Slow-Cooker Smoked Pulled Pork

Large slabs of meat intimidate me. I'm afraid I'll buy a perfectly good package, then accidentally mutilate it and end up angrily pouring Frosted Flakes for dinner.

I also don't like touching raw meat. I've got two roommates on separate ends of the meat spectrum giving me conflicting messages on animal products-- One will cook chicken until reaching a toasty 250 degrees (I don't want shootie pooties!), while the other breaks off chunks of raw beef as a snack. 


Sidenote: Bwaaaaaaaa!


Yet I wanted some pulled pork. Bad. I was nervous about using a slow-cooker because those recipes are usually meant to serve 482,049 people, but a little tweaking (and freezing individual portions for later) ensures manageable serving sizes.  It's also great to add into tacos, stews, and of course, stuffed into a bbq sauce slathered bun. And country-style pork ribs are insanely cheap. Just place in the crock-pot and you're set for a hearty meal after classes.

Slow-Cooker Smoked Pulled Pork     Makes: 4-5 servings
1.5 lbs. boneless country-style pork ribs
2 T. liquid smoke (cool, right?)
1 T. oil
Salt
1.) Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add ribs and sear for about a minute per side.
2.) Place seared ribs in your slow cooker. Sprinkle with salt and pour in the liquid smoke. Cook on high for 4 hours (or low for 8). Remove pork and shred with two forks. Serve.

Bacon and Spinach Turnovers

I used pop-can biscuits as pizza crust a couple of posts ago. Turns out those handy little blue dough tubes make for a pretty spectacular turnover, too.

The from-scratch dough purists may sit horrified, but I'm definitely pro- Pillsbury Dough Boy on this one. These turnovers can be rolled out, stuffed, and baked in just twenty minutes. And, seriously, how can you resist Dough Boy's cute little laugh?

Sidenote: Poking the raw biscuits produces no comical cackle. Oh, well. Worth a try.


Bacon and Spinach Turnovers   Serves: 1
1 pop-can biscuit (I like Grands! from Pillsbury)
1/4 cup baby spinach, torn
2 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
2 T. goat cheese
1.) Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2.) Roll out biscuit into a 6-7 inch circle. Pile spinach, bacon, and goat cheese on one half of the biscuit. leaving 1/2 inch of dough around the edge. Fold over and crimp edges with a fork.
3.) Bake on a greased baking sheet for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown.

Mushrooms Bourguignon

Winter suddenly went all gung-ho on Chicago. We were holding steady at a balmy 25-30 degrees every day, with minimal snow cover, then Mother Nature suddenly remembered she enjoys pummeling the Windy City with below zero temps, ice storms, and dense snowfall.

There's a large patch of ice on the sidewalk with my buttprints stamped on it.

My delight in finding this recipe was palpable. Hearty and comforting were the keys words here, especially while sitting on a not-quite-thawed backside. This dish could be made completely vegetarian, but those two little strips of bacon really amp up the comfort factor. Bring it on, Winter.

Mushrooms Bourguignon   Serves: 2
1 T. olive oil, divided
1 lb. button mushrooms, sliced
1 small carrot, diced
1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup frozen pearl onions
2 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/2 cup red wine
1 cup chicken broth
1 T. tomato paste
1/4 t. dried thyme
1 T. flour
Salt
2 T. goat cheese
Egg Noodles
1.) Heat 1/2 T. olive oil in a pot over high heat. Add mushrooms and sear for 3-4 minutes, or until golden but not losing much liquid. Remove and set aside.
2.) Lower heat to medium and add remaining olive oil. Saute carrots, onions, thyme, and a pinch of salt until onions are light brown. 7-8 minutes.
3.) Add wine and let the liquid reduce by half. Add tomato paste and broth, then dump in the mushrooms, bacon, and pearl onions. Simmer for about 10 minutes.
4.) Whisk the flour with about 2 T. water and pour into the stew. Simmer until thickened, 10-15 minutes.  Serve over egg noodles and top with goat cheese.

adapted from: A Cozy Kitchen

Bacon Pizza with Caramelized Onions and Goat Cheese

Don't let your arteries constrict. I know "bacon pizza" sounds like a death wish, but I actually adapted this recipe from Cook This, Not That!, which converts grease-laden chain restaurant fare into much healthier options. My Dad bought it for me, bless his paternal soul, and every recipe I've made has come out a winner.

