BLT Salad

Who is not a fan of bacon?  If you are not, I think there is something wrong with you... (That would be the half of my family on my fathers side...for religious reasons) But seriously, I L.O.V.E. maple bacon...I mean what is better than a sweet strip of crispy mapley bacon?  Mmmmm, I so loved the smell of my house when I made this.  And can't wait to make it again.  I love BLT sandwiches, but I think I love this salad even more...I think I had (I know I did really) three HUGE helpings of this for dinner, and I wanted even more, but had to refrain...that was very hard to do...anyways, I am smelling that bacon just thinking of this...please do try (and bring me some left overs!)

Ingredients

3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces (about 1 to 1/2 inches)
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
12 slices bacon, cut into one inch pieces, cooked and drained
3/4 cup mayonnaise
6 scallions, sliced into thin circles
2 tablespoons dill pickle relish
1 head of romaine lettuce, outside leaves and tops removed and saved for another use (you want the firm inside leaves only), torn into bite-sized pieces
12 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
Salt and pepper to taste 

Directions

1. Cover potatoes with cold water in a large pot. Add 2 tablespoons vinegar and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until tender but not mushy, 12-15 minutes. Drain, place in large mixing bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon vinegar. Cool for 10 minutes. 

2. Whisk mayo, scallions and remaining vinegar and season to taste with salt and pepper. 

3. Add bacon, lettuce and tomatoes to the bowl with the potatoes. Gently mix in the dressing, and then scatter the chives on top.

Here is one of my girls after she snuck 3 suckers into her mouth at the same time...lol, kids...

Pork Adobo

 

This was a little salty from the soy sauce, but I was expecting that, but since my family wasn't as crazy about it as I was, next time I will use about 1/4 cup of soy sauce and see what they think then.  I myself loved it!  I have made chicken adobo before but never with pork.  I was not disappointed.  And no matter what my family said, there was nothing left at the end of the meal...

Leftover pork roast, cut into cubes (you can use uncooked pork too)
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup rice or white vinegar
1 can chicken broth and water enough to cover meat
2-3 cloves garlic, smashed
2 coins ginger (take ginger and cut 2 slices, making "coins")
1 bay leaf
Freshly ground pepper
Ketchup

1. Add everything in a pot except ketchup and bring to simmer.  Cover and cook until pork is tender.

2. Remove pork from liquid and pat dry with paper towels.  Bring remaining liquid to a boil and let it reduce by 1/2.  Brush pork lightly with ketchup.

3. Heat a skillet over medium heat until hot.  Add a little oil.  Pan fry pork until it's browned and a little crispy. The ketchup will help the browning process.

4. Add pork back to the liquid, serve with white rice, and enjoy!



Recipe found at Big, Bold, Beautiful Food.

Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf

Today is my honey's birthday!  So to celebrate I am making one of his favorite dishes, just with a new twist, bacon!  Meatloaf wrapped in bacon, what could be better?  Eating it with him or course!  And shhhhh, don't tell, but after church tonight we will have Chocolate Fudge Brownie Ice Cream Cake, Strawberry Swirl Cheese Cake, and Cookie and Cream Ice Cream...anyone else wanna come! ;)

1 stalk of celery
1/2 small onion
1 large carrot
1 tablespoon oil
10-12 pieces of your favorite bacon
1 pound all natural sausage
2 pounds lean ground beef
2 pieces of white bread, crusts removed and torn into small pieces
(or 1 cup panko bread crumbs)
1 14 ounce can evaporated milk
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 cup canned tomato sauce
1 clove garlic, minced

1. Preheat oven to 350°F degrees. In a food processor fitted with the steel blade attachment, pulse together carrot, onion, and celery until fined minced. Heat oil in a nonstick skillet set over medium heat and cook the onion mixture until softened, about 5 minutes. Allow to cool.

2. In a small bowl, place bread or breadcrumbs and pour over evaporated milk. Set aside. In a large bowl, combine meats, eggs, Worcestershire sauce, salt, cheese, tomato sauce, garlic, and cooled onion mixture with 2 forks.

3. In a large loaf pan, lay one end of a slice of bacon on one end of the pan, so the other end comes up over the side. Lay the next slice over the first slice so that it overlaps, and the end comes up over the other side of the pan. Repeat until the whole bottom of the pan is lined with bacon. Place meatloaf mixture on top of bacon and fill to the top. Take the ends of the bacon and wrap them up over the top of the meat mixture.

4. Bake for 1 hour, pull from oven and carefully drain off a bit of the fat. Return to the oven and bake for 30 minutes more, serve with garlic mashed potatoes, roasted veggies, and some fresh bread for a wonderful meal and enjoy!

