Chorizo, Potato and Mushroom Tacos

It's no secret in our house that my husband loves him some chorizo.  It's also no secret that I'm always on the look out for a quick weeknight meal.  This recipe fit both and sounded delicious, so I decided to give it a try.  Normally when I make tacos, I serve them with cheese and sour cream, but now that we're a (mostly) dairy-free household, I can't do that anymore.  This recipe was so flavorful and filling that I didn't miss the dairy at all!  So next time you have taco night, I highly recommend you trying this recipe!

Chorizo, Potato and Mushroom Tacos

Rick Bayless, Mexican Everyday, as seen on Pink Parsley

12 oz fresh Mexican chorizo, casings removed
1 medium white onion, halved and thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 oz of your favorite mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
12 oz red skin, yukon gold or russet potato, grated
Salt, to taste
1/2 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves
12 warm corn tortillas, for sering
3/4 c tomatillo salsa, for serving
1 avocado, sliced, for serving
Margaritas, optional but definitely recommended!

Crumble the chorizo into a large nonstick skillet set over medium heat.  Cook, stirring often to break up any large lumps, until some of the fat starts to render and the sausage looks half-cooked, about 4-5 minutes.

Increase the heat to medium-high, and add the onions, garlic and mushrooms.  Cook, stirring nearly constantly, until they begin to soften, about 3 minutes.

Sprinkle the grated potato over the sausage mixture and continue cooking until the potatoes are soft, about 3 minutes, stirring often.  Reduce the temperature if the potatoes start to brown before they soften.  Taste and season with salt if necessary - some chorizo is highly seasoned.

Scrape mixture into serving bowl and sprinkle with chopped cilantro.  Serve with warm tortillas, tomatillo salsa and sliced avocado.

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Slow Cooker Smoky Pulled Pork

This recipe was the best pulled pork I've ever made.  The meat had a wonderful flavor and was so tender.  It only took me about 45 seconds to shred the meat since it was literally falling off the bone.  Yum!  This recipe is going back on the menu again this month.  The liquid smoke was a crucial element as it added a true barbecue flavor that is normally lacking in slow cooker recipes.  (I found liquid smoke in the aisle with the BBQ sauces.)

Also, I couldn't find less than a 9 lb pork shoulder roast at my grocery store, but the butcher was more than happy to cut it down for me.

Slow Cooker Smoky Pulled Pork

recipe from Six Sisters Stuff

3-4 lb pork shoulder butt roast (can be bone-in)
3 T paprika
1 1/2 T kosher salt
1 1/2 T pepper
1 t garlic powder
1 t dry mustard
1/3 c liquid smoke
1 (16-20 oz) bottle of BBQ sauce (I used Stubb's)
buns

Spray the inside of your slow cooker with nonstick spray.  In a small bowl, combine paprika, salt, pepper, garlic powder, mustard and liquid smoke and whisk to combine.  Rub marinade into all sides of pork and place meat into slow cooker.  Cover with lid and cook on low for 8-10 hours.  Remove pork roast from slow cooker and shred meat.  Add meat back into slow cooker and stir in BBQ sauce.  Serve on buns and enjoy!

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Sweet Pork Tacos with Avocado Cream

This is another recipe from The Meal Planner (seriously, I think her website is my new best friend!) and it's another winner.  The sweet pork paired so nicely with the tangy avocado cream and the hard taco shell.  Since it's a crockpot recipe, there's very little time involved and it makes a ton of meat.  I froze half (probably more than half actually) to save for another meal.  Since Andrew's not a big fan of sweet and savory dinners, I cut down on the amount of brown sugar and thought it was the perfect amount of sweetness - sweet enough to satisfy me but not sweet enough for any complaints from the hubster!

