Excitement Abounds!!

I thought before I went to bathe my cats, I would jabber a tad. And yes, our cats get bathed. Not as regularly as I would like to get it done, but I try to when the weather is decent so they won't be too chilled after it's all done. Anyhow, I was thinking of adding a recipe or two from time to time here. Recipes that I really enjoy, and maybe a story to go with it or something. So,... here's recipe #1. I got this from Food Network. You can do a search on sweet and sour pork, and pick the Alton Brown recipe, or you can click the link below. I love Alton Brown. When we had Food Network, we would watch it a LOT. Alton Brown is really a funny guy. If you get a chance, you should check his show out!

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_19596,00.html


Sweet and Sour Pork

Ingredients
2/3 C soy sauce
2 tsp minced garlic
1 Tb minced ginger
1/4 C flour, plus seasoned flour for dredging
1/4 C cornstarch
1 lb pork butt, cut into 1-inch cubes
Kosher salt and pepper
Vegetable oil, for frying
1 C ketchup
1/4 C sugar
1/4 C red wine vinegar
1 ounce honey
1 Tb vegetable oil
1/2 Tb sesame oil
1/3 C large diced Vidalia onion
1/3 C large diced celery
1/3 C carrots sliced 1/4-inch thick, on a bias
1/3 C large diced red bell pepper
1/3 C large diced green bell pepper
1 C fresh pineapple, cut into 1-inch cubes

Directions
In a large non-reactive bowl, combine soy, garlic, ginger, flour, and cornstarch. Season the pork generously with salt and pepper. Place the pork in the bowl and toss to cover. Marinate in the refrigerator overnight.

Drain off any excess marinade and dredge the pork in flour seasoned with salt and pepper. In a large frying pan heat 1-inch of oil to 350 degrees F. Fry the pork in batches, until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Reserve on a warm plate.

In a separate bowl, combine the ketchup, sugar, vinegar, and honey. Whisk to blend.

In a small roasting pan heat the conola and sesame oils. Place the pork and vegetables into the pan and cover with the ketchup mixture. Bring to a simmer and cook until the pork is tender.


As a kid, mom and dad would get take out from a local chinese food place. The only thing that I ever really enjoyed was the sweet and sour pork and chicken fried rice. Well, now I'm in a small town and honestly, I dont know that there are any asians around here much less a restaurant that is going to have take out sweet and sour pork! When I came acrossed this recipe, I thought why not give it a shot. OMG!!! It turned out soooooo good!!! The only thing that I have changed is that I use a pork tenderloin rather than pork butt. The tenderloin is such a great cut of meat, it really makes a difference I think. We eat so much, that I also have to double up on the sweet and sour mixture as well.

Okay, off to bathe the kitties!!!!!

If you happen to give this a try, let me know what you think!!!

ENJOY!!!!!!