The original recipe includes ingredients for a DIY pizza crust, but since we college students typically cook for just ourselves, I improvised with pop-can biscuits.  That way I had a perfect portion just for me. No dreaded leftovers. Blegh.

Wrap whatever biscuits you don't use in plastic wrap and refrigerate. They'll still stay good burst from their pop-can prison.

Bacon Pizza with Caramelized Onions and Goat Cheese
Crust:
2 pop-can biscuits (I used Grands! from Pillsbury)
Sauce:
1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 t. olive oil
Salt
Caramelized Onions:
1/2 large red onion, sliced thinly
1 t. olive oil
Salt
Misc:
2 T. goat cheese, crumbled
2 strips bacon, cooked and crumbed
1/8 t. dried rosemary, crushed
1.) Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2.) Add 1 t. olive oil to a medium sized skillet over medium heat. Add onions and a pinch of salt. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions become deep brown. Set aside.
3.) Meanwhile, stir olive oil into the diced tomatoes. Salt to taste.
4.) Roll or press biscuits out into 6-7 inch rounds. Place on a greased baking sheet and top each with 1 T. tomato sauce, equal amounts of caramelized onions, bacon, goat cheese, and rosemary.
5.) Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until sides and bottom of the biscuits are golden brown.

Baked Eggs in Bread Bowls

My first attempt at baking eggs resulted in one of the worst meals I've made. They baked far beyond the point of any eggy goodness, I ruined my polenta side dish, and then burnt my tongue.

So, you can imagine my hesitancy when I saw this recipe on Noble Pig. But I think all of us need to embrace our inner Chumbawumba. You know the song- “I get knocked down, but I get up again, you’re never gonna keep me down!” And then the weird, “Oh, Danny Boy, something something something”…but we can ignore this for the time being.

The important message to remember is that, basically, an over-baked egg ain’t gonna keep you down. Get up and crackin’ again. I’m sure glad I did.

Baked Eggs in Bread Bowls   Makes: 1 bowl
1 large dinner roll (buy the unsliced kind)
1 egg
1/4 t. italian seasoning
Salt and pepper
Extra virgin olive oil
Parmesan cheese, grated
1 green onion (green part only), sliced
Sour cream (optional)

1.) Slice off top of each dinner roll and gently remove some bread until there is a hole large enough to accommodate an egg.  Place roll on a baking sheet. Brush the "rim" of the bowl with a bit of olive oil.  Reserve tops.  
2.) Crack  egg into the roll.  Top egg with italian seasoning.  Season with salt and pepper.  Sprinkle with Parmesan.  Bake in a 350 degree oven until eggs are set and bread is toasted, 15 to 20 minutes.  After eggs have cooked for 15 minutes, place bread tops on baking sheet and bake until golden brown.  Top egg with green onion and a dollop of sour cream.

Place top on the roll and serve warm.

Italian Meatball Soup Rapido

Normally I shy away from pre-made ingredients. I think that, for the most part, food can be pretty simply and quickly prepared without relying on pre-mixed powders and neon cheese.

I'm looking at you, Mr. I-have-Hamburger-and-need-Help-with-what-to-do-with-it.

But I make an exception for frozen, pre-cooked meatballs. They're almost the 8th Wonder of the World. (...I need to travel.) When your stomach's rumbling during a late class and a classic Italian delight sounds better than an A+, the last thing you'd want to do for dinner is whip up a batch of labor-intensive 'balls.

