Recipe(tried): Pork Fried Rice, Tomato Salad and Banana Cream Cheese Pie

There are certain foods that my DH does not like, such as Asian foods. I always cater to his food whims and luckily, we both like the same things except when it comes to Thai or Vietnamese or Chinese. Well, today I am making Pork Fried Rice because the recipe looks good and because I love Pork Fried Rice with all the little wonderful additions added to it.

When ordering it in a restaurant, I always ask them to add all the little vegetables they can, especially the bean sprouts. Seems to me that when I was living in New York, the Chinese rice and other items were much better than the ones I have had in Florida or Georgia. I feel like they added more to their rice than the one or two little peas I get when ordering out. One must always ask for the Special Fried Rice with everything in it but the kitchen sink!

I made him a Banana Cream Cheese Pie to compensate for my fried rice today! This came out incredibly tasty!

Enjoy!

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PORK FRIED RICE
Inspired by Bridget Eckhardt, Southern Living, JULY 2010
serves 4-6

This is amazingly easy to make, have all the ingredients ready to go into the skillet. I made the scrambled eggs before I started cooking the pork srips, much easier! It came out delicious, better than I expected!

* = my addition

1 pound boneless pork chops, cut into strips
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder*
1 tablespoon sesame oil, divided use
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced*
3 green onions, chopped
1 tablespoon butter
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups cooked long-grain white or jasmine rice, chilled
1 cup frozen Bird's Eye Oriental Stir-Fry veggies thawed*
1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed*
squirt of ginger in a tube (Gourmet Garden brand)*
squirt if cilantro in a tube (Gourmet Garden brand)*
1/4 cup soy sauce

1. Season pork with pepper and garlic powder. Cook pork in 1 1/2 tsp. hot sesame oil in a large skillet over medium heat 7 to 8 minutes or until done. Remove pork from skillet.

2. Heat remaining 1 1/2 tsp. sesame oil in skillet; saut garlic and onion in hot oil 2 to 3 minutes or until tender. Stir in green onions, and saut 1 minute.

3. Using a a small skillet, melt butter in skillet. Add eggs to skillet, and cook, without stirring, 1 minute or until eggs begin to set on bottom. Gently draw cooked edges away from sides of pan to form large pieces. Cook, stirring occasionally, 30 seconds to 1 minute or until thickened and moist. (Do not overstir.) Add to the pork, oriental veggies, peas, & rice skillet; cook over medium heat, stirring often, 2 to 3 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Stir in soy sauce, ginger and cilantro and stir to mix well.. Serve immediately.

Note: Chilling rice will help keep it from clumping while stir-frying. Use leftover rice, or prepare 1 (8-oz.) pouch ready-to-serve jasmine rice according to package directions, and chill.

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TOMATO SALAD

2 to 3 tomatoes, cut up
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
salt and pepper (to taste)
olive oil lightly drizzled over top
vinegar sprinkled on top

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BANANA CREAM CHEESE PIE

1 (9-inch) graham cracker crumb crust or baked pastry shell
1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 tsp. vanilla
4 medium bananas

In a large mix bowl, beat cheese till fluffy. Gradually beat in condensed milk till smooth. Stir in lemon juice and vanilla.

Slice 2 bananas and dip in lemon juice, drain and line crust. Pour filling over bananas and cover. Chill for 3 hours or until set.

Before serving, slice remaining bananas, dip in lemon juice drain and garnish pie. Refrigerate leftovers.