Asian Short Rib Wonton Tacos

I read a lot of recipes.  Cookbooks, blogs, magazines....you name it.  Recipes draw my attention.  I'm always on the lookout for something yummy and interesting to make.  It has always been this way for me.  Since I discovered the world of blogging, that has only increased.  I have a huge list of things that I want to try.  

Beef Short Ribs have been on the list for awhile.   When I ran into a deal on them locally,  I had originally thought that I would slow cook them with fresh herbs and red wine.  On the day that I planned to make them, I just wasn't feeling that at all.   I had been thinking about Asian food since Carol shared her Korean Steak Tacos here. 

I, also, remembered that Jenn at Jenn's Food Journey had shared an Asian inspired recipe here using short ribs so that would be perfect.   Why not combine the two, right?  

So I began by mixing together:

2 tsp. kosher salt
3 tsp. ground white pepper
1 1/2 tsp. brown sugar
3/8 tsp. garlic powder
3/8 tsp. ground ginger
3/4 tsp. onion powder
6 Tbsp. soy sauce
3 Tbsp. water
1 1/2 Tbsp. Sriracha

I rubbed this mixture on 2 lbs. of trimmed beef short ribs, coating them completely, and stuck them in the fridge to get happy overnight.   The next morning, I placed the ribs in the bottom of my crockpot.   I took 1/2 cup pineapple juice and mixed it with 1/2 cup Sake.  I poured this over the top of the ribs and set the timer for 8 hours.  My poor family had to smell this cooking all day while I was at work.  When I got home, it smelled amazing in here.

I was unable to find my favorite broccoli slaw at any of the local markets so I settled for a package of ready made coleslaw.  Mixed up with some Newman's Own Lite Low Fat Sesame Ginger Dressing and some chopped cilantro, it was the perfect accompaniment for the spicy beef. 

David and Connor couldn't wait for dinner so they had their tacos wrapped in corn tortillas.  That seemed a little plain to me.  I had been thinking all day about those amazing Wonton Tacos from Applebees.   They are positively addictive little treats, in my opinion, and  I thought I could recreate something along those lines with the beef that was cooking away at home.  I just so happened to have some wonton skins left over from my Inside Out Pork Dumplings so it was the perfect time to give that a try!  

I sprayed the wonton skins lightly with canola oil, draped them over the side of a baking dish to form a taco shell and baked them until they were crispy.  It only took a few minutes for that to happen.  

a little shredded beef.....

a little cabbage slaw with dressing....

a little cilantro on top....

a squeeze of fresh lime....

Yum!

The wonton shells were definitely not as good as they would have been if I had fried them.  They were pretty good though and it made for a nice dinner treat.   I took leftovers of the meat and the slaw to work the next day all wrapped up in a Weight Watchers Tortilla and I have to say that was even more tasty than the tacos.

Thanks Jenn and Carol and Applebees for the inspiration!  We will be having these again, I'm sure.  As cute as they were, I just don't think I will be bothering with the wonton taco shells next time.

Imagine my surprise....

when "scuba man" popped up out of the water while I was sitting on a rock enjoying some time at the beach.  He was begging to have his photo snapped.

Happy Wednesday! 

Pork and Carrot Curry

David and I love to cook and we are fans of bold flavors.  Asian, Greek, Italian, Indian.....we love them all. Cooking Light magazine and Clean Eating Magazine have been sources of inspiration for me lately as I have been adding new recipes to try.  As a result, we are eating better and healthier.  

The pork and carrot curry recipe in the January/February issue of Clean Eating Magazine caught my eye as something that we had to try.    I had planned to make it for dinner on Friday night; but by the time I drove home in the sleet,  I was not in the mood to cook.   I gathered the spices, prepared the pork and stuck it in the fridge to marinate until Saturday night.   The only change to the recipe itself that I made was that I used smoked paprika instead of plain paprika.  The curry was so flavorful.  It was spicy without being hot.  It was absolutely perfect for a cold, snowy night.

The recipe said that it served four.   I planned to measure my portion; but David and Connor have large appetites and I was concerned that we wouldn't have enough for everyone to be satisfied.  I thought some basmati rice would make a great addition to the curry so we served it with the curry along with naan on the side.  With the addition of the rice and the naan, it was plenty for the three of us.  I was actually able to save about one serving (1 1/2 cups) and I know it will make a delicious left over lunch.   The magazine lists the calorie count for the curry as 289 for the 1 1/2 cup serving.  I had 1/4 cup of basmati rice which came in at about 160 calories.  If you are counting Weight Watchers points, I got a total of 11 points plus - 7 for the curry and 4 for the rice.   I didn't have any naan and I am satisfied.  I'm not hungry nor am I miserably stuffed.   We will definitely be having this one again.

Pork and Carrot Curry

Adapted from Clean Eating Magazine January/February Edition

1/2 cup Greek yogurt

3 Tbsp. minced fresh ginger

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp. ground coriander

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. smoked paprika

1/2 tsp. ground turmeric

1/2 tsp. sea salt

1/4 tsp. ground cayenne pepper

1 lb. pork tenderloin, trimmed of visible fat and cut into 1 inch cubes

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 yellow onion, halved and cut into thin wedges

14 1/2 oz. chopped tomatoes and their juices

10 oz. small fingerling potatoes, scrubbed well and halved lengthwise

3 carrots, peeled and cut into sticks

chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish

Combine yogurt with ginger, garlic, coriander, cumin, smoked paprika, turmeric, salt and ground cayenne pepper.  Mix well.  Add pork cubes and stir to combine.  Cover and place the coated pork in the refrigerator and marinate overnight.   When ready to cook, pull pork from the fridge and let sit at room temperature while you prepare the other ingredients.

In a large pan with a tight fitting lid, heat oil on low.  Add onion and saute, stirring constantly for one minute.  Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft but not brown, about 5 minutes.

Add pork and all of the marinade to the pan. Stir in tomatoes with their juices, 1/2 cup water, potatoes and carrots.  Increase heat to medium, cover and simmer until pork is cooked through and potatoes and carrots are tender. Garnish with cilantro and serve immediately.

I hope you get a chance to try this.  I am already looking forward to making it again.

Silent Sunday...

Have a beautiful day...

It's All a Matter of Perspective...

and mine needs to change.

Photo of the Day - Friday

taken out of the car window...somewhere in Maine.

 Have a wonderful weekend,

It's not always sunshine and light...

but it's still beautiful to me.