Cook Once..Eat Twice

This recipe has been adapted from an old Fine Cooking magazine recipe...Jan 08. I told you I kept my magazines.

For the brine:

8 cups cold apple cider or juice (I only had 4 cups of juice)

3/4 cup kosher salt

1/4 cup light brown sugar

2 cloves garlic, smashed

3 sprigs fresh thyme

 One 4 lb boneless pork loin roast or two 2 lb loins (next time I'm going to double this..we needed MORE leftovers!)

For the roast:

1/4 cup maple syrup

3 tbs. dijon mustard

2 tsp. fresh thyme

black pepper

1-2 granny smith apples peeled, cored, sliced into 1/2 in. pieces

1 tbs olive oil

kosher salt

Brine the pork...combine the 2 cups of cider/juice with the salt, brown sugar, garlic and thyme in a saucepan and bring to boil over high heat, stirring so the salt and sugar dissolve...about 3 min. Add the remaining juice and cool t room temp. Transfer to a large container add the pork, cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours up to 18 hours...(I forgot this part and let it sit for a few hours..next time I'll remember to let it go longer!)

Heat the oven 450. In a small bowl, mix the maple syrup, mustard, thyme, and pepper. Drain the  pork and pat dry with paper towel. Brush the pork all over with the mustard mix.

In a med. bowl toss apples with the oil, salt, and pepper. Scatter mix in the bottom of a large roasting pan. Put the pork on top of the apples. Roast the pork until the crust just starts to brown about 15 min. Reduce the heat to 350 and cook 30-50 min more..internal temp should read 145 degrees.

Let rest 10 min and slice. And don't forget to save some for the cubano's!!!

Cubano Sandwiches

For the mojo:

1 clove garlic

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1 tbs olive oil

1 tbs fresh lime juice

1 tbs chopped fresh cilantro

(next time I'll double this recipe too!)

For the sandwiches:

oval shaped sub or bulky rolls split (we used these english muffin looking things!)

3 tbs mustard

leftover pork sliced thin

thinly sliced ham

swiss cheese

dill pickles..thinly sliced (you can buy them sliced like that!)

butter.

Make the mojo...

peel and mince the garlic..sprinkle with salt and mash into a paste. Transfer to a small bowl and mix in the olive oil, lime juice and cilantro. 

Make the sandwiches...

Set a cast iron or heavy duty skillet over med. heat. Brush the interior of the rolls with the mojo and the mustard and then stack with pork, ham, cheese and pickles. Spread butter on the outside of the rolls and grill. 

We served ours with coleslaw and baked beans. 

Enjoy!

Chocolate Orange Cheesecake

Here is the recipe for the cheesecake I've been making for Steve for years...It comes from the Pillsbury Complete Book of Baking cookbook that I think I received at my Bridal Shower..it was published in 1993!

Here is what you need:

about 5-6 graham crackers crushed into crumbs

4 (8 oz) pkgs. cream cheese, softened

1 1/3 cups sugar

4 eggs

2 Tbs orange flavored liqueur or orange juice (I have used both depending on what's in stock)

1 tsp orange peel 

3 oz. semi-sweet chocolate-melted

Heat oven to 325. Lightly grease bottom and sides of a 9 inch springform pan. Sprinkle graham cracker crumbs over bottom and sides of pan. In large bowl, beat cream cheese at med. speed until smooth and creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating until smooth. At low speed, add eggs 1 at a time, beating just until blended. Add liqueur or juice and orange peel; beat 2 min. at med. speed, scraping sides of bowl. 

In a small bowl, reserve 1 1/2 cups of batter. Pour remaining batter into crumb lined pan. Slowly blend melted chocolate into reserved batter. Drop spoonfuls of choc. batter in pan (Usually 8-9 dollops on the outside, 4-5 dollops on the inside) Using a knife, swirl chocolate batter through light batter to marlble.

Bake at 325 for 1 hour or until set. Cool for 10 min. remove sides of pan. Refrigerate several hours or overnight.

Your husband will love you!

