Cook's Illustrated's Tacos (tostadas) al Pastor

Aaand once again we have no picture, I don't actually know what happened to them, but oh well, sigh :).  Tacos al pastor is a pretty traditional taco, and I've always shied away from making them because of the pineapple.  I don't love pineapple with meat, but I decided to go for it, because we are all about tacos in this family :).  I ran out of corn tortillas, and so we made these into tostadas, which worked out well.  This was a hit.  They were a little spicy, a little sweet, and the meat was tender and delicious.  It was also surprisingly simple to make, so a total win around here.  Owen and I gave these a 9, and Noah and Aaron gave them a perfect 10.  Calories are hard to figure out, depending on how many servings you want, but it is low, since the majority of the calories are from the rest of the ingredients, not the meat.  Plan for about 40-50 calories per serving.  I found this recipe from Cook's Illustrated's Best International Recipe cookbook, and here's the easy recipe the way I made it:

3 dried chilies
1-2 chipotle chilies in adobo sauce
6 oz pineapple juice
1-2 c cut up fresh pineapple
garlic salt, salt, cumin, and a pinch of ground cloves
around 2 lbs pork loin
1 T white vinegar

Preheat the oven to 350.  Toast the dried chilies for about 5 minutes, cool them and then stem and seed them.  Cover them with about 3 cups of hot water, and stir them intermittently until the chilies have softened.  Drain the chilies, transfer them to a food processor, then add the pineapple juice and spices, and chipotles and puree until smooth.
Lay the pineapple pieces in a greased square baking dish.  Place the pork on top of the pineapple, then cover it with half of the pureed mixture.  Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake it for about 2 hours.  Remove the pork from the oven and let it set.
Shred the meat with two forks, add in the vinegar, and more of the chili mixture if desired.  Serve.

Anne Burrell's Roasted Pork Loin with Cider and Applesauce

While I wasn't sure we were going to love this, especially when things went south with my applesauce, we ended up really loving this.  I found this recipe on food network, and it is Anne Burrell's recipe.  Each serving was 267 calories for six servings, and the score was a 9 from everyone.  I didn't use nuts, and the apples ended up burning, so I supplemented with unsweetened apple sauce that I cooked down with the rest of the ingredients in the recipe, then followed the recipe normally.  This was a fun, easy to make recipe, and we enjoyed it.

Flour, Too's Pork Loin with Mojo Sauce

So I wasn't sure I was going to feature this recipe, since I changed it a little, and didn't do all the recipe said to, but we really enjoyed this pork and sauce, all of us giving this a 9, except Noah who gave it a perfect 10, and it was relatively easy, so good things :).  Each serving was 292 calories for six servings.  Flour, Too, is where I found this recipe, and I was happy to be able to crockpot this and still have it turn out well.  I ended up leaving the pork in the brine for almost 48 hours in the fridge, and it was just so flavorful and tender.  Here's what to do:

Brine:

1/4 c salt
1/2 c packed brown sugar
3 cinnamon sticks
1 orange, halved
1 t dried thyme
3 garlic cloves, smashed
1 T fennel seeds
1 T coriander seeds
3 bay leaves
1-2 lb pork loin

Oregano Mojo:

1 cup (more or less) fresh oregano, chopped
1/2 c olive oil
1/3 c freshly squeezed lime juice
3 garlic cloves, smashed and minced
1/2 t salt
pepper

onion powder, oregano, garlic, and salt and pepper to season the pork

Mix the brine ingredients in a large pot with 2 1/2 qt water, bring it to a boil over high heat, stirring to dissolve the salt and sugar.  Let it cool completely, then place the pork in the brine and refrigerate at least over night.

Make the Mojo by mixing all the ingredients together, stirring well.  Cover and refrigerate at least 24 hours.

When ready to cook the pork, season the pork, then place in a greased crockpot.  Allow the pork to cook for around 4-6 hours on low, making sure not to overcook.  Serve with the mojo sauce.

Lauren's Latest's Dorito Southwest Salad

So this salad was really great, and I found it on Lauren's Latest.  Here's the link to the original recipe, and I will share what we did.  The boys and I gave this a perfect 10, and Aaron gave it a 9, because he doesn't love salads, but enjoyed this anyway.  I used my own recipe for the pork, we didn't use chicken, but you could use any meat, we used pork with Mexican seasonings.  Here's what I did, and the calories are about 500 per serving, depending on the amount of dressing you use.

