Adobo Dr. Pepper Pulled Pork

Spicy, sweet, salty, easy...enough said..

adapted from the Pioneer Woman

What you'll need:

1 7-9 pound bone-in pork shoulder (mine came with skin on and I just cut it off.  You can leave the skin on though which should keep everything very moist)

1 sliced yellow onion

1 can chipotle in adobo

3 +5-ish tablespoons brown sugar

2 cans dr pepper (NOT diet!)

salt+pepper

Put the pork in a dutch oven

Dump the onions on top of the pork

Roughly chop the chipotles and put them on top of the pork.  Add the three tablespoons of brown sugar and a pinch of salt and spread everything around the pork as evenly as possible.

Cook at 300 degrees for 6 hours.

The pork should be really tender at this point.  If it's not, keep it in for another hour.  When the pork is done, turn the heat up to 500 degrees and put the rest of the brown sugar on top of the pork.  Put it all back in the oven for 5-10 minutes until the sugar has formed a sweet crust.

Take the pork out and shred with 2 forks!

Serve with tortillas, pickled red onions, goat cheese and cilantro.

Enjoy!

Poached Salmon with Creamy Leeks

This recipe has all the heaviness you want in comfort food and all the lightness you'd like for a healthy meal.  Soft poached salmon and buttery leeks makes for a perfect one pot meal that goes very nicely with white wine.

What you'll need:

2 bunches leeks (pick ones with the most white-green ratio because you'll be using only the white parts)

1/4 cup half and half or light whipped cream

1 shallot

1 cup chicken stock (plus a little bit more if your leeks need it)

1 salmon fillet for each person (about 4 oz per person)

olive oil, salt, pepper

Cut the leeks on a bias up to the green, and toss the dark green tough parts.  Run the leeks under cold water and left them soak for a while.  Leeks are really dirty so you'll want to let them soak for a bit to get all the grime out.

Heat up some olive oil on medium heat and place the salmon skin down on the pan.  You want the skin as crispy as possible but you are going to cook the fish later so don't cook it all the way through.  Remove the fish to a plate as soon as the skin is cooked.

Roughly chop the shallot and saute in a few tablespoons of olive oil in the same pan until translucent and everything smells delicious.  Then, put all the leeks in with the shallots and saute until a bit caramelized. You may need to add a little bit more of olive oil at this point if the pan is dry. 

Put a cup of chicken stock in with the leeks and let it all simmer on low heat.  

When the chicken stock has mostly reduced, taste the leeks.  They should be soft and buttery.  If they're not, add a bit more stock and allow to reduce, repeating until leeks are the proper consistency.  Add cream and salt and pepper to taste.  

Gently place the salmon filets on top of the leeks and cover the pan for 3 minutes.  Check the salmon to make sure its done to your liking.  3 minutes cooked the salmon almost all the way through, leaving the fish moist and flaky.

Serve immediately with some crusty bread and wine!

Enjoy!

**As a side note, the creamy leeks are delicious on their own and can be used as a pasta sauce.  Toss the leeks with some fresh linguine and top with grated parmesan--yum!

Margaret's Apricot Glazed Sausage and Parmesan Crusted Squash

Margaret makes delicious sounding food all of the time and she thankfully shared some of her amazing recipes with me.  These two sound perfect for a fall evening.

Apricot Glazed Sausage With Onion and Sage

Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Chop a large yellow onion into 1/2" wedges, and place in the oil with 6 sausages - I used a low-fat chicken apple sausage. Let them cook until the sausages are browned and cooked through and the onions are translucent. 

Pour apricot nectar into the pan until the sausages are almost completely covered.  Add 10 sage leaves and season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium-low and let pot stay at a low simmer until the nectar has condensed into a thick syrup. The onion will caramelize, and the sausage will be extra juicy. 

Parmesan Crusted Butternut Squash:
Take 1 large butternut squash, peeled, and halved lengthwise. Cut into 1/2" slices. Place on baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle salt, pepper, rosemary on top. Pour a generous amount of parmesan on each slice, and bake at 400 until cooked through (Approx. 30 minutes) The parmesan should melt into a crust on top of the squash, and the squash should be soft and warm throughout. 

 

Eat together and enjoy!

 

Note: Both of these recipes are adapted from the Noble Pig's food blog. (I used butternut squash instead of acorn squash, and rosemary instead of thyme. In the sausage recipe, I used apricot instead of apple cider)

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

I love chicken lettuce wraps!  I think they are the perfect crispy salty meaty combination.  Invariably there were always ordered and completely demolished when we went to Cheesecake Factory in St. Louis (is it weird that I miss that place?).  This however, is a fine substitute and SO easy to make, I can't believe I haven't made it before.

