Shredded Pork Huevos Tostada

I’ve lost track of how many versions of huevos rancheros I’ve posted, but I just don’t think you can have too many options and I never seem to make it the same way twice.  This version used leftover pork roast (will it ever run out?) and eggs cooked over easy.  Very simple and oh, so delicious!

The packages of tostadas I’ve been buying have 36 tostadas in them.  I don’t know how many of these things you eat in a sitting, but I’ve had to get pretty creative with tostadas for breakfast, lunch and dinner in order to use them all before they go stale.  Not that I’m complaining.  I like tostadas.  But still, don’t hate me for the flood of tostada recipes.  I’m working with what I’ve got!

Shredded Pork Huevos Tostada

Shredded Pork Huevos Tostada

Tostada shell or tortilla (1-2 per person)
Pork roast (about 1/2 cup per tostada – see below for basic pork roast recipe)
1-2 eggs per person
Cheddar cheese
Sliced Avocado
Salsa

Heat a large skillet over medium heat.  Add a drizzle of olive oil.  Break one or two eggs into the pan.  Add some pork roast on the side.  If you are cooking these for more than one person, you can do these in two separate pans, with the eggs cooking in one and the pork heating up in the other (or heat the pork in the microwave if you prefer).

I just cook everything in the same pan, but you can do them separately if you want.

Cook eggs a couple of minutes until nearly set and then flip and cook briefly on the other side until it’s done to your liking.  Build your tostada starting with pork.  Follow with eggs, a sprinkle of cheese, avocado and salsa.

Basic Pork Roast

Pork Butt or Shoulder Roast
1 onion, sliced or diced
2 cloves garlic
1 8 oz. can diced green chiles
Salt & pepper

Rinse pork roast and place fat side up in a dutch oven.  Sprinkle with salt & pepper, top with onion, chopped garlic and green chiles.  Put a lid on and roast at 350˚ for 3-4 hours, until tender and falling apart.  Pull apart with two forks to shred.

Alternatively you can do this in the crock pot (mine was too big this time, so I did it in the oven instead).  When I cook it in the crock pot, I turn it on high for the first hour, then down to low to cook the rest of the day.

Ready to pop into the oven or crock pot.

Shredded Pork Tostada “Salad”

Another entry in my “what to do with that giant pork roast” series, these started out as tostadas but I piled so many veggies on top that it ended up being more of a salad in my opinion.  Whatever it was, it was delicious.  Feel free to sub veggies you like for those you don’t.  Instead of salad dressing, we just used a liberal drizzle of salsa over the whole thing.  Wonderful.  And pretty too!

Shredded Pork Tostada “Salad”

Shredded Pork Tostada “Salad”

Crunchy tostadas (I used 2 per person)
1-2 cups shredded pork (see below for the basic pork roast recipe)
Cheddar cheese
Mixed salad greens
Tomatoes, diced
Avocado, sliced or diced
Black olives, sliced
Salsa

If your pork roast is not hot, heat it up in the microwave or toss in a skillet for a few minutes to heat.  Since I typically use leftovers to make these that is what I did.

Top with cheese and pile on the other toppings to suit your tastes.  Drizzle salsa over the whole thing and eat!

Basic Pork Roast

Pork Butt or Shoulder Roast
1 onion, sliced or diced
2 cloves garlic
1 8 oz. can diced green chiles
Salt & pepper

Rinse pork roast and place fat side up in a dutch oven.  Sprinkle with salt & pepper, top with onion, chopped garlic and green chiles.  Put a lid on and roast at 350˚ for 3-4 hours, until tender and falling apart.  Pull apart with two forks to shred.

Alternatively you can do this in the crock pot (mine was too big this time, so I did it in the oven instead).  When I cook it in the crock pot, I turn it on high for the first hour, then down to low to cook the rest of the day.

Ready to pop into the oven or crock pot.

Asparagus and Shiitake Omelet

With farmer’s markets up and running for the season, as well as my favorite local fruit and veggie supplier, I have more produce than I usually know what to do with.  Everything looks so beautiful that I buy with my eyes instead of following my shopping list.  The wonderful bounty can turn into a trash can full of waste if I’m not careful.  So what I usually do to avoid this is lay everything out when I get home from shopping and plan meals around what I bought.  Large fruits like pineapples and melons get peeled and chopped and put away in the fridge for easy snacking for the kiddos (and me).  Other things get cooked for dinner, with the most perishable things getting used first.  And any leftovers most likely will find their way into my breakfast.

