Meatball Soup

My Mother & Father-in-law are visiting for the holiday season.  As always, my father-in-law brought along some great recipes!  Tonight, we had meatball soup which was a simple and filling supper when paired with a loaf of crusty bread!  I ramped it up a bit with fresh baked meatballs which I made earlier today.  You can use packaged turkey or beef meatballs if you don’t have time to make your own.  I’ll include the meatball recipe after the soup recipe.  

Meatball Soup:

(Serves 10)

2 tbsp olive oi

1 cup carrots diced

1 cup onion diced

3/4 cup celery diced

1 medium zucchini 

1 Jalapeño Pepper

4 green onions sliced thin

1 (15oz) can great northern beans, rinsed & drained 

2 (14oz) cans of diced tomatoes, undrained

1 (32oz) carton of reduced sodium chicken broth

3 cups water

6 tbsp brown rice

2 tsp Italian seasoning

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

16-20 meatballs, frozen & cooked according to package or fresh (see recipe below)

1. Heat oil over medium heat in a large pot. Add all the diced vegetables. Cook for 6-7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Add beans, tomatoes, broth, water, rice, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and allow to simmer for 20 minutes.
3. Add meatballs, cover and allow to simmer for another 45 minutes.

Baked Meatballs: 

1 pound lean ground beef 

1 pound ground pork

1 cup Italian breadcrumbs

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 tbsp minced garlic

1 small onion, diced

4 tbsp marinara

2 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped

2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

2 tsp basil

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Prepare a baking sheet by lining with parchment paper.
   
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients. Mix well, do not over mix or you will have tough meatballs.
3. Roll about 2 tbsp portion of meat mixture into a ball and place on baking sheet. Repeat with remaining mixture to make approximately 40 meatballs.
4. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until the meatballs are browned and cooked through.
   

Enjoy!

Baked Sea Scallops

Hello, All!!  I’m back!  It has been a long while since my last post. Life has been so crazy the last couple of years, I haven’t had the time to post.  I missed it so I’m going to make a bigger effort to get back in the blogging groove! 😊

My family really enjoys seafood so I try to make it at least once s week.  Shrimp is our usual fare and I’ve publish quite a few recipes using shrimp,  Tonight’s dinner was sea scallops which are my husband’s favorite!  Scallops cook quickly when you pan sear them which makes timing sides a bit tricky.  I found a baked recipe which I like because it takes 20 minutes without over cooking the scallops.  It is super flavorful with Parmesan cheese and a nice mix of spices! Hope you try this recipe & enjoy it as much as we do!

Baked Sea Scallops

Ingredients

 • 1.5 lb. large sea scallops 

 • 6 tblsp butter, melted

 • 2 tbsp sherry 

 • 1 tbsp lemon juice

 • 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

 • 1 tsp kosher salt

 • 1/2 tsp black pepper

 • 1 tsp garlic powder

 • 1 tsp dried parsley

 • 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

 • 1/4 tsp sweet paprika

Instructions

* Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

* Rinse the scallops and pat dry. Place in a lightly greased casserole dish.

* In a small bowl, use a fork to mix together the butter, wine, lemon juice, 1/2 cup Parmesan, salt, pepper, garlic powder, dried parsle, sweet paprika & cayenne pepper,

* Spoon a little of the mixture on top of each scallop.

* Cover the pan with foil and bake until scallops are cooked through and opaque. This should take about 20 minutes.

* Uncover the scallops and broil for a minute or two to brown. Serve immediately!!

Slow Cooker Roast Chicken

One of the easiest ways to make chicken!   It only takes 10-15 minutes to prep and it slow roasts in the slow cooker for 5-6 hours on low.  I’ve been making whole roast chicken this way for many years because the meat comes out so moist and delicious!

