Slow-roasted Spiced Pork

This terrific recipe feeds a crowd or can be frozen in meal-size portions for later. Use the meat for tacos, for sandwiches, to top baked potatoes, in soups—the possibilities are almost endless. The directions call for baking the pork in the oven (which is great if you are home that long), but, if not, it also works to cook it in a slow-cooker on LOW for 8 to 10 hours.

Slow-Roasted Spiced Pork
6 garlic cloves
1 onion, chopped
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh oregano leaves
1 1/2 Tbsp. cumin
1 1/2 tsp. chipotle chile powder
1 1/2 Tbsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1 1/2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1 pork butt
1 (32-oz.) carton chicken broth or 1 bottle dry white wine
Lime wedges

1. Process garlic, onion, and next 6 ingredients in a food processor until a paste forms. Gradually add in vinegar and olive oil until combined. Place pork in a baking pan, and rub garlic mixture all over pork. Pour chicken broth into pan. Cover pan with aluminum foil.
2. Bake at 300° for 2 1/2 hours. Remove the foil, and bake for 4 more hours. Allow meat to stand for 30 minutes, and then shred meat. Sprinkle with additional salt, if desired, and squeeze lime juice over meat just before serving.

Stuffed Cabbage

This recipe is based on one from Barefoot Contessa at Home. Stuffed cabbage is a traditional Jewish recipe that uses ground beef and rice. Because I’m Southern and not Jewish, I added some Italian sausage to the beef mixture. Also, the original tomato sauce has raisins, but my take omits them. These are best for a weekend because, while easy, they take some time to put together. But the taste makes them worth the time. (The cabbage I used was pretty small, so this made 16 rolls. Bigger leaves will yield less.) Andy asked that we add it to our recipe repertoire!
1 head cabbage
Olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 (28-oz.) can crushed tomatoes
Fresh thyme sprigs
1 lb. ground beef
1/4 lb. or 1 link Italian sausage, casing removed
1/4 cup uncooked white rice
1/4 tsp. allspice
1/4 cup fresh breadcrumbs
1 egg

1. Remove the core from the cabbage with a sharp knife. Fill a Dutch oven with water, and bring to a boil. Add in some salt. Drop in the cabbage, and cook for 5 minutes or until the leaves are pliable. Remove cabbage, and allow to cool. Empty water from Dutch oven, and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, sauté onions in hot oil in a pan for 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, and season with salt and pepper; cook 1 minute. Stir in red wine vinegar, brown sugar, tomatoes, and 2 thyme sprigs. Simmer sauce for 20 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if needed.
3. Combine ground beef, next 5 ingredients, and 2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme.
4. Spoon 1/2 cup tomato sauce into bottom of Dutch oven.
5. Peel leaves from cabbage. Use a sharp knife to cut out hard rib from each leaf. Scoop out 2 Tbsp. of meat mixture, and place in center of cabbage leave. Roll up, tucking in the sides; place cabbage roll, seam side down, on top of tomato sauce mixture. Repeat procedure until the bottom of the Dutch oven is covered. Spoon more of sauce over top of rolls. Continue rolling and layering cabbage rolls and sauce in Dutch oven. Cover with lid.
6. Bake at 350° for 1 hour. Serve immediately.

Shredded Pork-and-Tomatillo Tostados

6 corn tortillas (homemade or purchased)
Pinto beans
Shredded pork
Roasted tomatillo salsa
Shredded cheese
Chopped lettuce
Chopped tomatoes
Sour cream

1. Layer tortillas with beans, pork, salsa, and cheese.
2. Bake at 400° for 10 minutes or until heated and cheese melts. Top with lettuce, tomatoes, and sour cream.

Slow-cooker Shredded Pork

This is a simple way to cook a Boston butt. I will make one, divide the meat in one-meal portions, and put in the freezer. Then whenever we want loaded baked potatoes, nachos, or whatever, I pull out a bag and thaw. Dinner is ready in a snap!
2 onions, cut into thick slices
1 Boston butt
Salt and pepper
1 can chipotles in adobo sauce
1 bottle beer

1. Line the bottom of the slow-cooker with onion slices. Place the pork on top of onions; sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Put chipotles over top of meat, and pour in beer. Cover with lid, and cook on LOW for 8 hours or until meat is done and tender.
2. Allow to cool slightly. Remove bone, and shred meat. Divide evenly among zip-top plastic bags, and freeze.