I found the most wonderful tiny shiitake mushrooms at the market this week.  My daughter commented on how delicious they were and how different they taste compared to other mushrooms.  She’s right! Combined with some leftover roasted asparagus, I had the makings for a tasty treat of an omelet.

Asparagus and Shiitake Omelet

Asparagus and Shiitake Omelet

4 stalks of asparagus, cut into one inch pieces
1/2 cup shiitake mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup red onion, chopped
1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
2-3 eggs
Salt & pepper

In a small bowl beat the eggs with a pinch of salt & pepper.  Set aside.  Heat a skillet over medium heat.  Add a drizzle of olive oil and toss in your onion and mushrooms.  Saute for a couple of minutes until veggies are tender.  Add asparagus and cook another minute or two (since my asparagus was already cooked I just added it at the end and tossed it until it was heated through).  Remove veggies to a bowl and set aside.

Add another drizzle of olive oil to the pan and swirl it around to coat the surface.  Pour eggs into the pan.  Move them around with your spatula, lifting the edges and tilting the pan to move the uncooked egg to the pan surface.  You’ll end up with a lumpy moon crater surface, with all of the egg mostly cooked but still a little glossy on top.  This is how you avoid omelets that are runny in the middle or overcooked on the outside!

Sprinkle cheese all over the egg surface.  Pile all of the veggies on one half.  If needed let it cook a few seconds until the egg is set and the cheese is melted.

Doesn’t that look yummy?

Fold over and slide onto a plate.  Enjoy!

 

 

 

Steak with Shiitake Sherry Sauce

We don’t eat much red meat these days, so when we have steak it’s a real treat!  I scored some beautiful shiitake mushrooms at farmer’s market this weekend and they paired perfectly with my little hunk of cow. I’ve also made this sauce to spoon over pork chops or chicken.  But the steak was mmmm…plate-licking good.

With the opening of farmer’s market this weekend I had LOTS of veggies on hand so we made this a low carb affair with lightly roasted asparagus and cauliflower “fries”.  Yum!

Steak with Shiitake Sherry Sauce

Steak with Shiitake Sherry Sauce

2 steaks (whatever kind you like best will work fine)
Salt & pepper
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 cup shiitake mushrooms, halved or sliced
1/4 cup sherry
1 tbsp. butter, cut into pieces

Make sure steaks are dry so you get a good sear.  Sprinkle with salt & pepper and set aside.  Heat a skillet over medium-high heat.  Add olive oil and let it get hot (if you flick a few drops of water in the pan it should sizzle if it’s ready).  For medium-rare, cook steaks 3-4 minutes per side (or to the doneness you prefer).  Remove from pan and let them rest while make the sauce.

Add mushrooms and sherry to the pan.  Sauté 2-3 minutes.  Add a few grinds of pepper.  Remove pan from heat and whisk in the butter.  Slice steaks across the grain and spoon sauce and mushrooms over the top.

Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps

In my efforts to eat healthy some days are more successful than others.  This meal was probably the healthiest one I made all week, and definitely one of the tastiest as well.  It was a huge hit with the kids too.

If you don’t like it spicy, you will want to reduce or eliminate the Thai or serrano peppers.  Made according to the recipe, these definitely have a bit of a kick!

One note on ground chicken:  I typically don’t like to buy it.  For some reason it seems to always have a bit of a mysterious gritty texture that I don’t enjoy.  Unless you are close friends with the guy at the meat counter, there is no way to know exactly what is ground up in there.  Instead I buy chicken thighs and grind them up myself in my food processor.  A few pulses is all it takes.  It results in a coarser, juicier texture which I like, and no weird grit!  Plus you have the advantage of choosing exactly what parts of the chicken you want to eat.  I usually opt for thighs since I find them a bit more flavorful. That being said, if you’re in a hurry or just don’t want to mess with it, by all means buy ground chicken instead.

Not a fan of lettuce wraps?  Admittedly they are a little messy but I love them.  However, once you’ve made this mixture there is no reason you couldn’t put it in a wrap, tortilla, rice paper, pepper half or pita pocket.  Or just dig in with a fork.  Whatever conveyance you choose, these are just plain yummy!

Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps. Delicious!

Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps
(adapted from Cooking Light)

4 tsp. canola oil, divided
1/2 cup minced shallots
1/2 cup (or more) thinly sliced red bell pepper
4-5 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound chicken thighs (or ground chicken)
2 Thai or serrano chiles, minced (less if you don’t like it spicy)
1 tbsp. fish sauce
2 tsp. brown sugar
2 tsp. soy sauce
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 cup basil leaves, coarsely chopped or torn
1 tbsp. lime juice
Lime wedges
Large lettuce leaves (I like to use butter lettuce for this since the leaves are sort of bowl-shaped)

Cut chicken into chunks and add to a food processor.

Making ground chicken. I prefer this to buying ground chicken. It only takes a few extra minutes!

Pulse until coarsely ground.

A few pulses and voila! Ground chicken.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add 2 tsp. oil to pan; swirl to coat.  Add shallots and sauté 2 minutes.  Add bell pepper; sauté one minute.  Add garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.  Remove shallot mixture from pan and set aside.

Add remaining 2 tsp. oil to pan; swirl to coat.  Add chicken.  Cook and stir 5 minutes or until browned, crumbling with your stirring utensil as it cooks.  Drain well if there is extra juice in the pan.  Reduce heat to medium.  Add chiles; cook one minute.  Add shallot mixture back in.  Stir in fish sauce, brown sugar, soy sauce and black pepper.  Cook one minute or so until everything is heated through and combined well.  Remove pan from heat.  Stir in basil leaves and lime juice.

There is nothing stopping you from just eating this with a fork if you’re no fan of lettuce wraps. Otherwise, load up the wrap of your choice with this yummy concoction!

Serve in lettuce leaves with lime wedges or just dig in with a fork!

 

Sausage and Red Cabbage Sauté

Cabbage has such a bad rap.  I think it’s because so many people cook it to death, until it’s a nasty, smelly, soggy mess.  Who wouldn’t hate that?  I love cabbage.  Especially red cabbage, which always seems a bit sweeter and the leaves tend to be a little thicker, which means they hold up well during cooking.  Cabbage is full of vitamins, especially vitamin C, but the more you cook it the more nutrients you destroy.  I prefer to eat it raw, in slaw or salads, or to do just a quick sauté to give it a bit of heat and bring out the flavors.

This sauté is quick, flavorful and pretty too!  I like to use a sausage that has fruit in it, such as chicken apple sausage, or mango jalapeno.  The fruit in the sausage adds a subtle sweetness to the dish that offsets the vinegar, resulting in a lovely sweet and sour dish. The trick to getting the cabbage perfect is to cook everything else first, throwing in the cabbage just for the last couple of minutes to heat it up and soften it a bit, but not so much that you lose the texture.

Sausage and Red Cabbage Sauté

Sausage and Red Cabbage Sauté

1 pound sausage links (I used Aidell’s mango jalapeno sausage), sliced
1 head purple cabbage, sliced or coarsely chopped
1/2 onion, sliced
1/2 tsp. fennel seeds
2 tbsp. cider vinegar
Salt & pepper

Slice up everything ahead of time.  This doesn’t take long to throw together.

All ingredients ready to go.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat.  Add a drizzle of olive oil and heat.  Add onion, fennel seed and sausage to pan.  Cook, stirring occasionally until the onion is tender and sausage is browned (if your sausage is really greasy, drain off the extra grease at this point; if you use a lean sausage this will be unnecessary).  Add cabbage and sauté 2-3 minutes until slightly tender.  Add vinegar and salt & pepper to taste.  Stir to combine and continue to cook a minute more to let the flavors mingle.  Serve hot.

This paired beautifully with Vinegar Roasted Potatoes.

Sausage and Red Cabbage Sauté with a side of Vinegar Roasted Potatoes

Vinegar Roasted Potatoes

Vinegar has long been used in many home remedies, for everything from easing arthritis pain to curing hiccups.  This winter I used some to make homemade cough syrup.  But what I really like to do is cook with it.  Vinegar adds a ton of flavor to dishes without adding calories and there are so many varieties it makes it fun to experiment.