Slow Cooker Roast Chicken

1 whole chicken, patted dry & giblets removed

2 lg Onions, cut in eighths

4 tsp Lawry’s Season Salt

1 tsp Garlic powder

1 tsp Onion powder

1 tsp Thyme

1 tsp Parsley

1/2 tsp Black pepper

1/2 tsp Cayene pepper

Place the onions in the bottom of the slow cooker. Put the chicken on top of the onions.  Mix the remaining ingredients together in a small bowl.  Rub the spice mixture all over the chicken.  Cook on low for 5-6 hours.  Remove the chicken from the slow cooker & let rest for 15 minutes before removing skin & carving.  Enjoy!!

Finally Back Live!

Hi, Everyone!! I’ve been away quite awhile because the Blogger App that I was using stopped working.  I found a new app that allows me to hook back up to my blog.  I’m so excited to be back! 

I will catch up on my posts over the next few days as I have lots of new recipes to share!  

Hope to see comments & maybe sharing of your recipes, kitchen tips & tricks!

Best Regards,

Debbie

Lemon Garlic Green Beans

 

Last week, I needed a quick vegetable to compliment the Buttermilk roast chicken recipe that I copied from Facebook 

Lemon Garlic Green Beans

2 Tbsp Butter

2 Tbsp Olive Oil

3 Cloves Garlic, minced

2 lb Green Beans, trimmed

Zest & Juice from 1 Lemon

1/4 Cup Walnuts, chopped

Salt & Pepper to taste 

Directions:

Melt butter with olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.  Add garlic & sauté for 1-2 minutes. Add the green beans to the pan and salt & pepper to taste.  Cook for 4-6 minutes stirring several times.  Add lemon zest and juice, cook for another 2 minutes.  Toss walnuts into pan, cook for an additional 3-4 minutes.  Enjoy!

Tender Crispy Baked Chicken

I was in the mood for fried chicken, but I didn't have all the ingredients such as buttermilk.  I pulled out a couple of cook books and found a recipe that used sour cream and was baked instead of fried!i didn't have all the ingredients, but was able to make substitutions with my own end of spices and rice wine vinegar instead of lemon juice.  This recipe was super simple to prepare.  It would be a great weeknight option!  I hope you make this recipe and taste it for yourself!

Tender Crispy Baked Chicken:

1 cup sour cream

1 tbsp dried parsley

2 tbsp rice wine vinegar

1 tsp celery seed

2 tsp paprika

2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp garlic salt

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

4 skinless boneless chicken breasts 

2 cups bread crumbs

3 tbsp butter, melted

In a bowl, mix together the sour cream and all the other ingredients through the pepper.  Dip each chicken breast in the sour cream mixture and make sure each piece is well coated.  Place the costed chicken on a parchment paper covered baking sheet.  Refrigerate for 2-8 hours.  When you remove the chicken from the refridge, preheat the oven to 350*F.  Place the 2 cups of breadcrumbs on a shallow dish and dredge the chicken through them.  Place the chicken on a wire rack that is sitting inside of a foil covered backing sheet.  Bake the chicken for 45 minutes.  Melt the butter and drizzle over the chicken then return it to the oven for another 15 minutes.  When you remove the chicken from the oven, let it rest for 10 minutes prior to serving.

A Summer Favorite: Teriyaki Flank Steak

It's summertime and the grillin' is easy! We grill 2-3 times per week during the summer.  It has a couple of great advantages. It keeps the kitchen cool plus my husband does the cooking!😎. 

Teriyaki steak is one of our favorite recipes from my mom.  It is as simple as can be to throw the meat into the marinade for 8 to 24 hours before grilling.  The marinade makes the meat tender and juicy! I pair the steak with twice baked potatoes and corn on the cob for a great company meal that allows you to be with your guests a not in the kitchen!  

I grilled the corn alongside the meat which was super simple.  If you want to try it, here's what you do:

Grilled Corn:

Peel back husks, but don't tear them off the ears.  Remove the silk. Cover the ears back up with the husks and soak in a large bowl of salt water for 29-25 minutes.  Dry the ears after removing from the water.  Place the ears on the grill over medium heat for 20 minutes.  Turn the ears every 5 minutes.  Brush with butter & season to taste before serving.  

