Pork Archives - Crafty Cooking Mama

Hungarian Style Pork Paprikash

November 21, 2018 by Amanda Leave a Comment

Thank you to Smithfield Prime Fresh Pork for sponsoring this post! As always, all thoughts & opinions are my own.

Get ready for some cold winter comfort food!!! Tender Pork Chunks in a Rich, Creamy, Flavorful Sauce. This Hungarian Style Pork Paprikash is a hearty meal that comes together quickly & easily.

As the days get colder and the nights grow longer my taste buds change.My mind and body are craving some serious comfort foods. Soups, stews, meat – stick to your bones kinda food.

This isn’t out of the ordinary. It’s a primitive instinct for those that face long, cold winters. Our bodies want fats and protein to keep us strong and healthy and during the winter months. Although these days our diets keep us quite prepared for cold weather, this wasn’t always the case. Once upon a time, our ancestors had to face winter without the “basics” we have. Their food would be scarce during winter months, triggering them to bulk up to survive the brutal cold.

It’s amazing, after so much time and change, that us cold weather dwellers still have the same instincts.

I surely embrace it.

My Dutch oven gets impressive usage year around – but it’s serious time to shine is during the fall and winter months. Braised meats, soups, stews, goulash – that’s what we’re cooking up.

I’ve already proclaimed my love for pork, more than once, on this blog. It’s my favorite meat – so flavorful, so juicy, so versatile. Each cut is wonderfully distinctive in flavor & texture, and Smithfield Prime Fresh Pork has always been my go-to!

Smithfield Prime is a superior, quality line of all-natural fresh pork with enhanced color and marbling. You can be confident that you’ll be serving an impressive & delicious meal with tender & juicy pork when cooking with Smithfield.

Smithfield Prime Fresh Pork is available in a wide variety of fresh cuts, including tenderloins, back ribs, spareribs, boneless and bone-in chops, butts and roasts. These cuts can be cooked whole or just as easily be sliced or cubed for faster cooking – which is key during the busy holiday season!

When you start with a high-quality protein, you don’t need to do too much to have a restaurant-quality meal, and this Pork Paprikash is a perfect example of simple pork perfection. The most work involved here is some cutting & dicing. Everything gets browned & sautéed and simmered until tender.

Feel free to change this up to your tastes too. I love mushrooms – so I add them to just about everything. If you don’t share my shroom love, skip them. Add a few more bell peppers, hot peppers, extra onions – whatever you like.

I usually serve this over buttered egg noodles. I’ll cook up some spaetzle when I’m feeling extra loving or ambitious. Potatoes are always great base too!

Cheers to the winter!

Thanks for stopping by!

Amanda ♥

You’ll find a full line of Smithfield Prime Fresh Pork at your local ShopRite.

“Shake-up” your ho-hum meals with Smithfield! Visit here for more information, recipes & inspiration!

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Hungarian Style Pork Paprikash

Tender Pork Chunks in a Rich, Creamy, Flavorful Sauce. This Hungarian Style Pork Paprikash is a hearty meal that comes together quickly & easily. **This recipe can be easily halved**

Prep Time20 mins

Cook Time1 hr 10 mins

Total Time1 hr 30 mins

Course: Pork

Cuisine: Eastern European

Servings: 12 servings

Author: Amanda

Ingredients

4-5 pound Smithfield Prime Boneless Center Cut Pork Loin cubed
salt & pepper
3 - 4 tablespoons lard or oil plus additional if needed
2 large sweet onions diced
2 large green peppers chopped
1 pound mushrooms sliced
4 cloves garlic minced
2 cups chicken stock
4 tablespoon paprika ***please use good quality paprika***
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1-1/2 tablespoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 cups/16 oz sour cream
Serve with buttered egg noodles spaetzle or potatoes

Instructions

In a large dutch oven or pot, heat up lard/oil over medium-high heat.
Cube pork loin to 1" - 1-1/2" chunks. Salt & pepper generously.
Brown pork, if crowded, brown in batches.
Remove pork & any juices. Set aside.
Reduce heat to medium. Add a drizzle of oil if necessary.
Add onions & peppers. Saute until onions are translucent - about 10 minutes.
Add garlic & mushrooms, saute 2-3 minutes.
Add stock, scraping bottom of pot for any brown bits of goodness.
Mix in paprika, parsley, salt & pepper.
Return pork to pot.
Stirring occasionally, bring all ingredients to a boil.
Reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 50 - 80 minutes or until desired tenderness of pork.
Remove from heat.
Let rest for 10-15 minutes. Taste, salt & pepper to taste if necessary.
Stir in sour cream.
Serve over buttered egg noodles, spaetzle or potatoes.
Enjoy ♥

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Smithfield Prime Fresh Pork.

Pressure Cooker Puerto Rican Pork Roast (Pernil)

October 19, 2017 by Amanda 11 Comments

Pernil – a tender, fall apart Puerto Rican pork roast LOADED with flavor. This pressure cooker method skips the marinating time and the lengthy cooking time. Have this pork roast on your table in a little over an hour.

I was provided with a free product to review. I was not financially compensated for this post. As always, all thoughts & opinions are my own.

Okay, I’ll admit, I’m a bit late to the electric pressure cooker game.

I do have a valid reason, though. Years ago I experienced a stovetop pressure cooker explosion. I was horrified. Due to my typical absent mindlessness during the simplest of tasks, I knew the old school pressure cooking method was NOT for me.

Times have changed. The electric pressure cooker is designed to be just about foolproof, even for the most distracted like myself. I knew it was time to get onboard.

