Enjoy this easy “take out at home” style dinner, a Thai Pork Noodle Bowl. Fresh, easy, family friendly and delicious!
Ingredients:
Rice Ramen Noodles
Diced Ham
Sauce (Peanut Sauce or Sweet Chili Sauce for example)
Brocolli
Chopped Carrots
Snap Peas
Optional garnishes: peanuts, lime wedges and fresh cilantro
Directions:
We like the “Brown Rice and Millet” Ramen style noodles from Costco, but you can use whatever’s convenient. We recommend some sort of stir fry rice noodle or chinese noodle variety. Cook to package directions.
In a saute or cast iron pan, combine minced garlic and your choice of sauce, try one of these: Sriracha Chili Sauce, Pad Thai Peanut Sauce, Sweet chili sauce or Low Sodium Soy Sauce.
Addbroccoli flourets, finely chopped carrots, and diced ham to the sauce and mix well. Cover and simmer until the veggies are cooked al dante.
We garnished the bowl with satisfyingly fresh snap peas. You could top the bowl with crushed peanuts or fresh cilantro and lime wedges, additionally.
What meat to use:
Cured, Half Hams are available for sale in our Pork Bundle or for sale individually once you’ve made a purchase in our online store. Alternatively, you could use pulled pork, made from a Pork Roast or Boston Butt.
Delicious and nutritious, utilize leftover ham to make this thick and creamy Ham & Potato soup recipe, from Jackson Station.
Any excuse to utilize the Instapot as a soup vessel, pressure cooking makes this soup recipe “same day possible,” not requiring much thinking ahead and minimizes prep time.
We’ve been making bone broth with marrow-in beef or ham bones from our butcher, then refriderating what we’ll use that week and freezing the rest in freezer-safe baggies. There’s nothing better than homemade broth, and it’s really so easy to make! For this soup and any others, I recommend using a bone both, whether it’s home-made or store bought in order to add nutritional benefits and richness of flavor.
This recipe makes about 8 servings, good for 4 people. For less people, enjoy once or twice then freeze the rest.
Ingredients
2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil
1/2 large white onion or Whole small Sweet Vidalia
1 cup of diced celery
3 sticks of carrots, diced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 tsp Italian Herb seasoning blend
1/2 tsp ground Coriander
1/2 tsp ground Nutmeg (I saw a recipe that added the coriander and nutmeg and love the flavor it added. Now that’s a go to addition.)
1 tsp + ground Pink Himalayan Salt
3 cups of Bone Broth (Chicken, Beef or Ham all work well)
1-2 lbs of diced potatoes (I used closer to 2 lbs because I like a chunky soup with lots of goodies)
2 cups of Ham, diced
To make your Soup Creamy after cooking:
2 tablespoons corn starch in a bowl, mixed with cold water
1/4 cup of flour
1 1/2 cups of Half & Half (heavy cream or whole milk work too)
1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
Directions
Add the olive oil to your Instant Pot. Set on the sauté mode for about 8 minutes. Add the onion, garlic, celery and carrots. Saute, stirring occasionally.
Next, add the seasonings, potatoes and ham, then top with the broth and stir.
Cancel or complete the sauté function.
Place the lid on the Pot. Depending on your Pot model, set the pressure release valve to the Sealing position.
Set the pot to cook on High Pressure for just 5 minutes.
Once the time is up, let the pot natural release for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, cancel the cooking and set to warm. When the pressure is out of the lid and the pot has released, open the lid and set aside.
Mix the flour in with the Half & Half to blend in a small separate bowl. Add the Corn Starch mixture, half and half with flour mixture to the pot. Set the pot on Sauté mode, again. Add the shredded cheese and stir well. Continue stirring gently until the soup thickens, just a couple of minutes. Turn off the sauté mode and set the pot to keep warm. Add fresh ground pepper and salt to taste.
Garnish the bowls with fresh herbs, such as parsley or sprinkle with additional shredded cheese. We like to serve it with a warmed baguette and butter or oyster crackers. Enjoy!
Enjoy this all-star ground pork taco recipe for a simple, delicious, filling and healthy meal – the whole family will love.
Ingredients
Half a large onion
1 lb regular ground pork, no seasoning
cabbage (we used purple cabbage for this recipe)
limes or lemons
cilantro
mayonaise
sour cream
small soft shell tortillas (or if you prefer, make it gluten-free with soft corn shell tortillas)
olive oil
salt & pepper
Southwest seasoning blend (or use: Chili Powder, Garlic Powder, Cumin to season the meat)
Shredded Cheese (Monterey Jack or Sharp White Cheddar are good)
Directions
PREP: Finely dice half of a large onion; Cut lemons or limes into quarter size wedges; pinch off leaves from Cilantro stems and then chop; chop a half or quarter of the Cabbage into thin strips
Drizzle a tablespoon of oil in a skillet. Heat pan to medium heat and add the onion and a pinch of salt. Cook onion until slightly softened and lightly browned.
Add ground pork to the pan and season it to taste. Use a heat-safe spoon or spatula to break up the meat as it cooks through, for about 6 minutes. TIP: If the pork is fattier, strain the pan upon cooking. If the meat is on the drier side, add a dash of water to the pan while it’s cooking so it doesn’t get too dried out.