3 c lettuce, washed and chopped
2 cans beans, rinsed and drained
Mexican blend cheese
Seasoned pork
tomatoes
1 avocado, chopped
Doritos, broken into small pieces

Dressing
3 T honey
3 T lime juice
1 small garlic clove, minced
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 c olive oil
1/4 t cumin
chopped cilantro to taste

Mix the dressing ingredients together, mix your salad ingredients, then toss with the dressing.  Serve and enjoy.

Frickadeller

I found this recipe in my Favorite Family Recipes cookbook, and you can find the original recipe here.  I made some changes, so I will post the recipe the way I made it.  The boys and Aaron gave it a perfect 10, Jonah didn't like it, and I gave it an 8.  Each serving with 3 meatballs and gravy was 441 calories.  Here's what to do:

1 lb ground beef (leanest possible)
1 lb ground pork
1/2 c bread crumbs
1 t onion powder (at least)
4 T flour
1 egg
1/2 t salt
1/4 t sage
1/2 t thyme
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 c milk
6 T butter

3-4 T flour
1 c whole milk
1 beef bullion cube
seasonings to taste

Mix together the beef, pork, bread crumbs, onion powder, flour, egg, salt, sage, thyme, garlic and milk.  Form into 24 meatballs, then smash them a little until they look like fat hamburgers.  Melt the butter in a large skillet, and cook until the meatballs are well browned on all sides, about 5 minutes per side.  When all the meatballs have been cooked, using the same skillet, whisk in the flour to the drippings/remaining butter.  Stir in the milk and beef cube and whisk constantly.  Mine cooked extremely quickly, and I added quite a bit of water to get a thin enough gravy.  Season to taste and serve with the meatballs.

Best Ever Indian Cookbook's Pork Balchao

This was super delicious, and since I always love slow cooked meats, we made this soon after I received the Best Ever Indian Cookbook.  I love changing things to the crockpot when possible, it makes dinner time so much less stressful.  We served this with rice pilaf, and each serving, there were six, was around 250.  We all gave this a 9, and although I was worried, it isn't at all too spicy.  This was easy, and smelled delicious.  You have to be vigilant while cooking the spices before putting it in the crockpot, but otherwise this is really simple.  Here's what I did:

4 T vegetable oil
1 T grated fresh ginger
1 T minced garlic
1 t cinnamon (a little less)
2 dried red chilies, torn (you could add more if you wanted it spicier)
4 cloves
2 t cumin
10 black peppercorns
1 lb pork loin, cubed and seasoned with salt
1 t turmeric
1 c water
1 1/2 T tomato paste
1/2 t chili powder
1 large onion, finely sliced
1 t salt
1 t sugar
2 T cider vinegar

In a spice grinder, grind up the cinnamon, chilies, cloves, cumin, and peppercorns.  Heat 2 T oil in a large pan, and add the ginger and garlic.  Fry for 30 seconds, then add in the blended up spices and cook for 30 seconds more, stirring constantly.  Add in the pork and turmeric and fry for 5-6 minutes, stirring regularly.  Dump everything in the crockpot.  In the same pan, heat up the remaining 2 T oil if needed and fry the onion for 8-9 minutes.  Add them to the crockpot along with the salt, sugar and vinegar.  Let cook at least four hours, but more if you would like.  Mine cooked for about 6 hours.  Serve with rice.

Michael Symon's Braised Pork with Brussels Sprouts Salad

So this was another Michael Symon pairing of recipes that was out of this world delicious.  We all gave this a 9, it was so rich and tangy and amazing.  I will only feature the Brussels sprouts recipe, but we had it with the braised pork shanks (I used pork chops) from Symon's Carnivore cookbook which is where the Brussels sprouts recipe came from.  This salad should be paired with any rich pork dish, according to Mr. Symon, and you will be amazed at how delicious this is.  They boys loved the Brussels sprouts too, even Jonah.  Each serving was 86 calories, for 16 servings, and here's what to do:

1 shallot, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
2 T caraway seeds
1 T grainy mustard
1/4 cider vinegar
1/2 c olive oil
salt
1 lb shaved Brussels sprouts, shredded or shaved

Whisk together the shallot, garlic, caraway seeds, mustard, vinegar, and olive oil.  Season with salt to taste.  Toss the Brussels sprouts with the dressing to coat and serve immediately.

