THIS PORK IS DELICIOUS

Rubbed Pork Loin with Apricot Glaze and Sauerkraut

source: Lisa Hawks

Ingredients

• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• ¾ tsp. salt
• ¼ tsp. pepper
• 1 (2 lb) boneless pork loin
• 1 tsp. oil
• 2 tsp. sugar (or instead of oil and sugar - 1 tsp. coconut oil)
• 1 c sliced onion
• 2 c sauerkraut, drained
• ½ c all fruit apricot preserves, divided
• ½ c water

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425-degrees. 
2. Combine garlic powder, cumin, salt and pepper in a small bowl; rub evenly over pork. 
3. Heat oil in a large, nonstick skillet over med-high heat. Add pork to pan and brown on all sides. Transfer to a baking dish coated with cooking spray. 
4. Add onion to pan; sauté until slightly browned. Add sauerkraut and sauté 1 min. Arrange mixture around pork in dish. Brush pork with 1/3 of apricot preserves. Pour ½ cup water over sauerkraut. 
5. Bake for 15 min. Brush pork with 1/3 of apricot preserves; bake for 15 min. Brush with remaining preserves; bake another 15 min. or until meat thermometer registers 165-degrees. Remove from oven and let stand ten min. before slicing. 
6. Serve with sauerkraut.

Oh my GOSH this is good.

Pork Roast with Mushroom Gravy

source: foodnetwork.com

Ingredients

• 1 (5-7 lb) pork loin or butt
• 1 whole head garlic, cloves separated and peeled
• Hot Sauce to taste
• 1 T Essence (recipe below)
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 3 T vegetable oil
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 2 ribs celery, chopped
• 1/2 medium green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 2 T teriyaki sauce
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

gravy

• 6 T butter
• 4 T flour
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 medium green bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
• 1 rib celery, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 bunch green onions, green and white parts chopped separately
• 2 c beef stock
• 1/2 c heavy cream
• 1 lb button or cremini mushrooms
• 2 T teriyaki sauce
• Salt to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
2. Pierce the roast all over with the tip of a paring knife and stuff one clove of garlic into each hole, followed by a few drops of hot sauce. Sprinkle on all sides with Essence and garlic powder and rub into the meat. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat and brown the roast evenly on all sides, about 10 to 15 minutes. Add the chopped onion, celery, bell pepper, and enough water to come 1-inch up the sides of the pan. Add the teriyaki sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and stir to combine and loosen any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Cover and bake for 45 minutes.
3. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F and add a more water as necessary to come 1-inch up the sides of the pan. Continue to cook until very tender, about 3 1/2 hours total cooking time.
4. Meanwhile, to make the gravy, melt 4 tablespoons of the butter in a medium saucepan. Whisk in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat, until milk chocolate-colored roux is formed, about 15 minutes. Add the onion, bell pepper, celery, garlic, and the white part of the green onions, and cook until the vegetables are soft but not browned, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the beef stock and heavy cream and cook until thickened, 10 to 15 minutes.
5. While the sauce is simmering, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring, until tender and golden brown around the edges, about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and teriyaki sauce to the gravy and simmer until flavors come together, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and cover to keep warm.
6. Remove the roast from the oven and transfer to a platter. Cover loosely with foil to keep warm. Strain the pan juices through a fine mesh strainer into the gravy and simmer until heated through and thickened, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and serve over the carved roast.

Essence (Emeril's Creole Seasoning):

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 T paprika
• 2 T salt
• 2 T garlic powder
• 1 T black pepper
• 1 T onion powder
• 1 T cayenne pepper
• 1 T dried leaf oregano
• 1 T dried thyme

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container.

Usually I'm not a huge pork fan, but this is GOOD.

Sage Pork
source: allrecipes
Ingredients:

• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp dried sage
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• 6 center cut bone-in pork chops
• 2 Tbl butter
• 1 c water
• 2 cubes beef bouillon

Directions:

1. Combine the salt, sage and black pepper in a small bowl and rub on both sides of the chops. Melt the butter or margarine in a large skillet over medium high heat and saute the chops for 5 minutes per side, or until well browned.
2. Meanwhile, in a separate small saucepan over high heat, combine the water and the bouillon and stir until bouillon dissolves. Add this to the chops, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer chops for 45 minutes. 

