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Try it Out Tuesday – Cook’s Country Almost No-Knead Bread

Up until about a year ago I had never made any bread at all before. I finally decided I wanted to give it a try after seeing how much even a small loaf of bread can be at the local markets and figured I needed to try it out just to see if I could save some money and have fresh bread. Turns out it was a lot easier than I always though it would be and I make all kinds of breads now. Some of the recipes take a day or more to do because you need to make a starter while others can be done in a few hours. Then there are those that you do all in a stand mixer and others need some kind of kneading by hand. I have also found a number of recipes, including this one from Cook’s Country, that require practically no kneading at all and produce a great crunchy loaf of bread that is perfect for any meal, sandwich, soup, toast or just to snack on. This one requires about a day in advance, but it is well worth the wait.

Almost No-Knead Bread

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoon instant or rapid-rise yeast

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons water, room temperature

6 tablespoons mild-flavored lager beer

1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar

Vegetable oil spray

Whisk the flour, salt, and yeast together in a large bowl. Add the water, lager and the vinegar. Using a rubber spatula, fold the mixture, scraping up the dry flour from the bottom of the bowl, until a shaggy bowl forms. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow it to sit at room temperature for at least 8 hours or up to 18 hours.

Lay an 18-inch by 12-inch sheet of parchment paper on the counter and spray it with the vegetable oil spray. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead the dough 10 to 15 times. Shape the dough into a ball by pulling the edges of the dough into the middle. Transfer the dough, seam side down, to the center of the oiled parchment paper and spray the surface of the dough with the vegetable oil spray. Pick up the dough by lifting the parchment paper overhang and lower it into a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven. Let any excess parchment paper hang out over the edge of the pot. Cover the pot loosely with plastic wrap and allow the dough to rise at room temperature until it has doubled in size and does not readily spring back when poked with a finger, about 2 hours.

Adjust an oven rack to the middle position. Remove the plastic wrap from the pot. Lightly flour the top of the dough and using a sharp knife or a razor blade, make one 6-inch long, 1/2-inch deep slit along the top of the dough. Cover the pot and place it in the oven. Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Bake the bread for 30 minutes.

Remove the lid from the pot and continue to bake the bread until the loaf is a deep brown and registers 210 degrees on an instant-read thermometer inserted into the bread, about 20 to 30 minutes longer. Using the parchment paper overhang, carefully remove the bread from the pot. Transfer the loaf to a wire rack and allow it to cool completely, about 2 hours.

A couple of things about this recipe. First, Cook’s Country recommends using a mild-flavored lager like Budweiser, which I never have in the house and do not like. I used a Samuel Adams Boston Lager and I think the bread came out great.The beer and the vinegar basically act as the fermented starter that is used in many breads and you can easily use your own starter if you have one already. you also want to make sure to put the bread into the cold oven in this recipe and start your 30 minute timer right then, not waiting until the oven preheats. This will help prevent the bread from burning. I have to say that this was one of the best bread recipes I have ever made. It makes a large, sizable loaf that I used when I made our filet mignon dinner. The bread was wiped out and we had none leftover, which is great and I think this particular bread is probably best eaten the same day anyway, though Cook’s Country says it will keep when stored in foil for about 2 days. in any case, this is definitely a bread recipe I will turn to again as everyone liked the crunch, texture and flavor.

That’s all I have for today. Check back next time for another recipe. Until then, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!

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Posted by MikeG on September 30, 2014 in Breads, Cooking

Tags: almost no-knead bread, bread recipe, Cook's Country, Cook's Country almost no-knead bread, rustic bread recipe

Make it Simple Monday – Hoisin Glazed Pork Tenderloin

29 Sep

Very often for me Monday is the toughest day of the week when it comes to cooking dinner. I do a lot of cooking on the weekends and many times Monday is just a leftover day, using whatever we have from the weekend to put something together. Sometimes you want something a little different though and you want to put something together without having to go through a ton of effort to put dinner on the table. Luckily for me, the latest issue of Cook;s Country magazine came in the mail just recently and they always have some great ideas for quick and easy weeknight meals that are full of flavor. I had actually just picked up some pork tenderloins that were on sale recently when I came upon this recipe for a hoisin-glazed pork tenderloin that would give you great flavor without having to marinade the meat for hours.