I wanted to add a little twist to my basic roasted red potatoes.  I won’t claim any great health benefits, but as far as I’m concerned, this zippy little side dish was just what the doctor ordered.

Vinegar Roasted Potatoes

Vinegar Roasted Potatoes

1-2 pounds small red potatoes, quartered
Salt & pepper
2-3 tbsp. cider vinegar
1 tbsp. olive oil

Preheat oven to 400˚  Toss potato wedges with vinegar and oil.  Sprinkle with salt & pepper.

Drizzle, toss, sprinkle. Pop in the oven!

Bake for 30-40 minutes, stirring once after about 15 minutes.  Cook until potatoes are tender and a bit browned.  If you want more of a vinegar taste, sprinkle a bit more on top when they are done.

When they look like this, you are ready to eat!

Looking for other easy potato sides?  Try Downright fancy baked potatoes, or homemade garlic fries!

BBQ Pork Loin with Roasted Veggies

Some dinners are so simple that I wonder if they are blog-worthy. But then, I figure sometimes people are just looking for inspiration for dinner, rather than complicated recipes so if that is where you’re at today, this one is for you.

I made this pork loin once for my brother and he made us all laugh with his excessive yummy noises.  Pork + BBQ + boys = heaven.  Whether you’re a boy or not, this is one tasty dish.  I usually buy the large package of pork loins that has two inside, so I can have one for tonight, and the leftovers for dinner the next day.  This is also a great meal to make for company since you can stick it all in the oven and have all your time to visit with guests, instead of slaving in the kitchen.

Don’t be alarmed if your pork is slightly pink inside , it should be!  New food safety guidelines say it needs to reach an internal temp of 145˚ (down from 160˚), which means you no longer have to cook the life out of it to be safe.  Yay!

You can use whatever veggies you like to go with this.  I did potato “chips” and multi-colored carrots, cooked all on one pan, so easy and good.  It made for a pretty (and delicious) plate.

BBQ Pork Loin & Roasted Veggies

BBQ Pork Loin

2 pork loins (I buy the large package that has two in it, but you can make just one if you prefer)
1/2 cup barbecue sauce (homemade or bottled)
2 tbsp. honey
1 tsp. coarsely ground pepper

Roasted Veggies

4 potatoes, sliced thinly into disks (peel or not, it’s up to you)
1 bunch of multi colored (or regular) carrots, cut into sticks
Olive oil
Lemon pepper
Salt
Italian seasoning

Preheat oven to 375˚.  In a small bowl mix barbecue sauce and honey.  Slather on the pork loins and sprinkle with pepper.

Yummy pork loins, all ready to cook. One for today and one for tomorrow!

Lay out veggies on a baking sheet in a single layer (or pretty much).  Sprinkle with lemon pepper, dry Italian seasoning, and salt.  Drizzle with olive oil.

Mmmm…veggies.  The roasting will bring out the natural sweetness in the carrots. Yum!

Put both pans in the oven and roast for 35-40 minutes until a meat thermometer reads 145˚.  During cooking, baste pork with extra sauce once or twice.  When you baste, give the veggies a little stir while you’re in there. Remove pork from oven and let rest for about 5 minutes.

Let it rest for a few minutes for maximum juiciness!

While the pork is resting, leave the veggies in the oven to stay warm (you can turn it off if they seem done).  They are done when they are tender, and starting to brown on the edges.

Slice up pork and serve with roasted veggies!  Each pork loin is 3-4 servings.

BBQ Pork Loin.  Gorgeous and delicious!

 

Simplified Vietnamese-Style Beef Noodle Soup

Vietnamese food is one of my favorite cuisines.  I love the fresh flavors and the complexity of all the ingredients.  The little details are wonderful.  One signature dish is phó, a traditional soup full of flavor.  There are many ingredients in the traditional versions and one of these days, I plan take the time to do it up right.  This night, however, I was working with the fridge and pantry I had on hand, a short period of time and the inspiration of a beautiful dish.

While this is not a traditional recipe, this faux phó hits some of the high notes and comes together in no time for a simplified Asian-ish homey noodle soup that is wonderful no matter what the season or time of day.  If I had had bean sprouts I would have put a little bunch on top, but alas, I did not.  I made do with thinly sliced red bell pepper and the little cool crunch was just right.

