Pork Chop Vegetable Soup

Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Serves 4

  • 2 boneless Ontario Pork Loin Centre Chops (250 g)
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tbsp (15 mL) vegetable oil
  • 1 carton (900 mL) sodium-free chicken broth
  • 2 cups (500 mL) sliced Ontario Crimini Mushrooms
  • 1 tbsp (15 mL) grated fresh gingerroot
  • 3 cloves Ontario Garlic, pressed
  • 4 Ontario Baby Bok Choy, quartered lengthwise
  • 3 tbsp (45 mL) hoisin sauce
  • 1 tbsp (15 mL) each soy sauce and rice vinegar
  • 1 tsp (5 mL) each sesame oil and sriracha sauce
  • 2 cups (500 mL) cooked spaghetti
  • 2 cups (500 mL) Ontario Corn Kernels
  • 4 soft cooked Ontario Eggs, peeled and halved
  • 3 Ontario Green Onions, thinly sliced
  • Crushed red pepper flakes

     
Instructions

Season pork with salt and pepper. In large pot, heat oil over medium-high heat; cook pork turning once, until hint of pink remains, about 5 minutes. Transfer to cutting board; let rest before thinly slicing.

Add broth, 1/4 cup (50 mL) water, mushrooms, ginger and garlic to pot. Cover, bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low; partially cover, simmer for 5 minutes. Increase heat to high. Add bok choy, cook for 2 minutes or until leaves wilt. Remove bok choy; divide among 4 large soup bowls. Stir in hoisin, soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil and sriracha into pot; cover and bring to boil.

Divide spaghetti, corn, eggs and pork among soup bowls; ladle hot soup. Sprinkle with onions and red pepper flakes.

Tip: For intense mushroom flavour, try shiitake mushrooms and slice only the caps (reserve the stems for broth).
 

Bok Choy and Beef Stir-Fry

Quick, tasty and local, this stir-fry is quicker than calling for take-out. Serve over rice or rice noodles.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes    
Cooking Time: about 10 minutes
Serves 4

  • 3 tbsp (45 mL) oyster sauce
  • 1 tbsp (15 mL) sodium-reduced soy sauce
  • 2 tsp (10 mL) cornstarch
  • 1 tsp (5 mL) Asian chili garlic sauce (or to taste)
  • 2 tbsp (25 mL) vegetable oil
  • 12 oz (375 g) Ontario Boneless Beef Grilling Steak, cut across grain into thin strips
  • 1 package (454 g) Ontario Baby Bok Choy, sliced in half lengthwise
  • 2 cloves Ontario Garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp (5 mL) each sesame oil and toasted sesame seeds


Instructions

In small bowl, whisk together, 1/4 cup (50 mL) of cold water, oyster sauce, soy sauce, cornstarch and chili garlic sauce. Set aside.

In wok or large deep skillet, heat 1 tbsp (15 mL) of the oil over medium-high heat. Stir-fry beef in batches for 2 minutes or until browned but still pink inside; transfer to bowl.

Add remaining oil to skillet. Stir in bok choy and garlic; stir-fry 1 minute.  Add 3 tbsp
(45 mL) of water. Cover and stir occasionally for 3 minutes or until bok choy is tender-crisp. Stir in beef with any accumulated juices and reserved sauce. Stir-fry until sauce thickens, 1 minute. Stir in sesame oil and sprinkle with sesame seeds.


Chocolate Caramel Pear Wedges

Looking for a new craft activity to try at your child’s birthday party? Here’s a great idea that’s fun and tastes delicious. Before the children arrive, prepare pears by dipping them in the caramel and cookie mixtures. Refrigerate. Melt semisweet chocolate chips (you may wish to double this, so that each child has their own little bowl). Give each child a pear and a fork and let them decorate. While the chocolate is hardening, serve the birthday cake (serve any extra melted caramel as a sauce with the cake and ice cream). Then finish off the decorating with the white chocolate.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Refrigeration Time: 45 minutes
Serves 6

  • 6 large Ontario Pears
  • 1 cup (250 mL) coarsely crushed oatmeal cookies or granola
  • 2 cups (500 mL)    vanilla or chocolate caramels (about 12 oz/340 g)
  • 2 tbsp (25 mL) water
  • 1/2 cup (125 mL) semisweet chocolate chips
  • 2 tbsp (25 mL) shortening
  • 1/2 cup (125 mL) white chocolate chips

 

Instructions

Wash and dry pears well.  Line baking sheet with lightly greased waxed paper. Place  crushed cookies in shallow bowl; set aside. In saucepan, melt caramels with water over  medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Dip one pear at a time into caramel mixture to cover bottom quarter, using spoon if necessary to help and letting excess drip back into pan. Set on prepared baking sheets; chill until just tacky.
    
Dip bottom of each pear into cookie crumbs; return to tray and refrigerate until caramel is firm, about 15 minutes.

In small saucepan, melt semisweet chocolate chips with 1 tbsp (15 mL) of the shortening over low heat. For each child, place each pear on large piece of waxed paper. Using fork, let each child drizzle chocolate over pears. Return to baking sheet; refrigerate until set, about 15 minutes.

Melt white chocolate with remaining shortening. Repeat drizzling with white chocolate.  Refrigerate until set, about 15 minutes.