Teriyaki Flank Steak:

1.5 lb flank steak

1 can beef consommé

1/3 cup soy sauce

4 tbsp brown sugar

Juice of 1 lime

1/2 cup green onions, sliced

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

Garlic salt to taste

Directions:

Cut steak into 2-3 inch pieces.

Mix remaining ingredients in a sealable container or bag.  Add steak pieces and seal the container.  Place in the refrigerator at least 6 hours and up to 24 hours.  Remove container from refridge 30 minutes before grilling.  Grill over a medium-high heat for about 8 minutes per side or until desired level of done.  Enjoy!!

Asparagus & Cheese Stuffed Chicken

As a mom in the technology age, I am trying out all the social media apps that are available.  I recently started on Snapchat (dssissons15).  I'm fumbling around trying to figure it out.  I think Ivd only added 3 or 4 things to my story snd of course they are good related!😊 on of the people I follow is Ree Drummond, the Pioneer Woman.  A couple of days ago, she posted a series of photos and videoS of her making a beautiful chicken dish.  It was a pan fried chicken cutlet with cheese melted over it!  I kept thinking about the thin chicken cutlets.  Yesterday as I was taking stock of the ingredients that I had on hand, I decided to make chicken.  I wanted to do cutlets, but since I had made French fries the night before, I didn't want to fry the chicken.  

I decided to instead of melt the cheese on the outside, I would stuff it into the cutlet with a bit of asparagus!  The asparagus was tender and yummy!  Another good veggie option would be pablano pepper if you wanted the dish to be a little spicier!  The hands on prep time was about 15 minutes and the bake time was 45 minutes.  I made stuffing & corn to go with the chicken so at the end, the plate was a bit monochromatic, but it was good! Hope you try this recipe & if you are Snapchat, look me up & we can start a foodie conversation!

Asparagus & Cheese Stuffed Chicken:

Ingredients:

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

6-8 stalks of asparagus, trimmed

2 green onions, sliced w/green tops saved for garnish

8oz cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup cheddar cheese

1 tsp Salt, split 

1/2 tsp Pepper, split

1 tsp Creole seasoning, split 

1/2 stick of butter

1/2 lemon

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350*F.  In a medium bowl, mix together the cream cheese, cheddar cheese, 1/4 tsp pepper and a 1/2 tsp each salt & Creole seasoning.  Mix the white part of the green onion into the cheese mixture then set it aside.  Place a chicken breast between 2 pieces of plastic wrap and pound thin.  I used a meat mallet, but you could also use a rolling pin or even a heavy can.  Repeat the process until all 4 chicken breasts are thin cutlets.  Remove one side of the plastic wrap and spread a generous amount of cheese mixture on the chicken and then lay on the asparagus pieces.  Be sure not to take the cheese mixture all the way to the edge or you won't be able to roll up the cutlet.  Roll the cutlet so the sides meet and secure with toothpicks.  Place the stuffed cutlets into a greased casserole dish. Sprinkle the cutlets with the remaining seasoning. On the stove over medium heat melt the butter and jive from 1/2 a lemon.  Add seasoning to taste and then pour the mixture over the cutlets.  Bake for 45 minutes or until the juices run clear.  Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.  Enjoy!

Almond Cake with Chocolate Fudge Frosting

I live in a small town south of Indianspolis and around here Memorial Day is synonymous with the Indianapolis 500!  Today is the 100th running of this great race!  So if you are a Hoosier, you are likely to be invited to a race party like the one we attended yesterday.  There are activities from formal balls to simple backyard BBQ's & everything in between! We went to a potluck BBQ full of saucy ribs and yummy salads.  My sister brought her great pasta salad which I wrote about last year in the entry about All Week Pasta Salad.  My mother brought a cold dessert that she calls "Robert Redford or Better than Sex".  I will post that recipe when I can get a copy from her.  She is making a snickers pie for tomorrow's picnic so I'm thinking I will do a post on summer desserts!

