Oven BBQ Pulled Pork
Dry Rub:
3 tablespoons paprika
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon dry mustard
3 tablespoons coarse sea salt
1 (5 pounds) pork shoulder or Boston butt
Cider-Vinegar Barbecue Sauce:
1 cup cider vinegar
1 cup yellow or brown mustard
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 garlic cloves, grated
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Burger Rolls and Cucumber Salad
Directions
Mix the paprika, garlic powder, brown sugar, dry mustard, and salt together in a small bowl. Rub the spice blend all over the pork. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to overnight.
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Put the pork in a roasting pan, uncovered, and roast it for about 6 hours. An instant-read thermometer stuck into the thickest part of the pork should register 170 degrees F, but basically, what you want to do is to roast it until it’s falling apart.
While the pork is roasting, make the barbecue sauce. Combine the vinegar, mustard, ketchup, brown sugar, garlic, salt, cayenne, and black pepper in a saucepan over medium heat. Simmer gently, stirring, for 10 minutes until the sugar dissolves. Take it off the heat and let it sit until you’re ready for it.
When the pork is done, take it out of the oven and put it on a large platter. Allow the meat to rest for about 10 minutes.
While the pork is still warm, you want to “pull” the meat: Grab 2 forks. Using 1 to steady the meat, use the other to “pull” shreds of meat off the roast. Put the shredded pork in a bowl and pour half of the sauce over. Stir well so that the pork is coated with the sauce.
To serve, spoon the pulled pork mixture onto the bottom half of each hamburger bun and top with some of the remaining sauce.
Cucumbers in Dilled Sour Cream
Makes About 2 Cups
Ingredients
2 large cucumbers, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, sliced into 1/4″-thick half-moons
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
3 tablespoons sour cream
3 tablespoons green onion (scallions), minced
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon honey or sugar
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill or 1 teaspoon dried
Directions
Place cucumber slices in a colander; sprinkle with salt, tossing to coat. Let stand for 15 minutes, then pat dry with paper towels.
Combine mayonnaise, sour cream, onion, vinegar, honey, and dill in a mixing bowl. Add cucumber slices and toss to coat. Let salad stand for at least 5 minutes before serving, or chill for up to one day.
Roasted Potatoes And Green Beans
Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds baby gold potatoes, halved
1/2 pound fresh green beans, trimmed and cut in half
2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
2 whole bay leaves
1 lemon, juiced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Chopped parsley for garnish
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Arrange the potatoes in the bottom of a baking dish. Drizzle with oil and lemon juice, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with the Italian seasoning and add the garlic cloves and bay leaves. Arrange the green beans on top.
Bake for 30-40 minutes until veggies are just tender. Stir the mixture halfway through the baking time. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve.
Italian Tomato and Sundried Tomato Bruschetta Sauce
This sauce is also excellent for an appetizer spread on toasted slices of Italian bread.
Bruschetta Sauce
ingredients
5 Roma tomatoes chopped
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, about 8, chopped
4 cloves minced garlic
1 tablespoon oil from sun-dried tomatoes
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons dried basil
1 teaspoon salt
Combine the ingredients in a food processor or blender until smooth. Set aside at room temperature.
Baked Chicken Bruschetta
Ingredients
2 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
2 tablespoons oil
½ cup Italian Tomato and Sundried Tomato Bruschetta Sauce, recipe above
2- 4 large slices Mozzarella cheese
Directions
Place the chicken cutlets in an oiled baking dish and drizzle with the 2 tablespoons olive oil. Bake in the oven alongside the potato/green bean pan. After 25 minutes, remove the dish from the oven and spread the chicken evenly with the Bruschetta sauce and cover with slices of mozzarella cheese. Return to the oven for about 5 minutes more to melt the cheese. Serve with the potatoes and green beans.
Serve this pasta with a mixed greens salad and Italian vinaigrette.
Ingredients
4-5 cups cooked (leftover) pasta. I used linguine
3 links of Italian sausage
2 cups Marinara sauce
11/2 cups ricotta cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
8 oz mozzarella cheese, sliced thin
Directions
Brown the sausage links in a skillet and add the marinara sauce. Simmer the sausage in the marinara sauce for 30 minutes. Remove the sausage and cut it into thin slices. Set aside.
Mix the marinara sauce with the pasta. Set aside.
Combine the ricotta, egg, parmesan, parsley salt, and pepper. Mix with the pasta. Coat a 12-inch x 8-inch baking dish with olive oil spray.
Spread the pasta out in an even layer in the baking dish. Top with the sliced sausage and cover the top with slices of mozzarella.
Coat the dull side of a sheet of foil with cooking spray. Place on the top of the baking dish. Bake in a 375-degree F oven for 45 minutes, uncover the dish and bake for 15 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.