Sweet Pork Tacos with Avocado Cream
adapted from The Meal Planner

for the pork:
3 lbs pork loin roast or pork shoulder
2 cups favorite salsa
4 oz can chopped green chilies
2 tablespoon brown sugar
1 onion, peeled and chopped
1 (15-oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed

for the avocado cream:
1 large avocado, mashed
2 green onions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons low fat sour cream
juice of 1 lime
1/4 cup cilantro leaves, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
salt and pepper, to taste

to serve:
hard taco shells or tortillas
sliced onions, optional
shredded cheese, optional
corn salsa, optional
shredded lettuce, optional

In the bottom of your slow cooker, combine salsa, green chilies, brown sugar, onion and black beans.  Mix well.  Add pork roast and cook on low for 7-9 hours.  Remove the pork and shred with a fork.  (I cooked mine about 9 hours and I shredded the meat in about 30 seconds since it was literally falling apart.  Lovely!)  Return meat to slow cooker and mix meat into the sauce.  Continue to cook another 30 minutes to 1 hour with lid off to thicken the sauce a little bit.

Meanwhile, to prepare the avocado cream, add green onions, sour cream, lime juice, cilantro, garlic, chile powder, salt and pepper to mashed avocado and mix well.

To serve, scoop sweet pork into hard taco shells and top with avocado cream and any other desired toppings.

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Sloppy Cubano Sandwiches

I'm not sure why I am so enamored by Sloppy Joes, but I am! While I love the original, I also like to spice things up a bit. This recipe popped up on my blog feed this weekend, and I immediately knew I had to try it. I've already professed my love for Sloppy Joes, but I also love a good Cuban sandwich - pork, ham, cheese, mustard and pickles sandwiched between some good, crusty bread. Yum! This recipe is a happy marriage between two great sandwich staples and I could not have been happier with how this turned out. A delicious revision to the Sloppy Joe!

I altered the recipe to have the slow cooker do most of the work for me. With a two-year-old, I always try to do as much work ahead of time (usually while Finley is in preschool or taking her nap) so that I don't have to be slaving over dinner when she's awake and wanting to play. But if you'd like make the recipe on the stovetop, then be sure and look at the original recipes here and here.

Sloppy Cubano Sandwiches

adapted from Taste and Tell and Rachael Ray

6 oz chorizo, casings removed and finely chopped

1 lb ground pork

1/2 white onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon ground coriander

2 teaspoons paprika

1 teaspoon allspice

salt and pepper

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 lime, juice and zest

1 cup chicken broth

1 8-oz can tomato sauce

2-3 tablespoons tomato paste

4 rolls or buns, split in half

4 slices Swiss cheese

dill pickle slices

yellow mustard

In a large saute pan over medium heat, cook chorizo until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Add the pork and onions and continue to cook another 4-6 minutes or until browned. If there is a lot of grease, drain the fat. (Mine didn't render much fat so I skipped this step.)

Meanwhile, in the pot of your slow cooker, stir together garlic, paprika, ground coriander, allspice, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, lime juice, lime zest, chicken broth, tomato sauce and salt and pepper (to taste). Add the meat and onion mixture and stir to combine. Cook on low 3-4 hours. Stir in tomato paste just before serving.

When you're ready to eat, preheat your oven's broiler. Toast the split buns. Divide the meat mixture between the buns and place a slice of cheese on each. Broil until the cheese melts, about 30 seconds. Top with lots of pickles, spread a liberal dollop of mustard on the top half of the bun and enjoy!

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Crockpot Baby Back Ribs

In celebration of the second weekend of college football, we decided to try yet another ribs recipe and serve them with sausage, potato salad, baked beans, cauliflower with cheese sauce, and banana pudding. Don't worry, we had friends over to share in the feast - there was no way we could haven eaten that much food on our own!

I spotted this recipe on Pinterest and it caught my eye. Ribs...in a crockpot? Say, what?!?We've previously tried smoking them (great flavor but not tender enough) and oven roasting them (again, great flavor but not tender enough), so I thought, "what the heck, why not try cooking them in the Crockpot?!". It could not have been easier and I knew they were going to be tender enough when I cut them to separate the ribs and the meat just fell off the bones. Ah, heaven - meat falling off a bone! At the end of the meal, there was lots of sausage, beans, and potato salad left over but nary a rib in sight!