As luck would have it, while I was shopping around for a pressure cooker, the folks at COSORI contacted me to try their 7-in-1 Multifunctional Pressure Cooker. Yay!

I must admit, I’ve fallen in love!

The possibilities with this pressure cooker are endless. I’ve made so many quick dinners in the past month and I have so many more ideas.

The true test, though, was pernil. This pork roast usually takes me half a day to cook – not including the 8-24 hour marinating time.

I’ve heard over and over that pressure cooking intensifies flavors. I decided to go ahead and try this recipe without a marinating period. It was an absolute success! In a little over an hour I had fall apart, flavorful pork roast on the table.

It is important to mention that cooking times do not include the pressurize & depressurize time. These add about 20-30 minutes to the process. You can choose to manually release the pressure at the end of the cooking cycle – but I’ve found it’s best to let it naturally release with meats. When making one pot meals with rice – the manual pressure release is definitely preferred.

There’s a lot of settings and features to this pressure cooker – rice, poultry, yogurt, beans, soup, meat – the preset features take the guess work out of how much pressure you need and cooking times. You can also saute, slow cook, steam and bake. I really love the “Keep Warm” function. When cooking meats like this pernil, you can cook it well ahead of time, keep it warm and have it ready to go when needed.

I’m not sure why – or how – I lived so long with a pressure cooker!

Thanks for stopping by!

Amanda ♥

My readers will receive a 15% discount on the COSORI 7-in-1 Multifunctional Programmable Pressure Cooker using this link when purchasing! Check it out! Offer expires 10/31/17.

Visit here to learn more about COSORI and their products.

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4 from 3 votes

Pressure Cooker Puerto Rican Pork Roast (Pernil)

Pernil - a tender, fall apart Puerto Rican Pork Roast LOADED with flavor. This pressure cooker method skips the marinating time and the lengthy cooking time. Have this pork roast on your table in a little over an hour.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time1 hr 10 mins

Total Time1 hr 20 mins

Course: Pork

Servings: 6 -8 servings

Author: Amanda

Ingredients

4-6 pound boneless pork shoulder or butt roast
3 tablespoon adobo seasoning scant (I use Goya brand)
2 tablespoon garlic powder scant
2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon sage
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon tumeric optional
1 bay leaf
1 cup liquid stock, broth, water

Instructions

Cut pork roast into 4"-5" chunks. Place in a large mixing bowl. Set aside.
Combine all spices, except bay leaf, in a small bowl. Stir to combine.
Thoroughly coat pork pieces with dry seasoning mix.
Add pork and bay leaf to pressure cooker.
Pour in 1 cup of liquid. Make sure bay leaf is under liquid.
Close up pressure cooker and run on Meat/Stew function for 70 minutes.
Let pressure release naturally.
Shred/chunk pork roast and serve. I love this served with white rice, green olives and black beans. The liquid remaining in the pressure cooker will be very salty so do not dump copious amounts of it over meat or dish.

Homestyle Pork Roast & Salt Crusted Boiled Potatoes

March 23, 2017 by Amanda 4 Comments

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #RealFlavorRealFast #CollectiveBias

Here’s to quick & flavorful dinnertime inspiration! Marinated Pork Roast & Salt Crusted Boiled Baby Potatoes!!! Keep reading for recipes and a coupon…

I often discuss dinner time ruts. It’s real life. Mealtime isn’t always a glamorous, glorious affair. Dancing around the kitchen in a pretty apron while stirring sauces usually isn’t real life. Life is busy, mealtime is often a last minute event with a clock ticking down. We often make the same meals over and over again. They’re quick, tried, true and almost mindless to prepare. It becomes boring – for everyone.

The key to getting thru these times (as often as they may be) is a sensibly stocked pantry and fresh ingredients that are versatile and easy to work with.

Hence why I’m in love with Smithfield Marinated Fresh Pork. There are so many tasty flavors to choose from – all seasoned and marinated to perfection. Seriously – no additional thought or effort in regards to flavoring is needed. Get your pork roast, tenderloin or loin filet cooking and start thinking about side dishes.

I was excited to find a NEW line of Smithfield Marinated Fresh Pork at my local Walmart – pork roasts. You’ll find Smithfield Marinated Homestyle Pork Roast, Marinated Sweet & Smoky Pork Roast & Marinated Boneless Pork Shoulder Seasoned Carnitas. This will definitely keep dinner time exciting!

Not only is Smithfield Marinated Fresh Pork a quick & flavorful main entree for any night of the week but it also takes the guesswork out of pork. I talk to people all the time who tell me they love pork, but just don’t know how to season it and prepare it. Here’s to keeping it simple 🙂

I cooked my pork roast at high temperatures for a quick dinner. I know low & slow tends to be the go to for pork roasts – but you can absolutely achieve a delicious and tender roast in a fraction of the time.

Keeping mealtime simple – I serve my pork roast with Salt Crusted Boiled Potatoes and steamed fresh green veggies. Salt boiled potatoes are a different and delicious way to serve one of everyone’s favorite root veggies.

The Salt Crusted Potatoes are simple to make. Fill a pot with potatoes, salt and enough water to just cover. Gently boil until all water has been evaporated. The only question left is butter or sour cream. (LOTS of sour cream is the answer.)

Here’s to keep dinner flavorful, fast and delicious!

Thanks so much for stopping by ♥

-Amanda-

What sides would you serve with a quick pork dinner?

Visit Smithfield® for more information, recipes, tips, tricks and a chance to win some awesome prizes!

