STUPID DELICIOUS! Roast Pork with Peach Sauce

Everyone LOVED this. The meat is sticky with porky goodness. A total keeper! We used 1 1/2 mangoes instead of peaches. Yum!

Slow-Roasted Pork Shoulder with Peach Sauce

From the episode: Fall Favorites

Serves 8 to 12
We prefer natural to enhanced pork (pork that has been injected with a salt solution to increase moistness and flavor), though both will work in this recipe. Add more water to the roasting pan as necessary during the last hours of cooking to prevent the fond from burning. Serve the pork with the accompanying peach sauce or cherry sauce (related recipe) or with a sweet-tart chutney.
INGREDIENTS
PORK ROAST
1 bone-in pork butt , 6 to 8 pounds (see note)
1/3 cup kosher salt
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
  ground black pepper
PEACH SAUCE
10 ounces frozen peaches , cut into 1-inch chunks (about 2 cups) or 2 fresh peaches, cut into 1/2-inch wedges
2 cups dry white wine
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
INSTRUCTIONS
1. FOR THE ROAST: Using sharp knife, cut slits 1 inch apart in crosshatch pattern in fat cap of roast, being careful not to cut into meat. Combine salt and brown sugar in medium bowl. Rub salt mixture over entire pork shoulder and into slits. Wrap roast tightly in double layer of plastic wrap, place on rimmed baking sheet, and refrigerate at least 12 and up to 24 hours.
2. Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Unwrap roast and brush off any excess salt mixture from surface. Season roast with pepper. Transfer roast to V-rack coated with nonstick cooking spray set in large roasting pan and add 1 quart water to roasting pan.
3. Cook roast, basting twice during cooking, until meat is extremely tender and instant-read thermometer inserted into roast near but not touching bone registers 190 degrees, 5 to 6 hours. Transfer roast to carving board and let rest, loosely tented with foil, 1 hour. Transfer liquid in roasting pan to fat separator and let stand 5 minutes. Pour off ¼ cup jus; discard fat and reserve remaining jus for another use.
4. FOR THE SAUCE: Bring peaches, wine, granulated sugar, ¼ cup vinegar, ¼ cup defatted jus, and thyme to simmer in small saucepan; cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced to 2 cups, about 30 minutes. Stir in remaining tablespoon vinegar and mustard. Remove thyme, cover, and keep warm.
5. Using sharp paring knife, cut around inverted T-shaped bone until it can be pulled free from roast (use clean kitchen towel to grasp bone). Using serrated knife, slice roast. Serve, passing sauce separately.
TECHNIQUE
THE IMPORTANCE OF TAKING THINGS SLOW
For super-tender meat and a deeply browned crust, our roast pork shoulder takes time—about 24 hours total—but the results are worth the wait.

OVERNIGHT SALTY-SWEET RUB
We rub our roast with a mixture of salt and sugar and let it rest overnight. The salt enhances juiciness and seasons the meat throughout, while the sugar caramelizes to create a crackling-crisp, salty-sweet crust.

LOW OVEN
Just like in a pot roast, cooking the pork low and slow (325 degrees for 5 to 6 hours) pushes the meat well beyond its “done” mark into the 190-degree range, encouraging intramuscular fat to melt, collagen to break down and tenderize the meat, and the fat cap to render and crisp.
TECHNIQUE
BONE-IN PORK BUTT: FATTY, MOIST, FLAVORFUL
Instead of the lean, center-cut loin, our choice for roasting is pork butt (also known as Boston butt). This shoulder roast packs plenty of intramuscular fat that melts and bastes the meat during cooking, and it’s available with or without the bone. We prefer bone-in for two reasons: First, bone conducts heat poorly and, in effect, acts as an insulator against heat. This means that the meat surrounding it stays cooler and the roast cooks at a slower, gentler pace. Second, bones have a large percentage of the meat’s connective tissue attached to them, which eventually breaks down to gelatin and helps the roast retain moisture.

BETTER WITH THE BONE

Sun Dried Tomato sauce with Mushroom Raviolis

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
4 whole Sun-dried Tomatoes In Oil
2 cloves Garlic
3 Tablespoons Butter
3 Tablespoons Flour
2 cups Milk
3 Tablespoons Grated Parmesan Cheese
Salt And Pepper, to taste
Store bought Mushroom Ravioli, or any pasta you would like would work

Preparation Instructions

In a medium skillet, heat up olive oil for 2 minutes. Chop sun dried tomatoes. Add to skillet. Mince garlic and add to skillet. Stir and cook for 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add flour and whisk until a paste is formed. Whisk and cook paste for 1 minute. Lower heat to medium low and add milk. Whisk until sauce is thick, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add salt, pepper and Parmesan cheese. Add the tomato mixture from skillet. Taste the sauce to make sure seasonings are right.
Boil ravioli according to package instructions drain pour sauce over the pasta. Costco has great fresh mushroom ravioli. This tastes just like Olive Gardens Ravioli De Portabello if I say so my self. Yum!