Coconut Layer Cake
When baking with coconut milk, I use shelf-stable boxed coconut milk.
Layer Cake
1 cup unsalted butter (room temperature-very soft)
1 2/3 cups sugar
9 eggs at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups coconut flour, sifted
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon of sea salt
1 1/3 cups coconut milk
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease two 9-inch or two 8-inch layer pans. Line the bottom with parchment paper.
Combine the butter and sugar, and beat together for about 2 minutes using an electric mixer.
Add eggs in one at a time and beat at high speed for about 3 minutes. Add in the vanilla while beating the eggs and butter mixture.
Combine the dry ingredients together and add one cup at a time, alternating with the coconut milk. Beat batter for about five minutes on high speed.
Spoon batter into the two prepared cake pans and smooth the tops. Bake for 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
Place the pans on a wire rack and let cool for 10 minutes before removing the layers from the pans. Cool cakes completely before frosting.
Filling Ingredient
1 cup raspberry or strawberry jam
Frosting Ingredients
1 (8 ounces) package reduced-fat cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups heavy cream
Toasted or tinted coconut flakes
Prepare the Frosting: Beat cream cheese and powdered sugar with a heavy-duty stand mixer using the whisk attachment on medium speed until creamy. Add vanilla and heavy cream and beat until fluffy.
Assemble the cake: Place 1 layer on a serving platter, and spread jam over the layer, spreading to within 1/2-inch from the edge. Top with the second layer, and spread frosting on the top and sides of the cake. Garnish with toasted coconut.
Zucchini Bread
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 egg at room temperature
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup coconut milk
1 cup shredded zucchini squeezed to remove water (about 1 medium zucchini)
2 cups Oat Flour
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice mix or cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350degrees F. Coat an 8×4-inch loaf pan with cooking spray and line the bottom with parchment paper. Spray the paper.
In a large bowl mix together the olive oil, egg, vanilla extract, honey, milk, and zucchini.
Combine dry ingredients together (oat flour, spices, baking powder/baking soda, salt) and stir dry ingredients into wet ingredients, Fold in walnuts.
Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for 45 minutes, or until the top of the bread is golden and the cake tester comes out clean.
Allow bread to cool completely for at least 20 minutes, remove from pan and cool completely on a wire rack.
Pumpernickel Bagels
Bagel Dough
1 1/2 cups lukewarm water
3 tablespoons brown sugar
4 teaspoons instant yeast
1 ½ teaspoons molasses
2 cups pumpernickel or dark rye flour
2 tablespoons dehydrated onion
2 tablespoons cornmeal
1 tablespoon caraway seeds
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2-3 cups whole wheat flour
Kettle Water
6 quarts water
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Directions
To make the bagel dough:
Whisk 1 1/2 cups lukewarm water, 3 tablespoons brown sugar, yeast, and molasses in a large bowl until the yeast dissolves. Stir in pumpernickel flour, onions, cornmeal, caraway seeds, and 1 tablespoon salt. Stir in enough of the wheat flour to make a soft dough, about 2 cups.
Knead, gradually incorporating more wheat flour, until the dough is resilient and quite firm, 10 to 12 minutes (the dough will remain slightly sticky). Cover the dough with a towel and let rest for 10 minutes.
Divide the dough into 12 pieces; roll each piece into a 10-inch-long rope. Wet the ends lightly with water. Form into bagels by overlapping the ends up 1 inch. Pinch ends together firmly. Set bagels aside, uncovered, to rise until slightly puffy, about 20 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 450°F.
Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Bring water, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt to a boil in a large pot.
Slip several risen bagels at a time into the pot of boiling water. Cook for 45 seconds, turn them over with a slotted spoon or tongs and cook for 45 seconds longer. Drain the bagels on a clean dish towel and place them on the prepared baking sheets.
Place in the oven, reduce heat to 425°F and bake for 12 minutes. Turn the bagels over and bake 5 more minutes. Cool on wire racks. Bagels freeze very well.
Trout Fillets
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 small clove garlic, cut into thin slices
1/4 teaspoon dried sage or 4 large fresh leaves, minced
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano or 1 teaspoon fresh leaves, minced
¼ teaspoon dried thyme or 1 teaspoon fresh leaves, minced
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
1 whole rainbow trout deboned and cut into 2 fillet halves, skin on
Chopped parsley
Directions
Light an outdoor grill or heat the broiler. In a small stainless-steel saucepan, combine the oil, butter, garlic, sage, thyme, and rosemary. Cook over moderately low heat until the garlic just starts to brown, about 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and immediately stir in the lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
Brush the fish with some of the lemon sauce on both sides of the fish. Grill or broil the fish skin-side down for 4-5 minutes. Pour the remaining sauce over the cooked fish. Garnish with chopped parsley. Serve the fillets with the sweet potatoes.
Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 medium sweet potatoes (about 1 1/4 pounds total), peeled and sliced ¼-inch thick
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 sprig fresh rosemary
Kosher salt and black pepper
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
Directions
Heat oven to 400° F. Whisk together the vinegar and sugar in a small bowl. Set aside.
Toss the potatoes, oil, rosemary, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in an 8-inch baking dish. Cover with foil and bake until just tender, 25-30 minutes. Add the butter and reserved vinegar mixture. Continue to roast, uncovered, basting occasionally with the pan juices, until the potatoes are golden brown, 15-20 minutes more.
Sauteed Swiss Chard or Spinach
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 large bunches Swiss chard or spinach, ribs and stems removed, leaves torn into 2”
pieces
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Directions
Wash the chard well in several changes of cold water. Drain in a colander. Heat oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and half of the Swiss chard, season with salt and pepper. Cook, tossing often until wilted. Add the lemon juice and remaining chard and cook, tossing, just until all chard is wilted about 1 minute. Season with additional salt and pepper if needed.
Grilled Steak Fajitas
Flank steaks are usually quite large. When I purchase one, I cut it in half and freeze one half for another meal.
Ingredients
1/2 pound or half of a large flank steak
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
Salt to taste
1 red bell pepper
2 medium Poblano peppers (dark green)
1 small onion
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 chipotle pepper in adobo + 1 tablespoon sauce, chopped
4 small flour tortillas or 2 large tortillas
Directions
At least two hours before dinner, coat the steak with salt to taste, the ground black pepper, cumin, and chili powder. Let sit in the refrigerator until ready to cook.
Cut the peppers into thick strips, discarding the ribs and seeds. Next, cut the onion into thick slices.
Place oil, peppers, and onions in a medium skillet and cook turning frequently until they are tender. Stir in the chipotle pepper and sauce. Keep warm.
Prepare an outdoor grill or heat a stovetop grill pan.
Place the steak on the grill and cook until the steak reaches an internal temperature of 125-130 degrees F on a meat thermometer.
Remove steak from the grill and cut diagonally into thin slices and add to the pepper mixture in the skillet.
Warm the tortillas on the edge of the grill, keeping them away from direct heat, so they are warm and soften but don’t dry out or turn crisp. Or wrap in paper towels and warm in the microwave.
Place a portion of the steak mixture into each tortilla, fold and serve.
Homemade Coleslaw
I like to make coleslaw in small batches because I don’t think it tastes very good after several days. I also like to serve coleslaw with Mexican entrees.
Ingredients
¼ of a large cabbage, shredded or sliced thin
1 carrot, shredded
2 scallions, minced
Dressing
1 teaspoon honey or another sweetener
1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper
1/4 teaspoon celery seed
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons sour cream
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Directions
In a medium serving bowl with a cover, combine the dressing ingredients using a whisk.
Add the shredded cabbage, carrot, and scallions and stir gently to mix.
Refrigerate covered for several hours before serving.
Feeling like an old fashioned fried seafood dinner at your favorite seafood restaurant but they are closed now due to the virus restrictions, so make this desire come true at home.
Ingredients for 4
Homemade Tartar Sauce
3/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons chopped sweet pickle relish
2 teaspoons dried dill
1 tablespoon minced scallions (white and light green parts only)
2 teaspoons chopped capers
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper to taste
Fish And Fries
Vegetable oil, for frying
3 russet potatoes, cut into 1/4-inch sticks
3/4 cup fine cornmeal
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup milk
2 pounds firm white fish fillets (such as hake, haddock, pollock or cod), cut into 3-inch chunks
Tartar sauce (recipe above)
Lemon wedges, for serving
Directions
For the tartar sauce:
In a medium bowl, mix together mayonnaise, relish, dill, scallions, capers, lemon juice, mustard, salt, and pepper. Set aside in the refrigerator until ready to use.
For the fish and fries:
Heat 1 inch deep of oil in a deep, wide skillet over medium-high heat. Preheat oven to 250°F.
Place a cooling rack onto a rimmed baking sheet and place in the oven. Place fries in the hot oil and cook until golden brown and tender, about 6 minutes. Remove to the prepared baking sheet in the oven and sprinkle with salt. Keep warm in the oven while the fish fries.
In a shallow dish, combine the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt, paprika, garlic powder, and pepper. Pour the milk into another shallow dish. Dip the fish in the milk, then dredge it in the cornmeal mixture, shaking off the excess. If you like a thicker breading, repeat the process, dipping the seafood in the milk and cornmeal mixture again.
