Cranberry-Stuffed Pork Chops with Roasted Carrots

Here’s another one from Real Simple (September 2009). I had all of the ingredients on-hand and made this for a weeknight supper.  I’d give it an OK. The roasted carrots & onions were the best part of the dish. I must have over cooked the pork chops a bit because they ended up dry and quite frankly a bit bland. Life’s too short to eat dry pork!!

Cranberry-Stuffed Pork Chops with Roasted Carrots

Serves 4

Hands-On Time: 15m

Total Time: 35m

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds carrots, thinly sliced

1 small red onion, sliced

3 tablespoons olive oil

kosher salt and black pepper

1/2 cup dried cranberries, chopped

2 tablespoons apricot preserves

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

4 1-inch-thick bone-in pork chops (about 2 1/2 pounds) (I used boneless chops)

Directions

1. Heat oven to 400° F. On a baking sheet, toss the carrots, onion, 2 tablespoons of the oil, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper.

Before going into the oven...

2. Roast, stirring once, until tender, 25 to 28 minutes.

...Coming out of the oven (the onions look a bit overcooked - ok BURNT - but they tasted good)

3. Meanwhile, combine the cranberries, preserves, and coriander in a bowl. Using a paring knife, cut a 3-inch-deep pocket in the side of each chop; stuff with the mixture.

4. Heat the remaining tablespoon oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat.

5. Season the pork with ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper and brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side.

6. Transfer pork to oven (on the rack above the carrots) and roast until cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes. Serve with the carrots.

By Sara Quessenberry,  September 2009

Broccoli even Non-Broccoli Lovers will Dig!

I love broccoli.  Cooked broccoli. For whatever reason, I can’t stand the stuff raw. Normally I’m quite boring and just steam it and sprinkle some S&P on it and voila, easy side dish.  That gets old. So here is a recipe from one of my all time favorite people and writers – Kim O’Donnel. She used to write for the Washington Post for years and I still follow her now that she’s in Seattle. For those of you vegetarian-types and meat eaters like me who try to eat veg once or twice a week, she has a great cookbook: “The Meat Lover's Meatless Cookbook: Vegetarian Recipes Carnivores Will Devour”. 

Roasted Broccoli Pick-Up Sticks

From “A Mighty Appetite for the Holidays” by Kim O’Donnel

1 pound broccoli florets, separated

1 inch piece fresh ginger root, peeled and diced

1 clove garlic, minced

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon cayenne or paprika (I use cayenne. Smoked paprika would also be terrific)

1-2 tablespoons olive oil

Black pepper to taste

Method

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Place all ingredients in a mixing bowl. With your hands, mix to combine until broccoli is well coated. Place broccoli on a baking sheet and into the oven.

Roast until fork tender (about 12 minutes). Serve warm or at room temperature.

Makes 4 side-dish servings or 12-15 cocktail party servings.

The Binder from Which I Cook

My Binder

So this is my binder of recipes. I’ve been collecting recipes since the early- to mid-90’s. I pull them out of newspapers, magazines, and now the world wide interwebs. I have quite a few cookbooks at my disposal, too, but I always reach for my binder when looking for dinner inspiration.  The binder also used to have tabs for dessert, breads, and drinks; but those were moved to their very own binder a few years ago.

The tabs in my binder are:

n     Appetizers

n     Grains

n     Legumes

n     Meats

n     Vegetables

n     Pasta

n     Soups

Notice there isn’t a seafood tab. I don’t eat it. Considering I was born and raised in Maryland, it makes no sense, but I just don’t like it. I tell people it’s a birth-defect. And quite frankly, living in Colorado is great for a non-seafood person like me. I’m happy with my meat and veg. I do have a few seafood recipes that I’ll pull out for the boyfriend and keep those in my meat section.

I’m not sure how many recipes I have, but my hope is to attempt to make MOST of them in 2012. I’ve been banned from having the same experiment with my dessert binder. We’re training to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro and a different dessert every night won’t exactly help. I envision making most of my vegetable & grain recipes this summer once my CSA starts and the vegetables are fresh and plentiful. Counting down the days to summer!!

My big-ass binder

Chocolate Fudge Pie. Mmmm, Pie.

