Hoisin Pork with Rice Noodles

A few weeks ago we restocked our freezer with frozen pizza dough and realized something very important - our freezer isn't very big. We have one of those French-door, freezer-on-the-bottom contraptions and there just isn't that much freezer space down there. I also tend to horde things like half-eaten loaves of bread, bananas and single servings of pasta sauce with the very good intention of using them up while really all I'm doing is taking up valuable freezer space that could be used for banana chocolate chip muffins, egg bake or breakfast burritos.

SP told me it was time to do a purge. He challenged me to only cook from the freezer until it became more manageable. I like a good challenge so off I went, searching through the freezer bags to see just what was in there that I could use to feed my family for the week. I found two lonely pork chops and immediately thought of this recipe for Hoisin Pork with Rice Noodles.

The original recipe calls for thinly sliced pork tenderloin but I just thinly sliced the chops and it worked out perfectly. This was such a simple dish I wasn't sure if we'd like it but we all loved it. Baby Girl was especially fond of it - the kid loves carrots, bless her - and any pasta dish is guaranteed to be a winner, even if they're rice noodles.

Hoisin Pork with Rice Noodles
As seen on So Tasty, So Yummy

1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon fish sauce
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
juice of half a lime
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 teaspoon - 1 tablespoon Sriracha, to taste
1 lb pork tenderloin, cut into thin strips
10 oz dry rice noodles
2 carrots, peeled and grated
2 tablespoons minced cilantro

In a medium bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, water, oil, sugar, fish sauce, vinegar, hoisin, lime juice, garlic and Sriracha. Add pork and turn to coat pork pieces; cover and allow to marinate overnight in the fridge.

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the pork and the marinade. Cook until the pork until cooked through, about 6-8 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the noodles per the package instructions. Drain and toss the cooked noodles, carrots and cilantro with the cooked pork and sauce. Serve immediately.

Roasted Carrots

I feel like I'm in a vegetable rut. I always make the same things over and over again. I've never been a huge fan of carrots but I do like them roasted. In the interest of changing up our routine I went on a hunt for an easy recipe to make one night and found these Roasted Carrots.

Simple and delicious. It takes hardly any time at all to prepare these and then the oven does all the work.

Roasted Carrots
Recipe from Pastor Ryan

3 lbs carrots, peeled
1/4 cup olive oil
2 teaspoons fresh thyme
salt and pepper, to taste
4 scallions, minced

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

If the carrots aren't all the same size, cut them down the middle lengthwise into same-size pieces. Lay them on a sheet pan or in a baking dish and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with the fresh thyme, salt and pepper.

Bake for 35-40 minutes until they're soft. Sprinkle with chopped scallions and serve.

Thanksgiving Recipes: Whiskey-Glazed Carrots

I made these Whiskey-Glazed Carrots last year for Thanksgiving but for some reason I didn't blog about them beyond the standard Thanksgiving recap. Big mistake. These carrots need their own post so I can rave about them. UPDATE - I made them again for Thanksgiving 2011 and took a much better photo.


These are AMAZING. The whiskey, brown sugar and butter make the most delicious glaze I've ever tasted. I serve these with roasted chicken and love dipping pieces of chicken into the extra glaze. I cut down on the amount of butter and sugar from the original recipe, but that doesn't make these healthy by any means. SP always jokes that I've managed to make carrots bad for you.

Whiskey-Glazed Carrots
Slightly Modified from Pioneer Woman

4 tablespoons butter, divided
3 pounds carrots, peeled and cut into thick circles
1/2 cup Jack Daniels Whiskey
3/4 cup brown sugar
Salt and pepper, to taste
Chopped chives, optional garnish

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over high heat. Add carrots and cook about 2 minutes until they start to brown in spot.

Pour in whiskey and allow to evaporate 30 seconds. Reduce heat to medium, and add remaining butter. When butter melts, sprinkle brown sugar over the top. Stir together to coat the carrots.

Cook about 15-20 minutes more, stirring often, so the sauce thickens into a glaze and the carrots cook through. Season with salt and pepper.

Pour onto a platter and serve immediately. Sprinkle with chopped chives if desired.