While the meat is cooking, add the cabbage to a medium sized mixing bowl. Stir in a 1/4 cup of mayonaise (we like avocado mayo for the good fats), plus a tablespoon of olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Squeeze the juice from a whole lime or lemon over the cabbage. Mix well.
You can individually warm tortilla shells in a lightly oiled skillet. Alternatively, wrap tortillas in damp paper towel and microwave until warm, for about 30 seconds.
Serve
Serve 1-3 tacos per person. Add the meat mixture, cabbage mix, a dollop of sour cream and top with cilantro.
This recipe has become a staple in our house. The new go-to rub or marinade for chicken, beef brisket, and the perfect seasoning for smoked trout.
Adjust the portions based on your need. We like to make it in bulk and save the remainder in our own container for use whenever you need it. On the fly, I’ll cut the quantities back to use for one meal.
If you have a whole farm fresh chicken, this rub is a crowd pleaser. We recently served our freshly butchered chicken, parted and rubbed ahead of time to family and friends. We served 15 and had leftover. (I’ll be using the leftover chicken for tacos!)
Rub on the whole chicken and place in a large ziplock bag ahead of time for premium flavor. Throw the meat on the grill and make no mistake, this recipe is fool proof. This has the perfect balance of sweet with a little kick. If you want little heat, just cut back the quantity of Paprika.
INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup paprika
1/4 cup fresh cracked black pepper
1/3 cup Himalayan pink salt
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons granulated garlic
1 teaspoon cumin
2 tablespoons onion powder
(add 1 teaspoon of cayenne if you want extra heat)
DIRECTIONS
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
Rub evenly on your selected cut of protein (chicken, beef or fish).
Cover tightly in plastic wrap or a large zip-lock bag. Suggested to refrigerate overnight before cooking for best flavor.
TIP: If you plan to use the rub for smoked fish, rub on the fish and cover with plastic wrap just an hour or two before smoking. If you let the fish sit too long, it may taste too salty.
Life with kids and busy schedules, easy and healthy breakfast and lunches can be a challenge.
Historically, breakfast around our house consisted of yogurt and granola or a bowl of cereal with fruit, but since we have the most amazing pork available, we’ve learned new ways to dress up ‘ol staples and present them in kid-friendly ways.
A couple of ideas include…
• Breakfast Sausage patties paired with Oatmeal (we like to add: cinnamon, honey or agave to sweeten with a nut, chia seeds and raisins or cherries) • Farm-fresh Bacon pieces on Peanut Butter & Jelly sandwich (pictured above) • Scrambled Egg & Ground Pork Sausage in a soft shell wrap (alternately, you can use a gluten-free wrap too). We like to eat it with sour cream and salsa on the side. • Make your own “Pork Helper” using Organic White Shells Mac and Cheese, ground Pork Sausage and finely chopped broccoli.
A world traveler friend introduced us to Banh Mi pulled pork sandwiches – and life will never be the same. He used one of our Boston Butt Roasts (the cut of choice for this recipe, known for creating the perfect pulled pork), slow cooked it over night, let it cool, then re-heated it for dinner the next day. He brought it over to our house to share…and WOW! After tasting theses delightful open faced sandwiches, exploding with flavor of soy sauce and garlic – with the sweetness and spice of fresh grated ginger – this delectable, simply fresh recipe will forever be on our regular rotation of household meals.
We highly recommend pairing with your favorite robust Riesling.
NOTE: The leftover pulled pork (if you have any – it’s SOOO yummy) can be used scrambled in eggs. Use the leftover toppings and pulled pork to make soft tacos for dinner the next day.
WARNING: You may find your mind wandering and your mouth watering while performing other activities. This recipe may prove addictive.
BÁNH MÌ {Vietnamese-style sandwich}
INGREDIENTS
For the pulled pork: Jackson Station pork roast (a whole ham, Boston Butt or Pork Roast will all work) 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper 1 jalapeno, diced 1 2-inch slice ginger 8 cloves garlic, minced 3/4 cup soy sauce 1/4 cup white vinegar 1/2 cup brown sugar
For the pickled carrot: 1/2 cup distilled white vinegar 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1 1/2 cups coarsely shredded carrots
For the sandwiches: pickled carrots (above) 2 long baguettes cut in thirds or 4-6 small rolls, split lengthwise mayonnaise pâté (optional) 1 English cucumber, thinly sliced 1 jalapeno (I don’t care for heat but trust me, ultra-thin slices of these are a must) 1 cup cilantro leaves reserved sauce from pulled pork hot sauce – we like using Sriracha
INSTRUCTIONS
Season the pork roast with salt and pepper. In the insert of a slow cooker stir together the jalapeno, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, vinegar, and brown sugar. Nestle the pork shoulder in the liquid. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4-5, until the pork is very tender, rotating once during cooking process if desired. When the pork is ready, shred the meat. Strain and reserve the sauce, skimming any fat if necessary.
Make the pickled carrot: In a medium glass bowl, combine the vinegar, sugar and salt and stir until dissolved. Add the carrots and let it sit for about 30 minutes. Drain well and refrigerate until ready to use.
To assemble the sandwich, slice the baguettes or rolls in half lengthwise. Spread a thin layer of mayonnaise (I like to spike mine with hot sauce) on the bottom half and if you like, some pate as well. Top with the pulled pork, cucumber, cilantro, pickled carrots and sliced jalapenos. Drizzle with reserved sauce and hot sauce. Close the sandwiches and enjoy.