Hoisin-Glazed Pork Tenderloin

2 (12-ounce) pork tenderloins, trimmed

Salt and pepper

3/4 cup chicken broth

1/4 cup hoisin sauce

1 tablespoon packed brown sugar

1 tablespoon ketchup

2 teaspoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 scallions, sliced thin on a bias

1 teaspoon sesame seeds, toasted

Pound the pork tenderloins between two sheets of plastic wrap so that they are an even 1-inch in thickness. Pat the tenderloins dry with paper towels and then season them well with salt and pepper. Whisk the chicken broth, hoisin sauce, brown sugar, ketchup and soy sauce together in a medium bowl.

Heat the vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet set over medium heat until the oil is shimmering. Cook the pork tenderloins until they are well browned on both sides and the meat registers 140 degrees on an instant read thermometer inserted into the tenderloins, about 7 to 9 minutes per side. Add the hoisin mixture to the skillet over the tenderloins and simmer the mixture until it is slightly thickened, about 3 to 5 minutes, making sure to turn the tenderloins to coat them in the glaze.

Remove the skillet from the heat and let the pork rest in the sauce for 5 minutes, then slice the tenderloins into 1/2-inch thick slices. Serve the tenderloins, drizzled with the hoisin glaze from the skillet and sprinkled with the scallions and toasted sesame seeds.

You get a really great glaze from the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, sugar and ketchup and the chicken broth helps from it getting too thick. I really liked the flavor of it and it gives the whole meal a great Asian-style flair to it, making this perfect to serve with some rice and maybe some quickly sautéed vegetables or just some steamed broccoli or cauliflower. You can put the whole meal together in about 20 minutes and have everything done very easily. If there are any leftovers you can always dice up the pork tenderloin, take some of the leftover rice and make yourself a simple and quick fried rice that is great for lunch or as a side dish for another meal later in the week.

That’s all I have for today. Check back next time for another recipe. until then, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!

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Posted by MikeG on September 29, 2014 in Cooking, Dinner, Pork, Sauce

Tags: Cook's Country, Cook's Country hoisin glazed pork tenderloin, hoisin glaze, hoisin glazed pork tenderloin, hoisin sauce, pork tenderloin

The Perfect Summer Dessert – Strawberry Chiffon Pie

15 Aug

It’s no secret that I really like Cook’s Country magazine. There are usually a half a dozen recipes or so with each issue that I end up trying out and loving, so it was no big surprise when I got the August/September issue that I found a bunch of stuff that I wanted to try out. At the top of list though was the strawberry chiffon pie that I saw. With strawberries still in season I had plenty of them on hand and the recipe seemed so easy that there was just no way I was going to pass up the chance to give it a shot and I am glad I did. It was easily one of the best desserts I had made in a while.

Strawberry Chiffon Pie

For the Crust:

1 (5.3-ounce) box shortbread cookies, broken into 1-inch pieces

2 tablespoons sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted

2 tablespoons butter, melted

For the Filling:

2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin

2 tablespoons water

12 ounces strawberries, hulled (2 1/2 cups), plus 8 ounces strawberries, hulled, halved, and sliced thin (1 1/3 cups)

3/4 cup (5 1/4 ounces) plus 2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 egg whites

1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/2 cup heavy cream, chilled

For the crust, adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease a 9-inch pie plate. Process the cookies, sugar, and salt in a food processor until they are finely ground, about 1 minute. Add the almonds and pulse until they are coarsely chopped, about 8 pulses. Add the melted butter and pulse until everything is well combined, about 10 pulses. Transfer the crumb mixture to the pie plate. Using the bottom of a dry measuring cup, press the crumbs evenly into the bottom and up the sides of the plate. Bake until the crust is golden brown, about 18 to 20 minutes, rotating the crust halfway through baking. Let the crust cool completely on a wire rack, about 30 minutes. The crust can be wrapped in plastic and stored at room temperature for up to 24 hours.

