Chipotle Orange PorkTacos

In border-state California we are huge fans of Mexican food--like tacos. This is a new take on the taco. Everybody in my family loves it and says it's a Keeper. I only like it. That's because I don't just LOVE sweet pork--I prefer my men sweet and my carnitas spicy. But that's just silly me. This is spicy and sweet. So, if you like things like sweet pulled pork--you will really like this! It's very easy--just throw it in the slow cooker and leave for the day! Makes a ton and keeps really well.  I make a big pot and use it for lunches for two all week. Found by my daughter on the BudgetBytes.com site. Adapted only very slightly. Yield: at least 12 tacos--maybe more.

Ingredients:

4-5 lbs. pork roast
1 med. onion
12 oz. can frozen OJ concentrate
7 1/2 can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
1 T plus 1 t minced garlic
2 C water
2 whole bay leaves
1/4 C cider vinegar
1 1/2 t soy sauce

Taco Toppings:
12 6" corn tortillas
1 med. red onion
1 med. avocado
1/2 bunch cilantro

Directions:

Dice the onion and 1 T minced garlic and place it in the bottom of your slow cooker or greased 3-qt pot. Trim excess fat off the pork roast and cut it into 2-3" cubes. Place the pork cubes on top of the onion in the slow cooker. if you don't have a slow cooker--sauté onion/garlic and pork together in the bottom of the pot until onion is limp. You can skip this step if you have a slow-cooker.

Throw half of the frozen OJ concentrate in the slow cooker or pot plus salt and 2-3 smaller chipotle peppers in about 2 t. of adobo sauce. Stir 2 C of warm water until the OJ concentrate is fully dissolved and mix everything together. There should be just enough to cover the pork chunks. Add a bit more water if needed. Add two bay leaves. Secure the lid and cook on High for at least 6 hours--up to 8 is fine. If you are making this in a pot--keep it on a low heat on a burner for at least 2 hours.
Pork should be easy to shred when done.

Prepare the tangy chipotle sauce for the meat: In a small saucepan combine the rest of the frozen orange juice concentrate with one chopped up chipotle pepper--1 t minced garlic...1/4 C cider vinegar and 1.5 t soy sauce. Whisk everything together and simmer over medium heat for about 10 minutes. Add the shredded pork and stir to coat.

Build your tacos by filling the tortillas with about a tablespoon of  pork plus thinly sliced red onion, shredded cabbage and some avocado. Top with a spoonful of sour cream and cilantro and you got it! Add Pico de Gallo if you like it hot...
 

Wild African Peanut Soup

This is a lighter version of the Groundnut Stew that I posted a couple of years ago. Groundnuts and peanuts are the same thing. Who knew? This recipe adds a bit of fresh ginger for a little "zip". Give this to your kiddos and they will love it--so will you! My daughter originally got this off of the very excellent "Budgetbytes.com" site--I adjusted it only slightly. I also added the word "Wild" to the title because I like the word "Wild".... Yield: Feeds 4 big eaters or 5 Pygmies.

Ingredients:

1 T vegetable oil
4 cloves garlic
1 inch knob of fresh ginger
1-inch fresh ginger
1 medium sweet potato
1 medium onion
1 t cumin
1/8 t ground cayenne pepper
1 6-oz can tomato paste
1/2 C natural-style chunky peanut butter (the kind with oil on the top)
6 C vegetable or chicken broth
1 lb raw chicken meat (breasts or tenders are fine) chopped into large cubes
1/2 bunch rinsed collard greens (2-3 cups chopped)
1/4 bunch cilantro (optional garnish)

Directions:

Peel and mince ginger and garlic very fine. Sauté in vegetable oil over medium heat for 1-2 minutes until garlic is soft and fragrant but not brown. Dice onion and add to pot. Cut the sweet potato into 1/2" cubes and add to pot. Sauté until it takes on a darker appearance. Meanwhile add broth to a 3 qt. pot and bring to a boil. Add chicken and cover. Boil until chicken is no longer pink. In the other pot--season sweet potato mixture with cumin and cayenne. Add tomato paste and peanut butter and stir until mixed. Gradually add broth in which the chicken was cooked to the sweet potato/peanut butter mix--then add chicken. Mix thoroughly and bring to a boil. Add chopped collard greens and cook about 15 minutes until greens are limp and potatoes are soft. Squash the sweet potatoes a bit with a potato masher or fork in order to make the soup thicker. Ladle soup into large bowls and sprinkle with chopped cilantro (if desired).

