Tomato Braised Pork Loin w/ Artichoke, Parmesan and Oregano Stuffing

This recipe is  another installment of my fun with stuffing things.  This dish will make for an amazing dinner and presentation especially for the up and coming Mother's Day!  The stuffing is filled with nutrient rich artichoke hearts,supplying substantial amounts of protein, iron, magnesium, Vitamin C and Vitamin B6. Additionally, it pairs well with the grated Parmesan and Oregano, picked fresh from my herb garden.  Panko is the binder because of it's versatility and graceful yet subtle presence.
 Assembly is easy, only requiring minimal legwork. The loin I used is a portion of a whole loin, about 1 1/2 lbs to 2lbs., which has been butterflied and pounded to about 1/3 of an inch thickness.  I am excited about any protein or recipe that involves using butcher's twine, but I misplaced it somewhere in the remodeling process in the kitchen lol.  Alas, not being easily deterred, I simply wrapped the loin tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerated it for an hour or so to facilitate the idea of the loin keeping it's shape during searing and braising. Be sure to start the searing process seam side down.
 I served this loin with Garlicky Rice and the reduced crushed tomatoes, infused with bay leaf, garlic, olive oil and sugar to taste.
Recipe:
1 1/2 to 2 lb. portion of Pork Loin
1 14 oz. can artichoke hearts, chopped and squeezed of excess liquid
1/2 c. Panko
1/4 c. grated Parmesan
4 cloves garlic, pressed or finely minced
1 tsp. fresh julienne of Oregano
1/2 tsp. Coriander
1 25 oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 bay leaf
sugar to taste
Olive oil for drizzling
SPST
Preheat oven to 350*(if using butcher's twine, otherwise this can wait until after loin has been refrigerated)
Butterfly loin that has been rinsed and patted dry.
 Layer several overlapping pieces of plastic wrap on cutting surface, long enough to accommodate the flattening process.
To Butterfly: Turn loin lengthwise, with short side facing you.
With a sharp knife, make a cut across the top third portion of the loin to the opposite side, taking care to stop cutting about 1/2 inch from the end.
Flip loin over and repeat process.
Cover with several more pieces of plastic wrap and flatten or pound, using a rolling pin to about 1/3 inch thickness.
 Remove top layer of wrap and SPST.
In a medium bowl, combine artichoke hearts, Panko, Parmesan, half of garlic, Oregano, Coriander and a drizzle of olive oil.
Spread mixture within 1/2 inch of protein borders.
Starting from one end, roll snugly lengthwise until cylinder is achieved.
Secure with butcher's twine.
Alternately, tuck ends of loin and wrap  loin tightly in bottom layer of wrap, folding in (like rolling a burrito) and refrigerate for at least an hour.
In a dutch oven or heavy bottomed pot over medium high heat, drizzled liberally with olive oil, SPST outer loin and sear on all sides until browned.

Remove from pot and reduce heat.
Pour in crushed tomatoes and add bay leaf, remaining garlic, a drizzle of olive oil and sugar to taste.
Let simmer, stirring often for about 5 minutes.
 Place loin back in pot.

Cover and braise in oven WITHOUT basting until done, about 25 minutes.  Remove from sauce and let stand before slicing.  Serve as desired with tomato sauce  Serves 4-6.

Stuffed Chicken Wings

Chicken wings are one of my favorite guilty pleasures, especially fried with tons of Sriracha and Chunky Bleu Cheese!  The prices for these puppies seem to be battling those of gold bouillon in some stores, so I wanted to make the best of the purchase, sans frying, and take the chicken wings to new and exciting heights, no pun intended lol.
With a simple packaged Chicken stuffing and some fresh diced mushrooms, I stuffed,  then baked the wings until cooked through and golden.   Serve these wings with savory sides like garlic mashed potatoes,  glazed carrots and/or wilted spinach.   My mom really liked the recipe and I beamed with pride because she is my most discerning critic!
This recipe is a bit demanding, but not difficult if you have basic knife skills and a sharp one at that, preferably a filet knife.  It is however, fun to see the reactions of the family when they realize that you've
managed to stuff a chicken wing!
Recipe:
10-12 chicken wings
1 5 oz. box chicken stuffing
1/2 c. fresh, small diced mushrooms
2 tsp. chicken broth or water
Paprika
olive oil for drizzling
SPST
Preheat oven to 375*F.
Combine stuffing , mushrooms and stock .
Remove tips from chicken wings, set aside for stock or other use.
Make an incision about 1 inch long on the inside of the wing, where the fan-like skin is and carefully separate skin from meat as much as possible.
With the knife separate the meat between the two flat wing bones for slightly more space.
Stuff each wing with about 2 tbsp. stuffing mix and place stuffed side down in a lightly greased baking pan or dish.  It is okay to fit the wings snugly end to front to help keep uniform as it cooks.
After all wings have been stuffed, lightly brush with olive oil.
Sprinkle with Paprika and SPST.
Bake for 10-15 minutes uncovered, until start to turn golden, reduce heat to 350*, then bake about 20-25 minutes loosely fitted with foil.
Transfer to paper towels for several minutes before plating.
Serves 5-6.