Quick Pork Roast cooked at high temperature & Salt Crusted Boiled Baby Potatoes | www.craftycookingmama.com

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5 from 1 vote

Salt Crusted Boiled Potatoes

Salt crusted boiled baby potatoes are a quick, different & delicious way to serve one of everyone's favorite root veggies. Load em' up with sour cream & butter ♥

Cook Time40 mins

Total Time40 mins

Course: veggies

Servings: 4 -6 servings

Author: Amanda

Ingredients

1 1/2 pound baby potatoes rinsed with skins on
1/3 cup kosher salt
water enough to just cover potatoes
sour cream & butter to serve

Instructions

Add potatoes to a large saucepan.
Fill with just enough water to cover potatoes. Any excess water will add to cooking time - you will be cooking all the water off.
Add salt.
Bring to a rapid boil, gently stirring until salt is dissolved.
Reduce heat just a little to maintain steady boil. Stir occasionally & gently.
Do not stir or move potatoes once water is almost completely evaporated.
When water is completely evaporated (25 - 30 mins) remove from heat and let rest for a few minutes.
Carefully remove potatoes from saucepan. Rinse excess salt from sauce pan. Wipe off or rinse any potatoes with excess amounts of salt on them.
Add potatoes back to saucepan. Fill with 1/4" - 1/2" water. Bring to a boil, stir once or twice, and cook until water is completely evaporated, about 5 minutes.
Remove from heat. Let rest for a few minutes. Serve with butter & sour cream. Enjoy

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5 from 1 vote

Homestyle Pork Roast

A tender & delicious pork roast cooked in just a fraction of the time.

Cook Time50 mins

Total Time50 mins

Course: Pork

Servings: 4 -6 servings

Author: Amanda

Ingredients

Smithfield Marinated Homestyle Pork Roast 2-4 lbs
kosher salt
meat thermometer

Instructions

Note - If you have the time, letting pork rest at room temp for 20-30 minutes will reduce cooking time.
Preheat oven to 525°F
Line a roasting pan with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray.
Place pork roast in pan, sprinkle with kosher salt.
Cook (uncovered) at 525°F for 30 minutes.
Reduce heat to 400°F and cook (uncovered) until temperature of thickest part of roast (center) reaches 145° - 160°. This is truly a matter of preference. Pork is safe to eat when cooked to 145°F - I cook to 145°F. Depending on size of roast & desired doneness - plan on cooking at 400° for 20 - 40 minutes.
Let pork rest for 10 - 15 minutes. Slice, serve & enjoy 🙂

I found a HUGE selection of Smithfield Marinated Fresh Pork at my local Walmart!

Leftovers? You’re in luck – this pork roast and salted potatoes taste just as great the second time around! Reheat sliced pork in the microwave – add a sprinkle of water and cover with plastic wrap – it’ll be just as tender as when it came out of the oven 🙂

Kale Salad with Crispy Pork Belly

September 30, 2016 by Amanda 7 Comments

This post was sponsored by Eat Smart as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own. I received product samples to facilitate my review.

I’ll admit. I don’t make salads often at home. It’s not that I don’t enjoy salads – I absolutely love them. I eat them all the time when I’m out – but at home, not so much. All the prep work for what I want as a quick meal turns me off. That’s all about to change…

Eat Smart sent me five varieties of their Gourmet Vegetable Salad Kits and I loved everyone of them! I really can’t pick a favorite! Each unique salad kit has so much flavor, so much crunch – so much more than just lettuce and carrots. Perfect for an appetizer, snack, lunch or dinner. Seriously – it just got so much easier to eat a quick, nutritious and delicious meal at home.

I love greens and have been trying to work more kale into my meals. I was excited to see the Eat Smart Sweet Kale Vegetable Salad Kit. Loaded with superfoods this salad contains kale, green cabbage, broccoli, brussel sprouts, chicory, roasted pumpkin seeds & dried cranberries – completed with a delicious poppy seed dressing.

I’ve heard many people say that kale is too tough for everyday salads – but there’s a simple trick to remedy that. Chop it up in small bite size pieces and toss it in dressing about ten minutes before serving. The dressing softens the kale up just enough. Luckily, the prep work here is already done 🙂

On such a green salad…I needed some fatty protein. Sorry, but not sorry.

Pork Belly. You heard me right – pork belly. If you’re not familiar with pork belly – it’s the oh-so glorious cut of meat that bacon and pancetta are made of. It’s beautiful, it’s rich, it’s indulgent – it’s a cut of meat made for a king or a queen. Being such a rich & fatty food – it’s best served in small pieces. Like on top of my salad 😉

Thing is, you can’t just waltz into your local grocer and find pork belly in the meat department. It’s definitely a specialty cut of meat. I live in a farm town so it was pretty easy for me to hunt down a piece of pork belly. I found my 12 pound fresh pork belly at a local butcher shop. Visit a farmers market or a specialty butcher shop – they usually sell it sliced in 1-2 pound pieces or whole.

As a last resort, you can order online. There’s absolutely no shame in that – it’s just gonna cost you. A 10 pound hunk will run you $70 – $100 plus shipping. Yikes. I bought a 12 pound hunk for about $30. Always look local first.

Pork belly isn’t hard to make. Roast it on high heat for a few minutes and then on low heat for an additional hour or two. Cool it, and then slice it as needed and pan fry. Oh my goodness – it’s delicious. Heavenly.

I know you’re ready to try Eat Smart Gourmet Vegetable Salad Kits! Find them at a store nearby you!

Oh…and last, but not least. Eat Smart is having a giveaway! Enter for a chance to win one of Ten (10) AMEX Gift Cards at $50 each and samples of all five Eat Smart Gourmet Vegetable Salad Kits (for a total of five salads). Scroll down to enter for a chance to win!