Meal Planning

I have to plan meals in advance. For me there is nothing worse than wondering what's for dinner at 5:00. I plan/shop for our weeks meals over the weekend. Sundays we usually have a big dinner..many times with extended family. If I'm roasting a chicken for Sunday supper, I usually will do 2 at a time. It's just as easy to roast two and the payoff is huge. After dinner I'll start the stock and use the extra chicken for lunches for the upcoming week. I love having homemade chicken stock in the freezer. 

I also make out a lunch menu for the week. I pack everyones lunch. I prefer them bringing something from home than yucky cafeteria food. Steve usually will take leftovers or a salad. Will pretty much eats either yogurt or a ham sandwich. Hannah and Stephen mix it up a lot. But, again..nothing worse than packing lunch at 7 A.M and not knowing what I'm making. A little bit of prep work over the weekend goes a long way. 

Crockpot Honey BBQ Pork Ribs

Do you have the Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook? I use it a lot...here's what's for dinner tonight

4 1bs country style pork ribs (I always use boneless)

1 yellow onion, sliced

1 16 oz bottle of bbq sauce

1/2 cup honey

Put everything in your crockpot and cook on Low for 8-9 hours. 

Could dinner be easier? We have it with baked beans, coleslaw, cornbread and fresh pineapple for desert. 

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

I got this recipe from a very old Fit Pregnancy magazine...here's what you need:

3 ripe bananas

3 Tbs olive oil

1/4 cup applesauce

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup nonfat plain yogurt

2 eggs

1/3 cup wheat germ

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1 1/4 cup white flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

3 oz. mini choc. chips

butter spray..I use PAM!

Preheat the oven to 350. Place bananas, oil, applesauce and sugar in mixing bowl; mix on med. speed until bananas are pureed. Add yogurt, eggs and wheat germ, mix. In small bowl mix flours, baking powder and soda. Add to wet ingredients and mix just until blended. Add chips. Spray 18 muffin cups with PAM. Bake 22-30 min...my oven took 25 min. I made them today...they're already gone. Enjoy!

Two-Bean Vegetarian Chili

I've been meaning to post this recipe. I swear I lived on this during my cleanse. 

The recipe is from Martha's Whole Living website...

1 Tb.olive oil

1 Large onion, coarsely chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 lb butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2 inch chunks

1 red bell pepper cut into chunks

1/4 tsp. chili powder

salt/pepper

1 can (14.5 oz.) stewed tomatoes in juice

1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

lime wedge

In a dutch oven or saucepan with lid, heat oil over med. heat. Add onion and garlic and cook stirring occasionally, until tender, 5-7 min. Add squash, bell pepper, and chile powder; season with salt/pepper...cook stirring 1 min. Add 1/2 cup water. Cover and simmer until veggies are crisp-tender, about 7 min.

Stir in tomatoes and their juice, breaking them up with a spoon; add chickpeas, black beans, 1/4 cup cilantro and 1/2 cup water. Bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer, partially cover and cook until lightly thickened about 20  min.

Season with salt/ pepper. Stir in remaining cilantro...YUM!

Homemade Marshmallows

I used the Barefoot Contessa's recipe...here it is.

3 packs of unflavored gelatin

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1 cup light corn syrup

1/4 tsp kosher salt

1 TB. pure vanilla extract

confectioners sugar

Combine gelatin and 1/2 cup of cold water in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attacment and allow to sit while you make the syrup.

Meanwhile, combine the sugar, corn syrup, salt and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan and cook ove med. heat until the sugar dissolves. Raise the heat to high and cook until the syrup reaches 240 degrees on a candy thermometer. Remove from heat.

With the mixer on low speed, slowly pour the sugar syrup into the dissolved gelatin. Put the mixer on high speed and whip until the mixture is very thick..about 15 min. Add the vanilla and mix thoroughly.

With a sieve, generously dust and 8 x 12 inch nonmetal baking dish with confectioners sugar. Pour the marshmallow mix into the pan, smooth the top and dust with more confectioners sugar. Allow to stand uncovered overnight until it dries out.

Turn the marshmallows onto a board and cut them in squares...( I had a hard time getting them out of the pan so I just cut them with a knife directly in the pan.) Dust with more sugar...So good!