Kalua Pulled Pork

I can't believe it's taken me this long to share this recipe.  My mother grew up in Hawaii and I spent most of my summers there as a child, visiting my grandparents.  I think the only Hawaiian food I love more than poi is Kalua pork.  I was raised on this stuff.  And anyone who marries into our family knows that several times a year, Kalua pork is the dish of choice for Sunday meals.  Because Kalua pork, while delicious, is also high in fat and sodium and is therefore something not to be eaten every day.  Especially if you are like me and can't control yourself and go and pick at the leftovers in the fridge.

This isn't an exact recipe.  Basically you use "enough" of this and "enough" of that.  But it's simple.  3 ingredients!

The best cut of meat for the job is Boston butt, a.k.a. a pork shoulder roast.  They aren't small cuts, so you are looking at something between 7 and 12 pounds.  You will also need liquid smoke.  It comes in a bottle like this:

You will most likely find it around the ketchup and barbecue sauces in your grocery store.  Usually you have a choice of hickory or mesquite.  You can use either, but I've been using mesquite lately.  For a smaller roast, you will use about half of the bottle.  For a larger roast, my dad isn't shy about using the entire 4 oz. bottle.

The last ingredient is coarse sea salt.  Coarse sea salt has a lower sodium content by volume than regular table salt, so it's not interchangeable.  However, if you are in a pinch, you can sub Kosher salt.


KALUA PULLED PORK

1 Boston butt or pork shoulder roast
liquid smoke
coarse sea salt or Kosher salt

Line a large baking dish with heavy duty aluminum foil (enough to cover entire roast).  Place roast inside and prick all surfaces of roast with a fork.  Rub liquid smoke (about 2 oz for a small roast, 4 oz for a large one) all over roast.  I usually cut away the meat from the center bone and rub some smoke into the cavity as well.  Place roast with fat side up, wrap roast in foil, and refrigerate overnight.

In the morning, remove the roast from the refrigerator and let stand about 15-20 minutes.  Preheat oven to 500 degrees (yes you read that right, 500 degrees Fahrenheit).  Sprinkle sea salt over fat on top of roast to create a thin salt crust:

Wrap roast tightly in foil again and place in the oven at 500 degrees for 15 minutes.  Reduce oven temp to 300 degrees and cook 1 hour for each pound of pork (ex: 7 lb roast = 7 hours).  Remove from oven and let stand for 15-20 minutes before opening foil and shredding pork.  I like to add a little bit of the pan juices to the shredded pork for even more flavor.  Ono!

Raspberry Chipotle Sauce and Cilantro Avocado Dressing

Last October we had a weekend where we had two family weddings to attend in addition to our church's children's program.  It was crazy, but it was great.  My parents flew out for the occasion and my family was in charge of catering one of the wedding luncheons.  However, this post is about the other wedding luncheon since that is where I encountered something new to me.  The combination of raspberries and chipotle peppers! 

The (other) luncheon was catered by a local Mexican restaurant and was a do-it-yourself taco bar.  Genius!  One of the options was raspberry chipotle chicken.  At first I thought, "Huh?" but I tried it anyway and, oh my, was I hooked!  What a great combination of sweet and tangy and spicy!  And to top it off, they offered a delicious cilantro avocado dressing to drizzle over your tacos.  I loved how it cooled down your mouth from the spice of the chipotle peppers (although, let's be honest - it wasn't that spicy).  I filed it away as something to try at home.

Well, here we are a year later and I finally got around to it.  I investigated recipes for raspberry chipotle sauce and cilantro avocado dressing and never found exactly what I was looking for, but I came close enough.  I ended up adapting each recipe to fit what I wanted.

