Stovetop Pulled Pork on Homemade Buns

I'm on the monthly post schedule these days... We have several major transitions approaching, so blogging has definitely taken a back seat. I am hoping to get back into the normal groove that I attempted to revive once we get a few things settled. For now, enjoy April's monthly recipe:  Pulled Pork on Homemade Buns. 

I've tried my hand at several pulled pork recipes, majority of them involving my beloved slow cooker. This one takes a different approach, with a different cut of meat. Any guesses where the recipe is from? Of course, none other than America's Test Kitchen! I have had the recipe card from an old Cook's Country issue tucked away in my recipe binder for several years, and finally got around to trying it out.  The results: delicious! The meat has so much flavor and turns out plenty tender. I'm also sharing an added bonus of a homemade hamburger bun recipe, retrieved from the Taste of Home website. Enjoy!

Indoor Pulled Pork - from Cook's Country Magazine

Ingredients:

1 t. Chili powder

1 t. Paprika

1 t. Garlic powder

1/4 t. Salt

1/2 t. Pepper

2 pork tenderloins (about 2 lbs total), cut into 1" slices

1 T. Vegetable oil

1/2 c. Chicken broth

1/2 c. Barbecue sauce (Sweet Baby Ray's is our choice!)

3 T. Cider vinegar

Directions:

1. Combine spices in a small bowl. Pat the pork dry with paper towels and sprinkle spice mixture over it evenly.

2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking, Add pork and cook until well browned, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a large bowl and tent with foil. Let it rest for 5 minutes before shredding into bite-sized pieces.

3. While the pork is resting, add broth barbecue sauce, and vinegar to the empty skillet, scraping up any browned bits. Simmer over medium-low heat until the sauce has thickened, about 3 minute. Stir in the shredded meat and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes. Season with additional salt and pepper as needed.

Serve with pickles or coleslaw!

Hamburger Buns - adapted from Taste of Home

Ingredients:

2 T. Active dry yeast

1 c. + 2 T. Warm water (110-115 degrees)

1/3 c. Vegetable oil

1/4 c. Sugar

1 egg

1 t. Salt

3 to 3 1/2 c. All-purpose flour

Directions:

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add oil and sugar and let sit for 5 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, Add the egg, salt, and 3 cups of flour.

2. Increase speed to medium-high and knead for 3 to 5 minutes, until dough is smooth and elastic. Add remaining flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, if the dough is very sticky.

3. Turn dough out on a lightly floured surface and shape into a smooth ball. Divide into 12 equal pieces and shape each piece into a ball. Place 3 inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap or a clean towel and let sit at room temperature while the oven preheats, at least 10 minutes.

4. Preheat oven to 425. Remove plastic wrap/towel, and bake for 8-12 minutes, or until golden brown.

Read More

Tuscan Beef Stew with Polenta

I haven't been to Italy yet, but I imagine this dish from America's Test Kitchen brings me as close to the tastes and scents as I will get. Usually, I love stews that are chock full of vegetables, so I was a little leary of this being just beef. I was pleasantly surprised by the final product! The flavor pairings and the aroma filling your house as it simmers are incredible. Enjoy!

Tuscan Beef Stew

From Cooks Illustrated Magazine: January & February 2015 issue

Ingredients:

4 lbs. boneless beef short ribs (or a 5 lb chuck roast), trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
1 T. vegetable oil
1 (750-ml) bottle Chianti
1 cup water
4 shallots, peeled and halved lengthwise
2 carrots, peeled and halved lengthwise
1 garlic head, cloves separated, unpeeled, and crushed
4 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 bay leaves
1 T. cracked black peppercorns, plus extra for serving
1 T. unflavored gelatin
1 T. tomato paste
1 tsp. anchovy paste (I left this out and I think it turned out just fine!)
2 tsp. ground black pepper
2 tsp. cornstarch

Directions:

Toss beef and 1 1/2 tsp. salt together in a bowl and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees.