Some days I crave pie. Chocolate Pie.  I’ve had this recipe since ripping it out of the November 2009 Real Simple and finally decided to try it. I even made my own pie crust (which I’ve always been terrified of doing but pie crust is super easy).  This recipe is pretty straightforward and if you want basic chocolate fudge pie, it satisfies your craving. It’s nothing exceptional, it’ll do.  Sadly, I forgot to snap some pics.

Chocolate Fudge Pie

Serves 8

Hands-On Time: 20m 

Total Time: 4hr 00m

Ingredients

Basic Flaky Piecrust

or 1 store-bought piecrust, fitted into a 9-inch pie plate

6 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped, plus more shaved for topping

1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick)

3 large eggs

1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

Directions

1. Heat oven to 375º

F. Place

the pie plate on a baking sheet. Prick crust with a fork and line with foil. Fill to top with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until the edges are firm, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the foil and weights and bake until just golden, 8 to 10 minutes.

2. Reduce oven temperature to 325º F. In a heatproof bowl set over (not in) a saucepan of simmering water, melt the chocolate and butter.

3. Using an electric mixer, beat the eggs, salt, and ½ cup of the sugar until fluffy, 4 to 5 minutes. Fold a third of the egg mixture into the chocolate mixture, then fold in the remainder.

4.Pour the combined mixture into the crust and bake until puffed and beginning to crack, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool for 1 hour, then chill.

5. Beat the cream with the remaining sugar until soft peaks form. Spread over the pie and sprinkle with the shaved chocolate. (I used whipped cream from the can)

By Sara Quessenberry,  November 2009

The only Brownie recipe you'll ever need

This brownie recipe has been my go-to since it was published by the Washington Post in 2007. Why use a box mix when more delicious brownies can be made just as easily?  Just try not to figure out the nutritional information, or you’ll gain 10 lbs just thinking about it. I recently made these for a Super Bowl party and cut the brownies into a football shape and then decorated with some white icing. So cute!

Man-Catcher Brownies

The Washington Post, February 7, 2007

Course: Dessert

Summary: This recipe is a result of the author's many experiments to create the perfect brownie: thick, moist and chocolaty. These are for purists who like nothing but brownie in their brownie, but chocolate chips or toasted chopped walnuts could be added.

Makes twenty-four 2 1/4 -by-2-inch brownies

Ingredients:

12 ounces (3 sticks) unsalted butter

2 cups cocoa powder, sifted (natural, not Dutch processed)

6 large eggs

2 cups sugar

2 cups packed light brown sugar

2 tablespoons vanilla extract

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9-by-13-inch pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper and spray with nonstick cooking oil spray.

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Remove from the heat and add the cocoa powder, stirring to combine. Let cool slightly.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs together, then add the sugars and vanilla extract, stirring to combine. Add the cooled butter-chocolate mixture, then fold in the flour and salt until just combined; do not overmix. Spread the batter evenly in the pan, making sure the corners are filled. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a crust forms on the surface and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean. Transfer the pan to a wire rack; cool completely before cutting the brownies.

Recipe Source:

From Food section editorial assistant Leigh Lambert.

Love the shiny pipe cleaner goal posts!!

Chicken & Tortellini Soup with Sage Pesto

Here is a good recipe when soup is calling your name. The soup itself is pretty basic – broth, chicken and tortellini – so I added some onions, celery and carrots. The sage pesto really transforms this humble soup and elevates the flavor profile to something fresh and unexpected. Serve with some salad and warm bread.

I found this recipe in Parade magazine of all places!

Chicken & Tortellini Soup With Sage Pesto

by: Bobby Flay

Servings: 6

Active Time: 25 min.

Total Time: 30 min.

Ingredients:

1 cup walnuts

1 cup tightly packed flat-leaf parsley leaves

1/4 cup fresh sage leaves

1 clove garlic, smashed

1/3 to 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/3 cup grated pecorino Romano cheese

Salt and fresh black pepper

1 Tbsp canola oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 6-oz. boneless, skinless chicken breast (I used 2 breasts)

8 cups homemade chicken stock (store bought is fine)

1 9-oz. package fresh cheese tortellini

Directions:

1. For pesto: Combine the nuts, parsley, sage, and garlic in a food processor until coarsely ground. With the motor running, slowly add 1/3 cup of the oil down the feed tube until the mixture is emulsified. Add the cheese, salt, and pepper and pulse a few times until it reaches a loose-paste consistency. Scrape into a bowl.

