Sweet Chili-Lime Roast Pork

Being on a budget, I often scan the Sunday ads for grocery deals to help plan out the week's menu. By the time I made it to the grocery store on Monday night, though, the vast majority of decently priced cuts of meat were gone. After some snooping I found a small pork loin for roasting. I've never made a roast without adult supervision so I did some research in my favorite cookbook (The America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook) to get a general idea of the process (brine, brown, roast), then went to town! I was rewarded with a juicy, flavorful roast that went great with one of my favorite sides, sweet potato fries.

Please note, this recipe and process worked well with a 1 1/2 lb. pork roast. If your roast is bigger or smaller, you may need to adjust times and amounts appropriately!

INGREDIENTS

Brine -- recipe adapted from America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook

• 4 cups (1 quart) water
• 1/8 cup sugar
• 1/8 cup salt

Roast

• 1 1/2 lb. pork loin roast (not tenderloin!)
• 1/2 tbsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  

Glaze

• 1/4 cup honey
• juice from 2 medium sized limes
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

DIRECTIONS -- adapted from America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook

1. Place ingredients for brine in a bowl, mix until sugar and salt have dissolved.
2. Add roast to brine, cover, and allow to rest in refrigerator for 45min-1hr.
3. Remove roast from brine, rinse, and pat dry. Allow roast to come to room temperature. (this should take 30-40 min, depending on how warm your kitchen is)
4. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
5. Heat oil in a 12-inch skillet until shimmering. While the oil is being heated, rub pork with salt and pepper.
6. Brown all sides of the pork. The goal is to give it some color and flavor, not cook it all the way through, so the entire browning should only take about 10 minutes.
7. If your skillet is oven-safe (i.e. no plastic handles), the roast can be placed directly in the oven. If your skillet isn't oven-safe, place the roast in a baking dish, then move to the oven.
8. Mix the glaze ingredients and set aside for later.
9. Roast for the porkfor 25 minutes, then flip the roast and bake for another 10 minutes. Pour half the glaze over the roast. As the glaze starts to caramelize on the bottom of the pan, spoon it back over the top of the roast to coat.
10. Roast for another 10 minutes, then pour the rest of the glaze over the top of the roast. As the glaze bubbles in the bottom of the pan, spoon it over the top of the roast.
    
11. Remove the roast to a carving board and allow it to rest for 10 minutes. This is an important step that lets the pork continue cooking internally, so don't skip it!
12. Slice the pork across the grain and serve.
    

Apple-Cinnamon Breakfast Bread

Breakfast and I have always had an on-again-off-again relationship. I don't like milk, and when I was little I definitely didn't like milk on my cereal, which made it get soggy and mushy. Now, however, I'll gladly eat a bowl of cereal and soy milk for breakfast 6-7 days each week, and occasionally for dinner, with snacks of dry cereal after school in the car. This morning, though, I needed something different. Sundays I'll occasionally make pancakes, french toast, or waffles, but I often finish those meals feeling as though I just ate my weight in carbohydrates. This morning I wanted something just as easy to make, but with slightly more nutritional value, preferably with more than one food group included. Twirling the lazy-susan cabinet around to grab the Bisquick I saw the solution -- applesauce! I keep a few individual serving size cups of applesauce in the house since they're so great for baking. There were two left, which ended up being just right for a quick-bread. I love apple pie, so I made sure to add lots of cinnamon and nutmeg to give it a hint of apple pie flavor. I also don't own a loaf pan, but making it in a 9-inch round pan didn't hurt the flavor and meant there was more of the yummy edge parts.This didn't end up being the healthiest breakfast bread, but it hit the spot -- moist, cinnamon-y, and a great compliment to a cup of coffee and the Sunday newspaper.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 4-oz cups of applesauce (I used Mussleman's Natural)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 3 eggs
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup milk
  
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 2/3 cup Bisquick
• If you're feeling creative (or have a well stocked pantry), try adding 1/3 cup of chopped nuts or chocolate chips during step 3!
  

