Slow Cooked Pork Tacos

Ingredients

• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 (10-pound) bone-in pork shoulder
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1 cup orange marmalade  
• Corn Tortillas
• Chopped Cilantro
• Avocado
• Chopped sweet onion
• Lime  

Directions

Place the onions in the bottom of a 5-quart slow cooker. Place the pork shoulder, fat side-up. in the slow cooker. In a medium bowl stir together soy sauce, garlic, salt pepper and orange marmalade. Pour mixture over the pork. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.

Remove shoulder to a serving platter and let rest for 5 minutes. Break up some of the meat with a fork and arrange on platter. Serve with tortillas; chopped cilantro and onion; lime and avocado.

Easter left-overs.....

Easter was a hit! I can't believe all the new things I got to to make and invent this year (posting soon) Since we had a 9 pound ham, we definitely have leftovers. After some long searches for a good potato soup that included a ham bone for the base, I finally combined and made my own. So...here's the recipe I put together. Hoping (not hopping, like the bunny) that within the next week, I can get this put together for a wonderful dinner!

Ham Bone Potato Soup

Ingredients:

1 ham bone, with visible meat

1 medium onion, diced

1 ½ leeks diced

4 cups water (maybe more)

1 pound of bacon

1 clove of garlic, minced

1 stalk celery, chopped

2 tbl dried rosemary

1/2 teaspoon white pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

5 medium red potatoes, cut in 1 inch cubes

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup flour

2 cups half-and-half

Directions:

1. Pour stock/water into a large pot/Dutch Oven, over medium heat, and bring to a simmer (about 30 minutes); until the meat easily comes off the bone with a fork. Shred ham from the bone, discard any fat, and return meat to the pot. Add diced potatoes, rosemary & pepper.
1. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender.
2. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook diced bacon until crisp. With a slotted spoon, remove bacon and add to pot. Drain half of the bacon grease, and return skillet to medium heat. Stir in onions, leeks, garlic and green onions, and then add to pot.
3. While potatoes are cooking and veggies are cooking; in a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat being careful not to brown. Add flour, stirring constantly until incorporated well. Bring heat to medium/high and gradually stir in the half n half until creamy, thick and bubbly, stirring constantly, being careful not to scorch. Once it thickly coats the spoon, remove from heat.
4. When the potatoes are tender, stir the sauce mixture into the potato pot over medium heat, stirring constantly. Let simmer until soup reaches the desired consistency. You can add milk to adjust.

Szechaun Noodles with Spicy Beef Sauce

Wow, this easy dish has a good kick! Use the dry crushed red pepper sparingly if you are sensitive to heat. I used about 1 tsp and it had a kick. This would be a good weeknight dish!!


Ingredients

1 lb ground beef
1 cup chopped sweet onion
2 tsp minced garlic
1 1/2 tsp minced fresh ginger
1/2 - 1 tsp of dry crushed red pepper (to taste)
1 tbl sesame oil
2 tbl cornstarch
3/4 cup beef broth
1/3 cup hoisin sauce
2 tbl soy sauce
8 ounces of won ton noodles
1/2 cup sliced green onions

Directions

Brown ground beef in a large skillet, stirring until it crumbles; drain keep warm. Pour sesame oil in skillet and heat until hot. Saute onion and next 4 ingredients until tender. Combine cornstarch and beef broth, whisking until smooth. Stir broth mixture, hoisin sauce, and soy sauce into onion mixture. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, 1 minute.

Toss with hot cooked noodles and sprinkle with green onions and sesame seeds.

Soft Egg Ravioli w/Filet Mignon

Filling:
1 cup ricotta cheese
2 large egg yolks
1 tsp finely grated lemon peel
1 tbl shredded basil
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/8 tsp fresh ground pepper

Pasta:
1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 tsp kosher salt
3 large eggs
6 tbl water (or more as needed)
5 tsp olive oil

Butter truffle sauce: (Forgive me for the sauce recipe, as this was tweaked with what I had in the fridge as I was making it).
1 tbl water
1/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 tsp truffle oil
1/4 cup butternut squash soup
1/2 cup leftover ravioli filling
1/4 cup greek yogurt

Steak:
Filet Mignon (1 1/2 inches thick)- rested at room temp for minimim of 1 hour.

Preparation
Pre-heat Oven to 350 degress.

Filling:
Mix all ingredients in small bowl. Refrigerate while making pasta.

For pasta:
Mix flour, salt, eggs, water, and oil in a Food processor utilizing dough blade. Mix until dough becomes smooth and elastic (add more water if needed) for approximately 3- 4 minutes. Divide into 4 equal portions. Cover with plastic wrap; let rest on work surface for 30 minutes.

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment. Turn past machine to widest setting. Flatten 1 dough piece rectangle (cover remaining pieces with plastic wrap). Run dough through machine 2 times at largest setting. Fold uneven ends to middle of dough to make straight edge. Adjust machine to next narrow seting and run through 2 times...dusting with flour as needed. Repeat running through machine 2 times on each setting until you hit setting 6.