Lactation Cookies or just really healthy cookies that are DELISH!!

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
4 tbsp water
2 tbsp flax seed meal (I used Bob's Red Mill)
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups AP flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
4 tbsp brewer's yeast
3 cups rolled oats (not quick oats)
1 cup Ghiradelli white chocolate chips
1 cup golden raisins

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

In a small bowl, mix flax seed meal and water and let sit for 5 minutes. In a large bowl, sift the flour, baking soda, salt and brewer's yeast and set aside.

In a stand mixer, fitted with a flat beater, combine the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar. Add eggs, mixing well after each one. Add flax seed meal and vanilla. Mix well. Slowly add flour mixture to the butter mixture. Stir in oats. Fold in white chocolate chips and raisins.

Scoop rounded tablespoons onto prepared baking sheets. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Let sit on baking sheet for a few minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely.

ENJOY!
These cookies are kinda sweet, if you prefer less sweet cut the white chips and raisins in half. Do not try to low fat this recipe. I tried and yuck! They are really yummy, and the flax and brewers yeast are great for milk supply and overall health.

Decadent dark chocolate caramel cake

I made this for Tim's 22nd bday. A total keeper. He said it tastes like sees scotchmallows. Add a layer of fluff and i am sure it would taste even more like it. Super moise dark chocolate cake, cooled, poked with a chopstick, and covered with homemade sea salted caramel.

See "Sea Salted Caramel" post for the caramel. Prepare 1 1/2 of a batch. Thin to desired consistency with cream or half and half. If it gets too thin, cook some moisture out. Pour when just warm over poked cake.

adapted from: Double Chocolate Layer cake
Gourmet | March 1999

This old-fashioned chocolate cake made our staff swoon!
Yield: Serves 12 to 14

For cake
4 ounces fine-quality semisweet chocolate

1 1/2 cups hot brewed coffee
3 cups sugar
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch process)
2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
3 large eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups well-shaken buttermilk (or use Saco buttermilk powder and water)
3/4 teaspoon vanilla

Make cake layers:
Preheat oven to 300°F. and grease 9x13 pan. Line 10 muffin cups with cupcake liners.

Finely chop chocolate and in a bowl combine with hot coffee. Let mixture stand, add cocoa powder, stirring occasionally, until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.

Into a large bowl sift together sugar, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In another large bowl with an electric mixer beat eggs until thickened slightly and lemon colored (about 3 minutes with a standing mixer or 5 minutes with a hand-held mixer). Slowly add oil, buttermilk, vanilla, and melted chocolate mixture to eggs, beating until combined well. Add sugar mixture and beat on medium speed until just combined well. Divide batter between pans and bake in middle of oven until a tester inserted in center comes out clean, 1 hour and 10 min.

Apple fries with lemon/lime dip

I usually do half full fat and half fat free yogurt. Great source of vitamin c, fiber, probiotics, and calcium for you and your kids.(serves 2)

1/2 cup Greek non-fat or regular fat plain yogurt (Zoi brand is awesome)
1/2 lemon or lime
1 1/2 teaspoons honey or agave syrup
1 tsp ground flax seed
Granola
1 apple (pink lady, granny smith, fuji, gala)

Mix yogurt, flax, lemon/lime zest and juice to taste, and sweetener together. Add everything to taste. Top yogurt dip with granola. Slice apple into "fries". Have fun dipping away with your kiddo/s.

Smokey sweet pork chops

1/3 cup marmalade
1/3 cup BBQ sauce
1 teaspoon prepared horseradish
4-6 boneless pork chops

Season chops with salt and pepper. Spread a teaspoon of sauce over each chop. Let marinade for 30 min at room temp. Grill For 5 min each side brushing with sauce to glaze. Finish under broiler for 5 minutes to cook through particularly thick chops.

Serve with extra sauce.

