Citrus Pork Stir Fry

It's happening.

In the past week I have:

- Honked at "irresponsible kids" skateboarding in the middle of the road
- Pulled silver hairs from my head
- Slathered my face in expensive moisturizer before bed
- Thought to myself that my new comforter was the best Christmas gift I've gotten in a while
- Realized that Josh Duhamel looks even better with salt & pepper hair
- Admitted {out loud} that my favorite radio station is Legends 100.3 {think Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Tony Bennet... etc.}
- Fallen asleep before 9:30pm

I also saw a photo of myself from just 5 years ago and thought, "Gah, I look so... rested."

I'm a mom. In my mid-thirties. And there are times I see young girls and think that their shorts are inappropriately short.

::: Buries head in laundry pile composed entirely of yoga pants :::  

Getting to this part of life has made me realize the importance of quick dinners. Mostly because by the time my husband gets home, I cook, we eat, clean up and go through the playtime-bath time-bedtime routine for our kiddo, we have about 45 seconds left before both of us "shut down" for the night. {Meaning, we pass out on the couch while attempting to watch something.} I'm all for anything that will shorten the evening "to do's" and lengthen our downtime together.

Whether or not you're facing the realities of aging, this Citrus Pork Stir Fry will be a welcome addition to your weekday cooking repertoire.

I never used to know what to do with thin-cut boneless pork chops because they're so easy to overcook if you're pan searing or baking them, but I love how they work with this stir fry. They're the perfect thickness for cutting into thin strips like you'd get in a takeout meal. If you're not into pork, you can sub it out for chicken or even portobello mushrooms for a veggie version. You can also use any vegetables you have on hand to toss into this dish: peppers, zucchini, snow peas, you name it!

I used orange juice and zest here, but I've also made it with lime juice and it turned out just as good {though a little more on the tart side}.

The citrusy sauce brings it all together for a fast, filling meal that will leave you with plenty of time for doing whatever it is you'd rather be doing after dinner... or let's face it, for getting some extra shut eye.

Maybe that'll get back that "rested" look I haven't seen in a while.

Citrus Pork Stir Fry
Adapted from Martha Stewart 

1 pound thin-cut boneless pork chops, sliced into strips
1 small onion, sliced
2 cups broccoli florets
1 cup carrots, sliced into strips {I used halved baby carrots}
4 scallions, chopped {plus extra for garnish}

For sauce:
1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce or tamari
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1 teaspoon orange zest
2 teaspoons sriracha
1 garlic clove, grated or minced
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon rice vinegar {or white balsamic}
1 tablespoon cornstarch

1. Heat about a tablespoon of oil in a wok or a large pan over high heat. Add pork to hot oil and cook until lightly browned {it doesn't have to be all the way cooked through at this point}. Remove pork from pan with a slotted spoon and place on a plate. Set aside.

2. Add onion, broccoli and scallions to the hot oil and cook until the vegetables are beginning to become tender.*

3. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine all sauce ingredients. Whisk until smooth, making sure you don't have any lumps of cornstarch.

4. Add pork {and juices that have accumulated on the plate} back into the pan with the vegetables. Pour in sauce and toss together to coat. Cook until the sauce thickens a bit, about 1 to 2 minutes. Cover the pan and turn the heat down to low to allow the pork to cook through, about 3-5 more minutes.

Before serving, add the remaining scallions for a fresh crunch.

Serve hot with a side of rice or quinoa.

*If the pan is too dry or beginning to burn, add about 1/4 cup water to the pan and scrape up the brown bits.

Game Day for Girlfriends | #ScoreMoreFans

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #ScoreMoreFans #CollectiveBias

Gathering with girlfriends has come a long way from the days of Tupperware parties with gelatin molds and sleepovers in frilly pajamas. The modern woman can have many of the same interests as her guy friends like grilling, lifting weights and watching football... but there are times that she may prefer the dainty details that guys tend to overlook when it comes to planning celebrations and parties.

