Healthy toasted oat muffins

1 1/4 cup rolled oats
1 cup buttermilk (or 1 cup milk and 1 tsp vinegar)
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon molasses
1/4 cup applesauce
1/4 cup butter
1 cup whole wheat flour
Cinnamon to taste
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup walnuts
1/4 cup chopped dates

Toast oats in a sauce pan over medium heat for about 5 minutes until you can smell them and they are lightly toasted.. Set 1/4 aside. Add milk to remaining cup of oats and pour into a medium mixing bowl to cool. Melt butter in microwave. Whisk salt, flour, cinnamon, and baking powder together. Set aside. Add egg to cooled oat mixture. Add sugar, applesauce, vanilla, molasses, and stir until well combined. Then add melted butter. Mix thoroughly. Add dry ingredients all at once. Stir until almost mixed. Fold in the mix-ins. Top each muffin with the reserved toasted oats.

Bake in a 12 cup muffin tin for 15-20 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes in the pan. Let cool on a cooling rack and enjoy.

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 68 g
Amount Per Serving
Calories 182Calories from Fat 69
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 7.6g12%
Saturated Fat 3.6g18%
Cholesterol 27mg9%
Sodium 208mg9%
Total Carbohydrates 24.8g8%
Dietary Fiber 1.8g7%
Sugars 9.7g
Protein 4.4g
Vitamin A 3% • Vitamin C 1%
Calcium 7% • Iron 7%
Nutrition Grade B
* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

Slow cooker Apple braised pork chops

6 thin cut pork chops (I prefer sirloin)
2 teaspoons garam masala
Salt

3 teaspoons Vegetable oil divided
1/2 cup white wine
1/4 cup brandy
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon butter
2 small onions thinly sliced
4 tart apples,peeled and cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes
Splash of cider vinegar

Season both sides of the pork with garam masala and salt. Slice onions and peel and cube apples. Add cider vinegar to the apples to prevent browning. Heat 1 teaspoon of oil in a stainless steel sauté pan until smoking. Sear 3 pork chops, 3 min per side. Place pork chops in your slow cooker, Deglazed the pan with wine and pour the reduced wine over pork chops. Wipe out skillet well and sear the other 3 pork chops using another teaspoon of oil. Place them in the slow cooker.

Add butter and remaining teaspoon of oil to skillet, add onions, season with salt, cook the onions over medium until golden. Deglaze with chicken stock and add the apples. Cook until the apples are caramelized and golden. Deglaze with brandy and flambé the onions and apples. Pour over the pork chops and add a handful of golden raisins or dried cranberries.

Cook on high for 3-4 hours. Pour off juices and remove fat with a fat separator. Thicken the gravy slightly with a roux and add a tiny bit of orange zest to finish.. Season as needed. Serve pork with the apples spooned over top with some wild rice.

Lamb meatballs

1/2 lb ground lamb
1/2 lb. 80/20 ground chuck
1 teaspoon penzeys Greek seasoning
1 teaspoon hot water
2 slices bread
1/4 cup milk
2 cloves garlic minced/ grated
1 shallot, grated (or sub 1/2 teaspoon sweet onion)
1 egg
Parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried mint
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Pepper
Pinch cayenne

Pre-heat oven to 400. Add hot water to Greek seasoning in a small bowl. In a large bowl tear bread up into pieces and soak with milk. Add salt, pepper, garlic, shallots, parsley, egg, and herbs/spices. Mash to combine (potato masher works great). Add beef and lamb and gently work everything together. Do not overwork and toughen your meatballs. Cook a small pinch in a pan and taste for seasoning. Add more salt if needed. Form into golf ball sized meatballs. Brown in some olive oil on medium heat for 4 min per side. Place meatballs on a cooling rack which has been placed over a cookie sheet and bake in the top third of the oven for 10 minutes or until cooked through. Serve with minted tzatziki, onion, and tomato in a warm pita. Great with a side of spanikopita.

Crispy and Sticky Chicken Thighs with Squashed New Potatoes and Tomatoes

This is so much more than the sum of it's parts. Seriously good, elegant, simple, flavorful food. I deglazed the frying pan with chicken stock and added some Rosemary and 2 cloves of sliced garlic right before putting it in the oven. This is really good food! You can also cut bone in chicken breasts into fourths in place of the thighs. I use both. Enjoy!


Cook Time:1 hr 15 minLevel: IntermediateYield: 4 servings

This is a simple pan-baked chicken dish - the sort of food I absolutely love to eat. As everything cooks together in 1 dish, all the beautiful flavors get mixed up. This is what it's all about! With a green salad, it's an easy dinner.