Hear oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add half of the beef in a single layer and cook until well browned on all sides, about 8 minutes total, reducing heat if fond begins to burn. Stir in 2 cups wine, water, shallots, carrots, garlic, rosemary, bay leaves, cracked peppercorns, gelatin, tomato paste, anchovy paste, and remaining beef. Bring to simmer and cover tightly with sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil, then lid. Transfer to oven and cook until beef is tender, 2 to 2 1/4 hours, stirring halfway through cooking time.

Using slotted spoon, transfer beef to bowl; cover tightly with foil and set aside. Strain sauce through fine-mesh strainer into fat separator. Wipe out pot with paper towels. Let liquid settle for 5 minutes, then return defatted liquid to pot.

Add 1 cup wine and ground black pepper and bring mixture to boil over medium-high heat. Simmer briskly, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thickened to consistency of heavy cream, 12 to 15 minutes.

Combine remaining wine and cornstarch in small bowl. reduce heat to medium-low, return beef to pot, and stir in cornstarch-wine mixture. Cover and simmer until just heated through, 5 to 8 minutes. Season with salt to taste. Serve with polenta or crusty bread.

Creamy Polenta

From America's Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook

Ingredients:

4 c. water

Salt and Pepper

1 c. coarse-ground polenta

1 1/2 T. unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Bring the water and 1/2 tsp salt to a boil in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan. Following the photo, slowly add the polenta while stirring constantly in a circular motion to prevent clumping. Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly.

Cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook, stirring often and vigorously (make sure to scrape the corners of the pot), until the polenta becomes soft and smooth, 10 to 20 minutes.

Stir in the butter and 6 tablespoons of the Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan before serving. 

Read More

The Year of No-Fuss Cooking {Breakfast Sandwiches}

This post will wrap up the No-Fuss Cooking Series. Don't worry, I guarantee that there will be plenty more slow cooker freezer meals featured on the blog, as I tend to be all about simplicity. If you have been following the series, you may have noticed how many different meals are in the picture, and also noticed that I have not posted every recipe. The Peking Chicken, while easy, was not a favorite. I most likely will not make it again. However, if you want to test it out for yourself, you can visit this blog.  Also, here is the Monster Cookie recipe if you would like - they freeze wonderfully!

Now, on to the Breakfast Sandwiches! We have a pretty set morning routine here in our busy house. We both need a good, solid breakfast to get through our day. These breakfast sandwiches were a lifesaver on those mornings that we were moving slow, but needed more than a bowl of cereal! Mister got a Breakfast Sandwich Maker for Christmas that is even quicker than the frozen sandwiches, and probably a bit better! I have never been one for speciality appliances like this, but we have thoroughly enjoyed it! They even make a *double* sandwich maker if you want to cut even more time. 

But, really... our freezer breakfast sandwiches! The key about this recipe is making enough to feed an army at one time and then prep to eat individually. The hardest part about the recipe is cleaning out the muffin tin after baking the eggs (you'll see), but if you spray it with non-stick spray, you should be good!

Ingredients:

12 English muffins

1 dozen large eggs

12 slices canadian bacon

12 slices cheddar cheese (or cheese of choice)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray muffin tin with non-stick spray, and crack one egg in each compartment. Season with salt and pepper. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until desired doneness. 

While eggs are cooling, slice English muffins in half, and top one side with canadian bacon and cheese. Add the egg, then the other half of the muffin. Wrap each sandwich tightly in plastic wrap, then place in a freezer bag.

To cook: Microwave for about 3 minutes, or put in the toaster oven for 5 - 10 minutes. If you are proactive, put desired number of sandwiches in the fridge the night before - this cuts down baking time.