What you'll need:

1 head iceberg lettuce

1 pound ground chicken

1/2 zucchini, finely diced (use the whole zucchini if you want to up the veggie factor)

1 can diced water chestnuts

2 garlic cloves

1/2 chopped white onion

2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil

for the sauce:

2 tablespoons hoisin

2 tablespoons ketchup

3 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon fish sauce

1/2 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

sriracha to taste

Start by chopping the garlic and veggies.  Wash and dry the lettuce and set aside.

 

Heat the oil in a wok or large heavy pan and add the onions when the oil is smoking.  When the onions turn translucent, add the garlic and saute for 30 seconds.  Add the chicken and 1/2 the sauce.  Break up the meat with a wooden spoon and saute on high heat until the chicken is cooked through.  When the chicken is totally cooked through, drain the pan of the juices at the bottom.

 

Then add the finely diced zucchini, the water chestnuts and the rest of the sauce.  Saute for about a minute until the sauce is absorbed and the zucchini cooked through. 

Serve with white rice, hoisin and extra sriracha.  Eat and enjoy!!

Baked Tomato Sauce and Spaghetti

I have an unhealthy addiction to tomatoes.  I treasure them in the summer, and get weird looks when I get starry-eyed at the farmer's market looking at the brilliant selection of beautifully colored tomatoes.  I am always thinking of new ways to use tomatoes and have a long list of recipes bookmarked that use them.  Last night I wanted some comfort food, and while I love making tomato sauce with the fresh tomatoes, it's fairly time intensive, and sometimes you just want something delicious for dinner that's really really fast.  This "sauce" that I read about on Wednesday Chef caught my attention and only really needs three ingredients: tomatoes, olive oil and panko.  When added to some spaghetti will make a completely satisfying and delicious meal.

adapted from the Wednesday Chef

What you'll need (serves 2):

1 pint the freshest little cherry or grape tomatoes you can find

1/2 cup panko

a few tablespoons olive oil

s+p

Enough spaghetti for 2 people(I used whole wheat which I thought went well with this lighter sauce)

*Feel free to jazz this up with parmesan and basil, if you have it on hand.

Start by preheating the oven to 350, and boiling a pot of salted water.  As Paula says, the water should "taste like the sea!"  Cut the tomatoes in half and place on a baking sheet.  Season with the olive oil, salt and pepper.  Then sprinkle the panko on so all the tomatoes are covered.  If you have parmesan, add that on now, as well.

Bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes.  While baking, boil the spaghetti till al dente.  When the tomatoes are done, they should be hot and sweet, and the panko a very light brown.  Mush the tomatoes down with a fork, and then toss with the spaghetti, and a tablespoon or 2 of the starchy pasta water.  

 

Add basil, more parmesan and a touch of olive oil.

Enjoy!

Mushroom'ed Polenta with Farmer's Cheese, Roasted Tomatoes and a Poached Egg

I first saw this recipe years ago on the cover of Bon Appetit magazine and have been wanting to make it ever since.  I had no idea what "farmer's cheese" was but it sure looked good, so when I saw it in my local grocery store for the first time, I knew it was time to make this.  This recipe take FOR-EV-ER so do it when you have some time and can study or read a book by the stove.  Because ya know what?  The "fast" recipes I found to make polenta didn't work so well, and I had to do it the old fashioned way--stirring very, very often (or you can outsource the dirty work to willing family members).

What you'll need:
1 cup course ground cornmeal (polenta)
6 cups vegetable or chicken stock
1/2 pound any type of mushrooms
tomatoes (optional)
1 egg/person
1/4 pound farmers cheese
(serves about 4 for an entree)

Start by heating up the stock and then pouring the polenta in slowly and then STIR STIR STIR--do not let it get lumpy!  (dad helped out with that stirring!)  You can let it be for a few minutes at a time, but check on it frequently so it doesn't stick to the bottom or sides of your pan.

While the polenta is cooking, roast some tomatoes by cutting whatever type of tomatoes you like, drizzling olive oil on them and letting them hang out in the oven at 350 until everything else is ready.
Then, put the mushrooms in a pan on low heat, covered, until they are cooked through and have released their juices.

The polenta is done when it doesn't stick to the edges of the pan anymore.  This took me about an hour and fifteen minutes.  When done, add in the mushrooms and mix and then pour the polenta into bowls.

Top with crumbled farmer's cheese (turns out farmer's cheese tastes like mild goat cheese and is FABULOUS)

Add roasted tomatoes

Top with a poached egg!  If you are intimidated by poaching eggs, check out this helpful how-to video.  http://www.chow.com/food-news/53820/poach-an-egg/


The yolk will ooze out and mix with the tangy cheese and sweet tomatoes.  You've got all the elements here--tangy, sweet, salty, creamy and it just works.  It is perfect comfort food, and one of the few vegetarian meals that I find hearty enough to be satisfying as an entree.