"Throw 'Em In" Mexican Chicken Stew

Every cook in California probably has a Mexican soup or stew recipe--this is mine. What's different about this recipe is that there is so little chopping involved. I hate chopping. Even with a food processor... you have to clean the darn thing after you're done cooking (does anyone else think this way?)! So, this is a recipe where you just open cans and bags and boxes and "throw 'em  in". Hence the name...

This recipe makes a bunch--about 10 one-cup servings. I like it thick--like a stew. But if you want soup--just add a 15 oz. can of tomato sauce or beef broth 'till you have it how you want it. If you have a small family--eat some and freeze some for those "I just can't get off the couch" nights. It's very healthy--only 294 calories of vegetables and nearly fat-free protein. Serves 10 --Adapted from "Living Lean with Trader Joe's" cookbook by Jamie Davidson.

Notes: The tomatoes ARE canned--but if you want to chop up 8 small or 6 large fresh organic tomatoes and add them to the bubbling pot instead--go ahead! Just be sure to add a small can of tomato sauce as well (for moisture). If you are allergic to corn or it is too high in glycemic value for you--simply leave it out. Substitute a chopped yellow and a chopped red bell pepper--they're sweet and pretty.

Ingredients:

2 medium onions (chopped)
4 crushed and minced garlic cloves
1 T olive oil
6 C cooked chicken (cut in chunks--in a pinch you can use 2 rotisserie chickens)
1 pkg. Trader Joe's Taco Seasoning Mix (or equivalent)
4 14.5 oz. cans diced tomatoes (or use fresh--see above)
2 15-oz cans black beans or a bag of dried beans that have been soaked overnight and washed 3X
2 C frozen or fresh organic non-GMO corn (or see substitute above)
2 C chicken broth
2 shredded corn tortillas or 2 t cornstarch or arrowroot mixed in 1/4 C water
2 T fresh lime juice (optional)
1/4 C chopped cilantro (optional--but don't skip it unless you hate cilantro)
plain Greek yogurt (optional)

Directions:

Cook onion and garlic in olive oil in a large pot or slow-cooker until tender--about 3 minutes. Add chicken-taco seasoning-tomatoes-beans and corn. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer at least 15 minutes. Stir in two shredded corn tortillas or substitute to thicken. Keep stirring occasionally and add water as needed if it gets too thick. Serve garnished with lime juice and cilantro and/or a dollop of plain Greek yogurt... 

Egg Babies

I loooove breakfast! I always want eggs and bacon and hash-browns AND some kind of roll that's full of sugar. And a rich dark roast coffee with real cream. But who has time to make all that? Or the metabolism to eat it? Maybe a 16 yr. old track star but not me! So, I make these little protein-filled babies... and the coffee (naturally). Eat them warm and store what's left over for up to 3 days in the fridge. Just heat up a couple in the microwave and there you have it: a healthy breakfast! Quantity: 8 Egg Babies.

Ingredients:

Optional Fillings:
Green onions (chopped)
Sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil (drained on a paper towel and chopped) or T.J.s packaged brand
Cheddar cheese (grated)
Swiss Cheese (grated)
Jack Cheese (grated)
Asiago Cheese
Oh Heck Any Kind of Cheese You Like
Canned green chilis (mild)
Fresh cilantro (chopped)
Fresh spinach (chopped)
Bacon (chopped)
Sausage (any kind)
Hamburger (brown it first and drain--15% fat is best)
Firm Buffola Mozzarella (cut in 1/2" cubes)

Egg Mix:
6 eggs
2 T milk
1/2 t onion powder (if you only have onion salt--use it instead of regular salt)
salt/pepper to taste (using Lawry's seasoning salt is also good)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease muffin tin liberally or use lots of spray oil (olive oil is healthy). Cook your meat proteins and prepare all other fillings. Add a large pinch of two or more of any or all of the fillings listed above to your muffin tins. Here are some good combo's...

