I’ll be heading home to Kansas this weekend to spend my first Thanksgiving in four years with my wonderful family. I’m loving the fact that my neice and nephew finally understand the concept of time so we can tell them “Aunt Erin will be home next weekend” and they get it. So this weekend, I was video-chatting with them (gotta love technology), and my neice asked “What are you eating?” – she could see my plate on the edge of the screen. I told her I’m eating a favorite Asian dish that’s called “Ants on a Log”. Her face crinkled up (she probably assumed I was eating real ants), but I heard my nephew bust in from the next room. “I KNOW WHAT THAT IS!!!!!!!!! ERIN! I KNOW WHAT THAT IS!” He was out of breath from excitement, and my dad was giggling in the background. “Celery and peanut butter! Are you eating celery and peanut butter?!?!?!?”

I said yes to prevent myself from falling out of my chair laughing, but in actuality this is a delicious main course and has nothing to do with peanut butter. I got the idea from one of my favorite cookbooks. The first time I made this dish for Matt, he gobbled it up in no time…and then proceeded to ask for it…constantly. I had no real qualms with this – it’s incredibly easy and very fast, great for a quick lunch or weeknight supper. The flavors are great, and I can mix it up by adding rice, my favorite scallion pancakes, or other veggies into the pork mixture. The problem is, I just don’t like to make the same things over and over again. Why? Because of you, my lovely readers! But Matt came into the kitchen hautily one day and informed me that I’d never put this recipe on my blog. Ha! He thwarted the system, and I made it again.

Spicy Ground Pork over Sauteed Scallions (“Ants on a Log”)

Served 2.
Leftover Potential: Reheats well, or the raw pork mixture can be used for other meals, as well.

2 Tbsp sesame oil
2 bunches scallions, ends and any wilted pieces removed

1 lb ground pork
1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 Tbsp oyster sauce
2 tsp sriracha, or more to taste

sesame seeds, toasted, for garnishing

1. In a large saute pan, heat the sesame oil over medium heat. Add the scallions and cook, tossing occasionally, until soft and wilted, about 4-6 minutes. Transfer to a dish.
2. In a large bowl, mix the pork, onion, garlic, soy, vinegar, oyster sauce, and sriracha to combine.
3. Add the pork to the hot pan once the scallions have been removed. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the pork has browned and cooked through.
4. Spoon the pork and any juices over the scallions, and finish with a sprinkling of toasted sesame seeds.

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