With the big game just around the corner, guys and gals alike will be throwing game-watching parties to root on their team with friends and family. And while a bag of chips served with jar of salsa poured over a block of cream cheese is perfectly acceptable football food for a party of dudes, {and surprisingly tasty} the presentation might leave something to be desired if you're expecting to wow guests. {Apologies to my brother-in-law who claims this as his signature dish.}

This year, I say let the men do their own thing. Gather up your girlfriends and "take it to the house" -- YOUR house! -- and host your own game day soiree with a "RITZy", effervescent twist!

You don't have to go crazy with expensive decorations or fussy details to set the stage for an impressive football fete. Just a few basic supplies are all you need to decorate for the big game! I found just about everything I needed from food to festive touches at Walmart. 

For very little money I was able to transform ordinary party supplies like wrapping paper, paper plates, plastic cups and decorative toothpicks into a spread fit for a gridiron goddess.

I took the playbook theme to the next level and used lots of blackboard and chalk details to tie the look together and stick with a game day motif. Chalkboard stickers made it easy to label cups for each guest and also served as a great way to amp up table signage.

Nothing says "Go Team" like a glittery pom poms, so I used those as table decor along with some simple letter cutouts that I found in the craft section of the store. A piece of scrapbook paper made to look like a football field added a pop of color in the center of the table, along with hints of red and white from the serving dishes.

Black wrapping paper covered my table {which is fantastic for easy cleanup at the end of the night}, and I used a white chalk pen to scribble directly on the surface to showcase some of the tasty bites.

I wanted to keep my menu simple but clever, so I got to work on creating some bite-sized snacks that kept with the game day feel. Classic messy Sloppy Joes popped into my mind immediately... but then so did stained furniture and rugs. Ugh. I solved the problem by serving up the appetizers on RITZ® Crackers, which made them more cute than clunky!

Buttery RITZ® Crackers worked perfectly as a vehicle for sweet and saucy Mini Coca-Cola Sloppy Joes. I assembled some ready-to-go joes for immediate snacking on a platter, but also set out toppings for gals who want to add a little something extra. {Scroll to the bottom of the post for the recipe!}

No party of mine is complete without something sweet! The solution? A DIY Coca-Cola Float Bar that doubled as a beverage and a dessert.

Setting it up is simple: Offer a few ice cream options {I chose Vanilla Bean and Chocolate Brownie Chunk. YUM.}, set out some bottles of classic Coca-Cola or Coke Zero {just $5 for two 16.9 oz. 6-packs at Walmart}, and display a few topping options like whipped cream, chocolate and caramel sauce, chopped nuts and fancy cookies for guests to create their own fizzy float! 

I jazzed up each cup with a personalized chalkboard sticker and added a little extra pizzazz with chocolate sauce/sprinkle rims that are a breeze to make before guests arrive. Add a cute striped straw and a cherry on top and watch the girls sip with pure joy!

Just in case the game goes into overtime, it never hurts to have a little something extra on hand for nibbling. I used the same RITZ® Crackers that were part of my savory snacks and gave them a sweet makeover by filling them with sweetened whipped cream, dipping them in melted chocolate and adding some sprinkles for good measure. A few minutes in the freezer is all it takes for these popable treats to set up. {You can also fill these with your favorite frosting, nut butter or dessert spread! Keep an eye out for more detailed instructions later this week!}

My party turned out like no game-watching party I've ever been to, and though this event was meant for girls only, I have a feeling the guys will be asking for invites the next time around! So ladies, whether you decide to make the dress code "Jerseys and Pearls" or keep it casual with team colors and sweatpants {your best girls won't judge}, throw your own football social and enjoy the big game in style!

For more amazing {and adorable!} football party ideas with Coca-Cola and RITZ® Crackers, head over to SnacksandSips.net!

