Category Archives: PORK RECIPES

ITALIAN SAUSAGE PASTA WITH ROASTED RED PEPPERS AND MOZZARELLA CHEESE

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Well, once again laziness and frugality paid off here at Chez Carr.

I had a couple of left-over Italian dinner sausages, half a jar of Cento brand roasted red and yellow peppers, and a couple of cups of shredded mozzarella cheese in the fridge that either needed to be used or added to the yard waste barrel. (And no, they were neither engulfed in blue fur or too far gone to use safely. Just great ingredients that really should be used before they went bad.) So, what immediately sprang to mind was a pasta dish. (Unfortunately, pasta is never far from what’s on my mind, but that’s a discussion for another day.)

So, I decided a quick and easy “lasagna like” casserole for a lazy Saturday evening meal would be perfect.

Starting with my old standby marinara recipe, I deleted a couple of ingredients, added a couple of others, and came up with what you see written below. And OMG, for the brief time I spent on this dish, it tasted like I had spent hours slaving over its preparation. Plus, I got to use part of a package of strozzapreti pasta in the process. Which BTW, we discovered we really liked. (I had been a bit reluctant to try it because A) it is hard to find in our part of the world, B) I thought it might be difficult to eat, and C) because I’d purchased it two or three years ago and it might no longer be good.) Well, not only was it still good; it was absolutely delicious. And my hesitation about the shape making it hard to eat; completely unfounded. Of course, I did break the roughly 3-inch pieces in thirds, which significantly reduced any chance of choking. (Read about the history of strozzapreti below.)

So, if you too love a pasta casserole, give this recipe a try. And don’t be afraid of using fennel seed. After all, it’s what makes Italian sausage so delightfully delicious. Stay safe everyone. And peace and love to all.

3 T. extra virgin olive oil, divided

½-1 lb. Italian dinner sausage, cut into thin slices (or bulk Italian sausage)

½ med. onion, chopped

4 garlic cloves, finely minced

1 (28-oz.) can chopped or diced tomatoes (Italian tomatoes preferably)

1 c. chopped roasted red/yellow peppers (Cento brand is amazing)

1 bay leaf

pinch crushed red pepper flakes

1½ tsp. dried oregano (I use Mexican oregano)

1½ tsp. ground fennel seed

½ tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

6 oz. strozzapreti*, gemelli, or fusilli pasta – cooked al dente

2 generous c. shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

In a large fry pan, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Add the sliced Italian sausage and cook until the sausage is nicely browned on both sides. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a medium sized heavy covered pan, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the onion and cook just until softened. Add the garlic and cook for one minute.

Add the chopped or diced tomatoes, roasted red peppers, bay leaf, crushed red pepper flakes, oregano, ground fennel seed, salt, and black pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile lightly butter a 9×9-inch baking dish. Set aside.

After the sauce has burbled for 30 minutes, stir in the browned sausage and al dente pasta. Scoop half of the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Then sprinkle with half of the shredded mozzarella, them layer on the remaining sauce. Sprinkle on the remaining shredded mozzarella cheese.

Bake uncovered in a pre-heated 350-degree oven for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit for 5-7 minutes before serving.

*To quote Chef Stef “Strozzapreti is the taller cousin of cavatelli and the gangsta of the pasta family. Strozzapreti‘s name literally means “Priest Stranglers”. Yes, in the Middle Ages this pasta was designed to choke priests to death right in front of you as you were having dinner. The Heimlich maneuver hadn’t been invented yet.  But a hatred of paying taxes to the church had been. Furthermore, medieval Italy had a love of curses. Apparently a sfoglina (female pasta maker) would mutter a curse damning the priest with each cut of pasta. Think of strozzapreti as the semolina version of John Wick**!”

**Apparently, John Wick is a fictional character and the titular protagonist of the neo-noir action thriller film series “John Wick,” portrayed by Keanu Reeves. John is a legendary hitman who had retired until a gang invades his house, steals his car, and kills the puppy that his late wife Helen had given him.

 

HAM, CARAMELIZED ONION, AND SWISS CHEESE QUICHE IN A WHOLE WHEAT CRUST

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I added a bit of kale and chopped green onion to garnish the quiche before baking. Wasn’t necessary. Won’t do it again.

And yes, we love quiche. And that’s why there are already several quiche recipes on this site. Now, one of the things I like most about quiches is their versatility. I can put pretty much any ingredient in a pie shell, pour eggs and milk over the top, and bake until the filling is set. Voila! Egg pie!

So, the other evening, quiche was on our dinner table. And yes, quiche is also perfect for breakfast or lunch. That’s another versatile thing that I love about this dish. But mainly it’s about how wonderful this dish tastes. And how the creamy rich filling is offset by the crispy pie crust. (I don’t use this simple pie crust recipe for regular pies because it isn’t a flaky crust. But for quiche, it’s perfect!) And very easy to make. And at this stage in my life, I support easy.