Buffola Mozzarella and green chilies and Jack cheese
Spinach and ham and cheddar
Bacon and Swiss
Sun-dried tomatoes and cheddar
Hamburger and spinach and cheddar (like a Joe's Special)

Always put the grated cheese on top because it looks pretty. Pour egg mixture over fillings up almost to the top of each muffin tin. Bake until puffy and light brown around the edges. Let cool for a few minutes before removing with a knife. Eat warm or let cool and store in a plastic bag. Can be reheated in a microwave (about 30 seconds).

Parmesan Delectibite Appetizers

My Grandmother, Gladys, use to make these. She was an amazing cook; she would have 100 people over for a cocktail party and make it look effortless. These have got to be one of the easiest-to-make appetizers on earth. Beware! Once you start eating them...you won't stop (cue the scary organ music).

Ingredients:

2 C flour
1/2 t salt
2 t baking powder
1/4 t ground red pepper
1 C cream
3/4 C finely grated parmesan cheese
1/4 C butter
1/4 C olive oil

Ingredients:

Mix dry ingredients together in a food processor to distribute evenly. Add Parmesan and cream and pulse until blended (if you don't have a food processor you can use your hands). Gather up wet dough and make into a log. Refrigerate for 8 hours then cut into 1/4" thick slices. Melt butter in a large skillet. Add olive oil and combine over heat. Place slices in skillet and bake the whole thing in a 450 degree, preheated oven for 12 minutes. Serve warm.

Lentil Soup A La Jenn

There is so much to love about Lentil Soup. It is packed with good protein and fiber-filled fresh vegetables. The result is almost a miracle food!  Yes--there is a little fat, but you can skip the ham if you have high cholesterol. However, I would use the bacon if you don't have sherry. One or the other or BOTH adds that special flavor punch! WHAMO! Gottcha! FLAVOR. This was adapted quite a lot from a recipe from 'The Soup Kettle" restaurant recipe by Juanita Gomez. Yield: at LEAST 12 large bowlfulls.

Ingredients:

1/2 large onion--chopped
5 large carrots--sliced
3 slices REAL bacon (optional if you use sherry)
2 -4 C REAL ham--cut in 1" cubes or pieces (just buy one of those large, packaged ham slices)
2 garlic cloves--smashed and minced
2 large stalks celery--sliced
4 C lentils
4 quarts beef stock or 4 quarts water and 4 large beef bouillon cubes (6 gram size)
4 oz tomato paste
1/2-3/4 C good sherry (optional if you use bacon)
Sour cream or lemon wedges
Nutmeg

Directions: Rinse lentils and pick through them for dark ones while still in the colander. If you don't have a colander--use your head! Wait...that came out wrong. Unless you have holes in your head do not use your head. Use a large strainer.

Boil water in a 6-qt. soup pot and stir in bouillon cubes. Add lentils and boil for 30 minutes (some people soak their lentils overnight before boiling--this is good but not necessary). Meanwhile sauté first 6 ingredients in a large frying pan or a second pot. Add sauteed vegies to lentils and cook until lentils are soft. Add tomato paste and sherry. Cook for another 10 minutes. At this point I let the whole thing cool and leave it in the refrigerator overnight. But if you are hungry--you can serve it right away and put the excess in the fridge. Perhaps freeze some for another week? Absatutely!

To serve: Heat and salt and pepper to taste. Top with a blob of sour cream on top (swirl it to make it pretty) and a tiny bit of grated nutmeg. Alternatively--serve it with a slice of fresh lemon floating in the bowl. Note: Lentil soup does tend to get thicker with time--you can always add more water as you heat it up in the microwave or saucepan.