For the filling, sprinkle the gelatin over the water in a small bowl and let it sit until the gelatin softens, about 5 minutes. Process the hulled whole strawberries in a food processor until they are completely smooth, about 1 minute. Transfer the strawberry puree to a fine-mesh strainer set over a medium bowl and press on the solids to extract about 1 cup of juice; discard the solids. Whisk 3/4 cup of sugar, cornstarch, salt, and the strawberry juice together in a small saucepan.

Bring the juice mixture to a simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly. Cook the mixture until it is slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Off the heat, whisk in the gelatin mixture until it is dissolved. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl, stir in the lemon juice, and let the mixture cool completely, about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Using a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the egg whites and the cream of tartar on medium-low speed until they are foamy, about 1 minute. Increase the speed to medium-high and whip the whites to soft, billowy mounds, about 1 minute. Gradually add the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar and whip until glossy, stiff peaks form, about 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk one-third of the meringue into the cooled strawberry mixture until it is smooth. Fold the remaining meringue into the strawberry mixture until only a few white streaks remain.

In the now-empty mixer bowl, whip the heavy cream on medium-low speed until it is foamy, about 1 minute. Increase the speed to high and whip until stiff peaks form, about 1 to 3 minutes. Gently fold the whipped cream into the strawberry mixture until no white streaks remain. Fold in the sliced strawberries. Spoon the filling into the crust and spread the filling into an even layer using the back of a spoon. Refrigerate the pie for at least 3 hours or up to 24 hours before serving.

The taste of this pie is phenomenal. You get a nice, fluffy filling that is very light and teeming with strawberry flavor. It does remind you a lot of strawberry ice cream in flavor but the texture is much lighter and then you get the pieces of strawberry inside it as well to top things off. If you wanted to skip making the crust yourself and save some time, you could easily use your favorite store-bought crust instead (shortbread, graham cracker or a Nilla wafer crust would all work well) and you can make this elegant dessert that tastes phenomenal in no time at all. I would be curious to see how well it works with frozen strawberries instead of fresh so you could make it any time of year. I may have to give it a try sometime.

That’s all I have for today. Check back next time for another recipe. Until then, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!

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Posted by MikeG on August 15, 2014 in Cooking, Dessert, Fruit, Pie

Tags: Cook's Country, Cook's Country strawberry chiffon pie, strawberries, strawberry chiffon pie

A New Twist on Chicken Fingers – Pretzel-Crusted Chicken Fingers

30 May

I had made some classic chicken fingers not that long ago along with some homemade dipping sauces and the grocery store was having a really good sale on chicken tenderloins so I picked up another batch of them and was looking for something else to do. Sure, I could have just cut up the chicken and used it for something like a stir-fry or a warm chicken salad, but I wanted to try something else with chicken fingers again. Lo and behold along came the newest issue of Cook’s Country magazine in the mail shortly after and in it was a recipe for pretzel-crusted chicken fingers. I thought this was a good one to try to see if I could get some extra crunch and flavor out of the chicken. The recipe is very simple and only takes a few minutes to make, so you can easily make this anytime you want some chicken fingers.

Pretzel-Crusted Chicken Fingers

6 ounces thin pretzel sticks

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

2 eggs

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 1/2 pounds chicken tenderloins, trimmed

Salt and pepper

6 tablespoons vegetable oil

Process the pretzel sticks in a food processor until they are finely ground, about 20 seconds. you should end up with about 1 1/2 cups of pretzel crumbs. Transfer the pretzel crumbs to a shallow dish. Spread the all-purpose flour in a second shallow dish. Beat the eggs and the Dijon mustard in a third shallow dish.

Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season it well with salt and pepper. Dredge the chicken pieces in the flour, shaking off any excess. Then dip the chicken pieces in the egg mixture, allowing any excess to drip off. Finally, dip the chicken pieces in the pretzel crumbs, pressing on the chicken gently in the crumbs so the crumbs adhere well.

Heat 3 tablespoons of the vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until the oil is shimmering. Cook half of the breaded chicken tenderloins until they are golden brown and cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. Adjust the heat along the way if the crust seems like it is beginning to burn. Transfer the chicken fingers to a paper towel-lined plate, discard the oil, and wipe out the skillet with paper towels. Repeat the process with the remaining 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil and the remaining chicken tenderloins. Serve the chicken fingers with your favorite dipping sauces.

You want to make sure you use the thin pretzel sticks for this recipe and not the thick pretzel rods. The thin pretzels will grind easier and are not as dense and hard as the rods, giving you better crumbs for the crust. You get a really nice flavor from the pretzel crust and just a hint of the Dijon mustard along the way to give them great flavor. This is a great recipe to offer up for the kids who love chicken fingers but want something a little different or as a quick dinner or to serve at a party. You can make large batches of them and freeze them cooked for later use at another time.

That’s all I have for today. Check back next time for another recipe. until then, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!

1 Comment

Posted by MikeG on May 30, 2014 in Appetizers, Cooking, Dinner, Lunch, Picnic Fare, Poultry, Snacks

Tags: chicken fingers, chicken fingers recipe, chicken tenderloins, Cook's Country, Cook's Country pretzel crusted chicken fingers, pretzel-crusted chicken fingers

Changing up Fried Chicken – Cook’s Country Latin Fried Chicken

29 May

Nearly everyone loves to eat fried chicken. It seems to be a particularly great dish as the weather gets warmer and you can incorporate it into your outdoor parties and picnics, but it is also a great dish that you can try just on a weekend or weeknight. While there are thousands of variations on fried chicken and everyone seems to have their own best method or family recipe for making it, I came across this recipe in the latest issue of Cook’s Country and thought it sounded unique enough that I wanted to give it a try. It is for Latin fried chicken and takes the basics of fried chicken and incorporates some Latin spices and flavor to give things a little bit of a different taste for you.

Latin Fried Chicken

For the Marinade:

2 tablespoons kosher salt

6 garlic cloves, chopped coarse

1 tablespoon pepper

1 tablespoon ground cumin

2 teaspoons smoked paprika

2 teaspoons dried oregano

2 teaspoons grated lime zest plus 1/4 cup lime juice(2 limes)

3 pounds bone-in chicken pieces (drumsticks, thighs, wings split breasts cut in half)

For the Coating:

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup cornstarch

1 tablespoon pepper

1 tablespoon granulated garlic

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon white pepper

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

3 egg whites, lightly beaten

3 quarts vegetable or canola oil

For the marinade: Combine the salt, garlic, pepper, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, and the lime zest and lime juice together in a bowl. Add the chicken pieces and turn the chicken to coat it thoroughly with the marinade.Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the chicken for at least 1 hour and up to 2 hours.

For the coating: Whisk the flour, cornstarch, pepper, granulated garlic, baking powder, white pepper, salt, cumin and cayenne pepper together in a bowl. Place the beaten egg whites in a separate shallow dish.

Set a wire rack in a rimmed baking sheet. Remove the chicken from the marinade and scrape off any of the solids from the marinade from the chicken. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Working with one piece at a time, dip the chicken in the egg whites to thoroughly coat the chicken, letting any excess drip off back into the dish. Dredge the chicken in the flour mixture, pressing on the chicken piece to get the coating to adhere well. Transfer the chicken to the prepared wire rack and refrigerate the chicken for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours.