So, if you too would enjoy a quiche that has all the requisite elements of a successful dish that includes, easy to prepare, delicious, not too expensive, and everyone at table will love, then this is the recipe for you. Make it “quiche night” at your house in the near future. Your family will love you even more than they already do!

And isn’t that what it’s all about anyway. Love and family and understanding and forgiveness and respect.

In these trying days when there is almost a civil war happening between the people who are vaccinated and those who aren’t, please don’t forget that everyone is doing their best. (Except for certain politicians who are trying to kill Democracy. But that’s another story!)

But for those of us who simply can’t understand why anyone would hesitate to get vaccinated, it seems like such a simple thing to just do it. (I fall in that camp BTW.) But I don’t live in another person’s head. I don’t know their fears or misgivings or past experiences. And I definitely don’t know what it’s like to be unable to make a decision. But from the few I know who haven’t been vaccinated, inertia seems to be the biggest reason to remain unvaccinated. So, be kind to these people and try to understand that life may not be as easy for them as it is for you. Love them, treat them with respect, and above all, don’t give up on them. Not everyone was lucky enough to be born with what I consider to be “a good tool belt”. A tool belt containing a goodly amount of intelligence, an inherent sense of self-worth, imagination, empathy, understanding, energy, and various other attributes that help most of us become happy, caring, and successful adults. If you were born with a good tool belt, you were just plain lucky. Not everyone was similarly blessed. So, be patient and kind. Don’t burn bridges that might never have been built if not for covid-19. And no, it’s not easy. I have a couple relatives I would like to shake by the shoulders, throw them in the back of my car, and drive them to get vaccinated. But I don’t walk in their shoes, and no one (yet) has put me in charge. Until then, I do the best I can. I’m not perfect and I get pretty darned frustrated. But I have yet to lose a friendship because we have differing opinions about being vaccinated. (OK, maybe one. But he isn’t family, and we have history anyway!) So, like I said, it’s not easy to safely maneuver the vaccination minefield. But definitely worth the effort.  

And as always, peace and love to all.

8-inch pie crust (see recipe below) 

2 T. unsalted butter

1½ c. diced ham

½ med. onion, chopped

2½ c. grated Swiss, Gruyère, Emmental, or Jarlsberg cheese (or combination)

1½ c. whole milk (part half & half is great)

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

freshly ground black pepper

5 lg. eggs

ground nutmeg

Heat the butter in a small frying pan. Sauté the ham pieces until browned. Using a slotted spoon or spatula, remove the ham to a small bowl. Set aside.

Add onion and cook over medium low heat, stirring frequently, until the onion is soft and starts to become a light golden brown, 20 – 30 minutes.

Scatter ham pieces over the partially baked pie crust. Layer cheese on top of ham. Scatter cooked onions evenly over the cheese.

Whisk together the milk/half & half, Dijon mustard, black pepper, and eggs. Pour liquid mixture in pie pan. Sprinkle with nutmeg. Hint: to keep your pie crust edge from getting too brown while baking, cover with thin strips of aluminum foil.

Bake in a pre-heated 350-degree oven until the filling is set, about 45-55 minutes. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Whole Wheat Pie Crust

1 c. unbleached all-purpose flour

1 c. whole wheat pastry flour   

heaping ½ tsp. salt

1 tsp. sugar

¼ tsp. baking powder

7 T. vegetable or canola oil

5 T. cold water  

Whisk the flours, salt, sugar, and baking powder together. Pour the oil and water over the dry ingredients. Stir with a fork until the dough is evenly moistened. Pat the dough across the bottom of a fairly deep pie pan, then up to the rim.  

Bake in a pre-heated 400-degree oven for 12 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside until you are ready to assemble the quiche. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.

  

BOURBON MARINATED GRILLED PORK TENDERLOIN

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Whenever I want a simple main dish that requires a minimum of effort and a maximum of flavor, I think of pork tenderloin. I know I’ve said it before, but pork tenderloin is just about the perfect meat. It is tender and juicy, when treated with respect, easy on the budget, and tastes amazing when given the opportunity. And it does taste marvelous when marinated, baked, or sauced with other yummy ingredients. Because let’s be honest here. Left unadorned, pork tenderloin (or pork roast or chops) can be a bit boring. But quite often, I don’t want a heavy sauce with all the extra calories. I just want a simple piece of meat, but I want it to be flavorful. And that’s where a great marinade can come in handy. And oh my, this marinade makes for a very flavorful meat. I changed the recipe a bit from the original I found on the plainchicken.com site to better reflect our tastes, but the bones of the recipe are all on Stephanie.

