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Experiments in Pulled Pork — Sandwiches (and then Enchiladas)

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The main recipe here is originally from the Portland restaurant Meat Cheese Bread. It was in our local paper, in the weekly food section. I saw it, made Homer Simpson type sounds as I thought about how good it must be, and promptly decided to give it a try.

That said, I tweaked it a bit. Not so much for taste or anything, more due to what ingredients I had and the level of time on a Wednesday that I had to devote to this. Mainly, I crock-potted it while working, so that when I came home, the house would smell so good that I would almost fall over after stepping through the doorway.

One Saturday or Sunday, I will try this in the oven but it did work pretty well for me to turn it on low in the AM before leaving for work (7:00 AM) and . . . → Read More: Experiments in Pulled Pork — Sandwiches (and then Enchiladas)

Crockpot Minestrone: Because it’s not Spring Yet…

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I used the recipe “Super Quick Minestrone” by Michael Chiarello as the base recipe for this. Of course, since it was cooked it the crockpot, it wasn’t super quick. It was moderately lengthy. But so, so, good. Especially as we were in the 30′s last night and I had to put flannel sheets back on the bed. Hello? April? Are you there? Jeez.

Anyway, I added mushrooms and oregano and started with dried beans here. The house smelled wonderful while this was cooking. But really, when you start with pancetta, garlic and olive oil would you expect any less?

Crockpot Minestrone
1 cup dry cannellini beans
Extra-virgin olive oil
6 cups chicken stock
1/4 pound pancetta, diced
6 medium garlic cloves,minced
1 white onion, diced
1 medium celery stalk, diced
2 medium carrots, diced
1 sprig rosemary
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 dried bay leaf
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes
2 medium zucchini, diced
12 cremini mushrooms, quartered
2 small yellow or red potatoes, . . . → Read More: Crockpot Minestrone: Because it’s not Spring Yet…

Crockpot Bean & Bacon Soup

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Sometimes I crock pot overnight, which is convenient, but slightly weird in that I tend to dream about food then. It is, however, much better than setting up your George Forman grill the night before to cook bacon, bed-side in the AM. Still my favorite Office episode of all time. The country crock? Nice Dwight? The van with the spray bottles? Ha!

Anyway. Soup here. Lots of beans. Add some bacon. Wine. Broth. Veggies. Cook it while you sleep and dream about beans. Or, cook it while at work and have a nice dinner waiting for you when you get home! Awesome!

My bean mix was 16 17 kinds of beans and some barley (“17 Bean and Barley Mix”, to be exact). I got it at Trader Joe’s. Use any bean/barley combination you’d like. You can even use all white beans and no barley. Or just 16 beans. You . . . → Read More: Crockpot Bean & Bacon Soup

Applesauce and Sage Glazed Pork Loin with Sweet Potatoes & Parsnips

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This was super good and appropriately Fall-ish. Originally, the recipe called for parsnips and turnips, but I changed the turnips to sweet potatoes. I also added some garlic cloves. I would think you could use any root vegetables you wanted to — potatoes, carrots, rutabagas, etc…

And, I finally mixed up some of this Essence seasoning mix stuff. I used teaspoons instead of tablespoons, though. So, yeah, this is an Emeril recipe. At first, jwa was skeptical, as he is of all things that come out of a crockpot. But, in the end, he was won over. Sweet, succulent pork will do that. Epic win.

My pork loin was on the smaller side (about 2 pounds). Didn’t seem to make any difference. Enough for dinner and lunches later in the week.

Applesauce and Sage Glazed Pork Loin with Sweet Potatoes & Parsnips
1 tbsp olive oil
2 1/2 to 3 pound boneless pork . . . → Read More: Applesauce and Sage Glazed Pork Loin with Sweet Potatoes & Parsnips

A Veritable Crockpot Extravaganza! Chicken Paprikash!

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I had so much fun with the other day’s WCC meal, that I made another crockpot dish a couple of nights later. Really, any excuse to use my smoked paprika.

Chicken Paprikash w/ Sour Cream
Adapted from a recipe on Epicurious.com
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tbsp sweet paprika
1/2 tbsp smoked paprika
2 garlic cloves, peeled and halved
2.75 – 3 lb pounds chicken pieces — legs, thighs, breasts (all bone in, skin on and ready for business)
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp + 2 tbsp olive oil
1 cup cup chicken stock or low-sodium chicken broth
1 can artichoke hearts in water, drained and quartered
1/3 cup sour cream (use full fat, low fat could curdle)
Fresh dill, chopped, for garnish

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Add the 1 teaspoon oil to a heavy skillet and add the onions and paprikas and 1/2 teaspoon salt.

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Cook until onions soften and paprika smells . . . → Read More: A Veritable Crockpot Extravaganza! Chicken Paprikash!