Brown Sugar Balsamic Roast

Brown Sugar Balsamic Roast

• 2-3 lb Roast (Beef or Pork...see notes below)
• 1-2 TBL Montreal Steak Seasoning (depending on how much pepper you like)
• 1/3 cup Brown Sugar
• 1/2 cup Balsamic Vinegar

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Combine the brown sugar and seasoning, and then rub over the entire surface of the roast.
3. Pour balsamic vinegar over the entire roast and bake until desired temperature is reached.

NOTES: 

~The type of roast you choose will determine how, and how long, to bake. 

~If you use a tougher piece of meat (i.e.: Chuck Beef Roast or Pork Shoulder Roast), you will want to bake the meat in a covered pan for a longer time. 

~If you use a more tender piece of meat (i.e: Beef or Pork Top Loin), you will want to bake it uncovered in a roaster, for a shorter period of time.

~I did this Beef Rump Roast in a covered cast iron pan, for 3 1/2 hours and this is the texture I ended up with. I lined the pan with Parchment paper, and then glazed the meat before serving with the glaze that had settled in the bottom of the pan.

Roasted Sweet Potatoes:

• 2-3 large Sweet Potatoes (There are NO YAMS in our stores...just 2 different types of Sweet Potatoes!)
• 3 TBL Coconut Oil
• 1 TBL Kosher Salt
• 1 tsp Black Pepper
• 1 tsp Natural Turbinado Sugar

1. Peel potatoes.
2. Cut into large, uniform sized pieces.
3. Slightly heat coconut oil so that it is starting to melt.
4. Toss the potato pieces with the melted oil and seasonings.
5. Place on a baking sheet that has been covered with parchment paper.
6. Bake uncovered, stirring once.
7. NOTE: At 350°, it usually takes about 70 minutes to cook the potatoes fully, so plan accordingly if baking at the same time as the roast. If baking independently, bake at 400° for 45-50 minutes.

I have explained the Difference between SWEET POTATOES AND YAMS on this post. There is a lot of confusion between the two, so check it out if you're confused!

"Faux" Empanadas

I share more about the making of this recipe in this post.

Faux Empanadas

• 1 can Biscuits (Homestyle or Buttermilk varieties, Flaky won't work as well)
• 1 cup cooked, shredded Pork or Beef
• 1 cup Potatoes (Riced, Smashed or finely chopped)
• 1/2 cup Salsa
• 1/2 cup BBQ Sauce
• chopped cooked eggs and diced green chilies, optional

1. Combine meat, potatoes and sauces.
2. Add chopped eggs and chilies, if desired
3. Stretch each biscuit into twice it's original size, taking care not to cause any tears.
4. Put 2 TBL of meat filling onto one side of each biscuit.
5. Fold over biscuit and seal edges (if you don't have a sealer, use the tines of a fork).
6. Bake at 350° for 15-17 minutes until browned. 

Lazy Sunday Pork Roast

Start this roast 6 hours before you plan to serve dinner and forget about it! Your house will smell fabulous and you can take it easy for clean up too. Just throw away the foil and parchment paper!

Lazy Sunday Pork Roast

• Pork Loin Roast (I love the 4-pack at Costco)
• 1/3 cup Red Wine Vinegar
• 1/3 cup Water
• 1 TBL Safflower or Olive Oil
• 2 tsp McCormick "Perfect Pinch" Sicilian Flavored Blend (see here)
• 1/2 tsp Thyme
• 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt

1. Mix all ingredients except Pork. Allow to rest for 30 minutes so the herbs can infuse the vinegar.
2. Turn on oven to 230°.
3. Place a large piece of foil (Heavy Duty is large enough to do only one piece) underneath another piece of parchment paper.
4. Place roast into center and pull sides up, leaving an opening at the top.
5. Pour the vinegar mixture over the roast. Close the parchment tightly at the top, and then close the foil firmly around the top of the paper. You may need another piece of foil to go around the other direction if not using heavy duty foil.
6. Place in a roasting pan (I use a cast iron stock pot) and bake for 6 hours.
7. Allow to roast wrapped in the foil for 20 minutes after removing from the oven. Shred before serving and pour the juices over the top.

For another idea to cook roast in this manner, please visit this post. Cook an extra roast for leftovers during the week and try a new idea using this recipe.

Pork and Potato Stackers

This is what happens when there are no teenage boys around to eat my leftovers. I feel the need to "create" new versions of food I have made. (See the original recipes here).

But this, my friends, THIS is no ordinary leftover.  Oh no, this is tastebud happiness.

Having spent a couple of days trying new recipes for a package of Pork Tenderloins, I concluded the culinary whirlwind with this compilation....

Base: Smashed Potato

Middle: Medallions of Savory Pork Tenderloin

Toppings: Artichoke, Parmesan, and Pesto Dip

                    and Fried Sweet Potato Strings

Like I said, Tastebud Happiness.