2. For soup: Heat the canola oil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Season chicken breast with salt and pepper on both sides and cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Remove breast to a plate. Drain any fat left in the pan; add chicken stock, scraping the bottom of the pan, and bring to a boil over high heat. Put chicken breast in the stock, cover pan tightly, and remove from the heat. Let the chicken sit in the hot broth until cooked through, 8 minutes. Remove chicken breast to a plate and let cool 10 minutes; shred into small pieces.

3. Return stock to high heat and bring to a boil. Add the tortellini and cook until tender, 7 minutes; season with salt and pepper, and stir in the shredded chicken. Ladle soup into bowls and add a dollop of sage pesto and a sprinkling of cheese. Garnish with parsley leaves.

Welcome to Miami, Bienvenidos a Miami (Cuban Roast Pork)

If you’ve never been lucky enough to have authentic Cuban food, you’re missing out. Cuban food is so simple yet delicious and flavorful. One of my dearest friends is Cuban and grew up in Miami.  We met when we both worked together in New York and she took me to Miami for the first time in 1999/2000. We were there for the Y2K New Year’s Eve and had a blast. We both eventually left NYC. Happily for me she moved back to Miami and I had a friend at the beach to visit during the winter. One of my only requests when I visited her was to go out for Cuban food. Cuban roast pork is TO DIE FOR. It’s full of flavor and tender beyond belief. My friend asked her Aunt for a recipe but she didn’t have anything written down. I searched the internet and found this recipe which comes pretty close to the real deal. Sadly, my friend left Miami earlier this year and moved to Ireland. I’m so happy for her new life adventure, but how am I going to get my Cuban food fix????

I made this for my sweetheart for Valentine’s Day served with fried plantains and traditional Cuban black beans and rice. Leftover pork makes an outstanding Cuban sandwich, too!

I found this recipe on Recipezaar.com. It was submitted by someone named Crabbycakes. The only thing I’ve changed is cooking it in a slow cooker.

Cuban Roast Pork

6 servings

5-6 lbs pork roast, shoulder, sirloin

3 cloves garlic, peeled and slivered

½ cup orange juice

½ cup lime juice

1 tablespoon oregano, ground

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon salt, to taste

1 large onion, sliced

Trim fat from roast, if any.

With a sharp knife, cut tiny holes in roast and insert slivers of garlic.

Mix remaining ingredients.

Place pork roast and onions in bag. Pour marinade over.

Place in refrigerator, at least overnight. (I marinate for 2 days)

Preheat oven to 275°.

Place pork roast in covered baking pan and cook for 5-6 hours. Turn once during baking.

I just dump the roast, onions, marinade and some chicken stock into my slow cooker, turn it on low for 10 hours and let it do its thing. The pork comes out so tender and delicious!

Cuban Food in the Foothills!

Meatballs. Not the movie.

Here’s a recipe I pulled out of the April 2008 edition of Gourmet (R.I.P.) I have always wanted to make real Italian meatballs and this recipe sounded like it fit the bill. Sadly, to me, it did not. The meatballs are good but I think there is too much bread and they are lacking something I can’t put my finger on. The recipe was sent in by a reader to honor his grandfather.  I served the meatballs with my own homemade sauce and homemade pasta.

I actually had some of these last night. Eric loves them but they're not my favorite, so I am going to put these on my "Not a Keeper" list.

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

My grandfather, Angelo “Squatty” Coschignano, ran the Fort Salonga Inn, on Long Island, for 35 years. Growing up, I spent long hours in the kitchen with him and eventually created a sauce that would complement his most famous dish. After he passed away last September, our family decided that sending Gourmet his recipe would be the best way to memorialize him.

-William “Billy” Woerner

New York City

Angelo “Squatty” Coschignano’s Meatballs

Serves 6 to 8

Active Time: 1 hour

Start to Finish: 2 ½ hours

Three types of meat give these legendary meatballs a succulent depth of flavor. Top them with Billy Woerner’s rich, bacon-studded sauce (see recipe at gourmet.com) to create a truly out-of-this-world version of the classic Italian dish.

Ingredients

1 garlic clove, chopped

1 (1-lb) loaf stale Italian bread, crust discarded

1 ½ cups whole milk

¾ lb ground veal

½ lb ground pork

½ lb ground beef chuck

2 tablespoons chopped basil

1 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

1/3 cup Italian seasoned fine dry bread crumbs

1 large egg

½ cup olive oil

1 qt. tomato sauce

- Preheat oven to 375° with rack in middle.