Mini Coca-Cola Sloppy Joes

1 small onion, finely diced
1 pound ground turkey or ground beef
1/2 teaspoon salt

1 8 oz. can tomato sauce

3 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 clove garlic, minced or grated
3/4 cup Coca Cola or Coke Zero
RITZ® Crackers

Optional: Diced tomatoes, shredded lettuce, shredded cheese for topping

1. Heat about a tablespoon of oil in a large pan over medium high heat.  Add onion and saute until starting to caramelize, about 5-7 minutes.

2. Add ground meat to pan and break up with a spoon to crumble. {I like using a potato masher.} Sprinkle salt over meat and cook until browned and no longer pink.

3. Meanwhile, whisk together tomato sauce, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce and garlic. Pour into meat and mix to coat meat. Cook for about 2 more minutes.

3. Pour in Coca-Cola, scraping up any brown bits at the bottom of the pan. Bring to a bubble and simmer until the sauce has reduced and thickened a bit.

Cool slightly, then assemble mini sloppy joes by sandwiching a scoop of meat mixture between two Ritz Crackers. Carefully skewer with a toothpick or create a DIY setup with diced tomatoes, shredded lettuce cheese and other toppings.

Easy Mini Cheesecakes

We are a house divided. For me, chocolate is always acceptable when it comes to dessert. But, sadly, I married a chocolate hater. {Yes, they exist!!!}

Though we have managed to navigate around this major tiny issue, it's something that comes up again and again when I'm in charge of bringing dessert to family get togethers. {Read: Always.} Before I had a little one, I'd occasionally have enough time to make two separate full-sized desserts to please all palates; these days I'm lucky if I can crank out a bowl of instant pudding.

As many moms hone a whole new set of skills and "hacks" to make life easier, I have come up with the perfect solution for this little dilemma: Mini Cheesecakes.

First of all, cheesecake happens to be one of my top choices of indulgence, so right off the bat it's a win for me. These bite sized desserts are made with only a handful of ingredients {most of which I usually have on hand}, are partially made in the blender, and only take a fraction of the time that regular cheesecake does.

Plus, you can get multiple flavor possibilities out of just one batch! Chocolate Strawberry, White Chocolate Lemon, Peanut Butter Pretzel, Cafe Mocha... just a few simple additions and substitutions can turn the simple base into a variety of delectable little bites that everyone will enjoy.

That means chocolate for me and smiles all around. Even for chocolate-hating oddballs. {Sorry, honey!}

Head over to Stonyfield Organic's Yogurt Dish blog, where I'm sharing my super simple tips and tricks for making a batch of these cuties!

What's your favorite dessert to make for a crowd?

Brown Butter Banana Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake

Would you believe me if I told you this was a bundt cake and that it was really, really good?

Because it is, and it was.

I haven't done a whole lot of baking lately, and the baking I have done hasn't produced anything blog-worthy. Instead, I have become addicted to watching Dateline, 20/20 and 48 Hours On Demand and getting my baking fix through Kids Baking Championship on Food Network. It's all the fun, minus the clean up and calories. It's also a nice little show to lighten the watchlist, because I'd rather go to sleep dreaming about cake than about murderers.

If you haven't watched KBC, it's basically a baking competition featuring a group of kids vying for $10,000, being judged by cake guru Duff Goldman and actress-turned-cooking personality Valerie Bertinelli. Each week they are given a theme or a challenge for their baking creations and either advance to the next round or get voted off. {I have no idea how Duff & Valerie do it with those puppy dog eyes staring at them!}

I am blown away by those smart, talented little people. They are hilarious and inspiring, and I'm hoping that watching them in action will give me some clue as to how to make my own child turn out to be charming and eloquent. I won't hate it if he can whip up a mean French pastry while he's at it, but beggars can't be choosers.

