Thai Peanut Sauce

This recipe shout out goes to Katie Smith :)  Cooking asian food has always intimidated me a bit.  I think it was because I didn't have the ingredients I needed on hand and to go to the local grocery store to purchase them was always so pricey.  But Katie invited me down to Denver to a large Asian market and we stocked up on a bunch of goodies.  I have made about 4 "Asian" inspired meals since then and am becoming a lot more confident with my wok :)  Here is a great sauce that I use on chicken skewers or as a dipping sauce for Vietnamese Spring Rolls (similar to that link, I don't use the shrimp and add carrots, cucumber and avocado).


Ingredients:
3 small dried red chiles, stemmed and seeded or cayenne or hot red pepper flakes to taste

3 garlic cloves

2 shallots peeled (I've always used onion)

1 lemon grass stalk (white part only) thinly sliced (only if you have them on hand, I haven't used them)

2 tsp ground turmeric (or curry powder)

1 Tbs peanut or neutral oil, like corn or grapeseed

1 Can coconut milk (I think this is about 2 cups)

1 Tbs brown sugar

2 Tbs fish sauce (i usually alway half the fish sauce b/c it is so pewwwy)

2 Tbs lime juice

1 tsp salt

1/2 cup roasted peanuts (approx.)
1 Tbs of peanut butter (approx.)
1/4 cup of chopped cilantro (approx.)

Directions:
Combine first five ingredients in  a food processor and grind until fairly smooth.

Heat oil in sauce pan over med heat and saute the chile, garlic mixture until fragrant, about 1 min. add the remaining ingredients and whisk until smooth. Simmer until the sauce thickens, about 15 min. This may be stored covered in fridge for up to a week, gently rewarm over low heat or in microwave.

Chili Rubbed Pork Tenderloin With Apricot Ginger Glaze

I kind of went pork crazy at the grocery store a few months ago.  They were having great sales and I couldn't resist stocking up for this recipe as well as packing in a few good tenderloins (of which I currently have an 8 pounder in the freezer, funny story for another time).  I was searching for something fun that wouldn't require us to use the grill due to the below 0 temps outside at the time.  This is what I found and it was delish!  I ended up having enough glaze that I used it on some roasted chicken the next week, another good meal.  I served roast potatoes with the pork and brown rice with the chicken.

Ingredients

• 2 (1 pound) pork tenderloins, trimmed or chicken
•  
• Spice Rub:
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1/2 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
•  
• Glaze:
• 1 1/2 cups apricot preserves
• 1/2 cup barbecue sauce
• 1 teaspoon grated ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
• 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
• 1 lime, juiced
• 
  
• Directions

1. Place chili powder, garlic powder, sugar, salt and pepper in a jar; shake to blend. Rub spice mixture onto pork tenderloins. Cover tenderloins and refrigerate for 2 to 24 hours.
2. Prior to grilling, melt apricot preserves in saucepan over medium heat. Remove pan from the heat and stir in remaining glaze ingredients. Place half of the glaze in a serving bowl and hold for service.
3. Prepare grill at medium-high heat. Grill pork tenderloins for 15-20 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the pork reaches 160 degrees F. on an instant-read thermometer. 
4. When approximately 4 minutes of cook time remains, brush the pork tenderloins with the apricot glaze remaining in the pan. Cook for 2 minutes, turn the pork tenderloins and brush glaze on other side. Cook for an additional 2 minutes. Remove pork from the grill and let set for about 5 minutes before slicing. Serve with reserved glaze.

I ended up cooking it in the oven  and found this great advice on one of the reviews. "I followed the advice of another reviewer here and baked the tenderloin in the oven at 300 degrees for 1 hour 10 minutes, brushed on some glaze, put back in oven for 10 additional minutes, turned tenderloin over and brushed rest of glaze on other side and baked 10 more minutes (total baking time of 1-1/2 hours)."

*Allrecipes.com has been great lately!  Check out this recipe at http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/chili-rubbed-pork-tenderloin-with-apricot-ginger-glaze/Detail.aspx

Roast Chicken with Rosemary Garlic Paste

Roast chicken is one of those meals I wish I made more often.  Whole chickens are rather inexpensive and there are so many uses for the meat as well as the carcass after the first dinner.  There is something so comforting about eating a roast chicken dinner.  I usually pair it with rice (white, brown or pilaf), veggie (broccoli, asparagus, etc) and a glass of white wine. 