If you don't already know, chipotle peppers in adobo sauce are most likely found in the Hispanic food section of your grocery store.  They come in a little can like this:
 

They pack some heat, but in this sauce I would say the heat is between mild and medium.  Even my 9-year-old daughter loved it and she's not a fan of spicy.  And if you strain the sauce like I do, you lose not only the raspberry seeds but any remaining bits of pepper that might ignite your tastebuds.  If you're wondering what to do with the remaining peppers and sauce, someone recommended throwing the leftover peppers into a food processor, separating them into tablespoonfuls on a plate, and then freezing them.  Once they are frozen, throw them all into a ziploc bag in the freezer.  Then you have perfect portions for flavoring soups or what not.

I've used the raspberry chipotle sauce two ways so far:  mixed with shredded chicken for tacos (like my first encounter) and used as a glaze over pork chops.  For the chicken, I prepared it with my usual taco seasoning first and then added a few dollops of sauce.  Prepare yourself - the chicken will turn a purple-y color from the raspberries.  If this bothers you, you could always just spoon a little sauce into your taco instead.  I also drizzled the cilantro avocado dressing in the tacos and it was delicious!

For the pork chops, I just sprinkled them with a little seasoned salt and sauteed them in a little olive oil until browned and cooked through.  Then I brushed on the sauce.  Divine!  Serve them with salad drizzled with cilantro avocado dressing and you've got your second meal:

I've also read that people like to pour it over a block of softened cream cheese and serve it with crackers for an appetizer.  There are so many possibilities with this sauce since it pairs well with chicken, beef, pork, and probably fish as well.

Whatever you do, just try it!  I'm pretty sure you'll love it too.

RASPBERRY CHIPOTLE SAUCE
adapted from allrecipes.com

2 (6 oz each) containers fresh raspberries
2 chipotle peppers packed in adobo sauce, chopped
4 tsp. adobo sauce from can
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar or raspberry vinegar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar

In a small saucepan, combine all ingredients over medium heat, mashing the raspberries.  Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat and simmer until sauce is thickened and reduced by half (about 15 minutes), stirring occasionally.  Strain sauce through a fine mesh sieve, if desired.  Makes a little over 1 cup of strained sauce.  Can be refrigerated up to two weeks.


CILANTRO-AVOCADO DRESSING
adapted from EatingWell

1 avocado
1/2 cup packed fresh cilantro
1/2 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
2/3 cup milk or buttermilk
2 green onions, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. lime juice
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt

Combine all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth.  Chill until ready to serve.  Makes a little over 2 cups.  Can be refrigerated up to 5 days.  

Eggs Benedict Casserole

I made this casserole to bring to a brunch our family attended earlier in the month.  I like it because it's different from the usual egg casseroles I make.  The Hollandaise sauce totally makes it.  The hardest part of this recipe is finding Canadian bacon!  I finally found some in the lunch meat section of my local grocery store, next to the pepperoni. 

The Hollandaise sauce would also be delicious over veggies like asparagus or broccoli.  Yum!

EGGS BENEDICT CASSEROLE
from SusieDavis.org

6 English muffins, cubed
10-12 oz. Canadian bacon, diced
8 eggs
2 cups milk
1 tsp. onion powder

Hollandaise sauce:
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter
4 egg yolks, beaten
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. Dijon mustard

Spread the cubed English muffins and diced Canadian bacon evenly in a 9x13 baking dish.  In a large bowl, beat the 8 eggs, then whisk in the milk and onion powder.  Pour over the muffins and bacon.  Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Remove dish from refrigerator and let casserole come to room temp (about 20 minutes or so).  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Bake, covered for 35 minutes.  Remove cover and bake another 15-20 minutes or until center is set.  Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

While casserole is baking, prepare the Hollandaise sauce:

In a microwave-safe bowl, melt butter and let cool slightly.  Whisk in beaten eggs, then whisk in cream and lemon juice until smooth.  Heat the mixture in the microwave on HIGH for 1-2 minutes, beating after every 20 seconds until the mixture thickens.*  Stir in Dijon mustard.  Serve with casserole.


*I have a pathetic 700 watt microwave.  It took me more like 3 minutes to get my sauce to thicken.  Just keep this in mind if you also have a wimpy microwave.