As it happens many times, I surfed through Pinterest for inspiration.  I found a great recipe by Brown Sugar which I tweaked a bit to make it super moist and tender!  I sifted all the dry ingredients before mixing which gives you a higher rising cake and I also cut back the sour cream.  This recipe was really quick and easy to make.  The frosting recipe makes more than enough and my sons enjoyed the sweet leftovers!  I hope the next time you need to take a dish to a picnic or BBQ, you give this cake a try!

Almond Cake with Chocolate Fudge Frosting

Ingredients:

2 sticks of butter

1 cup water

2 cups cake flour

2 cups sugar

2 eggs, beaten

1/4 cup sour cream

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 tsp almond extract

Frosting:

1 cup Sugar

1/2 cup unsweetened Cocoa powder, Sifted

1/2 cup Milk

4 tbsp Butter

2 tbsp Light Corn Syrup

4 cups Powdered Sugar, Sifted

2 tspVanilla Extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375*F.  Grease and flour a 9x13 glass dish and set aside. In a large bowl, sift together the cake flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder.  In a large saucepan, add the water and butter which should be cut into small cubes to allow even melting. Over medium heat, bring the mixture to a boil and stir frequently.  Remove from the heat when the butter is completely melted.  Add the warm butter mixture to a mixing bowl. With your mixer on low, slowly add the flour mixture, sour cream, sugar and eggs.  When the batter is thoroughly mixed, add the teaspoon of almond extract and mix the batter until all is combined.  Pour the mixture into the prepared 9x13 dish.  Gently tap the dish on the counter a few times to have any sir rise to the top.  Place the cake in the preheated oven and bake for 20-24 minutes.  Test the cake with a toothpick or small fork poked in the middle.  If the utensil comes out clean then the cake is ready to leave the oven.  Let cool for an hour before frosting. 

When the cake is ready for the frosting, combine the sugar and cocoa in a saucepan.  Whisk in the milk, butter and corn syrup.  Place the sauce pan over medium heat and stir continuously until the butter is melted and the chocolate mixture looks smooth.  Remove from the heat and slowly stir in the sifted powdere sugar.  When all the powdered sugar is combined, spread mixture quickly over the cake.  Let the frosting cool before serving.  Enjoy! 

Kitchen Takeover: Father-in-Law Edition!

This past week, we had my in-laws visiting us.  It is always a treat to have Nana & Grandpop here! They spoil all of us!  They spent the week entertaining the kids, helping us around the house & of course feeding us!  When they visit, I can always count on my father-in-law, Jim doing some of the cooking.  That's him in the picture above.  He is not a big fan of social media, but he has given me permission to make this post! This trip, he has made chili, potato salad, hamburger soup and jalapeño deviled eggs!! It was so great to come home from work & walk into the aroma of some delicious cooking!  It made me feel like a kid again coming home after school to all my mom's wonderful meals!  

Lucky for me, he left all the recipes so I could make them myself and share them with you!  

Hamburger Soup:

(Serves 8)

Jalapeño Deviled Eggs:

Ingredients:

12 hard cooked eggs, peeled

2 tbsp green onions, diced

2 tbsp cilantro, chopped

1 small jalapeño pepper, seeded and diced

1/2 cup mayonnaise 

2 tsp yellow mustard

1 tsp salt

Chili powder for garnish

1 small jalapeño pepper, sliced & seeded for garnish

Directions:

Slice all the eggs lengthwise.  Careful remove the yolks to a bowl and set the whites aside.  Mash the yolks and then add the next six ingredients to the bowl.  Mix well.  Spoon the yolk mixture into the halved whites.  Sprinkle chili powder over all as desired and garnish with a slice of jalapeño!

Light Potato Salad:

(Forgot to take a picture!)

