Harissa Spiced Pork Shoulder

Ingredients:

  • 2 TBSP tomato paste
  • 2 TBSP harissa
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 TBSP red wine vinegar
  • 1 3-4 lb pork shoulder or butt
  • 1 can cannellini beans (or any white bean), drained

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

2. Mix first 4 ingredients together in a small bowl. Rub mixture on pork shoulder a massage in. Place pork in an oven safe Dutch oven, cover, and place in preheated oven for 2 1/2 hours.

3. Remove pork from oven. Increase heat to 400 degrees. Dump can of beans into pan. Return pan to oven, uncovered for 45 minutes.

4. Slice and serve pork with beans!

Recipe adapted from bon appétit

The Easiest Roasted Chicken…Ever

Ingredients:

  • 1, 4-5 pound whole chicken
  • 2 Tablespoons Trader Joe’s “Everything But the Bagel” Seasoning
  • 1 cup chicken broth

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degree.

2. Season chicken with seasoning. Season inside the cavity as well as entire outside of chicken.

3. Place chicken on roasting pan, breast side up. Poor broth in the bottom of the pan to keep chicken moist during cooking period.

4. Place in oven for 75 minutes or until internal temperature reads 170 degrees. Let chicken rest in rack 10 minutes prior to cutting.

Roasted Sesame Cauliflower

Ingredients:

  • 1 head cauliflower florets
  • 1 TBSP olive oil
  • 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350

2. Place cauliflower florets on baking sheet. Toss with olive oil and salt and pepper. Drizzle sesame oil over seasoned florets. Top with sesame seeds.

3. Bake in oven for 30 minutes.

Hoisin Glazed Meatloaf

Ingredients:

• Cooking spray

• 1 1/4 cups whole wheat panko breadcrumbs (gluten free is an option)

• 1/2 cup whole milk (or water)

• 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley

• 1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro

• 1/4 cup minced fresh basil leaves

• 4 scallions, minced

• 4 garlic cloves, finely minced

• 1/2 medium white onion, grated on a box grater

• 1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger

• 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

• 2 teaspoons kosher salt

• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

• 1 pound ground pork

• 1 pound ground turkey

• 1/3 cup hoisin sauce

• 2 tablespoons ketchup

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a broiler pan rack or wire rack with foil and set it on top of a rimmed baking sheet. Lightly coat the foil with cooking spray, then use a sharp knife to make a few slits in the foil to allow the fat from the meatloaf to drip down onto the baking sheet.

• In a large bowl, whisk together the panko, milk, parsley, cilantro, basil, scallions, garlic, onion, ginger, sesame oil, salt, and pepper to taste. Add the ground pork and turkey and stir or use your hands to gently combine, being careful not to overwork the meat.

• Shape the meat mixture into a 12-inch long loaf and place it on the foil-lined rack. Flatten the top slightly and square off the ends. In a small bowl, whisk together the hoisin sauce and ketchup. Pour about half the sauce over the meatloaf and use a brush or spoon to generously coat the sides and top.

• Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes, until the internal temperature reads 160°F on an instant-read thermometer, brushing with glaze every 20 minutes or so. Let the meatloaf cool for 10 to 15 minutes, then transfer to a platter, slice, and serve.

Slow Cooker Shredded Beef Sandwiches

Ingredients:

1. 1, 3-4 pound boneless roast beef chuck or round roast

2. 1 cup beef broth

3. 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

4. 1 tablespoon Montreal seasoning

5. 1 small yellow onion, chopped

6. 1 clove of garlic smashed

7. 6 hamburger buns of preference

Directions:

1. Season beef roast with Montreal seasoning.

2. Combine beef broth and Worcestershire in the slow cooker. Add onion, garlic and seasoned beef.

3. Roast on high for 4-5 hours or low for 7-8.

4. When beef is cooked, shred beef in the crockpot with juices. Serve on buns.

I served the sandwiches with dill pickles. Yum! 😋

One Pan Chicken Caprese Pasta

Ingredients:

• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into bite sized pieces

• 1 small yellow onion, diced

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 Tablespoon olive oil, divided

• Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

• 2 cups low sodium chicken broth

• 3/4 cup water

• 3 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar

• 10 ounces short cut pasta, I used orecchiette (Choose gluten-free pasta to make a gluten free meal)

• 1 1/2 cups halved cherry tomatoes

• 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh basil

• 1/2 cup mini fresh mozzarella balls, halved

Directions:

1. Heat 2 teaspoons of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.

2. Season the chicken with kosher salt and black pepper, then add to the pan.

3. Sauté the chicken until it’s cooked all the way through, approximately 5-7 minutes, then transfer the chicken to a plate.

4. Add the remaining teaspoon of oil to the pan, then add in the onion and sauté for 2-3 minutes.

5. Add in the garlic and sauté another 30 seconds then pour in the chicken broth, water and balsamic vinegar.

6. Use a wooden spoon to scrape all the bits off the bottom of the pan, season with more salt and pepper and bring the mixture to a boil.

7. Once boiling add in the pasta and stir.

8. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pan with a lid and boil until fairly tender. Stir occasionally, cooking the pasta for about 8 – 9 minutes.

9. Add the chicken, tomatoes and basil evenly over top of the pasta without stirring, then cover with the lid and allow to boil 4 – 5 minutes longer until the tomatoes have softened and the pasta is tender. There should be a little liquid left after it’s finished cooking, this will become part of the sauce. If needed, add more broth.

10. Top the pasta with the mozzarella cheese and season with more salt and pepper if needed. Cover pan with the lid and remove from heat.