Butterflying a chicken may be intimidating at first, but it gets easier every time.  Check out this video for a quick tutorial HOW TO BUTTERFLY A CHICKEN.  It seems to cut down on the cooking time and produces a juicy bird for me every time.  I also pour a bit of white wine over the bird about half way through the cooking time.  The leftover ideas off this meal are endless!  Enjoy:)

Ingredients:

- 1/4 cup (loosely packed) fresh rosemary leaves, finely chopped, plus 3 whole fresh rosemary sprigs
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt or coarse kosher salt
- 4 teaspoons olive oil
1 5- to 6-pound whole butterflied chicken , backbone and neck removed (reserved for Light Homemade Chicken Stock , if making)

Directions:

- Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 400°F
- Combine chopped rosemary and next 4 ingredients in mortar and crush with pestle or blend in mini processor until coarse paste forms. Mix in oil. 

- Rinse chicken; pat dry. Rub 1 teaspoon herb mixture over bone side of chicken. Turn chicken over and open like book; place chicken, skin side up, on work surface. Loosen skin from breast and thigh meat; rub remaining herb mixture over meat under skin. Rub any remaining herb mixture on outside of chicken.

- Place rosemary sprigs in 13x9x2-inch ceramic or glass baking dish. Place chicken, skin side up, atop rosemary sprigs in dish. 

- DO AHEAD: Can be made 8 hours ahead. Cover with plastic wrap and chill. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before roasting.

- OPTIONAL: Pour white wine or sherry over bird about half way through cooking time.

- Roast chicken uncovered until instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 170°F, about 1 hour - 1 1/2 hours. Transfer chicken to platter and serve.

Obtained from www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Roast-Chicken-with-Rosemary-Garlic-Paste-241348#ixzz12ki1ygTH

Pork Carnitas

So this has been my favorite recipe from the last few weeks. SUPER easy and soooo versatile! We have also been eating off of it for the last week in tacos, burritos and even added BBQ sauce to it for a little BBQ pulled pork action. I believe I used a pork loin roast and threw it in the crock-pot for about 9 hours. FYI: If you leave this in your house, your house will smell like pork for a while (I put it out in Nate's shop/garage to cook all day). Can't stand smelling something all day and then be able to eat it for dinner.

Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon crumbled dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander (I didn't have any so I didn't use)
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 (4 pound) boneless pork shoulder roast
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 cups chicken broth

Directions

1. Mix together salt, garlic powder, cumin, oregano, coriander, and cinnamon in a bowl. Coat pork with the spice mixture. Place the bay leaves in the bottom of a slow cooker and place the pork on top. Pour the chicken broth around the sides of the pork, being careful not to rinse off the spice mixture.
2. Cover and cook on Low until the pork shreds easily with a fork, about 10 hours. Turn the meat after it has cooked for 5 hours. When the pork is tender, remove from slow cooker, and shred with two forks. Use cooking liquid as needed to moisten the meat.

Adapted from http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/slow-cooker-carnitas/Detail.aspx

Tangy Barbecue Sandwiches

Ingredients:
3 cups chopped celery

1 cup chopped onions
1 cup ketchup
1 cup barbecue sauce
1 cup water
2 Tbsp. vinegar
2 Tbsp. worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
4-lb. lean boneless pork roast

Directions:
1. Combine all ingredients except roast in slow cooker. When well mixed, add roast.
2. Cover. Cook on low 7-9 hours.
3. Remove roast. Cool and shred meat. Return to sauce. Heat well.
4. Serve on buns.

Rachel Haley

Megan's Meat Loaf

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:
2 lbs ground beef
a couple shakes of salt
a little bit of pepper
1 cup chopped onion
2 eggs, lightly beaten
a big squirt of ketchup
1 cup oats (quick cooking or normal)

Topping:
1/3 cup ketchup
2 tbl brown sugar
1 tbl mustard

Directions:
Mix all ingredients well and place in a baking dish. Shape into a loaf. Spread the topping over the meatloaf. Bake for 1hr 15 min at 375 degrees.