Mongolian Pork Chop

Created on

Ingredients

  • ½ cup hoisin sauce
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 ½ tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons sesame oil
  • 2 teaspoons white sugar
  • 1 ½ teaspoons hot sauce
  • ½ teaspoon ground white pepper
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 (10 ounce) thick bone-in center cut pork chops

Instructions:

Step One: Make marinade: Combine hoisin sauce, garlic, soy sauce, ginger, red wine vinegar, rice vinegar, sherry vinegar, sesame oil, sugar, hot sauce, white pepper, and black pepper in a large bowl. Whisk thoroughly until combined

Step Two: Place pork chops in a resealable plastic freezer bag; pour slightly more than 1/2 of the marinade into the freezer bag over pork chops. Seal the bag and refrigerate for 6 to 8 hours. Reserve remaining marinade

Step Three: Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat. Lightly oil the grate

Step Four: Remove pork chops from marinade; pat dry with paper towels. Discard used marinade

Step Five: Cook pork chops on the preheated grill until brown grill marks appear, about 4 minutes per side

Step Six: Move pork chops to indirect medium heat and continue cooking, brushing reserved marinade on each side, until no longer pink inside, about 25 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the centers should read at least 145 degrees F (63 degrees C)

Shepheard’s Pie

Created on

Ingredients:

Meat Filling

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 cup chopped yellow onion
  • 1 lb. 90% lean ground beef -or ground lamb
  • 2 teaspoons dried parsley leaves
  • 1 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 garlic cloves -minced
  • 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • 1 cup frozen mixed peas & carrots*
  • 1/2 cup frozen corn kernels

Potato Topping

  • 1 ½ – 2 lb. russet potatoes -about 2 large potatoes peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
  • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter -1 stick
  • 1/3 cup half & half
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/4 cup parmesan cheese

Instructions

Make Meat Filling

Step One: Add the oil to a large skillet and place it over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Add the onions. Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally

Step Two: Add the ground beef (or ground lamb) to the skillet and break it apart with a wooden spoon. Add the parsley, rosemary, thyme, salt, and and pepper. Stir well. Cook for 6-8 minutes, until the meat is browned, stirring occasionally

Step Three: Add the Worcestershire sauce and garlic. Stir to combine. Cook for 1 minute

Step Four: Add the flour and tomato paste. Stir until well incorporated and no clumps of tomato paste remain

Step Five: Add the broth, frozen peas and carrots, and frozen corn. Bring the liquid to a boil then reduce to simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally

Step Six: Set the meat mixture aside. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F

Make Potato Topping

Step One: Place the potatoes in a large pot. Cover the potatoes with water. Bring the water to a boil. Reduce to a simmer. Cook until potatoes are fork tender, 10-15 minutes.

Step Two: Drain the potatoes in a colander. Return the potatoes to the hot pot. Let the potatoes rest in the hot pot for 1 minute to evaporate any remaining liquid.

Step Three: Add butter, half & half, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Mash the potatoes and stir until all the ingredients are mixed together.

Step Four: Add the parmesan cheese to the potatoes. Stir until well combined.

Assemble Casserole

Pour the meat mixture into a 9×9 (or 7×11) inch baking dish. Spread it out into an even layer. Spoon the mashed potatoes on top of the meat. Carefully spread into an even layer. If the baking dish looks very full, place it on a rimmed baking sheet so that the filling doesn’t bubble over into your oven. Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes.** Cool for 15 minutes before serving

Notes: To make this dairy and gluten-free, sub out the flour for almond flour and the half and half/butter with a milk alternative

Coffee Cake

Created on 12/23/2022

Ingredients:

  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 box instant Jello French Vanilla (do NOT use Cook and Serve Jello)
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1 box yellow cake mix, I recommend Betty Crocker
  • 1/2 cup canola oil
  • Baker’s Joy non stick spray (this is the only spray I’ve used that successfully keeps the cake from sticking, Pam doesn’t not work)
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons Hersey’s cocoa special dark mix
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions:

Step One: Preheat over to 350 degrees

Step Two: Mix all ingredients in a standing mixer. Spray Baker’s Joy on the inside of the coffee cake pan. Add mixture to the coffee cake pan

Step Three: Allow the cake to cook for about 35 minutes. Use a wooden skewer, and stick it into the middle part of the cake. If the cake mixture comes out on the wooden stick, then keep cooking the cake for an additional five minutes and repeat with the wooden stick. If the the wooden stick comes out of the cake clean, then the cake is ready to take out of the oven

Step Four: Mix together the sugar, cocoa mix, and cinnamon in a bowl. Sprinkle the mixture on top of the cake and enjoy!

Crock Pot Pot Roast

Created on 12/17/2022

Ingredients:

  • 2 – 3 lbs chuck roast
  • 1 lb small baby yellow potatoes
  • 6 carrots peeled and cut into chunks
  • 1/2 onion cut into chunks
  • 2 cups beef broth (half carton)
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1/2 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/4 cup water for the gravy
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • Parsley for garnish

Instructions:

Step One:

First cut all your vegetables into large chunks. You want them to be bigger so they will not turn into mush.

Step Two: Brown the roast on the stove. Brown all sides until a crust has formed.

Step Three: Add your roast to the crock pot and then place the vegetables around the roast.

Step Four: Add all your seasonings.

Step Five: Next add in the beef stock.

Step Six: Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 5 hours.

Step Seven: Shred the beef.

Step Eight: Now, time to make the gravy. In a small bowl whisk together the ¼ cup of water and the cornstarch.

Step Nine: Remove 2 cups of the liquid from the crock pot and place in a saucepan.

Step Ten: Whisk in the water and cornstarch mixture in with the beef juice.