Photo and recipe found at The Family Kitchen.

Tuscan Pork Chops

My husband not being one for pork, absolutely loved these, myself included!  I think I will be buying more pork and making these a little more often! 

6 Pork rib chops, 3/4" thick

16 oz Zesty Italian salad dressing
1/8 cup good balsamic vinegar
1/8 pomegranate red wine vinegar
1/8 cup honey
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/2 tsp black pepper, ground fresh

1. Put the chops in a gallon-size zip-top bag, and dump in the salad dressing.  Seal the bag, removing the excess air, and shake to coat the chops well.  Refrigerate the chops and let them marinate 4-6 hours.

2. Remove the chops from the bag and shake off the excess marinade. Set them aside on a platter.  Pour the marinade into a small sauce pan and add the balsamic,red wine vinegar,  honey, and black pepper.  Add the rosemary to the sauce pan and bring the mixture to a slight boil over medium heat.  Boil the liquid gently for five minutes then remove from the heat. This kills any nasties that were hanging out in the marinade.

3.  Heat grill (I use a George Forman) and place chops on it.  Brush marinade on and cook for 4-5 minutes.  Flip and add more marinade cooking another 4-5 minutes till desired doneness.  Serve hot with your favorite side dish and enjoy!

Photo and recipe adapted from Patio Daddio BBQ.

Chicken Cordon Bleu

Mmmmm, have made this only one other time before and I am not sure why!  It is fairly easy to prepare and tastes oh so wonderful!  I added some spinach to it this time for a little twist!  Although my daughter turned her nose up at it for that reason!  Someday I will make something with spinach in it that she loves, until they I will have her extra piece of chicken...he he he. 

4 large chicken breasts, deboned and skin removed
4-8 slices of ham (depending on the size)
2 cups steamed spinach
4-8 slices Mozzarella
1 cup flour seasoned with salt & pepper
3 large eggs, beaten
2 cups panko breadcrumbs

1. First of all, you need to flatten your chicken. I find it best to slice the chicken horizontally in half without cutting all the way through when flattening. Place your left hand on the chicken breast and slowly move through the chicken breast with a sharp knife until you’ve butterflied the breast. Remember not to cut all the way through. If you are scared of doing this, you can flatten the entire chicken breast but it’s a bit harder that way.

2.  Now, place your chicken breast in between 2 pieces of cling wrap and pound it with anything you can get your hands on.  Flatten the breast until it’s about 1/2 a cm thick. Set aside.

3.  After steaming the spinach, allow it to cool completely and then lay them out and pat them dry with some kitchen towel.

4.  Place the flour, eggs and breadcrumbs all in separate bowls suitable for dipping and covering. ( For the breadcrumbs and flour a normal dinner plate would also work.)

5.  Heat about 1/2 inch of oil in a frying pan and preheat the oven to 375°F.

6.  Now take your chicken breast and place a piece of ham (or 2 if the ham slices are smaller), followed by some Spinach leaves on top. Season the spinach and then place the mozzarella on top. Now carefully roll the chicken breast up.  I secured mine with toothpicks until the were partly fried.

7.  Dip the chicken in the seasoned flour, then the beaten egg and finally the breadcrumbs.

8.  Carefully place the chicken in the hot oil (seam side down) and fry for 2-3 minutes until golden brown. Transfer to a suitable oven dish and pop into the oven for 15-20 minutes.

9.  Personally I like mine with just a squeeze of lemon but you could serve it with any sauce of your choice.  Enjoy!!!

Recipe and photo from Simply Delicious.

Pad Thai

Oh how I love Pad Thai.  I was very pleased with how this turned out.  I didn't make it very spicy because of the kids but next time will add a little more heat to it after I take out their portions.  I also made the hoisin sauce from scratch and will post that recipe at the bottom.  It was very yummy.  Way better than the store bought brands.  The one thing I did was use wide rice noodles and because of that I didn't take any pictures, wide rice noodles aren't very pretty!  So next time I will make it with the thinner kind.  Hope you enjoy!

8 oz dried rice noodles
1/4 cup fish sauce
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup rice vinegar
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce

3/4 lb shrimp, pork, or chicken
2 tablespoons to 1/4 c vegetable oil
2 cloves minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon of chili sauce (sriracha)
2 eggs, beaten
4 green onions, thinly sliced
10 oz fresh bean sprouts
3/4 cup ground unsalted peanuts
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
lime wedges

1. Soak noodles in hot water according to the package directions. Drain.

2. Slice chicken or pork across the grain into thin strips.  Mix fish sauce, sugar, vinegar, and hoisin sauce in a bowl; stir until sugar is dissolved. Set aside.