Recipe Rewind: Blue Cheese Mac and Cheese

2 bacon slices, chopped
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups milk
4 oz. sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
2 oz. crumbled gorgonzola cheese

Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
1 cup toasted chopped pecans
Salt and pepper
8 oz. cooked pasta

Homemade breadcrumbs

2 Tbsp. butter, melted

1. Cook bacon until crisp; drain. Wipe pan clean, and melt butter. Sprinkle in flour, and cook, whisking constantly, 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk; cook, whisking often, until mixture is thickened. Stir in cheeses, nutmeg, and pecans. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in pasta and cooked bacon. Pour mixture into a baking dish. Sprinkle breadcrumbs over top, and drizzle with melted butter.
2. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Serve immediately.

Risotto Cakes With Simple Tomato Sauce

Today’s potluck theme was Italian. I wanted to make something different and developed the idea for this recipe. I used my basic risotto recipe but added some chopped cooked bacon and fresh herbs to it right at the end of the cooking process. Then I spread the mixture in a sheet pan to chill overnight in the fridge. The next morning before worship, I formed the risotto into patties, dredged them in beaten egg and breadcrumbs, and sautéed them with a little olive oil and butter. The results were delicious!

Risotto Cakes With Simple Tomato Sauce
Make the risotto the day before serving to allow time to chill the mixture.
Olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cups Arborio rice
1/2 cup white wine or chicken broth
2 (32-oz.) cartons chicken broth
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh thyme
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 thick-cut bacon slices, chopped and cooked
Salt and pepper to taste
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 Tbsp. milk
2 cups breadcrumbs
4 Tbsp. butter
Simple Tomato Sauce

1. Sauté onion in hot oil for 10 minutes or until tender. Stir in rice, and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in wine; cook until wine is absorbed. Stir in 1 cup chicken broth, and cook, stirring constantly, until liquid is absorbed. Gradually add in remaining chicken broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring regularly until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender. Stir in herbs, Parmesan cheese, and bacon. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
2. Spread risotto onto an aluminum foil-lined sheet pan, and refrigerate overnight.
3. Combine eggs and milk in a pie plate. Place breadcrumbs in another pie plate. Shape chilled risotto into patties, and dredge in egg mixture and then breadcrumbs.
4. Heat olive oil and 2 Tbsp. butter in a skillet. Cook risotto cakes in batches, using additional oil and butter, until golden and crisp on both sides (about 4 minutes per side). Serve warm with tomato sauce.

Simple Tomato Sauce:
1 onion, chopped
Olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried oregano
2 cans diced tomatoes
2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper

1. Sauté onion in hot oil, stirring often, 10 minutes or until onion is tender. Stir in garlic and next 2 ingredients, and cook 1 more minute. Stir in tomatoes and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes. Use immersion blender to puree mixture until smooth. Simmer for 5 more minutes.

Chili Verde Cheese Fries

This is my current favorite quick-fix meal. All you need are some frozen french fries, a little chili (I keep a stash of this tasty recipe in quart-size bags in the freezer), and shredded cheese. Simply cook the fries in the oven until crisp, spoon chili over the top, and sprinkle with cheese. Then bake it at 400° for 10 minutes or until the chili is warm and the cheese melts. Serve with a dollop of sour cream. Yummy!

Updated Blue Cheese Mac and Cheese

This is a variation on our favorite pasta dish. Pecans may sound like a strange addition, but they balance the richness of the blue cheese and bacon. Absolutely delicious!
4 bacon slices, chopped
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups milk
4 oz. sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
2 oz. crumbled gorgonzola cheese
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
Salt and pepper
8 oz. cooked pasta

1 cup toasted chopped pecans

1. Cook bacon until crisp; drain. Wipe pan clean, and melt butter. Sprinkle in flour, and cook, whisking constantly, 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk; cook, whisking often, until mixture is thickened. Stir in cheeses and nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in pasta and bacon. Pour mixture into a baking dish. Sprinkle chopped pecans over top.
2. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Serve immediately.

Pork-and-Red Bean Stew

The inspiration for this recipe came from that Louisiana classic—red beans and rice. The consistency of my dish is similar to a stew and I used shredded pork as well as sausage. Instead of rice, I served the dish over bulghur (just stir desired amount into an equal amount of boiling water; cover and let stand 5 minutes). Very hearty and tasty!