And I also know what some of you are thinking. Here you go again Patti with your love/hate relationship with bourbon. And you’d be correct. I still can’t get the stuff past my lips if it is in the form of a drink. But as an ingredient, I have nothing but respect for what it lends to all kinds of dishes, from savory to sweet. In fact, if you want to see how frequently I use bourbon as an ingredient, just type bourbon in the “search” box on this site, and you will be amazed at this whiskey’s versatility. (And no, I am not on the bourbon industry’s payroll. But perhaps I should be. Of course, it would all be fun and games until they offered me a drink. Then all bets would be off! I would probably be asked to resign and that would hurt my feelings. So, I’m better off just using the product in recipes, then sharing my recipes with you, and leaving the rest in the capable hands of people who actually enjoy drinking the stuff.)  

So, bottom line, if you would like a recipe for pork tenderloin that is easy to build and tastes wonderful, give this recipe a try. And no, you don’t have to use fancy bourbon for this recipe. I use Jim Beam in every dish I make that calls for bourbon. I keep the bottle in my pantry along with other wines and spirits I use exclusively in recipes. My own stash for my own use! (OK, I do let Mr. C. use my booze if he asks very nicely.)

As always, have fun in your kitchen. Try new recipes, but cling to your favorites as well. There is just nothing better than making an old favorite that everyone adores. It’s like having a good friend over to dine. Just brings a smile to your face. Speaking of which, isn’t it wonderful to be able to once again have family and friends over for dinner. Or to go to someone else’s home for a visit.

On that happy note, I wish to propose a toast to all the medical personnel who worked on the covid-19 vaccine, who attended people who came down with the virus, or who were in any way responsible for helping us make it this far in our pandemic struggle. And to the people who taught our children via Zoom, worked in grocery stores, or in any way provided services that brought them into potential harm, my sincere thanks to each and every one of you.

And if you have yet to be vaccinated, please do so as soon as possible. We should each do our part to help conquer this horrible virus. I feel that it is not only our responsibility to help in this cause; it should also feel like our privilege to assist in putting an end to the spread of this often-fatal disease. So, please do your part. Get vaccinated!

Peace and love to all.  

¼ c. bourbon

2 T. brown sugar

2 T. soy sauce

1 T. Worcestershire sauce

1 T. fresh lemon juice

¼ tsp. granulated garlic

1/8 tsp. granulated onion

1 pork tenderloin, silver skin removed

kosher salt

Whisk the bourbon, brown sugar, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, granulated garlic, granulated onion, and black pepper together in a covered container.

Place pork tenderloin in the marinade and refrigerate for an hour to overnight. (Overnight is best.)

Remove pork from marinade, sprinkle liberally with kosher salt and grill until internal temperature reaches 145-degrees. (about 12 minutes) 

Remove from grill, tent, and allow to sit for about 5 minutes before thinly slicing on the diagonal.  

 

BRINED AND BAKED PORK CHOPS

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Whenever I plan a trailer camping trip, the first meat I think to bring along is the other white meat. You know – pork. And because pork products come in many forms, for this post, I am only referring to pork chops and pork tenderloin. But why only chops and tenderloin? That’s simple to explain. They are both very easy to cook. Sometimes it takes a little prep work to coach the best out of these cuts, but never very much. But cooking either cut takes a gentle hand. Pork needs to be respected and of utmost importance, it should never be over cooked. (Of course, it can be over cooked, but not if you desire a tender piece of meat.)

For years I couldn’t fix a tender pork chop to save my soul. But then I discovered brining and learned that trichinosis is not the plague it once was, and therefore we no longer need to cook pork to death! So now, every camping trip includes pork chops and pork tenderloin. And both are always very well received with very little effort expended on my part.

Happily, last evening, we feasted on tender and succulent pork chops thanks to this recipe I found on the iwashyoudry.com site. I served the chops with Easy Fried Rice and Garlic Roasted Sugar Snap Peas. (Both recipes soon to be posted.)

So, if you too are a fan of pork chops but can’t stand it when your chops turn out dry and fit only for repairing the soles of your favorite leather boots, give this recipe a try. You will be glad you did.

As always, keep smiling, keep being tolerant of others even if their views differ radically from your own, and most importantly, thank your lucky stars that you were blessed with a mind that can discern fact from fiction. Because there is a lot of fiction being touted these days around the country, and especially in Washington DC. And unfortunately, not everyone was born with a healthy intellect or was taught critical thinking. That level of intelligence or skill is simply not possessed by everyone. So, be kind. Understand that you are just luckier than some.

Peace and love to all.

2 (4 oz. each) 1-inch or thicker boneless pork chops

2 c. warm water

2 tsp. kosher salt

2 tsp. seasoned salt

extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp. granulated garlic

½ tsp. paprika

freshly ground black pepper

Bring the pork chops to room temperature before preparing the brine.  

Place the warm water in a flat glass container that will allow the pork chops to not overlap. Stir in the kosher and seasoned salt until they are both dissolved. Place the pork chops in the salt water, making sure the chops are completely covered. (Add additional water if necessary). Let the pork chops sit in the water at room temperature for 30 to 45 minutes, or place in your fridge for up to 24 hours. (I brined and refrigerated our chops for 7 hours. They were perfect.)  

Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper.

Remove pork chops from salt water and pat dry with paper towels, making sure all moisture is removed. Drizzle both sides of pork chops with a bit of olive oil, then season both sides with the granulated garlic, paprika, and black pepper.  

Bake in a pre-heated 425-defree oven for about 8 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches about 143-degrees. Remove from oven and cover loosely with foil for 5 minutes before serving.

    

BAKED PORK CARNITAS

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OK, I admit, the picture does not do the carnitas justice. But if there were any real justice anyway, someone would take my camera away from me. I give the whole “photography thing” a bad name!

For whatever reason, I had never made carnitas before yesterday. I had prepared pulled pork, but never pork carnitas. And I must say, I much prefer carnitas. Because unlike pulled pork, the meat is finished by roasting uncovered in the oven until all tender and brown with lovely crispy bits. Then removed from the pan, allowed to cool a bit, and shredded. Then returned to the pot and stirred into the remaining juice. So, in the end you have, tender, partially crisp, and very flavorful meat in sauce to use in any of your favorite Mexican recipes. Tacos, burritos, tamales, to name a few.

Last evening, I simply warmed some corn tortillas to hold the pork carnitas meat, then laid out homemade refried beans, diced avocado, finely chopped tomato, shredded cheese, sour cream, and a mild red salsa. Yum! And the beautiful part, I had spent hardly any prep time on this fabulous way to use a fairly inexpensive cut of pork. Well, the prep time was insignificant, but the time in the oven would preclude this being a great weekday recipe for any person getting home after 2:00 in the afternoon. Because the total time in the oven is at least 3 hours.

However, the good news is that the cook doesn’t have to babysit the pork while it’s in the oven. So, this is a great recipe for a Saturday or Sunday evening, or whatever day of the week you are off work.   

And oh my gosh, pork is so delicious fixed this way. The smell alone emanating from your oven is worth any effort expended on this dish. And while the pork is braising/roasting away, all you wonderful cooks out there will be free to attend to other household duties. Such as cleaning your house, doing loads of laundry, hunting and gathering groceries, providing assistance with your kid’s homework, gardening, and my personal favorite – chauffeuring your kidlets all over God’s creation! (And yes, I still have vague memories of weekends when my kids were young. But a lot of my time spent being a mommy to young children and keeping a household running remain a blur, which I fervently hope will solidify as I get old. OK, get even older! Because I would really like to remember a bit more about those very busy years of my life!) (And I know, be careful what you wish for!)

Anyway, take it from me, this dish from the recipetineats.com site is one you most assuredly should make at your earliest convenience. Your family will love it. And it’s absolutely guest worthy. Perfect for a taco party. (When we can once again welcome guests into our homes, that is!) 

So, as always, be adventurous in your kitchen, laugh out loud whenever the mood strikes, and cherish the time you spend with your family. They may drive you bat poop crazy some days, but those days will be long gone sooner than you can even begin to imagine.

Peace and love to all.

2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

2 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. ground cumin 

2½ lb. boneless, skinless pork shoulder, trimmed of as much fat as possible

½ onion , chopped

½ jalapeño, seeded, deveined and finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

½ c. orange juice

1½ c. water  

Combine the olive oil, salt, pepper, oregano, and cumin. Rinse and dry the pork, then rub all over with olive oil mixture. 

Place the pork in a Dutch oven or covered roasting pan. Surround the meat with the onion, jalapeño, minced garlic, orange juice, and water.

Cover and braise the meat in a pre-heated 325-degree oven for 2 hours. Uncover and continue roasting for another 60-90 minutes. During this time, the liquid will reduce considerably, and the meat will become brown and crisp. (Check after 60 minutes.) Add additional water if required. (You want to end up with very tender, partially crispy brown meat, and a scant cup of liquid.)

Remove meat to a platter, let cool slightly, then shred using two forks. Discard any fat. Add the meat back to the pot and stir to combine with the remaining liquid. Use in any of your favorite recipes.

Easy way to warm corn tortillas:

Wrap a stack of tortillas (five or fewer) in aluminum foil and heat at 350-degrees  for 15 to 20 minutes. 

I wish the pink in this picture of the evening sky was as vivid as what we experienced first hand the other evening. It still amazes me after living on Camano Island for 12 plus years, to see masses of clouds over the mainland. And clear skies overhead and to the West. So the setting sun often brightens up the clouds like this. It’s a wonderful world folks. And watching the beauty of nature is a gift we can all share.