Thanks so much for stopping by! Here’s to healthier habits made easier!

-Amanda-

Visit Eat Smart for recipes, products, inspiration & information!

Eat Smart Gourmet Vegetable Salad Kit Giveaway

I-C will randomly select winners from all program entries and will facilitate fulfillment of the winning prizes (10)

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5 from 1 vote

Kale Salad with Roasted Pork Belly

Pork Belly Recipe Adapted from Momofuku. Seriously - why mess with perfection? This needs to be made the day ahead & chilled so plan ahead.

Prep Time12 hrs

Cook Time2 hrs

Total Time14 hrs

Course: Pork, Salad

Servings: 1 -3 pounds

Author: Amanda

Ingredients

For Pork Belly:
piece of fresh pork belly skin removed, 1-3 pound piece
1 tablespoon salt per pound
1 tablespoon sugar per pound
pepper
For Salad:
Eat Smart Sweet Kale Vegetable Salad Kit
apple sliced or diced
handful of crushed pecans or walnuts

Instructions

For Pork Belly:
Season the belly with the salt, sugar and a sprinkle of pepper. Cover and let sit about 8 hours or overnight in the fridge.
Preheat oven to 450°F. Line a roasting pan with aluminum foil.
Cook at 450° for half an hour. Lower heat to 275° and cook for an additional hour or two. It should be tender but not mushy.
Remove from oven and let cool to room temp. Tightly wrap roasted pork belly in plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled through. At least a few hours and up to a couple days.
When needed, slice into pieces of desired thickness and panfry in a drizzle of oil until brown.
For Salad:
About 10 minutes before serving, toss dressing with salad.
Sprinkle cranberry, pumpkin seeds, apple & walnuts over top.
Top with desired amount of pork belly and serve.

Sausage, Egg & Cheese Breakfast Bake

August 8, 2016 by Amanda 7 Comments

This post is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group® and Tyson Foods, but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #JDgreatdays http://my-disclosur.es/OBsstV”

Today I’m sharing some hearty, easy & delicious breakfast ideas. A Cheesy Sausage Breakfast Bake is coming up – along with some bacon love. Oh, and I have a breakfast deal to share with you too 🙂

“Eat Breakfast Like a King, Lunch Like a Prince, and Dinner Like a Pauper”.

This old quote is tried, true & sound advice. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and it deserves better than doughnuts and toaster pastries. Seriously. Good mornings lead to great days.

There are staple ingredients for a hearty breakfast. Eggs, sausage, bacon & cheese. The breakfast possibilities are endless when you start with these fab four.

One of my family’s favorite breakfasts is a Cheesy Sausage Breakfast Bake. I’ve been making if for years and still make it often for breakfast – it’s filling, delicious and everyone wants seconds. Here’s some great news – it can be made ahead of time and reheated in the microwave – the leftovers are just as delicious. Perfect way to get a homemade breakfast on the table on those crazy and hectic mornings.

Oh, and I must mention how simple this breakfast is to make. It takes about ten minutes of hands on attention and then everything gets thrown in the oven to bake. Jimmy Dean Premium Pork Sausage is the star ingredient in this breakfast bake. It’s seasoned to absolute perfection – your breakfast will always taste great!

Bacon. I love it, you love it, we all love it. Seriously – you can not go wrong with bacon at breakfast (or any other time of the day). Serve it with eggs, on a breakfast sandwich or with pancakes or waffles and breakfast is a total win.

Over the years my bacon making method has evolved. Many moons ago, when I was cooking just for myself, I would throw a few pieces in my beloved cast iron pan and happily fry it up. Fast forward to present day – I’ve picked up a husband and had two kiddos along the way. Frying up separate batches of bacon in my trusty old pan was no longer practical. I have a nice size griddle – but often it was being used for eggs or pancakes. Into the oven the bacon went. Seriously – baking bacon is a foolproof method. No fussing, no flipping, no splattering – just throw it in the oven and bake. It doesn’t get much easier.

I’m loving this new Jimmy Dean Hickory Smoked Bacon I found at my local Giant Foods! I get the perfect amount of delicious bacon taste & crunch in every single bite with the thicker cut slices.

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day – make it count & make it delicious! How about starting with this Cheesy Sausage Breakfast Bake? I hope you love it as much as we do! I’d love to hear your recipes – what is your favorite way to eat sausage or bacon with breakfast? Thanks so much for stopping by 🙂

-Amanda-

“See for yourself how good mornings lead to great days when you start them off with Jimmy Dean. Right now at Giant Foods when you buy 3 Jimmy Dean products you get $5 off through 8/11. While supplies last.”

Head over to Jimmy Dean for more information, inspiration & endless recipe ideas!

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5 from 2 votes

Sausage, Egg & Cheese Breakfast Bake Casserole

Sausage, Egg & Cheese Breakfast Bake Casserole. Start your morning right with a hearty & delicious meal. A family favorite recipe & easy to make!

Cook Time50 mins

Total Time50 mins

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Servings: 6 -8 servings

Author: Amanda

Ingredients

Jimmy Dean Premium Pork Sausage Roll "Regular" 16 oz
1 cup flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 large eggs
2 cups milk
2 tablespoon butter melted
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese divided
1/2 teaspoon dried minced onion
pinch salt & pepper
sour cream chives to serve (optional)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray or grease a 13X9 baking dish.
In a skillet over med/high heat, crumble and brown sausage roll. Drain grease. Set crumbled sausage aside.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
In a large (separate) mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, milk and melted butter.
Add flour mixture into liquid mixture. Whisk until thoroughly combined.
Stir in sausage, 1 cup of shredded cheese, minced onion and a pinch of salt & pepper.
Pour into greased 13X9 baking dish and bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean - about 30 - 35 minutes.
Sprinkle remaining 1 cup of shredded cheese over top of casserole. Bake for an additional 3-5 minutes or until cheese is melted.
Let casserole rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. Cut into squares and top with sour cream or snipped chives if desired. Enjoy 🙂

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5 from 2 votes

Easy Peasy Baked Bacon

Make your life easier - bake your bacon!

