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Larry’s Meatloaf (My spouse)
Some unknown person is always tinkering with my recipes? This time I made that someone (?) write down what he did. It was incredible and very moist! What can I say??? This was supposed our takeout and movie night vicariously with friends, during COVID-19, but we stayed in and he cooked. With these garlicky green beans the meal was awesome.
LARRY’S MEATLOAF
INGREDIENTS
- 2 pounds of ground beef and pork
- 3 strips of bacon for topping the meatloaf
- ¼ cup of tomato pesto for topping the meat loaf
- 3/4 cup of crushed pork rinds
- ½ medium white onion, finely diced
- 3 garlic cloves, finely diced
- 2 Tbsp fresh sage, finely chopped
- 2 Tbsp fresh basil leaves, chopped
- 1 tsp rosemary, chopped
- 1 tsp thyme
Sauce Ingredients
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon coarse black pepper
- 1 – 6 oz. can tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon BBQ sauce (I use Weber hickory)
- 1 tablespoon liquid smoke
INSTRUCTIONS
- Lightly spray a 5 x 9-inch loaf pan with oil and line with parchment.
- Add 1 Tbsp butter and 1 Tbsp of water to a small fry pan, add in the onion and garlic and caramelize over low heat. When caramelized, add in the herbs. Set aside.
- Place the meat in large bowl. Set aside.
- Mix the sauce ingredients well and then stir in the caramelized onion mix and the crushed pork rinds.
- Pour mixture over the meat and blend well using your fingers.
- Put into loaf pan and pat down.
- Cut bacon into short pieces and place on top, then add the tomato pesto over the loaf.
- Bake at 350 degrees F, covering lightly with foil after 45 minutes. Meat thermometer should register 165 degrees F. (about 1 hr. to 1 hr. 15 min).
- When meat is done, juices will be clear. Drain any fat and let sit about 10 minutes before slicing.
Honey Dijon Pork Roast
Finally got together with our two new friends from Vermont and since I had a lovely pork loin roast in the freezer, some very fresh cauliflower and four sweet potatoes, it was a no-brainer! Bonus – after thawing the roast I didn’t have to marinade it! Start it off with a crisp Caesar salad…actually this meal would be great for Easter...
Honey Dijon Pork Loin Roast
Servings 8 serves
Instructions
- 3- pound pork loin
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
- salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup honey
- 3 tablespoons low-sodium gluten free soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Preheat oven to 375˚F.
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper and set aside.
- Pat dry pork loin with paper towels.
- In a small mixing bowl combine paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper.
- Lightly spray pork loin with cooking spray. This will make it easier for the spice mix to stick.
- Take the spice mix and rub it all over the pork loin.
- Heat olive oil over medium heat and sear the pork loin until browned on all sides; about 3 to 5 minutes per side.
- Transfer pork loin to previously prepared baking sheet, fat-layer side up; set aside.
- In a bowl, combine garlic, honey, soy sauce, mustard and oil; whisk until well combined. If too thick, add a bit more oil or soy sauce.
- Brush remaining honey mixture over the pork loin.
- Roast for 45 minutes or until internal temperature of the pork loin reaches 145˚F
Salmon Loaf
Ok…here’s another salmon recipe just because we got a fresh supply of canned wild sockeye salmon from our Canadian visitors. Wild sockeye from the west coast is quite different from Atlantic salmon in colour and taste.
And since our friend is both gluten and lactose intolerant, this recipe from Pinterest was a great choice. We served it with some fresh steamed Brussel sprouts and a great yellow rice. Hope you will give it a try!
Salmon Loaf
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (coconut or macadamia oil are also great)
- 1 large onion, finely diced
- 1 large celery stick, finely diced
- 1 large carrot, peeled and finely grated (or 2 smaller carrots)
- 2/3 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
- 1 large clove of garlic, finely diced
- 600 g of canned salmon (3 x 213 g / 7.5 oz cans, drained with larger bones removed)
- 3 eggs
- 3 tablespoons almond flour
- Zest of 1/2 lemon
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 175 C/ 350 F.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add the onion and celery. Sauté for 2 minutes, stirring once, and then add the grated carrots. Season with salt and pepper and cook for 5 minutes, stirring a few times. Add a couple of tablespoons of water when it feels like the oil has dried up. Finally add the garlic and cook together for another minute or two.