Add the vegetable or canola oil to a large Dutch oven until it measures about 2 inches deep and heat the oil over medium-high heat until it registers 325 degrees on a candy thermometer. Add half of the chicken to the hot oil and fry the chicken until the breasts register 160 degrees and the thighs.drumsticks register 175 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, about 13 to 16 minutes. Adjust the burner, if necessary, to maintain an oil temperature between 300 and 325 degrees. Transfer the chicken to a clean wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet.Return the oil to 325 degrees and repeat the process with the remaining chicken pieces. Serve.

One thing about when you marinate the chicken – you don’t want to leave the chicken longer than 2 hours in the marinade. The lime juice in the marinade will start to toughen up the chicken, so you should try to get it before the 2 hour mark passes. You can really taste the lime, garlic and spices in the chicken and the coating comes out perfectly crispy. Adding the cornstarch and baking powder to the flour really makes a big difference in the results. I only made 4 pieces of chicken when I tried the recipe, so I cut everything in half for a smaller batch, but you can easily make a big batch of this to serve for a party or a picnic. This chicken would go great with all kinds of side dishes and it is just as good the next day.

That’s all I have for today. Check back next time for another recipe. until then, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!

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Posted by MikeG on May 29, 2014 in Cooking, Dinner, Poultry

Tags: Cook's Country, Cook's Country Latin Fried Chicken, fried chicken, fried chicken recipe, Latin fried chicken

Cook’s Country Steak Tips with Tomatillo Salsa and Refried Black Beans

08 Apr

I look forward to getting Cook’s Country in the mails every two months more than any other magazine. They always have great recipes to try and most of them are really easy to make and give you meals with great flavor in no time at all. When I got the April?May edition of the magazine recently I saw a bunch of recipes that I immediately wanted to try out but I figured I would give this one a try first. It os for steak tips with tomatillo salsa and refried black beans. It is very simple and elegant and has all kinds of great tastes going on.

Steak Tips with Tomatillo Salsa and Refried Black Beans

1 pound tomatillos, husks and stems removed, rinsed, dried and halved

2 jalapeno chiles, stemmed, seeded, and minced

1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro

2 garlic cloves, minced

Salt and pepper

1 1/2 pounds sirloin steak tips, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 onion, chopped fine

1 teaspoon ground cumin

2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed

Pulse the tomatillos in a food processor until they are coarsely chopped, about 8 pulses. Transfer the tomatillos to a fine mesh sieve set over a bowl and allow them to drain for about 5 minutes. Reserve 3/4 of a cup of the tomatillo liquid. Combine half of the jalapenos, 1/4 cup of the cilantro, half of the minced garlic, the drained tomatillos and 1/4 cup of the reserved tomatillo liquid in a bowl. Season the mixture with salt and pepper to taste and set it aside.

Pat the steak tips dry with paper towels and season the steak tips with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil on a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until it is just smoking. Cook the steak until it is browned all over and the meat registers 125 degrees (for medium-rare) on an instant read thermometer, about 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer the meat to a plate and tent it loosely with aluminum foil. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil and the onion to the now-empty skillet and cook over medium heat until the onion is just softened, about 2 minutes. Add the cumin, the remaining jalapeno and the remaining garlic and cook until it is pregnant, about 30 seconds. Add the black beans and the remaining 1/2 cup of the reserved tomatillo liquid. Using a potato masher, coarsely mash the beans. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is thickened, about 3 minutes. Stir in the remaining 1/4 cup of cilantro. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve the steak with the beans and tomatillo salsa.

I really loved the flavor of the tomatillo salsa and the black beans were a perfect complement to the steak tips. Everything had great taste thanks to the tomatillos and since there are only a few ingredients in this meal you can get everything done in under 30 minutes. You could certainly use another cut of meat if you did not have sirloin steak tips. I think you could cut up a London broil or other steak and it will work just fine with this meal. Either way, it’s a good quick meal to make during the week when you need something fast. Serve it with a side salad and you are good to go. As you can see from the picture, this is before I added the tomatillo salsa, which I actually served on the side of the steak and beans because Sean wasn’t too thrilled with the salsa. He thought it was too spicy, but I think it was just fine.

That’s all I have for today. Check back next time for another recipe. Until then, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!