Read More

The Year of No-Fuss Cooking {Pulled Pork}

You have probably noticed that chicken is our go-to meat for main dishes. However, I try to mix it up occasionally. Today's no-fuss meal is an American favorite:  Pulled Pork Sandwiches. This recipe is easy and takes minimal ingredients. For my non-cooking friends, it's pretty difficult to mess this one up. =) Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 - 3-4 lb. pork shoulder roast
12 oz. root beer (I use Henry Weinhard's)
1 bottle bbq sauce (We generally go with Sweet Baby Ray's)
Salt and Pepper

Directions:

Put the pork and root beer in a freezer bag, or directly into the slow cooker. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Remove pork from slow cooker and shred with forks. Mix the pork with bbq sauce. You can use the liquid from the slow cooker to get the pork to your desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper and serve on a bun with coleslaw.

Read More

The Year of No-Fuss Cooking {Beef Meatballs}

The third recipe in our No-Fuss Cooking series. It is well known that I love cooking, baking, and eating. I love it even more when it is efficient and versatile. The meatballs whip up quickly in the food processor, and can be utilized in a variety of recipes: spaghetti, with rice, on a sandwich, or as an appetizer. Just flash freeze them after shaping, before you put the in a freezer bag so that they are easier to cook desired quantities.

Meatballs from "Can I Freeze It?" by Susie Theodorou

Ingredients:

One 1 1/2" thick slice rustic bread, crust removed, torn into small pieces

1/3 c. milk

1 lb. ground beef chuck

1 small onion, finely choped

2 T. chopped parsley

3 T. finely grated Parmesan cheese

Salt and Pepper

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 T. olive oil

Directions:

Place the bread and milk in a bowl and let sit for 10 minutes until the milk is soaked up.

Place the ground beef, onion, parsley, Parmesan, salt, and pepper to taste in a bowl. Mix well with hands. add the egg and oil, and continue to mix. Finally, add the bread mixture and combine. 

Form 20 meatballs from the mixture. 

Read More

Slow Cooker Spare Ribs

Do you ever find yourself wishing there was more time in the day and everything took less time to do? The blog Six Sister's Stuff had a post of making 8 Freezer Meals in an hour.  Of course, I didn't believe that it really only took an hour to make EIGHT meals, so naturally, I had to test it out.  It took almost exactly 60 minutes! Being the skeptic that I am, I then doubted that the meals would actually taste good.  Proved me wrong there, also! Every meal has been delicious, and everyone who we've shared the meals with have agreed (they may just say it to be nice, but I'll take it)!

We already have a slow cooker pulled pork recipe, but I wanted to this was one of the eight meals.  This recipe had so much flavor!  I am not a huge fan of BBQ sauce, but I thought it was delicious.  It's a cinch to make, takes less than 10 minutes to prep, and can be served in a variety of ways.  Serve it on buns, over rice, with potatoes... any carb will do!

Ingredients:

1-2 lbs (country style) pork ribs
1 1/2 c. ketchup
1/2 tsp. liquid smoke (I'm pretty sure I found this in the condiments aisle..)
1 1/2  Tbsp. seasoning salt (We use Montreal Steak Seasoning from Costco)
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. white vinegar

Directions:

Place the pork ribs in a gallon-size freezer bag.  In a bowl, mix together the remaining ingredients, then pour over the ribs and seal.

Thaw for 24 hours before cooking.  Cook in the crock pot on low for 6-7 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.  I actually put the pork in frozen, pour the sauce into the crock pot, and cooked for 10 hours. It turned out just fine.

Read More

Baked Rigatoni

Feel like a twist on the standard pasta casserole? Try this one out! The squash and cinnamon were interesting additions, and I was a bit skeptical at first, but it proved to be the perfect match to chicken sausage.

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 c. dry white wine (I used a Sauvignon Blanc)
3/4 lb sweet Italian turkey sausage (I used 1 lb Italian chicken sausage instead)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 lb diced butternut squash
2 c. (1 15 oz can) tomato sauce
1 c. Vegetable broth
1/3 c. Heavy cream (I used half and half because it was in the fridge!)
Salt and pepper
1 lb. rigatoni
2 c. Shredded fontina cheese (I couldn't find this anywhere, so I used an Italian cheese blend)
1/4 c. Grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a large Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium high heat. Add the onion, and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the garlic, and continue to sauté until the onion is golden.  Add the white wine and cook until it has evaporated and the onion is browned. Add the sausage and cook until it is no longer pink. Add the cinnamon.