In the meantime, drain the salmon and remove any visible large bones. Don’t worry too much about the smaller bones or the skin as it will blend in just fine. Add the fish to a mixing bowl and flake with a fork or your fingers.
Add the cooked vegetables to the salmon. Grate some lemon zest, add the eggs and almond flour and mix everything together with a fork. Make sure the egg is well incorporated.
Grease a medium loaf tin with a little coconut oil (make sure to brush all sides with oil). Transfer the loaf mixture to the tin and press down until well compacted and even on the top. I like to bang the tin against the bench a couple of times to get rid of any air pockets inside the mix. Then place in the oven, middle shelf, uncovered, for 30 minutes.
Crustless Quiche with Smoked Salmon and Goat Cheese
Have a friend visiting who is Gluten Free and Lactose Intolerant, except for goat cheese! Since we had smoked salmon on hand, Pinterest was the perfect place to look for dinner! It never fails me. This is a great recipe with lots of flavour. Serve it up with a nice green salad. It would also be great for a brunch.
Crustless Quiche with Smoked Salmon and Goat Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 white or yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 8- 10 eggs depending on size
- ¾ cup full-fat milk (or coconut milk)
- 6 ounces wild caught smoked salmon, chopped
- 4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
- ¼ cup roughly chopped fresh dill, (divided)
- Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
- Capers, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300ºF. Grease a 8 x 10 Pyrex baking dish very well with olive oil. Set aside.
- In a medium-sized heavy bottom pan heat the olive oil over a medium high heat until the oil is shimmering. Add the onion slices and stir to coat the onions with the oil. Spread the onions out evenly over the pan and let cook, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat to medium or medium low if the onions begin to brown too quickly. Don’t stir too often, let them brown. Continue to cook until the onions are caramelized and lightly golden brown. About 15-20 minutes.
- Arrange the onions in a single even layer in the greased sheet pan.
- In a large-bowl beat the eggs. Add the milk and a small amount of each the smoked salmon and goat cheese and all but 1 tablespoon of the fresh dill. Season with black pepper and just a little pinch of sea salt. Combine.
- Pour the mixture over the onions in the prepared sheet pan. Arrange the remaining smoked salmon and goat cheese evenly on top and place in the center of the oven.
- Bake until the eggs are set, about 30 minutes. Check if it needs more time. Let cool 5 minutes before cutting and serving. Serve with the remaining fresh dill as well as capers.
A Little Taste of Brazil!!
One of the most desired cuts of beef in Brazil is called (picanha) . It is also very common in higher end restaurants in Yucatan these days. What is it?
Picanha is a cut of beef called sirloin cap in the United States or the rump cap in the United Kingdom, that is popular in Portugal and Brazil. In the United States, it is little known, but referred to as the rump cover, rump cap, or culotte.
In a Brazilian restaurant it is often served on large skewers…
I chose to roast it whole.
There are THREE steps to the recipe, which involves marinating overnight in the refrigerator (see below) with a citrus-herb salt rub.
Simple Roasted Picanha Recipe
Step One – Citrus-Herb Salt Rub
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
- Zest of one small lemon, approximately 2 teaspoons
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
Score the fatty blanket on the picanha by making criss-crossing cuts into the fatty blanket covering one side of the picanha. Fat behaves differently than meat when cooked. It loses more liquid and therefore shrinks more. By scoring the fat, you can prevent the piece from curling and dis-forming while it grills.
Rub the salt mixture into the cross cuts of the fat. Refrigerate overnight.
Step Two – Preheat oven to 400 degrees, letting the picana come to room temperature.
Prepare the chimichurri sauce by mixing the following ingredients…
Chimichurri Sauce
- 1/2 cup chopped parsley
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons chili pepper flakes (less for milder flavor)
- 2 teaspoons minced oregano leaves
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup olive oil
Step Three – Sear and Roast the picana as follows
Heat a large oven-safe skillet (preferably cast iron) over medium-high heat. Pour in a few tablespoons of olive oil.