Ingredients:

2.5 lbs baby red potatoes, quartered with skins on

2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/4 cup reduced fat sour cream

1/4 cup reduced fat mayonnaise

1 tbsp country Dijon mustard

2 carrots, grated

1/2 cup celery, chopped

1/2cup radishes, sliced thin

1/4 cup parsley, rough chopped

1 tbsp lemon zest

1 clove garlic, minced

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Boil the potatoes for 7-10 minutes until tender.  Drain the potatoes and arrange on a wax paper lined baking sheet to cool completely (~30 minutes).  Whisk together the vinegar and next 4 ingredients to make the dressing. In a large bowl, gently toss together the potatoes, dressing and the remaining ingredients.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Cover and chill for at least 2 hours before serving.  The longer it chills, the more the flavors deepen so this is a great make ahead dish!

Beef and Black Bean Chili:

Ingredients:

3 tsp olive oil

1.5 lbs ground sirloin

1 tsp kosher salt

1 lg yellow onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground oregano

1.5 cups reduced sodium chicken broth

1 cup water

1 can (28oz) crushed fire roasted tomatoes, undrained

2 tbsp tomato paste

2 tbsp honey

1 can (15oz) black beans, rinsed & drained

1 tbsp lime juice

Garnish Choices:

 Lime slices

Avocado, peeled & thinly sliced

Sour cream

Cheddar cheese

Green onions 

Cilantro, minced

Directions:

Heat a teaspoon of the oil in a large pot.  Place the ground beef into the heated oil and brown for 5-7minutes until no longer pink.  Using a slotted spoon, transfer the beef to a bowl and set aside. Drain the liquid from the pot and add the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil.  Add the onion and sauté until soft and translucent (3-4 minutes).  Add the minced garlic and sauté another minute.  Stir in the chili powder, cumin and oregano. Cook for a minute to release the spices.  Add the beef back to the pot along with the chicken broth, water, fire roasted tomatoes, tomato paste and honey.  Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 1 hour.  Occasionally stir.  5 minutes before serving, add the beans and lime juice.  Plate in soup bowls and allow everyone to add the garnishes of their choice.

I hope you all try these great recipes!  We really ❤️ them!  Thanks, Pop!  We can't wait for your next visit!!

One Dish Dinner: Lemon Garlic Chicken

The busiest time of day in this household is generally between 4-6pm.  During that time, I need to supervise homework, complete household chores left from before work, make sure we have everything we need for evening activities and all the while preparing, eating and cleaning up dinner! The challenge is always how to get a good nutritious meal on the table without creating a mountain of clean up work!  That's where one dish meals come in! I love the quick prep time and minimal mess of these types of meals!  For this particular dish, chicken is so versatile, you can pair whatever veggies you like with it.  I chose potatoes and asparagus, but it would be just as great with turnips and green beans!  The total prep time is about 20 minutes which is mostly cleaning and cutting the veggies, lemon and garlic. Putting the dish together takes less than 5 minutes, it is just layering process.

Lemon Garlic Chicken:

Ingredients:

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

2 lemons

4 cloves garlic, minced

6 potatoes, quartered 

1 bunch asparagus, trimmed

4 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350*F. Thinly slice 1 1/2 lemons.  Reserve a half lemon for the juice.  Coat a 9x13 casserole dish with 1 tbsp of olive oil and then place the sliced lemon in a single layer in the dish.  In a bowl, mixed together 3 tbsp of oil with the juice of the remaining lemon half.  Add the minced garlic, salt and pepper and mix well.  Gently toss the asparagus in the lemon garlic mixture and then place in an even layer over the lemon slices in the 9x13.  Repeat the same process with the potatoes and chicken.  Bake in the oven for 45 minutes.  Let dish rest for 5 minutes out of the oven before serving!

Bacon Wrapped Pork Roast with Mustard Duck Sauce Glaze

When I go grocery shopping, I make a meal plan and vow that I will stick to my list.  Inevitably, I end up buying extra meat that is on sale and I have no plan of what to do with it.  This week, I brought home a lovely small pork roast.  When I was ready to use it, I rummaged through my fridge and pantry for things to go with it and came up with bacon!  I looked up recipes for this combo and most had some sort of glaze.  Since this wasn't a meal that I planned in advance, I didn't have all the ingredients for any one specific recipe so I improvised. Instead of honey, preserves or chutney, I used packets of duck sauce that I had left over from Chinese takeout.  If you're like me, you always have extra takeout condiments floating around in your refridge!  Sean and the boys enjoyed my improv & I hope you will too!