Add the squash, tomato sauce, broth, and cream. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid boils.  Reduce heat and simmer for about 15 minutes until squash is tender. Season with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, cook noodles in boiling water until al dente (tender but not soft). Drain well, then add the pasta to the sauce.  Mix in 1 cup of the cheese.  Spread the pasta into a 9x13 pan. Top with remaining cheese and sprinkle with the Parmesan.

Bake until the cheese melts and bubbles, about 10 minutes. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving.

Read More

Meatier Meatloaf

I don't like meatloaf, but I like this. It came from my monthly Cook's Illustrated magazine put out by America's Test Kitchen. Need I say more?

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 onion, chopped fine
6 ounces white mushrooms, trimmed and sliced thin
1 tablespoon tomato paste
3 tablespoons plus 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon unflavored gelatin
1/2 slice hearty white sandwich bread, torn into 1" pieces
1/3 cup minced fresh parsley
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
3/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 pound ground pork
1 pound 85% lean ground beef

Glaze:
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup cider vinegar
3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

Directions:

*NOTE: This took way longer than I anticipated. I failed to see that it would take 75-90 minutes to cook, and then 20 minutes of sit-time before serving. Please learn from my mistake, and if you don't want to eat dinner at 10 pm, don't start it when I did.  Whoops.

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  To prep the pan, fold heavy-duty aluminum foil to form a 9" by 5" rectangle.  Center foil on wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet.  Poke holes in the foil with a skewer about 1/2 inch apart.  Spray foil with vegetable oil spray.

2. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat.  Add onion and mushrooms; cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, 10-12 minutes.  Add tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly until browned, about 3 minutes.  Reduce heat to low; add 3 tablespoons broth and garlic; cook, scraping bottom of pan to loosen any browned bits, until thickened about 1 minute.  Transfer mushroom mixture to large bowl to cool.
3. Whisk eggs, remaining 1/2 cup broth, and soy sauce together in bowl.  Sprinkle gelatin over egg mixture and let sit until gelatin softens, about 5 minutes.
4. Pulse bread in food processor until finely ground, 5 to 10 pulses. Add gelatin mixture, cooled mushroom mixture, parsley, mustard, pepper, and thyme to bread crumbs and pulse until mushrooms are finely ground, about 10 pulses.  Transfer bread-crumb mixture to large bowl.  Add pork and beef and mix with hands to thoroughly combine.
5. Transfer meat mixture to foil rectangle and shape into 9 by 5 inch loaf using wet hands.  Bake meatloaf until it registers 155 to 160 degrees, 75 to 90 minutes. Remove from oven and turn on broiler.

For the glaze:
6. While meatloaf cooks, bring all ingredients to simmer in small saucepan over medium heat.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until thick and syrupy, about 5 minutes.
7. Spread half of glaze evenly over cooked meatloaf; place under broiler and cook until glaze bubbles and begins to brown at edges, about 2 minutes.  Remove meatloaf from oven and spread evenly with remaining glaze; return to broiler and cook until glaze is again bubbling and beginning to brown, about 2 minutes longer.  Let meatloaf cool for 20 minutes before slicing and serving.

Read More

Herb-Stuffed Flank Steak

OH MY DELICIOUSNESS

This was to die for.  I highly recommend using a top-quality steak; it really makes a difference in the tenderness and flavor of the meat.  This is meant to be savored. Slowly. Deliciously.

Ingredients:

Marinade:

1/4 cup dry red wine (we used a Cabernet Sauvignon and the left over paired perfectly with dinner)

2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

1 Tbsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce

1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper

2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1 (1 1/2-3/4 lb.) flank steak

Stuffing:

4 cloves garlic

1/2 c. chopped flat-leaf parsley

1 Tbsp. chopped fresh thyme

2 tsp. grated lemon zest

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper

1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1/3 c. fresh goat cheese

Directions:

1. In a 1-gallon resealable plastic bag, combine the wine, lemon juice, soy sauce, and pepper and shake to dissolve.  Add the oil and set aside.