 

A Thai Feast

Thai Pork
source: Suparn Lee
Ingredients:

• 9 pieces of pork
• 1 1/4 c sugar
• 1 T salt
• 1/2 tsp white pepper
• 2 cloves fresh garlic

Directions:

1. Season the pork and stack in a plastic bag to marinate over night. The juices will seep out of the pork while it sits.
2. Preheat oven to 250 degrees. (I know it seems low, just trust me!)
3. Cook uncovered for about one hour, or until cooked through. You want the juices to get all soaked up into the meat and turn into a type of glaze, so MAKE SURE you leave it uncovered. Believe me, it is BAD if you don't! :)

Chicken Masman
source: Suparn Lee
Ingredients:

• 4 lb. chicken
• 1/3 c masman curry paste (mae ploy brand is best)
• 1 T oil
• 1 can coconut milk
• 3 lb potatoes, chunked
• 1 c water
• 1 large onion, chunked
• 1/2 c peanuts
• 1/2 c sugar
• 1 T salt
• 1 1/2 T white wine vinegar

Directions:

1. Put oil in pan. Add curry paste to oil, stir thoroughly. 
2. Add chicken and fry up at about 400 degrees (med-high heat). Cover and allow to cook through, about an hour.
3. Add potatoes, coconut milk, water, onions, and peanuts. Let cook several minutes. 
4. Add sugar, salt, and vinegar. Cover, turn temp down to about 275 (low heat), and allow potatoes to cook through, about an hour.

Pad-Thai
source: Suparn Lee
Ingredients:

• 2-3 T. oil, separated
• 1/4 lb chicken or tofu
• 1/2 small red onion, sliced thinly
• 5 oz. rice noodles
• 1/4 c water
• 1/4 lb shrimp

Sauce

• 1/2 T vinegar
• 2 T fish sauce
• 1/2 T. lime juice
• 3 T sugar
• 1/2 T. brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• dash cayenne

• 2 egg
• 1/3 c. peanuts, chopped
• 3 green onions, chopped

Directions:

1. Soak rice noodles in hot tap water as long as suggested on packaging (can range from 20 minutes - 2 hours).
2. Cook chicken or tofu in 1 T. oil. Pull out chicken/tofu, set aside.
3. Add onion to pan and saute until soft, approximately 5 minutes. Add more oil if needed. 
4. Add noodles to pan and cook until soft, about 5-10 minutes. 
5. While noodles are cooking mix together ingredients for sauce, set aside. Add the shrimp to the pan along with water and 1 T, stir together.
6. Add peanuts and sauce. Stir to blend and heat until shrimp is cooked through, it should have a nice pink color.
7. Push all ingredients to one side of the pan. Add the eggs to the pan and cook until well scrambled. Stir all ingredients together.
8. Add chicken/tofu back to pan. Add green onions. Cook a few mins more and enjoy!

Sweet Sticky Rice with Fresh Mango
source: Suparn Lee
Ingredients:

• 4 c cooked sticky rice
• 1 can coconut milk (chaokh brand is best)
• 1 1/2 c sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 T vegetable oil
• fresh mango, sliced

Directions:

1. To cook sticky rice: put in very hot water and let sit for 2 hrs, then steam for 40 mins.
2. Put sticky rice in microwave 1 1/2 min if the rice is no longer hot when you begin the dessert.
3. Add coconut milk, sugar, salt, and veg oil, stir completely.
4. Let sit until all of the juices have been absorbed into the rice. About an hour or so.
5. Add sliced mango to sticky rice.

Spring Roll Sauce
source: Suparn Lee
Ingredients:

• 1/2 c sugar
• 2 T white wine vinegar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 T water
• chili garlic sauce to taste

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients except chili sauce and heat up in microwave for about 30 seconds. Add chili sauce.
   

These are GOOD

Braised Pork Burritos
source: Lisa Hawks
Ingredients:

• 3 lbs pork loin or roast, cubed
• 2 T oil
• 1 onion, sliced into rings
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 7 oz. chopped green chiles
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 2 green peppers, sliced into rings
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 c cilantro, washed and chopped
• 1 T red wine vinegar
• 1/4 c water
• flour tortillas
• chopped tomatoes
• sour cream
• lime juice

Directions:

1. Brown pork in hot oil. Remove and set aside.
2. Fry onion, garlic, and peppers in pan until limp. 
3. Add all but last 4 ingredients. Cover and simmer for 1 hour.
4. Serve with tortillas and toppings.

SO VERSATILE

Super Quick BUT Delicious Pulled Pork

 Ingredients:

• 1 2 1/2-3 lb pork sirloin roast
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 T oil
• 2 medium onions, cut into thin wedges
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 c root beer (not diet!)

Directions:

1. Trim fat from meat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Coat skillet with oil and brown meat on all sides. 
2. Transfer to crock pot and add onion, rootbeer, and garlic.
3. Cover and cook on low-heat for 8-10 hours or high-heat for 4-5 hours.