Sear the beef until browned on both sides,approximately 2 minutes per side.Transfer the skillet to the oven with the fatty side of the piranha facing up.
Cook the roast for 35 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 128-130° for medium-rare. Remove the roast from the oven, cover with foil and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing. The temperature will rise 10 degrees while resting!!
Slice against the grain for tender cuts.
Here is my recent attempt to duplicate that restaurant experience in our oven…in case there is too much snow to fire up the Barbie, mates. Sliced after resting with chimichurri sauce.
Ham and Bean Soup
For those of you serving ham for Christmas here is an easy recipe for leftovers…LOL
Easy Ham and Bean Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 carrots, small dice
- 1 small onion, small dice
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- 4 (14.5 ounce) cans white beans (in Mexico I used a large can of charros)
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 2 cups diced smoked ham
- 2 dried bay leaves
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- 1/4 cup minced parsley
Instructions
Add olive oil to 5-quart soup pot and set over medium high heat.
When the oil is hot add in the carrots and onions. Cook for about 5 minutes or until the onions just start to soften and turn translucent.
Add in the garlic and thyme leaves and stir to combine.
To the pot add all the beans with the juice from their cans, chicken stock, diced ham and bay leaves. Stir to combine.
Simmer the soup for 10-15 minutes or until it’s slightly thickened.
Taste and season with desired amount of kosher salt and black pepper.
Stir in parsley and serve hot. I put a dollop of sour cream on top when we had it…
Spanish Chicken and Chorizo Bake
Too many Argentinian chorizos…My best friend, Pinterest, shared this recipe! Fortunately I had some chicken thighs, cherry tomatoes and black olives…
Spanish Chicken and Chorizo Traybake
Spanish Chicken & Chorizo Traybake
Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Grain Free, Paleo, Specific Carbohydrate Diet Legal, Whole30
Ingredients
- 1 yellow bell pepper deseeded and cut into chunks
- 1 red bell pepper deseeded and cut into chunks
- 1 red onion cut into wedges
- 1 white onion cut into wedges
- 6 boneless skinless chicken thighs (or 4 chicken breasts)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes
- 2/3 cup chopped chorizo
- 1/2 cup black olives
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic crushed
- 1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp oregano
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley
- Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius (390F)
- In a large pyrex baking dish add the chopped bell peppers, onions, cherry, chorizo, tomatoes and olive.
- In a bowl whisk together the olive oil, crushed garlic, paprika, oregano, vinegar, salt and pepper. Pour 2/3 of the sauce over the veggies and toss with your hands to ensure everything is well coated. Place the chicken pieces on top of the veggies and brush with the remaining sauce.
- Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, remove from the oven half way through cooking and spoon some of the sauce from the bottom of the dish over the chicken and veggies before returning back to the oven to bake.
- Check the chicken to ensure it’s no longer pink. Sprinkle the veggies with chopped parsley before serving.
Roasted Summer Squash with Sweet Peppers and Onions
You are probably wondering why I am using summer squash now that it is Fall. Well, the truth is that northern type squash, which I love, are not normally available in Yucatan. What is “normal” are patty pan squash which are quite small but are available most of the year here. Recently I found a package of these so-called summer squash at a local grocery chain. So, here goes…
Roasted Summer Squash with Sweet Peppers and Onion
This recipe can be easily doubled, using 2 baking sheets and rotating the pans to allow for even cooking. And, yes, we eat the rinds, since there are lots of nutrients..
- 1 large yellow squash or smaller summer squash [about 2 cups] unpeeled
- 1 large zucchini squash [about 2 cups] unpeeled
- 1 medium purple onion
- 1/2 cup sliced sweet red pepper
- 1/2 cup sliced sweet orange pepper
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 Tbsp fresh thyme
- 3/4-1 tsp garlic salt
- black pepper to taste
- Preheat the oven to 450°F. Spray a baking sheet liberally with cooking spray.
- Cut the yellow squash and zucchini into 1/2-inch-thick pieces.
- Thinly slice the onion and cut the peppers into strips.
- Place all of the veggies into a medium size mixing bowl.