Pork-and-Red Bean Stew
1 lb. dried red kidney beans, rinsed and sorted

2 cups shredded pork

1 lb. smoked sausage (I use Conecuh brand.)

1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. chile powder
1 tsp. black pepper
2 tsp. cumin

1. Place beans in a Dutch oven, and cover with 1 inch of water. Bring to a boil, and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat, cover, and let stand 1 hour. Drain beans, and return beans to Dutch oven.
2. Cover beans with 2 inches of water, and bring beans to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer, and cover. Cook, stirring occasionally, 2 hours.

3. Stir in pork and next 4 ingredients. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 more hour. Stir in salt and remaining ingredients, and cook for 30 more minutes. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.

Thanksgiving Dinner: Cornbread-Stuffed Pork Loin

Vegetable oil

2 cups self-rising corn meal mix

4 Tbsp. melted butter

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

Pinch of salt

Olive oil

1 onion, chopped

2 celery ribs, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

Herbs de Provence

Salt and pepper
1 (6-lb.) pork loin, butterflied
Kitchen string
4 cups apple cider

2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar

1. Preheat oven to 450°.  Pour vegetable oil to cover bottom of a cast-iron skillet; place in oven to preheat. 

2. Combine corn meal mix and next 4 ingredients until smooth; pour into hot oil in skillet. Bake for 20 minutes or until done. Remove from oven; cool completely.

3. Meanwhile, sauté onion, celery, and garlic in hot olive oil for 10 minutes or until tender. Season with herbs de Provence, salt, and pepper.

3. Crumble cornbread, and place in a bowl. Stir in onion mixture.

2. Sprinkle pork loin with herbs de Provence, salt, and pepper on cut side. Place cornbread mixture in center of pork, and use kitchen string to tie up meat around cornbread mixture. Place pork, seam side down, in a baking pan. Sprinkle with additional herbs de Provence, salt, and pepper. Pour apple cider and vinegar into baking pan.
3. Bake at 375° for 1 hour or until pork is done. Allow to rest 15 minutes, covered with aluminum foil, before removing string and slicing.

Mini Ham, Spinach, and Cheese Frittatas

Let me start by saying that I don’t like egg dishes and never cook them. Don’t get me wrong—I want to like eggs and have even made myself try them, but no luck. Today I was brainstorming new breakfast ideas for Grace’s Kitchen and decided it was time to try a frittata. This is just a fancy name for a egg dish that combines meat, veggies, and cheese—whatever you like—in a large skillet that gets baked in the oven. I decided to combine chopped ham, chopped spinach, and shredded cheese with the egg mixture and then bake individual frittatas in muffin pans. When the frittatas were done, I got a little nervous about tasting one, but I knew I had to. And I did—and liked it! Huge accomplishment for me! The muffin pans worked very well and gave each frittata a nice brown edge. My friend Kylie taste-tested one for me and suggested I scale back on the salt just a bit. She also thinks chopped peppers would be a good addition. This recipe is very versatile—definitely try it for breakfast or supper. Enjoy!

Mini Ham, Spinach, and Cheese Frittatas
This amount makes 10 to 12 individual frittatas.
6 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. chopped dried chives (Fresh would be delicious, but I didn’t have any.)
1 cup chopped smoked ham
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 cup chopped fresh baby spinach

1. Whisk together eggs and next 4 ingredients. Stir in ham and remaining ingredients. Pour egg mixture into lightly greased muffin cups. (Be careful not to overfill.)

2. Bake at 425° for 14 minutes or until centers are set. Serve hot.

Broccoli Salad With Cashews

This dinner is super-fast (once the potatoes are baked) and tasty. For our main dish, we had baked potatoes loaded with shredded pork, cheese, and a sprinkling of chives. (Use whatever ingredients you have on hand.) The broccoli salad has a twist: Instead of the usual sunflower seeds, I toasted some cashews and stirred them in. Delicious!

Broccoli Salad With Cashews

4 broccoli crowns, cut into florets

4 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled

1/4 onion, minced

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup cashews, toasted

1/2 to 3/4 cup mayonnaise

2 to 4 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar

2 Tbsp. sugar

Salt

Pepper

1. Combine broccoli and next 4 ingredients. Stir together mayonnaise and next 2 ingredients; toss with broccoli mixture. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Bacon-Ricotta Pizza

Here’s my latest take on pizza.
1 pizza dough round
1 cup part-skim ricotta
2 Tbsp. sun-dried tomato pesto
4 bacon slices, chopped and cooked
1 1/2 to 2 cups Italian-style shredded cheese

1. Roll out pizza dough; place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Combine ricotta and pesto; spread over top of dough. Sprinkle with bacon and shredded cheese.
2. Bake at 425° for 15 minutes or until crust is done and cheese is melted.