You'd never know from from all the talk of  "ganache", "coulis" and "creme anglais" that these pint sized bakers only range in age from 10-13, and their ingenuity at problem solving when their plans go awry is pretty spectacular. {Plus, their nasal little voices and chubby cheeks are so stinkin' cute. It's amazing the things you find darling when you're no longer in charge of teaching these rascals.} Most of the time, they try to convince the judges that they meant to produce whatever it is that turned out once their time is up, which isn't necessarily truthful, but is a nice last-ditch effort to win.

So when this very delicious Brown Butter Banana Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake crumbled into a pile of cake rubble as I was turning it out of the {clearly, not properly greased} pan, I channeled the mini baking masterminds and thought to myself, "Hmm. Now how can I make it look like I meant to do that?" And this is as good as it got.

If you're not falling for the presentation, don't let it deter you from trying it out for yourself because you'll be missing out for sure. Not only is this recipe super easy, but it's also extremely flavorful thanks to the extra {but worthwhile} step of browning the butter, which lends a nutty, almost toffee-like note. And banana and chocolate together? Always a winning combo.

Some weeks things don't quite work out the way you want them to. This is one of those weeks. But let's just pretend I meant to lose half of my cake to the bundt pan, and that I had planned to photograph it all cut up. Yeah. We'll go with that...

Brown Butter Banana Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake

Barely adapted from The Best of Fine Cooking, 2010 Party Food Edition

Makes 1 bundt cake that serves 12, or 2 mini bundts made in a 6 cup pan

1 cup {2 sticks} unsalted butter
1 1/3 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 2/3 cups all purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3 eggs
1 cup mashed banana {about 2 medium bananas}
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare bundt pan* by buttering or spraying with non-stick spray. {Do a good job so that you don't have to fudge your presentation like I did!}

2. In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium-high heat. Bring it to a bubble and allow it to simmer until it starts to turn light brown and smells toffee-like or nutty. This should take about 5-7 minutes.

3. When the butter is browned, remove from heat and pour it through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl to remove the brown sediment that will form at the bottom. Set the bowl of hot melted butter aside to cool slightly.

3. Meanwhile, sift together the salt, flour and baking soda in a small bowl.

4. In another bowl, whisk together sugar and cooled butter until smooth. Add in the eggs, mashed banana and vanilla extract and beat until everything is well-incorporated.

5. Add the flour mixture and chocolate chips into the wet ingredients and fold everything together until well-combined. Don't overdo it or you'll end up with a tough cake.

6. Pour the batter into the buttered baking pan and bake for about 40-45 minutes, or until a knife or skewer inserted in the middle comes out mostly clean {a few crumbs are ok}.

Remove the cake from the oven and set is aside to cool for 20 minutes or so. Carefully flip over the bundt pan and give it light tap to remove the cake -- hope you have better luck than I do!

The good news is, whether in crumbs or as a whole, the cake is equally as divine!

* Making this much batter will give you either 1 large bundt cake in a 10-cup bundt pan, or 2 small bundts made with a 6-cup pan {baked for about 25 minutes}. You can also make this in muffin tins or any other cake tins you desire, but you'll have to adjust the cook time accordingly. Have I given you enough options yet?

Roasted Tomato Soup | OXO Illuminating Digital Immersion Blender

Kids are weird. They're peculiar for lots of reasons, but in today's example, I'm talking specifically about their relationship with food.

My little munchkin has gone through his own trials and tribulations with eating in his short 14 months of life, and I'm fairly certain they are to blame for the silver strands that are sprouting from my head. Though he seemed eager to begin solids around the 6 month mark, his interest wavered a few weeks later and he refused all forms of solids for many months to follow. We tried every trick we came across to get him back into the groove, but nope. He just wasn't into it.

Once he decided that eating solids was back on his radar, he was the best little eater around... for about a month. And then we went from loving finger foods to wanting to be spoon fed. Adoring scrambled eggs to abhorring them. Being wild about black beans to deciding they're better suited for pitching practice.