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, coat pan with non-stick spray
2. Using a whisk, mix together applesauce, milk, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and sugar.
3. Add Bisquick and mix until most big lumps are gone. Batter will still be lumpy from the applesauce, so don't overmix. If you're adding
   
4. Pour batter into pan and bake for 40 minutes. Test with toothpick (I was out, chopsticks work well, too!) to make sure the middle is cooked through.
5. Allow to cool 3-5 minutes. This is crucial for making sure you get your piece off of the bottom of the pan!
   

Pasta With(out) Red Sauce

I try to avoid cooking complicated meals during the week, mostly because I lack the brainpower after hours of wrangling high school students. Luckily, this pasta dish I made a couple of weeks ago ended up tasting complex, even though it wasn't. I had a good mix of ingredients already in the fridge, including leftover zucchini from Sunday's panini recipe, mushrooms I didn't fit into risotto last week, and some pancetta from Saturday's trip. Pancetta is basically really thick Italian bacon, and I'd been hoping to use it to fix up some red sauce, which was my intention this evening.

I started the water to boil, then started crisping up the pancetta with the garlic and mushrooms. Once I'd gotten the pasta and sausage started I opened my cupboard to pull out the jar of sauce and ... nothing. So I opened the other cupboard door and, nope, not there either. After 5 or so minutes of bewildered searching and reorganizing I had to face the facts -- I had no red sauce. At this point almost everything was done cooking. What to do?? Pesto! There was still some left over from the panini. I didn't want to make everything overwhelmed with pesto flavor, though, since there was a fabulous pancetta and garlic taste to everything. Solution? I added a can of drained diced tomatos to thicken the liquid from the meat and veggies, then a few tablespoons of pesto as a seasoning rather then a sauce. After a bit more salt and some Parmesan on top I declared a flavor victory.

I definitely beat Rachael Ray on this one. 30 minute meals? I did this one in less than 20, even with my sauce dilemma. And, it was delicious. Even though I just cooked up sausages with whatever was in the fridge and added it to pasta, it totally worked. This recipe is absolutely going into my list of fast and easy weeknight meals. Added plus? Plenty of leftovers!

INGREDIENTS

• 3 oz thick cut pancetta, largely diced (ok to substitute bacon!)
• 1 lb button mushrooms, sliced
• 3 large cloves of garlic, crushed
• olive oil
  
• 3 - 3oz spicy Italian chicken sausages, sliced in half, then sliced into 1/4 in chunks
• 1 marinated, grilled zucchini (see Perfect Panini, steps 1-3)
• 1 can diced tomatos, drained
  
• 1 tsp salt
• 4 tbsp pesto
  
• 1 lb radiatore shaped pasta
• salt to taste
• grated Parmesan cheese for garnish

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat 1/2 tbsp olive oil in pan to medium heat.
2. Add pancetta, allow to cook until brown on one side before turning.
3. Add garlic when you stir the pancetta for the first time.
4. When the pancetta begins to turn translucent, add the mushrooms.
   
5. Allow everything to cook until the mushrooms release their juices. Remove mushrooms, pancetta, and garlic to a plate or bowl while keeping as much of the drippings in the pan as possible.
6. Add another 1/2 tbsp olive oil to pan and allow to heat.
7. Add sausage.
8. When sausage is brown on one side, add zucchini and yellow squash to reheat. (If yours are still warm from cooking, save them until the mushrooms get added back)
9. When sausage is brown and zucchini is heated through, add diced tomatoes and return the mushrooms and pancetta back to reheat.
10. Ideally, at this point your pasta will be cooked and strained. Put it back in the pot you cooked it in, then add the sausage, etc., to the pot and mix.
11. Add pesto and salt to taste.
12. Scoop yourself some pasta into a bowl or onto a plate, then garnish with freshly grated parmesean.
    

Perfect Pesto Panini

I've often found that I don't eat three real meals on Sundays. It usually ends up that I'll have brunch around 10 or 11 and then snack until I get hungry enough to make dinner. Today I tried to remedy the meal conundrum by making a panini that would fill me up (and Adam) and end the cycle of Sunday snacking.

