Pork Roast with a Honey-Mustard Glaze

I have been making this pork roast for almost 20 years. The glaze is soooo good on the pork but it will also work well on the other white meat known as chicken. The glaze has a melding of both sweet and spicy flavors and is simply delicious when grilled. You definitely can file this one under the category of Quick and Easy!

Ingredients:

1/3 c. honey

1/3 c. orange juice

1/4 c. Grey Poupon Harvest coarse ground mustard

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. red pepper

3 - 4 lb pork roast

Method:

In a Small bowl whisk together the first 6 ingredients and set aside. Prepare your grill to medium heat. Place roast on the rack and then apply the glaze at the beginning of cooking and every ten minutes there after. Roast will be done when the internal temp. reaches 165 - 170 degrees. Remove from grill and let the roast stand for 10 minutes before carving.

Galumpkis or Halupkis...or simply Stuffed Cabbage!

No matter what you call these cabbage rolls, they are a delicious Eastern European dish that my family loves! I made them the other night using a slow cooker or crock pot and they were the best I ever made. I swear the time cooking helps to meld the flavors together and that is why they were so yummy. 

Total cooking time 7 hrs....total cooking time in slow cooker 6 1/2 hours.

Ingredients:

1 lb ground meat ( I use Turkey)

1 onion chopped

1 cup cooked rice (I cook mine in chicken bullion or stock)

1/2 c bread crumbs

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 head of green cabbage

1 28 oz can of whole tomatoes

2 c. chicken broth (or beef if using ground round or sirloin)

salt and pepper to taste

In large pot bring water to a boil and add the cabbage whole to the water. Let boil for about 3-5 minutes, just long enough for the leaves to become soft and mailable. Remove cabbage from pot using tongs or you can drain off the hot water reserving a cup and cool cabbage by adding cold water to the pot.

In mixing bowl, mix the meat with the cooled rice and bread crumbs and season with salt and pepper. Place one cabbage leave on surface of the working area. Make a small meatball and place in the center of the cabbage leaf and then fold the sides up and then beginning with the end opposite the spine of the leaf, begin to roll up the meatball with cabbage and secure with a toothpick. Repeat until all the meat is used. 

Then take remaining cabbage and chop. In large pan saute the onion and garlic in 1/4 cup of the broth until soft. Then add remainder of the broth along with the tomatoes and let cook on the stove top for about 30 minutes.

In a slow cooker, place the wrapped cabbage leaves on the bottom and then pour the tomato mixture over top to cover. If it doesn't cover add some of the reserved cabbage water and season with salt and pepper. Cook on high for 3 hours then cut back to low for the remaining 3 1/2 hours.

I had made 13 Galumpkis and all but two were gone at the end of dinner Tuesday night. I actually had to stop the kids from eating them so Chris had some to take for lunch on Wednesday. This is a great comfort food and very inexpensive to make. It just takes a little practice in rolling up the meat in the cabbage, but otherwise a very simple meal. 

Serve with mashed potatoes and loads of love!!!

XO

Evan's PB & J Cupcakes

My little nephew, and my husband's God son, just celebrated his 5th birthday last week so I came up with this cupcake in his honor. Every kid loves peanut butter and jelly right? So what better way to honor this long time favorite than by making it into a cupcake. These little critters have a buttery peanut butter frosting and a squirt of jelly inside!

Ingredients:

1/2 c. butter

1/2 c. superfine sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

2 large eggs

2/3 c. self-rising flour

5 T milk

Good old-fashion Welch's jelly

For the frosting:

1/2 c. butter

1 3/4 cup confectioner's sugar

1/3 cup peanut butter

4 T milk

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 F. Place muffin cups in muffin pan. Beat the butter, sugar and extract until light and fluffy and then add each egg blending well after each addition. Then add the flour and blend, and then using a spatuala, fold in the milk. Evenly distribute the batter into 12 muffin cups and bake for 15-17 minutes or until the cakes are golden in color and a toothpick, when inserted into the cake, comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool, then remove from the muffin pan to allow them to cool completely before adding the jelly and frosting. 

Once cooled take a knife and make an X on the top of each cake.  Using a decorator bag or other decorating device, use the narrow adaptor and fill bag or canister with jelly. Place the tip into the cupcake and fill until you see the cake slightly expand.

To make the frosting simply whip butter until it is fluffy and then add the sugar and blend. Then add the peanut butter and blend again. Add milk to attain the desired consistancy.

Note...if the frosting is too thick you will have difficulty using a decorator bag or other device to put on the frosting.