This soup is precisely what it claims to be: rapido. But, word of warning, that's only indicative of how quickly it's made. Don't eat it too fast and endanger your precious taste buds, like I did.  They'll be screaming "lo ti odio!" Italian for: I hate you. Whoops!

Italian Meatball Soup Rapido    Serves: 2
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 small celery rib, chopped
1 small carrot, chopped
1 t. olive oil
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
10 frozen, pre-cooked meatballs (I used smaller turkey meatballs)
1(15 oz) can white beans
1/2 bag baby spinach, roughly chopped
Salt
Pepper
Parmesan Cheese
1.) Add olive oil to a pot and heat over medium heat, then add onion, celery, and carrot. Saute until onion softens, about 4 minutes. Stir in broth and bring to a boil. Cover.
2.) Meanwhile, heat a drizzle of oil in a skillet over high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté meatballs (do not thaw if frozen), turning occasionally, until browned all over, about 3 minutes. 
3.) Add meatballs to soup along with beans and briskly simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender and meatballs are heated through, about 15 minutes. Stir in spinach, salt, and pepper and simmer, uncovered, until spinach is wilted, about 1 minute. Top with Parmesan. 

Adapted from: Epicurious

Meatloaf Gyros

I love, love, love gyros. (YEE-ros). So much so that the greek restaurant just off campus recognizes my friends and I. ...And so much so that I foolishly ordered a gyro on a first date. Garlic. Bomb.

He was a tool anyways.

I took the liberty of flipping through my Mom's extensive Taste of Home cookbook collection over winter break. The instant my eyes focused on this recipe I knew it'd be a winner.  Since no one has bestowed a cool lamb-leg-spinny-cooker-thing on me, and I'm all for saving money, this is a delicious restaurant remake.

My college grocery only tends to stock chicken breasts, ground beef, and questionable smelling shrimp, so I used ground sirloin. But if you can find it, try substituting lamb for a true "gyro" flavor. Unless you've got a lamb-leg-spinny-cooker-thing, that is.

Meatloaf Gyros    Serves: 2
1/2 lb. ground sirloin or lamb
1 egg
3/4 Tbsp. dried oregano, crushed
1/2 t. garlic powder
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper

Pita bread
Tomato slices
Olive oil
Sour cream or plain yogurt
1.)  In a large bowl, combine the egg, garlic powder, oregano, kosher salt, and pepper. Crumble beef over mixture and mix until just combined.
2.)Pat mixture into an ungreased loaf pan. Bake, uncovered, at 350 until a meat thermometer reads 160, or about 1 hour. Cook completely on a wire rack and refrigerate for 1-2 hours.
3.) Brush pita with a bit of oil; heat on a lightly greased griddle for 1 minute on each side or until warmed. Cut the meat loaf into very thin slices. In a large skillet, fry the meat loaf in the remaining oil in batches until crisp.
4.)  On each pita, layer tomato and meat loaf slices; top with yogurt or sour cream. Carefully fold the pitas in half. Serve.

Speedy Huevos Rancheros

I developed an undeniable craving for huevos after its feature on Throwdown with Bobby Flay. The combo of crisp tortillas, sunny eggs, creamy beans, salsa, and cheese looked incredible. Not to mention this is a serious hangover recipe.

For any of you who watch the show, Bobby loses his challenges most of the time. And it's usually a blowout. Instead of sticking with the traditional dish that wins over the locals' hearts, Flay will put, like, goat cheese and foie gras in empanadas. But this time, he won. And you know what? I wanted to punch him in the face. I think he even wanted to punch himself. He beat a mother-son team who immigrated from Mexico with little money, set up their dream restaurant, and became famous for this hangover classic. Their recipe was passed down from generation to generation, and they spoke of it with reverence. Bobby's dish was created in Food Network kitchens probably 2 days beforehand.