**This pork has a very neutral flavor but is incredibly juicy and tender. Russ and I love to make a big roast and freeze all of the meat we don't eat that night. You can use the left over pork for practically anything! It is SO great!

Seriously. We are all about the Mexican food this week!

Mexi-Pork Wraps

Ingredients:

• 1 c shredded pork
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 T olive oil
• 3/4 c frozen corn, thawed
• 1/2 c roasted red pepper, chopped
• 1/4 c sliced green onion
• 2 T lime juice
• 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/2 can black beans, mushed with 2 T lime juice
• tortillas
• shredded lettuce
• chopped tomato
• sour cream

Directions:

1. In a large skillet cook and stir pork strips and garlic in hot oil over medium-high heat for 4-5 mins or until no pink remain; set aside.
2. In a medium bowl combine corn, roasted pepper, green onion, lime juice, cumin, and cayenne pepper. 
3. Spread 2 T of black bean mixture in a wide strip down center of each tortilla. Top with pork, corn mixture, lettuce, tomato, and sour cream. Fold up edges and enjoy! 

You can find this recipe in Better Homes and Gardens NEW Cook Book: Celebrating the Promise by Meredith Books.

Something Simple for the CrockPot

Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Ingredients:

• 1 (2 pound) pork tenderloin
• 1 (12 ounce) can root beer
• 1 (18 ounce) bottle barbecue sauce
• 8 hamburger buns
• Coleslaw

Directions:

1. Place the pork tenderloin into a slow cooker and pour the root beer over the meat. Cover and cook on low until the pork falls apart and shreds easily (about 6 to 7 hours). 
2. Drain the juices and pull the pork apart with two forks until it is shredded. Stir in BBQ Sauce and warm in the slow cooker.
3. Place some of the pork onto the bottom of each hamburger bun, top with coleslaw and place the other half of the bun on top.

Coleslaw

Ingredients:

• 1 (16 ounce) bag shredded cabbage and carrot mix
• 2 tablespoons onion, diced
• 2/3 cup creamy salad dressing (Miracle Whip or Mayo)
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon poppy seeds (we didn't have poppy seeds so we just replaced this with fresh savory and it was pretty tasty!)

Directions:

1. In a large bowl combine coleslaw mix and diced onion.
2. In a medium bowl whisk together salad dressing, vegetable oil, sugar, vinegar, salt and poppy seeds. Pour dressing over the cabbage mixture and toss to coat. 
3. Chill at least 2 hours before serving.

We found this recipe at our usual recipe blog. It was pretty tasty. Mostly simple! :)

Good Homestyle Dinner

Pork and Sauerkraut

Ingredients:

• 1 pork roast
• 1 medium onion
• 1 can of sauerkraut
• 1 T. oil
• ½ c. water

Directions:

1. Rub the roast with garlic powder, salt and pepper.
2. Brown the roast on all sides in the oil. Put the roast on the crock pot.
3. Chop up the onion and fry it in the remaining oil and grease from the roast. Add more oil if necessary.
4. Once the onion has browned, add the sauerkraut. After a minute or two add the water and scrape off the remains from the bottom of the pan. Pour all over top and around the roast and cook on low for 4 – 5 hours.

Nummy Mashed Potatoes

 Ingredients:

• potatoes
• cream cheese
• onion
• garlic
• salt and pepper
• butter
• oregano
• milk

Directions:

1. Wash, peel, and chop potatoes. Add potatoes to pot of water and boil until fork tender.
2. Drain potatoes. Add next 7 ingredients and mash the potatoes up until creamy using fork, potato masher, or hand mixer.

This is one of the few ways I've truly enjoyed pork chops!

Baked Pork Chops

Ingredients: 

• 6 pork chops
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon seasoning salt
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups italian-style seasoned bread crumbs
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 (10.75) ounce can of cream of mushroom soup
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/3 cup white wine (we replaced this with apple cider, yum!)

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Rinse pork chops, pat dry, and season with garlic powder and seasoning salt to taste. Place the beaten eggs in a small bowl. Dredge the pork chops lightly in flous, dip in the egg, and coat liberally with bread crumbs.
3. Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the pork chops 5 minutes per side, or until the breading appears well browned. Transfer the chops to a 9x13 inch baking dish and cover with foil.
4. Bake in the preheated over for 1 hour (it only took ours about a half hour). While baking, combine the cream of mushroom soup, milk, and wine/cider in a medium mixing bowl. After the pork chops have baked for 30-60 mins, cover them with the soup mixture. Replace foil and bake for another 30 minutes.