Crockpot Baby Back Ribs

Adapted from Free Motion Quilting

3 lb rack of pork baby back ribs

1/3 cup dark brown sugar

1 tablespoon paprika

1 1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon oregano

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (I omitted this since kids were going to be eating with us)

Bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce (I used Stubb's)

Mix all the dry seasonings in a small bowl, being careful to break up any lumps of brown sugar. Rub seasoning all over both sides of the ribs, ensuring every surface of ribs is covered.

Place rack of ribs on edge of crockpot, meat side out. I curved the ribs into a circle, the ends touching, so that the ribs are standing upright in the crockpot.

Cook on low heat for a minimum of 7 hours or on high for 5 hours. Remove ribs to a large cutting board and baste with your favorite BBQ sauce. Let rest 15 minutes before separating the ribs. Baste one more time and then serve the ribs with extra BBQ sauce on the side.

*It's important not to lift the lid of the crockpot as they ribs cook because they are essentially steaming in their own juices.

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Bourbon Glazed Pork Chops

{oops - I forgot to take a picture before I started eating!}

While I've always loved pork tenderloin, I've never had much luck with pork chops. The few times I've had them, they've always been tough and chewy. I remember one meal that I made for Andrew just a few months after we were married (pan-fried pork chops with onions and apples) that was so bad we didn't even eat it. After one bite, he looked at me and asked if we could go out to eat. After my first bite, I agreed and we headed to Houston's for a nice, tasty dinner.

As I've gotten more comfortable in the kitchen, I realized that brining the chops is an essential step to ensure tender, moist meat. I also realized that part of the problem was that I was buying the thinly sliced, boneless pork chops. A week or two ago, I was watching Paula Deen on the Food Network and she made these pork chops and served them with the Stuffed Tomatoes. The whole meal looked delicious so I decided it was time to jump back in the saddle again and try to conquer pork chops! These were the first pork chops I've made that I actually want to make again. The meat was juicy and had a great natural flavor that was enhanced by the basting sauce. I actually used boneless pork chops but they were good and thick - about an inch or more. Paula's recipe didn't include brining but I didn't want to take any chances and fail again at cooking pork chops!

Bourbon Glazed Pork Chops

adapted from Paula Deen

for the brine

water

2 T kosher salt

1 T sugar

freshly ground black pepper

for the meat

6 thick center-cut pork chops (you can choose between bone-in or boneless)

4 T dijon mustard

2 t brown sugar

1 t molasses

2 T bourbon

salt and pepper

Fill a very large bowl with warm water. Add salt, sugar and pepper and stir well until salt and sugar have mostly dissolved. Add pork chops, cover and refrigerate for 4 to 24 hours.

In a small bowl, combine mustard, brown sugar, molasses, and bourbon. Stir well. Divide sauce into two bowls, one for use on raw meat and one for use on cooked meat.

Prepare a medium-hot grill.

Remove pork chops from their brining liquid and rinse under running water. Pat dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper. Brush both sides liberally with the basting sauce. Place pork chops on grill and grill until chops are slightly charred and cooked, about 15-20 minutes depending on their thickness.

Brush pork chops with remaining sauce and serve.

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Caramelized Pancetta and Fennel Salad

Um yum! Andrew made this salad last weekend and it was delicious! We had guests over for dinner and everyone's salad plate was licked clean. I cannot wait to make this recipe again, but I think I may double the amount of fennel and pancetta. I am practically salivating just thinking about it...and that's definitely a sign of a great recipe!

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Jambalaya

When it's cold outside (you know, one of the three days in Texas), and I'm not in the mood for chili, then jambalaya usually fits the bill. I love it! I've had a few jambalaya disasters - i.e. the time I found a recipe that called for 2 tablespoons of sugar!!! - but I think I've finally come up with a delicious and fairly easy dish. I hope you enjoy it as much as my family does!