 

SWEET AND SOUR SESAME PORK (OR CHICKEN)

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I’ve never been a great lover of sweet and sour pork because I basically hate pineapple. And invariably when sweet and sour pork is offered at a Chinese restaurant, there are big honkin’ pieces of pineapple cluttering up the dish. Now for most people, like my dear husband, that’s just fine. But I just have to say, “no thank you”. But I was hungry for Chinese food the other day. So, while searching for a Chinese pork recipe, I found this recipe on the dinneratthezoo.com site.  The recipe didn’t actually label itself as sweet and sour, but that’s exactly what it tastes like to me. So, that’s how I’m going to title it.

But regardless of what this lovely dish is called, it is an absolutely marvelous way to make 2 boneless pork chops expand to feed at least 5 people. And in such a delicious and easy to prepare manner. Steam up some rice, add a veggie dish like my recipe for Asian Green Beans, and a glorious Chinese dinner is on your table in no time.

This being Valentines Day, and me feeling a bit lazy, I’m going to make this preface short. Plus, it’s still snowing and sure as shootin’, tonight’s forecast for rain will wipe away all vestiges of this white, fluffy ground covering by tomorrow afternoon. So, I’m going to kick back and spend some quality time just looking out the window.

As always, enjoy life to the fullest. Relax when you have the chance. And given the opportunity, spend a couple of hours just watching nature take its course. We live in such a beautiful world. Take advantage of that as much as possible. Peace and love to all. And Happy Valentine’s Day! Oh, and I hope you enjoy this fabulous dish!  

For the sauce:

¼ c. honey

⅓ c. soy sauce (reduced sodium if possible)

½ c. ketchup

3 T. brown sugar, packed

2 T. rice vinegar

1 T. toasted sesame oil

2 tsp. cornstarch

2 tsp. vegetable oil

2 lg. garlic cloves, finely minced

Combine the honey, soy sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and cornstarch in a bowl.

Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the honey mixture and bring to a simmer. Cook for 3-4 minutes or just until thickened. Set aside.

For the pork:

1 lb. thick boneless pork chops, cut into ½-inch pieces or 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into small pieces

1 egg 

¼ tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

¼ c. all-purpose flour

¼ c. cornstarch

vegetable oil for frying

2 T. sesame seeds

3-4 green onions, thinly sliced

Beat the eggs, salt, and pepper together in a bowl. Stir in the pork pieces. Place the flour and cornstarch in a gallon sized zip-lock bag. Pinch the bag for a few seconds until the flour and cornstarch are well blended. Just before ready to fry the pork, drain off any excess egg and pour the coated pork cubes into the flour mixture. Carefully zip the bag shut and toss the pork cubes until evenly coated.    

In a frying pan large enough to accommodate all of the pork pieces in a single layer, heat enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan.

Add the coated pork. Over medium heat, fry the first side until crispy and golden brown. Carefully flip the pieces and again, fry until golden brown.

Pour the sauce over the cooked pork and gently toss. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds and green onions. Serve immediately. Great over steamed rice.

CHICKEN SCARPARIELLO

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Chicken Scarpariello is a classic Italian-American dish featuring chicken thighs and sweet Italian sausage in a vinegary, sweet-sour pan sauce.  In Italian “scarpariello” means shoemaker or shoe fixer. So, basically, chicken shoemaker-style. Kind of branded in the same way puttanesca was as “lady of the night” (roughly translated) but without the same cachet! Anyway, I made this dish last evening because everything I had read about it piqued my interest. Plus, I had never seen this dish listed on a menu. (At least to my best recollection, which isn’t saying much the older I get!). The description simply fascinated me. It screamed interesting and different. And I must say, my glommed together recipe was just that. Interesting and different. Oh, and also quite flavorful.

It took my taste buds a few bites before they fully accepted the new flavors. They had tasted a light vinegary broth before, but never quite like this. And especially in an Italian dish. But after a few more bites, they seemed to settle down and welcome the new flavors. As did Mr. C’s taste buds. His even more than mine!

So, I really debated whether I should post this recipe. (This dish being quite different after all!) But, after much deliberation and remembering that Mr. C. had seconds and was looking forward to leftovers, I decided in favor of sharing this recipe with you. But with full disclosure. This is probably not a dish your whole family would enjoy. Especially not young children. Mac and cheese, it is not. Spaghetti and meatballs, again no relationship. But, for anyone with a quest for new and different ways to use chicken or Italian sausage, and a sense of culinary adventure, please be my guest.

Would I make it again? Absolutely. Would it be something I could eat once a week? Nope! Is it a fast and easy dish to prepare? Not really. Would I serve it to guests? Yes, but I would have to know their tastes before making such a decision. (Kind of like serving oysters, lamb, or liver and onions. You must know your guests tastes pretty darn well before springing any of the above on them!)

Now, I hope I haven’t scared anyone away from trying this dish. I generally love surprises myself. But not at the expense of my pocketbook or use of my time. This is not a terribly expensive dish to prepare. But it ain’t cheap either. And it does take some time to prepare. But I truly would not have posted this recipe if I didn’t think it was worthy of both your time and your money. But it is different. So be prepared.

