Thrifty Dinner: Stir Fry

We've all had those days. The ones when you haven't been to the store in days and you've got limited ingredients and a hungry family (or in my case, a hungry hubby and pregnant self). Cobbling together something cohesive to eat can seem a daunting task.

This was the conundrum I was faced with tonight. How to feed 2 (and a half, if you include the baby belly) on one pork chop. And this wasn't a nice thick cut chop that I could butterfly and pound out. It was a thin chop.

So what do you do?

Well I took stock of what other ingredients I had on hand: half a head of broccoli, a handful of baby carrots, a packet of ramen noodles, and a myriad of spices and sauces.

One of the staple sauces I like to keep in my pantry is ready-made teriyaki sauce (I know, I know, homemade is better—but seriously, who has the time!?).

Stir-fry is one of those dishes you can't really mess up. You just throw whatever you have on hand into a wok, toss on a sauce and put it over rice or noodles. It's extremely economical because rice and noodles are cheap ($0.15/pack of ramen feeds 2 people) and you don't need a lot of protein (or any) to make a hearty meal.

Stir Fry is more a formula than a recipe.
Protein (or extra Veg) + 2(or more) vegetables + Sauce + Rice/Noodle + High Heat = Yummy

For example, my dinner tonight read as follows:
Pork chop + (Broccoli + Carrots) + Teriyaki + Ramen

Each element can be substituted or replaced according to what you have on hand.

The HOW is the real important point here.
When it comes to your proteins, quick, hot cooking is key. I like to slice my meats into thin strips, this provides maximum surface area for quick browning and flavor development. I have found that I can feed 4 people with 1 chicken breast (always buy the ones with rib meat. They are cheaper and more meat!).

Next I season my meat (salt, pepper, garlic seasoning if you like) and then dredge it in corn starch. The cornstarch will create a great crispy exterior.

Make sure all your veg are prepped and sliced in bite size pieces.

Next get your rice and or noodles cooking.

Heat your wok super hot (med-high heat) with a little cooking oil. Once the oil shimmers, add your meat. Once you've got it nice and brown, add the heartier veggies (broccoli, carrots, squashes) and cook till tender/crisp. Add sauce, heat through and serve.

((EDIT: I apologize for the lack of pictures. I had taken a great one—I swear—but my cellphone corrupted the picture >.<))

Thyme Pork Chops with Pasta and Garlic Cream sauce

As promised (ok maybe a day late, but it's better than never)the delicious meal I made the other night. Thyme pork chops with pasta and garlic cream sauce. It's so easy and filling. I only have 2 people to cook for so this is a two serving (and nothing is exact) recipe.

Ingredients:
2 pork chops
1 tsp dried thyme
1 pinch of paprika
salt and pepper to taste
Olive oil (or vegetable oil if you're poor like me) enough to coat bottom of pan
1 handful of pasta (however much you normally eat)
fresh or frozen veggies ( I used 1 carrot and frozen corn, but you can use whatever you have on hand)
1 small onion
2 cloves of garlic
Philadelphia Garlic Cooking Cream

How To:
Boil water and throw in pasta.

Season pork chops with salt, pepper, thyme and a pinch of paprika. Heat oil in pan over medium/ med low heat and brown meat. After browning on both sides set chops aside to rest. In the same pan cook onions and garlic until soft. Add vegetables and cover, cooking a few minutes until veggies are thawed but slightly crisp. Stir in several big spoonfuls of Philadelphia Garlic Cooking Cream (you could do it with any of the others too. (Or just plain cream cheese and whatever seasonings you want!)

Drain pasta and add into pan. Toss pasta with veggies and sauce. Pile on a plate and place chops on top. Then just dig in and enjoy! Personally I think this is going to be a new comfort meal for me. I can't wait to make it again, and I hope that some of you out there will enjoy it as well