Jambalaya

an Erin original

2 T olive oil

3 celery ribs, chopped

1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped

1 small white onion (or 1/2 of a large one), chopped

1 lb. smoked sausage, sliced

1 t smoked paprika

1 t garlic salt

1 t thyme

1 bay leaf

black pepper, to taste

1 (14.5-oz) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes

1 t Worcestershire sauce

3-4 dashes (or more if you like it really spicy!) Tabasco sauce

4 c chicken broth

2 c white rice

1 chicken breast, cooked and meat shredded (rotisserie chicken is perfect), optional

1/2 lb shrimp, peeled, optional

3 green onions, chopped on diagonal, optional

In a large pot over medium heat, add oil. When oil is hot, add celery, bell pepper and onion. Saute until slightly softened, about five minutes. Add sausage to pot and continue to cook a few more minutes, until sausage is thoroughly heated and starting to brown. With a slotted spoon, remove sausage and place on paper towel-lined plate. Set sausage aside.

Add paprika, garlic salt, thyme and pepper. Stir to combine. Add bay leaf, tomatoes (with their juice), Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco, and broth. Bring to a boil. Add rice and stir to combine. Lower heat to medium-low and cook for 15-20 minutes. Add sausage, chicken (if using) and shrimp (if using) and continue to cook an additional 5 minutes, or until shrimp is pink and rice is tender. Remove bay leaf and spoon into bowls. Garnish with green onions (if using).

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Ham & Gruyere Thumbprints

I've been assigned (okay, actually I sort of begged) appetizers for Christmas dinner. Since my darling daughter took another nap this afternoon, I started my work early. Yay for appetizers that can be made ahead of time, frozen and then baked from their frozen state (i.e. no defrosting)!

I found this recipe on Martha Stewart's website and it sounded intriguing to me - turning a sweet cookie on its head to become a savory appetizer. While I did manage to freeze most of these, a few of them found their way into my tummy. They were delicious - flavorful and flaky "cookie" and melted cheese! If you're looking for a unique finger food, I'd highly recommend these!

As always, I can't follow a recipe exactly; however, I only made two little changes. Instead of using the full 1 cup of shredded gruyere, I used 3/4 cup gruyere and 1/4 parmesan. I also added chopped chives to the batter and sprinkled a few on top for a garnish.

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Sloppy Lasagna

I saw this recipe on another cooking blog that I really like (www.tasteandtellblog.com) and thought it would be perfect for the cooler weather we're finally getting here in Texas. It's a Rachael Ray 30 minute meals recipe but since I don't enjoy running around the kitchen like a chicken with my head cut off, I didn't attempt to make it in 30 minutes. Okay, I lied. I did try, failed miserably, had a glass of wine and told myself that cooking is supposed to be relaxing and not an Olympic sport. So I finished the recipe in about 45-50 minutes and I followed the recipe pretty exactly. I thought it was pretty good, but it could be better with a few changes, I think.

So next time I make this (it is much easier and faster than traditional lasagna, so I will make it again), I plan on making the following changes:

1.) I'll cook some finely chopped veggies - onion, mushrooms, spinach, zucchini, whatever I have on hand really - before cooking the meat. I like to try to add as many veggies as I can to make sure we get our daily recommended number of vegetable servings.

2.) I'll cook the meat and then DRAIN the fat off. I didn't realize until it was too late that the recipe never says to drain the fat. Gross!

3.) To the sauce, I'll add a can/jar of tomato sauce in with the diced tomatoes and tomato paste. Andrew and I both felt that the lasagna had plenty of bechamel sauce but not enough red sauce. This was especially true when I reheated the leftovers the next day - they were still good but on the dry side.

Another thing to make note of - this recipe makes scads so unless you're having 6 or more people for dinner or want tons of leftovers, I'd cut the recipe in half. Here is the link to the Sloppy Lasagna recipe. Enjoy!

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Asian Bacon and Pork "Pops"

Here is another great recipe inspired by FN's magazine. We eat a lot of Italian and Mexican food, so I was excited to make something with an Asian flair. And the lemongrass skewers made it seem just a little bit gourmet!