Ratatouille Remix With Italian Sausage

Here’s a new take on leftovers from this dish, which I had frozen. Tonight, I cooked two links of fresh Italian sausage, casings removed, until crumbly and browned. Then I stirred the sausage into the thawed leftover gratin, added a can of diced tomatoes, and heated it through. A sprinkling of freshly grated Parmesan cheese finished off the dish. Very simple, very tasty!

Pork Tostadas

This past weekend, I cooked a Boston butt in the slow cooker with chipotles in adobo sauce, beer, and orange marmalade. Strange combination, but the flavor worked. It’s no secret that we love Mexican food and I’m always trying to think of new ways to enjoy it. Instead of the usual nachos or quesadillas, I decided to use the shredded pork and reheat some pinto beans I had in the freezer to make tostadas. (You can substitute ground beef or shredded chicken, black beans, and tomatillo salsa.) This will definitely become part of our menu rotation. Enjoy!

Pork Tostadas

4 corn tortillas

Canola oil

Pinto beans

Shredded pork

Tomato salsa (I omitted the corn in this batch.)

Shredded cheese

Sour cream

Chopped fresh cilantro

1. Pour oil to a 1/2-inch depth in a cast-iron skillet; place over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, place tortillas, 1 at a time, in the oil, and cook for 1 minute on each side. (This softens the tortillas.)

2. Place tortillas on a aluminum foil-lined baking sheet. Spread each with beans, and top with pork and next 2 ingredients.

3. Bake at 400° for 5 to 10 minutes or until cheese melts. Top with sour cream and cilantro, and serve immediately.

Italian Sausage-Vegetable Lasagna

Andy finds lasagna with vegetables to be suspicious—to him, it’s not lasagna if veggies are involved. So to get around his hang-up, I decided to make an eggplant-and-squash lasagna that had Italian sausage in it as well. He liked the flavors a lot (and kindly picked out the eggplant with no fuss). This was a great use of my farmers market basket produce.


Italian Sausage-Vegetable Lasagna
1 eggplant, cut into slices
Salt
1 zucchini, cut into length-wise slices
1 yellow squash, cut into length-wise slices
Olive oil
Pepper
1 onion, chopped
1 lb. Italian sausage, casings removed
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cans tomatoes
1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh oregano
1 tsp. fennel seeds
1 (15-oz.) container part-skim ricotta
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg
1 (16-oz.) bag egg noodles, cooked (You can substitute lasagna noodles, if you prefer.)
1 (16-oz.) bag shredded Italian-style cheese blend

1. Place eggplant slices on paper towels, and sprinkle with salt. Let stand 30 minutes; rinse eggplant slices, and pat dry. Place eggplant, zucchini, and squash slices on a grill pan. Drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until veggies begin to soften.
2. Sauté onion and sausage in hot oil, cooking until sausage is browned and crumbled (about 10 minutes). Stir in garlic, and cook 1 more minute. Stir in tomatoes and next 4 ingredients, and cook 10 more minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Stir together ricotta and next 2 ingredients; season with salt and pepper.
4. Spread some of tomato mixture in bottom of a baking dish; top with half of noodles. Spread half of ricotta mixture over noodles. Repeat layers once. Sprinkle top with shredded cheese.
5. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes.

Italian Sausage-and-Ricotta Calzones

The Pioneer Woman posted this delicious-looking calzone on her blog earlier this week, which inspired me to make this recipe. I used ingredients that were on hand: homemade pizza dough, Italian sausage, ricotta, fresh basil from my herb garden, shredded Italian-style cheese, and sun-dried tomato pesto. It all came together in a snap and received Andy's seal of approval. We'll definitely have this again—maybe with the addition of caramelized onions. Yum!

