Tag: soy sauce

Crockpot Asian Meatballs

And just like that, another year is almost over! As it turns out, my mother was on point when she told 13-year-old Amye not to wish her life away. I turned around, and a another whole year has flown by!

Do most of you celebrate New Year’s Eve in a big way? We never really have. We typically prefer to keep things relaxed and low-key on New Year’s Eve. We have camped in the past, which was always fun. Winter camping is my absolute favorite because there are no bugs! And, occasionally, we have friends over. But no matter where we are or how we celebrate, we never have a sit-down meal.

We will prepare appetizers and hors d’oeuvres for the evening. And after all of the Christmas cooking, the easier and quicker the recipe is, the better!

These Asian Meatballs could not be easier! Dump everything in the crockpot, set it for 2 hours, and wait. They are yummy, with the addicting flavor of soy sauce and ginger, with just a touch of sweet heat that you can customize to your taste! My grandson can clean a plate of these in no time! Adults will be thrilled to have these as well.

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Crockpot Asian Meatballs

Course Appetizer
Author Amye Melton

Equipment

  • crockpot

Ingredients

  • 1 (48-oz.) pkg. fully cooked homestyle frozen meatballs
  • 1 cup hoisin sauce
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • sriracha sauce optional, to taste
  • sliced green onion for garnish
  • sesame seeds for garnish

Instructions

  • Add meatballs to a crockpot.
  • In a bowl, mix hoisin, soy, honey, vinegar, garlic powder, ginger, brown sugar and sriracha. Pour over meatballs and mix.
  • Cook on LOW 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Check after 2 hours.

Notes

If you prefer a thicker sauce, you could thicken with cornstarch.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And just like that, another year is almost over! As it turns out, my mother was on point when she told 13-year-old Amye not to wish her life away. I turned around, and a another whole year has flown by!

Do most of you celebrate New Year’s Eve in a big way? We never really have. We typically prefer to keep things relaxed and low-key on New Year’s Eve. We have camped in the past, which was always fun. Winter camping is my absolute favorite because there are no bugs! And, occasionally, we have friends over. But no matter where we are or how we celebrate, we never have a sit-down meal.

We will prepare appetizers and hors d’oeuvres for the evening. And after all of the Christmas cooking, the easier and quicker the recipe is, the better!

These Asian Meatballs could not be easier! Dump everything in the crockpot, set it for 2 hours, and wait. They are yummy, with the addicting flavor of soy sauce and ginger, with just a touch of sweet heat that you can customize to your taste! My grandson can clean a plate of these in no time! Adults will also be just as thrilled to have these. 

Print Pin

Crockpot Asian Meatballs

Course Appetizer
Author Amye Melton

Equipment

  • crockpot

Ingredients

  • 1 (48-oz.) pkg. fully cooked homestyle frozen meatballs
  • 1 cup hoisin sauce
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • sriracha sauce optional, to taste
  • sliced green onion for garnish
  • sesame seeds for garnish

Instructions

  • Add meatballs to a crockpot.
  • In a bowl, mix hoisin, soy, honey, vinegar, garlic powder, ginger, brown sugar and sriracha. Pour over meatballs and mix.
  • Cook on LOW 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Check after 2 hours.

Notes

If you prefer a thicker sauce, you could thicken with cornstarch.  

Fish with Soy Glaze and Cucumber Salsa

 

Greg and I just returned from a short trip to the beach. It was relaxing and fun but oh so hot! We have always been beach people, spending most of our time in the sand rather than the pool. However, with no air stirring this time, we stayed in the pool most of the time.

We usually travel to the Gulf of Mexico. We even lived down there for a few years. We know the restaurants we like and dislike. However, we stayed closer to home on this trip, so every restaurant was new to us.

Other than a few recommendations, we were on our own with some help from the internet. However, help really isn’t the word I should use there. Have you tried to read online reviews lately? How frustrating is that now? Online restaurant reviews are such a mixed bag of opinions nowadays. Nobody shares the same thoughts, which can be far more confusing than helpful.

Now, back home, we are moving back into the house from the camper! So it’s busy and exciting here, and cooking is much easier. With my beach vibes still in gear, I prepared this delicious Fish with Soy Glaze and Cucumber Salsa when we returned home. I discovered the recipe several years ago, which is still one of our favorites.

The fried fish with the soy glaze is fantastic! Paired with the cucumber salsa, it is always a hit at our house! I used the last of my homegrown cucumbers for the salsa. Any flaky white fish will work in this recipe. Our favorite side for this dish is garlic mashed potatoes.

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Fish with Soy Glaze and Cucumber Salsa

Course Main Course
Author Amye Melton

Ingredients

  • Cucumber Salsa:
  • 1 cucumber peeled, seeded & chopped
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon low-sodium soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
  • 2 scallions chopped
  • 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
  • Sauce:
  • 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons dry white wine
  • Fish:
  • 6 (3-ounce) pieces flaky white fillets
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

Instructions

  • Make the cucumber salsa first. In a bowl, combine cucumber, soy sauce, vinegar, scallions, and cilantro, and mix well. Cover and set aside.
  • To make the sauce, in a medium saucepan over low heat, stir together the soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, and wine. Stir frequently until the sugar is completely dissolved, about 3 minutes. Pour the sauce into a small bowl and set aside.
  • Dredge the fish in the flour. Heat a skillet on medium-high until hot. Add the olive oil and heat until hot but not smoking. Saute the fish for 2½ minutes on each side, until browned. Reduce the heat to medium, then pour in the sauce mixture and cover with a lid. Cook until the fish is cooked through, about 5 to 6 minutes.
  • Place the fillets on a platter, and pour the pan juices over the top. Serve immediately with a sprinkling of sesame seeds and the salsa on the side.