Latin American Street Food's Pork Tenderloin Sandwich

This was a delicious sandwich, although we were all a little concerned because the chili paste in the sauce was super strong smelling.  This isn't spicy at all, however, and an easy, delicious meal.  I made a few changes, but this sandwich from Latin American Street Food was a hit at our house.  We all gave it a 9, and my parents gave it an 8.  Each sandwich was 348 calories when it was cut in half, and here's what I did.

1 1/2 T olive oil
4 t aji amarillo paste
2 t cumin
2 t salt
1 t garlic powder
1 t pepper
2 lbs pork tenderloin (the recipe called for beef tenderloin, but it was too pricey for our budget :))
1 lb havarti cheese, thinly sliced
2 T mayonnaise
8 T margarine spread (use butter if you want, it will be more calories)
8 rolls (French bread rolls, or other similar)
Avocado, sliced

Mix the olive oil, aji, cumin, salt, garlic powder and pepper.  Spread it all over the pork and marinate for at least 1 hour in the fridge.
Cook the pork on the stovetop to brown it on every side, then transfer it to a very hot oven (mine was at 450) until pork reaches desired tenderness.
Cut the rolls in half, then spread the bread with butter and toast it.  Place mayo, if desired, on bread, top with meat, avocado and cheese, then return to the oven to melt.  Serve.

Michael Symon's Pork Tenderloin with Arugula

I found this recipe in Michael Symon's Carnivore cookbook, and it might be my new favorite pork meal.  This is quick, easy, and so full of flavor.  Noah and I gave this a perfect 10, and Aaron and Owen gave it a 9.  Since you can make the pork marinade up to two days in advance, this is just so little effort.  Michael Symon says to grill this, but I don't grill, so we had this broiled.  Each serving, and we made four servings, was 322 calories, so super healthy, even with the changes I made.  Here's what I did:

1 T Dijon mustard
1 t salt
2 t cumin
1/2 c cilantro leaves
1 t smoked paprika
grated zest and juice of 1 lime
1 lb pork loin, sliced in half
1-2 c arugula
2 T olive oil
1 avocado, diced
dash of sugar
salt and pepper

Combine the mustard, salt, cumin, paprika, lime zest, and cilantro in a large ziplock bag.  Add in the pork, then shake the bag and refrigerate it for up to two days.  (I only did it for one day)
Heat up the broiler.
On a stove top, heat 1 T olive oil, and brown the meat on all sides.  Add some lime juice to the pan, the put the pan under the broiler, until the pork reaches 140-145 degrees on an instant read thermometer.  Let rest, then slice and serve.
Mix the arugula, avocado, olive oil, some cilantro, salt and sugar together.  Serve with the pork.

The Border Cookbook's Riders In Chaps

So this wasn't a hit with anyone aside from Owen.  He loved this meal, he gave it a perfect 10, Noah gave it a 7, Aaron gave it a 4, and I didn't even have any of the eggs, so I don't get a vote.  I don't love eggs, especially not over medium ones :).  Anyway, the pork was really good, everyone agreed on that, but no one liked the eggs in addition, except for Owen.  Like I said, he loved it with the eggs.  The pork was an easy crockpot combination, and the eggs just needed to be cooked right before serving, so this was an easy meal.  Each tostada with two eggs on it was 535 calories.  Here's what to do:

1 lb pork loin
1 large onion, chopped
1 bay leaf
1 canned chipotle chile and 1 t adobo sauce
1/2 t salt, plus more to taste
1/4 t dried thyme
1/2 c water

6 tostadas
guacamole
12 eggs
cheese
beans if desired

Place the pork, onion, bay leaf, chipotle chile and sauce, salt, thyme and water in your slow cooker.  Cook on low for around 6 hours, or until the meat shreds easily.  Shred it and set aside.
When ready to serve, cook the eggs either sunny side up, or over medium, and salt them to taste.
To assemble, take one tostada, swipe with beans if using, layer on meat, 2 eggs, cheese, and guacamole, then serve.