Travel - The American Southwest and Durango, Colorado

Sedona, Arizona

View of the Grand Canyon from a helicopter

A few years back my husband Chris and I took a trip out to Arizona to attend a wedding in Phoenix. We decided that after the nuptials we would rent a car and drive from Phoenix up through Flagstaff and Sedona to see the Grand Canyon. After experiencing (and I say experiencing because there is nothing like the bird's eyeview you get when you see the number one natural wonder of the world from a helicopter!) the magnificent Canyon we then drove through the Painted Desert and Monument Park in Utah until we reached The Four Corners. From there it was just a short trek to the quaint Victorian town of Durango. Durango is located in the southwest Colorado and is considered part of the Four Corners region. It was established as a mining town in 1881and is the home of the historic Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad.

Driving to Durango, Colorado

While staying in Durango Chris and I had a great time perusing all the specialty shops, most notably the millinery shop. We were so moved by the spirit of this little town and the old west that we actually bought matching cowboy hats! And how could our stay in Durango be complete without a horseback trail ride near Mesa Verde National Park guided by an old cowhand from the Rimrock Outfitters?

While vacationing out in this great part of the United States, Chris and I munched on a lot of beef jerky and dined on our fair share of steakhouse steaks, but the one dish I remember having for breakfast while in Durango was something called Posole. Posole or Pozole pronounced (poh-SOH-leh) is a Mexican style soup made with hominy, chillies, garlic, pork or sometimes chicken, and fresh cilantro. I'd never had or let alone even heard of Posole, but when I saw it on the breakfast buffet the idea of a spicy hot dish first thing in the morning was very appealing to me. And wow it did wake me up! The Posole I had was more of a soup but it can be made with a thicker base to make it more like a stew. Posole is often served in Mexican Restaurants, and as I had come to learn at that time, it is also very popular in the American Southwest!

The red rock of Utah's Monument Park

(I think the bird in the pic is pretty cool!)

Everything Left in the Frig Paella

This paella was made literally from things I had left in my frig and freezer. The mussels were uncooked and leftover from Sunday evening's dinner, the shrimp was in the freezer and since I didn't have any chicken I used a sweet apple chicken sausage instead. The combination worked really well with fresh cilantro and tomatoes. Even my daughter downed the rice which I know usually is not one of her favorites.

Ingredients:

2 lbs of mussels rinsed with beards removed

(discard any already open which do not close when sharply tapped)

I/2 lb large shrimp, peeled with tails left on

12 oz sweet apple sausage, sliced

2 cups quick cooking brown dry rice

4 tomatoes diced with seeds removed

1 green pepper diced

1 onion chopped

2 cups chicken broth

1/4 cup fresh cilantro

oil for sauteing

Method:

In deep sided pan, heat oil and saute the sausage, green pepper and onion until the sausage is browned pepper is soft and onion is transparent. Add broth and tomatoes and bring to a boil then add the rice, and cook for 5 minutes Add the mussels and cover pan and let simmer for 3-5 minutes. Then toss in the shrimp and cover to let simmer for another 2 minutes. Remove from heat when the mussels are opened the shrimp is pink and the rice is cooked through. Add the fresh cilantro and serve.

This actually made enough for my crew plus a good portion leftover for my husband's lunch!

Herb Roasted Potatoes

These roasted potatoes are crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside and are the perfect accompaniment to any pork, beef or lamb dish! All you need to do is to toss the ingredients together and place in roasting pan. The trick to roasting your potatoes is to cook them in a hot oven, 450 degrees F for one hour! 

Ingredients:

5 medium red potatoes cut into 1 inch cubes

1 T dried thyme or 2 T fresh

1 T dried rosemary or 1 1/2 T fresh

1 T dries sage leaves or 2 T fresh

4 T olive oil

season with salt and pepper

Roast for one hour making sure to stir potatoes every 15 minutes.

Mussels Steamed with Ouzo

I love the buttery sauce Carrabba's serves their mussels in however it is way too high in calories for me. One serving is almost an entire days worth of calories so I came up with a lighter version. I use less than half of the butter and replaced the omitted butter with a low sodium chicken broth. The secret to the special flavor in this recipe is the licorice flavored Ouzo. Ouzo is a cousin to Perod which is used in Carrabba's original recipe!

Ingredients:

2 lbs mussels rinsed with beards removed

1/4 cup butter

5 gloves of garlic minced

2 red onions chopped

1/4 parsley chopped

1/2 c. low sodium chicken broth

4 T Ouzo

white pepper and salt to taste

Method:

Melt butter in large pot and add the garlic, onion, and parsley and saute until garlic is soft and onion transparent. Add the broth and the Ouzo and season with salt and pepper. When sauce comes to a boil, place colander or the basket of your steamer filled with the clean mussels over the sauce. Cover and steam until mussels are wide open, about 5 minutes.

Placed steamed mussels in bowl and pour the sauce over the top and serve.