Cook Time20 mins

Total Time20 mins

Course: Breakfast

Servings: 1 - 6 servings

Author: Amanda

Ingredients

desired amount of bacon I used Jimmy Dean Hickory Smoked Bacon
aluminum foil
cookie sheet

Instructions

Position an oven rack to center of oven. Preheat oven to 400°F.
Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil.
Place desired amount of slices of bacon on cookie sheet. Do not over crowd - if using a whole pound of bacon, use 2 cookie sheets.
Bake bacon for 12 - 18 minutes or until desired color & crispness. No need to turn.
Remove bacon and let rest on a paper towel lined plate to soak up excess fat.
Serve & enjoy 🙂

Bacon Wrapped Asparagus with Quail Eggs

June 29, 2016 by Amanda 20 Comments

Fancy up your basic breakfast or brunch with these Bacon Wrapped Asparagus Bundles Topped With Quail Eggs. Simple enough to make any day of the week 🙂

Breakfast. I absolutely love it – after 10:00 am. I’ve never been a morning person, but I’ve adapted over the years. Early riser I am, early eater – not so much. Coffee is all my body requires until 10ish. So I suppose my daily eating habits would be “Coffee, Brunch, Lunch & Dinner”. It works for me.

Most days I prefer to eat simple breakfasts. Over easy eggs on an English muffin tends to be my go-to. I love eggs, and with a flock of happy free ranging chickens, I always have a surplus of the most amazing eggs ever to use.

Some days I enjoy fussing a bit more over my first meal of the day. With fresh asparagus, bacon and quail eggs staring back at me from my fridge – this meal just had to happen.

I am not a bacon fanatic and wrapping everything in bacon doesn’t overly excite me. That being said, there is a time & a place for everything. Like here & now. Just as you thought roasted asparagus couldn’t get any better – you go and try it wrapped it in bacon. Yum.

Quail eggs. They’re a lovely treat and I’m always happy when I get my hands on them. They don’t taste much different than a chicken egg – perhaps just a bit richer. You treat them just as you would a chicken egg, just adapt cooking time for a smaller egg.

Though a bit more special than my usual breakfast eats, this meal is still simple as simple can be. Prep the asparagus, wrap it in bacon and toss it in the oven. 30 – 35 minutes later it’s done. Fry up a few quail eggs in butter for a minute or two, slide them onto your asparagus and you’re ready to eat.

This breakfast is easy enough to be made any day of the week. It’s wonderful served as breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner – cause really, who decides what’s deemed breakfast. This meal would definitely impress brunch time guests.

Oh, and if you can’t find quail eggs (though you really should try) you could certainly serve this with chicken or duck eggs.

Enjoy! Thanks for stopping by!

-Amanda-

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5 from 2 votes

Bacon Wrapped Asparagus with Quail Eggs

Fancy up your basic breakfast or brunch with these Bacon Wrapped Asparagus Bundles Topped With Quail Eggs. Simple enough to make any day of the week 🙂

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time35 mins

Total Time45 mins

Course: Breakfast

Servings: 5 -6

Author: Amanda

Ingredients

1 - 1 1/2 pound asparagus
5-7 slices of bacon
salt & pepper
olive oil for spritzing
quail eggs approx 1 dozen
1 -2 tablespoon butter

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400°
Rinse and trim asparagus.
Create bundles of asparagus - 3-4 pieces each bundle. Plan on 4 pieces for average size asparagus, 3 pieces for thicker stalks.
Salt and pepper each bundle and wrap bacon around bundle, wrapping upwards at an angle.
Spritz any unwrapped areas (tips & ends) with olive oil.
Place on cookie sheet and bake for 30 -35 minutes. Asparagus should be tender and bacon should be browned and crisp.
Fry quail eggs in a generous amount of butter over medium heat for 1-2 minutes. I find it easiest to crack quail eggs with a butter knife into a small bowl, in pairs, and pour from bowl into frying pan.
Slide pairs of cooked eggs on top of asparagus bundles. Salt & pepper to taste. Serve immediately.
Note: Chicken or duck eggs may be substituted if quail eggs are not available.

Smoked St. Louis BBQ Ribs

June 21, 2016 by Amanda 6 Comments

A simple method to produce tender, delicious, perfectly smoked St Louis Pork Ribs. Smoking doesn’t have to be intimidating or complicated!

Today I’d like to talk a little about smoking.

If you’re a beginner or novice you’ll find the more you read about it the more you might end up confused. Each and every barbecue enthusiast has methods they swear will produce the best finished BBQ.

So what’s the novice to do? Understand the process, temperatures & science of it all and get to smoking. Take a little advice from everyone, use your creativity & knowledge and make it your own process. Have fun and keep on keeping on until you find your perfect method.

My perfect method is simplicity. A simple rub and that’s it. No brines, no injecting, no mops – just rub it down and smoke away. Smoking is a lazy day activity for us. We prefer to keep things as laid back and uncomplicated as possible.

Tastes vary. The amount of smokiness one prefers will vary. Get a feel of how much wood chunks will give you the amount of flavor you’re after. Understand more is not better and too much smokiness is NOT a good thing. Start small and simple, say a whole chicken, to experiment with amounts to get the flavor you’re after.