Michael Symon's Elvis Biscuits and Gravy

Isn't that a terrible picture?  Oh well, it doesn't reflect the delicious flavor of the food.  Michael Symon made this recipe, and we really, really enjoyed it.  Aaron gave this a perfect 10, and the boys and I gave this a 9.  I love that you don't use sausage, you kind of make your own sausage with ground pork and spices.  The biscuits, like usual, are not as good as I'm sure they would be if someone else made them (biscuits and I don't get along :)), but this was still an amazing dinner/breakfast.  Each serving, 2 biscuits with gravy, was 663 calories.  Here's what to do:

Gravy:
1/4 c rendered bacon fat
1 minced onion
salt
1 lb ground pork
2 t sage
1 t red pepper flakes
pepper
1/4 c flour
3 c whole milk

Biscuits:
6 T butter
2 c cake flour
2 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
3/4 c buttermilk

Heat the bacon fat in a saucepan over medium-high heat.  Add the onion and a pinch of salt and cook, about 3 minutes.  Add the pork, 1 t of sage, and the red pepper flakes, 1/2 t salt and 1 t black pepper.  Brown the pork for about five minutes.
Add the flour, then add the milk, whisking to incorporate it.  Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat so that it simmers for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
While the gravy is simmering, preheat the oven to 400.  Melt 2 T of the butter in the oven on the cookie sheet while the oven is preheating.
Combine the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Add the 4 T butter in small chunks and incorporate it with your hands, then slowly add the buttermilk while still mixing.
Drop the biscuits on the cookie sheet, about 12 biscuits, and bake for about 15 minutes.
To finish the gravy, stir in the remaining 1 t sage, 1/2 t salt, and a little more pepper if desired.  Serve!

Michael Symon's Pork and Beans

So no picture of this, it got lost when my phone was being repaired, but this was a really great dinner. Michael Symon came through for us again.  We gave this a 9, and it was hearty, full of flavor, and delicious.  Since it uses dried beans, rather than canned ones, this does take two days to make, but most of that is overnight soaking time.  The flavor in this really was so satisfying, I will be making this again.  This made 16 servings, and each serving was only 204 calories, so not too much.  The serving size was about 1 cup.

1 lb dried navy beans
1 lb bacon, cut into dice
3 carrots, diced
1 onion, diced
2 T minced garlic
4-6 oz Italian sausage
28 oz can chopped tomatoes
1 t chipotle pepper sauce
3 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 bay leaves
1 quart chicken broth
salt and pepper
1 c plain bread crumbs
1/2 c chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
4 t chives (freeze dried, or 1/4 c fresh)

Soak the beans overnight in enough water to cover them by at least two inches.  Drain the beans and transfer them to a large saucepan.  Add enough water to cover by 2 inches and bring to a simmer.  Cook for about 1 hour, or until slightly tender (I cooked mine for longer, more like 1 1/2 hours).  Set the beans aside to cool in their liquid.
Preheat the oven to 375.
In a large Dutch oven, cook the bacon until crisp.  Remove from the pot, and cook the carrots, onion, and garlic, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes.  Set the veggies aside with the bacon.  Cook the sausage, then return the bacon and vegetables to the pan.  Add in the chipotle sauce, tomatoes, rosemary, bay leaves and chicken broth.  Simmer for five minutes.
Drain  the beans and add them to the pot.  Adjust the salt and pepper to taste, then bring to a simmer.  Transfer the pot to the oven, and cook, uncovered, for one hour.
Discard the bay leaves.  Combine the bread crumbs, parsley, and chives.  Sprinkle the mixture on top of the beans.  Bake for 20 minutes, or until the bread crumbs are golden brown.

Michael Symon's Pork Pie

This recipe was from Michael Symon's Carnivore cookbook, and it was a fun, different meal, but I would make some changes next time I make it.  I loved the flavor of the filling, but didn't love that it wasn't super juicy, and we all would've liked it better had it been in a pocket/empanada form.  This received an 8 from all of us, and I'll share the filling with you, but I would recommend using this idea for the hand pockets, and adding a little broth and flour to the filling to give it more juice.  Each serving was 321 calories, for 1/8 of the pie.