As always, keep thinking of cooking as an adventure. Because that’s exactly what it is. Sometimes you discover a new flavor sensation. Good or bad. Sometimes you unearth a fact like the genetic reason cilantro tastes like soap. (I’m in that group.) But most of the time you are simply keeping yourself and your family healthy by providing nourishing, delicious, and hopefully interesting meals. Bravo to you. And keep up the good work.

Peace and love to all.  

2 T. extra virgin olive oil

1-1½ lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite sized pieces 

kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

1 lb. bulk Italian sausage (I use sweet Italian sausage, but hot would work too)

1 sweet onion, halved then thinly sliced

2 bell peppers, sliced – your choice of color (I used 1 green, 1 red)

4 cloves garlic, finely minced

pinch crushed red pepper flakes

4 sweet cherry peppers*, sliced, plus 1 tablespoon brine (see picture below)

½ c. dry white wine

2 8-inch sprigs fresh rosemary, broken into 2-inch pieces  

1½ c. chicken broth

2 T. fresh lemon juice 

2 T. unsalted butter

Add olive oil to a very large sauté pan over medium high heat. Season the chicken liberally with salt and pepper. When the oil is hot, fry the chicken until browned on the outside and cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. Remove to a bowl.

Add the sausage to pan and brown. Don’t break the sausage up too much. You want nice big bite sized pieces of sausage in the final product. When cooked through, remove to bowl with the cooked chicken.

Add the chopped onion and bell peppers to the pan. Sauté over medium-low heat until the onion is just softened. Add the garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, sweet cherry peppers, brine, and rosemary. Cook for about 1 minute or until the garlic is fragrant. Add the white wine and cook until every bit of the liquid has evaporated.

Add the chicken broth to the skillet and cook over high heat, scraping up any browned bits, until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Add the lemon juice and butter and stir until well combined.

Return the cooked sausage and chicken to the pan, cook for 2-3 more minutes or until the meat is hot.   

Serve in shallow soup bowls with toasted baguette slices or Garlic Toast (recipe on site of course) to sop up the lovely juices.

Please note: Many of the recipes I perused contained potato. One recipe suggested oven roasted potatoes on the side. So that’s what I served with the dish last evening along with steamed green beans. See recipe below for Oven Roasted Potatoes.

*I used Mezzetta Sweet Cherry Peppers. I can actually find them at my local IGA! 

 

OVEN ROASTED POTATOES

2-3 med. sized Yukon gold potatoes, cut into ⅓-inch thick rounds

1 T. extra virgin olive oil

seasoned salt

freshly ground black pepper

On a rimmed baking sheet, toss potatoes with the olive oil. Then arrange in a single layer. Sprinkle the top side only with seasoned salt and plenty of black pepper.

Bake in a pre-heated 450-degree oven until tender and both sides are lightly browned, 20–30 minutes. Turn once during the baking time.

           

ITALIAN SAUSAGE, CANNELLINI BEAN, PASTA, AND KALE MINESTRONE

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And yes, I know. I just posted a soup recipe. But if you could look out my East facing windows, you would know why soup was most definitely on the menu again last evening. Where on a clear day we can see several snow-covered peaks in the Cascade mountain range, including Mt. Baker, the ever-changing wind patterns on Port Susan Bay, and a great expanse of sky even if there are a vast array of clouds, the last few days have been gray, misty, foggy, rainy, drizzly, socked in, etc. – basically obscuring our beautiful view. In other words, we are experiencing typical winter weather in the North Sound region. So, of course, what else should I expect? I know. I get it. But that doesn’t mean I have to like it! So, when I look outside and all I can see are wet dripping trees in my front yard, my body goes into comfort mode. And as you well know, one of my favorite comfort foods is soup.

Now, I didn’t start out to make minestrone. I don’t even like most soups calling themselves minestrone. Mr. C. doesn’t particularly like them either. I just wanted a soup with Italian sausage, cannellini beans, lots of veggies, and pasta. But by the time I finished listing the ingredients I wanted to use, it dawned on me that what I had basically created was minestrone. But my way. So, why fight it? I just told myself to build the soup and see what happens.

So last evening, we sat down to this soup and slices of Sourdough Whole-Wheat Bran Bread (recipe coming soon) that had only been out of the oven for a couple of hours. We both agreed, that call this soup what we may, it was absolutely delicious. And if this was what good minestrone tasted like, perhaps we had been missing out on a rare treat all along. Of course, we will never know. Because when we get a yearning for this soup again, this minestrone recipe is what I will use.

So, next time you get a craving for a hearty, winter soup, I advise you to prepare a big old pot of minestrone. (I still can’t believe I’m advocating making minestrone!) Anyway, just make this soup. You’ll be glad you did.