Bacon Wrapped Pork Roast with Mustard Duck Ssice Glaze:

Ingredients:

1-2lb pork roast

4-6 slices of bacon

3 tbsp brown sugar

1 tsp garlic salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

2 tbsp country brown mustard

4 packets duck sauce

1 packet hot mustard

4 tbsp oil split in half

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325*F.  In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar, garlic salt and the two peppers.  Rub this mixture evenly over the pork roast.  Wrap the roast in the slices of uncooked bacon and fasten with toothpicks.  Inserting the toothpicks on the side of the roast works best.  Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in an oven proof pan over medium heat on the stovetop.  Place the bacon wrapped roast in the pan and sear it on all sides about 8 minutes per side.  While the roast is searing, mix together the remaining oil, brown mustard, hot mustard, and duck sauce.  After the roast has been browned, remove the pan from the heat.  Brush the mustard duck sauce on the roast and place the pan in the oven.  Cook for 45 minutes to an hour. The roast should have an internal temperature between 150-160*F.  After you remove the roast from the oven, let it rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing.

Mushroom Ranch Pork Chops

Tonight's recipe was an effort to create a crunchy crust that seals in the juiciness of the pork! I threw this together on the fly so I didn't take as many pictures as usual!  If you are s pork lover then you will really enjoy this yummy recipe!!

Ranch Mushroom Pork Chops:

 Ingredients:

4-6 boneless pork chops

1 cup flour

1 packet buttermilk ranch dressing

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 cup low sodium chicken broth

2-4 tbsp butter

1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

2 green onions, sliced, tops reserved for garnish

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375*F.  Mix flour and ranch dressing packet together in a shallow dish.  Salt and pepper the pork chops and then dredge through the ranch and flour mix.  Melt 2 tbsp butter in an oven proof skillet over medium heat.  When the butter is melted, place half the chops in the skillet and sear for 5-6 minutes on each side.  Drain on paper towels and sear the remaining chops.  Add 2 more tbsp of butter if needed.  While the pork chops are cooking, mix together the chicken broth, cream of mushroom soup and the green onions.  Place the drained pork chops and the soup mixture in the hot skillet.  Bring the soup mixture to boil.  Place the skillet in the preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes.  Top with the mozzarella and bake for an additional 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Let meat rest got 5-7 minutes before serving.  Garnish with green onion tops and enjoy!

Bacon Breakfast Braid

Hello, All!  It has been several months since my last post!  We've had so much going on that I haven't had time to post!  We moved into our new home in May !  I've been enjoying cooking and entertaining in my new space!  

I've been baking up a storm for family and friends the last couple of months!

To top off the summer, we had a wonderful young man from China come and spend the month of August with us!  We spent lots of time showing him what family life is all about here in Indiana!

I hope your last few months have been as enjoyable as mine have been!!

This morning, I thought I would get a little fancy with our breakfast!  I made a wonderful simple bacon breakfast braid.  This would be an ideal dish for a brunch buffet table.  

Bacon Breakfast Braid:

Ingredients:

Scrambled eggs (6-7 eggs)

7 bacon strips, cooked 

1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 can Pullsbury Crescent Dough Sheets

Directions:

 Preheat the oven to 375*F.  Roll out the dough sheet on to a parchment lined baking sheet and cut 2 inch slits up the long sides of the dough sheet.

Next, layer on the eggs followed by the bacon then sprinkle the cheese over the top.

Pull the dough strips gently towards the center at an angle to create the braid.

Bake for 12-13 minutes until the pastry is golden brown. After removing from the oven, let rest for 2-3 minutes before cutting.