Step Eleven: Bring to a boil, stirring frequently for 3-5 minutes until it begins to thicken. It will thicken as it cools as well.

Step Twelve: Drizzle the gravy over the roast, potatoes and carrots. Top with parsley and enjoy.

Notes: Add additional vegetables to this recipe, like peas and corn. Just add them in the last hour of cooking so they don’t turn to mush.

Enchillada Sauce

Created on 11/26/2022

Ingredients:

  • 5 Dried Anaheim Chiles
  • 1 Ancho Chile
  • 2 Chiles de Arbol
  • ½ Onion
  • 4 Garlic Cloves
  • Water
  • ¼ cup Vegetable Oil
  • ¼ cup All Purpose Flour
  • 1 teaspoon Better Than Bouillon, chicken flavor
  • ½ teaspoon Cumin
  • ½ teaspoon Salt, optional

Instructions

Step One: Stem, seed and rinse all dried chiles. Cut onion into three pieces. Peel garlic cloves. Place in a medium sauce pan with enough water to cover.

Step Two: Place pan on medium high heat and bring to a boil then reduce to low and cover with lid. Allow to cook until everything is heated through and chiles are soft, about 10-15 minutes.

Step Three: With slotted spoon, remove all ingredients from sauce pan to electric blender. Add about 1 cup water so blender blades will move easily. Pulse until smooth. Strain out and discard solid pieces, leaving the liquid. Set aside.

Step Four: Rinse and dry sauce pan or use a different one. With a whisk, mix together oil and flour briskly until smooth. Place pan on stovetop at medium heat. Cook, stirring almost constantly, until lightly browned, about 5-7 minutes. (To make gluten free, see note below.)

Step Five: Stir in liquid sauce from blender until smooth. Slowly stir in three cups water. Be careful when you first start pouring. There will be a lot of hot steam.

Step Six: Stir in remaining ingredients. The bouillon already has a lot of salt so, if you want to reduce the sodium, leave out the extra salt.

Step Seven: Bring to boil, then reduce heat and cook for about 5-7 minutes until slightly thickened.

Notes:

Makes 1 quart. Serving size is calculated at ¼ cup for nutrional information.To make gluten free, you can use GF flour or masa harina. Or, you can leave this part out completely for a thinner sauce.Use any leftovers at the table as a condiment, or save for another recipe later. Mexican gravy. To thicken this sauce for more of a Mexican gravy, slowly stir in ½ to 1 cup of your favorite cheese until fully melted near the end of cooking. Serve over tamales, burritos, nachos, tacos, chimichangas, everything.

Baked Chicken Meatballs

Created on 7/14/2020

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb ground chicken. You may also use ground turkey
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 cup plain panko breadcrumbs
  • 1/2 cup grated parmesan
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 tablespoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • Freshly grated black pepper

OPTIONAL INGREDIENTS

  • Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, any other seasonings you prefer

Instructions:

Step One: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with olive oil

Step Two: Add all ingredients to a large bowl. Mix everything together with your hands until it is well combined

Step Three: Take a spoon-sized amount of the mixture and roll it into a ball in your hands. Place the meatball on the baking sheet. This mixture should create roughly 30 meatballs.

Step Four: Cook the meatballs in the oven for 25 – 30 minutes

Notes: These meatballs taste great with marinara sauce or teriyaki sauce. These are delicious in meatball subs or with zoodles. Meatballs freeze great.

Braised Short Ribs with Red Wine

Created on 9/3/2022

Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 5 lbs bone-in short ribs, at least 1 1/2 inches thick
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 2 large heads of garlic, cut in half crosswise
  • 1 medium onion, yellow or white, chopped
  • 4 ribs of celery, chopped
  • 2 medium carrots, chopped
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 cups dry red wine, about half a bottle
  • 2 cups beef stock or bone broth
  • 4 sprigs of thyme
  • 1 cup of chopped parsley
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped chives
  • 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest

Instructions:

Step one: Heat oven to 275 degrees. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season short ribs on all sides with salt and pepper. Working in batches, sear short ribs on all sides until deeply and evenly browned, 6 to 8 minutes per batch. Transfer browned short ribs to a large plate and continue with remaining ribs

Step two: Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of remaining fat, leaving the good browned bits behind. Reduce heat to medium, and add garlic, cut side down and cook, undisturbed, until golden brown, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add onion, celery and carrots and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat and continue to cook until vegetables are softened but not yet browned, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add tomato paste and stir to coat. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until tomato paste has started to caramelize a bit on the bottom and up the edges of the pot, about 2 to 3 minutes

Step three: Add red wine and, using a wooden spoon, scrape up any browned or caramelized bits. Let this simmer 2 to 3 minutes, just to take the edge off and reduce a bit. Stir in beef stock along with thyme. Using tongs, return short ribs to the pot, along with any juices that have accumulated, nestling them in there so that they are submerged (if they are just barely covered, nestle them bone side up so that all the meat is submerged, adding more beef stock or water as necessary to cover). Bring to a simmer, then cover and transfer to oven

Step four: Cook, undisturbed, until short ribs are meltingly tender and falling off the bone (you should be able to shred the meat with a fork), 3½ to 4 hours

Step five: Using tongs, remove the ribs from the pot, taking care (for presentation purposes, really) not to let the bone slip out and transfer them to a large plate. (While you could serve the short ribs right out of this pot, the vegetables have all given up their flavor and texture and aren’t worth much now, so feel free to strain the sauce for easier eating.) Scatter parsley, chives and lemon zest over the top of the short ribs. Separate the fat from the sauce, season with salt and pepper and serve alongside

Notes: Serve with mashed potatoes or steamed vegetables. If there are leftovers, shed up the meat and serve as a sandwich.