Pan-Roasted 5-Spice Pork Loin � Pleasing and Teasing

Now that it�s been posted, I can admit this easy, pan-roasted pork loin was just an elaborate tease for a video I�ve wanted to post for years; the Vietnamese b�nh m� sandwich! If you�ve had one, you�ll fully understand my excitement. If you haven�t, do not miss the next video.

Having admitted my true motivation, I will also say that this very tasty technique is impressive enough in its own right. The misleadingly simple marinade produces big flavor, and by splitting/scoring the pork, we not only have something that absorbs the seasoning quickly, but also cooked faster, and more uniformly.

I�ve been trying to get you to buy that bottle of Asian fish sauce for years now, and maybe this will be the recipe that does it. That really is a key here, as is the Chinese 5-spice powder. Mine included cinnamon, ginger, anise seed, fennel seed, and clove; but this can vary brand to brand. Whatever you find should work, otherwise, just combine equal parts of what I just listed, and you�ve made you own.

I think this particular marinade works great for a 30-minute soak at room temp. Just keep turning it over every so often, and that�s it, you�re ready to cook. Or simply wrap and keep in the fridge for 2-3 hours, or even up to overnight. So, stay tuned for the upcoming b�nh m� video, and in the meantime, I really hope you give pan-roasted pork loin a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 large portions:

2 pound boneless pork loin roast, cut in half lengthwise, and scored

For the marinade:

1/4 cup rice vinegar

3 cloves garlic, finely minced or crushed

2 tablespoons fish sauce

1 tablespoon soy sauce

2 teaspoons sriracha, or to taste

1 teaspoon fine salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon Chinese 5-spice powder

1 tablespoon vegetable oil for the pan

Next Up: Something Easy & Delcious with Pork Loin

Shrimp Toast � Is Toast the New Wing?

While virtually unknown compared to most other popular fried party snacks, these shrimp toasts are easy to make, and every bit as delicious, and addictive, as those Buffalo wings, or jalape�o poppers. Well, all that�s about to change.

Nobody goes to a friend�s house to watch the game, and expects to see a plate of these crispy-on-one-side, soft-and-savory-on-the-other-side treats, but after a few of you make these, and word spreads, I�m sure it will just be a matter of time.

Speaking of spreads, since we apply the shrimp mixture raw, it�s not like you can dip a finger in to taste it. So, to check for seasoning, especially the salt, you may want to fry a small piece (like during meatball production), and adjust from there. I added a tiny pinch of salt, but thanks to the soy, anchovy, and fish sauce, you may not need any.

These are significantly better served warm than cold, so maybe fry them in batches, and/or keep warm in an oven. And yes, if you don�t do shrimp, any other raw seafood will work. By the way, I have it on good authority that these are magnificent served with cold beer, and for that reason alone I hope you give these a try soon. Enjoy!

Makes about 16 Shrimp Toasts:

1/2 pound raw shrimp, peeled and deveined

1/4 cup diced water chestnuts

1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves

1/2 cup green onion, finely sliced

3 garlic cloves, crushed

1 tablespoon finely grated ginger

1 anchovy filet

1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

1 teaspoon fish sauce

1 tablespoon soy sauce, or more to taste

1 egg white

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon paprika

pinch cayenne pepper

pinch of salt

4 large slices white bread

sesame seeds, optional

vegetable oil for frying

One-Pot Chicken & Sausage Orzo � Tastes Like You Used at Least 3 or 4 Pots

There�s something extra satisfying about a recipe like this one-pot chicken and sausage orzo, where you just basically dump the ingredients in a pot, and wait until it�s cooked. Sure, you have to stir it a few times, and it helps if you add stuff in the right order, but for how delicious this comes out, you�re doing very little actual work.

Having said that, there are a few variables involved, so you will have to really keep and eye on the pot for the entire 10-15 minutes, or however long it takes. The size of the orzo �grain� can really vary, so be sure to check for doneness early, and stop when it�s 95% tender, as it will continue to soften as you complete the final steps.

I like to keep a little extra broth on the side, in case my mixture gets too dry, and the pasta is not yet cooked. Just splash some in and keep on stirring. On the other hand, if your pasta is cooked and there is a little too much liquid, well, that�s life. You�ll just be enjoying an extra �saucy� dish that day.

Of course this will work with countless combos of sausage, veggies, and other small-sized pastas, so go forth and multiply. By the way, the nice thing about using a very flavorful sausage, like a spicy Italian, is that most of the seasoning is done for you. Or, go with fresh ground meat, and you can flavor it any way you want. No matter what you use, I hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 portions:

2 teaspoons olive oil

2 (6 ounce) spicy Italian sausages, casing removed

1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces, OR 2 chicken breasts, cut into bit sized pieces

3 cups chicken broth, plus more as needed
1/2 cup tomato sauce

1 1/2 cups uncooked orzo (rice-shaped pasta)

1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste

1/2 cup finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano

1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley

2 tablespoons sliced fresh chives

4 tablespoons ricotta cheese to garnish

Next Up: A One-Pot Pasta, Orzo I've Heard

Happy New Year!

I hope you all enjoyed a very nice holiday, and relatively painless New Year's Eve. Michele and I have been in San Diego to attend her sister's wedding, but we're returning tonight, and ready to get back to work. If you can call what I do work, that is. 

We're looking forward to uploading some brand new videos this week, and to make up for being away, I promise not to post any videos of me dancing at the wedding reception. You can't un-see something like that. Stay tuned!

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Homemade Instant Hot Chocolate Mix � Special Last Minute Edible Christmas Gift Idea!

So, you didn�t exactly get your Christmas shopping done early this year. In fact, it�s Christmas Eve, and you haven�t started yet. Well, you�re in luck, because there�s such a thing as this homemade instant hot chocolate mix. We really shouldn�t be rewarding you for procrastinating, but that�s exactly what we are doing here. 

Not only is this stuff way better tasting, and contains no �how do you pronounce that?� ingredients, but it also takes just seconds to make, and you may already have everything you need in the pantry. Just make sure one of those things is a very high quality cocoa powder.

I�m linking to the same exact Dutch-processed �cocoa rouge" that I used here, so that you can get all the particulars, and hopefully find something very similar. The better the cocoa, the better the hot chocolate. Or is it hot cocoa? Either way.

By the way, this will be the last video of the year, and we�ll be taking a little break until the New Year. Whether it includes homemade hot chocolate or not, I want to wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year! And, as always, enjoy!

Makes enough for about 20 cups of hot chocolate:

1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2 cup white sugar

1 teaspoon fine salt

pinch of cayenne

- Use 2 tablespoons per cup of hot milk