Over the weekend, I planned on making stir fry. We had this HUGE chunk of pork loin that we had to cook. Actually, we had a huge chunk and a smaller chunk meant for two people, but my genius husband thawed the wrong one. Needless to say, we had to a crap load of pork to cook. I decided to make sweet and sour pork stir fry. Of course, I had no idea what to do with the rest of the pork. Sunday came and it was a gorgeous day outside. And I thought, not stir fry, kabobs! I decided instead to make sweet and sour pork kabobs. In included chunks of pork, yellow and orange peppers, onions and pineapple chunks. Once I started grilling, I added the sweet and sour sauce. They were served over jasmine rice. I had no idea how delicious they were going to be!
But what to do with the rest of the pork.... As luck would have it, my husband finally bought me a smoker. I've been begging for one of these forever. We ended up smoking the rest of that huge chunk of pork. Talk about delicious. As awesome as those kabobs were, I almost wish that we had smoked the whole piece of pork! We sliced it and had it with BBQ sauce on some potato rolls. It tasted just like brisket. I couldn't get enough. It's a good thing too because we may be eating it for a week!
This is only my second post, and I haven't yet gotten it together enough to provide recipes. In the future, I hope to add them as I post...especially the ones I develop myself!
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Friday, May 6, 2011
Shannon's All American Cafe
Over the last 10 years...pretty much since I started grad school and went out on my own...I've developed a love for cooking. I've always liked, actually LOVED food, but I grew up in a household that did not necessarily appreciate good, diverse, healthy foods. In all fairness, my mother did the best she could. She was a single, working mom and often had to cut corners. She also never liked fruits and veggies, so she rarely bought or cooked them. Needless to say, we ate a lot of chicken fingers, spaghetti and fast food. Until I went to grad school, I had never tried Indian, Thai, or anything resembling Middle Eastern foods. I had no idea what I was missing!
As I discovered these culinary delights and began to expand my horizons, I started cooking more and more. I had always been pretty good in the kitchen. My stepmother and I often baked when I was growing up and I always liked helping my mother and stepmother with dinner. But I had never cooked or baked because I wanted to try something new or learn a new technique or find a healthier way to cook something.
I started mostly with baking while in grad school. I realized early on that when you bake delicious treats like muffins and cookies, your fellow grad students LOVE being in class with you. I realized that not only did I like working in the kitchen and trying new recipes, but I loved the praise I would get when something was particularly good. Who doesn't love that!
So, I baked and baked. In 2004, when I started my first job in my new hometown of Washington DC, I realized that I was going to have to start cooking more and eating out less. In grad school in Miami, my roommates and I spent a lot of time eating out and accumulating a corresponding amount of debt.
I've also always struggled with my weight and wanted to work on that as well. So, with my new job and new home and new town, I changed my lifestyle. Not only did I start eating healthier, but I started learning how to cook that way as well. For the last seven years I have become a skilled, amateur sous chef and a pretty fantastic pastry aficionado.
After I met my husband and we settled down into our new home in Northern VA, I embraced cooking for two. Until then, I was only cooking for one and I was my only critic. Now I have my husband and a great circle of friends as guinea pigs...not to mention my coworkers.
About two years ago, I rediscovered my love for baking. Before long, I was making killer cupcakes and chocolate chip cookies anyone would be envious of. Every time I bring some delicious treat in to share with my coworkers or send some treats to work with my husband, I always hear, "you should do this for a living." That would be my dream job! Unfortunately, that costs money.
Some day I would love to own a little bakery/cafe/coffee shop. I think I would call it Shannon's All American Cafe. At least that's what I envision. It's a lofty goal and unlikely to happen at all. But in the meantime, I am combining my passions: food, cooking, baking, and writing.
So, welcome to my new blog, food love, a discussion about food, cooking, baking, health, life, love, nutrition, dieting...I could go one. You name it, I'll probably write about it. But I will always bring it around back to food.
Keep an eye out for my next blog entry. The husband and I are making pork stirfry this weekend...a never before attempted dish which I hope will not be a disaster.
As I discovered these culinary delights and began to expand my horizons, I started cooking more and more. I had always been pretty good in the kitchen. My stepmother and I often baked when I was growing up and I always liked helping my mother and stepmother with dinner. But I had never cooked or baked because I wanted to try something new or learn a new technique or find a healthier way to cook something.
I started mostly with baking while in grad school. I realized early on that when you bake delicious treats like muffins and cookies, your fellow grad students LOVE being in class with you. I realized that not only did I like working in the kitchen and trying new recipes, but I loved the praise I would get when something was particularly good. Who doesn't love that!
So, I baked and baked. In 2004, when I started my first job in my new hometown of Washington DC, I realized that I was going to have to start cooking more and eating out less. In grad school in Miami, my roommates and I spent a lot of time eating out and accumulating a corresponding amount of debt.
I've also always struggled with my weight and wanted to work on that as well. So, with my new job and new home and new town, I changed my lifestyle. Not only did I start eating healthier, but I started learning how to cook that way as well. For the last seven years I have become a skilled, amateur sous chef and a pretty fantastic pastry aficionado.
After I met my husband and we settled down into our new home in Northern VA, I embraced cooking for two. Until then, I was only cooking for one and I was my only critic. Now I have my husband and a great circle of friends as guinea pigs...not to mention my coworkers.
About two years ago, I rediscovered my love for baking. Before long, I was making killer cupcakes and chocolate chip cookies anyone would be envious of. Every time I bring some delicious treat in to share with my coworkers or send some treats to work with my husband, I always hear, "you should do this for a living." That would be my dream job! Unfortunately, that costs money.
Some day I would love to own a little bakery/cafe/coffee shop. I think I would call it Shannon's All American Cafe. At least that's what I envision. It's a lofty goal and unlikely to happen at all. But in the meantime, I am combining my passions: food, cooking, baking, and writing.
So, welcome to my new blog, food love, a discussion about food, cooking, baking, health, life, love, nutrition, dieting...I could go one. You name it, I'll probably write about it. But I will always bring it around back to food.
Keep an eye out for my next blog entry. The husband and I are making pork stirfry this weekend...a never before attempted dish which I hope will not be a disaster.
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