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Posted by MikeG on April 8, 2014 in Beef, Cooking, Dinner, Sauce, Side Dishes

Tags: black beans, Cook's Country, Cook's Country steak tips with tomatillo salsa and refriedblack beans, refried black beans, steak rips with tomatillo salsa and refried black beans, steak tips, tomatillo salsa

Sidle Up for Side Dishes – Dominican-Style Yellow Rice and Creamy Buttermilk Coleslaw

04 Feb

With all of the different main dishes that I have made lately, I have been making some news sides to go along with some of them. Two in particular really stood out for me anyway. The first was one that I made to go along with the pork tacos we had for dinner. It is a recipe from Bon Appetit for Dominican-style yellow rice. it is a very simple rice dish with some vegetables and spices that are great unique flavor to it.

Dominican-Style Yellow Rice

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup red onion, chopped

1/2 red or yellow pepper, seeded and chopped

1 celery stalk, chopped

2 scallions, white and light green parts only, sliced 1/2-inch thick

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 cup long-grain rice

2 cups chicken broth

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, celery and scallions and cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, bay leaf, cumin seeds, turmeric and cayenne pepper and cook, stirring, until the mixture is fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the rice and stir to coat the rice, then add the chicken broth and the salt. Bring the mixture to a boil, stir it once, and the cover the pan. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the rice is tender and all of the liquid has been absorbed, about 15 to eighteen minutes. Allow the ride to stand in the pot for 10 minutes, covered. Uncover the pot and fluff the rice with a fork. Stir in the cilantro and parsley and serve.

The rice had great color from the turmeric and other spices and the flavor was very good. The combination of the peppers and onion with the rice was just perfect for me. I can see using this side dish with any chicken meal that you make or with pork and I think it would be great.

On the night where I made the fried chicken biscuits, I also tried a new recipe for some coleslaw. I have a bunch of different coleslaw recipes and I am always trying something a little different. This time, since I had some buttermilk on hand I thought I would try out this buttermilk coleslaw recipe from Cook’s Country. it uses a couple of ingredients to make it really creamy without being too watery.

Creamy Buttermilk Coleslaw

1 medium head green cabbage, cored and chopped fine

2 carrots, peeled and shredded with a box grater

Salt

2/3 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup sour cream

8 scallions, chopped fine

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Toss the shredded cabbage and the carrots with 1 teaspoon of salt in a colander set over a medium bowl. Allow the vegetables to stand until they are wilted, about 1 hour. Rinse the cabbage and carrots under cold water, drain, dry well with paper towels and transfer the vegetables to a large bowl.

Stir in the buttermilk, mayonnaise, sour cream, scallions, sugar, mustard and pepper plus some salt to taste. Refrigerate the coleslaw until it is chilled, about 15 minutes. Adjust the seasonings and serve.

I liked this coleslaw because salting the cabbage helps to draw a lot of the moisture out of it so there is not too much water or moisture. Then the buttermilk adds some great tangy flavor to the mix and the sour cream, mayonnaise and mustard each help to add flavor and body to the mix so you get a nice, thick, creamy sauce. If I am going to make a recipe using mayonnaise, I think this is the best one I have tried so far. Of course it is great with any sandwich or along side of burgers, ribs, hot dogs or really just about anything else.

That’s all I have for today. Check back next time for some more recipes. Until then, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!

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Posted by MikeG on February 4, 2014 in Cooking, Rice, Salad, Side Dishes

Tags: bon appetit, coleslaw, Cook's Country, Cook's Country creamy buttermilk coleslaw, creamy buttermilk coleslaw, Dominican-style yellow rice, yellow rice

Moving on From Chicken – Sweet and Spicy Pork Tacos

03 Feb

Cook’s Country is a constant supply of new recipes for me every time the newest issue of the magazine comes up. They usually have lots of great recipes, some that take more time than others, but many that are perfect for quick weeknight meals. Such is the case with this super easy recipe for sweet and spicy pork tacos. I had just happened to pick up some boneless country-style pork ribs that were on sale recently and was looking for something easy to do with them and this recipe fit the bill perfectly. We all love tacos in our house so this was a great variation for us.