2. Place the meat on a work surface with a short end facing you. Using a long, thin knife, cut the meat horizontally in half so the steak opens like a book (it will be very thin). Place the steak in the marinade bag, seal, and refrigerate for 1 hour.  *Be sure to take the meat out after 1 hour or the wine will overpower the other flavors*

3. Preheat a gas or charcoal grill to medium.  For charcoal, mound the briquettes toward one side of the grill.

4. Place the garlic on a cutting board.  With a heavy knife, chop and smear it to a paste.  Place the garlic paste in a small bowl.  Add the parsley, thyme, lemon zest, salt, pepper, and oil.

5. Remove the steak from the marinade and pat dry.  Discard the marinade. Lay the meat on a work surface so what was the seam lies horizontally  Cover the meat with the filling, leaving a 1" border at the top.  Sprinkle on the goat cheese.  Working from the bottom, roll the steak up like a jelly roll.  Thread toothpicks along the edge to seal the roll closed.

6. Grill the meat over direct heat, turning it every 3 minutes to brown it on all sides, 9 minutes in all.  If using a gas grill, turn off the center row of burners.  For charcoal, move the meat to a cooler side of the grill. Cover and grill the meat over indirect heat, starting to check at 8 minutes and removing the steak when a thermometer inserted in the center registers 130 degrees for medium-rare.  Let the steak stand for 10 minutes, then cut crosswise into 12 slices.

Read More

Weeknight Chili

Photo from America's Test Kitchen

This was the perfect dinner to feed to our weekend guests ~ It was so easy, hearty, and delicious! I was able to prep it all before they even arrived so that I didn't have to miss out on any of the fun! =) Don't be alarmed at the mass amount of chili powder in this recipe; because this is a slow cooker recipe, the heat dies down and you're left with great flavor.

Ingredients:

2 T. oil

2 onions, chopped medium

1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and chopped medium

1/4 cup chili powder

1 Tbsp. cumin

1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

Salt

6 garlic gloves, minced

2 lbs. ground beef (85% lean to help with the moisture)

1 (28 oz) can tomato puree

1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes

2 (15.5 oz) cans red kidney beans, rinsed

Pepper

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven (or stock pot) over medium heat until shimmering.  Add the onions, bell pepper, chili powder, cumin, cayenne, and 1/2 tsp salt.  Cook until the vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes.  Stir in the garlic and cook for 15 seconds.

2. Add the beef and increase the heat to medium-high.  Cook, breaking up the beef, until no longer pink, about 10 minutes. Stir in the tomato puree and diced tomatoes with their juice, scraping up any browned bits.  Bring to a simmer, then pour into the slow cooker.

3. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4-5 hours.  Stir in the beans during the last hour of cooking.  Before serving, season with salt and pepper to taste.  Serve with cheddar cheese and sour cream, if desired.

Read More

Apple-Stuffed Pork Chops

I forgot to take a picture of this simple and delicious dinner, but this is kinda what it looked like:

We served this with asparagus and mashed potatoes: quick and hearty! Thanks to Matt for the recipe!

Ingredients:

4-6 thick-cut pork chops, sliced in half (I didn't cut through so that I would have a pocket)

1 small onion, diced

1 medium apple, peel and diced

2 cloves of garlic

Salt and Pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Saute the garlic in oil until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Add in the onion and apple and saute until tender, about 5-6 minutes.  Remove from heat and let cool.  

Season the pork chops with salt and pepper.  Fill the chops with the onion-apple mixture (I used a spoon, which worked great).  Sear the chops, about 2 minutes per side.  Transfer the pan to the preheated oven, and let cook for about 10 minutes, or until the pork is no longer pink.  