Onto our St. Louis Pork Ribs. Easy peasy – anyone can do this! I rubbed them down with a dry rub, filled the water pan with an apple cider vinegar & beer mix, kept the temp at about 225° and smoked for about 6 hours. That’s it.

How to tell when your ribs are done? These ribs are not so much smoked to temperature – it’s more of a feel & visual thing. First off, ribs falling apart are overcooked. Now, if this is how you enjoy them, then go ahead and smoke them until they fall off the bone. I promise you though, you can do better. The perfect rib should be tender & juicy with a bit of chew and easily pull off the bone but not fall off. In comes the “Bounce Test”. Pick up ribs with tongs, and bounce gently. The center surface of the ribs should crack slightly. Yay – they’re done. If they fall apart, they’re overdone – boohoo. If they’re rubbery and don’t crack in the center, they’re not done. I know this all might sound ridiculous – but when you see it, it’ll make perfect sense 😉

I prefer to keep the sauce off the ribs until served. Some like their ribs smothered in sauce, some like to dip and others like them plain. Serve sauce on the side and everyone will be happy.

That’s it folks. It really is easy to make perfectly tender & delicious smoked ribs at home. Have fun & thanks for stopping by!

-Amanda-

Want to smoke a beef brisket? Check out my BBQ Beef Brisket!

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5 from 1 vote

Smoked BBQ St. Louis Ribs

A simple & basic method for tender & delicious smoked St. Louis Pork Ribs.

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time6 hrs

Total Time6 hrs 15 mins

Course: Pork

Cuisine: BBQ

Servings: 4 - 6 servings

Author: Amanda

Ingredients

2 racks St. Louis Ribs 2.5 - 3 lbs. each rack
4 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon pepper
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon Hungarian paprika
beer & apple cider vinegar if using water pan
wood chunks
BBQ sauce to serve

Instructions

Set up smoker. Smoking temp should be set up and maintained between 225° - 230°. Start this about an hour before smoking.
Prep ribs. Remove membrane from the underside of ribs.
Combine salt, pepper and spices.
Rub down ribs, front and back, with spice rub. I like the rub to sit at least half an hour before smoking.
When ready to cook:
Add beer & apple cider vinegar to water pan (if using). We used about 2 beers and about 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar. You could use just water if you liked.
Throw ribs in, meat side up/bone side down & cover.
Add a handful of wood chunks and get to smoking.
Continue to smoke for 5-6 hours, maintaining temp at 225° - 230° and adding another 2 handfuls of wood chunks during course of smoking.
Check ribs after 4 1/2 - 5 hours of smoking.
Pick up ribs with the tongs, and bounce gently. The center surface of the ribs should crack slightly. If not, smoke for another 30 mins to - 1 hour and test again. I know this "test" sounds crazy if you haven't seen it before - but when you see it, it will make perfect sense. Also, the meat should easily pull from the bone but NOT be falling off.
If you'd like to add sauce and smoke for a few minutes, now's the time. I prefer to not sauce up my ribs and serve sauce on the side instead.
Remove, let rest for a few minutes & enjoy 🙂

Sausage, Sweet Potato & Apple Schnitz Stew

October 21, 2015 by Amanda 5 Comments

I am partnering with Kauffman’s Fruit Farm as a blog ambassador. I have received complimentary products from Kauffman’s Fruit Farm, however, all opinions remain completely my own.

Apple Schnitz. Ever heard of it? Chances are, if you have no idea what it is, you’re not in or around Pennsylvania. All it really is dried apples. Not apple chips, but soft & chewy apple pieces. Why not call it dries apples, you ask? Simple – we’re in Lancaster County and this is Pennsylvania Dutch country!

Apple Schnitz is amazing. I can best describe it as Natures Candy. So sweet, so delicious yet so nutritious. We enjoy it best eaten plain as a snack. My daughters become magicians with a bag of apple schnitz and make it disappear quickly – it’s really that good.

Kauffman’s Fruit Farm makes this delicious Sweet Schnitz from Rome apples fresh from their orchards. The Schnitz is air dried at their market, with no additives or preservatives. How’s that for a healthy, unprocessed, all natural snack?

There was a purpose to traditional Apple Schnitz. It was an effective way to preserve the bounties of the season. Minimal space or concern towards storage conditions would be needed with Apple Schnitz. Dried apples could be snacked on year round or cooked with, as the PA Dutch found many creative ways to do so.

The most popular dishes using Apple Schnitz would be Schnitz und Knepp (apples, ham & dumplings) or a Schnitz Pie. They’re both great, but this time I made neither.

I decided to make a variation of one of my favorite Fall stews. Sweet potatoes, sausage and apples. In place of fresh apples, you guessed it, I used the Schnitz. I loved it!

The Schnitz cooks down, thickening this stew and giving it a sweet and tangy touch. Sausage, sweet potatoes and apples. All the fabulous flavors of fall married together in one bowl of warm goodness. This stew reminds me of a Fall version of our simple Italian favorite, Sausage & Peppers. I add no balsamic to this stew – yet the flavor is reminiscent of it. You could easily substitute your favorite pumpkin or squash for the sweet potatoes if you so fancied.

I hope you enjoy this stew and all it’s Fall flavors. Thanks so much for stopping by!