Savory Pork Tenderloin and Smashed Potatoes

Round Two of Pork Tenderloin and Smashed Potatoes! Please go to this post for another recipe for pork, and here for more about the way I developed them.

This time around I took a picture with the smashed potatoes. I think I have them perfected now, and it just might become my go-to recipe for dinner potatoes.

Savory Pork Tenderloin and Smashed Potatoes

• I pkg Pork Tenderloin
• 2-3 tsp Seasoning of choice 

1. Coat the meat with seasoning, and allow it to marinate for at least 2 hours, and up to 24 hours
2. Bake at 375° for 35 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 155°
3. Allow to rest for 10 minutes under foil before serving (The perfect amount of time to broil the potatoes below)

Smashed Potatoes

• 8-10 Red or Yellow Potatoes (you need a thin skinned potato, whatever variety you prefer will work)
• 3 TBL Olive Oil, divided
• 2-3 tsp seasoning of choice
• Kosher Salt and Black Pepper to taste

1. Place the potatoes in a large pot of salted water, with at least 2 inches to cover
2. Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to a medium boil
3. Cook for 30-45 minutes, or until the potatoes are COMPLETELY cooked through. You do not want any firmness to them. Check them frequently and drain when they reached the same stage as you want them for mashed potatoes
4. Spread half of the olive oil onto a baking sheet that has been lined with Parchment Paper (don't skip this step, the parchment paper makes a lot of difference in the final texture, and clean-up is a breeze)
5. Cut the potatoes in half, and then place the cut-side down on the oiled paper
6. With a potato masher or other large flat tool, smash each potato half until the bottom surface spreads and the skin breaks slightly on top
7. Drizzle or brush the remaining oil over the top of the smashed potatoes, and sprinkle with seasonings
8. Turn on the Broiler setting, and place sheet on the middle rack 
9. Broil for 5-8 minutes, until edges are crispy and the tops start to turn golden brown

For an idea for what to do with the leftovers from this meal, please visit here.

White Grape, White Balsamic and Herbs de Provence Pork Tenderloin

Herbed Pork Tenderloin

• 1 package Pork Tenderloin, fat removed 
• 1 cup White Grape Juice
• 1/4 cup Safflower Oil (or Canola is fine)
• 2 TBL Herbs de Provence
• 1 tsp Kosher Salt
• 1/2 tsp ground Black Pepper

1. Marinate the meat in the ingredients listed for at least an hour. 
2. Remove from marinade, but skim the herbs from the liquid and spread them over the top and sides of the tenderloin
3. Roast, uncovered for 30 minutes at 375.
4. Baste with glaze listed below, and roast for another 10 minutes, or until you get an internal reading of 155 from the thickest part of the meat.
5. Drizzle with the bottled White Balsamic Glaze.

Finishing Glaze:

• 1/2 cup White Grape Juice
• 2 TBL bottled White Balsamic Vinegar Glaze (this may be harder to find, but most larger grocery stores will carry it)
• 1/4 tsp Kosher Salt

1. In a small saucepan, combine all the glaze ingredients and bring to boil. 
2. Reduce heat slightly, but allow to low boil until reduced by half. 
3. Glaze the pork with the mixture for the last part of roasting. 

I am including this photo because I forgot to throw my bag of Herbs de Provence into the previous pic. But doesn't the tenderloin look lovely cut into pieces?  I served this as a meal with Smashed Potatoes, and Maple-Balsamic Heirloom Carrots (recipe here).

For an idea of what to do if you have any leftovers from this meal, please see this recipe

Sweet BBQ Creme Pork Roast on Garlic Bread

Sweet BBQ Creme Pork Roast Panini

BBQ Panini

I used the same method for cooking this Pork Roast as in my recipe here.
Instead of using the Shoyu and sugar mixture, I used the following:

• 1/2 cup Salsa
• 1 cup Creme Soda (I prefer A&W)
• 1 TBL Creme Soda Extract (I use "Grandma's Brand")

1. Follow the directions in the recipe linked above for cooking the roast
2. For the panini, I seared some of the pork mixture between 2 pieces of Whole Garlic Bread and topped it with some of my Creme Soda BBQ Sauce (recipe coming).

Artichoke Parmesan Pork Chops

4-Ingredient Artichoke Parmesan Pork Chops

• 4 medium thickness Pork Chops, boneless
• 1 cup "Stonemill Kitchens Artichoke and Parmesan" Dip
• 1/4 cup Shredded Parmesan Cheese blend 
• 1 tsp dried Thyme leaves

1. Place Pork Chops in a glass baking dish
2. Spread dip over the top of the chops, mostly covering them
3. Sprinkle with Cheese and Thyme
4. Bake, uncovered, at 360° for  45-55 minutes, until internal temperature of the pork reaches 165°.