So, to pay homage to the dish that totally should have won, here's my recreation attempt. It's really good, but far less involved than the mother- son duo's.

Speedy Huevos Rancheros     Serves: 2
1/4 cup roasted tomato salsa
2 (6-7 in) tortillas
2 eggs
2 T. monterey jack cheese, grated
1 green onion, sliced
1/4 cup refried beans
1 t. butter
Sour cream and lettuce to top
1.) Preheat oven to 200 degrees.
2.) In a large skillet, heat butter over medium-high heat, then add tortillas. Cook until golden and slightly crisp on both sides.
3.) Remove tortillas to a plate and cover with 2 Tbsp. beans and 2 Tbsp. salsa each. Put in the oven to keep warm.
4.) Add a bit more butter to the skillet and heat over medium-low. Add eggs and cook until the whites are almost set. Pour 1 Tbsp. water into the skillet and cover the eggs to allow the whites to set fully and keep the yolk runny. Remove warming plate from the oven. Top each tortilla with an egg, cheese, green onion, salt and pepper. Serve with sour cream, lettuce, and tortilla chips.

Roasted Red Pepper Alfredo- Lightened Up

In the spirit of "oh, crap, I really shouldn't have eaten 57 bacon-wrapped taquitos at Christmas dinner," I'm posting a healthier recipe. But here's the kicker-- it doesn't taste "lightened up" at all. This alfredo will make you feel like your butt is expanding exponentially with every tasty mouthful, yet a good-sized serving comes in at around 350 calories.

Olive Garden's plain fettuccine alfredo packs 1,220 calories per serving. It may also come with a side of heart-attack, but that's mere speculation. Add salad and breadsticks to that, and you might as well add a pant size. Add salad and breadsticks and 57 taquitos to that, well, that's just not a great way to begin 2011. Kick off the year right with this smoky, creamy (and pretty) alfredo sauce. You and your pants will thank you.

Red Pepper Alfredo    Serves: 1
1 T. butter
1/2 T. flour
1/3 cup skim milk
2 T. roasted red pepper strips (from a jar), drained and roughly chopped
2 T. parmesan cheese
Salt
Pepper
Cooked fettuccine, to serve
1.) In a pot over medium low heat, add butter. Once melted, whisk in flour. Stir for 2-3 minutes.
2.) Add milk to the butter/ flour mixture. Cook until just beginning to thicken, then add the pepper strips. Transfer to a food processor and pulse until sauce is uniform in color.
3.) Return sauce back to the pot over low heat. Add parmesan and season with salt and pepper. Toss with fettuccine and serve with more parmesan and pepper, if desired.

Baked Cheesy Ham Bread- 5 Ingredient Recipe

Night Before the New Semester
A very much shortened revision of Night Before Christmas

'Twas the night before the new semester, and all through my apartment
All the roommates were stirring, except (thank god) for a mouse;
Our backpacks were hung by the door with care
In hopes that our new classes would be easy and keep them light as air;
And then while nestled all snug in my room
Visions of cheesy baked bread danced in my head;
And with Mamma gone and I on my own
I couldn't sit around and wait for food to be shown;
When out from my stomach there arose such a clatter
I sprang to the kitchen to fix this matter;
Away to the oven I then preheated to 400
Tore open the bread and shredded the cheese;
This recipe will have you saying, "More, please!"

Baked Cheesy Ham Bread    Serves: 2
1/2 baguette, cut into chunks
2 oz. swiss cheese, grated
1/4 lb. thinly sliced deli ham, roughly chopped
1/4 sweet onion, sliced thin
1/4 tsp. pepper
2/3 cup low-sodium chicken stock
1.) Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2.) Meanwhile, coat a small baking dish with cooking spray. Add bread chunks, then add ham and onions on top. Pour the chicken stock over the top. Add the cheese and pepper.
3.) Bake for 20 minutes, or until cheese is golden and bubbly.