11. Let the pasta rest for several minutes allowing the mozzarella to melt and sauce to thicken.

Vietnamese Beef and Noodle Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients:

• 1 small jalapeño, thinly sliced

• 1 tablespoon canola oil

• 1/2 lb rice vermicelli noodles, cooked according to package instructions

• 1/2 English cucumber, diced

• 2 carrots, grated

• 1 head green leaf lettuce, leaves separated

• 1 bunch fresh cilantro (leaves only)

• 1 bunch fresh mint (leaves only)

• 3 tablespoons plus 1/4 cup fish sauce

• 2 tablespoons brown sugar

• 1 tablespoon grated garlic

• 1 tablespoon grated peeled ginger

• 1 pound (455 g) flank steak, tenderized then thinly sliced against the grain

• ½ cup fresh lime juice

• ¼ cup honey

Ingredients:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk the 3 tablespoons fish sauce, the brown sugar, garlic, and ginger together. Add the steak and toss to coat. Let marinate for 30 minutes at room temperature or up to 4 hours in the refrigerator.

2. In another bowl, whisk the remaining 1/4 cup fish sauce, the lime juice, honey, and jalapeño together. Set aside until ready to serve (this is the dressing).

3. Heat the oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. Quickly stir-fry the beef and marinade toss to coat, making a quick glaze. Stir for about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat.

4. Serve the beef, noodles, dressing, cucumber, carrots, cilantro, and mint wrapped in the lettuce leaves.

Recipe adapted from the following:

https://www.katielee.com/blog/2018/3/15/vietnamese-beef-and-noodle-salad-bowls

Dedicated to Sarah D!

Jerk Chicken Thighs

I’m telling you, you have to make this chicken!! It is so flavorful and tender. I served this with Caribbean rice and beans. The recipe is also posted. This recipe is from Trisha Yearwood. http://www.foodnetwork.com

Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons ground allspice
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar 
  • 2 tablespoons garlic powder 
  • 1 tablespoon onion powder 
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin 
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg 
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves 
  • 1 cup orange juice
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil 
  • 3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (8 to 10 thighs) 

Directions:

• For the jerk chicken: In a gallon-size ziptop bag, mix together the allspice, brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, cumin, ginger, nutmeg, black pepper, cayenne, cinnamon, cloves, orange juice and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Trim the chicken thighs and marinate in the bag at room temperature for up to 45 minutes.

• Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the marinated chicken thighs and cook until cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Grilling on an outdoor grill is also a fabulous option!

Caribbean Rice and Beans

This brought me back to the Caribbean! The coconut milk and homemade Creole seasoning makes this dish! I served it with grilled, jerk, chicken thighs. Recipe for the chicken is also posted.

Ingredients:

• 2-3 garlic clove , minced

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 1 medium onion , diced

• 2 teaspoons creole spice, recipe to follow

• 2 cups uncooked long grain rice

• 1 teaspoon dried thyme

• 13.5 oz can (1 3/4 cups) coconut milk

• 15.5 oz can red kidney beans , rinsed and drained

• 2 small bay leaves

• salt and ground black pepper , to taste

• 3 cups water

• 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon

• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

Creole Seasoning:

• 1 Tablespoon onion powder

• 1 Tablespoon garlic powder

• 1/2 Tablespoon black pepper

• 1/2 Tablespoon white pepper

• 2 Tablespoons paprika

• 1/4-1 Tablespoon cayenne pepper (adjust to suit taste buds)

• 1/2 Tablespoon oregano

• 1 tsp dried parsley

• 1/2 Tablespoon dried thyme

• 1/2 Tablespoon dried basil

Directions:

1. Wash rice until water runs clear. Drain water.

2. Mix creole seasoning ingredients together. Set aside. Store in airtight container.

3. Heat a saucepan with oil. Then add onions, garlic, thyme, and red pepper, sauté for about a minute.

4. Stir in rice to the pan, followed by beans for about 2 minutes, then add coconut milk, bay leaf, bouillon powder, creole spice, with 3 cups of water, bring to a boil reduce heat, cover with a lid and simmer until rice is cooked, about 20 minutes or more. Stir occasionally from the sides to prevent burns , add more water if needed.

5. Adjust for salt and pepper. Discard bay leaves You have to stir occasionally to be preventing any burns.

Sous Vide Whole Chicken

I don’t own a sous vide, YET! I got to borrow my neighbors and was soooo excited! What a slick little contraption! Guess what, if you don’t own a sous vide, this would work using a slow cooker.

Ingredients:

• 1 whole chicken (4-5 pounds)

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 2 teaspoons Kosher salt

• 2 teaspoons paprika

• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

• 1 teaspoon dried thyme

• 2 teaspoons ground black pepper

• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions:

1. Preheat water to 160°F using a sous vide precision cooker.

2. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and set it aside.

3. Mix the dry rub ingredients (last six) on a big plate. Now, prepare a large sous vide bag (vacuum seal) or a Ziploc bag by folding the top of the bag back over itself to form a hem. This will prevent chicken seasonings from getting on the edges of the bag. Set aside.

4. Place the chicken on the plate and rub the mixture all over it. Sprinkle the excess dry rub inside the chicken if there’s any left.

5. Slide the chicken into the prepared bag. Unfold the edge before closing the bag. Seal the bag using either a vacuum sealer or a hand pump.

6. Lower your bagged chicken into the preheated water bath, making sure the whole chicken is under the waterline. If using Ziploc bag, slowly lower your bagged chicken into your water bath, letting the pressure of the water press air out through the top of the bag. Once most of the air is out of the bag, carefully seal the bag just above the waterline. Cook for 6 hours.

7. Once the chicken is done, remove from the water bath and transfer it onto a plate. Gently pat with paper towels.

8. Heat a cast iron skillet over high heat. Melt butter and sear the whole chicken on all sides until the skin is golden brown and crispy, about 5 minutes. You can also cut up the chicken first before searing.