Chicken Casserole Alfredo

This recipe is a comforting and vegetable packed one-dish meal, and has an outstanding flavor profile.  It's filled with 2 1/2 lbs. of wonderful goodies like broccoli, cauliflower, carrots and  mushrooms and white meat chicken,  in a creamy and delicious homemade cream sauce reinforced with a little bought Parmesan Garlic Alfredo sauce and topped with  fresh toasted and buttery bread crumbs.  It is simplistic and satisfying and can be prepped ahead of time to be baked later.  Variations within the recipe can accommodate a version with less fat and fewer calories.  The family of tasters received the dish very well and I am looking forward to another overcast or rainy day with a chill, to use this dish as a soothing pick me up:)
Recipe:
1 1/2 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into bite sized pieces
1/2 c. sliced fresh mushrooms
1 1/2 lb. fresh or frozen broccoli, chopped
1 lb. fresh or frozen California Blend (broccoli, cauliflower and carrot)
2 tbsp. butter, plus 2 tsp. olive oil
3 tbsp. AP flour
1 c. evaporated milk, regular or fat free
2 c. low sodium chicken stock
1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1 c. Garlic Parmesan Alfredo sauce
olive oil for drizzling
SPST
For Topping:
2 c. fresh bread crumbs
2 tbsp. butter
Preheat oven to 350*F.
Steam veggies according to package directions until tender crisp, drain well.
Season chicken pieces.
In a large saute pan drizzled with olive oil over medium high heat , sear chicken pieces until slightly golden, about 5 minutes.
Add mushrooms and cook an additional 3 minutes.
Add butter and sprinkle in flour.
Cook together until chicken is coated with flour paste, about 2 minutes.
Remove from heat and whisk in milk and stock.
Reduce heat to medium and cook until thickened.
Add Parmesan cheese and Alfredo sauce.
Fold in veggies.
Transfer to greased baking vessel, about 11x2, and spread evenly.
In another pan, melt butter over medium high heat and drizzle in a little olive oil.
Fry bread crumbs in pan until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
Spread atop casserole and cover tightly with foil.
Bake for about 20 minutes or until casserole is bubbly and golden around edges.
Remove foil and bake an additional 10 minutes.
Let stand for several minutes before serving.
Serves 6 to 8.

Madame Shepherd's Pie

 