Savory Pumpkin Dip

I made this on Sunday for a little pumpkin-themed potluck get together after church.  I found the recipe on Gimme Some Oven after searching Google for "savory pumpkin recipes" Saturday night.  I actually had all the ingredients on hand - woo hoo!  Well, except the roasted pecans.  I did have some raw almonds, so I roasted those instead.  The dip was popular, so I figured I ought to share it here.

SAVORY PUMPKIN DIP
slightly adapted from Gimme Some Oven

1 (8 oz) package cream cheese or neufchatel, softened
1/2 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix)
1/2 tsp. seasoned salt
1/2 cup shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 cup chopped roasted almonds or pecans
4-6 slices bacon, crisp-cooked and chopped
3 green onions, thinly sliced


In a medium bowl, beat together cream cheese, pumpkin, and seasoned salt.  Stir in remaining ingredients.  Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until serving.

Here's a photo of the dip from Sunday:

It looks great garnished with crumbled bacon and green onions.

Beef Stew

I posted this recipe back in November of 2010.  I think it's delicious and it's a great ending to a cool day. I've started adding frozen peas at the end for a pop of color and flavor.  Sometimes I add some pearl barley instead of thickening the stew with cornstarch.  If you want to add barley, stir in about 1/2 cup when you add the potatoes and other veggies.  For the best browning results, pat the beef dry with paper towels before adding it to the pot. 

BEEF STEW
adapted from Beef Stew VI on Allrecipes.com

2 pounds stew beef, cubed
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
salt and pepper
garlic powder
4 cups (32 oz.) beef broth
1 tsp. dried rosemary
2 tsp. dried parsley
1/2 tsp. pepper
3 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
4 stalks celery, sliced
4 carrots, thickly sliced
1 large onion, chopped
1 (10.75 oz) can condensed tomato soup
1 cup frozen peas
2 Tbsp. cornstarch mixed with 3 Tbsp. water

Brown beef in oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat, sprinkling beef with salt, pepper, and a little garlic powder. Add beef broth, rosemary, parsley, and 1/2 tsp. pepper and bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 1 hour.

Add potatoes, celery, carrots, onion, and tomato soup. Return to a boil then reduce heat, cover, and simmer again for 50 minutes. Stir in peas and cornstarch and water mixture to thicken and simmer for 5 minutes more before serving.

Olive Garden's Fettuccine Alfredo

Friends and family know that when I go to Olive Garden I always order the exact same thing:  the minestrone soup and the fettuccine alfredo.  Why?  Because they are both delicious and, until now, I couldn't duplicate them at home!  Lucky for me I discovered a copycat recipe for the fettuccine alfredo online that, for me, is close enough to the real thing that I haven't been to Olive Garden in over a year.  And it's easy!

Of course the recipe calls for heavy cream - that's why it's so delicious!  However, I have discovered a way to cut a little fat and not lose out on the thick and creamy texture of the sauce.  I mix fat-free half-&-half with a little cornstarch to replace the heavy cream.  It works!

If you have a husband like mine who doesn't consider "plain" pasta to be a "real" meal, add some sliced, grilled chicken or sauteed shrimp to round it out.

OLIVE GARDEN'S FETTUCCINE ALFREDO
slightly adapted from TopSecretRecipes

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
4 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
2 cups heavy cream OR 2 cups fat-free half-&-half whisked w/ 1 1/2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1/2 cup grated Parmesan + more for garnish
salt and pepper, to taste
12-16 oz. fettuccine pasta

Prepare pasta according to package directions.

While pasta is cooking, melt butter in a saucepan over med-low heat.  Add garlic and cream or half-&-half mixture and bring to a simmer.  Whisk in cheese and simmer for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally - do not boil or sauce will separate!  Add salt and pepper, to taste.

Drain pasta and toss with sauce.  Serve with a sprinkle of Parmesan.

Pre-Cooking and Freezing Ground Beef and Chicken

So I'm finally getting around to starting a new section of my blog:  Tips & Tricks.  This will kind of be like a "Cooking 101" class combined with posts about time and money savers in the kitchen.  You'll find the Tips & Tricks link at the top of the page, next to the Recipe Index.