Asian Bacon and Pork "Pops"

adapted by Erin from The Food Network Magazine

1/2 lb bacon, trimmed of excess fat

1 lb ground pork

1 t sesame oil

2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped

1/4 c loosely packed fresh cilantro

1 to 1 1/2 inch piece of ginger, peeled and cut into small chunks

1 lime, zested

1 1/2 T low-sodium soy sauce

lemongrass

store-bought sweet chili sauce, for dipping

Preheat broiler. In a food processor, combine, bacon, pork, sesame oil, garlic, cilantro, ginger, lime zest, and soy sauce. Pulse to finely chop and combine well. Pause to scrape down sides as needed. (By using a food processor, the meat mixture is very fine and somewhat crumbly. If you want it to be chunkier, you can finely chop everything by hand. With a baby, I didn't have time to do that!)

Mold the mixture into golf ball sized meatballs. Thread a skewer about halfway through the meatball and press the meat mixture down the skewer to form a torpedo-shaped meat patty.

Place the pops onto a foil covered baking sheet and broil 3-5 minutes per side or until golden browned. Serve with store-bought sweet chili sauce for dipping.

*If you're using lemongrass, trim the stalks into 4-inch pieces. If the stalks are thick, you can slice them lengthwise to create more skewers. My lemongrass skewers got a little singed while broiling. As an experiment, I used some wooden skewers (that I had soaked in water for about an hour) since lemongrass can get expensive when you need so much of it. The wooden skewers caught on fire in the first few minutes, and I had remove them from the oven. So don't use wooden skewers! Next time if I feel like the lemongrass is too expensive, I'll probably just roll them into meatballs and forego the skewers altogether.

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Penne a la Vodka

I'm a little embarrassed to make this confession, but I was watching a Jersey Shore marathon and had a strong craving for some Italian food. I decided on Penne a la Vodka because I'd never tried making it before and they were having it on the show. It only seemed fitting that I use the Penne alla Vodka recipe from my The Sopranos Family Cookbook!

Penne alla Vodka

adapted by Erin from The Sopranos Family Cookbook

3 T butter

2 shallots, finely chopped

2 cloves of garlic, minced

2 oz pancetta, chopped

1 28-oz can Italian peeled tomatoes, coarsely chopped and sauce reserved

1/4 to 1/2 t crushed red pepper, depending how spicy you like it

1/2 c heavy cream or non-fat half-and-half if you're feeling healthy

1/4 c vodka

salt to taste

1 lb penne

1/2 c parmigiano-reggiano, freshly grated

parsley or basil, for garnish

In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the shallot and cook until it is softened and slightly translucent. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the pancetta and cook for 2-3 minutes or until slightly golden.

Add the tomatoes, sauce and red pepper and simmer for about 5 minutes. Stir in the cream and cook, stirring often, for about 1 minute. Add the vodka and cook for 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt.

Meanwhile, bring water to a boil in a large pot. Cook penne to al dente according to package directions. Drain and reserve 1/2 c cooking water.

Add the pasta to the sauce and toss to combine. Add reserved cooking liquid if the sauce seems too thick. Add the cheese and basil or parsley and toss again. Serves 4-6.

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Pigs in a Blacket with Chile Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce

From the impressive, and vast, appetizer buffet that we put together, nothing was eaten faster than the good ole standby Pigs in a Blanket. I'd been hoping that there would be some left over for breakfast the next day, but the entire platter was devoured quickly. Always a crowd favorite, especially with the men! It's such an easy, simple appetizer, but I've tried to make it a little bit more gourmet than the standard recipe.

Pigs in a Blanket with Chile Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce

Pigs:

1 pkg cheddar lil smokies sausages

1 pkg crescent roll dough

1 egg, beaten

1 t poppy seeds

1 t sesame seeds

1 t dried chives

Sauce:

2 T mayonnaise

2 T honey

2 T Dijon mustard

1 t ancho chile powder

1 t garlic powder

1 t white wine vinegar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray. Meanwhile unroll crescent dough and press seams together to form one large square. Cut in half vertically and then cut each half into half again vertically to create four rectangles. Cut each rectangle into thin strips horizontally. Wrap a strip around each sausage. Place on baking sheet. Repeat until you used all the dough and/or sausages.