- Drizzle the veggies add 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
- Sprinkle with the seasonings, add 1 tablespoon of fresh thyme, 3/4-1 teaspoon of garlic salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Mix well.
- Spread the vegetables in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.
- Place the pan into the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Stir. In the first 20 minutes, the vegetables will release a lot of moisture.
- Bake for another 15 minutes, then stir again.
- Increase the oven temperature to 475°F and bake for an additional 5 minutes, or until golden.
French Onion Pork Chops
This marks recipe 350 on buenprovecho.me. At this point I have decided to end the blog, but it will remain accessible to my many followers. Thanks for following along all these years. Hopefully you’ve found a few that you enjoyed…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LX4EGvw5wP4&authuser=0
These were quite awesome, especially since we both love French Onion Soup! Fairly easy to make as well. This recipe serves four as indicated, but since I only wanted to do TWO chops, I halved all of the ingredients except the olive oil. I didn’t want the onions to BURN! As you can see by the photo, I served it with fresh roasted asparagus, adding some Parmesan cheese flakes a few minutes before they were done in the oven.
FRENCH ONION PORK CHOPS
Serves: 4 Prep Time: 25 minutes Cook Time: 30 minutes
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 large sweet onions, sliced
7-8 fresh thyme sprigs (plus additional for garnish, if desired)
1 teaspoon salt (plus additional for the pork chops)
½ teaspoon pepper (plus additional for the pork chops)
1 tablespoon butter
3/4 cup beef stock (I use low-sodium)
¼ cup dry red wine
4 boneless pork chops (seasoned with salt and pepper)
4 teaspoons Dijon mustard
4 ounces shredded Swiss cheese
2 or 3 Baby Portobello mushrooms sliced
-Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
-In a large, oven proof skillet over medium heat, caramelize the onions in the olive oil along with the thyme sprigs (about 15 minutes), stirring occasionally. Add the beef broth, butter, salt and pepper. Five minutes before the onions are caramelized, add mushrooms.
-Simmer to reduce the broth (about 5 minutes).
-Remove the caramelized onions to a bowl and keep warm, Wipe out the skillet with a paper towel.
-Pat the chops with a paper towel to dry. Spread Dijon mustard on both sides of the chops and season each with salt and pepper to taste.
-Return the skillet to medium/high heat and brown the pork chops on both sides (approximately 3 minutes per side). Remove chops to a plate.
Steamed Mussels in a Coconut Curry Broth
Its not too late to do your Nw Years Eve shopping is it? Your guests would love these coconut curry mussels with fresh baguettes for dipping into the sauce. If you need a veggie dish, go for the steamed broccoli…
STEAMED MUSSELS IN A COCONUT CURRY BROTH
INGREDIENTS:
- 2.5 pounds mussels (I prefer Prince Edward Island mussels)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 sweet onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 2 tablespoons red curry paste
- 1 (14-ounce) can full-fat coconut milk (lite version is fine too – just won’t be as rich)
- 1/4 cup low-sodium chicken (or seafood) stock
- 2 green onions, sliced
baguettes or bread for serving (or fries!)
DIRECTIONS:
Keep the mussels refrigerated until you’re ready to use. Once ready, place them in a large bowl of ice cold water. Scrub the outsides of the mussels and remove the string (or “beard”) by using a towel or paper towel to pull it out. Discard any mussels that have opened already. Keep the mussels in the ice water.
Better still, buy the frozen ones which are already cleaned..just add them in where required in the recipe.
Heat a large skillet or wok over medium heat and add the butter and olive oil. Once it’s melted, stir in the onions, garlic, salt and pepper. Stir and cook for 5 minutes, until slightly softened. Stir in the curry paste and continue to stir until it’s distributed throughout the entire pan of onions. Cook for 5 more minutes. Stir in the coconut milk and stock, stirring until it’s smooth. Bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring continuously. Reduce the heat to medium low. Add the mussels and toss. Cover the skillet and cook just until the mussels open, about 5 to 6 minutes. Garnish with the sliced green onions. Stir the mussels well so the broth makes it into the shells. Serve immediately with baguettes or thin fries.