Today I wanted to share something I picked up from my mother-in-law.  You know all those recipes that call for browned ground beef or cooked chicken?  How many times does that mean you have to defrost a pound of raw ground beef, then cook it up, or defrost some frozen chicken breasts, cook them, then shred or chop - all before you can get started on your recipe?  I did that for years.  Until my mother-in-law introduced me to a better way.  Pre-cooking large batches, THEN freezing!  And not only does this save you time by getting it all done at once, it saves you time with defrosting as well.  Cooked ground beef and chicken have a lot less water content than raw and defrosts in a fraction of the time.

This can also save you money - if you wait for ground beef or chicken to go on sale before purchasing as much as you can fit in your freezer and use within 6 months.  I have a teeny freezer, so I have to do this more often than I'd like, but it still saves me time in the kitchen so I keep doing it.  Here's how it works:

1.  Buy the ground beef or chicken when it goes on sale.  The last time I did this I bought 6 pounds of 95% lean ground beef for $2.77/lb (best price I can get in Phoenix).  When it comes to chicken, sometimes I can get bone-in split chicken breasts for as little as $0.88/lb. (but that is rare).  Most of the time I get boneless, skinless chicken breasts for about $1.67/lb.

2.  Cook it up.  I have a big wok-style pan that I use to brown the ground beef:

It can just barely hold the 6 pounds!  If you have to, do multiple batches.

It can take time and patience, but it WILL brown.  Once it does, drain it and let it cool.  You don't want to put hot beef in the freezer - ice crystals will form from the trapped steam and cause freezer burn. 

When it comes to chicken, I prefer to cook it in a slow cooker.  I find it tastes better than boiling, plus you can leave it for 4 hours and do something else.  If using bone-in chicken, I place the breasts skin side down after sprinkling them with salt and pepper:

 

I also add 1/2 cup of water.  I usually cook them on HIGH for 3-4 hours, because I usually stuff as many breasts in there as I can (unlike the above photo).  Basically, you cook 'em till they're done, like so:

 

 At this point, the meat just falls off the bone.  

I like to chop my chicken, but if you prefer to shred it, go for it.  If you want another shortcut, you can shred the chicken in a stand mixer.  I like to add about 1/4 - 1/2 cup of the broth back into the chopped chicken.  It adds flavor and keeps the chicken moist.  You can reserve the rest of the broth and put it in the fridge.  Once the fat solidifies at the top, you can scoop it off and then freeze the broth for future use.

3.  Bag it up.  I use quart-size Ziploc freezer bags to store my ground beef and chicken.  I've found that 2 1/2 cups of ground beef or chicken is roughly equal to 1 pound.  So, I divide up the 1 pound portions, squeeze out the air as best I can, then spread the bags flat for storing, like so:

You can label them if you want, but it's not hard to guess what's in there.  If you are worried about using it in time, you can certainly add the date it was cooked.  This can help if you end up doing another batch before using up what's left in the freezer. 

4.  Freeze it.  Here's what my teeny freezer looks like:

Believe it or not, there's more stuff behind what you can see.  I'm all about organization in there (not necessarily in the rest of my house...).  As you can see on the left, once something is frozen flat, you can stack it vertically!  It's a lot easier to pull things out when they are stored this way - less risk of dropping frozen food on your foot.  The ground beef wasn't frozen yet, so I set some already frozen bags down for the beef to rest on until it froze.  Then I could rearrange it vertically again.

Obviously there are other things in there besides the cooked chicken and beef, but we'll get to those in another post.  As I mentioned before, you want to use it up within 6 months.  

5.  Defrost it and use it!  Now that your ground beef and chicken are cooked, you have them ready whenever they are called for in a recipe.  Just defrost it in the microwave - I promise, it only takes a couple of minutes at most.  Sometimes I don't even bother defrosting it - I just plop the frozen ground beef in my spaghetti sauce and let the stove do the work.