Sunday Dinner: Roast Pork with Onion Jam and Bacon Wrapped Green Beans

Like most families, we are in the 4th Quarter crazy zone!  There are 5 weeks left in the school year paired with Spring sports.  We are on the run every day except Sunday.  Our dinners are reduced to sandwiches, pizzas and the like so on on Sunday, I try to make something a little more substantial.  Today's menu was all my youngest son's favorites, pork, green beans and corn on the cob!  I haven't blogged in so long, I didn't take the usual step by step pictures, but the recipes are super simple so I don't think the pictures are necessary.  I used all reduced sodium items in the recipe to keep it from getting too salty.

Roast Pork with Onion Jam:

• 3 lb pork loin
• 1½ tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• ½ tsp dried oregano
• ½ tsp dried parsley
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 2 tbsp peanut oil
• 1 medium onion cut into 8 sections
• 2 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce
• 
  

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350*F.  In a small bowl, combine garlic powder, ground ginger, salt, thyme, and pepper, whisking to combine. Rub seasoning all over the entire surface of pork loin.

Heat oil in a large oven proof pot over a medium-hot burner.  Add onion to hot oil and cook 2-3 minutes until they start to soften.  Place the seasoned pork int the pot and brown it on all sides. Mix the broth, lemon juice and soy sauce together and pour into the pot with the pork and onions.  Place pot in oven and cook for 3.5 hours.  Remove pot from oven and place roast on board to rest for 20 minutes under a foil tent.  Remove the onions and reduced liquid to a measuring cup and allow it to rest also.  After 10 minutes, skim the fat off the measuring cup and remove.  Place what remains in the measuring cup into a small oven proof ramiken and place back in the oven for 5-10 minutes.  Remove and serve over the pork roast.  

Bacon Wrapped Green Beans:

1 pound fresh green beans

8 slices of bacon  

4 tbsp unsalted butter

2 tbsp brown sugar

1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350*F.  Spray a baking dish with non-stick spray. Wash, dry and pinch the ends off the green beans. Bundle together 10 green beans. Wrap a slice of bacon around the center of the beans to hold it together. Lay the bundle bacon seam side down in the baking dish. Repeat with remaining beans. Heat a small saucepan over low heat. Add the remaining ingredients and whisk until melted and combined.  Brush the mixture over top of each green bean bundle. Cover the bundles with foil and bake for 35 minutes. Turn up the oven heat to 400*F.  Remove the foil and bake for 10-15 minutes more or until bacon gets crispy.  After removing from oven, let rest for 2-3 minutes before serving.

Crockpot Honey Sriracha BBQ Chicken

 

Hello, Everyone! Long time no posts!!  My husband thinks I have people out in the blogger world missing me 😉

We are in the home stretch of building our new house which has eaten up my time.  It is coming along and I anticipate being in my new kitchen sometime in April!!

Here is what the kitchen looks like right now!  Not ready for a meal yet, but soon!

In the meantime, I've been cooking lots of meals from http://www.blueapron.com  which I love, love, love!!  Check them out if you are interested in getting groceries delivered along with easy, yummy recipes! 

When I'm not cooking Blue Apron meals, I'm using my crockpot & that is what I did last night! This recipe is the perfect blend of sweet and spicy.  It took all of 15 minutes to prep.  I used bone-in chicken with the skin for extra flavor, but boneless, skinless would work fine too! I served the chicken on a bed of brown rice with a side of green beans, a winning combination for my 9 year old son.  Give it a try and tell me what you think!  

Crockpot Honey Sriracha BBQ Chicken

4 chicken breasts 

1 cup ketchup

1/2 cup honey

3  garlic, minced

1/2 small onion, diced

3 tbsp Sriracha 

3 tsp sesame oil

3 tbsp rice wine vinegar 

Place the chicken pieces in the bottom of the crockpot.  Mix all the rest of the ingredients together and pour over the chicken.  Cook on low for 4-6 hours.  Enjoy!!