My dreams of homemade purees and snacks have been shot down more than once. And while he will indulge my yearnings and take down one of my homespun concoctions every so often, he is sure to keep me guessing as to what each day will hold. {For the record, his options include only "real" food.}

Currently, we are having to dip all foods in hummus for them to make the list of things he will consider putting in his mouth. {Not counting toys, lint, crumbs under the couch and anything else that looks remotely intriguing. Go figure.}

He's often curious about the foods he sees us eating and asks for a taste, which has made me more accountable about the things I'm allowing in my own diet. {And has lead to the occasional bout of hidden Nutella-eating, I'm not gonna lie.}

This Roasted Tomato Soup is among the recent "winners" passing the toddler test.

This soup came about when I ran myself ragged around the holidays and wound up with an annoying head cold. After spending a good 8 hours straight on my couch watching Anne of Green Gables surrounded by mountains of tissues {some for my runny nose and some because of Matthew Cuthbert and Gilbert Blythe}, I needed something quick, easy and warm to eat. I roasted a big container of cherry tomatoes, added a few ingredients for flavor and then blended it all up with my newest favorite kitchen tool: my OXO Illuminating Digital Immersion Blender.

Whether I'm attempting to make food for Cole or blending sauces or soups for the grown-ups, this thing makes life so much easier. You don't have to worry about splashing and splatters because the intuitive digital controls steadily increase or decrease the blending speed, and the silicone shaft helps to protect your bowls and cookware while you use it. It even has a soft-glow LED light that lets you see what you're blending if you're working with a deep pot or don't have great lighting.

The only way this blender could get better is if it guaranteed that my kid would eat the finished product... and then cleaned up the kitchen. In this case, one out of two isn't so bad.

Either way, you'll end up with a nice batch of tangy homemade soup that's great whether you're looking for a fast bite, a cold-soothing meal or a toddler-approved food.

I'll take the victories wherever I can get them!

Roasted Tomato Soup

1 16 oz. container of grape tomatoes
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 cloves of garlic, smashed
Approximately 1/4 cup basil leaves

Plus: Olive oil & salt to taste

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Toss the whole tomatoes with about a tablespoon of olive oil, then season liberally with salt.

2. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the tomatoes start to burst and blister in parts. Remove from oven and cool slightly.

3. Pour the tomatoes & their juices into the blending beaker if using an immersion blender and add chicken broth. Blend to desired consistency.*

4. Pour the blended soup into a saucepan over medium heat, and add smashed garlic cloves and basil leaves. Bring up to a simmer and cook for about 10-15 minutes.**

5. Remove smashed garlic cloves and wilted basil leaves, or blend the basil into the soup directly in the pot with your immersion blender.

Serve hot with croutons, crackers or a hot grilled cheese. Mmm....

*If you like your soup on the chunky side, don't blend it completely. For silky, smooth soup, run it through a fine mesh strainer to catch the seeds and sediment. If you don't have an immersion blender {get one!}, simply use a regular blender.

**If your soup gets too thick, just add a little more chicken broth or water.

Note: This soup is creamy without adding cream, but you can add a bit of cream or half and have for a tomato bisque-type soup. It's great either way!

Disclosure: I was sent an OXO Immersion Blender for review. As always, the opinions you see here are all my own!

Sriracha-Honey Glazed Broccoli Meatballs

I'm a few weeks behind, but Happy New Year!

Our year has gotten off to a jam-packed start, and I've definitely been struggling with getting back into the blogging routine. It happens. {More often than I'd like to admit.}

While I've hardly been home during the first few weekends of the new year, I've spent my weekdays at home cleaning, purging and organizing in order to get a fresh start on 2016. I'm talking open those junk drawers, throw out old underwear, eliminate expired makeup, toss chipped dishes, down to the nitty-gritty cleaning, folks. Few things make me happier.

I've seen a lot of bloggers and friends set "intention words" to focus on for the year, which is very evolved, mature and introspective of them... but I can barely decide on what I'm going to eat for lunch let alone choose one major life area to focus on for the entire year.