- Mince and mash garlic to a paste with a pinch of salt.

- Tear bread into large pieces, then soak in milk until very soft, about 5 minutes. Squeeze out and discard excess milk.

- Mix together bread, garlic paste, 1 teaspoon each of salt and pepper, and remaining ingredients except oil in a large bowl with your hands, breaking up any large pieces of bread, until combined well. Form meat mixture into 18 (2-inch) balls with dampened hands. I made smaller meatballs and froze most of them. Place meatballs on a baking sheet, freeze, then place frozen meatballs in a Ziploc bag. You can take out however many you need for dinner.

That's alotta meatballs!

- Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers, then brown meatballs in 2 batches, turning frequently, 3 to 5 minutes per batch. Drain on paper towels. Instead of frying, these can also be baked on a baking sheet.

- Arrange meatballs in 1 layer in a 3-quart shallow baking dish. Cover with sauce, then cover dish tightly with foil and bake until meatballs are cooked through, about 30 minutes.

Note: Meatballs in sauce keep, covered and chilled, 3 days.

Homemade meatballs, sauce & pasta

Sweets for my Sweets

I love to bake but I’ve never really been much of a decorated sugar cookie baker. Every year at Christmas I think I’m finally going to use the cookie cutters an old college roommate gave me (think early 90’s) and every year I don’t. This year, I decided I really wanted to make cookies for Valentine’s Day, so I went to Sur la Table and bought a couple of heart shaped cutters. These cookies are so easy and so delicious. This recipe I’ve had since December 2004 (!) when I pulled it out of the Holiday edition of Real Simple.  Using a 3” heart shaped cutter, this recipe made about 5 dozen cookies.

Sugar Cookies

Makes 4-6 dozen cookies, depending on shapes

Hands-On Time: 1hr 15m

Total Time: 3hr 30m

Ingredients

4 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/3 cup vegetable shortening (such as Crisco)

2 large eggs, at room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

colored or coarse sugar, for decorating

Directions

1. Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl; set aside.

2. Combine the butter and shortening in the bowl of an electric mixer and cream until smooth. Slowly add the sugar, beating on medium. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla. With a wooden spoon, stir the dry ingredients into the creamed mixture 1 cup at a time.

3. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and divide in half. Place each half on a large sheet of plastic wrap. Flatten into disks about 1 inch thick. Wrap separately then refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to 1 week.

4. To bake, preheat oven to 350° F. Roll to 1/8 inch thick on a well-floured surface. Cut into shapes. Sprinkle with the colored sugar, if desired. Using a spatula, transfer to a large greased baking sheet, sugared-side up. Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until light golden brown around the edges. Transfer to a cooling rack. 

I Heart Cookies!

Chicken with Acorn Squash and Tomatoes

OK, so I’m not dead, I’ve just been very, very lazy this past month!!  I’ve been cooking, I just haven’t been typing, so I apologize to all of my fans for neglecting you. Haha

This is a recipe from the November 2010 issue of Real Simple magazine. I’ve made it a few times and it’s very good. We weren’t sure if we liked acorn squash until I made this recipe. It gets very tender and sweet from the roasting. I also just roast the chicken along with the squash and tomatoes to cut down on calories/fat. Be careful with roasting the garlic – it can burn quite easily and fast. I add it about halfway through roasting.

Chicken with Acorn Squash and Tomatoes

Serves 4

Hands-On Time: 20m

Total Time: 30m

Ingredients

1 small acorn squash (about 1 1/2 pounds), halved, seeded, and sliced 1/4 inch thick

1 pint grape tomatoes, halved

4 cloves garlic, sliced

3 tablespoons olive oil

kosher salt and black pepper

4 6-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano (if you don't have fresh, dried is fine, just use less)

The ingredients await my magic

Directions

1. Heat oven to 425° F.

2. On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss the squash, tomatoes, and garlic with 2 tablespoons of the oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper.  (I wait to add the garlic so it doesn’t burn – nothing is nastier than burnt garlic!)

3. Roast the vegetables until the squash is tender, 20 to 25 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. (skip this step and just roast the chicken in the oven with the squash and tomatoes)

5. Season the chicken with the coriander, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Cook until golden brown and cooked through, 6 to 7 minutes per side.



Roasted goodness out of the oven



6. Serve the chicken with the squash and tomatoes and sprinkle with the oregano.

Dinner is served!