Ingredients
1 3/4 pounds new potatoes, scrubbed
12 boned chicken thighs, skin on, preferably free-range or organic
Olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/4 pounds cherry tomatoes, different shapes and colors if you can find them
1 bunch fresh oregano, leaves picked
Extra-virgin olive oil
Red wine vinegar
Put the potatoes into a large saucepan of salted boiling water and boil until cooked.

While the potatoes are cooking, preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Cut each chicken thigh into 3 strips and place in a bowl. Rub the meat all over with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper, then toss.

Heat a large frying pan, big enough to hold all the chicken pieces snugly in 1 layer, and put the chicken into the pan, skin side down. If you don't have a pan that's big enough, feel free to cook the chicken in 2 batches. Toss and fry over a high heat for 10 minutes or so, until almost cooked, then remove with a slotted spoon to an ovenproof pan or dish.

Prick the tomatoes with a sharp knife. Place them in a bowl, cover with boiling water and leave for a minute or so. Drain and, when cool enough to handle, pinch off their skins. You don't have to, but by doing this they will become lovely and sweet when cooked, and their intense flavor will infuse the potatoes. By now the potatoes will be cooked. Drain them in a colander and lightly crush them by pushing down on them with your thumb.

Bash up most of the oregano and/or Rosemary leaves with a pinch of salt in a pestle and mortar, or a Flavor Shaker if you have one. Add 4 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil, a good splash of red wine vinegar and some pepper and give everything another bash. Add to the chicken with the potatoes, the tomatoes and the rest of the oregano leaves. Toss everything together carefully. Spread out in a single layer in an appropriately sized roasting pan, and bake for 40 minutes in the preheated oven until golden.

Lovely served with an arugula salad dressed with some lemon juice and extra-virgin olive oil, and a nice glass of white wine..

Pan fried pork chops

From the episode: Old Fashioned Pork

Chops between ¾ and 1 inch thick will work in this recipe.

Serves 4.  

INGREDIENTS
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 bone-in rib or center-cut pork chops . about 3/4 inch thick
3 slices bacon , chopped
1/2 cup vegetable oil
INSTRUCTIONS
1. COAT CHOPS Combine garlic powder, paprika, salt, pepper, and cayenne in bowl. Place flour in shallow dish. Pat chops dry with paper towels. Cut 2 slits about 2 inches apart through fat on edges of each chop. Season both sides of chops with spice mixture, then dredge chops lightly in flour (do not discard flour). Transfer to plate and let rest 10 minutes.

2. RENDER BACON Meanwhile, cook bacon in large nonstick skillet over medium heat until fat renders and bacon is crisp, about 8 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towel-lined plate and reserve for another use. Do not wipe out pan.

3. FRY CHOPS Add oil to fat in pan and heat over medium-high heat until just smoking. Return chops to flour dish and turn to coat. Cook chops until well browned, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Serve.

Chili

2 lbs Ground beef b
2 small onions diced
Lawrys
Pepper
Garlic powder
2, 15 oz cans italian tomatoes
3, 15 oz cans white beans such as cannellini or navy beans
1, 15 oz can kidney beans
2 packages generic chili mix (1 hot, 1 reg)
More chili powder to taste

Brown meat with onions. Add seasonings and cook the chili powder for a minute or so. Add the contents of all cans including all of the liquid.
Simmer for 20 minutes.

Thai curry

Use any veggies you have on hand. This is a great "clean out the fridge" dish. Any meat of your choosing will work and I freeze mine partially or defrost halfway depending, so that it is easy to slice very thinly. Enjoy!

2 tablespoons Mae Ploy curry paste
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 15 oz can Mae ploy coconut Milk
1 cup chicken stock
2 carrots peeled and chopped
1 medium potato, peeled and diced to 1/2 inch
1 small sweet potato, peeled and diced to 1/2 inch
1 can bamboo shoots
Kale or other leafy green
6 oz thinly slice pork or chicken
Basil to taste

Fry curry paste in oil in a sauce pan. Add 1 cup coconut milk and chicken stock. Bring to a simmer and add potatoes. Cook for 7 minutes. Add the carrot, kale, and sweet potato. When veggies are cooked though, about 7-10 more minutes, add thinly sliced meat and bamboo shoots. Simmer for 2 minutes and take off of the heat. let sit for 5 minutes for the meat to gently cook through. Add fresh basil leaves and more coconut milk to taste.

Serve with a side of rice.

Greek dressing

1 tsp. Greek seasoning from Penzeys
1 tsp hot water
2 tablespoons shallot or 1 tablespoon sweet onion
1 garlic clove minced or grated
1 tsp. Dijon
1/4 tsp sugar
1/4 c. Red wine vinegar
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 oz feta cheese
Pepper to taste

Add water to Greek seasoning. and let sit for a few minutes. Mince shallot and garlic. Smash garlic to a paste using coarse salt and chefs knife. Add garlic, shallot, sugar, dijon, and red wine vinegar to Greek seasoning. Drizzle in olive oil and whisk vigorously to emulsify dressing. Crumble in the feta, stir and serve.