Reheat the oil in the skillet. Working in batches, lower the seafood into the hot oil and fry, turning once, until golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Serve immediately with tartar sauce and lemon wedges.
Homemade Coleslaw
Ingredients
¼ of a large cabbage, shredded or sliced thin
1 carrot, shredded
2 scallions, minced
Dressing
1 teaspoon honey or another sweetener
1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper
1/4 teaspoon celery seed
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons sour cream
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Directions
In a medium serving bowl with a cover, combine the dressing ingredients using a whisk.
Add the shredded cabbage, carrot, and scallions and stir gently to mix.
Refrigerate for several hours before serving.
Beef Tenderloin Steaks
2 beef tenderloin steaks, (about 6 ounces each)
Olive oil, for brushing
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Place the steaks between pieces of plastic wrap and pound to a 1/2-inch thickness. Refrigerate.
A half-hour before cooking, remove the steaks from the refrigerator and preheat an outdoor or stovetop grill. Brush meat lightly with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place steaks on the grill and cook, without moving, until grill marks appear, about 4 minutes. Turn the steaks over and continue to grill until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the meat sideways registers about 120 degrees F, about 3 to 4 minutes more. Set aside on a cutting board to rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
Steak Salad
For 2 servings
3 cups mixed salad greens
Small red onion, sliced thin
Half a cucumber, peeled and sliced
Large tomato, diced
Celery stalk, sliced
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
Ranch Dressing, recipe below
Combine all the salad ingredients in a salad bowl and drizzle with the dressing according to taste.
Ranch Dressing
Ingredients
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon dried chives
1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Directions
In a medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, mayonnaise, sour cream, and vinegar. Add the chives, parsley, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper and whisk well to combine.
Easy, Easy Biscuits
Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour, plus extra for shaping the dough
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup mayonnaise
½ cup milk
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Sprinkle lightly with flour.
Stir biscuit ingredients together in a bowl until smooth. Pour flour mixture into the prepared parchment-covered pan.
Pat into a rectangle and cut the dough into six equal pieces. Separate the biscuits on the pan.
Bake until golden brown, about 25-30 minutes. Serve with the steak salad.
Ingredients for 2 servings
4 oz fettuccini pasta
1 cup Parmesan cheese
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 stick unsalted butter (1/4 cup)
2 cloves of minced garlic
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
8 large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/4 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
2 small heads (about 8 oz) broccoli florets, cut into 1-inch pieces
Directions
Boil a large pot of water, add salt and cook pasta to the al dente stage. Two minutes before the pasta is done, add the broccoli. Drain and set aside.
Sprinkle the shrimp with salt, pepper, and the Italian seasoning.
Melt the butter in a deep skillet, add in the garlic and cook for 20 seconds. Do not brown the garlic.
Add the cream, stir in the cheese and bring to a simmer. Add the shrimp and poach in the cream over low heat until pink.
Fold in the broccoli and pasta and cook just until warmed.
Pour the mixture into 2 individual pasta bowls and serve.
This dinner combines lots of colorful ingredients that are sure to brighten your dinner plate.
Corn Relish
Make this early in the day or the day before.
ingredients
2 cups fresh or frozen whole kernel corn, thawed
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
Half a large red bell pepper, finely diced
1/4 cup of sugar
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon mustard powder
1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
Directions
Mix corn, bell pepper, and onion in a medium bowl.
Heat remaining ingredients in a microwave bowl until hot. Pour over corn mixture. Stir well.
Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours to blend flavors.
Oven BBQ Salmon
4 servings
BBQ Sauce Ingredients
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 tablespoon dried minced onions or onion powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Salmon
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets
Sliced green onions
Directions
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
Combine all ingredients for the sauce in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
Heat the olive oil in a medium oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Lightly season salmon with salt and pepper and place in the skillet skin side up. Cook for 2minutes.
Turn salmon so that it is skin side down. Spoon the BBQ sauce over the salmon and place the pan in the oven until the salmon is cooked through about 10 to 12 minutes.
Baste salmon again with sauce. Spread a portion of relish on a dinner plate, top with a serving of salmon and sprinkle with green onions to serve.
Roasted Beets With Thousand Island Dressing
Thousand Island Dressing
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup onion, minced
1/4 cup minced red bell pepper
2 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
`/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Combine all the ingredients in a mixing bowl, cover, and refrigerate for several hours.
Roasted Beets
3-4 medium beets
Olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Trim the ends of the beets. Place the beets on a sheet of foil, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste, and seal in the foil. Put them on a cookie sheet and roast in the oven until tender, about 1 hour or longer until they are very tender. Remove them from the oven and let cool. Once cooled, peel and cut into thick slices. Place on a serving dish and drizzle with some of the dressing.