As always, never be afraid to change your opinion when you are proven wrong. Or laugh at yourself for being pig-headed over an inconsequential matter. (Like me denouncing minestrone!) Many of our prejudices (great or small) are grounded in feelings rather than facts. So, like my prejudice against minestrone soup, just let them go. Peace and love to all.

1 lb. bulk Italian sausage

2 carrots, chopped

2 stalks celery, thinly sliced

1 med. yellow onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, finely minced

6 c. chicken broth, or more as needed

1 (14.5-oz.) can diced tomatoes (Italian, if possible)

2 tsp. dried basil

1 tsp. Italian seasoning

scant ¼ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

1 bay leaf

½ tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

1-2 c. cooked cannellini beans* (1 (15-oz.) can, drained and rinsed works too)

1 c. dry pasta (I use small elbow macaroni)

2- 3 c. loosely packed chopped kale or spinach

extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling

grated Parmesan or Pecorino-Romano cheese, for garnish

Brown the Italian sausage in a large, covered soup pot or Dutch oven. Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon and set aside**.  

Add the carrots, celery, and onion. Cook until the onion is tender, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.

Add the chicken broth, canned tomatoes including juice, dried basil, Italian seasoning, crushed red pepper flakes, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer gently for 40 minutes.  

Add the cannellini beans (cooking liquid and all) and pasta. Simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until pasta is al dente, about 10 minutes. Stir in the kale and cooked Italian sausage.  Cook only until the kale is wilted, about 2 minutes. Adjust seasoning. Discard bay leaf.

Serve soup drizzled with a bit of olive oil. Pass grated cheese.

*How I cook cannellini beans for this soup

1 c. dried cannellini beans, rinsed

3 c. water

½ tsp. seasoned salt

freshly ground black pepper

1 T. dehydrated onion pieces

1 tsp. Italian seasoning

2 T. extra virgin olive oil

Put all in a covered pot. Bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until the beans are tender. Depending on the age of your dried beans, this can take 2-4 hours – or beyond. So, I start the beans well in advance of the soup itself. When the recipe calls for the beans, I pour the whole mess in the soup pot. I don’t drain the beans. The liquid itself adds flavor to the soup.

**Please note: This is a trick I learned many years ago and often use whenever I use Italian sausage or the like in a recipe. I take the Italian sausage out of the pan after I have first cooked it, because, if I left it in the soup, by the time it came time to serve the soup, there would be no flavor left in the meat. I want that burst of Italian sausage yumminess in every bite. And yes, the broth will still be delicious even without the sausage simmering away with all the other ingredients. Try it, you’ll like it Mikey!     

 

CREAMY BACON AND CHEDDAR CHEESE VEGETABLE SOUP

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Whenever I’m feeling kind of low or my arthritis is flaring up, I turn to soup. So yesterday, feeling both low and not physically at my best, I came up with this easy recipe for a cheesy vegetable soup for dinner.

Now, for those who know me personally, please don’t worry about either my mental health or my physical well-being. Every once in a while, when I read about all the morons out there who cause trouble just for the shear pleasure of doing so, their antics over-whelm me. I simply can’t understand or empathize in any way with their stupid and destructive behavior. I lose all ability to sympathize in any way with their fundamental right to be nitwits. In other words – I want to take a bucket of ice water and pour it over their heads. Or better yet, become Marshall Dillon and throw all their racist, destructive, malevolent butts in jail. And, throw away the key! I know. Tell me how you really feel, Patti!

But as much as I try to stay mad or moody or depressed, it only lasts for a day or so. Then my usual calm and equanimous nature springs back and I once again feel magnanimous towards all my fellow denizens of mother earth. (Well, most of them anyway!) And because of fast acting drugs, I can usually force my arthritis into submission within a couple of days also. So, like I said, not to worry. I’m much better today. But back to this soup.

I had some bacon that needed to be used. I also had a small green pepper on its last legs (so to speak), and some broccoli that was well past its pull date. (I know. Fresh veggies don’t come with pull dates. But if they did……) Anyway, I decided a nice hearty vegetable soup would be just what the doctor ordered. But not too healthy. Considering my mood and joint pain, I felt in need of comfort. And of course, felt I well deserved it too. Mr. C. offered to either cook dinner or go pick something up, but I had been inactive all day. And as I am fond of saying, busy hands are happy hands. (No, I don’t always say that. But it has always worked out that way for me!) So, to the kitchen I proceeded.

And after spending all of an hour plotting, planning, hacking, slashing, cooking, and simmering, dinner was on the table. And I felt better. Not only about the state of the world, but my arthritis seemed to have taken the hint and faded into the background.    

So, if you too have days when life seems more difficult than usual, may I take this opportunity to recommend soup. There is just something about a big old bowl of soup that fairly screams “it’s going to be OK”!

As always, treasure the good times, work through the rough patches, and don’t let others influence your feelings of joy and happiness. Peace and love to all.