-Amanda-

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5 from 1 vote

Sausage, Sweet Potato & Apple Schnitz Stew

Sweet Potato, Sausage & Apple Schnitz Stew. A hearty & unique soup with all the flavors of Fall.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time40 mins

Total Time50 mins

Course: Soups &amp, Stews

Cuisine: American

Servings: 6 - 8 servings

Author: Amanda

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 lbs. fresh sausage sliced into bite sized pieces
5 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoon pure maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
dash of pepper
2 cups Apple Schnitz
2 lbs. sweet potatoes or yams cubed (approx 4 medium)
handful fresh spinach torn into small pieces (optional)
salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

In a large dutch oven or sauce pan, brown sausage in oil.
Drain any fat if necessary.
Add chicken broth, maple syrup, salt, cinnamon and pepper. Bring to a low boil.
Stir in apple schnitz and sweet potatoes. Reduce heat to low and cook covered until apple schnitz has broken down and sweet potatoes are tender, about 15 - 20 minutes.
Stir in spinach and cook until tender, about a minute or two.
Salt & pepper to taste.
Serve and enjoy. Leftovers are fabulous with this one!

Pulled Pork Roast with Homemade Chipotle Barbeque Sauce

August 17, 2015 by Amanda 2 Comments

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #VivaLaMorena #CollectiveBias

I love summertime! I love spending these long, warm, beautiful days with family and friends. I love the season, all it’s colors and all it’s flavors. Nothing says summer more to me than cookouts and time outdoors.

Barbecue is indeed an art and I’m certainly not a Picasso. I don’t know the first thing about smoking meat and I don’t even own a charcoal grill. That being said, I still know good barbecue. I know that you can create a good barbecued meat at home without being a pro. It does involve more than just slapping on a jar of store bought sauce. It’s a process. The best results come from a little extra love, a spice rub and a homemade barbecue sauce.

The key to a good barbecue sauce is some serious flavor. So many sauces are predictable, sometimes boring. I like to take my barbecue sauce up a notch and add some authentic Latino flavor. My secret ingredient – La Morena Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce. Chipotle peppers add the perfect amount of smoky heat. These peppers are not at all overwhelming, they are actually classified as “medium” heat. Both the peppers and the sauce they are canned in have great flavor – so use both! Be warned though, a little goes a long way.

At first glance you might find this recipe a bit overwhelming. I urge you to keep reading, though. I’ve broken the recipes and ingredients into three separate sections so a lot of the ingredients are listed twice. The majority of the ingredients are spices that you probably have on hand. Here’s the quick summary. You’ll create a quick marinade, a spice rub and a barbecue sauce. You’ll rub your pork down with the marinade and spice rub and cook it in the oven low and slow. Plan ahead – the pork roast takes 6-8 hours in the oven. It’s done after it pulls apart easily with a fork. Shred the pork, toss with some barbecue sauce and finish the pork on the grill or in the broiler.

The barbecue sauce has the perfect amount of smoky heat that everyone can enjoy. If you prefer more heat, you can always add an additional teaspoon of adobo sauce or another chipotle pepper. I would let the sauce simmer for at least 15 minutes before tasting and making adjustments. There’s nothing you buy in a bottle that can beat the flavor of a warm homemade barbecue sauce!

It’s all easy work – this roast really only involves about half an hour of serious hands on time. That’s great news! Less time cooking gives you more time to enjoy your company!

Take your barbecue game to a new level – your friends and family will love it! I love this sauce and will dump it on everything. Hot dogs, chicken – I even add a spoonful to my baked beans!

To serve, I loaded my pork roast on kaiser rolls, drizzled with lots of that homemade chipotle barbecue sauce and topped with pickled jalapenos (for those who really like it hot) and kosher dill pickles. Yum. To make my cookout feast complete I served all the classic sides – corn on the cob, baked potatoes, baked beans and coleslaw. Great food and great company – a perfect summer day!

Hope you enjoy this recipe and all the flavor from the smoky chipotle peppers! I have so many recipes I use chipotle peppers in and would love to have more! I’d love to hear how you cook with chipotle peppers!

Thanks so much for stopping by! Enjoy that summer living 🙂

-Amanda-

Visit La Morena for more information, recipes & other goodies!

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Pulled Pork Roast with Homemade Chipotle Barbeque Sauce

Fall Apart Pulled Pork Roast Sandwiches with Homemade Chipotle Pepper Barbeque Sauce. An easy meal with serious BBQ flavor!

Prep Time1 hr

Cook Time8 hrs 30 mins

Total Time9 hrs 30 mins

Course: Pork

Servings: 8 -20 servings

Author: Amanda

Ingredients

3-5 pound pork shoulder roast
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar for roasting
*Quick Marinade*
1 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
1 Tablespoon Adobo Sauce from La Morena Chipotle Peppers
*Dry Rub*
1 Tablespoon Salt
1 Tablespoon Paprika
2 Teaspoon Ground Mustard Powder
1 Teaspoon Black Pepper
1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
1 Teaspoon Onion Powder
*Barbecue Sauce*
1 Cup Ketchup
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar packed
1/4 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
2 Tablespoon Worchestire Sauce
1 Chipotle Pepper finely minced or run through food processor
1 Teaspoon Adobo Sauce from Peppers
1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
1 Teaspoon Mustard Powder
1 Teaspoon Paprika
1 Teaspoon Onion Powder
1/4 Teaspoon Black Pepper
1 Tablespoon Honey

