Category Archives: Eating

Chomp it up.

menu plan Monday

A soup to remember

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We’re having another budget-friendly menu this week, although it might not seem that way. Our local grocery store was having a great sale on pork roasts, I have chicken in the freezer already and we got an Outback gift card for Christmas. Hooray for sales and generous relatives and having things on hand!

Monday: Southwestern pork and sweet potatoes

Tuesday: Outback

Wednesday: Sauteed chicken and peppers with coconut rice
I pulled this recipe out of a magazine about a year ago the August 2007 issue of Real Simple, and I have yet to try it. I’ll let you know if it’s any good!

Thursday: Sizzling Rice Soup
I was a very picky eater as a kid. I don’t remember willingly eating vegetables of any kind unless they were in Forbidden City’s Sizzling Rice Soup. I’ve tried to make it before, and it never comes out quite right. So I’m trying yet another new recipe this time.

Friday: Pizza

Eating

Southwestern pork tastes gooood

I wasn’t quite sure how to serve Cooking Light’s Southwestern Pork and Sweet Potatoes, so I paired it with my old friend rice and some green beans. Next time I’ll be sure to cook the sweet potatoes for the prescribed amount of time. I overcooked them this time, and they turned out a bit mushy.

Even so, the dish was excellent. And this is from someone who doesn’t dig on swine.

Southwestern Pork and Sweet Potatoes
2 tablespoons ancho chile powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 garlic cloves
1 small onion, peeled and quartered (about 7 ounces)
1 pickled jalapeño pepper, stemmed
Cooking spray
2 1/2 pounds boneless pork shoulder (Boston butt), trimmed
1 (12-ounce) dark Mexican beer (such as Dos Equis Ambar)
1 (4-inch) cinnamon stick
3 cups (1-inch) cubed peeled sweet potato (about 1 pound)
Chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

Place first 6 ingredients in a food processor; process 1 minute or until a thick paste forms.

Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add pork to pan; cook 4 minutes, browning on all sides. Remove pork from pan.

Add chile mixture to pan; cook 2 minutes or until fragrant, stirring occasionally. Stir in beer, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Add pork and cinnamon; bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 2 hours or until pork is tender.

Remove pork from pan; shred into large pieces with 2 forks. Stir shredded pork and sweet potato into pan; cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until potato is tender. Discard cinnamon stick. Garnish with cilantro, if desired.