Add a bit of water to the beaten egg and brush each dough wrapped sausage with a bit of the egg mixture. In a small bowl, mix poppy seeds, sesame seeds and chives together. Sprinkle herb mixture evenly over the 'pigs'. (You can easily omit this step or use just about any mixture of seeds and herbs.) Bake for about 15 minutes, or until dough is golden. Serve hot or warm.

Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, combine all sauce ingredients and mix well. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

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Pork and Chickpea Chili

My friend Jennifer introduced me to this dish and I really love it. It's fast to make, inexpensive, far different from your ordinary beef chili, freezes well and it tastes great - what more could you ask for! My one recommendation/warning about this recipe is to be careful what kind of green salsa you buy because some of them can be pretty spicy. I served it with Creamy Cucumber Salad and that helped to combat the spiciness of my chili a bit too.

http://www.womansday.com/Recipes/Pork-and-Chickpea-Chili-Recipe

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Chile Rellenos

I had a chile rellenos at Z Tejas last week and it left me wanting more. I went about recreating it - but also making a few changes along the way - and I think it turned out really well! It was a bit tedious to make so it's definitely a meal you want to make when you have about an hour and a half of free time. I made it earlier in the afternoon (during Finley's long nap) and then threw it in the oven when Andrew was on his way home.

Chile Rellenos
for the pork
3/4 lb pork tenderloin, trimmed of fat
1/2 t kosher salt
1/2 t freshly ground black pepper
1/4 t ground cumin
1/4 t Mexican oregano
1 1/2 T olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, mix together remaining ingredients. Brush mixture onto pork. Bake on a greased cookie sheet for 25-30 minutes, or until cooked through but still pink. Let cool. Shred meat with two forks. Set aside.

for the peppers
4 poblano peppers

There are two easy options for roasting peppers. The first way is to rub the pepper with olive oil and roast in a 400 degree oven for 15 minutes, turning over every 5 minutes, until the skin is blisters. If you have a gas stovetop, you can turn on a burner to medium-high heat and using tongs, hold pepper over flame, turning often until the skin blisters.

for the stuffing
1 T olive oil
1/2 white onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 c chicken broth
1/4 c white wine
3 T dried apricots, finely diced
2 T raisins, finely diced
1/3 c walnuts, chopped
1-3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, diced (these are spicy so vary the amount depending on
the level of spiciness that you prefer)
1/2 c sour cream
1 c Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
shredded pork from above

Add olive oil to pan over medium heat. Add onions and saute, stirring often, until onions are translucent. Add garlic, stir for 30 seconds. Add chicken broth, wine, apricots and raisins. Simmer for about 7-8 minutes until most of the liquid has cooked off. Pour into a mixing bowl and let cool. Stir in remaining ingredients. Mix well.

Slit cooled peppers from stem end to tip. Gently remove ribs and seeds. Stuff with filling. Place in greased casserole dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes (or 30 minutes if you make the chile rellenos earlier and refrigerate it until its time to cook).

for the sauce
2 T cilantro, minced
1/2 c sour cream
1/2 c tomatillo salsa

Mix ingredients. Refrigerate until needed.

To serve, spoon sauce onto plate and place a chile on top. Sprinkle with extra cilantro, if desired.

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Ground Pork and Veggie Stir-Fry

This was my second attempt at healthier cuisine and I thought it turned out really tasty. One of the best things about this recipe is the versatility - you can substitute a different type or cut of meat (chicken, beef, pork tenderloin, shrimp, tofu, etc.), you can use whatever veggies you like, and you can omit the toppings if you prefer (but I wouldn't because I thought they really made the dish!). Here's what I did:

Ground Pork and Veggie Stir-Fry
1/2 lb ground pork
2 T fresh ginger, finely minced
2-3 cups assorted fresh veggies (I used red bell pepper, carrots, celery, water chesnuts, edamame, and mushrooms)
2 T low-sodium soy sauce
2 T oyster sauce
2 t sesame oil
1/4-1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
2 green onions, chopped
2 T fresh cilantro, minced
2 T fresh basil, minced
2 T cashews, chopped
3 cups cooked brown rice

Over medium heat, brown the ground pork with the fresh ginger. Drain fat off. Add assorted veggies, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil and chicken broth. Continue to cook until the veggies are tender, timing will depend on what vegetables you use. Add more chicken broth if you need more liquid. (The sauce will be thin, but if you prefer a thicker sauce, mix 2 t cornstarch with 2 t water and add the mixture to the sauce to thicken it.)