I have to admit, I was a lucky ducky in that I had a very well stocked fridge when I got this idea. Yesterday I made a stop at Cossetta's in St. Paul and came home with some beautiful, thinly sliced sopressata and prosciutto. If you've never had sopressata before, it falls somewhere between a salami and prosciutto in the spectrum of yummy Italian meat. Since both of those meats are fairly high in fat content, I knew I couldn't just make a panini with those. Using my contact electric grill (since it's too wet outside to actually grill) I cooked up some zucchini and yellow squash, then threw some chicken breasts on. An added bonus from cooking on the electric grill was that the balsalmic vinegar that didn't stick to the veggies ended up carmelizing and sticking to the chicken for some added deliciousness. After heating up half a loaf of take-and-bake ciabatta bread I layered up the goodness and threw the panini back on the grill. They turned out delicious and managed to have a healthy amount of veggies in them, too. The best part of this sandwich, though, is that you can add or subtract ingredients to really make it your own perfect panini.

Ingredients (makes 4 sandwiches)

• one medium zucchini
• one medium yellow squash
• 2 tbsp balsalmic vinegar
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp salt (I used seasoned sea salt)
• 4 thin boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded to a uniform thickness
• italian seasonings (your favorite blend)
• red pepper flakes (if you like added spice)
• garlic salt
  
• 1 loaf ciabatta bread, sliced into 4 sandwich-sized sections and cut open
  
• 1/3 lb provolone cheese, thinly sliced
• pesto (approx. 1 tbsp/sandwich, but more or less is okay too!)
• 8 slices sopressata, prosciutto, or your favorite salami

Directions

1. Slice the zucchini and squash diagonally into 1/8 inch wide slices.
2. Marinate them in a bowl with balsalmic vinegar, salt, and olive oil while you preheat the grill.
3. When the grill is hot, arrange one layer of squash/zucchini and grill 5-7 minutes until soft but still slightly crunchy. Repeat until all the veggies are cooked. DO NOT clean the grill after this step.
   
4. Pat the chicken breasts dry, then season with garlic salt, italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes.
5. Cook the chicken on the grill for 5-7 minutes depending on thickness. Wipe down the grill after this step.
   
6. Allow the chicken to rest. This is important so that some of the juices drip out and your sandwich doesn't end up soggy.
7. Spread pesto on both sides of the bread, then layer on the veggies, chicken, italian meat, and cheese.
8. Grill the sandwich until the cheese is melted and the outside of the bread is toasted.
   

Quick Crustless Quiche

We went to a party last night. Quite a few people came over afterward and we stayed up waaaay too late. So, this morning/afternoon I wanted something filling that was kind of good for me, but not too good for me. We had french toast last weekend and there wasn't enough Bisquick for waffles or pancakes, but we did have a half-dozen eggs in the fridge. I'm pretty picky about my eggs. They can't be too wet and the cheese can't be too gooey but I don't like them if they get really overcooked either. And, since we don't have a non-stick pan that's a good size for omelets or scrambled eggs those were both out of the running. I did happen to have a ton of broccoli in the fridge, though, and a couple of kinds of cheese. The logical decision was to go for a crustless quiche. The Dijon mustard, nutmeg, and Parmesan all worked well to create a complex flavor in something that had the potential to just taste like egg, cheese, and broccoli. Some of you may ask, "Crustless quiche, isn't that just a good old fashioned Minnesota egg bake?" To which I will firmly reply, "NO!"

INGREDIENTS

• 6 eggs
• ¾ cup cream
• 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp nutmeg
• ½ tsp pepper
• 2 tbsp parsley
• 1 cup Colby-Jack cheese(freshly grated)
• 1 tablespoon Parmesan (freshly grated)
• 3 cups broccoli (tops only, chopped in bite-sized pieces)
• 2 oz brie, chopped into really small pieces with the rind removed

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375. Coat a 9in pie pan with non-stick spray.
2. Blanch or steam the broccoli florets until they are bright green and almost tender. Set them aside.
3. Whisk eggs, cream, mustard, salt, and pepper together until well blended.
4. Add parsley, Colby-Jack, parmesean, and broccoli. Mix gently until everything is well coated with the egg and cream mixture, then pour into the pie pan.
5. Sprinkle the bits of brie evenly across the top.
6. Bake for 30-35 minutes until the edges are brown and the middle has risen.
7. Allow to cool 10-15 minutes before serving.

***I know, this isn't a very heart-friendly recipe. Try substituting egg-beaters or 2 yolks and 5 whites for the eggs. The cream can be replaced with low-fat half and half, but NOT non-fat since it's made differently. The brie can be left out and the colby-jack can be traded for low-fat cheese.