4 oz bacon, chopped
1 lb ground pork
salt and pepper
1/2 c chopped celery
1 onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
2 small potatoes, chopped
1/4 c chopped celery leaves
1/4 c chopped fresh parsley, chopped
1 t savory
pinch of cinnamon
pinch of ground cloves
Pie dough for 1 double crust pie
1 egg beaten with 1 T milk

Preheat the oven to 400.  Cook the bacon until crisp in a large dutch oven.  Remove the bacon from the pot and set aside.  Add the pork, salt and pepper and brown the pork.  Remove the pork from the pot and place with the bacon.  Add the celery, onions, and garlic and cook for five minutes.  Deglaze the pot with 1/2 c water, then add in the pork, bacon, potatoes, and herbs and seasonings.  Simmer for 20 minutes.
Roll out the pie dough and cover a pie plate, pricking the bottom with a fork all over.  Place the meat mixture in the pan, then top with the other pie dough.  Brush the top with the egg mixture, sprinkle with salt, and then poke holes in the top to vent.  Bake for at least 45 minutes until crusts are golden brown.  Cool and then serve.

Latin American Street Food's Chimichurris

Aaron gave this a perfect 10, and the boys and I gave these a 9.  Latin American Street Food's Chimichurris were delicious, and super easy to make.  We topped ours with Golf Sauce, avocados, and cabbage, and we loved them.  These are pork burgers with a cole slaw topper and the boys had theirs with cheese.  Here's what to do:

1/2 lb ground pork
1/3 onion, minced
1 T cilantro, minced
1 T fresh parsley, minced
salt and pepper to taste

Mix the ingredients together, and then cook them in a pan on both sides.  Top them as desired.

Chinese Take Out's Mapo Tofu

So I had this amazing roommate in college whose family was from China, and she made me something that will forever be my favorite Chinese food--Mapo Tofu.  This is so spicy and delicious, and I LOVE having it, and I have tried making it before, but couldn't ever find the correct ingredients.  Well, I ordered the ingredients from amazon.com, and I tried this recipe out, hoping it would match Jen's (my roommate) deliciousness :).  Success was mine!  Or this recipe's, since I followed it almost exactly.

Aaron loves Chinese food, and I like it okay, but I am never in the mood to eat it out, I would rather eat at some other restaurant.  Anyway, I bought this cookbook called The Chinese Takeout Cookbook for Aaron, and it looked promising and received great reviews, so we bought it and have loved everything we have tried in it.  This dish was exactly what I hoped for, it tasted just like at a restaurant, it was 322 calories a serving, and so here's the recipe:

1 T fermented black beans

1 c chicken stock

2 1/2 T chili bean paste

1 T  rice vinegar

2 t soy sauce

2 t sesame chili oil

2 t sugar

1/2 t Sichuan pepper

1 T vegetable oil

1/2 lb ground pork

5 green onions, sliced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 t minced fresh ginger

1 lb soft tofu, drained and cut into 1 inch cubes

1 T cornstarch, dissolved in 2 T water

1 scallion, for garnish

Rinse the black beans to remove any grit.  Mash the black beans, then combine them with the chicken stock, chili bean paste, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame chili oil, sugar, and pepper.  Set aside.

Heat the oil over high heat, then add the pork and stir fry until crispy.  Add the green onions, garlic, and ginger.

Pour in the sauce and bring the liquid to a boil.  Reduce the heat to simmer.  Gently add the tofu cubes, and then add in the cornstarch slurry and mix until thickened.  Top with the scallion, and serve with steamed rice.

Be careful, this is spicy, but soooo delicious!

Latin American Street Food's Red Pozole

We liked this stew, it was hearty and flavorful, and different.  Noah has declared undying love for hominy :), and we all enjoyed it in the stew.  I wish this had had some cilantro added at the end to give it some freshness, but it was still good.  In the recipe, the suggested toppings were lettuce and radishes, so that would've freshened it up, but neither of those sounded good to me, so we didn't add them.  Each serving, and we made 12 servings, was 379 calories, Owen and I gave this an 8 and Aaron and Noah gave it a 9.  This recipe calls for lard, and I used it, but use bacon fat, or vegetable oil if you desire.