Instructions

Bring roast to room temp for about an hour.
Preheat oven to 250ºF.
With a knife, stab roast all over, 20 - 30 slits.
Mix together 1 tablespoon adobo sauce from peppers and 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar. Rub all sides of roast with liquid mixture - massaging into holes. Use all of liquid mixture. Let roast rest for 5 minutes.
Mix spices together. Rub down roast with spice mixture, rub all sides and into holes. Use all of spice rub.
Place pork roast into appropriate sized roasting pan. I use the disposable aluminum type - goes straight from oven to grill and there's no clean up.
Pour ½ cup apple cider vinegar into pan. Bake covered, basting a few times, at 250ºF for 6-8 hrs or until roast is tender and pulls apart easily with fork. Remove from oven.
Heat up grill or turn oven heat up to broil.
Shred roast with two forks. Discard any large chunks of fat. Small pieces of fat and juices from meat should stay in.
Drizzle about 1/4 cup of barbecue sauce (recipe to follow) over pulled pork and toss.
Grill or broil pork until it browns enough to your liking and most of the liquid is reduce. I stir the meat a few times to distribute all the juices so nothing dries out. Pay attention to the pork, making sure nothing burns.
Serve on rolls, drizzle with lots of BBQ sauce and enjoy!
*Barbecue Sauce*
Combine ketchup, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, worcestershire sauce, minced chipotle peppers, adobo sauce from chipotle peppers, salt and spices in a medium saucepan.
Bring sauce to a simmering bubble over med/low heat, stirring often.
Reduce heat to low, simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Stir in honey, let simmer for a minute or two.
Remove from heat and enjoy! Store leftovers in fridge. Makes about 1 1/4 cup sauce.

Stuffed Italian Meatloaf

May 25, 2015 by Amanda 1 Comment

Meatloaf rocks! I love making endless meatloaf combinations with various ground meats. It’s fast, fun and (usually) delicious. It’s also a hearty, cheap meal that you can sneak all kinds of leftovers into. My family, well, let’s say they don’t always share my enthusiasm. Except for this meatloaf. Perhaps because it’s Italian inspired or maybe because it’s kind of a giant meatball loaded with ham and cheese. Whatever the reason – this Stuffed Italian Meatloaf is a family favorite.

Here’s the thing. As much as I love meatloaf – this one involves a little more effort. I don’t make it often. It’s not that it’s difficult – it just involves a few minutes of patience while rolling it and putting it together. In other words, it involves more than just plopping a ball of meat into a loaf pan. I’m running low on extra patience these days. I’m working on that.

I’ll jump to the chase and give you the secret to making any stuffed meatloaf successful. It’s simple. You take a BIG handful of the meatloaf mixture and set it aside. What I am stashing raw meatloaf mixture for? Here’s why. After you roll and press together you’re meatloaf, you’ll notice there are areas that are a bit thin or lacking meat from forming. These areas will be around the seam and at the ends. Guess what happens if you attempt to bake it like this. You’ll find your “stuffed” meatloaf is now swimming in 1 1/2 cups of gooey melted cheese that’s supposed to be inside of it. (It’s happened to me more then once) Simple fix – patch up all those areas with the reserved meatloaf mixture.

That being said, this should now be a no fail for everyone. Throw down a sheet of wax paper and pat out the meatloaf mixture into a 12″ x 10″ rectangle. Lay down the ham and cheese, leaving a 1″ margin around the edges. To “roll” lift wax paper to bring edges of loaf together. Press together edges and ends. You should now have a cigar type roll. Fill in any thin areas with reserved meat mixture, paying attention to ends and around the seams.

Not too bad, right. After it’s finished baking, I pour a ladle of tomato sauce that’s been simmering away on top of the meatloaf. I sprinkle more shredded cheese on top of the meatloaf and throw it back in the oven until the cheese is melted. Yum. I serve this with pasta and tomato sauce, lots of fresh bread and a salad. It’s a wonderful dinner and a change of pace from your average, everyday meatloaf.

You can easily fill and top this meatloaf with various veggies, meats and cheeses. Like spinach, tomato and mozzarella – delicious. Hope this inspires a stuffed meatloaf dinner sometime soon! Thanks for reading!

-Amanda-

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Stuffed Italian Meatloaf

Forget that boring meatloaf dinner! Change it up with an Italian Meat Roll filled with ham & mozzarella cheese and topped with tomato sauce.

Prep Time20 mins

Cook Time1 hr 15 mins

Total Time1 hr 35 mins

Course: Meatloaf - YAY

Servings: 6 - 8 servings

Author: Amanda

Ingredients

3/4 cup bread crumbs
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan
1 tablespoon parsley
1 tablespoon basil
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon sage
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 cloves garlic minced
1 small onion diced
2 eggs beaten
1/4 cup dry red wine
1 1/2 pound ground beef
1 pound ground pork
1/4 pound of deli ham slices I usually use a bit more
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese DIVIDED
3/4 cup tomato sauce
wax paper

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°
In a large mixing bowl, combine breadcrumbs, grated parmesan, parsley, basil, oregano, sage, salt , pepper, garlic and onions.
Add in ground beef, ground pork, eggs and wine. Mix until well combined.
Lay out a 15" piece of wax paper.
Set aside a LARGE handful of meatloaf mixture.
Pat out meatloaf mixture onto waxpaper into a 12" x 10" rectangle.
Leaving a 1" margin around edges, lay out ham slices on top of meat. Sprinkle 1 1/2 cups of shredded cheese on top of ham.
To "roll" lift wax paper to bring edges of loaf together. Press/pat/pinch together edges and ends. You should now have a cigar type roll.
Fill in any thin areas with reserved meat mixture, paying attention to ends and around the seams.
Carefully place meat roll onto a baking pan, seam side down.
Bake for 70 minutes.
Remove from oven. Pour on tomato sauce (I usually have a pot going) and sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup shredded cheese on top.
Pop meatlaf back in oven for about 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.
Let meatloaf rest for 10 minutes before cutting.
Serve and enjoy : )