I’m going to go vote this morning.  I’m very excited to do so- to be a part in this historic election.  No matter the outcome, I’m thrilled to participate, and I’m looking forward to seeing who our new president is going to be.  And whether it’s the person I’m voting for, or the other person, each one will bring something new to the table, and it will be exciting to see where our country is headed.  So if you haven’t voted- go vote! Every single vote counts in this election- don’t miss your opportunity.

And voting reminds me of this dish I made the other night.  See, it’s normally a recipe for Sweet and Sour Pork.  The whole family likes it, and I hadn’t made it in a while, so I thought it was time.  I made my pot-stickers to accompany, and began working on the pork and vegetables while the rice did it’s thing.  I encountered a problem though.  As I was cubing up my pork cutlets, I thought something smelled off.  And I know the smell of something off.  At the store where I regularly do my grocery shopping, there is an animal disposal plant nearby, and when the wind is in the right direction… whoo boy… rotten meat smell is terribly unpleasant.  So I was cutting up this pork, when this smell seemed like it was kind of there.  I got close to the pork, and didn’t smell it up close, but when I backed off, that smell was there.  Not being one to mess with such things, I made the decision to chuck the pork.  I’d rather be safe than sorry.  I tossed the pork, but then it was 15 minutes to dinner time, and I had just a smattering of vegetables to toss with sweet and sour sauce.  A stroll to the freezer found plenty of pork- but solidly frozen in large portions.  I was going to have to call in the pinch hitter and I grabbed a package of stew beef, which I knew would defrost in the micro in ten minutes.

The beef defrosted, I cut it into smaller pieces, and my Sweet and Sour Pork became Sweet and Sour Beef, and I have to tell you, it was fantastic!  I would have never thought of adding beef before this moment, but it really was served well by the pineapple and sweet and sour sauce.  I did think it needed that extra sprinkling of cilantro at the end, and I quickly took care of that.  I followed everything to the letter for the pork recipe- only using beef, yet the resulting dish was completely different in a great way.

So a lesson was learned.  Whether your vote is for Pork or Beef, the resulting dish at the end will be completely different, yet great in it’s own porky or beefy way.

Sweet and Sour Pork (Or Beef)

1/4           cup  pineapple juice

1         tablespoon  corn starch

2        tablespoons  brown sugar

2         tablespoon  cilantro

2        tablespoons  apple cider vinegar

1         tablespoon  soy sauce

1/4      teaspoon  crushed red pepper

1/2         pound  pork — cubed

1/4      teaspoon  garlic powder

1/2      teaspoon  vegetable oil

1/4           cup  onion — sliced

1                cup  red bell pepper — sliced

1/2           cup  green bell pepper — sliced

1/2           cup  zucchini — sliced

1                cup  pineapple — coarsely chopped

2               cups  rice — cooked

extra cilantro for finishing (optional)

Combine first 7 ingredients.

Sprinkle pork with garlic powder.

Heat oil over med. high heat, cook pork 3 minutes, or until no longer oink.  Add onion, cook 1 minute. Add peppers and zucchini, cook 3 minutes, or until tender. Stir in juice misture and pineapple, cook until thickened, stirring constantly.

Serve over rice, sprinkled with extra cilantro.