1/4 c lard (I only used 2 T of this)
3 lbs pork shoulder, chopped into bite sized pieces and seasoned
3 c onion, minced
2 bay leaves
1 t oregano
1 t thyme
58 oz canned hominy, drained and rinsed
6 ancho chiles
6 dried New Mexico chiles
2 large garlic cloves
salt and pepper

Starting with 2 T of the lard, cook the pork in batches until browned.  Remove the pork, and pour off all fat/juices from the pan except for 1 T.  Cook half of the onions, then add the bay leaves, oregano and thyme.  Return the pork to the pan, cover with water by two inches, and bring to a boil.  Cover, reduce the heat, and simmer about 2 hours.  Add the hominy, and cook for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, submerge the dried chilies into 4 c boiling water and soak for 10 minutes.  Drain the chilies, reserving the soaking liquid.
Remove the stems, seeds and veins from the chilies, the place the chilies in a blender or food processor.  Add 2 c of the soaking liquid, the remaining onions, and the garlic.  Blend until smooth.  Strain the mixture through a sieve into the simmering pork.  Return the chili paste back to the blender, and add another 1/2 c of the soaking liquid and blend again.  Strain the mixture again into the simmering pork, discard the remainder of the paste.  Season with salt and pepper, then simmer for 20 minutes.  Serve.

Cook's Illustrated's Polish Dumplings

These are fun, and different than our usual fare.  These pierogis filled with meat are delicious, and I like that the dough isn't a pastry dough but more like a pasta dough, and they make for a tasty dumpling.  I gave these an 8, and the boys all gave these a 9.  I felt like they could've used more flavor, but regardless, they are fun and good.  The calories for four of the dumplings is 372, but that includes extra carmelized onions on the top and we didn't have that.  Anyway, here's what to do:

2 c flour, plus more for dusting the work surface
1/2 t salt
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 T vegetable oil
4-6 T cold water
4 T unsalted butter

4 T unsalted butter
3 large onions halved and sliced thin
salt

Meat or cheese fillings

Pulse the flour and salt together in a food processor.  With the machine running, slowly add the eggs and oil, about 30 seconds.  Slowly add the water until the dough forms a ball.  Knead the dough for about 2 minutes by hand, cover with plastic wrap and allow to rest for about 15 minutes, or up to two hours.  Melt 4 T of the butter, then add the onions and 1/4 t salt and cook until well browned and softened.  Reserve 1/4 c of the onions, chop them finely, and keep them to fill the pierogis with.  (I used the rest of the onions in another recipe, instead of eating them with this recipe.)  Divide the dough into two pieces, roll each out to a very thin dough, and cut the dough into small circles.  You should get about 32 dumplings in all.  Fill the dumplings with your choice of filling, then form them into half moon shapes and crimp them together.  Boil water, adn add salt.  Cook the pierogis until al dente, about 5-6 minutes.  Melt the remaining butter in the skillet used to carmelize the onions, then cook the pierogis 1-2 minutes per side.  Serve.

The Recipe Girl's Root Beer Pulled Pork and Coleslaw

There are certain things you will not find very much of on my site, and barbecue is one of those things, and coleslaw is another :).  I actually really dislike both of those things, but decided to try this recipe because Aaron likes pulled pork sandwiches.  When he got home, and heard us all singing the praises of this sandwich, he was mildly disbelieving, since he knows how I feel about barbecue and didn't really think this could be so great.  This is hands down THE BEST pulled pork sandwich we have ever had.  It got a perfect 10, and it needs the coleslaw with it to put it over the top.  I changed things up from the cookbook recipe from the Recipe Girl, so here's what I did:

2 lb pork loin
12 oz root beer
1/2 c barbecue sauce
cayenne pepper
onion powder
garlic salt
salt
French fried onions (about 3/4 cup)
1 c barbecue sauce

Mix everything together except 1 c barbecue sauce in the crock pot and cook for 10 hours or so.  Remove the roast from the sauce, reserve 3/4 c juices, then shred the pork and return to the crockpot with the reserved juices and 1 c barbecue sauce.  Combine, then cook on high for about 15 minutes.  Serve with your favorite coleslaw on a bun.