It's no secret that I'm nowhere near concise when it comes to words. So I guess if I had to choose just one word, it would be, "Do." Ok, maybe that's a bit broad. How about, "Engage." {Am I doing this right?} What I mean is, I would like to make this the year of "Less Talk, More Action."

So, yeah... that right there is pretty much why I don't participate in this activity.

Though I haven't intentionally been, you know, intentional until right this second, I think I've done a pretty good job of "doing" in the past few weeks. For example, I've FINALLY started cutting up old college t-shirts that have been living in a bin in my closet for the past :::slurs number::: years, waiting patiently to be turned into a t-shirt quilt. {I don't quilt, but I plan on sending out the project to someone who can complete it for me.}

I've tried to be better about taking action on things immediately so they don't pile up, like emails, snail mail, dishes and laundry. I've taken lots of time to sit down on the floor with my little guy and play hard instead of waiting for him to get cranky because I'm not paying enough attention to him. {Hence the radio silence on the blog.}

I still have a lot to work on, specifically when it comes to professional goals that I keep putting on the back burner or planning to get to "down the road." It's time to get going! How do you take it one day at a time while springing into action??? A bit of a paradox, but I'm hoping to figure it out sometime. {Sooner than later, please.}

If part of your goals include cooking up easy but enjoyable food this year, then I'm here to help you take action with these Sriracha-Honey Glazed Broccoli Meatballs. If you can chop, mix, and turn on an oven {and stove top burner}, then you can make these in less than 30 minutes.

I always make meatballs with ground turkey since I don't eat red meat, but you could use whatever meat you'd like. The glaze {which I adapted from an old Martha Stewart Everyday Magazine recipe that I found during my organization overhaul} would make pretty much anything taste good, from vegetables to styrofoam. {I'm not responsible for anyone who decides to try it on styrofoam.}

These turkey meatballs are great to serve alongside rice or quinoa, or to set out as a fairly healthy bize-sized snack during sports-watching and parties. They're a little sweet {thanks to grated carrot and honey}, a little salty, and a hint spicy.  They even contain broccoli to up the veg factor. Basically, they've got it more together than I do.

{Note: If you don't already use a spring-loaded cookie scoop-type contraption for portioning out your meatballs and other items that need to be approximately the same size, then I highly recommend adding one to your shopping list. They make this task easy peasy.}

I won't use the "R" word that rhymes with "schmezolutions", but what kinds of things are you focusing on going into 2016?

Sriracha-Honey Glazed Broccoli Meatballs
Makes about 24 1inch meatballs

1 pound ground turkey{or ground beef}
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 cup finely grated carrot
1/2 cup finely chopped broccoli florets

For Glaze:
1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce or tamari
1 tablespoon sriracha
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger {or 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger}
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon water
1 heaping teaspoon cornstarch

Optional: Sesame seeds or green onion

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking pan with foil and spray lightly with oil. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl, combine all of the meatball ingredients and stir together with a fork until the mixture is somewhat uniform, but try not to mash it down or overwork it.

3. Using a cookie scoop, scoop the meat out and roll it into meatballs. Place them on the prepared baking pan an inch or two apart. Bake for 20 minutes or until cooked through.

For Glaze:

1. In a small saucepan, whisk together all the glaze ingredients over medium-high heat.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together about a tablespoon of water and a teaspoon of corn starch until completely smooth.

3. Add the cornstarch slurry to the saucepan and whisk for about 30 seconds. Let the mixture come to a bubble, whisking while the glaze thickens. Cook for another minute or so, then remove from heat.

4. Pour into a large clean bowl. When the meatballs are ready, remove from the oven and place them in the bowl with the glaze, tossing to coat. Sprinkle with sesame seeds or green onion if desired.

Serve as an appetizer or alongside rice or quinoa for a complete meal.