Shepard's Pie, traditionally minced beef with veggies ,baked with a mashed potato topping, is a popular dish hailing from Great Britain and likewise, here in America.  I first tried this on a trip to England with my  advanced and high school Science teacher , Shirley Cothran.  We spent 2 weeks traveling and touring the country and it's adorable  little towns, Westminster Abbey, Shakespeare and Anne Hathaway''s home, where we sat and swung in a cozy wooden swing,  in it's beautiful garden, Windsor Castle, the Tower of London, where we experienced some of the Medieval torture devices, Jack the Ripper's Ghost Walk, tracing the steps of the infamous forerunner for serial killers, to the unforgettable Madame Tussauds Wax Museum in London,  which was absolutely amazing.
These memoirs are just a few of the many fantastical memories made when I was 15 years old.  The excursion was a most exciting and memorable one.  The rain was hit and miss and we were lucky that it was the driest period England had experienced in ten years! Whoohoo!  Ironically, a wedding party trashed one of the hotels in which we were scheduled to stay , bumping us up to a 5 star hotel at the last minute for 2 days!  Thanks Wedding Wrecking Crew!:)
The idea for this version of Shepard's Pie came about by happenstance.  I had prepared a birthday dinner the night prior for my nephew Justin, featuring  two of his favorite foods,  ribs and homemade mashed potatoes.There were some potatoes leftover, though not enough for reasonable side portions, and the wheels began to turn. I had approximately one pound of ground beef on hand as well as this huge boneless skinless chicken breast weighing about 3/4 lb., which I cut into bite sized pieces. I knew that singularly, one of the proteins would not accommodate dinner, but together, they could provide for a substantial and filling dish.  The recipe was a big hit and the name is derived from the marrying of the chicken to the beef in taste-bud matrimony, in a romantic one dish meal.
Recipe:
1 lb. ground beef
3/4 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into bite sized pieces
2 cloves garlic, pressed or finely minced
1 pkg. onion soup mix
2 c. water or beef stock
1 tbsp. corn starch
2 small carrots, sliced, about 1/2 c.
1/2 c. sweet corn kernels
1/2 c. frozen peas
2 c. prepared mashed potatoes
1/4 c. evaporated milk
1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 c. shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
Olive oil for drizzling
SPST
Preheat oven to 375*F.
In a large saute pan over medium high heat, brown ground beef and remove with a slotted spoon.
 Set Aside.
In the same rendered fat, brown the chicken pieces in batches, adding it to the vessel with the beef .
After all the chicken has been browned, pour excess fat from pan and re-add meats.
Add garlic, onion soup mix , stock and corn starch and bring up to a boil.
Remove from heat and stir in all vegetables, except mashed potatoes.
Pour into an oven safe vessel at least 2 inches deep.
In a separate bowl, combine potatoes, evaporated milk, Parmesan and eggs.  Blend well.
Pour and spread potato mixture over meat filling and cover tightly with foil.
Bake until potatoes have set, about 30 minutes, and toothpick inserted comes out clean of potato topping.
 Remove foil and sprinkle with Cheddar and turn oven to  broil.
Broil until cheese melts and top browns slightly.
Garnish with Fresh cracked pepper, Parmesan, olive oil and fresh chopped parsley if desired.
Let stand for about 10 minutes before serving. Serves 8-10.

Loaded Broccoli and Cheese Beef Burgers

What better way to throw some veggies into your family's diet, than pairing it with a 1/3 pound Angus beef patty and smothering them with broccoli and sauteed mushrooms, swimming in cheese sauce?  Of course this burger isn't your everyday fare, but the menu and meal that day will be unforgettable and can reasonably fit into just about any  hectic schedule. The mushrooms are fresh and the cheese sauce is homemade, so you can definitely feel better about it and is may be prepared with 2 % milk, plus reduced fat Cheddar cheese!   Serve as is for a meal or with Doritos, fruit or salad for a hearty and fantastic burger without sacrificing too many calories or your integrity.  Additionally, you can substitute the beef for an extra lean beef, lean chicken or turkey burger to further shave down on fat and calories.  Whole grain buns will work well too and add a jolt of fiber and other essential vitamins and minerals like potassium, thiamin and phosphorus.  Just remember to add a little olive oil to the leaner ground to help retain moisture and  maximum flavor!  What the heck, try them all especially for your next cookout and WOW your crew with these wonderful flavor profiles! Enjoy.
Recipe:
1 lb. fresh or fresh frozen broccoli florets, steamed until tender crisp
2 tbsp. butter, plus 1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. AP flour
4 oz. fresh mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
2 c. milk
1 1/2 c. sharp cheddar cheese
6 1/3 lb. Angus beef patties
6 slices American cheese
mayonnaise, optional
6 hamburger buns, toasted if desired
SPST
In a large saucepan, melt butter and add olive oil over medium high heat.
Add mushrooms and cook for several minutes until they show signs of browning.
Sprinkle in flour and cook for an additional minute.
Remove from heat and whisk in milk.
Reduce heat to medium and place pan back over heat.  Cook until milk starts to thicken and stir in cheese.
Continue to cook until cheese is melted and smooth. Fold in broccoli that has been drained thoroughly.  SPST.
Assemble cooked patties on bun slathered with mayo if desired and add cheese.  Smother with about 1/4 c. broccoli and cheese sauce and serve with desired side or sides.