To read why I created this recipe, please visit this post.

Spicy Peach Pork Tenderloin with Grilled Peaches

My husband went on a business trip to Atlanta last summer, and brought me home a bottle of "Peach Grilling Sauce" that he found in a local market. I was excited to use it and decided to make a yummy dinner a few nights later.  Well, when I opened the bottle and tasted it, it was SPICY!! Mama Mia! I am not a spicy-foods eater, so I had to figure out a way to make it palatable for me. Enter Greek Yogurt, vanilla flavor. My favorite way to tone done heat in Mexican food is with sour cream, so I figured the greek yogurt would be a good counterpoint to the spice in the sauce.

Funny story about this picture. I didn't serve it up that night to look like this. But sadly, my husband called me about 10 minutes before I expected him home, and informed me that he had been called out on an emergency situation for work. Darn it. So, I made a plate for him to have when he arrived home hours later. I thought he's appreciate a good looking plate of food, showcasing the gift he brought him for me. I have to admit, when I plated it up I thought..."I really should take a picture of that!" And so I did. Now that I'm blogging, I'm grateful to have done so.

Most of the time when I am cooking I don't use recipes. I just go for it. So going back in my "taste memory" I am now re-creating for you the dish I made that night. Of course using the original sauce from Atlanta that I used is going to be impossible for most everyone to acquire, so I am suggesting using any sort of spicy grilling/marinating sauce that you can find. If you have to, peach preserves could be used, diluted half with water, and spiced up with Red Pepper Flakes.

Spicy Peach Pork Tenderloin with Grilled Peaches

SAUCE:

• 1 1/2 cups Spicy Peach Grilling Sauce
• 1 cup Greek Yogurt, Vanilla or Plain (My FAVORITE brand is ZOI, if you can find it!)
• 1/2 cup Honey
• 1/2 tsp Garlic Salt
• 1 TBL Brown Sugar

1. Save half of the sauce for finishing the dish, and marinate 2 Pork Tenderloins in the remainder. Marinate in the fridge for 2-6 hours. Keep remaining chilled until sauce is made.
2. Heat oven to 400 degrees.
3. Remove tenderloin from marinade and discard excess.
4. Heat a skillet with 1 TBL Canola Oil and sear all sides of the tenderloins until browned.
5. Bake at 400 for 15 minutes, or until the internal temp reaches 150 degrees.
6. Heat remaining sauce over medium heat until nearly boiling, but take care not to let it fully boil as that will break down the yogurt and cause it to curdle. Serve over the sliced pork.

GRILLED PEACHES:

• 2 whole Peaches, pitted
• 2 TBL Brown Sugar
• 1/4 Honey

1. Combine Honey with Brown Sugar until dissolved
2. Slice the peaches into wedges and brush on the honey mixture.
3. Grill in a ridged pan until caramelized.

I serve this with Coconut Rice (recipe here), Grilled Peaches, sliced Avocados and the sauce over the top of all three. Serve toasted Naan Bread wedges on the side.

Sweet Pork and Coconut Rice

Go HERE to read why I love this recipe. It's a CROWD-PLEASER. If you don't decide to hide it all for yourself before your guests arrive, that is.

Sweet Pork and Coconut Rice

SWEET PORK

• 3-4 lbs. Pork (can be a combination of pork shoulder/butt/picnic-Costco is good)
• ¼ cup Kosher Salt
• ½ cup Aloha Shoyu (Good Hawaiian Soy Sauce-you can find it at Walmart) 
• ¼ cup Water
• ½ cup Brown Sugar

1.  Poke holes all over meat. Rub with Kosher Salt and let sit for 10 minutes. 
2. Combine sauce, water and sugar and stir until sugar is dissolved. 
3. Place each piece of meat on top of a large square of Parchment Paper. Pull edges up to contain the sauce and divide the liquid equally among the pieces of meat. Crimp edges of paper to close tightly at the top of the meat bundle. 
4. Place on a large piece of heavy duty tinfoil and crimp the top the same as the parchment. Place on another piece of foil and close the same way. 
5. Bake a 225 degrees for 6-7 hours. Let rest for 15 minutes before shredding. Pour juices over shredded meat and serve with rice or on rolls.
6. You can make more of the same amount of sauce to serve alongside, but thicken it with some Ultra Gel before serving.

COCONUT RICE

• 2 cups Jasmine Rice
• 1 can Coconut Milk
• 2 cans of water (using the coconut milk can)
• 1 ½ tsp Kosher Salt

1. Combine all ingredients. Follow directions on the package for cooking on the stovetop or microwave, or use a rice cooker. 
2. You may need to make additional batches and hold the first one in a crock pot if you are serving a large group.