Note:  When you are cleaning the mussels if you come across any that are opened tap on them and if they close tight they are OK to cook, if not discard them because they are already dead.

Spaghetti Bolognese

This recipe is my version of Bolognese made with ground turkey and turkey sausage. I decided to skip on some of the vegetables that many recipes incorporate into Bolognese, and added a salted pork instead. I did add onions and garlic because I love their flavors and instead of topping with Parmesan I used shredded Asagio Cheese!

(There is Asagio in the sauce too!)

 

Ingredients:

2 T olive oil

4-5 slices of salt pork chopped

1 lb. ground turkey

1/2 lb turkey sausage, cooked and chopped 

2 medium onions, chopped

4 garlic cloves, crushed
2 stalks celery chopped

14 1/2 oz. tomato puree

6 oz. tomato paste

1/2 c. beef broth
1/2 c. of half-n-half

1 T Italian Seasoning

1 1/2 tsp dried thyme

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp cinnamon

salt and pepper

1 c. shredded Asagio cheese

Method:

Heat olive oil in pan and add salt pork  (I used bacon but you could use pancetta or even prosciutto) and cook for about 4 minutes. Then add the onion, celery and garlic and cook for 3 more minutes. Add turkey to pan and cook until brown. Add the sausage and heat through. Then add the puree, broth, half-n-half, and paste along with the thyme and Italian Seasoning and the nutmeg and cinnamon. Season with salt and pepper and let cook on low for 40 minutes until it thickens. Then blend in 1/2 cup of the Asagio cheese.

In the meantime bring a pot of salted water to a boil and add spaghetti. When spaghetti is cooked to your liking strain and plate. Top with the Bolognese and remaining asaigo cheese

Enjoy!!!

The Skinny on Beef

Grass-fed Beef     

ore natural flavor thus eliminating the need to season or marinade before cooking. The taste of the beef will vary depending on what type of grass the cow grazes on and the region of the country it is raised in, but overall grass-fed beef is the wiser healthier choice.Grass-fed beef is part of a new trend or revolution if you will, moving some cattle ranchers away from the long time standard method for which their cattle meat is raised and processed. Cattle are being fed grass instead of soy, corn, anitbiotics and the accidental consumption of pesticides. Grass-fed beef is not only healthier for us from the standpoint of not containing all the unwanted chemicals, but what it does contain is less saturated fat than conventionally processed beef and is higher in omega 3 fatty acids, the healthy fat found in fishes like salmon. And because there is less water in the grass-fed beef, less meat needs to be eaten in order to satisfy hunger. The beef also contains m

For mor information on this trend check out Time Magazine’s article titled The Grass Fed Revolution at http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1200759,00.htm

Cuts of Beef

1. Tender cuts: These cuts are suitable for roasting, grilling, sautéing or broiling.

               

          Delmonico, New York, Porterhouse, rib roast, rib eye, sirloin, T-bone, tenderloin.

2. In-between cuts: With a little bit of preparation these cuts are good for roasting, grilling,  sautéing and broiling.They are also suitable for pot roasting, braising or stewing.
               

 Cross-rib, hanger steak, shoulder, sirloin tip, skirt, tri-tip, flat iron. 
  

 3. Least tender cuts These cuts are only suitable for roasting, braising or stewing.
:               

Arm roast, Bolar roast, brisket, bottom round, round, rump, and stew.

Tips for Cooking Steak 

Now that we are coming to the time of the year when we start firing up our grills for outdoor cooking, check out this video from America’s Beef Producers on how to cook a steakhouse steak in your home!

 

Tara's Toasted Coconut Cupcakes

These little treats are made with lots of coconut! There is coconut in the cakes themselves and then I topped them with little tuffs of toasted coconut!

I named these coconut cupcakes after my 9 year old niece Tara because they are as sweet and warm as she is!

Ingredients:

3/4 c. butter softened

1 c. sugar

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp. almond extract

1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 c buttermilk

3/4 c. sweetened flaked coconut plus

 a little extract for toasting

For the Frosting:

6 oz cream cheese softened

1/3 cup butter softened

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp. almond extract

3 1/2 c. confectioner's sugar

Method:

In automatic mixer or using a hand mixer, blend together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, then add the eggs one at a time mixing well after each addition. Beat in the extracts. Mix flour, baking soda and baking powder and salt and add to creamed mixture alternation with the buttermilk. Beat well after each addition. Fold in the coconut and fill baking cups until 2/3 full. Back in oven set at 350F and bake for 20-22 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool completely.

For the Frosting...

In a large bowl or automatic mixer beat together cream cheese, butter and the extracts until smooth. Gradually add the confectioner's sugar mixing well. Toast the coconut in oven proof dish until it turns golden, let cool. Frost cupcakes and top with toasted coconut.

Makes 18 cupcakes