Chinese Bar BQ Grilled Pork Loin and Tangy Asian Slaw w/ Sweet Chili Bacon Ranch Sauce

Ever wondered how they get the skewered meats this color that you find in Chinese restaurants and buffets?  How many of us have said or have heard someone say " There is no meat that color and I'm not eating it"! Lol, I assured many friends and family that the color was from a marinade and not some mystery animal meat, familiar only to those eateries, but I knew that I needed some solid proof!   I had always enjoyed the meat on a stick variety from these restaurants and was determined to find that taste out here in the real world.
As you would imagine, the supermarket is one of my favorite places, especially the ones in areas with diverse cultures and traffic to accommodate the products they carry and I hit pay dirt.  About 1 1/2 years ago, I was in a Kroger in the Smith Mountain Lake area and while cruising the Ethnic Foods Aisle, found the brilliantly colored packet, harnessing the flavor I longed to create at home.  The marinade itself is chock full of amazing flavors like garlic and onion powder, sugar cane, spices and of course food coloring. It is actually a product of Hawaii!  The Marinating time varies depending on the time you have to dedicate to the dish and the intensity of the flavors you want to penetrate the meat.  Generally the time runs from 4 to 24 hours for maximum taste, overnight sometimes being the most practical. 
I have prepared boneless and bone in proteins, including ribs, chicken and pork cuts.  The exploration yielded many memorable and different dishes with fantastic results.  I reinforced the flavor profile by adding some fish sauce and seasoned rice vinegar, two items I LOVE cooking with which also cut out physically adding salt, the vinegar helping to develop the color. 
I paired an original recipe and sauce combining some of my favorite Asian ingredients .  They complement the marinade well and also other dishes you may enjoy at home.
Recipe for Tangy Asian Slaw:
8 cups julienned green cabbage
2 small carrots, grated
1/3 c. seasoned rice vinegar
1/3 c. fish sauce or to taste
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp. sugar or to taste
2 tsp. sambal oelek or to taste
combine all the wet ingredients in the bottom of a large container with lid.  Taste and adjust seasonings as desired.  Add veggies, but DO NOT MIX, until ready to serve. This keeps the cabbage extra crisp and the flavors incredibly bright.  Refrigerate until ready to serve, then toss and shake until well coated.  Serves plenty!  Recipe may be halved for smaller families, however this slaw is fantastic up to several days later.
 Sweet Chili Bacon Ranch Sauce:
1/3 c. Sweet Chili Sauce
1/3 c. Bacon Ranch Dressing
1 tbsp. Sriracha or to taste
Whisk ingredients together and serve alongside your favorite protein or as a dipping sauce. Makes about 2/3 cup. 

 

 

Happy Birthday to my nephew Justin today, and my daughter Genesis yesterday!XOXO:)

Chipotle Chicken and Caramelized Onion Wontons

This recipe is inspired by one of my favorite appetizers, buffalo wings.  I love the zing of the hot sauce , muted only by the cooling creaminess of the Bleu Cheese or Ranch dressing, followed by the snapping crisp crunch of celery.  This recipe is easy to assemble and may easily be adjusted depending on crowd size.  Sweet Asian Chili Sauce really adds to the overall effect and packs a mean punch of heat to pair with the smoky hot of the chipotle and the sweet heat of the sriracha, but feel free to adjust the heat to your desired level.   This dish rivals any pub style wing fare, no bones about it!
1 lb. fresh cooked and shredded or canned chicken breast
1 large onion, thinly sliced, about 2 cups
2 tbsp. butter, melted
1 tsp. brown sugar
2 green onions, trimmed and  thinly sliced
1/2  tbsp. Sriracha
1 clove garlic, pressed or finely minced
1 chipotle chile, seeds removed, finely diced or minced, plus 1/2 tsp. sauce in can
SPST
Olive oil for drizzling
1 pkg. wonton wrappers
oil for frying
Heat Oil to 375*F
While oil heats, In a large saute pan over medium high heat, drizzle in a little olive oil and add butter.
Add Onions , brown sugar and SPST.  Cook onions until caramelized, about 20 to 25 minutes.  The onions will be reduced to about 1/2 cup.
 Combine all  filling ingredients in a folding fashion.  Prepare for assembly.
Assemble wontons according to package instructions using about 1 1/2 tsp. filling per wonton.
Cover prepared wontons with damp cloth while prepping the others.
Fry in batches, until golden, drain on paper towels.
Makes about 40.
Serve with Bleu Cheese and authentic Sweet Chili Sauce.