6 oz. meaty thick bacon, cut into small pieces

1 carrot, shredded

2 celery stalks, thinly sliced

½ med. onion, finely chopped

1 green pepper, finely diced

3 lg. garlic cloves, finely minced

freshly ground black pepper

3 c. water

2 tsp. chicken base (I use Better Than Bouillon Chicken base)

dash hot sauce, such as Frank’s RedHot Sauce

2 c. chopped broccoli (I cut the broccoli into small bite-sized pieces)

2 T. flour

1 c. milk   

1 sm. (4 oz.) jar sliced pimentos, drained 

2 c. grated sharp cheddar cheese, or more to taste

¼ c. loosely packed fresh parsley

Fry the bacon in a large, covered soup pot until crisp. Remove the bacon leaving about tablespoons of the grease in the pan. Add the carrot, celery, onion, and green pepper; cook until the onion is soft. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the black pepper, water, chicken base, and hot sauce. Cover the pot, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Add the broccoli and cook for a couple minutes or until crisp tender.  

Whisk the flour and milk together. Add to the pot and stir until the soup is bubbling and thick. Add the sliced pimentos, cheddar cheese, cooked bacon, and parsley. Let simmer for a minute, then remove from heat. Stir until the cheese melts completely. Taste and adjust seasoning.

 

BOURBON, BROWN SUGAR, AND DIJON MUSTARD GLAZED HAM

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One of my favorite Christmas day dinner menus begins with a spiral cut half ham. Including ham on the menu reduces my work by a considerable amount. And after playing Mrs. Santa for a month, and therefore tired of baking, shopping, wrapping, sending, delivering, cooking something special for Christmas eve etc., etc., this old gal is ready for a break on Christmas day. So, what can be easier or more delicious than a big old ham for the Christmas dinner entrée? Nothing I know of, that’s for sure.

So, when it was going to be just the two of us at table this Christmas, we decided a 10-pound ham was not out of the question. After all, we could always pawn some off on our neighbors Mark and Vicki. And then there was scrambled eggs with chopped ham, green onion, and sharp cheddar cheese for breakfasts for the next 6 weeks. And of course, Navy Bean Soup. And leftover ham freezes beautifully. So, it made good sense at the time.

In retrospect, it may not have been my best idea since we still don’t have a new freezer even after waiting for over 9 months! But I think there’s still a bit of room in our garage refrigerator/freezer. So, it should be OK. But I sure don’t regret fixing the ham with this new glaze recipe. It made for some pretty-fine eating. Not overly sweet. Just a perfect combination of flavors.

So, next time you want to serve guests (you remember the good old days of having company for dinner, right?), think about serving ham with this glaze.

I don’t know about you, but I only think about ham for holiday dinners. Why is that? It’s a wonderful pork product. So as soon as it’s once again safe to entertain, I plan to have a big old dinner party, and you can bet your last package of pork rinds, the star of the show is going to be ham!

Speaking of which, the ham bone that is currently in residence in our refrigerator is calling to me. Along with some dried Navy beans, an onion, and a few stalks of celery, I hear my name being bantered about in the kitchen by a few of the main soup ingredients. So, I better end this post and get my own butt in gear. There is soup to be made. (And ingredients to appease!)

As always, have fun in your kitchen. Experiment with different flavor combinations, and if something doesn’t work, don’t get discouraged.

If you only knew how many times my cooking experiments weren’t successful. But, of course, you couldn’t possibly know because you will never find my less than sterling attempts on this site. Simply know that in many cases, to achieve a great dish, there have been a succession of modifications along the way. But when I do find that magic combination that makes my taste buds sing, that’s what makes cooking so fun for me! May it be the same for you. Peace and love to all.

9-10 lb. spiral sliced half ham (butt end if possible*)

¼ c. (½ stick) unsalted butter

½ c. brown sugar, packed

3 T. Dijon mustard

3 T. bourbon

¼ tsp. ground cloves

freshly ground black pepper

Remove the ham from packaging and let sit 1 hour before proceeding. (If the ham comes with a glaze packet, throw it away.) Wrap the ham tightly in foil and bake approximately 10 minutes per pound in a pre-heated 325-degree oven.

Meanwhile, melt the butter and whisk in the brown sugar, mustard, bourbon, ground cloves, and black pepper.

Remove ham from oven, carefully remove the foil, and spread about ¾ of the glaze over the entire ham. Pull apart the ham slices and slather the glaze between the slices too. Place ham back in the oven and let bake uncovered for 20 minutes. Slather the remaining glaze over the top and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until the glaze is slightly brown and crispy.

Remove from oven, tent loosely with foil, and let sit for 15 to 20 minutes before serving.

*I prefer the butt end of a ham. But most of the time the butt end and shank end aren’t marked on the package. The meat on the shank end (leg portion) tends to be leaner. The meat on the butt end is more tender and fatty which results in a richer flavor. But when push comes to shove, I purchase what’s available. And butt or shank end, I’m never disappointed.