Sweet and Spicy Pork Tacos

1 1/2 pounds boneless country-style pork ribs, trimmed and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices

Salt and pepper

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 onion, chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon ground cumin

2 (8-ounce) cans pineapple rings, drained with 1/2 cup of juice reserved, rings cut into 1/2-inch pieces

2 tablespoons minced canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

12 (6-inch) corn or flour tortillas, warmed

Season the pork with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until it is just smoking. Add the pork and cook until the pork is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Remove the pork to a plate and set it aside.

Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in the now-empty skillet over medium heat until the oil is shimmering. Add the onion and cook until the onion is softened and beginning to brown, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and the cumin and cook until both are fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the pork and any accumulated juices back to the skillet along with the pineapple and the reserved pineapple juice and the chipotle. Bring the mixture to a simmer, cover the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until the pork is cooked through and the sauce has thickened, about 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in the cilantro, season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve the pork with the warm tortillas and any other accompaniments.

I served this just with some guacamole, sour cream and some lime wedges along with a side of Dominican-style rice, which I plan to post the recipe for tomorrow. The sauce was wonderful with a little beat of hear from the chipotle and the sweetness of the pineapple. I loved the mix of the pork and pineapple in these tacos. The taste was incredible and I could easily eat this outside of a taco as well. We didn’t have too much leftover, but was left was eaten for lunch the next day and tasted even better thanks to the sauce thickening even more in the refrigerator. I will definitely be making this one again.

That’s all for today. Check back next time for another recipe. I plan to give the recipe for the Dominican rice along with a quick cole slaw I had made with our fried chicken biscuits last week. Both were great side dishes that you can make with a bunch of different meals. I also still have lots of other recipes that I have tried recently to share, so keep checking back. Thanks to everyone who keeps following along with the blog. The response has been great and I had more visits in the month of January this year than I did in all of 2012, so I am glad people are enjoying what they are finding and thanks for coming along. Until next time, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!

1 Comment

Posted by MikeG on February 3, 2014 in Cooking, Dinner, Pork

Tags: Cook's Country, Cook's Country sweet and spicy pork tacos, pork tacos, sweet and spicy pork, sweet and spicy pork tacos

Beat the Weeknight Grind – Pork Cutlets with Sweet Potatoes and Maple Pan Sauce

13 Jan

After taking the weekend off to do some other work I am back with a great weeknight meal that I got from Cook’s Country. Weeknight meals can be the worst for busy families. You just feel like you never have enough time to be a home cooked meal on the table with work, school, homework, afterschool activities, chores and more, which can lead us to settling for takeout meals that aren’t good for us and are expensive. I always try to come up with meal ideas that can be made during the typical weeknight fast so it is something you can put together after you get home and have a meal on the table in under an hour. This one fits the bill for speed, taste and it is inexpensive to make. While the recipe calls for boneless pork cutlets, I had 3 bone-in chops on hand and decided to use those instead. It took a few minutes longer to cook because of that, but the taste results were the same to me.

Pork Cutlets with Sweet Potatoes and Maple Pan Sauce

2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1/4 cup vegetable oil

Salt and pepper

2 teaspoons garam masala

2 teaspoons ground cumin

8 (3-ounce) boneless pork cutlets, 1/4-inch thick, trimmed

4 garlic cloves, sliced thin

1/2 cup maple syrup

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

Combine the sweet potatoes, 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper in a large bowl. Cover the potatoes and microwave them until the potatoes are nearly tender, about 7 minutes. Set the bowl of potatoes aside.

Meanwhile, combine the garam masala, cumin, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper in a bowl. Pat the pork cutlets dry with paper towels and season them with the spice mixture. Heat 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil in a large, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until it is shimmering. Add 4 of the cutlets to the skillet and cook until they are well browned and cooked through, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer the cutlets to a plate and tent the plate with aluminum foil. Repeat the process with the remaining 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil and the remaining 4 pork cutlets.