(Not So) Lazy Sugar Cookies

A month or so ago I was bored so I decided to bake cookies. It's cold outside, though, so I didn't really want to go to the grocery store to pick up any ingredients I didn't already have. To solve my first dilemma I turned to one of my favorite online recipe gathering places, Allrecipes.com. I only had one egg, plenty of butter, no milk or chocolate chips, and no baking soda. Really, it was almost like a reverse Iron Chef -- make something WITHOUT any of these secret ingredients. Luckily I found a recipe that only included ingredients in my cupboard. Next came the feats of strength. I don't have a mixer in my tiny kitchen, but amazingly I was able to cream the butter and sugar together by hand. Once everything got put together I decided I didn't want to roll it out and cut it, since rolling usually makes a big mess. I found another suggestion online to roll the cookies into teaspoon sized balls, then press them with the bottom of a glass. Another recipe even suggested spraying the bottom of the glass with Pam, dipping it into sugar, then pressing the balls onto the cookie sheet. They turned out crisp, sparkly, buttery, and not too sweet. Adam even called them "the best cookies ever." Not bad for not having the right ingredients or tools!

INGREDIENTS

* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 3/4 cup white sugar
* 1 egg
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1/4 cup sugar for decoration
* 3/4 cup butter

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
2. In a medium bowl combine the flour and salt with a wire whisk. In a large mixing bowl cream the butter and sugar. Add the egg and vanilla, and beat until well blended. Add flour and mix until combined. Do not over-mix.
3. Cover dough and refrigerate for 1/2 hour (in the bowl is ok!).
4. Spray the cookie sheet with non-stick spray or cover with parchment paper.
5. Scoop out a teaspoon (or slightly larger) of dough and roll it into a ball. Unless you don't want round cookies. Then you could probably make an oval, or a cube.
6. Place the ball of dough onto the pan. Spray the bottom of a glass with non-stick spray, then dip it into a plate with sugar and press the cookie flat with the bottom of the glass. Cookies should be about 1/4 in. high.
7. Continue rolling and pressing cookies. Plan ahead when you put the ball on the baking sheet so the cookies are about 3/4 inch apart.
8. Bake for 13-15 minutes. Remove the cookies when the become golden around the edges, not brown. Transfer them to a piece of parchment paper (or brown paper sack) to cool.

Coconut Curry Ginger Soup

There are a few Asian markets with very authentic ingredients in Minnesota, but sometimes making things completely from scratch takes waaaay too long. Thai Kitchen makes some great ingredients to speed up the process, though! I especially appreciate the green and red chili pastes, which I happily throw into soups, smear on chicken breasts, or rub onto salmon fillets. I love this soup, especially in the winter. It's got a great range of flavors, with tang from the lime, sweet from the sugar and coconut, and spice from the green curry. Unfortunately, all of those different aspects can be difficult to balance, especially since they're individually so strong. My mom and I have made this soup before, but on one occasion we spent multiple hours trying to get it just right. This last time I decided to aim for simplicity, hoping to find a way to make it tasty and easy. And, I'm happy to report, it worked.

Ingredients

• 1 can chicken stock
• 1 tsp pepper
• 2 cloves of garlic, smashed with the side of a knife
  
• 2 inches of ginger, smashed with the side of a knife
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp fish sauce
• juice from 1/2 lime
  
• 16 oz. extra-firm tofu, cooked shrimp, cooked chicken or any combo of the three, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 15oz can straw mushrooms, drained (ok to substitute regular mushrooms if your grocery store doesn't sell these!)
• 1/4 cup bamboo shoots
  

Directions:

1. Bring chicken stock,pepper, garlic, ginger, salt, and fish sauce to a boil.
2. Allow the stock to boil for 15 minutes, then remove the pieces of ginger and garlic.
   
3. Add coconut milk, green curry paste, sugar, lime juice, and tofu.
4. After the soup boils, taste and add more green curry paste if needed (I've added up to 1tbsp extra so it's nice and spicy!)
5. Add mushrooms and bamboo shoots, then bring to boil again.
6. Garnish with cilantro. I like to eat it with a little white rice in the bottom of the bowl, too!