Thai Pork Stew

I got this recipe from a Nashville mamas group I am a part of, and we love it! The sweet potatoes turn to complete mush, you'd never know they are the base of this meal. The recipe calls for pork tenderloin, but we normally use pork chops or steaks.

• 2 lbs. pork tenderloin - cut in 6 pieces
• 2 cups red bell pepper - julienned
• 1/4 cup soy or teriyaki sauce
• 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp chili garlic sauce (tuong of toi vietnam - with picture of rooster)
• 2 garlic cloves - minced
• 2-3 sweet potatoes - cut in thirds
• 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• cooked white rice
• green onions
• peanuts
• lime

Place pork through sweet potatoes in a slow cooker. Cover with lid and cook on low heat setting for 8 hours. Remove pork and coarsely chop. Add peanut butter to liquid in cooker and stir well. Add pork back in.

Serve stew over steamed white rice. Top with chopped green onions, peanuts and serve with lime wedges.

Bonus -- very freezer friendly!!

Spring Rolls

Andy loves Thai food, and several years ago he decided to try making his own spring rolls. These turned out very well and we really enjoy making them. They freeze well, and you can pull out just a couple at a time to go along with a meal. They can go straight from the freezer into the frying pan.

• 1 pkg dried bean vermicelli noodles
• 2 cloves garlic
• cilantro, chopped
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 lb ground pork
• 3 oz raw prawn meat, finely chopped (we do not use)
• 1 medium carrot, grated
• 3 green onions, chopped
• 2 tsp fish sauce (we do not use)
• 1 Tbsp chili sauce
• 2 tsp cornstarch
• 2 Tbsp water
• 25 spring roll wrappers
• oil for deep frying

Break the vermicelli into pieces and place in a heat-proof bowl. Cover with boiling water and leave to soak for 4 minutes or until soft, drain well.

Chop the garlic and cilantro finely. Heat the oil in a wok or frying pan. Add the garlic and cilantro and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add the ground pork and prawn meat and stir-fry for 5 minutes. Add the carrot, green onions, fish sauce, chili sauce, and noodles to the wok. Stir well and then allow to cool.

In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch and water to form a paste. Place the spring roll wrappers on a damp tea towel and cover with one end of the towel.

Place 1 wrapper at a time, with a corner towards you, on another damp tea towel. using your fingertip, wet all the edges with the cornstarch paste.

Place 1 Tbsp of filling in the center of the wrapper and spread out to form a sausage shape. Fold the edges towards the center and roll up tightly. Seal the edge with paste. Continue with the remaining wrappers and filling, keeping the spring rolls covered with a damp tea towel.

Heat the oil to moderately hot in a wok or deep frying pan and cook 3 or 4 spring rolls at atime until they are golden brown. Remove from the oil using a wire mesh strainer, tongs or a slotted spoon. Drain the spring rolls on paper towels and serve immediately with a dipping sauce.

*We use a mixture of soy sauce, brown sugar, and sesame seeds as a dipping sauce.

Chicken Linguine with Peanut Sauce

• 12 oz linguine or spaghetti
• 2 carrots, diagonally sliced
• 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 cup hot water
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp rice or cider vinegar
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp sesame oil
• Dash hot pepper sauce
• 4 green onions, sliced
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tbsp chopped peanuts
  

In large pot of boiling salted water, cook linguine for 5 minutes. Add carrots; cook for 3 minutes or until linguine is tender but firm. Drain and return to pot, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta water.

Meanwhile, cut chicken crosswise into thin slices. In skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat; cook chicken for 5 minutes or until golden and no longer pink inside. Add to pasta mixture.

Whisk together peanut butter, water, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, ginger, oil and hot pepper sauce; add to pasta and toss to coat, adding pasta water if desired to moisten. Serve sprinkled with onions, coriander and peanuts.