Add the potatoes and garlic to the now-empty skillet and cook over medium heat until the potatoes are browned and tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer the potatoes to a platter. Add the maple syrup, Dijon mustard, cider vinegar and any accumulated pork juices to the now-empty skillet and simmer over medium heat until the mixture has thickened, about 2 minutes. Transfer the pork cutlets to the platter with the sweet potatoes and pour the sauce from the skillet over the top. Serve.

I really liked the flavor of the sauce and what it added to both the potatoes and the pork. Maple syrup and sweet potatoes just seem to go really well together and it was even better with the spice mixture on the pork. If you do not have garam masala on hand or can’t find it in your local grocery store, you can use a mix of ground coriander, cumin, ground cardamom, pepper and ground cinnamon and get the same flavor. It is a fast recipe that gives you great taste and all you need to do is add a vegetable or a salad and you are good to go with your meal in about 30 minutes.

That’s all I have for today. Check back next time for another recipe. I have a big work project I am working on right now, so I am going to try to get on here every day if I can to share some more ideas, recipes and more. Until next time, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!

2 Comments

Posted by MikeG on January 13, 2014 in Cooking, Dinner, Pork, Potatoes, Sauce

Tags: Cook's Country, maple pan sauce, pork cutlets, pork cutlets recipe, pork cutlets with sweet potatoes and maple pan sauce, sweet potatoes, sweet potatoes with maple pan sauce

Help Me, I’m Melting (Potatoes)!

29 Dec

When we decided to make the prime rib dinner this past Christmas, the natural inclination would seem to go with mashed potatoes as a standard side dish. I wanted to try something a little different with the starch we were going to serve and try to keep things easy at the same time. I love mashed potatoes, but unless you make them ahead of time and re-heat them they can be a chore during holiday cooking when you have to stop and mash them perfectly. I thought a roasted potato would be just perfect and then I found in the same issue of Cook’s Country that I found the prime rib recipe this wonderfully easy recipe for melting potatoes, which are roasted potatoes that are popular in the United Kingdom and sometimes called fondant potatoes.

Melting Potatoes

3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled

6 tablespoons butter, melted

1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

2 garlic cloves, lightly crushed and peeled

Adjust an oven rack to the upper-middle position and heat the oven to 500 degrees. Square off the ends of the potatoes and cut them crosswise into 1-inch thick disks. Toss the potatoes with the melted butter, the thyme salt and pepper. Arrange the potatoes in a single layer in a 13 by 9-inch baking pan.

Roast the potatoes until the bottoms are beginning to brown around the edges, about 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven. Using a flat metal spatula and tongs, loosen the potatoes from the bottom of the pan and flip them. Return the potatoes to the oven and continue to roast them until they are browned on the second side, about 15 minutes longer.

Remove the pan from the oven and flip the potatoes once more. Add the chicken broth and the garlic to the pan. Return the potatoes to the oven and roast until the potatoes are tender and the sauce has reduced slightly, about 15 minutes. Baste the potatoes with some of the sauce before serving.

This is a great side dish not just for the holidays but for anytime you want potatoes. I did alter things slightly. Since I had the roast out resting for an hour and was already roasting vegetables at 425 degrees, I put the potatoes in as well and let them cook for a few minutes longer to make up for the temperature difference. They may not have been the super crispy that is described in the recipe but they were still very crispy and the sauce had thickened nicely around the potatoes. They were a great brown color and the ideal compliment to the prime rib and roasted vegetables. I think they would just as well with any other type of roast or poultry and I plan to give them a try when it is just the three of us for a meal and see how it goes.

That’s all I have for today. Check back next time for another recipe from our holiday meal. There is still lots to come as we had appetizers, sides and desserts galore to choose from and I had made some things just before the holidays that I haven’t even gotten to yet. Until next time, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!