Here's the coleslaw recipe I used from the Copycat recipe cookbook I have

KFC Coleslaw

8 c (1 head) very finely chopped cabbage ( I used a bagged coleslaw mix with carrots and cabbage)

1/8 t pepper

1/4 c shredded carrot (1 medium carrot)        1/4 c milk

2 T minced onions                                           1/2 c mayonnaise

1/3 c granulated sugar                                     1/4 c buttermilk

1/2 t salt                                                          1 1/2 T white vinegar

                                                                        2 1/2 T lemon juice (I used lime juice)

1.  Be sure that the cabbage, carrots, and onion are chopped up into very fine pieces (about the size of rice kernels).

2. Combine the sugar, salt, pepper, milk, mayonnaise, buttermilk vinegar, and lemon juice, and beat until smooth.

3. Add the cabbage, carrots, and onions.  Mix well.

4. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

Serves 8

It's very important to make at least 2 hours in advance, the flavors need to mix for optimum results.

Each sandwich including bun was only 350 calories, so this was great and not super bad for us :).

Picky Palate's Green Chili Pork Tacos and Our Favorite Refried Beans

So today I am featuring two recipes because that is how Aaron took the picture :).  I followed this recipe from Picky Palate's cookbook exactly, and this turned out really well.  The meat was flavorful and not too spicy.  Just like always with big cuts of meat, I never know what the calories are because this makes so many servings.  Also, I will now be spelling Tabasco correctly, I've been misspelling it this whole time ;).  Here's what to do:

3 lb pork loin
salt, garlic salt, pepper to taste
Tabasco to taste
2 T worcestershire sauce
2 c green enchilada sauce

Cook the pork loin with seasonings, Worcestershire sauce, and Tabasco in a crock pot on low for about 10 hours.  When pork is cooked through and falling apart, discard the juice and return meat to the crockpot with the green enchilada sauce.  Cook until warmed through and shredded.  Serve.

The beans are a recipe I have changed over the years but started out reading in a Martha Stewart magazine.  They are easy, flavorful, and although I almost make them too runny the first day, as they cool off a little they firm up.  Just be careful to remove enough water from the beans before blending them up.  Here's what I do:

1 lb pinto beans, picked over
3-6 slices bacon (depending on size and desired flavor)
1 onion, chopped into quarters
1 head of garlic, sliced in half
1 jalapeno, sliced in half and seeds removed, if desired
cumin and oregano and chili powder and coriander and salt to taste

In a large crockpot, start beans with a lot of water the night before wanting to serve, and add the rest of the ingredients except salt and cook on low.  I like to cook mine for about 14 hours, or more depending on the beans.  Check intermittently for water level and the beans consistency.  When ready to blend, remove some of the garlic and onion and water, and then blend with an immersion blender to desired consistency.  Serve.

Throwdown with Bobby Flay's Cuban Crepes

Happy Birthday Noah!!!  I'll share his birthday food next week :).  We tried Nessa Higgins and Andrea Day-Boykin's Cuban Crepes from Bobby Flay's Throwdown cookbook.  This was a relatively easy meal, and really delicious.  I of course made some changes, just like always, and we really enjoyed the recipe.  I cut the crepes recipe in half, and I cut the pork recipe almost in half, so for the pork, we had 12 servings and each serving was 192 calories.  We made 9 crepes, and each crepe was 196 calories.  We added pepperjack cheese, diced dill pickles, and some salsa and mustard, and so that added a little bit to the calories, but not too much.  The only real problem with the recipe the way I made it was that I cooked it in the crockpot, so since the pork was fatty (and totally flavorful and delicious), the meat was a little too oily.  Other than that, this was so great.  Aaron gave it a 7, because of the oil, I gave it an 8, and Owen and Noah gave it a perfect 10.  They loved this! 

Pulled Pork
2.7 lb boneless pork butt
1 T salt
1 T pepper
1 T onion powder
1 t red pepper flakes
1/2 T sriracha

Season pork butt with the spices, then place in a crockpot and cook for 7 hours or so.  Shred the pork, then add the sriracha to taste and some more of the seasonings.  Cook for another hour or so, then serve.

Crepes
3 eggs
dash of salt
1.5 c milk
1.75 c flour
6 T melted butter

Whisk the eggs, milk, salt, and 1/2 c water together in a large bowl.  Add in the flour until blended, then add in the butter.  Do not overmix.
Cook in a greased skillet, flipping to cook both sides. 
Serve with pork, pepperjack cheese, mustard, pickles, and more sriracha, as well as some fresh salsa.