Italian Sausage-and-Ricotta Calzone
2 links Italian sausage
1/2 cup sun-dried tomato pesto

1 Tbsp. water

1 pizza dough round
1/2 cup part-skim ricotta
1 egg
2 Tbsp. freshly grated Parmesan
Salt
Pepper
1 tsp. chopped fresh basil
Shredded Italian-style cheese blend
Olive oil

1. Bake sausage at 425° for 15 minutes or until done. Cool slightly, and cut into thin slices.
2. Combine pesto and water in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at HIGH for 2 minutes or until warm; set aside.
3. Cut dough round in half, and roll out into two circles. Combine ricotta and next 5 ingredients, and spread on half of circles, leaving a border around the edge. Top with sliced sausage, and sprinkle with shredded cheese. Fold circle in half over filling, and crimp edges to seal. Brush top of dough with olive oil.
4. Bake at 425° for 15 to 20 minutes or until crust is golden and done. Serve with warm pesto.

Baked Ziti With Spinach

I’m always looking for ways to get more veggies into our diet, and this dish is deceptively packed with them. The trick I use with most Italian-style recipes is to finely chop vegetables with my food processor and then sauté them with the meat. An almost effortless way to get in your five a day! To boost the nutritional value even more, I added fresh spinach. This dish isn’t low fat by any means, but it really is a good balance. Enjoy!

Baked Ziti With Spinach
1 onion, cut into chunks
3 carrots, cut into chunks
2 celery ribs, cut into chunks
1 zucchini, cut into chunks
3 garlic cloves
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 lb. lean ground beef
3/4 lb. fresh Italian sausage, casings removed
2 (15-oz.) cans diced tomatoes
2 tsp. dried basil
2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
1/2 tsp. fennel seeds
2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 (6-oz.) bag baby spinach
12 oz. ziti, cooked
1 (15-oz.) part-skim ricotta cheese
2 cups shredded Italian cheese blend

1. Sauté onion and next 4 ingredients in hot oil 10 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Stir in ground beef and sausage. Cook, stirring often, until meat is cooked and crumbled. Stir in tomatoes and next 4 ingredients. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in spinach, and cook 5 more minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in ziti.
2. Pour half of meat mixture into a 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Spread ricotta and 1/2 cup cheese over top of meat mixture. Pour the remaining meat mixture over ricotta mixture. Top with remaining 1 1/2 cups cheese. Cover with foil.
3. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes. Remove foil, and bake 5 more minutes. Serve immediately.

Blue Cheese-and-Bacon Mac and Cheese

This recipe was inspired by the Barefoot Contessa. I mean, how could you go wrong with this flavor combination? Not at our house! The original recipe supposedly serves two, but four is a more accurate number. Instead of expensive Gruyere cheese, I used mild, creamy Havarti. The bacon and blue cheese worked beautifully together. A simple tomato salad was the perfect partner. Enjoy!

Blue Cheese-and-Bacon Mac and Cheese
4 bacon slices, chopped
2 Tbsp. butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups milk
4 oz. havarti, shredded
2 oz. sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
2 oz. crumbled gorgonzola cheese
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
Salt and pepper

6 oz. cooked pasta

Fresh breadcrumbs

1. Cook bacon until crisp; drain. Wipe pan clean, and melt butter. Sprinkle in flour, and cook, whisking constantly, 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk; cook, whisking often, until mixture is thickened. Stir in cheeses and nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in pasta and bacon. Pour mixture into a baking dish. Spread breadcrumbs on top. Drizzle with a little olive oil or melted butter.
2. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Serve immediately.

Sautéed Cabbage With Smoked Sausage

It’s near the end of the month, so my pantry is looking a little bare. I challenged myself to create dinner from what was on hand: half of a cabbage, 2 links of Conecuh smoked sausage, 1 onion, 2 carrots,  and 1 apple. All of these ingredients are things we like and that pair well together individually. The combination really worked. Fennel and celery seeds and a splash of apple cider vinegar added just the right flavor notes. Enjoy!

Sautéed Cabbage With Smoked Sausage
1 onion, cut in half and thinly sliced
2 carrots, chopped

Olive oil

1/4 to 1/2 lb. smoked sausage

1/2 cabbage, thinly sliced

1 apple, cored and thinly sliced
1 tsp. fennel seeds
2 tsp. celery seeds
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
Salt and pepper

1. Cook onion and carrots in hot oil 10 minutes. Stir in sausage, and cook, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes or until sausage is browned. Stir in cabbage and apple; cook 5 more minutes. Stir in fennel seeds, celery seeds, and vinegar. Cook, stirring regularly, 5 minutes; season with salt and pepper to taste.