Balsamic Orange chicken

Orange-Balsamic Glazed Chicken
Recipe courtesy Rachael Ray

Prep Time:10 minInactive Prep Time:--Cook Time:15 min
Level:
Easy
Serves:
4 servings
Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts or any combination of light and dark meat
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
2 to 3 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves chopped
1/3 cup orange marmalade
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup chicken stock
2 scallions, whites and greens, finely chopped
4 cups baby arugula
Directions
In a large pan, heat the extra-virgin olive oil over medium-high to high heat.

Season the chicken liberally with salt, pepper and poultry seasoning. When the oil is hot and ripples, add the chicken and brown for 5 minutes, then turn and sprinkle with rosemary. Cook until the chicken is tender and cooked through, about 5 minutes more.

In a small bowl, stir together the marmalade, vinegar and stock and pour over the chicken. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until the sauce has thickened and becomes a thin glaze. Add the scallions during the last minute of cooking time. Arrange on a serving platter and serve topped with arugula greens.

Rachael are, but actually good

Quick Tomato Sauce

The sauce was delicious! I was pleasantly surprised since red sauce recipes normally require hours of simmering to taste decent. I like it better than any recipe I have seen before.

Quick Tomato Sauce
Source: Cook’s Illustrated, May 2009
(posted with permission)

Makes 3 cups, enough for 1 pound of pasta.

This full-flavored tomato sauce takes only 15 minutes to prepare. High-quality canned tomatoes will make a big difference in this sauce. Our preferred brands of crushed tomatoes are Tuttorosso and Muir Glen. Grate the onion on the large holes of a box grater.

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup grated onion , from 1 medium onion (see note above)
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
Table salt
2 medium garlic cloves , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes (see note)
1/4 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh basil leaves
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Ground black pepper

Heat butter in medium saucepan over medium heat until melted. Add onion, oregano, and ½ teaspoon salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid has evaporated and onion is golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomatoes and sugar; increase heat to high and bring to simmer. Lower heat to medium-low and simmer until thickened slightly, about 10 minutes. Off heat, stir in basil and oil; season with salt and pepper. Serve.

Shepherd's Pie

Potatoes:
3 lbs. Potatoes
3/4 cup milk
3 tablespoons butter
1 cup grated cheddar
1/2 cup grated Parmesan or asiago cheese
2 egg yolks

Filling:
1 cup chopped onion
2 large carrots, small dice
1 large celery stock, small dice
2 garlic cloves minced
1 lb. Ground lamb
1/2 lb. Ground pork or beef
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup chicken stock
4 oz. tomato sauce
1/2 cup red wine
2 teaspoons worchestershire sauce
1 teaspoon salt
Pepper to taste
2 cups frozen green beans or peas.

Peel and Cut potatoes into 3/4 inch pieces. Add to medium sauce pan and cover with Water. Bring to boil and coo for 15 minutes or until very soft. Heat mlk and butter in microwave until hot. Mash or rice potaoes. Add salt and milk mixture. Stir in cheeses. Lastly stir in egg yolks.

Preheat oven to 400

Cook onion, carrot, and celery for 5 minutes on medium high heat in a 12 inch sauté pan until golden. Add garlic and cook 30 sec. Add salt, pepper, and ground meats and brown. Remove excess fat by tilting the pan and spooning it out. Sprinkle flour over meat and stir, cooking for another minute. Add stock, wine, worchestershire, and tomato sauce. Stir well and simmer over med. heat for 5-10 minutes. Top with

Spread filling into a 9x13 pan. Top with frozen green beans, cover with plastic wrap and microwave for 1 minute. Let stand for several minutes covered in order to defrost and slightly warm beans. Top with potatoes, use a fork to make several peaks which will brown in the oven. Cool for 10 minutes. Enjoy!

Classic Rice Pudding with Rum Raisins

2 tablespoons rum (optional)
2 tablespoons hot water
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup golden raisins

4 cups milk
1/4 cup cream
2/3 cup calrose pearl rice
1 vanilla bean or vanilla extract
Pinch of salt

1/3 cup sugar
Nutmeg to taste

Heat rum and water in microwave until hot. Add raisins and vanilla to plump.

Stir rice and salt into milk and cream in a medium sauce pan. Heat on high until boiling. Simmer for 25 minutes. Split and scrape vanilla bean and add to rice mixture. Add the vanilla bean and seeds (if using), nutmeg, raisins and soaking liquid along with sugar and simmer for 5-10 minutes until thickened. ( if using vanilla extract add after you remove the pan from heat). Chill or serve warm with a dusting of cinnamon.

Optionally stir in one of the following; zest of an orange (orange segment garnish), almond extract (toasted almond garnish), or cinnamon.