3. Heat a wok over high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of oil, garlic, and chili. Stir fry until golden. Add meat (not shrimp), and stir fry 2 minutes. Add noodles and toss lightly to coat with oil. Push noodles to one side, and add more oil if necessary. Add eggs; cook until slightly set, then break up into pieces and toss with noodles. Add shrimp if desired, most of the bean sprouts, the green onions, and 1/4 cup of peanuts. Stir fry until shrimp just turns pink - 1-2 minutes. Add sauce and toss to coat.

4. Remove to a serving platter and top with cilantro and remaining peanuts. Garnish with bean sprouts and lime wedges. Serve immediately.


Hoisin sauce

4 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon peanut butter
2 tablespoons honey, molasses, or brown sugar
2 teaspoons white vinegar
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons sesame oil
2 teaspoons sweet chile sauce
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Mix together until well blended.

Recipe and photo for Pad Thai from KoKoCooks.

Smothered Pork Burrito's

My brother-in-law Pete, showed me how to make these one day...so yummy. My husband doesn't like pork, but he will eat loads of these! If you don't like pork you can substitute with chicken or even beef. Serve with some hot salsa, refried beans, and maybe some tortilla chips!

8 Anaheim peppers
6 tomatillos
1 lb boneless loin pork chops, cubed
1 tsp chipotle chile pepper
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1/2 tsp seasoning salt
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tbs chicken bouillon
6 cups water
1 cup rice
8-10 soft tortillas
1 cup cheese

1. Preheat oven to 500 degrees F. Roast Anaheim peppers and tomatillos till charred all over. Place in plastic bag, seal and set aside to cool.

2. Heat skillet to medium heat, brown pork, add chipotle chile pepper, black pepper, salt and garlic.

3. Remove chile's and tomatillos from bag, peel skins off and place in blender with about 2 cups of water and chicken bouillon. Pulse till well blended. Heat remaining 4 cups of water in a large pot on medium heat, pour sauce into pot. Stir to combine, add pork. And bring to a boil. Add rice and turn heat to low. Simmer for 20-25 minutes or until rice is tender (do not stir while simmering!)

4. Heat tortillas and fill with pork and rice. Fold and place some cheese on top. Spoon sauce over the cheese, serve and enjoy!

Traditional Pot Stickers

I am going to try this out for tomorrow after church...I have made pot sticker before, just not this recipe...hope it turns out well!

1/2 pound ground pork
1/2 medium head cabbage, finely chopped
1 green onion, finely chopped
2 slices fresh ginger root
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon white sugar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 (14 ounce) package wonton wrappers
5 tablespoons vegetable oil
3/4 cup water
1 tablespoon chili oil
1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce

1. Crumble pork into a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together the pork, cabbage, green onion, ginger,  salt, sugar and sesame oil. Chill in the refrigerator 6 to 8 hours, or overnight.
3. Place a tablespoon of the pork mixture into each of the wonton wrappers. Fold the wrappers, and seal the edges with a moistened fork.
4. In a large, deep skillet, heat 3 tablespoons vegetable oil over medium high heat. Place the pot stickers into the oil seam sides up. Stirring constantly, heat 30 seconds to a minute. Pour water into the skillet. Gently boil 7 to 8 minutes, until oil and water begins to sizzle, then add remaining oil. When the bottoms begin to brown, remove pot stickers from heat.
5. In a small serving bowl, mix together the chili oil, vinegar and soy sauce, adjusting proportions to taste.

Spaghetti Carbonara

Crispy bacon and sauteed garlic are tossed with cooked spaghetti, beaten eggs, and loads of Parmesan cheese for a taste you will love.  Serve with garlic bread and a tossed green salad.

1 lb spaghetti noodles
1 tablespoon olive oil
8 sliced bacon, diced
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 eggs
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 pinch salt and black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

1. Cook spaghetti until al dente.  Drain well.  Toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and set aside.

2. In a large skillet, cook chopped bacon until slightly crisp; remove and drain onto paper towels.  Reserve 2 tablespoons of bacon fat; add remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and heat in reused large skillet.  Add minced garlic, and cook 1 minute more.

3. Return cooked bacon to pan; add cooked drained spaghetti.  Toss to coat and heat through, adding more olive oil if it seems fry or is sticking together.  Add beaten eggs and cook, tossing constantly with tongs or large fork until eggs are barely set.  Quickly add heavy cream and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, and toss again.  Add salt and pepper to taste (remember that bacon and Parmesan are very salty.)

4. Serve immediately with chopped parsley sprinkled on top, add extra Parmesan cheese at the table.