Vietnamese Beef Soup

1 pound boneless top round or beef tip sirloin steak (I buy the already sliced very thin strips of steak) Place in freezer for 45 minutes to make it easier to slice
4-5 cups of beef stock (kitchen basics) is my favorite
2 tablespoons tamari (aged soy sauce)
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
1 cinnamon stick
4 ounces of rice noodles (rice sticks)
1/2 cup thinly sliced or julienned carrots
2 cups fresh bean sprouts
1 small red onion halved and then thinly sliced
1 seeded and chopped jalapeno
1-3 teaspoons chinese chili sauce (depending on how spicy you like your soup)
1/2 cup freshly chopped cilantro
1/2 cup freshly chopped basil leaves

In a soup pot, add your beef stock, soy sauce, ginger, and cinnamon stick and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer for 20-30 minutes. Your kitchen is going to smell sooooo good. In the meantime place your rice noodles in a bowl of warm water and let soak about 20 minutes. Take your beef out of the freezer and slice lengthwise in half and then into small strips. Drain noodles and add the carrots and noodles to the simmering soup, cooking 2 to 3 minutes until noodles are tender. Add beef and bean sprouts and cook 1 minute until beef is no longer pink. Remove from the heat and stir in the red onion, clilantro and basil leaves. To serve pick you up a big helping of the noodles and ladel the broth and vegies over them. If you don't like basil, cilantro or bean sprouts...you can leave out on a plate and the guests that do like them can add to their soup...Make sure you also have the chinese chili sauce for extra spice.

The first time I ate this soup was in Portland, Oregon. My neice Phoebe was telling me about it..she called it "hangover soup". So when I got home to Alaska I looked up several recipes, but this is my spin on it...one of my families favorite soups now...Enjoy! Love from the Redhead's kitchen

Spicy Pork Chops and Rosemary potatoes

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

1 - 3 pound boneless pork roast ( cut into 4 porkchops) approximately 2" thick for each chop

Dry rub:
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon ground pepper
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon garlic powder
Mix together. Rub on all sides of the pork chops evenly, make sure you don't miss the edges
Let rest 20 minutes

Take 4 cleaned russet potoatoes and cut into 1" chunks peelings on. Toss 2 tablespoons of canola oil and 2 teaspoons of kosher salt. Take two sprigs of fresh rosemary and take off the leaves and toss all together. Set aside

Heat a cast iron skillet to smoking hot and add two tablespoons of canola oil. Sear chops on all sides until crisp and brown...2-3 minutes each side. Add the potatoes to the cast iron skillet and finish off the chops on potatoes in the oven for 40 minutes.

While that is cooking make a sweet and sour sauce to top your chops.
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 cup red wine vinegar

Heat to boiling and then turn down and reduce until thick about 10-15 minutes. Zest a teaspoon of orange peel and add to sauce. Drizzle over chops when done. Very easy and only one pan to wash... Enjoy! Love from the Redhead's kitchen.