Whisk 1 egg in small bowl for egg wash. Place dough strips on work surface. Cut each strip into three 4-inch squares, trimming as needed. Place 1 rounded tablespoon of ricotta filling in center of each square. Make well in center of filling large enough to hold 1 egg yolk. Carefully break 1 egg open and separate yolk from while; gently placing egg yolk in well of filling. Brush edges of pasta dough with egg wash. Carefully place 1 pasta square atop egg yolk square, pressing edges to seal. Dust raviloi lightly with flour.

For butter truffle sauce:
Pour 1 tbl water into skillet and bring to boil over medium-high heat. Add butter and stir until melted and bubbling. Stir in truffle oil. Add butternut squash soup, leftover ravioli filling and greek yogurt. Season with salt and pepper. Keep warm (low) until serving.

Meanwhile, add enough water to large skillet to measure 1 1/2 inches; sprinkle with salt. Bring water to boil.

Steak:
Heat cast iron skillet; add 1 tsp of olive oil. Once oil is heated add 2 tsp of butter. Add steak and sear on each side for 2 minutes. Place into oven for 3 minutes. Take steak out and let rest for 3 minutes (covering with foil).

While steak is resting, gently slide ravioli into skillet, egg yolk up.  Adjust heat to keep water below rolling boil and cook for 3 minutes (until pasta is tender; do not turn ravioli over).

To serve:
Place steak on plate. With slotted spoon, transfer ravioli on top of steak. Spoon sauce over ravioli. Serve with side of asparagus and bread.

All I can say is 'WOW'...this dish was amazing. Ben's steak was twice the size of mine, and he finished his dinner well before I was even half-way through. This is definitely a weekend dinner, as it takes some time to prepare. Altough time consuiming, it is WELL worth it. You can't beat homemade pasta and a nice Filet Mignon. Cheers! 

Egg Ravioli

I have been searching for a recipe for ravioli that has an egg as the center....ever since a night out at the Barking Frog. Tada - I found the recipe.

Look back this weekend for the menu to be.

Spin-off of Nicole's Seared Scallops w/Red Pepper Sauce

1 cup of heavy cream
1/2 cup 1% milk
1 tbl minced garlic
1 large red bell pepper, finely chopped
Dash sugar
1/8 tsp white pepper
1 tbl lemon juice
3/4 tsp cajun seasoning
Scallops
Tilapia
Basil
asparagus, olive oil, salt/pepper, cayenne, garlic powder and balsamic vinegar
Steamed White Rice (our brown basmati) - with shredded basil

Sauce
Combine the bell peppers, heavy cream, half & half and sugar in a pot and bring to boil over medium heat; reduce heat to medium-low and continue simmering, stirring occasionally, until the cream reduces to about 1 cup, about 30 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the Cajun seasoning, lemon juice, salt, white pepper, and cayenne pepper. Pour sauce into a blender and blend until smooth. Keep warm in pot on stove.

Directions
Season tilapia with salt and pepper. Slice basil into strips and place in middle of tilapia. Take a scallop and place on top of basil. Roll tilapia over scallop and pierce with toothpick to hold together. Complete with rest of tilapia and scallops.

Add garlic to pan and sear tilapia on all sides (about 2-4 minutes). Add red pepper sauce and simmer for about 5 minutes (until tilapia and scallops are done). 

Serve over steamed rice with side of asparagus (place asparagus on a plate with seasonings notated above. Place in microwave for 2 minutes and serve.

Five-spice pork wraps

2 tsp Chinese five spice
1/2 Tbs. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
3 lb. boneless pork shoulder (cut into 5 large pieces)
2 Tbs. vegtetable oil
1 yellow onion, diced
1 1/2 tsp finely grated fresh ginger
1 1/2 Tbs. minced garlic
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup hoisin sauce
1 Tbs. Srirahca chile sauce (Cock sauce)
1 1/2 cups chicken broth

Butter lettuce leaves, steamed rice, bean sprouts, sliced green onions, cilantro, cucumber and shredded carrots for serving.

Preheat oven to 350 degress. In a small bowl combine first 3 ingredients; rub on pork shoulder. In a dutch oven over medium high-heat, warm 1 Tbs. vegetable oil. Brown pork in batches, 6 minutes each batch. Transfer to a large bowl.

Reduce heat to medium; warm 1/2 Tbs. oil. Cook yellow onion until soft. Add ginger and garlic until you can smell the garlic. Add soy sauce, hoisin, chili sauce, and broth; bring to a simmer. Return pork to pot. Cover; bake in oven turning pork half way between, 1 1/2 hours. Pull pork apart into large chunks and place in a bowl with some of the broth.

Serve with lettuce leaves, rice, bean sprouts, green onions, cilantro, cucumber, shredded carrots, hoisin and plum sauce. 

Note: when the steamed rice was done, I added shredded basil, lime peel, lime juice, salt and pepper. This was a great compliment to the lettuce wraps!!