Carnitas

Remember all that pulled pork we made? Well, it made quite a bit for only three people. We had to come up ways to “repurpose” it (Buzzword Bingo, I win!), so I browsed and melded a couple of carnitas recipes together. Most of the recipes make a spice rub to put on the pork before it’s cooked. Since our pork was already cooked and pulled, I added the spice rub to the sauce base and simmered it all together. We served it over chips like nachos, but it would work equally well for tacos or enchiladas.

A candid photo. Food stylist: Blaine

Pulled Pork Carnitas

Spice rub

2 Tbsp paprika
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 Tbsp salt
1 tsp white pepper (I didn’t have this, so I omitted it)
1 Tbsp black pepper
1 Tbsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 Tbsp oregano

Makes ½ cup. Use 1 Tbsp per cup of sauce base.

Sauce base

½ cup soy sauce (to make gluten free, just use GF soy sauce)
1 cup pineapple juice (I used a 6 oz can)
1 Tbsp ground cumin
1 tsp minced garlic
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice

Makes approx 1 ½ cup.

Mix 1 Tbsp spice mix per 1 cup of sauce. Pour over shredded pork in saucepan. (Amounts depend on how much meat and how juicy you like it.) Cover and heat over medium-low heat until heated through, stirring occasionally. Serve with tortillas, over tortillas chips, or to make enchiladas.

Pulled Pork with Root Beer BBQ Sauce

Blaine and Laney came up recently and were my guinea pigs for several recipes. This one worked out well because I could leave it in the crock pot while I was at work. I was a little nervous about the sauce, but it passed the test—Blaine said that it was NOT a waste of perfectly good root beer.

I couldn’t find a 3 pound shoulder roast, so I did a 6-lb roast and used it for several meals. I think that worked better for me anyway because I have a 6-qt crock pot. Just double the salt and pepper; the oil, onion and root beer stay the same.

For the sauce, I found the “bottled chili sauce” in the condiment aisle by the ketchup. I only saw a store brand labeled “Chili Sauce-‘ketchup with a kick’”. The bottle said 12 oz, but it barely filled up my 1 cup measuring cup, so I used it all.

Pulled Pork with Root Beer BBQ Sauce

For the pork:

1 2.5-3 pound pork shoulder roast (or 6 pound-see above)
½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
1 Tbsp cooking oil
2 medium onions, cut into thin wedges
1 cup root beer
2 Tbsp minced garlic

Trim fat from meat. If necessary, cut roast to fit into crock pot. Sprinkle meat with the salt and pepper. In a large skillet brown roast on all sides in hot oil. Drain. Transfer meat to a 3 ½-, 4-, or 5- quart electric crockery cooker. (Or a 6-qt like me if you have a bigger roast.) Add onions, the 1 cup root beer ,and garlic. Cover; cook on LOW 8-10 hours or HIGH 4-5 hours.

Transfer roast to a cutting board or serving platter. Let rest 10-15 minutes. With a slotted spoon, remove onions from juices and place on serving platter. Discard juices. Using two forks (or your fingers once it cools a little) pull meat apart into shreds. Serve with Root Beer BBQ Sauce. Makes 8-10 servings.

For the sauce:

3 cups root beer (two 12-oz cans or bottles)
1 cup bottled chili sauce (see above)
¼ tsp root beer concentrate (optional)
6-8 dashes Tabasco (optional)

In a medium saucepan combine the 2 cans or bottles of root beer and bottled chili sauce. Bring to boiling; reduce heat.

Boil gently, uncovered, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes or until the mixture is reduced to 2 cups. Add root beer concentrate and Tabasco, if desired.

NOTE: Make ahead—Transfer pork mixture to covered container and chill up to 24 hours. Or transfer to 1-, 2-, or 4-serving freeze containers; seal, label and freeze up to 1 month. Thaw overnight before serving. To reheat, transfer to saucepan; cover and heat over medium-low heat until heated through, stirring occasionally. If necessary, add 2-4 Tbsp water to keep mixture from sticking.
Recipe from www.bhg.com

Sausage-Cheese Muffins

These are a great two-bite size. Would work well for a brunch, or just freeze a batch and reheat as needed for breakfast.

1 (1-lb) package ground pork sausage
3 cups Bisquick
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
1 (10 3/4-oz) can condensed cheese soup
1/2 cup water

1. Preheat oven to 375'F. Cook sausage in a large skillet, stirring until it crumbles and is no longer pink. Drain and cool.
2. Combine sausage, Bisquick, and shredded cheese in a large bowl; make a well in center of mixture.
3. Stir together soup and 1/2 cup water; add to sausage mixture, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Spoon into lightly greased mini muffin pans, filling to top of cups.
4. Bake at 375'F for 16 minutes or until golden.
Yield: 4 dozen

Pork Medallions with Orange-Apricot Sauce

Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
1 (1-pound) pork tenderloin, cut into 8 (1-inch-thick) slices
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup thinly sliced onion
1/2 cup dried apricots, sliced
1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Preparation
Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle pork evenly with salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add pork to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until browned. Remove from pan; keep warm.
Heat remaining 1 teaspoon oil in pan. Add onion to pan; sauté 3 minutes or until tender. Stir in apricots, broth, juice, garlic, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper; bring to a boil. Cook 2 minutes or until slightly thickened. Remove from heat; stir in parsley. Serve sauce with pork.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 2 pork slices and 1/4 cup sauce)

Calories:236 (29% from fat)
Fat:7.6g (sat 1.8g,mono 4g,poly 0.7g)
Protein:23.8g
Carbohydrate:15.8g
Fiber:1.6g
Cholesterol:63mg
Iron:2.2mg
Sodium:390mg
Calcium:23mg
Jackie Mills, MS, RD, Cooking Light, JANUARY 2008

Easy Stuffed Acorn Squash

This is a highly adaptable recipe to whatever you like and whatever you have on hand. It is simplified (and sped up) from most of the recipes I came across. Pre-microwaving the squash is a big time saver. Also, I think you can easily expand the recipe. I originally made it with 2 cups rice and it made enough stuffing for at least 3 servings. If you don’t like so much squash, then quarter the squash and mound the stuffing in the curvature.

Easy Stuffed Acorn Squash

Start to table time: about 30 minutes

1 acorn squash, cut in half, seeded
½ lb pork sausage
1 cup prepared rice (any type-white, brown, long grain, whatever you like, even couscous)
1 T diced onion
1 T diced celery
1 T chopped nuts (I used pecans; slivered almonds and pinons would probably also be good)
1 T dried cranberries (or raisins, or dried chopped apricot)
Salt and Pepper
butter or margarine
cheese (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350’F.

2. Cut and seed acorn squash. Place cut side down on a microwaveable plate with a little water on it, cover with plastic wrap or lid and microwave 7-8 min on HI. (I used my Sensor Cook for “Hard Vegetables.”)

3. Meanwhile, brown sausage in medium sized skillet. While meat is cooking, dice celery and onion; chop nuts.

4. Once the meat is browned, remove from skillet and add onion and celery, sautéing in remaining drippings (approx 2 minutes).

5. Return meat to skillet. Add nuts, dried fruit, and rice. Salt and pepper to taste.

6. Take the squash from the microwave and place cut side up on a cookie sheet or Pyrex dish. Baste the squash with margarine, leaving a little excess in the well. Fill the squash cavity with the rice stuffing, mounding on top. Sprinkle with shredded cheese, if desired.

7. Bake until heated through and/or cheese is melted and browning (~10 minutes). This allows flavors to meld.