Read More

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

I've been holding off on posting this recipe simply because I wanted to let the photo on Pulled Pork Sandwiches get you excited for it.  Well, enough with the waiting! Here's the recipe:

Ingredients:
2 lb. pork roast (I used a top sirloin roast, but any will work)
1 12-oz. bottle/can root beer (we always use Henry Weinhards)
1 16 oz. bottle BBQ sauce (or make your own - we used Sweet Baby Rays this time, but I like to make our own)

Directions:
Place roast in a slow cooker and poke holes in it with a fork.  Pour the root beer over the roast, then cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.  Remove roast and shred.  Drain the slow cooker, add the pork back in and mix with the bottle of bbq sauce and let cook about 30 more minutes, until warm.

Read More

Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Yum.

Recipe to be added later... I just wanted to tempt to you and make your mouth water at the sight of our homemade pulled pork and coleslaw. 

Enjoy the picture for now.

Read More

Sweetheart of a Husband

I had a really... long... day...

but, I was greeted at home with this:

Cabernet Sauvignon, Moonstruck Chocolates, and Red Roses

And this:

Grilled Steak, Mashed Potatoes, and Skillet Asparagus!

Not to mention, it all came with folded laundry and a clean kitchen!

I love my Valentine. :)

Recipes for dinner to follow...

Read More

Lasagna

From the ATK Healthy Family Cookbook, this is a modified lasagna with less fat and carbs than traditional lasagna.  As usual, no photo due to the quick consumption by 4 hungry men!

This recipe calls for ground chicken, however I used lean ground beef instead.

Ingredients:
2 c. nonfat ricotta cheese (16 oz)
3 c. shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese (12 oz)
1/2 c. grated parmesan cheese (1 oz)
1 c. chopped fresh basil
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Salt and pepper
1 1/2 t. olive oil
1 onion, minced
6 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 t. dried oregano
1/8 t. red pepper flakes
1 lb. ground chicken
1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes
16 whole wheat lasagna noodles (Or 12 no-boil lasagna noodles)

Directions:
Mix the ricotta, 2 cups of the mozzarella, the parmesan, 1/2 of the basil, egg, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper in a bowl until well-combined.  Cover and refrigerate until needed.
Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven (or pot) over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion and cook until softened about 5 minutes.  Stir in the garlic, oregano, and red pepper and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Add the chicken and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon until no longer pink, about 4 minutes.  Stir in the tomatoes with their juice and bring to a simmer.  Cook, stirring occasionally until the sauce has thickened slightly about 15 minutes.  Off the heat, stir in the remaining basil.  Season with salt and pepper to taste, cover and set aside until needed.
[skip this next step if using no-boil noodles] -->Meanwhile, bring 6 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot.   Stir in the lasagna noodles and 1 T salt and cook, stirring often until almost al dente, but still firm to the bite.  Drain and rinse under cold water until cool, Lay pasta out over clean kitchen towels.
Preheat oven to 375.  Spread 1 1/2 c. of the meat sauce over the bottom of the baking dish.  Place 5 noodles on top of the sauce and spread 1/4 cup of the ricotta mixture evenly down the center of each noodle.  Spoon 1 1/2 cups more of the sauce evenly over the ricotta.  Repeat this layering two more times.
For the final layer, place the remaining 4 noodles on top, spread the remaining 2 cups of sauce over the noodles, and sprinkle with the remaining cup of mozzarella.  Spray some foil with cooking spray and cover the lasagna.
Place the baking dish on a rimmed cookie sheet and bake for 40-45 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling.  Remove the foil and continue to bake until the cheese is melted and beginning to brown, about 20 minutes longer.  Let cool 10-20 minutes before serving.

Read More

Chicken Soup

Yummm, bring on the winter chicken noodle soup!