Simplified Vietnamese-Style Beef Noodle Soup

Simplified Vietnamese-Style Beef Noodle Soup

8 oz. sirloin, sliced very thinly across the grain
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
1 tbsp. sesame oil
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
6 cups beef broth
6 oz. rice noodles
1 carrot, sliced thinly
1/2 cup green onion
1 tsp. lime juice
1/2 tsp. fish sauce
Red pepper matchsticks and/or bean sprouts for garnish

In a soup pot heat sesame oil over medium high heat.  Add sliced sirloin and crushed red pepper.  Stir fry until beef is browned.  Add mushrooms and carrot and continue to cook another 2-3 minutes.

Meanwhile, place noodles in a bowl and pour boiling water over them.  Let them soak for about 5-10 minutes until soft.

Add beef broth, fish sauce, and lime juice.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat.  Simmer for 10 minutes.  Add noodles and green onion.  Simmer another few minutes.  Adjust seasoning if needed.  Ladle into bowls and top with peppers and/or sprouts.

Herb Roasted Turkey

When I lived in the middle of the country, far away from my family, I cooked Thanksgiving dinner most years for my own little family and in-laws.  And although many people complain about such a task, I always loved it.  I enjoyed having people enjoying my food, and of course when you’re the cook, you get all your favorite dishes.  Now, I’m back in the Pacific Northwest, surrounded by family and thrilled to be here.  But since Thanksgiving is no longer at my house, I’ve found that I rarely cook turkey.  Which is a shame, because it’s pretty darn good.  And it’s not just for Thanksgiving.

I had a turkey in my freezer that I bought around Thanksgiving when it was on sale.  I decided there was nothing wrong with eating turkey in springtime so I roasted that sucker the other day.  The rest of the meal did not resemble Thanksgiving, since eating like that should definitely be limited to once a year.  But this is pretty much how I cook turkey for any occasion.  What leftovers don’t end up on a sandwich the next day get packed in ziplock bags in my freezer to be used in soups, pot pies and whatever else.

Everybody has their favorite method for cooking turkey.  Some brine, some smoke, some deep fry.  I am a huge fan of roasting bags.  They reduce the cooking time and always yield a perfectly roasted, juicy turkey.  Plus they make clean up a snap.

Herb Roasted Turkey

Herb Roasted Turkey

1 whole turkey
1/2 stick butter, softened
2 tbsp olive oil
2-3 tbsp. fresh rosemary
2-3 tbsp. fresh sage
2-3 tbsp. fresh thyme
Salt & pepper
Roasting bag – turkey size
1 tsp. flour

Preheat oven to 350˚.  Finely chop all herbs.  In a small bowl mash together the butter, olive oil, and chopped herbs, along with a pinch of salt & pepper.  Set aside.

Butter & herb mixture.

Get out a turkey size cooking bag (I use the Reynolds bags) and lay it in a large roasting pan.  The directions on the bag say to add a spoonful of flour to the bag so I always do, although I’m not sure if it’s actually necessary.  I figure it just contributes to the good gravy in the end.  If you’re gluten-free you can probably skip it or use gluten-free flour.  Place the turkey in the bag.  Using your hands, loosen the skin over the breast and drumsticks, wherever you can reach.  Be gentle, and try not to tear the skin.  Rub the butter and herb mixture under the skin and all over the outside of the turkey as well.  I usually add another few grinds of salt & pepper on the outside as well.

Don’t be shy, get that butter and herb mixture all over under and over the skin for maximum flavor.

Seal bag and tuck end down into the pan.  Cut a couple of small slits in the bag so steam can escape.  Cook according to the bag instructions.  For my turkey (14 pounds, unstuffed), this meant 2 – 2 1/2 hours, until a meat thermometer in the thigh hits 180˚.  Then take it out and let it rest at least 20 minutes.  This is an important step, do not skip it!  Letting the turkey rest will result in a more juicy bird.  I use this time to make gravy, mash the potatoes, make the salad, etc.

To make gravy, cut off one corner of the cooking bag and drain turkey juice into a saucepan.  Mix up a bit of water or milk with a few tablespoons of cornstarch.  Bring liquid to a boil, then whisk in cornstarch mixture.  Taste and add salt & pepper if needed.  Serve with turkey (and mashed potatoes of course!).