Notes

You can make the salsa the day before and store in the refrigerator.

Banh Mi Turkey Burgers

 

Banh Mi Turkey Burgers

We all get comfortable with our normal, or I know I do. My normal was a handful of dinner meals that I made on a routine basis. They are easy, need no recipe, and I always know my family will enjoy them. Finding new, healthy recipes can sometimes be a challenge. Not because I have little kids to please, but because Greg is so hard to please.

I had never heard of this burger until I was researching recipes. With the ingredient list, I knew it would was something we would enjoy, and it did not disappoint! We ate our burgers in lettuce wraps, but a whole wheat bun or English muffin would be a nice addition. The turkey burgers themselves have a ton of flavor, the pickled vegetables add a fantastic component, then top that off with the mild heat of the sriracha sauce, and it is terrific! This burger will most definitely be part of my new normal!

Banh Mi Turkey Burgers
 
Author:
Serves: 4
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Ingredients
  • 1 lb. 99% fat free ground turkey
  • 1 tbsp. fish sauce
  • 1 tsp. fresh lime juice
  • 2 tsp. soy sauce
  • 2 garlic cloves, grated
  • 2 tsp. fresh grated ginger
  • ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
  • ¼ c. chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1 - 2 green onions, chopped
  • 1 tbsp. sesame oil
  • Pickled jalapenos
  • Lettuce leaves or buns
  • PICKLED VEGETABLES:
  • ¼ c. sliced English cucumber
  • 1 carrot, peeled and grated
  • 1 -2 radishes, grated
  • 2 tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1 tbsp. fresh lime juice
  • ¼ tsp. salt
  • pinch granulated sugar
  • SRIRACHA SAUCE
  • ⅓ c. fat free plain Greek yogurt
  • 2 tsp. Sriracha
Instructions
  1. In a large bowl, gently mix turkey, fish sauce, lime juice, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, black pepper, cilantro, onions, and sesame oil. Cover bowl with plastic and place in the refrigerator to marinate for 30 minutes.
  2. In the meantime, mix the cucumber, carrot, and cilantro in a bowl. Add the lime juice, salt and sugar and toss to coat. Refrigerate until ready to use.
  3. To make sauce whisk the yogurt and Sriracha in a small bowl and set aside.
  4. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Remove the turkey from the refrigerator. Divide into 4 sections and gently pat out the burgers. This will be a little messy. Gently place the burgers in the heated skillet and cook about 5 to 6 minutes per side or until cooked through.
  5. To assemble, place burger on lettuce leave or bun and top with Sriracha Sauce and a tablespoon or so or the pickled vegetables.
Notes
WW Freestyle Points = 1 point per serving

 

Sesame Chicken Kabobs

Asian sesame chicken kabobs

 

I wanted to start this post by saying something about “grilling weather”, but truth be told, grilling weather is year-round at our house.  We have a Traeger and love to grill on it all year.  It’s just a little bit nicer when the weather cooperates!

This is an easy and delicious recipe that doesn’t require a long marinating time.  It’s great with rice and a salad and of course Yum-Yum sauce.  (I really wish I didn’t like that stuff!)

I was short on skewers so you’ll notice I have one skewer per kabob.  However, food tends to rotate when you use one skewer, which often makes it difficult to turn on the grill.  If you will use 2 skewers per kabob it works much better.  Also, if you’ll soak your wooden skewers in water at least 30 minutes before grilling, your skewers will not burn, as mine did.

 

Sesame Chicken Kabobs
 
Author:
Serves: 6
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Ingredients
  • 6 chicken breast halves, skinned and boned
  • ¼ c. + 2 tbsp. teriyaki sauce
  • ¼ c. soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp. sesame seeds
  • 3 tbsp. vegetable oil
  • 2 tbsp. dark sesame oil
  • 6 to 12-inch wooden skewers
  • bell peppers, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • onion wedges
Instructions
  1. Cut chicken into 1-inch pieces; arrange in a shallow container, set aside.
  2. Combine teriyaki sauce, soy sauce, sesame seeds, vegetable oil, and sesame oil and whisk together. Pour over chicken, toss to coat. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 3 hours.
  3. Soak wooden skewers in water at least 30 minutes. Remove chicken from marinade, reserving marinade. Thread chicken alternately with peppers and onions onto skewers. Grill kabobs over medium hot coals for 3 to 5 minutes on each side, or until chicken is done, basting frequently with reserved marinade.

 
Yum-Yum Sauce
 
Author:
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Ingredients
  • 1¼ c. mayonnaise
  • ¼ c. water
  • 1 tsp. tomato paste
  • 1 tbsp. melted butter
  • ½ tsp. garlic powder
  • 1 tsp. sugar
  • ¼ tsp paprika
  • dash cayenne pepper
Instructions
  1. Whisk all ingredients together until smooth. Cover and refrigerate overnight.