Month: May 2016

Slow Cooker Chicken and Corn Chowder

What to do when your stove gets taken away for repairs? Three choices – BBQ, Microwave or Slow Cooker. Oh, and company for dinner… Pinterest to the rescue as always. The best part is that we had everything in the house! Hope you will try this sometime soon, it beats cooking inside, as we can put our cooker outside, A great way to enhance the BBQ season!

Slow Cooker Chicken and Corn Chowder

Ingredients:

  • 4 slices bacon, diced
  • 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch chunks
  • 12 ounces red potato, diced
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 3 carrots, peeled and diced
  • 2 stalks celery, diced
  • 2 cups corn kernels, frozen, canned or roasted
  • 4 cups chicken broth 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • Pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1/2 cup half and half
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

Directions:

  1. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add bacon and cook until brown and crispy, about 6-8 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate; set aside.
  2. Place chicken, potatoes, onion, carrots, celery, and corn into a 6-qt slow cooker. Stir in chicken broth, garlic, thyme, oregano, cayenne pepper and bay leaf; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
  3. Cover and cook on low heat for 7-8 hours or high heat for 3-4 hours.
  4. In a small bowl, whisk together half and half and cornstarch. Stir in half and half mixture and butter during the last 30 minutes of cooking time.
  5. Serve immediately, topped with bacon and garnished with chives, if desired.

 

 

Morrocan Shepherd’s Pie

What to do with ground lamb? Meatballs…maybe. Burgers…another maybe. In the end I came across this pie recipe on Pinterest…not a surprise. It was fantastic! You will never make a traditional shepherds pie after you try this one.

Moroccan Shepherd’s Pie With Sweet Potato (Our Four Forks)

Prep time 30 mins Cook time 40 mins Total time 1 hour 10 mins Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. grass-fed ground lamb or beef (omit for vegan)
  • 3 cups cooked chickpeas (or 2 15 oz. cans drained) (optional for meat version)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 white onion, chopped
  • 1 red onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger root
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon honey (optional)
  • 2 cups chopped plum tomatoes (about ¾ 28 oz. can, drained)
  • ½ cup stock (vegetable, chicken or beef) + salt to taste
  • ½ cup currants or raisins
  • ½ bunch cilantro, stems removed, chopped

For the mash:

  • 1 lb. sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks (use white if you don’t have any sweet potatoes) OR…use the instant Idaho brand potatoes and just add the spices…
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons non-dairy milk (more if needed)

Instructions

  1. Brown the ground meat in a large skillet over medium high heat.
  2. Remove meat from skillet and set aside.
  3. Add olive oil to the pan along with the onions, garlic, ginger, spices and salt and cook for 8-10 minutes until the onion is softened.
  4. Return the meat to the pan (if using) along with the honey, tomatoes and stock.
  5. Bring to a boil and simmer until the sauce is thickened, about 10 minutes more.
  6. Add chickpeas (if using), currants, and chopped cilantro, stir and remove from heat.
  7. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

For the mash:

  1. Boil the potatoes in salted water for 15 minutes or until tender.
  2. Drain well and add the olive oil, cumin, garlic powder, salt and milk.
  3. With a hand blender (or potato masher), blend until they reach a creamy consistency.

Assembly:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Fill a 13 in x 9 in casserole dish with the filling and spread the mash on top.
  3. Bake for 40 minutes until the topping is beginning to brown.
  4. Garnish with extra chopped cilantro, if desired.

Sesame Noodles with Pork

Good use of leftover pork loin roast!

Sesame Noodles with Pork by Stacey Snacks

Ingredients

  • 1/2 box linguine (8 oz.)
  • leftover cooked pork tenderloin (I used half a tenderloin, about 1/2 lb.), shredded
  • handful of cilantro
  • 1 carrot, cut into ribbons w/ a vegetable peeler
  • handful of chopped scallion or chives
  • sesame seeds

Sauce

  • canola oil for the frying pan
  • 2 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 2 tbsp sesame oil
  • 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 1/8 tsp or squirt of Sriracha sauce (or hot chili sauce)

Directions

In a large heavy skillet, heat the canola oil and cook your garlic only 2 minutes until fragrant and transfer to a bowl.

Add the rest of the sauce ingredients to the garlic and whisk together. Set aside.

Cook your pasta and drain. Add the pasta back into the skillet (you may need to add some more canola oil) and toss around with tongs.

Add the leftover pork and pour the sauce over the noodles and pork to combine, tossing to heat thru.

Empty the contents into a big bowl and add the carrots, cilantro, green onions and sesame seeds and mix together. You can refrigerate and serve cold, but we liked it warm like Lo Mein noodles.

Delicious!