Ingredients:

1 medium onion, chopped
2 carrots, sliced
2 celery stalks, sliced
3/4 c. frozen peas
1 lb. chicken thighs
2 c. wide egg noodles
1 c. canned tomatoes
32 oz. chicken broth
1 t. pepper
1 t. dried thyme
1 t. italian herb seasoning
1 t. oregano
1 t. salt
Bay leaves
1 t. cilantro
1 t. marjoram
1 t. basil

Directions:

Put onion, carrots, and celery in a crock pot.  Layer chicken thighs on top of vegetables (I put my on frozen).  Add in tomatoes, broth, and bay leaves.  Cook on low for 8-10 hours.  In the last hour, remove chicken and shred.  Cook noodles according to package instructions, reserving 1 cup of the pasta cooking water.  Add chicken back to the crock pot, along with the cooked noodles, reserved water, and spices.  Cook until heated through.

Read More

Chicken & Bean Enchiladas

These are courtesy of my daddy.  They are a great meal to serve to company, easy to prep ahead of time, and delicious the second day!

Ingredients:
4 oz. cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup sour cream

2 cups prepared salsa

2 cups grated Cheddar cheese

2 cups shredded cooked chicken

1 14.5 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 4 oz. can medium green chiles

1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

Salt and pepper

4 scallions, thinly sliced

12 to 14 soft round 6 to 8inch flour tortillas

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

In a medium bowl cream together the cream cheese and the sour cream. Stir in 1/2 cup of the salsa. Stir in

1 cup of the grated cheese. In a second bowl toss together the chicken, beans, chiles, corn, cumin, cayenne, salt,

pepper, and 1/2 of the scallions. Add the chicken mixture to the cheese mixture and stir to combine.

In a baking dish spread a 1/2 cup of the salsa over the bottom. Place about a 1/3 cup of the filling on a tortilla, roll up and transfer to the baking dish with the seam side down. Repeat process for remaining

tortillas. Pour remaining salsa over enchiladas, spreading to coat all of them. Sprinkle remaining grated

cheese over the top. Enchiladas may be prepared up to this point 12 hours in advance. Transfer to

preheated oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes until hot and bubbly. Enchiladas may be reheated, covered

with aluminum foil, before service. Sprinkle with the remaining scallions and serve warm.

Read More

Grass-Fed, Pastured Meat

I've been looking into local sources of organic, grass-fed, pastured meat... for those of you who are interested and in the Corvallis area, this is what I've found so far, but have not yet investigated prices or purchasing:

At Abundant Life Farm, our goal is to provide a better tasting and healthier product for consumers who care about the food they eat and how it is raised—food from the abundance of life God provides—true food for life.

Our layers, broilers, and turkeys are moved daily to fresh pasture and are fed a high quality, custom feed locally mixed to our own recipe. Turkeys are available for Thanksgiving. Now available is pasture raised duckling. Fresh broilers are available during the summer; frozen broilers are available year round.  Brown eggsare available year round. All of our poultry is processed by hand in our state inspected poultry processing facility, so we can verify the safety and cleanliness of our product from start to finish. 

Our salad bar beef is moved daily to fresh pasture. Pastured lamb and pork are available periodically throughout the year. Having learned first hand from pasture pioneer Joel Salatin, we are adopting his model to the Pacific Northwest. All of our beef, lamb, and pork are available by the piece or by the side. 

Abundant Life Farm, Scott and Marilyn Jondle, 16055 Gilliam Road, Dallas OR 97338. (503) 623-6378. E-mail: ALFarm@q.com.

Afton Field Farm is located in Corvallis, Oregon and owned by Tyler and Alicia Jones. Tyler is a graduate of Joel Salatin’s Polyface Farm apprenticeship program and the farm is adapted to Salatin’s philosophy and multi-species rotational grazing methods. 

We offer pastured poultry, beef and lamb, and oak savanna pork. The animals spend the majority of their lives outside and are moved to fresh pasture daily or as needed. The beef and lamb are strictly grass fed. All other animals—layer chickens, broiler chickens, turkeys and hogs— forage a portion of their diet from the pasture and woods and are supplemented with custom grain mixes milled locally. The hogs are often finished on apples or acorns. We also keep bees and have honey available.

Afton Field Farm, Tyler and Alicia Jones, 3375 SW 53rd Street, Corvallis OR 97333. (541) 738-0127.
Website: http://www.aftonfieldfarm.com/.  

