Pork Ramen Soup

My family liked this recipe.  Adding the ginger and cilantro is always a gamechanger.  I never thought I'd have another bowl of ramen soup again after living in China and having it for lunch literally every single day, but I'm finally over my Ramen PTSD after having this.  It's fantastic.  I also got this from Real Simple Magazine, October 2012 issue.

Pork Ramen Soup

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 2 boneless pork chops (1/2 inch thick; about 1/2 pound total)
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 8 scallions, sliced, white and green parts separated
• 1 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
• 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 3-ounce packages ramen noodles (discard the seasoning packets)
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 large carrot, grated
• 2 radishes, halved and thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season the pork with ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper and cook until cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Let rest for 5 minutes before thinly slicing.
2. Add the scallion whites and ginger to the drippings in the Dutch oven. Cook, stirring, until softened, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Add the noodles and boil, stirring occasionally, until tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the soy sauce.
3. Serve the soup topped with the pork, carrot, radishes, cilantro, and scallion greens.

Turkey Cutlet Sandwiches with Oven Fries

I've made this a few times and just really adore both the sandwich and the fries.  The sandwich has such a nice bite with the dill pickle in it.  And sweet potato fries - sooo nummy.  I got this recipe from Real Simple magazine, October 2012 issue.

Turkey Cutlet Sandwiches with Oven Fries

Ingredients

• 3 medium sweet potatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds), cut into 1/2-inch wedges
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 to 2 teaspoons hot sauce (such as Tabasco)
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 head red cabbage, shredded (about 3 cups)
• 1 large carrot, grated
• 4 turkey cutlets (about 1 pound total)
• 8 slices pumpernickel bread, lightly toasted
• 4 dill pickles, sliced lengthwise

Directions

1. Heat oven to 450° F. On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss the sweet potatoes with 2 tablespoons of the oil and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Roast, tossing once, until browned and crisp, 25 to 30 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, hot sauce, and sugar. Add the cabbage and carrot and toss to combine.
3. Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the turkey with ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Cook until cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Form sandwiches with the bread, turkey, slaw, and pickles. Serve with the fries.

Old-Fashioned Gingersnaps

I got this from Better Homes and Gardens, and it's fantastic. These cookies stay really moist and chewy.

Old-Fashioned Gingersnaps

2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. ground allspice
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup molasses
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup sugar
3 Tbsp. peeled and grated fresh ginger
1 large egg, beaten
1/2 cup extra sugar

1.  Position oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven.  Preheat oven to 350. 
2.  In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and salt; set aside.
3.  In a large bowl, whisk together melted butter, molasses, brown sugar, granulated sugar, grated ginger, and egg.  Add flour mixture.  Stir to combine.  Cover and chill 1 hour.
4.  Place extra 1/2 cup sugar in a small, shallow bowl.  Using a tablespoon, scoop out a ball of dough.  Roll dough between your palms into a ball.  Continue with remaining dough, then roll balls in sugar to evenly coat.  Space balls on baking sheets, 2 inches apart.
5.  Bake 10-12 minutes.  Switch baking sheets between racks and rotate them front to back halfway through.  Remove from oven.  Transfer cookies to wire racks to cool.

Roasted Red Potatoes with Dill

I got this from my mom, I think.  My husband looves these.

Roasted Red Potatoes with Dill

2 lbs red potatoes, halved

1 T olive oil

1 tsp dill weed

1/4 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp seasoned salt

Toss olive oil with potatoes.  Combine remaining ingredients and toss with the potatoes.  Spread them in a shallow baking pan.  Bake for 40 minutes on 375 degrees.

The Palladium Cooler

I got this from a cook book I have called Barbecues and Pot Lucks.  I brought it to a family dinner, and everyone loved it.  It's a good punch for parties, and sooo much yummier than the store-bought stuff.

The Palladium Cooler

Serves 14

6 cups orange juice
6 cups pineapple juice
3 cups cranberry juice
1 Tbsp grenadine
1 cup 7-Up
6 cups ice cubes
Garnish:  14 maraschino cherries

Mix all ingredients together except for 7-Up and ice in a punch boal.  Float the 7-Up on top.  Add ice cubes and garnish with a cherry in each cup.

Killer Chili Cheese Dip (Crock Pot)

I got this from food.com.  It's soooo good.  I've always loved this dip and have had it, in various forms, at several different parties.  I decided it was about time to have it on hand.

Killer Chili Cheese Dip (Crock Pot)

Ingredients
16 oz Velveeta cheese
2 (10 ounce) cans diced tomatoes
1 (10 ounce) can chili
2 cups shredded queso cheese
1 small can diced green chilies

Directions
1.  Cut velveeta into 2-inch cubes.  Place cubes into crock pot with the tomatoes, chili, and shredded cheese.  Mix together.  Turn crock pot on low setting and cover, stirring occasionally.  When all the cheese is completely melted, it's time to enjoy!
2.  If usually takes an hour and a half or so on low temp, but if you need it quicker, use high temp, but watch it and stir often to prevent burning.
3.  If your crock pot has a "keep warm" setting, use that after the cheese is melted.

Make-Ahead Green Bean Casserole

Oh my goooosh, this is so good.  I've never been a huge fan of green bean casserole, but I tried it on a whim (the picture and recipe are from http://www.melskitchencafe.com/) and wowza.  Sooooo good.

Make-Ahead Green Bean Casserole

Yield: Serves 10 to 12 as a side dish (can be easily halved and baked in a smaller dish)

Note: The topping and casserole can be frozen separately for up to 2 months. Hallelujah!

Ingredients

Topping:
• 2 slices hearty sandwich bread, white or wheat, torn into pieces
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups canned fried onions
Casserole:
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 10 ounces white mushrooms , sliced thin
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 6 garlic cloves , minced
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 3/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 2 pounds fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1/4 cup cornstarch

Directions

1. For the topping: Pulse bread, butter, and salt in food processor until coarsely ground. Combine bread mixture and canned fried onions in a bowl, transfer to a zipper-lock freezer bag, and freeze. (I placed the topping bag right on top of the casserole in the freezer so I could keep track of both.)
2. For the casserole: Melt the butter in a large 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, salt, and pepper and cook until the mushrooms release their liquid, about 5 minutes. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook until all the liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the flour and cook until golden, stirring, about 1 minute. Slowly whisk in broth and cream and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened, about 10 minutes.
3. In a large bowl, toss the green beans with the cornstarch until the beans are evenly coated. Transfer the beans to a 9X13-inch baking dish. Pour the warm mushroom mixture evenly over the beans. Let the casserole cool completely on the counter. Once cooled, cover with a layer of plastic wrap and then a layer of foil. Freeze for up to 2 months.
4. When ready to bake, adjust oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 400 degrees. Remove the layer of plastic wrap from the baking dish and replace the foil. Bake, covered, until the sauce is bubbling and the beans are tender, about 80 minutes, stirring the beans thoroughly after 50 minutes. Remove the foil and spread the frozen topping mixture over the beans. Bake until golden brown, about 8-10 minutes. Serve.