 

Raspberry Rhubarb Jalapeno Jelly

Okay, okay, I promise this is my last rhubarb recipe! Since it is very near to the season in Canada I thought some of you might want to try this one. We serve it over a block of Philly cream cheese and sometimes place a few anchovies across the top. Each bite gives you heat, sweet, salty and spicy. Just serve it with your favourite crackers. And, no need for pectin…the recipe is for a 15 oz. jar and keeps two weeks in the fridge. If you are into canning there are directions for that too.

Raspberry Rhubarb Jalapeno Jelly https://es.pinterest.com/source/chocolatemoosey.com/

Ingredients

3 cups fresh raspberries (thawed if frozen)

1 cup chopped rhubarb (roughly 1 stalk)

1-2 large jalapeno peppers*, seeds and membrane optional for heat

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon lemon juice

  1. Place a small dish into the freezer to use for testing the jam.
  2. In a large deep skillet, add raspberries, rhubarb, jalapeno, sugar, and lemon juice. Heat and stir until it reaches a rolling boil. Boil and stir until it thickens, 10 minutes. When it seems like it is gelling, take your plate out of the freezer. Put a small spoonful of the jam onto the plate and let sit for 30 seconds. Tilt it. If it slides too fast, keep cooking. If it moves slow, it is done. Test every minute or two and do not overcook it. Spoon into heat-proof container and cool to room temperature. Store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

To can jam**

  1. Wash one 8-ounce (or 6-ounce + 2-ounce) glass mason jar with a two-piece lid with soap and hot water. Dry completely.
  2. Add the jar(s) and lid pieces to a large pot of boiling water deep enough for the jar(s) to be completely submerged in water. Once the water is boiling, leave the jar(s) in there until ready to use.
  3. Remove the jar(s) and lids from water and drain out all of the water from the jar. Keep the water boiling. Spoon the jam into the jar(s). Wipe excess jam off the rim of the jar(s) so it will seal properly. Add the lid. You may want to use an oven mitt so you can hold the jar(s) still.
  4. Place sealed jar(s) back into the boiling water and boil for 15 minutes. Make sure it is submerged in the water. Remove from the water and let dry on a heat-resistant surface for 18-24 hours. Once cool, press down on the lid. If it stays down, it is sealed. If it pops back up, put in the refrigerator and use within two weeks.

 

Slow Cooker Pork Chops

As promised that I would report on my latest find from FaithTap – https://www.facebook.com/faithtapping/?fref=ts

Slow Cooker Pork Chops

  • 6 medium thick pork chops
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  •  ½ cup soy sauce
  • ¼ cup ketchup
  • 2 cloves of smashed garlic
  •  salt and pepper to taste.

Pour all of the ingredients over the six pork chops and cover. The slow cooker does its magic for approximately 6 hours on low.

Results – Yes indeed they were very tender! They cooked in a little over 5 hours…by six they would have been burned dry, so watch them, depending on the thickness of your chops.

I would modify the ingredients to 1/4 cup soy and less sugar, and more garlic!

Personally I prefer my daughters slow cooker pulled pork sauce recipe  with Coca Cola! https://buenprovecho.me/?s=slow+cooker+pulled+pork

Chipotle Maple Pepper Dry Rub Ribs

While in Ontario we stopped at Coyles Country Emporium in Tillsonburg, Ontario. While browsing through the store I was intrigued about a product I had never seen – Savoury Favourites Chipotle Maple Pepper seasoning. Before I go any further, I am in no way being paid to promote this product.

DSC_0004_1

Once back home, I realized that we had one strip of pork ribs in the freezer waiting to be used. We have always enjoyed the dry ribs at Boston Pizza but they don’t seem to carry them anymore. Eureka…I had bought the chipotle maple pepper! Why not give it a shot? I thawed the ribs and cut them apart into single bones, and placed them on their sides in a Pyrex baking dish.I dusted them with the Chipotle Maple Pepper and turned them over and dusted them again before placing them in my 250 degree F preheated oven. I cooked them for about one hour and then turned them for a second hour. Depending on the size of your ribs they should be done after two hours. Of course, I had to sample one to be sure…LOL. These are awesome! Using this product is so much easier than making up your own rub! I cant wait to try it on steaks on the BBQ tomorrow… we did and they were awesome!

The next evening I used the seasoning on tuna, equally awesome. Tonight I used on our hamburgers. This stuff is a must have in your pantry! They make three other flavours – original, mild curry and garlic. Did I mention they suggest using it on popcorn? Later tonight…

For more about the seasonings and some great recipes go to their site www.maplepepper.ca

If you are unable to find this product, you ,might like this rub recipe from Guy Fieri on Food Network!

Guy Fieri Salt and Pepper Dry Rub Ingredients
Two 3 1/2-pound slabs pork spare ribs
3 tablespoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons smoked paprika
4 limes, halvedRead more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/guy-fieri/salt-and-pepper-spare-ribs-with-romesco-recipe.html?oc=linkback