Thai-style beef salad

Stella could not get enough! I was so Tempted to mess around with this and add a bunch of things to the dressing...DONT. It was soooo good on it's own. I think it will be my new go to steak marinade. Beautifully brought out all the rich beefy flavor of the steak.

Serves 3-4

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (2-3 limes)
1 tsp dried mint or 1 tablespoon fresh
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
a small squirt of sriracha
3 tablespoons vegetable oil or olive oil
2 boneless rib-eye steaks, (each 8 ounces and 3/4 inch thick)
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1/2 pound carrots, (3 to 4 medium)
1 medium head romaine lettuce, cut crosswise into 1-inch ribbons
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves or 1 teaspoon dried
5 radishes sliced thinly
1 small apple, diced
1 small cucumber, diced with seeds removed
1 cup of bean sprouts (optional)
1/3 cup salted peanuts, chopped (optional) (subbed almonds and it was great)
 
Make marinade: In a medium bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk together lime juice, soy sauce, sugar, sriracha, and oil. Season steaks generously with salt and pepper; place in a baking dish. Pour 1/4 of marinade over steaks (reserve remaining marinade); turn steaks to coat. Let steaks marinate up to 30 minutes.

Grill or pan fry steaks on medium-high heat, turning once, 2 to 3 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer to a cutting board; tent loosely with aluminum foil, and let rest, 5 to 10 minutes. Slice steaks across the grain into 1/4-inch-thick slices; halve slices crosswise.

Toss the cubed apple with a squeeze of lime juice to prevent browning. With a vegetable peeler, cut carrots into long ribbons, and add to cucumber, radishes, lettuce, mint and apple. Dress lightly with reserved dressing. (if using dried mint, just whisk it into the dressing). Divide salad among four shallow bowls. Top with slices of steak. Sprinkle with some dressing, bean sprouts and peanuts, if desired. Pass remaining dressing at the table.

Adapted from Everyday Foods

Carnitas

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS: Traditional carnitas, Mexico’s version of pulled pork, is fried in gallons of lard or oil. The results are tasty, but who wants to deal with all that hot fat? We wanted t...(more)

Like the best barbecue, Mexico’s version of pulled pork offers fall-apart chunks of crisp meat—but without the hassle of tending a fire.

Serves 6
We like serving carnitas spooned into tacos, but you can also use it as a filling for tamales, enchiladas, and burritos.

INGREDIENTS
Pork
1(3 1/2-to 4-pound) boneless pork butt , fat cap trimmed to 1/8 inch thick, cut into 2-inch chunks
1teaspoon ground cumin
1small onion , peeled and halved
2 bay leaves
1teaspoon dried oregano
2tablespoons juice from 1 lime
2cups water
1medium orange , halved
Tortillas and Garnishes
18(6-inch) corn tortillas , warmed
  Lime wedges
  Minced white or red onion
  Fresh cilantro leaves
  Thinly sliced radishes
  Sour cream
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees. Combine pork, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, cumin, onion, bay leaves, oregano, lime juice, and water in large Dutch oven (liquid should just barely cover meat). Juice orange into medium bowl and remove any seeds (you should have about 1/3 cup juice). Add juice and spent orange halves to pot. Bring mixture to simmer over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Cover pot and transfer to oven; cook until meat is soft and falls apart when prodded with fork, about 2 hours, flipping pieces of meat once during cooking.
2. Remove pot from oven and turn oven to broil. Using slotted spoon, transfer pork to bowl; remove orange halves, onion, and bay leaves from cooking liquid and discard (do not skim fat from liquid). Place pot over high heat (use caution, as handles will be very hot) and simmer liquid, stirring frequently, until thick and syrupy (heatsafe spatula should leave wide trail when dragged through glaze), 8 to 12 minutes. You should have about 1 cup reduced liquid.
3. Using 2 forks, pull each piece of pork in half. Fold in reduced liquid; season with salt and pepper to taste. Spread pork in even layer on wire rack set inside rimmed baking sheet or on broiler pan (meat should cover almost entire surface of rack or broiler pan). Place baking sheet on lower-middle rack and broil until top of meat is well browned (but not charred) and edges are slightly crisp, 5 to 8 minutes. Using wide metal spatula, flip pieces of meat and continue to broil until top is well browned and edges are slightly crisp, 5 to 8 minutes longer. Serve immediately with warm tortillas and garnishes.
TECHNIQUE
DON'T CUT THE FAT
Leaving a 1/8-inch layer of fat on the pork is critical to imparting the best flavor and texture to the final dish. Overtrimming the meat will lead to dry, bland carnitas.