenderloin, about 1/4 cup honey and about 1/8th cup soy sauce. 
• There is nothing special about these measurements. You don't keep the marinade for later, so you want just enough to make sure the tenderloin is well covered. I like making sure there is more honey than soy sauce because of the crispy edges the honey produces when on the grill. Make this your own and experiment on what you like!
• Let the mixture marinade for a few hours in the fridge. 
• If you don't have much time to marinade, just make sure you let it sit until the soy sauce has broken down the honey in the bag. You will know this when the marinade is "watery" and there is no thick spots of honey.
• Wrap in aluminum foil, sealing the edges all the way around.
• Grill over medium heat, constantly turning. (about 15 minutes)
• I highly recommend using a meat thermometer to check if the pork is done. Pork is done when it reaches 165 degrees F.
• When the thermometer reads 145 degrees F, remove the aluminum foil and continue to cook, rotating a few more time to make sure the edges are evenly "charred"
• Pull off the grill when temperature reaches 160 degrees F, wrapping it in a foil tent and let it sit a few minutes, continue cooking. Check temp again and make sure it reads at least 165 degrees F.
• Slice into rings and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve while warm!

STIR FRY: BEEF & BROCCOLI

Sometimes I don't feel like cooking...and I grab something simple, few ingredients, and still really yummy. I'm going to show ya'll a couple "bag seasoning" meals that I really love and can always depend on.

SIMPLY ASIA: BEEF & BROCCOLI

All you need with it is:
1 lb beef sirloin, cut in thin strips
4 cups broccoli florets (I use the frozen kind!)
1/2 white onion, sliced
1 cup water
2 tablespoons soy sauce

Yes folk, thats it!

And here's proof....
Step 1
Step 2

Step 3

And your done! Told-ya!

And I recommend this soy sauce:

Why? Because I said so. Actually, a great friend of mine did a "soy sauce taste testing" and told me this one is the best. So now I say this one is the best! It works just like that.

A serve with a giant mound of jasmine rice.

Enjoy--we sure did!

Something funny...I go to "Publish Post" and was confused when my background and images with all wacky...thats when I realized I publish on my hubby's web page. Wow. Its late. *note to self: check and make sure you're on your own web page!*