Serve over brown rice. Sprinkle green onions, cilantro, basil and cashews on top. Delicious!
Other veggies you could use are green or yellow bell peppers, broccoli, snow peas, bean sprouts, peas, baby corn, etc.

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Mini Pork Tenderloin Sandwiches with Herbed Aioli

1 lb pork tenderloin

salt and pepper

dijon mustard

3 T mayonnaise

1 t dijon mustard

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 t lemon zest

1/2 t dried thyme

1/2 t dried rosemary

arugula

dinner rolls

1.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Meanwhile, generously salt and pepper tenderloin. Rub dijon mustard over tenderloin to cover it. (I didn't measure how much I used, but I'd guess 1-2 T.) Bake tenderloin for 25-35 minutes or until pork is cooked to at least 165 degrees. Let cool.

2.) To make the aioli, combine mayo, mustard, garlic, lemon zest, thyme and rosemary. Refrigerate until needed. It's best if you make the aioli a day ahead so that the flavors have time to thoroughly marinate.

3.) To assemble sandwiches, thinly slice the pork and split the dinner rolls open. Generously spread aioli on one side of the roll, place a couple of slices of pork and top with arugula and the other half of the dinner roll.

Serves 8-10 as an appetizer

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Proscuitto Wrapped Figs

Proscuitto, thinly sliced and cut in half

Dried figs, the stem end trimmed off

goat cheese

pepper

honey, for drizzling

Place about a teaspoon of goat cheese on a fig, sprinkle with a little black pepper and wrap with half of a slice of proscuitto. Decoratively drizzle honey on the serving platter and arrange the wraps. Serve!

(You can assemble the wraps and keep them covered in the refrigerator for several hours before serving.)

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Goat Cheese-Arugula Ravioli with Tomato-Pancetta Butter

Two years ago Andrew bought me the pasta making attachment for my Kitchen Aid mixer. Occasionally he brings up that its still sitting in the box on the bottom shelf of the pantry but I've learned to pretend that I don't hear him. Who wants to take the time to make fresh pasta?! Well this weekend Andrew decided he wanted to do just that. We worked out a compromise - he made the pasta dough and I made the filling. It was actually really fun and not nearly as difficult as I assumed it would be. It was the perfect lazy Sunday activity!

I followed this recipe, with the exceptions that we made fresh pasta dough instead of the won ton wrappers (if you didn't want to make your own pasta - I wouldn't blame you if you didn't! - using the won ton wrappers is a great shortcut) and I used half goat cheese and half ricotta. Andrew's not a huge fan of goat cheese so this way I could still enjoy the tang of the goat cheese but it wasn't overpowering. Overall, I felt like this dish was restaurant-worthy! It was delicious and the sauce that goes with the ravioli was just perfect. I can't wait to have it again! http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Goat-Cheese-Arugula-Ravioli-with-Tomato-Pancetta-Butter-104784

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Asian Marinated Pork Tenderloin

Central Market has an Asian marinated pork tenderloin that we love but I usually don't have time to go to CM and HEB when I do my grocery shopping. I tried my own marinade and it turned out pretty good and it was really easy to put together in the morning and just throw in the oven in the evening.

Asian Marinated Pork Tenderloin - serves 3

1 lb pork tenderloin

1/4 c soy sauce (I always use low sodium)

juice of 1 orange

juice of 1 lime

1 T dijon mustard

1 garlic clove, minced

1 inch piece of ginger, minced

handful of cilantro, chopped

3 green onions, chopped

1/2 t red pepper flakes

In a large ziploc bag combine all ingredients, except for pork, and mix together. Add pork. Press air out of bag and seal. Place in refrigerator for 8 hours or overnight, turning occasionally.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees and roast pork tenderloin for 25-35 minutes, basting with marinade occasionally. Let pork rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

I served this with roasted veggies and brown rice.

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