What do I do with extra polenta? 

Keep any leftover polenta in the fridge and the next day it will be hard enough to pan fry, and delicious enough to eat for breakfast.  Cut it into slices, fry an egg and top with avocado and cheese.  Enjoy!

Curried Lentil Soup

Even though the weather is getting warmer and this recipe is somewhat reminiscent of winter, it it still a perfect dish to have around and even better for freezing so you can have something delicious to eat when you don't feel like cooking or have time (like when you're in finals mode).

It is super easy to make and while you can make it on the stove, it is really just perfect to dump into a crockpot and and come back to 6 hours later.

 

What you'll need:

3/4 pound dried lentils

2 chopped carrots

1 large chopped yellow onion

1 large can crushed tomatoes

2 cups chicken stock

2 tablespoons currry powder

1-2 tablespoon chopped ginger

1-2 tablespoon garlic

1 tablespoon olive oil

dash of thyme and oregano

s+p

Optional: greek yogurt and cilantro for garnish

Soak the lentils overnight in water.  Make sure there's enough room in the bowl you soak them in because the lentils will expand!

The next morning:

Heat the oil in a large pan and put the onion in.  When it begins to sweat, add the curry powder and stir to mix in, making sure the powder isn't lumpy at all.  Then, add the carrots, garlic and ginger.

   

When the garlic cooks and begins to smell amazing, add 1 cup of the chicken stock and salt and pepper.  Let it all simmer for about 5 minutes.

Next, dump the pan into a 5 quart crockpot and add the crushed tomatoes, lentils and spices.  Add a dash of chili powder if you feel like a little spice,  Turn on high and come back in 6 hours.

Taste it and add more salt and pepper if needed.  Garnish with greek yogurt and cilantro and enjoy!

Creamy Pasta with Shrimp and Basil

It was recently called to my attention that this month I have posted only vegetarian recipes.  For fear that I, too, have given up meat (sorry, fam) it was suggested I balance out the posts.  This post is in honor of the lovely crustacean, shrimp.

After a long week in school, I needed a great glass of wine, amazing company and delicious food. So, I got the girls, (yes, law school girls do more than just study) opened up a bottle of wine and got to cooking with these beautiful ladies.  We made an amazing creamy pasta, a delicious salad and some wonderful appetizers.  The pasta, while creamy, is low on the calories, thanks to Hannah's ingenious tip--try using soy milk instead of regular milk for creaminess and less fat and calories!  It was wonderful.

What you'll need:

1 package pasta (linguine or spaghetti) 

Shrimp

1 cup soy milk (any other type of milk can substitute)

1 tablespoon flour

1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (or more if you like cheese)

basil

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 chopped garlic cloves

s+p

First, start by making a snack! (Toasted baguette with garlic, olive oil, bruschetta, brie and basil)

Next, make a salad and try this combination for an unusual and new version: butter lettuce, candied pecans, brie, dried cranberries and a spicy dijon mustard dressing

Now, down to the real cooking.  If you have frozen shrimp, run them under cold water to de-thaw them.  If you have an awesome friend that's willing to pick up fresh shrimp, go on and de-shell them!

Next, boil the pasta and begin making a roux:

Combine 1/2 cup soy milk and flour in a pan, stirring with a whisk (or fork if you don't have a whisk) until  blended. 

Place pan over medium heat; and slowly stir in remaining 1/2 cup milk. Stir in mustard and a little bit of salt and pepper. 

Bring to a boil but then reduce the heat to low, and cook 5 minutes or until the mixture begins to thicken.  Stir frequently so it doesn't burn/stick/do something else you don't want in your pasta.

 (That's Hannah with her soy milk trick!)

When the roux is on the low heat, put some olive oil in a different pan, about 1 tablespoon.  Add a little bit of chopped garlic when the oil is hot.  Add the shrimp.  The shrimp will cook fast--it only takes a few minutes for them to turn opaque! (That's how you know they're done)

Pink and delicious!

Next, add the finished creamy roux to the pasta

Add parmesan--lots of it!  Also, add some more salt and pepper

Add the shrimp, and basil and top with more parmesan

Then, sit at the table like a civilized person--don't eat out of the pot--and enjoy an awesome glass of wine, some good company and some delicious food.

Enjoy!!

Side Note: I've added a "gadget" to the side of the blog to highlight some of the useful things I have in my kitchen.  Some of them are unusual ingredients I like, and some are just helpful, pretty cheap, gadgets I have around that make cooking a lot easier or faster.