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bald Hill Farm is a family farm, owned and operated by the Martin and Heeter Families. Our philosophy is: Good for You, Good for the Animals, and Good for the Environment. We believe in raising quality, healthy meat for our community. Our animals graze on several hundred acres, free to roam and eat all that nature intended them to. We use no hormones, feed antibiotics or by-products. 

Bald Hill Farm Office & Store, 5700 SW Reservoir Avenue, Corvallis OR  97333. (541) 753-3500. E-mail: info@4BaldHillFarm.com. Website:http://www.4baldhillfarm.com/.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lake View Farm is an all natural, family operated farm located in the beautiful Willamette Valley in Oregon since 1928. Over four generations, striving to improve with each, we currently find ourselves producing  REAL Milk, Old Fashioned Pasture Fed Chicken, Grass Fed Beef, Plump Holiday Turkeys, Farm Fresh Eggs, Tender Spring Lamb, Chevré and Fresh Lean, Milk Fed Pork.

God has shown us the advantages of wholesome food produced in a naturally seasonal, sustainable way. This has provided us with the opportunity to grow quality food on our family farm. We are committed to supplying the healthiest products possible by providing nourishing feed and quality care for our animals. To us, this means a clean, low stress environment, plenty of fresh air and sunshine and all the grass our animals can eat.

Lake View Farm, 29540 Crook Drive, Halsey OR  97348. (541) 369-2393.
E-mail: lvf.realfood@gmail.com

The website http://www.eatwild.com/ is super cool... I feel a new obssession coming on!

Read More

Heartwarming Chili

Mac's mama's recipe... We made this to go on the hot dogs at the Wade's housewarming party, but it's great in a bowl with cheddar cheese and cornbread with it, too!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 c. kidney beans (soaked overnight with pinto beans)

2 c. pinto beans

1 lg. onion, diced

1 lg. green pepper, diced

1 lb. ground beef

32 oz. ketchup (whole bottle)

(about 28 oz) lg. can whole peeled tomatoes

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. paprika

1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

3 whole cloves

1 bay leaf (or 2 little ones)

1-2 T. chili powder

Drain the beans that have been soaked overnight and recover with water. Boil beans for a few minutes, drain again, then soak again while you brown the meat. Add all the ingredients to the beans pot and simmer!

Read More

Pork, Mushroom, Snow-pea Stir Fry

The problem with a genre request is that I don't necessarily make all the recipes at the time that I post them. Thus, the lack of photos. Also, the distinguished excitement for each dish. Don't let that take away from how yummy, easy, and quick these dinners are!

The good thing about a genre request is I suddenly am aware of so many more meals that we can put on the menu for next month! Thanks, Krissa!

And on that note, here's the recipe for this stir-fry. Just FYI - when it comes to stir fries, I tend to chop up a little of this veggie, throw in a little of that meat, and pour on a lot of some sauce and pile it all on top of a hot bowl of rice. However, sometimes it's nice to have a no-fail recipe to follow. This is one of those.

Ingredients:
1 lb. pork tenderloin, trimmed and very thinly sliced crosswise
2 tsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. salt
4 Tbs. olive oil, divided (it calls for vegetable oil, but I always use olive)
1/2 lb. snow peas, strings removed
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 lb. sliced mushrooms
3 Tbs. water
2 Tbs. teriyaki sauce
Steamed Rice

Directions:
Toss pork with cornstarch and salt. Heat 2 Tbs. oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Stir-fry pork until pale golden and almost cooked through, about 4 minutes, then transfer to a plate. Add 1 Tbs. oil to the pan and stir-fry snow peas with garlic until crisp-tender, about 1 minute. Add to pork. Add mushrooms to pan with water and remaining oil and cook, covered, until softened, about 5 minutes. Put the pork and snowpeas back in the pan with the teriyaki sauce and cook until the pork is cooked through, about two more minutes.

Adapted from Gourmet Magazine

Read More